Chapter 14: Royal Capital: Fanatical Love
Facing more than twenty pairs of eyes staring at him with anticipation and enthusiasm, Yaris displayed his usual warm smile: "Thank you for preparing so many delicious dishes for tonight. However, before we officially take our seats, I must first introduce my dear brother to everyone."
He turned sideways and pushed Lucien in front of the crowd: "Lucien, say a few words to everyone."
“Cough… cough cough…”
Xiao Yun cleared his throat and looked at the young students whose cheeks were flushed and tears were rolling in their eyes because of their arrival. He blurted out: "Good evening! Everyone... everyone must have a great time tonight!"
"Wow……"
The young people cheered with joy, and the more sentimental ones even began to sob. They rushed to the two men and kissed the backs of the brothers' hands to express their love and gratitude to the Holy Family.
“Don’t…don’t do this…”
Marina, beside Yaris, tried to maintain order.
Everyone gradually regained their senses in response to her cries and asked the two brothers to sit on the brocade-covered chairs.
"Cheers! To our motherland!"
"Cheers! To the Eternal God of Truth and Knowledge!"
"Cheers! To His Highness and Young Master!"
“…”
People shouted enthusiastically and toasted Jaris and Lucien, their young cheeks beaming with youthful radiance.
While accepting their toasts, Yaris introduced the young people participating in the party to his brother one by one: "The one in the first row on the left wearing a blue turban is Mills from Dalavia. The chestnut-haired young man next to him is Aslan. Then there are Charles, Nemo... Amy, I want to be the first reader of your travel diary around the Western Continent!"
"—Oh my God! Your Highness, you remember me!"
The female student whose name was called was so excited that her voice trembled: "Such a noble person can actually call out the names of us lowly and poor students one by one... and even... remember my humble dream..."
"In the face of the universe, kings and beggars are equally humble. What's more, your dream is so beautiful, great and romantic..."
"besides--"
Yaris smiled gently at the students. "Don't use honorifics for us brothers. At least—tonight, here, we are your equals."
He turned his head and looked at his brother: "What do you think?"
"Please just call me Lucien."
Xiao Yun said without hesitation.
The atmosphere on the scene made him feel more comfortable than ever before.
"Wow!"
The crowd cheered again.
"How wonderful it would be if His Majesty the Emperor could be as approachable, gentle, and kind as His Highness Jaris and Lord Lucien... Damn it! Why... why... isn't it..."
"The Holy Family forever renounced its earthly crown three thousand years ago and exists only as a means of communication between humanity and the divine."
Jarris gently denied the students' pleas, as if the person who whispered to Lucien in the study late at night that he should wear the crown was a stranger with his face and voice.
"...For thousands of years, the Holy Family has dedicated its efforts to serving believers, praying to the gods, and rebuilding towns devastated by war. We believe that one day, love will replace monarchs as the supreme ruler, and the world will become what you desire—all people, regardless of birth, skin color, gender, beauty, or ugliness... will be equally bathed in the light of love."
"Lord Yaris..."
The students were mesmerized by Yaris's description, their young faces brimming with a happiness and satisfaction as if their souls had been taken away, making people think of fanatical devotees gazing at the supreme goddess.
(Yaris...what on earth do you want to do?)
Xiao Yun thought in horror and held Yaris's hand under the table.
[Brother, are you telling them the truth right now?]
[Of course, what I said to them was the truth, but what I said to you was also the truth...]
Yaris smiled gracefully, his smile as hazy as the moon shrouded in clouds.
The students were completely unaware of this.
Immersed in the ideal world described by Yaris, they ate the food on the table with relish and enthusiastically discussed various social issues while eating.
Seeing these humble students, who under the current system of the empire would never have the chance to become mid-level administrative officials, proudly proclaim "our country" in front of Yaris, passionately discussing the various flaws and injustices of the national system, and arguing over how to properly reform it...
Xiao Yun gradually understood the significance of Yaris bringing him here.
(Were these students, full of passion and dreams, who were not afraid of bloodshed and sacrifice, the ones who gave you the idea of ending Edmund's reign?)
(You brought me here because you wanted me to hear the voices of the grassroots, see their suffering, and learn how to properly reform social ills...)
(Your dreams are so big, but your life is destined to be short... If God really exists, why is he so unfair to you...)
Before they knew it, the focus of the discussion had become Kanoa Duren, the emperor's newly appointed president of the Royal Academy.
"Even two hundred years ago, when commoners were not allowed to enroll, the Royal Academy would not restrict academic exchanges with the public! Duren, that beast! What right does he have?!"
