Chapter 33: A Feast in Grayks (6)
Whispering so the Duke wouldn’t hear, the Crown Prince looked at El with a shocked expression. Then he quickly glanced at the Duke, who was engrossed in eating the Palenque.
Confirming this, the Crown Prince turned back to the dish with a serious face, then looked at Greike and finally at El again.
The Crown Prince’s curiosity about who this man was exploded, causing him to panic.
This man had not only discerned his true intentions but had also gone further, advising him to take care of his people.
Who was this guy?
Despite his growing frustration, the Crown Prince knew his position was still precarious. If the Duke found out his true plans, the Crown Prince could be deposed.
He had to thwart the Duke naturally, as if it were all a game.
If this man spoke recklessly, everything would fall apart, regardless of his identity or status, which only added to the Crown Prince’s unease.
But he couldn’t remain flustered forever.
Forcing himself, the Crown Prince took a bite of the Palenque. He forced a laugh, aware of the Duke’s presence.
“Hahaha!”
He started laughing loudly, eating the Palenque greedily as if he were performing. The Duke merely found him vulgar.
While appearing to eat voraciously, the Crown Prince was too astonished to taste the Palenque.
He had always dreamed of restoring the imperial authority played with by a few nobles, but he was still as fragile as a leaf. Besides, he had never truly considered the people.
“But I love this clay. It holds endless potential. As long as this city’s peace is maintained, I’ll continue to love it.”
As the Crown Prince kept his eyes on the man while eating, yet another statement shook him.
Sigh.
The Crown Prince began to laugh.
He realized now what he was thinking. It felt like being naked.
His initial bet had been about walking around Grayks naked if he lost.
This was akin to defeat. No, it was already a loss.
He had planned to help Greike and check the Duke at the very end, as if bestowing a favor.
The Crown Prince started laughing genuinely for the first time in his life, though laughing was his usual persona.
Who was the real protagonist of this game?
The Duke?
No. He was the most thoughtless.
Greike?
No.
And not even himself, the Crown Prince.
The current commander of this battlefield was the man before him.
The Crown Prince thought he had no choice. He needed to get through this situation first. Killing the Duke and the guard Medrine to silence them wasn’t an option.
“Very well, Greike! I’ve lost this bet! I admit it cleanly. How can I claim victory after eating such delicious food? Hahaha!”
Then the Duke, who had been silent, interjected with a stunned expression.
“Your Highness, what are you saying? Even if you lost, such a bet cannot stand. You cannot walk around naked!”
“No.”
The Crown Prince’s word left the Duke puzzled.
“What?”
“The terms of the bet have changed.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I lost, I promised to leave Greike without any demands! But this is legendary meat, isn’t it? It’s delicious! How can I not acknowledge it? Legends are significant! It’s an amusing banquet. It’s fun, so I lost, didn’t I? Sorry, Duke. Don’t be too disappointed. How much tax can such a small territory generate anyway?”
“It was indeed tasty. But Your Highness, politics and cooking are separate matters.”
“I don’t care about politics. The important thing is I made a bet and cannot retract my word. I am the Crown Prince!”
The Crown Prince laughed, stood up from the table, and left the banquet hall. The Duke, unable to hide his anger, followed him.
“Your Highness! I haven’t heard this!”
“Master! I will follow the Crown Prince too!”
Greike also chased after the Crown Prince.
In the end, the only ones left were El and Medrine.
***
“So, you hinder me after all my indulgence?”
The Duke’s anger boiled inside. But it was true he couldn’t press Greike anymore due to the Crown Prince’s whimsical bet. To interfere just for fun was frustrating.
Had he not planned to make a puppet emperor, he would have deposed the Crown Prince already. Many other princes were vying for the position.
But as long as he was the Crown Prince, his declarations carried absolute authority.
The Duke could no longer reach for Grayks. Moreover, since the Crown Prince left immediately, he couldn’t attempt anything else. He had to follow the Crown Prince.
The world was watching. Even though he wielded the real power, the Crown Prince’s rank was higher. He couldn’t ignore it.
“Where is Medrine?”
The Duke called for her, thinking he had to use her magic to leave some mark on Grayks.
“Did you call for me?”
