TESE Episode 5
Two Empires, The Slave of the Empire (TESE)
5.
The carriage that had been running continuously stopped. Ten days after leaving Vincenzio Estate, we finally arrived at the imperial palace.
"Your Majesty."
The familiar captain of the guard opened the door and Giscard got out of the carriage first. However, I remained stuck inside the carriage, not moving. Seeing that, Giscard stretched out his hand.
"Come here."
"You damn..."
I grabbed the hem of my clothes and spat out curses. Glancing outside, I saw that the knights were lined up.
"Unless you want to be dragged to the execution site right away, please follow me now."
Giscard spoke in a voice that only I could hear. As he said, making a fuss in front of so many people would not be a wise choice. Still, I wanted to say one last thing, so I grumbled softly.
"Do you really want to do that in the carriage? The knights are right next to us...!"
"If you were a knight, what do you think the reason is that I let you on this carriage?"
My face turned red. To reduce boredom during the long carriage journey, it's not uncommon to bring a woman. Clearly, there was no other reason. I roughly rubbed my red face with the back of my hand.
No, let's stop. At least for now.
Ignoring his hand, I got out of the carriage alone. I quietly raised my head and looked around. It was a chance to see the El Pasher Imperial Palace with my own eyes, something I hadn't experienced even during my days as the Crown Prince.
The most prominent feature of El Pasher Palace was its overwhelming size. In fact, I heard that El Pasher's palace grounds were about twice as large as those of Strasse. However, despite its grandeur, the palace gave off a generally rugged vibe.
In comparison, Strasse Palace was dazzling to the point of blindness. Even on a single outer column, delicate carvings adorned the surface, and attention to aesthetics was evident even when planting a single blade of grass. Those ignorant bastards of El Pasher. Thinking that thick columns and high ceilings were all that mattered.
News of the Emperor's return had reached many, and people had gathered in front of the palace to welcome him. A beautiful woman with brown hair walked forward. As far as I knew, Giscard had taken in Brussels, the only daughter of Duke Marcy, as his Crown Princess before he even became an adult. If that were the case, she would probably be Crown Princess Brussels. No, perhaps she was the Empress.
The Empress, accompanied by a young boy, approached.
"Your Majesty, welcome back. Seeing you return safely puts my heart at ease. Crown Prince Chirac, please also greet His Majesty."
"Oh, have you arrived? Your Majesty."
Black hair and blue eyes. In particular, her fierce eyes resemble those of Giscard. Is that boy the Crown Prince of El Pasher?
However, looking at his stiff shoulders, it seemed the Crown Prince was uneasy around his father. It wasn't difficult to figure out why. It's challenging for any child to stand comfortably when faced with such an openly cold demeanor, as if ready to scrutinize and judge. Moreover, without even inquiring about his son's well-being, Giscard abruptly spoke like this.
"Have you been lazing around all day again?"
"No, no..."
"Hoho, surely not. The Crown Prince is always diligently working hard, right? More than that, Your Majesty. You haven't had dinner yet, right? Let me serve you. Come with me."
Empress Brussels intervened with a gentle tone. However, Giscard was equally cold towards her.
"No, I'll take a break after getting rid of the fatigue."
Giscard quickly finished the conversation and passed by the Empress. I quietly followed Giscard. Because I had been observing Empress Brussels, I could see her tightly clenching her fist, hidden within her sleeve.
"...Why don’t you treat your wife and children with respect?"
As I mumbled to myself, Giscard gave me a look. But I pretended not to see anything and kept walking.
I had memorized the nearby geography until we arrived at the Imperial Palace. Perhaps because their purposes were similar. The structure of the Imperial Palace of Strasse was somewhat similar. But how long do I have to follow along? What are they planning to do with me?
Even when we arrived at the bedchamber, Giscard didn't hand me off to a servant or a soldier.
"We'll have dinner here. Bring enough for two people."
"Yes."
The maids who received the order silently stepped back. From the moment I entered the room, I stood frozen, just like Crown Prince Chirac I had seen earlier. The bedroom was worse than anything else. The bedroom was worse than anything else.
