Chapter 118: the cicada, the mantis, and the oriole. (5)

The carriage that brought Gabriel to the imperial palace made a long detour through the city, the accompanying musicians, practically a marching band, making sure that all the citizens in the vicinity knew that they were passing through. It had already reached a point where it couldn’t even be called excessive anymore, it was just laughable.

Well, at least to the nobles it was laughable. The common man naturally wouldn’t look too deeply into it, they already had their hands full with just getting through the next day. All they knew was that the young man who had helped the empire unearth a heinous criminal was now heading out to join the empire in peace talks with the distant Yverial Empire. If that was not cause to celebrate then what else would they celebrate? Slowly but steadily, the empire was moving into a period of proper peace and prosperity. This ‘parade’ was the perfect way for the citizens to celebrate that very fact, it wasn’t like they could surround the imperial palace and shout out their joy. But this parade? Oh, they could shout at it as much as they wanted, it was passing right by their homes and workplaces.

After what felt like an eternity, at a time when the sun was already starting to approach the horizon again, the carriage finally made it to the golden gates of the imperial palace. Gabriel gave the estate a passing glance as they made their way down the path to the palace, which was paved with ivory-white granite. He could see a few other carriages making their way down their respective roads, having entered from separate gates. Servants were busy running around, carrying a plethora of different goods. The guards were being directed around like an orchestra, the number of squads being mobilized clearly quite a bit larger than normally, at least judging by the slightly confused or tensed expressions of the ones that Gabriel could see as they moved.

But things were going smoothly. The servants and guards didn’t get in the way, and they weren’t excessively visible. If it wasn’t for the fact that Gabriel was actively looking for them then it would have been somewhat difficult to spot them. Things were rushed and hectic, but everyone was doing their best to not make that very fact obvious to those who were called to the palace.

“Viscount Indra, this one is Edwin Gallerion, I humbly greet you. Please forgive the inadequate accommodations, should any problems arise during your stay here then I implore you to call upon me without hesitation.”

Once they reached the actual palace, Gabriel was greeted at the door by a parade of maids and a butler, a middle-aged man with slicked back brown hair and a few small wrinkles around his hazel eyes. ‘Inadequate accommodations’, it almost sounded funny when the butler, Edwin said it. Normally, the guests would be assigned their own small palaces within the estates, buildings prepared to house guests. But right now they were brought directly to the imperial palace, which was naturally larger than all those side palaces combined, how could it possible be inadequate? They had probably all received their own wing, something that would usually be seen as a great honor and a sign of status. But now it was probably more of a ploy to ensure that they were kept close at hand at all times, making it that much easier to keep an eye on them.

“A simple supper has been prepared for you, who must undoubtedly be famished after the long parade. Please, allow me to show you to the dining hall, the maids will handle your luggage and ensure that your quarters will surpass your expectations.”

Edwin took a step aside, smoothly and politely gesturing for Gabriel to follow him. Gabriel could not refuse, and sure enough, he sensed it the moment he set foot in the palace. Magic, the air was suffused with trace amounts of magic, so thin and faint that you’d have to strain your senses to the limit just to be able to barely catch a whiff of it. If you weren’t expecting it and were actively looking for it then you would probably never notice it. With this, the imperial family wouldn’t just be able to keep track of where everyone was at all time, they’d also notice the moment someone tried to use magic. The traces were too faint for him to detect exactly what sort of spell was cast so he couldn’t be sure if they would also be able to pick up the sounds, allowing them to hear everything that was said within the walls. And since he couldn’t be sure, it naturally meant that he had to work under the assumption that they could do just that.

“Please, how could a supper prepared by the exalted imperial family be simple? I am sure that even the simplest of bread within these halls is beyond anything this humble one could ever experience. Please, Ser Gallerion, lead the way.”

Gabriel’s right hand reached his chest as he gave a courteous bow, a pleasant smile on his face. He was good at putting on a show. Be it this life or his last one, wearing a mask was all he ever did, the charade had always been second-nature to him.

“Please, Viscount Indra, I am but a humble baron, I cannot accept such politeness from one such as you. Serving you like this is already a great honor for me, more would be nothing short of preposterous.”