"Before he became the dean, he was a fortune teller who scammed people out of money in King's Square! The kind of person who would be expelled if he set up a stall near the academy!"
"I heard that he's even preparing to issue a ban, prohibiting civilian students in the academy from entering the Royal Library to read books outside of the designated hours!"
"Oh? Is there such a thing?"
Yaris raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Lord Yaris, please help us... We can't let this despicable villain continue to stand before the God of Truth and Knowledge!"
The students looked at Yaris pleadingly.
Yaris nodded and turned his head to Lucien and said, "I'm going to Denos tomorrow and won't be back until ten days later. Lucien, while I'm away, if Dean Duren dares to issue such a ridiculous and unconventional ban——"
"I'll make him take it back!"
Xiao Yun blurted out.
…
…
(It’s like a dream…)
Even after leaving the lower city and returning to the Silver Moon Palace, lying on the silk mattress, Xiao Yun still couldn't sleep.
My body is very tired, but my mind is very clear.
Every detail of what happened at the party kept appearing before my eyes and in my ears.
(These young students… were not at all ashamed of their poverty, and proudly and generously entertained the noblest and most distinguished bloodlines in their humble homes…)
(They worshipped Yaris, who listened to their requests and communicated with them frankly as if they were gods, and even developed a passion for themselves, who were visiting for the first time...)
(But...is it true that nothing bad will happen with such fanatical worship?)
Xiao Yun felt a cloud of worry in his heart, and the incident that happened when he and Yaris left the venue appeared in front of his eyes.
A young painter squeezed out of the crowd of people who were seeing him off, knelt in front of Yaris, rubbed his ankle with his cheek, kissed the upper of his shoe, and begged Yaris to accept the painting he had drawn for him.
The theme of the painting is elegance and serenity.
Unlike the common painting composition in which Ya, representing the dark femininity with slender and soft limbs, sleeps peacefully in the arms of Shem, who symbolizes the bright masculine and strong body, the painting dedicated to Yaris depicts Ya, with black hair and black robes, sleeping lightly on the throne of stars, holding Shem in her arms, whose lower half has turned to bones and whose upper half is still rotting, with only his face intact.
Moreover, Ya's face resembles Yaris, and Shan's facial features are 90% similar to Edmund's.
"This is……"
"Although Miyabi and Shan are known as the Twin Gods, I always believe that Miyabi is the ruler of the universe, and Shan is the projection of Miyabi in his dreams."
"But if Edmund saw this painting, he would hate me even more..."
Yaris spoke briskly, but with a smile in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, the painter set his painting on fire without hesitation, letting out a soft cry.
"His Majesty Yaris—long live!"
(Such intense obsession and fanaticism...)
Xiao Yun tossed and turned until dawn when he finally fell into a drowsy sleep. When he woke up, it was almost afternoon.
"Ah—what time is it now? Has my brother left for Denos?"
"Your Highness's convoy left the capital half an hour ago."
The servant replied quietly.
"That……"
Xiao Yun scratched his hair: "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"His Highness said that the young master slept very happily and must have had a good dream, so he asked us not to wake you up."
"But……"
"His Highness said he would be back in ten days at most, so please don't worry."
"……All right."
Xiao Yun said this gloomily, got up with the help of the servants, and went to the restaurant for dinner.
…
In the spacious restaurant, he met Marina.
"You didn't..."
"Mikael found out that I took you out, and he punished me by confining me to Silver Moon Palace for self-reflection."
Marina said nonchalantly, finding a chair for herself to sit down.
"How was last night?"
"It's incredible, like a dream..."
"What else?"
"Brother..."
Xiao Yun paused, and after a moment's deliberation, he asked softly, "Marina, do you also think that my brother looked a little..."
“It feels a bit fake, doesn’t it?”
"you--"
"I discovered this problem a long time ago."
"Um?"
"Perhaps because of his frail body and the fact that he was abandoned by his parents at birth, His Highness has always desired attention and loved to be the center of attention. Even as a child, he knew how to leverage his exceptional looks, noble and rare bloodline, and frail body to gain others' pity and unconditional love. As an adult, he meticulously planned every move to maximize his charm."
"Everything that happened last night was just his usual performance. Of course, there were some genuine feelings mixed in."
Marina gave a wry smile.
"A man of high moral character cannot resist the advances of a beautiful, fragile, intelligent, and elegant person. A man of lust will be drawn into the abyss by the beauty and status of a person with just one glance."
"Perhaps only Edmund—"
"Edmund, too."
Marina interrupted Lucien, her expression serious.
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