The Queen's banquet hall blazed with light.
The banquet table was unexpectedly long, and everything laid upon it was silverware and crystal goblets, glittering beneath the candlelight.
As a guest, Romon's seat was relatively near the front.
Still, it was roughly equivalent to the rank of a Count.
At a single command, the servants brought out the dishes.
The atmosphere was far more relaxed than Romon had imagined. After paying their respects to the Queen, everyone ate and chatted, discussing politics, hunting, and local customs.
However, the dishes were simpler than Romon had expected.
Aside from a cold platter, the first hot dish was white eggplant fish sauce, exceptionally fresh and delicious.
The second, the main course, was potato and lamb.
The third was steak.
There were also desserts and fruit platters.
Other than the constant supply of bread, cheese, and wine, there was none of the lavish extravagance Romon associated with a full Chinese banquet.
Still, the culinary artistry was indeed exquisite, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
There were also performances during the dinner to enliven the occasion.
Harpists and singers performed for the guests. Their repertoire included morning songs, weaving songs, love songs, and satirical songs, while bards offered passionate and beautiful poetry to the Queen and distinguished guests.
Romon ate and conversed, yet his mind remained somewhat preoccupied.
It had to be said that this was Romon's first truly direct and profound experience of the differences between this world and Earth—or, more precisely, Huaxia.
Under the feudal system, rights and obligations were equal.
Indeed, if a lord—including a king—had a sudden whim to visit a vassal's territory, that vassal was obligated to entertain him.
When friends came from afar, was it not a joyous occasion?
Yet the vassal was far from pleased, because it would drain his wealth.