Edwin maintained his expression as he refuted Gabriel, slowly taking the lead as he guided Gabriel through the winding hallways and halls of the imperial palace. As they moved, he also gave a short introduction of the wing that they were currently in, as well as the various statues and paintings that they passed. Verdant Crown Wing, usually reserved for when one of the Duchess’s came to visit the imperial family, it was a wing that was nearly as old as the main hall of the palace itself. To be housed here was to be viewed as highly as a duke. For nobles, who lived and died on their face and pride, it was something they would be willing to sell all their assets for.

“The dinning hall is right through here, Viscount Indra. The first course shall reach the table within the next handful of minutes, so I hope it will be a pleasing and fruitful time for you.”

Edwin bowed next to the set of double doors, both made from granite and decorated with emeralds that had been carved to resemble leaves, adorning the edges of the doors like laurel wreaths. His choice of words was a bit odd, but he retreated without any further exchanges, leaving Gabriel to enter the dining hall alone. Compared to what he expected, especially after he saw the dining hall of the main palace, this dining hall was rather small, comfortable would probably be the best word to describe it. The table that served as the centerpiece was only large enough to seat six people, a stark contrast from the grandeur that plagued the rest of the Wing.

Edwin had not spoken about the dining hall as he explained the history of the Verdant Crown Wing, but if Gabriel had to hazard a guess then this was probably where the Duchess who resided here dined with either her husband or close friends, necessitating a more intimate and comfortable atmosphere.

A seat had been prepared for Gabriel at one end of the table, which had been designed in an oval shape to ensure that no one could sit at the head of the table, promoting the vision that all who sat at the table were of equal stature. A maid prepared the chair for Gabriel, whose gaze was naturally drawn to the seat opposite of him, where another set of cutlery had been prepared.

He did not have to look at the extra seat for long before he learned why the butler had used such odd wording when he brought Gabriel into the dining room.

“Forgive me for my tardiness, I pray that you have not had to wait overly long for me.”

One of the other doors that led into the dining room opened, a soft and pleasing voice spreading through the room, accompanied by a subtle fruity scent.

Long brown hair that had been curled with great care, clean and smooth skin touched by just a hint of make-up, accentuating the handful of freckles that dotted her small nose. Slightly narrow blue eyes decorated by a faint touch of dark red eyeshadow, matching with her full figure to produce a seductive spectacle.

She was clad in a dark red victorian dress, her bodice decorated with lace roses and her petticoat covered in delicate frills and laces. The neckline was lowered slightly more than usual to emphasize her bosom, and the waistline had been slimmed a fair bit, her corset was probably more than just a little uncomfortable at this moment.

But one would never be able to tell this by the pleasant and charming smile that she wore, just barely revealing her dimples.

“We meet again, Lord Indra. It is a pleasure and an honor to once again be in your presence.”

Juliet Rutherford curtsied impeccably as she greeted him, standing right next to the seat opposite of his.

“The pleasure is all mine, Lady Rutherford. Please, take your seat.”

Gabriel returned the pleasant smile, gesturing towards the seat that had obviously been prepared for her.

Ah, so that was their little plan right now. Alice was missing, and he was for all intents and purpose trapped here in the palace for the foreseeable future, so it was the perfect time to once again try to pair him with the daughter of Marquis Rutherford. Their first attempt at binding Gabriel to that family through marriage with Juliet Rutherford failed because Gabriel ran straight to Alice and made a mess of the entire ceremony, but they were evidently not done trying.

“Thank you, Lord Indra. Truth be told, I was quite nervous that you would chase me out and refuse to dine with me due to the difference in our rank. I must confess that I held my breath and had to muster up my courage for quite a while as I stood outside the doors.”

A maid pulled out the chair for Juliet, pushing it back in once she took a seat. She retreated as quietly as she arrived, not interrupting Juliet by making even a single sound as she moved. Naturally, as if planned, the first course came out mere seconds after Juliet had taken her seat.

“A needless fear, I only recently received my title, and only did so through the blessing of the imperial family, a stroke of luck that I fear I may never be able to replicate even if I were to be given several more lifetimes worth of time.”

Gabriel’s smile did not falter, his eyes stealthily inspecting the food that was placed in front of him. He smiled, but it was a smile that maintained a certain distance, it drew a line that couldn’t be crossed. Naturally, Juliet, who had been taught the intricacies of noble etiquette from a young age knew this smile very well. But she ignored it completely, acting as if she couldn’t even see it.

