Chapter 17. Red Hair

“Cough! Cough!”

Before going to my designated seat, I deliberately let out a cough. Various gazes from the people poured onto me. Most were negative, such as finding me strange, odd, or seeing me as a tag-along to the royal family.

‘So, I’m a useless fellow.’

I could tell just by looking. They weren’t worried about the country, but only their own well-being. They had been endlessly calculating who the next generation of power would be, and they were not pleased with a variable like me interfering.

‘Let them be.’

It’s not a problem I need to worry about. They are the ones with the complex situation, not me.

“Cough!”

I let out a loud cough for all to see and stood before the king. The king looked at me with displeased eyes. I met his gaze. At that, the king averted his eyes. It felt as if he had seen something he didn’t want to see.

‘Does he think of the 5th Prince’s birth mother?’

Sometimes, people are tormented because someone resembles a person they loved too much. Anyway, the king and the 4th Prince have no resemblance whatsoever. Things are about to get interesting.

I gave the king a light bow and went to my assigned seat. It was the seat farthest from the king, behind the 1st Prince.

“Are you feeling a bit better?”

The 1st Prince asked. It was the first question that smelled of humanity. Judging by his tone, gaze, and the atmosphere he exuded, it seemed the 1st Prince, at least, treated the 5th Prince differently.

“I am getting better.”

Hearing my answer, the 1st Prince glanced at the 3rd Queen and turned his head toward me.

“Your complexion…”

He should be more worried about his own complexion than mine…

“It is getting better.”

I gave the same answer to the 1st Prince, who was concerned about the 3rd Queen. I didn't have much to say, and I felt that if I said anything else, he would keep worrying and repeat tedious questions.

The 1st Prince nodded and looked forward. I knew he was watching the 3rd Queen, but it was more than I expected. The pressure from the 3rd Queen must be considerable.

“The prepared families, please come forward in order and pay your respects to His Majesty.”

The 3rd Queen said. The nobles, as if they had been waiting, stood before the king with the items they had prepared. Most of them were provincial nobles. The highest rank was Count, but their numbers were not that many.

“This is a rare mushroom from our region. It is said to be good for the body, so we have prepared the finest grade.”

“Our family manages blacksmiths. This is a special sword made by the best blacksmith. We prepared it for Your Majesty.”

“I have brought medicinal herbs that will boost Your Majesty’s vitality.”

“We are a family that manages a merchant guild. For today, we have prepared spices imported from Ingaru across the sea.”

Rare items came out one after another. The nobles watching let out exclamations of admiration. However, there was no particular change in the king’s expression. He merely expressed formal gratitude. Instead, the 3rd Queen was welcoming them with a smile. The nobles also looked at the queen more than the king. It seemed they had quickly realized whose favor they needed to curry.

“Seeing His Majesty the King so pleased makes me very happy too. I believe Poinus is a healthy nation because of all of you.”

The 3rd Queen offered words of praise that even the king did not.

‘How blatant.’

She was showing off her influence. Showing that it extends not just within the capital, but also to the provinces.

I looked around. The 1st Prince had an uncomfortable expression. The nobles’ eyes were constantly darting around. I could clearly read that they were calculating which line to stand in. Justice, justification, such things seemed to be absent from their minds. They were so consistent that I almost laughed. It was the same during Leonhardt’s time; most nobles were like that. There were a few who were not, but it was as rare as finding a bean in a drought.

“The devotion to the nation even from the provinces is so commendable that I cannot hide my joy. Today’s banquet was prepared for you, so I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.”

The king stood up, signaling the end of the presentation time. Food was brought to the prepared tables. Cheerful music began to play.

“How boring.”

The 3rd Prince muttered. His voice wasn’t quiet, so it reached the ears of the other princes, the king, and the queen, including me. The 3rd Queen glared fiercely at the 3rd Prince. It was a silent reprimand not to act rashly in front of the king. However, the 3rd Prince casually dismissed it, scratching his forehead with an indifferent expression.

The solemn music changed to a dance tune. The doors of the banquet hall opened, and dancers entered.

‘Huh?’

For a moment, the 3rd Prince’s eyes sparkled excessively. It was as if he had discovered a treasure. I was curious as to why he was acting that way. So I looked at where the 3rd Prince’s gaze was fixed.

‘A woman?’

The 3rd Prince was looking at one of the dancing women.

‘She does stand out.’

Her red hair, which scattered like flames every time she turned, was captivating. Her slender fingers, cutting through the air, looked like silver threads. Her footwork, stepping on the floor, felt as if she were moving on clouds. But…

‘She looks familiar.’

The feeling I got from the dancer’s appearance, the atmosphere she exuded with every movement, seemed very familiar.

‘She’s similar.’

She reminded me of a person who had roamed the battlefields with me. He had red hair, handled a bow with long, slender fingers, and was excessively popular with women due to his handsome looks. His personality was so unbelievably shitty that I couldn't understand why he was so popular. Raphael Antoine came to mind.

Antoine had roamed countless battlefields with me. He was such a brilliant and agile fellow that he had achieved a number of military exploits too difficult to count.

‘He was a guy who insisted on going with me even if he died, I wonder if he survived without dying…’

A futile hope. After Mathias killed me, he eliminated everything related to me. Alfred suffered the same fate, so Antoine wouldn’t have been safe either.

‘Damn it.’

