13. Everyone’s situation (2)

Although the heat of early summer was rampant, the palace gardens were not affected at all. As soon as I entered the entrance, the heat suddenly disappeared and a cool breeze blew, as if it were a separate world. Maxim closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze.

“I realized all of this with magic, you mean?”

Paola was observing the surroundings, perhaps admiring the magic. A huge barrier magic that blocks the influence of the seasons and weather protects the palace and its front yard. Christine was following a fluttering butterfly, averting her eyes.

“Your sincerity is amazing.”

said Roberto in a voice filled with awe.

“It’s a barrier that has been maintained since the days when the royal palace was the imperial palace.”

Paola retorted to Roberto and placed her hand on a low-hanging branch, bitten by the gardener’s stinging gaze.

“You’re strict.”

“It could be blasphemy.”

Christine said with a laugh. Paola brushed hair off her fingertips as if they had been stung by a bee. Maxim shook his head at Paola’s bold attitude.

“And, that’s the royal palace over there.”

The wind that was originally cool became even cooler. Beyond the fountain with five streams of water flowing, there was a royal palace with magnificent wings spread. As Maxim and his party were overwhelmed by the magnificence, a man dressed similar to the messenger who visited the knights yesterday approached to greet them with graceful steps.

“Welcome to the palace. I am Emile Bordain from the secretary’s office who assists His Majesty.”

Emile Bordin welcomed them, and Theodora responded with impeccable manners.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Mustache in a monocle. However, the long lace was restrained, and the burdensomely large brooch was not worn. As if he had clearly learned court manners, his every action was dignified. Without arrogance, without arrogance, and with an attitude comparable to that of a messenger, Emile Bordain silently guided them.

“His Majesty is really looking forward to this luncheon.”

“It’s just an honor to invite you to luncheon.”

“That must mean that you have high expectations for the Knights of the Raven.”

When did they arrive at the entrance of the main building? Five guards with identical faces seemed to have passed by, but they had not yet approached the main building of the palace. After walking for such a long time, the main building appeared. Beneath the King’s Balcony was a great gate, gilded and glistening with gold.

The knights guarding the entrance on both sides held the door open with unmistakable movements. The door of the main building was opened quietly, but heavily, without making any noise.

The expression “royal palace” was not enough to capture all of this palace. The chandeliers on the ceiling and the beautiful murals painted on the walls were reflected like mirrors on the marble floor. The sunlight, shaped like the pattern of the bars, fell on the corridor of the palace.

“You arrived just in time.”

Emile said as he guided them.

“Thanks to you, I was able to direct you to the room where the luncheon will be held.”

The palace was so big, but apart from the sound of Emil’s words and the footsteps of the knights, I couldn’t hear any noise. The feet of the servants walking around the palace made no sound, like feathers walking.

After walking for a long time through the hallways on the first floor, Emil arrived at a door. Sure enough, a lion with a sword in its mouth was engraved on the door.

“This is the Sun Room where the luncheon will be held.”

Saying that, Emil grabbed the doorknob on one side.

“Then, please go in.”

The door opened and revealed a chandelier on the same marble floor. In the very center of the room was a long ivory table with chairs of the same color.

“Your Majesty will arrive soon.”

As Emile said that, he glanced at Maxim. Emil’s eyes flashed bright blue through the monocle hung over his left eye.

“Even if it is inconvenient, please stand and wait until His Majesty returns.”

The room in the sun seemed to swell with subtle tension. Maxim, not even thinking to roll his eyes, stared like a criminal at the backyard of the palace peeking across the table.

Then, footsteps were heard from afar. There were several signs that Maxim could catch, but there was only one sound of footsteps. George II of the Loire royal family, the only person in the royal palace who can walk with his head high and confidently stepping out. The King of this country was approaching the Sun Chamber.

door already open. The sound of footsteps reached the door, and the Knights of the Ravens knelt to pay their respects to the king. Just as they were about to bow according to the manners, the King’s voice was heard.

“It was a greeting. Is it Jim that made you wait? Jim is not shameless enough to receive such a welcome.”

