Chapter 98: Respect of the emperor
With the ends of his hair now showing some whiteness, his long bronze hair still remained pristine.
His dark amber eyes looked around the Sungrade halls, seeing all the people that showed their respect to him.
Additionally, they looked up at the person that became the reason for his recovery, standing alongside his two ungrateful children.
"Be at ease, everyone."
His skin looked less old compared to the last time the children had seen him. He looked a few years younger, healthier than he had been in recent times.
There was a certain kind of glow in his eyes as well, something that the ’ill’ do not have. Something that should only belong to those who have seen the realms beyond this world.
"Six greetings to you, your grace." The Sungrade lord vanished from the upper floor and presented his greetings before the emperor as he escorted him and his party upstairs.
The Holy saint as well as the imperial maid had arrived with the emperor. They traveled secretly so that their movements remain a secret.
The alchemist or the other people who were with him in his bitter days were doing something else for him, so, for the time being, the three present here made up the emperor’s party.
"G-greetings, father." While he was walking upstairs, Princess Emma ran up to him first to greet him, looking as nervous as he had imagined her to be.
But the emperor did not reply to her greetings and only continued walking forward.
-Shrrrr.
The Sungrade patriarch had the entire setup of the floor moved to make the emperor the centre of the upper floor.
A fine chair, much more lavish than any other, was also place in the middle right in front of the balcony.
"I wish you a great birthnight, my dear friend." The emperor did not hesitate to call the Sungrade patriarch a friend.
For him, he was a saviour as well as a trusted companion who cherished his own people more than anything else.
For him, the emperor was one of his own. But, it seems like his children had not managed to earn his trust in all the time they spent plotting against one another.
"Your presence alone is a great honour for me, your grace." The patriarch was emotional right now.
Even though he was present during the ritual, even though he saw the emperor surviving those dark flames and making out of them in a healthier state, he still considered him to be a person worthy of his respect.
If anything, the emperor was the only right ruler of the empire. Neither the cunning prince nor the ambitious princess had what it took to sit on that throne just yet.
"We shouldn’t stop the celebration just because I’m here, right? Everyone, please do not mind us. Please go on with your night. Consider me a friend of the Sungrade patriarch instead of the master of the empire for just a little longer."
All things aside... It is a day of celebration.
-Swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish...
As winds graced them once again, the music that had paused for a brief moment continued once again.
The people were still cautious of the emperor, trying not to look bad in his eyes.
There were many who were seeing him for the first time as well.
Since this was a celebration of an eastern lord, the Sungrade palace didn’t only have the nobles. Everyone that was close to the Sungrades were here.
There were people of different races present, there were countless creatures running in this open hall and the garden outside right now, there were nobles, royals, and commoners all present here today.
It was a joyous day. It was much better to keep it like that.
"Greetings, your grace."
"Greetings, your grace."
"You’ve already met my lovely wives and elder children, so let me introduce the younger ones."
Even though the Sungrade patriarch has served the emperor for over three decades, this was barely the third time the emperor had come to their house himself.
The first time was when his first daughter was born and the second time was around fifteen years ago for something that wasn’t so formal.
His three youngest children were too young back then so they hadn’t met the emperor formally just yet.
"The eldest of the three is Ablegoad."
"Flora’s younger brother, correct?"
The emperor smiled at the nervous boy, admiring his transparent emotions.
"Greetings, your grace." The way he calmly presented his greeting despite his shaking legs was quite something.
The emperor patted his shoulder, almost making the boy fall out of nervousness.
Surprisingly, Able held on.
"I can tell he will go a long way, Lord Agnus."
"Absolutely, your grace."
The emperor laughed, and then his eyes shifted to the boy besides nervous one, the younger boy who seemed nothing like a child.
"This is Prism."
"Asia’s child, I know."
The emperor looked at Prism for a moment without saying anything.
He had heard about much of his exploits from his father these last few months.
The Sungrade lord that he knew wasn’t that outwardly happy when talking about his children.
This time was different. He genuinely liked talking about this child.
"Blessed greetings to you, your grace." The emperor was aware of how this boy was also leaving the house soon.
To be free was a blessing for the individual and a curse for the families.
The last child of his that left the house as a free individual was his first daughter. And she has never come back since then.
It was the most difficult thing to lose your children but even worse was when you know they haven’t gone beyond but might just be suffering in some dark corner of the world by themselves.
"Your mother has done more for the people than I have been able to. I wish you great fortune on your journey ahead."
"May the Fate be by your side as well, your grace."
For a moment, he was surprised by those words that he hadn’t heard in a long time.
He looked at him with his surprised eyes but there was only calmness on the boy’s face. Something serene enough to mask everything beyond that calmness.
He was an interesting one.
It was almost a loss to see him go on his own path...