Before attending the banquet, many people already knew that the emperor would appear, but many people were still a little excited at this time.

A young man in a luxurious golden-red suit walked down the stairs slowly, holding the hand of a beautifully dressed aristocratic girl, and into the hall.

This person was none other than the current Emperor, Amank, and Yvetina, the youngest daughter of the Pascal family. They had met and known each other since childhood. Now that the head of the Pascal family was away from his fiefdom, it was his wife, Lady Torrantessa, who was hosting the guests, while Yvetina was assigned the task of accompanying His Majesty the Emperor. Perhaps both parties had intended to bring this couple together.

If the emperor marries the Pascal family, the politics within the empire will be further stabilized.

After entering the hall, the emperor first spoke briefly, describing this great expedition, the glorious situation, and the glorious results.

"For this, I would like to commend one general in particular: Darcy, Captain of the Knights of the Bloody Lance." The Emperor raised the sleeve of his regal military uniform and pointed to an officer standing nearby. The well-dressed man wore a resolute expression. Despite the commendation, his demeanor remained calm and composed, inspiring a newfound admiration and trust in him.

"Congratulations~"

"Congratulations, General Dulce."

A round of warm applause erupted. Although many nobles still despised Darcy's humble origins, they were also intelligent and naturally would not refute the emperor's opinion on the spot. Some nobles with a long-term vision also understood that this was the emperor's offer of hope to the commoner soldiers and officers, giving these expeditionary soldiers confidence and peace of mind.

If Darcy, a commoner, could rise to the top of the empire through military merit, why can't you? Compared to the past, the new emperor is indeed very straightforward in rewarding meritorious service, and this is why so many legions stand by his side, serving him and obeying his orders.

The banquet was still going on. The emperor first danced a few dances with the eldest daughter of the Pascal family on the dance floor, and then talked and exchanged ideas with many great nobles in the south, trying to win them over and get to know them better.

At this time, the sky gradually darkened.

In a secluded garden not far from the dance, in the height of summer, various flowers are quietly blooming in the garden, with roses and wild roses being the most common.

Aimank walked here at a fast pace. He had taken off his hot and complicated coat and cloak, wearing a simple and breathable shirt, and followed by several red guards. Suddenly, he stopped.

"Okay, let's go here, Ronald. Edren must have asked you to come here to report something important." He turned around and looked at the officer behind him. It was his brother Edren's close confidant.

The officer looked around and saw no one around, so he spoke slowly.

"Your Majesty, His Highness Edren asked me to remind you of something." Then, he leaned close to Amank's ear and whispered.

"Duke Pascal led the main force northward, constantly integrating his troops along the way. Once he finally captured a large area of ​​Clancy's territory, the follow-up..."

The Pascal family is originally a branch of the royal family. If they end up in this final expedition, with heavy troops and vast territories under their control, it would be difficult to guarantee that they would not have any disloyalty.

After listening to this, Aimanke looked at the orange sunset in the distance and fell silent for a moment. "I understand."

Seeing the emperor's motionless back, Ronald was unsure of what the other party was thinking. Adhering to the principle of doing less and making fewer mistakes, he took his leave.

"Prepare the royal golden-scaled red dragon for Ronald and have him return to the Prime Minister's side quickly." Aimank ordered before leaving.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard behind him responded with his head down, then took small steps back and left quickly.

Glancing at the dozen or so remaining guards, Aimank continued, "All of you please leave. I'd like to take a walk in the garden alone."

"this..."

Among them, the chief of the royal guards, Drosa, one of the few Sequence 7s in the current empire, hesitated slightly. This close official, in his thirties, winked at Aimank and glanced at an apple tree in the garden.

Aimank nodded, then waved his hand and asked him to continue to retreat.

"I understand, Your Majesty. I will wait for your call at the garden exit." The man held the sword at his waist and led a dozen guards out of the garden.

After everyone left, Aimanke took several deep breaths before slowly strolling through the flower-filled courtyard.

This is a more secluded area within the Duke of Pascal's palace. It's not the most popular garden there. Many of the flowers and varieties here are from the last century, and naturally aren't popular with trendy young ladies these days. But because it's the Duke's palace, it hasn't been abandoned and is always maintained and cared for by gardeners.

Picking a light pink rose casually, Aimanke sat on the horizontal bench, looked up at the clouds in the sky reflected by the red glow, and leaned back to relax.

Although outsiders saw the emperor as wise and powerful, decisive and resourceful, it was undeniable that he was still a young man in his twenties. It was only the halo and glory that made everyone forget this.

As he took charge of this vast empire, he had to decide and handle countless matters. After a long time, he was inevitably tired.

The eldest daughter of the Pascal family was indeed charming, but unfortunately Aimanke did not feel anything special about her. She was not even as stunning as when she first visited the Duke's Palace at the age of 9.

That year, he and Edren, the Ansiel brothers, the Tesslin sisters... and other princes and princesses came with their parents to celebrate the wedding of the eldest son of the Pascal family.

Looking back now, almost 16 years have passed without me noticing.

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