Chapter 47

“Oh, my God, that was a mistake, no more bragging about hitting the target…”

It was only a brief commotion. When someone laughed cheerfully, the hall quickly became noisy again.

I blinked and turned my head. Count Muller, who seemed to have frozen, also turned his head.

Was it a mistake to just let him bring the crossbow?

It was none other than Jeremy, standing with his brother’s crossbow, that came into my stunned vision.

“Long time no see, uncle. You’re older than I’ve seen you before. But why do you look like that?”

Count Mueller stared at his nephew for a moment, as if he was speechless. Jeremy, on the other hand, had a relaxed smile, a smile that seemed strangely unfamiliar to me.

“Oh, my god, I think he was pretty surprised. Did you really want to hit my dear uncle? I have a great respect for your dog’s behavior!” It was the appreciation that Elias uttered.

Jeremy replied, shrugging his shoulders and in a very condescending tone, “Learn, brother. This is the spirit of the lion family.”

“That’s funny! Why did you use my stuff?!”

“Hey, if it were you, you’d hit him in the face!”

I don’t know about the spirit of the lion family, but anyway, Jeremy’s rude and reckless behavior a while ago was enough to make Count Muller grit his teeth.

Count Muller complained, saying, “I gave you a ride on my horse when you were young,” but Jeremy only smiled at him for being an old-fashioned person.

Even if they were of the same hot-blooded bloodline, it seemed that age or anything else was of no use to the extremely antisocial ambition of the much younger side.

“All right, you two. You can stop that. Now put the crossbow and arrows back in the storage room!”

Jeremy and Elias grumbled, but unexpectedly, they turned around with the crossbow.

While my two sons were walking, the eyes of all the early teens nearby were fixed on them.

“It was quite an impressive scene.”

Duke Nurembert, who came our way at some point, had watched everything that happened a while ago.

The Duke of Steel stared at me gently as usual, with a mysterious smile in his blue eyes.

“I’m sorry for the commotion.”

“No, it’s pretty admirable. It would be nice if my immature son could show that side as well.”

“Ahaha.”

“By the way, you sent a gift to my son. I don’t know how to thank you for all that you’ve done for him.”

The present I sent to Nora was none other than a Tsvaihender sword made in the same place as Jeremy’s.

Nora helped me twice unintentionally, and I caught him crying, so I did that to comfort him.

I was a little worried that the gift might be too much, but I’m glad that the Duke’s response was better than I thought.

“I’d be glad if he liked it.”

When I smiled and said that, the kind Duke suddenly sighed and shook his head.

“Well… .. when I told him that if he received a gift from St. Claus, all his sins of the year would be forgiven, what do you think he said?”

……That was the Christmas spirit of adolescent boys.

When I couldn’t bring myself to say anything and smiled bitterly, just then, a grand trumpet sounded announcing the coming of the Empire’s highest dignity.

“His Majesty is here!”

His Majesty the Emperor, Empress Elisabeth, our Crown Prince Theobalt, and the second prince marched side by side, while the people who gathered here and there and those who enjoyed the target game were all quiet and respectful.

“Christmas blessings to the guardian eagle of the empire.”

“Christmas blessings to the guardian eagle of the Empire, His Majesty the Emperor.”

The solemn golden eyes under the pure white silver hair, the symbol of the imperial family, quickly glanced at the appearance of the distinguished guests in the banquet hall.

The golden gaze, just like that of an eagle watching its prey, came to me for an instant.

“A lot has happened over this year, and I thank the lion of the empire for their willingness to overcome this sorrow and have such a blessed Christmas.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Empress Elizabeth stared at me with her cold blue eyes, as I bowed, hoping that Theobalt would stop smiling at me like that.

She wasn’t staring, she was just looking, but I knew well that she was dissatisfied with me, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Next to the empress sat our Prince Retran, who was the same age as Elias, had a sinus infection.

“Lady Neuwanstein.”

The Christmas banquet began in earnest with the gentle sound of the choir’s innocent singing.

I smiled so awkwardly at Theobalt, who came straight up to me through countless greetings.

I didn’t make up my mind, but what should I do when I feel awkward?

“Your Royal Highness.”

“That’s a nice dress. Indeed, you are particularly dazzling today.”

Unexpectedly, he seemed to enjoy reading romance novels. I didn’t really feel bad, though. Well, praise makes even elephants dance.

“Thank you, Your Highness, you also look wonderful.”

The crown prince, dressed in silver robes, had a figure that would make young ladies’ hearts flutter.

To my heartfelt praise, Theobalt blushed a little and mumbled out of the blue, “Madam… do you like books?”

“Yes, I like them.”

“Oh, thank God. Actually, I wanted to show you my personal library.”

Ah, is that so…? At the same time, his innocence felt like a soft feather tickling every corner of my heart.

Maybe it’s because it has been so long since someone showed such naive feelings to me.