True to El Pasher's liking for grandeur, the Emperor's bedchamber was exceptionally spacious. In addition to the bed, there were tea tables, coffee tables, and even a desk where work could be done, all neatly arranged in the vast space.
"Sit down and relax."
Giscard took off his outerwear, hung it on his chair, and went straight to his desk. He picked up the documents haphazardly stacked on the desk. He looked at the documents in the carriage, and as soon as he arrived at the imperial palace, he picked up the documents again. It seemed like he had no intention of wasting any time.
Seeing Giscard sit in the chair at the desk, I intentionally went to the furthest sofa and sat down. However, soon I felt extremely uncomfortable with my appearance and ruffled my hair.
Wake up, Ray. Is this all your courage amounts to?
Let's organize the current situation. First of all, I was receiving unprecedented special treatment from Giscard.
Firstly, despite me using informal language and even swearing, He was letting it slide. Considering the fact that I am a slave and he is the emperor, there had been no daring actions like this before.
Furthermore, I am under suspicion as some kind of assassin, but they didn't even give him a proper interrogation. Judging by the fact that he brought me straight to the bedroom, it seemed he had no intention of doing so for a while.
Being treated like a male prostitute by him was truly terrible, but even this could be considered a stroke of luck when carefully examined. Because instead of being imprisoned, tortured, and then executed, he was given time to seize the opportunity. And...it meant that my parents and the slaves at Vincenzio Estate could live safely for the time being.
While I was lost in thought, the food arrived. The maids placed dishes on the table one by one. Giscard put down the documents, took a seat, and gestured for me to join. Reluctantly, I took a seat across from him, realizing that refusing the meal would only be a disadvantage for me.
Watching Giscard raise his glass, I picked up my spoon. I tasted the soup first. Why does it taste so bland? Grimacing, I pushed the soup bowl aside, and the maid who was standing to serve hesitated for a moment, then belatedly cleared it away. I thought only the chef lacked skill, but it seemed the maids weren't doing their job properly either.
Rinsing my mouth with water, I brought the shrimp to the plate in front of me. They were as big as fingernails, so the shells didn't peel off easily. Couldn't they bring in some seafood from the Southern Strait once in a while?
Giving up and just pushing various items into my mouth, I noticed Giscard lowering his knife and looking at me. Feeling his gaze, I turned to face him.
"What is it?"
"You seem familiar with dining etiquette."
Giscard was pointing out that I didn't behave like a typical slave. Instead of being flustered, I chuckled and gestured with the fork in my hand, smiling wryly.
"Ever thought about it? Most targets of assassins are high-ranking individuals. Having this level of dining etiquette might be essential for assassins to easily approach their targets."
"..."
Giscard still showed no change in his expression. Instead, the maids standing beside me twisted their faces at my bold response. Giscard quietly looked at my face for a moment before resuming his meal. I also casually continued eating.
There were too many strange things about me to be considered an ordinary slave. It was all because I remembered my past life, but revealing that truth was out of the question. Claiming to be the Crown Prince of the Grand Empire with my own mouth? I'd be lucky if people didn't think I was insane.
If that's the case, I'll show it with action rather than saying it a hundred times. Giscard would have no choice but to acknowledge me by witnessing it with his own eyes.
I was confident that even at this moment, behind his emotionless face, Giscard was curious about my identity. It was definitely the reason for his special treatment of me. After much deliberation, what decision will Giscard make? Would he continue treating me as a mere slave? Or would he understand my unique circumstances? I might be able to escape from here before Giscard properly grasped who I am.
After finishing the meal, the maids cleared away all the dishes. Giscard moved to the desk to continue examining the documents.
Sitting idly on the sofa, I didn't know when Giscard's instructions came until a maid entered and recommended a bath. I nodded and accepted the offer. After the bath, I changed into fresh clothes. When I came out, a maid brought refreshing drinks and snacks. It felt comfortable to receive such treatment after a long time. Sitting on the sofa, I summoned a maid.
"Clear this and bring me warm tea."
"...Yes Understood."
The maid was polite, but her expression was stiff. It seemed she didn't like the impudence of a slave, holding his head high and making demands. If she didn't like it, what could I do? I chuckled, crossing my legs.
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