“You need not be so humble, Lord Indra. I have full faith that you would be able to receive a noble title as many times as you wished. If one with a heart like yours, and skills like yours, were to not receive a noble title, then I fear that none in these lands would be worthy of bearing a title.”

Her smile was implacable, practically plastered on, it was like looking at a painting. But tinged within the depths of her voice, lurking so deep that it was almost drowned out by something as quiet as her breathing, Gabriel could hear… Sincerity? But before he could delve further to check if he actually noticed correctly, Juliet changed the subject.

“Just look at this. You sit here through your own efforts. It is by thine own hands that you have earned the right to partake in this delegation to bring lasting peace to the two great Empires. I was only able to secure a spot after using the meager influence of my family’s name.”

She put on a shy and slightly embarrassed expression, fanning herself with a dark blue fan adorned with pale white feathers and embroidered with dark roses. Evidently, she was now ready to talk about the main topic, Gabriel playing along while the imperial family was undoubtedly paying close attention to them.

“You will be joining the delegation to the Yverial Empire? I was under the impression that it was more of a militaristic exchange where the two empires aid each other with training and dangerous areas.”

It was a delegation of ‘peace’ but as the emperor had said, it was an exchange of military forces that would train together while also delving into the more dangerous areas within each empire to clear them out for future human use. Some politically-inclined people would definitely be needed, but it was a militaristic exchange above all. Well, at least on paper it was as such.

Juliet would probably join the delegation no matter what sort of reason the emperor gave the public regarding the exchange, be it militaristic or political. The emperor was probably still trying to facilitate the wedding between Gabriel and the Rutherford family, it was just too good of a way to control him. So, forcing the two to be in close quarters without Alice for an extended period was a good choice, it was a way to force emotions to bloom. AS for the public, there were plenty of reasons the emperor could give them. But there was one above all he could use. No, one above all that he would definitely use if someone started to question it.

“Yes, it took a lot of begging, but I managed to convince Father and Mother to let me join. I could not help it, I was so smitten with you after first laying eyes on you that I could not bear the thought of watching you embark on such a long journey alone.”

Indeed, that would be the best reason to give people. Love at first sight, a heartrending story of a girl in her prime who could not help but follow her heart. It was something ripped straight out of a novel, it was perfect for tugging at and controlling the hearts of the populace.

“And worry not, Lord Indra. As the firstborn child and future inheritor of the Rutherford Marquisate, I have received adequate training in both politics and martial matters, I will do my utmost to not become a burden for you to bear.”

Of course, Juliet still probably met the bare minimum criteria for joining the expedition. Alice’s older sister was the same, it was more than common for firstborn daughters to be just as eligible as firstborn sons when it came to inheriting the titles of their families. As such, they too needed the appropriate training.

Gabriel expected to be given a moment to speak now, but it seemed that Juliet was not yet done laying it out.

“But still, would it be presumptous of me to say that part of my maiden’s heart still wishes to be protected by you should a dangerous situation arise in the Yverial Empire? The thought of being embraced by your strong arms and pulled away from danger, it brings to mind the dreams I would often envision as I secretly read novels while I was younger.”

She flashed him a small smile while she maintained her shy expression, slightly covering her face as she batted her eyelashes at him. She truly did look like a maiden in love, it was a picture that the common man would love, something they could relate to more than the grand talks of peace between the empires. After all, the number of people who had fallen in love far outweighed the number of people who had gone to war.

When she finished talking, Gabriel simply looked at her quietly. Once again, he detected a very faint trace of sincerity buried within her voice, probably drowned so deep that she herself had forgotten about it. Looking at her maintain her fake expression, he simply tilted his head slightly.

A second became ten, and ten seconds became a minute, time quietly ticking away as he looked at her. But she simply maintained that fake expression, that mask she donned as she played her role in the charade. Even when one minute became five, she did not change her expression, even though it was clear that she was starting to find it rather uncomfortable. And then, as the second dish was being brought out, Gabriel finally asked the question.

“…Juliet, are you not tired of this tedious play?”

His tone was different, distanced from the charade and gentlemanly image he previously put on. It was an honest question, a sincere question. From one person wearing a mask to the other.

“…”

Juliet’s expression twitched for a moment, the fingers holding the fan clutching it tightly as she cast stealthy glances at the maids that were putting down the food. But Gabriel cared not, the imperial family was probably listening anyway.

