All the nobles cleared a path. I too, along with three other omegas, stepped back toward the wall and bowed my head in greeting.
The Emperor’s voice was heard.
“Since this is a gathering made to appreciate beautiful gems, enjoy yourselves comfortably.”
The tense atmosphere relaxed and the nobles began to gather in small groups and chatter as before, but I couldn’t do the same. This was because the Emperor’s gaze was stuck on me. I thought it might be my imagination, but when the Emperor came closer and closer, I knew it wasn’t my imagination.
“It’s been a while, Daniel Lambert.”
“Your, Your Majesty…”
I knelt down on the spot. Though I had inevitably encountered him when I was with William, this was the first time the Emperor had openly acknowledged knowing me, so I felt like my mind went blank.
“In such a relaxed setting, formalities are…”
The Emperor lightly grasped and released my shoulder. I was frozen and couldn’t move.
“Stand up.”
When I stood up on trembling legs, the Emperor was wearing a benevolent smile, and William seemed to be forcibly holding back laughter. He seemed to find it amusing that I was intimidated by someone.
“Yes. Daniel is becoming more and more excellent.”
“You, you flatter me. All of this is thanks to Your Majesty’s grace.”
I didn’t know what was excellent about me, but I answered first, and then the Emperor’s gaze began to look me up and down. I felt like I had become a mannequin standing in a display.
Was he looking at the lopeia? If so, that gaze made sense. Right now, this was a place to display lopeia. The Emperor’s support was most important for conducting trade safely.
Noticing the Emperor’s gaze, I moved my body this way and that to make the lopeia stand out more and struck various cool poses.
The Emperor nodded as if impressed and grabbed my shoulder to turn me around.
“Good! Now turn around once.”
“Yes!”
I answered energetically and then slowly turned around, ready to show off all the lopeia attached to various parts of my body. I thought William had left everything about lopeia to him, but it seemed the Emperor was also very interested. Seeing how carefully he was observing.
“Hahaha!”
I was doing my best to show off the lopeia when William suddenly burst into loud laughter. I looked at the Emperor’s expression wondering if I had made some mistake, but seeing that he was laughing too, it didn’t seem like I had made an error.
What? Why are they laughing like that?
In the midst of my confusion, music sounded from the center of the exhibition hall. It was a signal that the lopeia hidden behind curtains would soon reveal itself.
“Your Majesty, I’ll guide you to your seat.”
William guided the Emperor to his seat, then came to where I was after a moment.
“What are you doing here?”
I looked at William without understanding.
“You’re getting more and more impudent – this is a big problem. The Crown Prince has to come personally to escort you.”
Before I could open my mouth, William grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I felt wronged, but the music was getting louder and louder, so I couldn’t even make any excuses.
The place he took me to was the seat behind where the Emperor and new Empress sat, right next to the Crown Prince’s seat. It wasn’t a seat that a mere concubine could sit in, so I tried not to sit, but William forced me to sit down, so I sat down as if collapsing.
Was I the only one who felt uncomfortable?
It was strange that no one was looking this way even though people’s gazes should be gathering, considering the situation. Moreover, there was one more strange thing. The Emperor stood up from his seat even though the lopeia exhibition hadn’t started yet.
“Your Majesty, are you planning to leave without watching the exhibition?”
I was startled, but William asked the Emperor casually.
“Lopeia was originally an existing gemstone, so there’s nothing remarkable about it. Today I’ve seen enough of other things.”
“Yes. Then I’ll come to greet you separately after it’s over.”
“Do so.”
When even the music announcing the start of the banquet quieted down, tension began to circulate in the exhibition hall.
Then Aren appeared and swept away the curtain covering the lopeia.
“Wow!”
“Beautiful…”
When the curtain was drawn back and the lopeia filled with blue light revealed itself, exclamations burst from people’s mouths. The lopeia crafted under Gapa’s guidance was made into various accessories suitable for their purposes and displayed.
The accessories inside large glass tubes that looked like blue water had been sprinkled looked fantastic, like fish swimming in an aquarium.
Actually, I had been secretly thinking that since they weren’t technicians and were just small children, how much could they really accomplish with gem crafting? However, Gapa’s thinking was different.