Medrine walked into the study slowly, very slowly, nearly making the Duke’s head explode.
Moreover, she wasn’t alone but with that infuriating chef. Because of this chef, the Duke’s plans had gone awry. The first priority was the Crown Prince, the second this chef.
The Duke glared at El.
“You, you scoundrel! Do you know where you are?”
The Duke trembled with rage, but El calmly entered the study and looked around.
“Duke Taimuran, this is our first meeting, I believe…”
El stopped by the window and opened it, letting the breeze in.
“Medrine, kneel this scoundrel immediately!”
The Duke’s veins bulged as he roared. Already infuriated, the audacity of a mere chef to address him like this was intolerable.
But Medrine spoke as if this behavior was natural.
“Your Grace, I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“What?”
“That man is a Dragon Slayer. Even dragons cannot handle him. How can a human make him kneel?”
The Duke looked back and forth between El’s back and Medrine. A Dragon Slayer? There was only one person with that title in the world.
“What are you talking about?”
“Exactly as I said. Oh, didn’t I mention it yesterday?”
“What?”
The Duke uttered a single word.
Then he looked at El’s back again. Medrine knelt, trembling.
Medrine had wronged El in the past war. They were never on good terms.
But running away wouldn’t solve anything. It was impossible to escape from El. So, she just trembled.
She was the empire’s highest wizard.
Even high-ranking nobles had to yield to her. She had always spoken freely to the Duke.
Seeing her tremble now gave the Duke chills. He realized what kind of person she was talking about.
“Your Grace, let me say one thing. I’m retired. I have nothing to do with the central government, power, or civil wars. Whatever His Majesty or you do is your business. But if you touch my haven in Grayks, you’ll see dragons rampaging in the capital again. And don’t expect my help. If you don’t want to lose the insignificant power you’ve worked so hard to maintain, handle things well. Forget you ever met me here, and erase the word Grayks from your mind.”
“That, that…”
El looked at the Duke quietly.
Then released his mana.
The study was engulfed in darkness. A black void, with a massive inferno swirling at the end.
“The path to hell is close, Your Grace. Remember that.”
El left that message and disappeared into the darkness.
After the 9th-class magic faded, El was gone. Only Medrine remained, still kneeling and trembling.
The Duke, realizing what he had seen, began to tremble, his teeth chattering.
The Duke stood there, blinking in shock. Cold sweat streamed down his face.
***
Peace is important.
If anyone tries to destroy my peace, the Duke will taste hell. I’ve shown him the edge of that hell.
I had to threaten him, knowing he might not give up and become a nuisance. But I wasn’t pleased with the process.
I had scared the Crown Prince with food, but Medrine’s presence was a problem.
I retired because I despised such dirty and petty lives.
Had I not declared my intention to build my lair here, I might have just left.
With these complex thoughts, I returned to the restaurant to find night falling.
Not having been woken up, Rurin was still lounging in bed. She should have come looking for me by now.
Perhaps it was fortunate.
As I approached and sat on the bed, sensing my presence, Rurin stirred.
“How long do you plan to sleep, our dear dragon?”
“Oh, it’s you.”
She poked her face out from under the blanket, her eyes half-closed.
“Why do you look like that?”
She suddenly sat up, causing the blanket to fly up and flutter to the ground.
In that state, she crawled over and grabbed my arm.
Astonishingly perceptive at times like these, what a fascinating dragon.
“I just had a tiring day.”
“A tiring day? Who dared to tire you out? This I cannot allow!”
“Indeed, it’s intolerable.”
As I patted Rurin’s head, I felt a bit better.
Rurin suddenly remembered something, got up from the bed, and grabbed my shoulders.
“Oh, right. That woman said to give a massage to a tired man.”
Recalling one of my comrades, Rurin began to knead my shoulders. It was more of a soft squish than a proper massage.
It felt nice.
The fatigue seemed to melt away.
“How is it?”
“It’s good.”
“Really! If you’re happy, so am I.”
Rurin started laughing. Why was this dragon touching my emotions today? I suddenly felt like hugging her.
“But I’m hungry.”
Rurin puffed out her cheeks.
That line brought me back to my senses.
Thankfully.