Following the voice, the king’s presence proudly entered the room. Emil bowed her head and greeted the king.

The King briefly raised his hand to Emil and looked around the Sun Room.

“Is lunch ready?”

“Yes. I am waiting for you to take your seat.”

“Then, sit down.”

The king turned his head to Maxim’s party.

“You, too, raise your heads and take your seats. Should I treat my guests like this?”

The king said that and glared at Emil with fierce eyes.

“I ordered them to sit down first and wait if they arrive before Jim.”

Emile bent his head further.

“I apologize. However, I did not dare to do so because of the prestige of the royal family.”

“Since my burden is the royal family, how dare you judge the prestige of the royal family?”

“I apologize.”

At the king’s harsh rebuke, Emil bowed her head.

“Wait outside the room. After today’s luncheon, I will call you separately and rebuke you.”

“I will follow your order.”

The king raised his voice and spoke to the people around him.

“And, everyone except the escort knight commander, wait outside the room. Jim wants to dine in an atmosphere as light as possible.”

“Your Majesty, I ask that you leave a minimum escort force behind.”

A middle-aged man who seemed to be the commander of the escort knights tipped off to the king.

“With you, what are you worried about? And, they are also knights who have sworn to dedicate their bodies and souls to this country.”

“God has spoken presumptuously.”

“It happened. Come on out. I want to enjoy lunch now.”

The king waved his hand. The servants in the room of the sun, including Emil, left the room in a row.

“Let no one enter the room except when serving food.”

The captain of the escort knights who received the king’s glance said to the two knights who followed him.

Finally, all the servants in the room left. The heavy door to the Sun Room was closed without a sound. The king, who had bitten all his servants, sat down on a chair and said to Maxim and his party who were still standing.

“Come on, sit down. You are hungry.”

Maxim and his party were finally able to sit down at the table. Maxim’s eyes saw the image of the king as if passing by. Probably in her 40s, similar to Paola. There were deep wrinkles all over his face, like the scars of a knight. The king, with dark brown hair and blue eyes, had a strong expression.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

Theodora spoke on behalf of the Knights.

“Well, Jim has heard of your great name. Theodora Benning of Snow Country. Your performance can be heard from time to time even in the royal family through the severe winter in the north.”

“It’s an honor to recognize you, Your Majesty.”

Servants started carrying food on trays. With his stomach cramping up, Maxim wondered if he would be able to properly digest the food. The meal began, and for a while it became time for the king to ask the names of the knights and praise them. Theodora, Christine, Paola, Roberto, and even Maxim. As if trying to remember all the names of the Raven Knights, the king made eye contact with them while talking.

“Actually, I wanted to invite all of your members, but your servants were so reluctant.”

“It’s an honor just to think of you, Your Majesty.”

The king laughed at Theodora’s answer.

“You guys are giving really boring answers. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It means that it is a standard and correct answer.”

“I apologize.”

The king cleared his throat and corrected his posture as if he were going to bring out the main rite. A secret, yet heavy, dignified sound came from the king’s mouth.

“Most of you are probably wondering. Why did Jim suddenly roll up his sleeves to rebuild the Order of the Ravens, a Order rumored to have been abandoned?”

The king paused for a moment and looked around at Maxim and his party.

“Why, even though they are separated from the faction of the Central Knights, they brought together those who were recognized for their skills and talents.”

Strangely, Maxim focused only on sharpening his sword and martial arts, recalling the atmosphere of the Knights, where the members were friendly with each other. It was deliberately induced to do so.

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None of Maxim’s group opened their mouths recklessly.

“Why is Jim directly and actively involved in the process?”

The king said so and let out a big laugh.

“As the Knights of the Ravens were once the sharpest swords of the Emperor,”

Maxim could easily anticipate the king’s next words.

“I want you to be my sharpest sword.”

The king glared at the white flesh of the fish caught between the branches of the fork.

“Knife is a very subtle word. It has so many different meanings depending on how you use it.”

The king muttered to himself.

“I hope I don’t have to use it as much as possible, but there may be times when I need a knife. I’ll have to bring a bag too.”

