Ch#226
A Very Strong Kid is Looking for Dad Chapter 226
"That is..."
Pides rolled his eyes.
He could feel the gazes of numerous nobles directed at him.
"I believe I mentioned it to you..."
The Emperor's eyebrow twitched.
A few days ago, he had rashly permitted the marquis to bring in food, but he had forgotten to report it to the Emperor.
Cold sweat trickled down his neck, but he couldn't back down now.
Even if it meant a scolding later, he had to avoid the humiliation in front of the nobles.
"I definitely mentioned it to you."
The Emperor's brow furrowed even more.
How much silence passed?
"...Was it the day I received the report on the Northern Region's movements? Yes, I must have forgotten."
The Emperor replied with a sigh-laden voice.
Pides lifted the corner of his twitching mouth.
"That's the day!"
As if holding back many words, the Emperor stared at him intently for a moment.
Then he turned back to Wavebrill.
With displeased eyes, he glanced at the Agabert Mercenary Corps' table and said,
"The marquis has made this banquet even more splendid."
Walker responded nonchalantly.
"You flatter me! May His Majesty's glory shine under the heavens for a thousand years!"
"May His Majesty's glory shine!"
The nobles bowed their waists one after another.
The Emperor lightly raised one hand.
"No need for formalities."
He headed to his separately prepared seat without ever glancing at Tia and her members.
"Today's banquet honors you all. I don't want the toasts to stop on my account. Drink freely."
Nobles here and there shouted words of loyalty or flattery.
As the Emperor and Pides took their seats, the people began to chatter again.
"Shall we sit as well?"
At the voice that reached her, Tia turned her head.
Beside her, Walker Wavebrill wore a friendly smile.
"The adult world is full of tiring and complicated things, isn't it?"
She whispered so only Tia could hear.
Tia nodded slightly.
Walker Wavebrill.
Though it was their first meeting today, Tia knew the old lady well.
'The Consul's mom! Raoul and Enzo oppa's grandma!'
The Wavebrill marquis had helped Tia greatly in the past.
She had provided funds when needed and even investigated the Holy Knight Order based on the knowledge that her dad's name was Kim Youngsoo.
The Wavebrill family was also among those who knew Tia's secret.
Tia, seated in her chair, whispered cautiously in a low voice.
"Marquis, back in the old days, Tia owes you a lot."
"We owe you! You saved my grandsons and took them in!"
Walker continued,
"By the way, where are my grandsons?"
Tia beamed.
"They're here, but outside!"
"Outside?"
"Yes! They said they have a lot of people to greet!"
Walker nodded.
"It's a boring custom. Ceremonies, like food, are best in moderation to savor the flavor."
Custom? Ceremony?
As Tia tilted her head,
"Tia."
Turning at the voice calling her, she saw her plate piled mountain-high with delicious food.
"Eat up, quick."
"It's your favorite meat, meat."
Tesetan and Basto kept placing things on Tia's plate, whispering.
Walker looked pleased.
"Just watching is entertaining, young master Luminen."
Tesetan paused.
Walker downed her glass and continued,
"Her demeanor, her speech—there's nothing to overlook. My grandsons are all grown but still not as composed."
The corner of Tesetan's mouth lifted slightly.
He cleared his throat softly and replied,
"They are a bit like that."
"Hahaha!"
Laughing, Walker leaned slightly toward Tesetan.
"When you go to the Central Continent, please look after my grandsons. They're still young fools with a few screws loose."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew the twins are key forces in Agabert."
"Really? They're key forces, you say?"
Walker swirled the remaining liquor in her glass.
"Then maybe I can worry a little less..."
"Don't worry. I won't forget the debt from today."
"Hahaha! The young master is as straightforward as ever. By the way..."
Walker's expression turned serious.
"How are things with the Supreme Leader?"
Her gaze shifted to Tia.
"He vanished suddenly and reappeared as a mercenary, so you must have met. You even did a recent mission together. And..."
She already knew that the child leader's father was Tesetan.
She didn't know the details, only the gist, but with time magic involved, it was clearly no light matter.
'The key is whether the Supreme Leader knows.'
Walker's eyes sharply scanned Tesetan.
The youngest son of Luminen had always been like a thick oak tree.
Everyone agreed no one could bend his stubbornness.
'He came with the mercenaries instead of his family, so the estrangement persists...'
As Walker gripped her glass,
"Your Grace, what a rare sight!"
Attention turned to the banquet hall entrance.
There stood Valentis, impeccably dressed, entering with the other three Luminen sons.