‘Lopeia crafting and processing requires delicacy rather than strength, so children with small hands might do it better.’
I was worried even while trusting Gapa, but the results were this good!
I looked at William with deep emotion. He too, like me, was staring at the glass tubes in a daze. Pride welled up at the fact that William was looking at the same place as me and feeling the same emotions.
Then Aren, who was adorned with lopeia like us, held up one large lopeia rough stone. The people who had been exclaiming held their breath and focused on Aren.
“By the grace of His Imperial Majesty, beautiful lopeia will spread the name of the Stamili Empire throughout the world, so please congratulate us all.”
When Aren finished speaking and tapped the center of the lopeia rough stone with a hammer, the pre-cut gem split with a cracking sound. When the nobles were startled, Aren calmed them down.
“Haha. Don’t be surprised. This is a gift for everyone who came to today’s exhibition.”
Tremendous applause poured out at the mention of giving lopeia as gifts. The nobles hadn’t even touched the tea and refreshments placed in front of them. It was a more enthusiastic reaction than I had expected.
Indeed, there’s no one like Aren when it comes to enticing nobles.
While I was newly grateful to Aren, the back of the exhibition hall became noisy. Looking toward where the sound was coming from, the children who had made the gems today were entering the exhibition hall wearing matching white robes.
What? Was this an event Aren planned?
Although today’s exhibition was led by Aren, he had shared the process with William and me, but I hadn’t heard that the children would participate.
Did he suddenly come up with a good idea? Well, cute children wearing matching robes would make people’s hearts warm and comfortable, so it wouldn’t be bad.
Looking around, as expected, the nobles’ eyes were curved like crescent moons. The expressions that naturally came out when seeing cute things were all the same.
But what were they planning to do? Were they going to boast that they made them?
However, the children just passed by the lopeia placed in the center, and also passed by the nobles who couldn’t take their eyes off them, and stood in front of William and me. While I was surprised and couldn’t say anything, just staring at them blankly, William called the name of the oldest child among them.
“Luca.”
Luca bowed to both William and me and turned toward the children. I stared at Luca blankly, dumbfounded.
When Luca raised his hand, all the children clasped their hands together. Then, to the music coming from somewhere, beautiful voices began to flow.
“In a story without dreams or hope, in a house of hopeless despair. At the end of darkness, I see you. Angel, lead us to the world of light.”
The children’s voices, each verse of the song I was hearing for the first time, touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
Why am I crying like this? There’s nothing sad…
“Wrap us warmly with your light, and lead us to heaven. This place overflowing with joy, sadness, and comfort is where countless angels sing. We offer this song to the angel’s love we learned for the first time after being born.”
I wiped away tears and looked at the children. I was moved that the children who had been thin and shabby when they first came here were now all singing in healthy condition.
“Stamili, Stamili. This is where the kind prince and angel live. We are the young army that protects this place. May your future be filled with blue light.”
When the song ended, Luca knelt on one knee toward William like an adult knight.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, we promise to work loyally for Your Highness who saved us. Your Highness, please accept our oath of loyalty.”
I forcibly swallowed the tears that seemed about to burst out at the children’s voices.
William stood up from his seat and placed his hand on Luca’s shoulder.
“I, William McCurren, gladly accept your hearts.”
“Yay!”
The children clapped and cheered, and I looked at them with pride.
What a beautiful scene of the tyrant seed I raised taking in other children!
Could it be that I came here for such a big picture? William’s deep heart in changing the word “loyalty” that the children used to the word “hearts” was even more moving.
Today was full of nothing but proud moments.
***
After the exhibition ended, my whole body felt like it had been beaten with hammers. My stamina seemed to be getting worse and worse. Thinking of hurrying to rest, I was rushing back to my room when Countess Paroni, who I had spoken with earlier, blocked my path.
“Daniel-nim, today was enjoyable. Thanks to you, I’m leaving after seeing many good things.”
I stared at the Countess blankly for a moment. This was because her attitude toward me had changed too much from just before. When I gave no response, Paroni waved her fan as if displeased, so I came to my senses and forced a smile.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Then I’ll be going now…”
“Wait a moment.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