“You were rejected so publicly, so clearly that there was no room left for doubt or questions. You are the inheritor of the Rutherford Marquisate, and yet here you are swallowing all indignation while trying to flatter the one who trampled your pride in public. It might be odd to say at this point in time, but have you no pride? Nothing better to do?”

In front of all the nobles in the empire, in front of the citizens who got to watch the investiture thanks to the projection prepared by the imperial mages, Gabriel had rejected her in front of all of them. He had paid her no heed and trampled on the young girl’s pride, rejecting the emperor’s offer as he went to Alice instead. People would not blame Juliet if she was angry, if she was sad, if she was wounded, if she chose to hide away for a bit. But here she was again, swallowing what was left of that trampled pride to flatter the one who first broke it. Gabriel was the last person in the world who could speak of pride and what it meant, but what he could speak of was the futility of engaging in missions doomed to fail from the start.

“…”

Juliet did not respond to his question immediately, still maintaining her expression as she cast sideways glances at the servants. Only when they had put down the second course and vacated the room did she finally speak up.

“Lord Indra, do you know what the Rutherford Marquisate is most famous for?”

Her voice was a bit different, probably because she thought that only the two of them could hear it. Gone were the flattering undertones, the overly sweet and seductive charm. All that was left was a calmness, tinged with a weariness Gabriel recognized from that snowy night he set foot on the roof of the building he used to call home.

“I’m afraid not.”

Gabriel had studied the various noble families in the empire, but those studies were mainly limited to current members and the relationships they shared with other families. After all, he had a limited amount of time, he had to focus his attention on the most important parts.

“It’s pears. But not just any pears, but shaped pears. We export pears in all manner of shapes, from ones that look like flowers to ones that look like chubby babies. They really are quite cute when you first see them, I shall show you some when we return from the Yverial Empire.”

As Juliet spoke, she used her knives and fork to prod the food that had been placed in front of her, squeezing the small piece of salmon as if she was trying to mimic the shapes she spoke of, a somewhat sardonic curve adorning her lips.

“Now, Lord Indra, how do you think we produce these shaped pears?”

“Probably moulds.”

Gabriel did not need to think much about the question, the answer casually falling from his lips. Shaped pears had been a thing back in his past life as well, most of them being moulded to look like a little buddha. Juliet wasn’t terribly surprised that he guessed it right, simply nodding her head as she kept prodding the salmon.

“Correct. Once the pears start to grow, we encase them in moulds carved to look what we wish for the pears to look like. Depending on what type of pear it is, we use either glass or a flexible material that our family’s mages have spent many years developing. We encase them from the moment the first sprout appears, that way the pears will have no choice but to take on the shape that we wish. Really, no matter what the pears try, they will be forced into that shape. Edges get bent into shapes, uneven parts get crushed to conformity, and in the end they all look the same.”

The edge of her fork pressed against the tender flesh of the salmon, small pieces breaking off. The blade of the knife cut through it without resistance, chunk after chunk getting cut away until only a small circle remained. The circle was a bit uneven, one edge in particular standing out like a sore thumb.

“Every now and then you do get some pears that manage to evade this process. Sometimes its because they don’t grow enough to fit into the mould, they’re just too small, too worthless to even fit in the mould. Others break the mould, either by growing too large, because the mould is too old, or because someone outside tampered with the mould. But you know what? For the Rutherford family, whose name is based on the novelty of the shaped pears, a pear that broke the mould is simply useless. What do you think happens to those pears, Lord Indra?”

Juliet’s knife came to rest on this uneven edge, this sore thumb that tarnished the fine little circle she had turned the salmon into, the sole imperfection in her work. Her gaze, for a moment, rested on the salmon, on that little imperfection, her pupils wavering as her finger twitched. And then her knife cut through it.

“They get plucked. If they’re left on the tree then they’ll just sap the nutrients that could otherwise go to the useful pears, so might as well just pluck them straight away and mulch them, turning them into fertilizer for future pears, pears that will obediently stay within the mould.”

The knife cut away the imperfection and pushed it aside, tossing it together with the other pieces that had been broken or torn away from the salmon. All that was left was a neat little circle, a piece of fish that had no say in what shape it had to take on.

“Now, could you ask yourself the same question I ask myself every day, Lord Indra? The pear that wishes to not get plucked, the pear that has no power to change its mould, can it be blamed for its existence?”