Tia's face lit up.
"Gran...!"
But the child quickly shut her mouth.
She couldn't call Valentis 'grandpa' at an event as the Commander King.
Regret flickered on Tia's face.
'Better not to act like I know him first, right?'
Tia knew roughly.
The Emperor really liked her grandpa and uncles.
They were nobles with honor, guardians of the empire.
But mercenaries?
'The Emperor dislikes mercenaries. So he doesn't like Tia much either.'
Strictly speaking, the Emperor treated mercenaries as non-existent.
Her members said he even disliked his favored nobles associating with them.
Tia set down her spoon.
Her grandpa was heading to the Emperor, ignoring the greetings pouring in.
"Kiddo. Don't mind it too much."
Veil whispered softly in her ear as he approached.
But she couldn't hide her downcast expression.
Suddenly, she recalled the incident before entering the hall.
The nobles whispering upon seeing Tia.
That's when her dad stepped in.
'I heard it's better to sell your life on the battlefield than boast with a three-inch tongue.'
'Ah, no... We didn't mean it that way. Our regrets if it offended.'
And the noble ladies fleeing red-faced.
Upon entering, Veil vented to her dad.
'Why make a fuss instead of ignoring? Now they stare like we're monsters!'
'It's better to seem scary and uncomfortable.'
'What?'
'Better than being looked down upon.'
Her dad's expression was dark, complicated.
'Tia knows.'
Alone, her dad wouldn't care about others' gazes.
He wasn't the type to mind anyway.
Otherwise, he couldn't have raised Tia alone in Jongno-gu.
'But because of Tia...'
Dad couldn't tolerate her hearing bad things even a little.
Since the Myeongsong Festival began, he'd been on edge fearing she'd be hurt.
Tia looked at her dad.
'I want to tell him.'
That she's fine, don't worry.
She's grown now, doesn't get hurt by mean words.
That was when,
"Your Grace, I heard of your recent exploits at the High Palace!"
"The expedition to the Central Continent sounds no easy task. How about a meal together before you depart..."
The surroundings grew noisy again.
Turning, she saw her grandpa, having stepped away from the Emperor, surrounded by nobles.
All eager to speak with Valentis.
But Valentis didn't stop for any, passing through the crowd with his usual stoic face,
"Commander King."
He suddenly stopped before Tia, who had her mouth full of food.
"Uh, umm...?"
Tia widened her eyes.
"I thought we'd chat over a meal, but the seats are far. A pity."
"..."
"The second part of the opening banquet is in the garden. It would be an honor to see you up close there."
Valentis gave Tesetan a brief nod and turned away.
The crowd parted with murmurs.
'Grandpa acknowledged me first?'
Stunned by the whirlwind, Tia just blinked.
And at the same time.
A strange atmosphere began to flow among the nobles.
"Now that I look..."
"Is it because the youngest Luminen joined? They're close to Luminen too."
Mercenaries.
Vile forces who sell their lives for a few coins, stained in blood over honor.
Groups one should never associate with, even watching the Emperor's mood.
But at this Myeongsong Festival, something was different.
People began to murmur quietly.
"Wavebrill marquis too... She ignores investment requests."
"She has no assigned seat, so she can sit anywhere."
"Come to think of it, that leader is close to the master weaponsmith too. Berugon, who supplies the Holy Knight Order."
"Really...? Well, their base is the Roseworble family's townhouse. The one the Imperial Princess once owned."
"Rumors say their finances surpass minor powers. Not surprising."
"And the Emperor said nothing about the marquis's food... Must be on good terms. Unexpectedly."
The murmurs showed no sign of dying down.
Tia swallowed the food in her puffed cheeks, frozen.
Then.
A few nobles, glancing around, approached with coughs.
"Long time no see, young master Luminen. And Marquis Wavebrill."
They first greeted Tesetan and Walker, then,
"Uh, well. I'm David, eldest son of the Larson Family."
"I'm Soleio sub-marquis."
"I've heard your fame spreading beyond the Imperial Capital lately. Shall we get acquainted?"
They thrust glasses toward Tia.
Tia stared wide-eyed at the glasses before her.
The youngest noble patted Tia's shoulder.
Tesetan's expression turned icy, but the noble, oblivious, continued cheerfully.
"Heard you're quite the drinker? I've tasted every liquor prepared here today. From that perspective, my special recommendation."
"..."
"Black Dew of Crowngar. A whopping 52 degrees! Only the seasoned can touch it. It should suit your taste, haha!"