The Banquet

"His Majesty, the great Emperor Abel, has arrived!" Steward Bobichi's voice rang out, high and clear. Every guest in the vast Imperial Palace hall fell silent. It was respect for the host of the banquet—and awe of power.

Abel smiled and nodded to the guests as he walked to the center of the hall. He took a glass of Water Spirit Fruit juice prepared especially for him from a servant's tray and raised it.

No guest would say anything about him raising juice instead of wine. Ever since Abel's status had continued to rise, he had stopped drinking alcohol and treated himself as a true wizard. He had no need to deliberately curry favor with anyone, so wine was merely a trade commodity to him.

"Welcome, honored guests. And welcome to His Majesty, the great Emperor Alders, who has traveled from afar. You are still as handsome and dashing as ever. Every time I see you, I hope that when I reach your age, I can still possess your bearing!" Abel's words drew good-natured laughter from the guests.

Emperor Alders smiled and nodded as well. Though he was already an old man, his excellent upbringing and natural bearing still revealed the heroic air of his youth. It was something he had always been proud of.

He smiled, delighted inside. Hearing such flattery from an emperor of an equally powerful or even stronger empire was especially pleasing.

Of course, he would not truly take it as mere flattery. Abel knew every detail of his life, which revealed that the Kingdom of Saint Ellis's intelligence network had already penetrated the Kingdom of Saint Alvo.

Still, Abel's goodwill was genuine. This gave Emperor Alders greater confidence in the coming negotiations over a peace treaty.

"And the honored Prime Minister, Duke Chesterton. I deeply