We fought with our lives on the line, sharing the same will to change the world, yet all we got was death. And not just for ourselves, but a tragic end where our entire families were erased. A fire burns within me. I’m so dizzy from the heat rising to the top of my head.

“Princes, do not just stay in your seats, go down and enjoy the banquet.”

The king spoke while I was taking deep breaths to control my emotions.

The 4th Prince stood up from his seat as if he had been waiting. He glanced at me once with blazing eyes and then went down from the platform. Following him, the 3rd Prince moved.

The place he was heading to was the Entertainment Manager of the Royal Entertainment House, which managed the dancers. It seems his target is the red-haired dancer.

“May I take my leave first?”

The 1st Prince politely asked the king. The king turned his head and looked at the 1st Prince.

“The 3rd Queen went to great trouble to prepare this, how about the 1st Prince enjoy it as well?”

“I am aware of the 3rd Queen’s hard work, but I have a lot of work that has piled up, so I wish to organize it quickly.”

“Is it about the tax issue? Wasn’t the Minister of Finance supposed to handle that?”

“We are organizing it together. There are many diverse opinions, so there are many things to consider. The Minister of Finance alone has clear limitations, so I am proceeding with him.”

At the 1st Prince’s words, the king nodded and waved his hand in a gesture that meant he could go. The 1st Prince left his farewell to the back of the king’s head and stood up from his seat.

I looked at the king. Pathetic. Taxes are one of the key elements in leading a nation. A king should meticulously take care of it. But that man is leaving such an important task to a subordinate and just watching. No matter how competent the subordinate is, no matter how trustworthy, the king must look into it himself. Because if a problem arises, all responsibility lies with the king. That’s probably why the 1st Prince is taking care of it himself. To solve any problems that arise on behalf of the king. Of course, it seems he plans to use this as a justification to block the 3rd Queen’s attacks. He might even launch a counterattack.

‘Chris wasn’t talking nonsense.’

He had said that the 1st Prince had sufficient qualities to rule the country. At first, I thought he was just comparing us to put me down, but it seems he was somewhat sincere. And it seems the evaluation of the 1st Prince isn’t just Chris' opinion alone. Judging by the fierce gaze of the 3rd Queen, who was following the 1st Prince, it seemed so.

‘Let them play among themselves. As for me…’

I had originally planned to return to my assigned quarters. But I changed my mind. I need to check on the dancer the 3rd Prince has his eyes on. If she is a descendant of Antoine… I have to help her live a better life than her current one.

* * *

“That child is not a courtesan.”

That was the Entertainment Manager’s reaction when I asked about the red-haired dancer.

“I know.”

“Then please enjoy the banquet by conversing with others.”

“The Entertainment Manager seems to be misunderstanding something. I am merely curious about the person.”

“His Highness the 3rd Prince also said so. However, if you show interest, it will be troublesome in many ways. The dancers belonging to the Entertainment House exist for the art of the nation.”

“No…”

He’s gravely misunderstanding something.

“That friend with the red hair, I just want to have a little chat with her.”

“His Highness the 3rd Prince also said so.”

The Entertainment Manager repeated the same words like a parrot. 3rd Prince, 3rd Prince… that bastard seems to be famous for his womanizing. That’s why he’s putting up a wall like this. A young punk, acting all grown up.

“Did you say the same thing to my brother?”

“Yes, I told him the exact same thing. The dancers belonging to the Entertainment House are not courtesans. And their level of knowledge is not high enough to converse with Your Highness. They are children for whom dance is everything. So I would appreciate it if you did not show interest.”

At the Entertainment Manager’s words, which drew a sharp line, I replied, ‘I understand.’

Both his expression and his voice clearly showed his will to block any approach, no matter what. Still, it’s a shame to leave just like this.

“Then what’s her name?”

“Her name, you ask?”

The Entertainment Manager asked back with a beaming face. Something is strange, but… I nodded for now.

“I am the one responsible for the Royal Entertainment House…”

“No, not you, Entertainment Manager. The dancer with the red hair.”

“Ah…”

The Entertainment Manager did not hide his disappointment. I don’t know why he’s disappointed after thinking whatever he wanted on his own. I’m the one who should be disappointed.

“Why? Is her name not allowed either? No, you can at least tell me her name, can’t you?”

“Her name is Michelle.”

“Her last name?”

“She does not have a last name.”

“Why? To enter the Royal Entertainment House, she should at least be from a quasi-baron family, shouldn’t she?”

At my question, the Entertainment Manager swallowed and debated whether to answer or not. But his deliberation did not last long.

“That is because that child is a special case.”

“Special? You mean she’s not a noble?”

“…That is correct.”

I think I know why he drew the line so thickly. Since she’s not a noble, it’s easy to treat her like a beast. If she were to lose her life in an accident, no one would care. If she had a family, they could at least appeal, but the child named Michelle doesn’t even have that. I would have stepped up like the Entertainment Manager if I were in his shoes. Anyway…

“If she’s not a noble, how could she enter the Entertainment House?”

“It was because her skills were so outstanding. His Majesty the King also saw Michelle’s dance and permitted her to enter the Entertainment House.”

The more I heard the explanation, the more I wanted to meet her. But it seemed the Entertainment Manager wouldn’t let me meet her even if a knife were at his throat. The mention of the king made that even clearer. The nuance that she was a dancer known by the king, so I shouldn’t even dream of it, was palpable.

Well then, it can’t be helped. Since he said not to, I’ll have to do something without the Entertainment Manager knowing.