Silence settled in the Sun Room for a while. The king shrugged his shoulders with an exaggerated gesture, as if trying to lighten the mood, and brought up another topic.

“Well, that’s why your performance on the front line is important.”

The king gargled his lips with white wine.

“I heard that several abnormal phenomena have occurred on the front line adjacent to the no-man’s-land this time. Am I right, Captain?”

The king looked back and asked the captain of the escort knights.

“That’s right. The frequency and severity are so high that we have requested an investigation at the royal level.”

“It’s probably not a normal thing to report directly to Jim like this.”

Click.

The white wine stirred white in the cup the king had set down.

“The first mission of the new Jackdaw Knights will be set in the no-man’s land.”

no-man’s land.

Or the graves of knights.

The reactions of the members who learned where they were going were mixed.

Theodora just maintained a plain expression. Although it did not reach the battlefield of the true no man’s land, it was because the northern Kips region where she was staying was as rough as the borders of the no man’s land.

Roberto had the fighting spirit burning in his eyes. This is because among the young knights who are not well-versed in the world, the no-man’s-land just seems like a good place to show off their insolence.

Paola, on the other hand, was scratching the tableware with her uncharacteristic sunken eyes. Knights who had enough experience and experienced many battlefields in the world, no matter how brave they were, were reluctant to go to the no-man’s land. What the grave of knights meant, Paola knew very well.

And Christine was looking at Maxim sitting across from her with fluctuating eyes. Christine’s green eyes swayed like leaves swaying in the wind. His lips parted slightly, as if he was about to say something. Actually, Maxim was just slicing the fish as if he was wondering what was going on.

The king watched the raven knights’ reaction with interest, then gave the rest of the order.

“Jim wants you to take charge of investigating the anomalies that have occurred in the no-man’s-land.”

—

The king did not embarrass the knights any more. After that, as if he hadn’t brought up such a heavy topic before, he only talked about the luncheon dishes and the training of the knights. The luncheon concluded like that, leaving a stir among the members of the Knights of the Raven.

‘Go for a walk in peace. There are quite a lot to see in the back and front yard of this palace.’

At the King’s invitation, Maxim and his party set out into the garden, guided by Emil. Emile, who led the way with the same perfect manners as when he first met them, followed by Maxim and his party. Christine, Paola, and Roberto each looked around the garden slowly, enjoying the scenery.

On the other hand, Theodora and Maxim, who were walking at different paces behind Emil, a little further away from them, could not have such a relaxed mind.

Maxim’s stomach continued to ache. or boiling. From the time I started eating, no, from the time I reached the palace, that is, from the time I met Emile Bordain, it had been boiling.

“Long time no see.”

After confirming that the other three members of the Templars had moved away, Emil turned to Theodora and said,

“miss.”

Theodora looked at Emile with frosty eyes. Through Emil’s silver monocle, cold blue eyes flashed.

“Yes, long time no see, Baron Borden.”

The north wind was raging, and the frost was not only in Theodora’s eyes, but also in her voice.

“It is late to say hello to the head family’s Sogaju. As a member of the royal family, please forgive me for having to show disrespect unintentionally.”

“…that’s it.”

Emile Borden. A royal nobleman belonging to the royal palace secretary’s office.

A branch of the Bening family, a collateral baron family, and the head of the Borden family.

Emile Bordain bowed his head to Theodora and turned to face Maxim, who was standing far behind Theodora. Then he raised the corner of his mouth and gave a fake smile. Maxim hated that expression, his eyes. I wanted to leave right away or beat up that smug face.

“And… Maxim.”

Maxim gnashed his teeth and endured the feeling of vomiting. I managed to catch the expression that was cracking and collapsing.

“…the head of the household.”

‘That person’ that Maxim never wanted to meet.

“You still have a really hard tone.”

And,

“Isn’t there a title you should call me if you’re a ‘preliminary son-in-law’?”

Maxim’s ‘preliminary artisan’.

That smile of Emile Bordain, Maxim hated it to the point of death.