Chapter 3: The Capital: First Meeting
In this era, human civilization is still in its infancy, but the capital of the Sun Empire, Bright City, known as the center of civilization in the Western Continent, turns into a sea of light every night as its name suggests.
With the beautiful and majestic Imperial Palace as the center, countless lights lit up one after another, twinkling like stars on the earth, illuminating the entire city.
——This lighting method, which combines magical illumination and the thermal combustion of grease, is very popular throughout the Western Continent. It is listed as one of the three major standards of urban governance, along with a clean and tidy waterway system and a prosperous and bustling public square.
To the southeast of the royal palace complex, known as the heart of the City of Light, is the elegant and beautiful building called the Silver Moon Palace.
Compared to the Guangming Palace complex, which can accommodate at least 100,000 people and has a building scale equivalent to a large town, the Silver Moon Palace, which has only a thousand rooms, inevitably appears petite and delicate.
But it was, after all, the important residence in Guangming City of the only sacred family in the entire Western Continent with a five-thousand-year heritage. Even though the area was not spacious, the palace was elegant and exquisite in every way, commensurate with the status of its owner.
The garden is always filled with colorful flowers regardless of the season, nourished by the clear water flowing from marble fountains carved into the shapes of gods; even the most inconspicuous corners of the palace are scrubbed spotlessly clean and filled with fragrant flowers and fresh fruits.
Whenever night falls, servants always light up thousands of lamps, turning the palace into a world of light.
As we all know, the Grand Duke usually gets up at noon and goes to bed at midnight, so the nights in the Silver Moon Palace are as lively as the daytime.
Whether they are the nobles of the Upper Town with a long history, or the common people with special skills and knowledge in the Lower Town, or even knights from distant foreign countries, wandering artists with superb singing and dancing skills, or travelers with incredible experiences...
Anyone who possesses something that interests the Grand Duke may receive an invitation to the Silver Moon Palace. On a fragrant night, they may walk into the brightly lit Silver Moon Palace, be led into the living room by well-mannered servants holding tall candlesticks, and have a cordial conversation with the host who is like elegance itself, spending a dreamlike and wonderful time.
The Silver Moon Palace is unusually quiet tonight.
There were no stars in the sky, and only one lamp was on in the study. Outside the floor-to-ceiling crystal windows, in the quiet garden, soft music that helped people sleep could be faintly heard.
John Deere stood beside a large bookshelf filled with precious books, waiting for the owner who was writing at the marble table.
a long time--
The Grand Duke raised his head, and a smile as beautiful as a flower appeared on his fair face.
"What kind of person is Lucien in your eyes?"
"Owner--"
"You've never seen his past, and you're not affected by the past like others are. I want to know what you think of him."
"He... he has bright eyes, is full of life, and possesses abundant ambition... Of all the people I have ever met, he is the one who is most like Alfonso."
Alfonso is John Deere's childhood sweetheart, a rude, ignorant, uneducated but peculiarly charming mercenary.
"Alfonso... He actually reminds you of Alfonso..."
A false smile played upon the Archduke's lips.
"Alfonso and I haven't seen each other for three years."
"But we get new news from him every month, don't we?"
“Master, you…”
"Alfonso has the eyes of a wolf. He is inevitably dominated by his fiery ambition and insatiable desires. He runs forward tirelessly. It's a pity... if only he could have received a little more education..."
By the end, the voice was close to a murmur.
John Deere bowed his head quietly.
"…Did he mention music during your conversation?"
"No."
"Not even once?"
"Not once."
"I think this is a sign of your growth after going through hardships."
John Deere added.
"growing up……"
The Grand Duke gave another ambiguous smile and murmured, "How could I possibly forget?"
"You mean—"
"It's getting late, you should go and rest first."
"You should also go to bed early, and..."
John Deere hesitated for a moment and then said softly, "Drinking is bad for your health, even on doctor's advice."
"I know. I only drink one glass a day before meals now."
"but……"
John Deere looked sadly at his master, who exuded a hazy charm like an iris even in the dim moonlight, and said cautiously, "Looking at you, I sometimes feel scared for no reason..."
"Lack of sleep does make people more likely to have wild thoughts."
Yaris raised his hand and urged the uneasy John Deere to retreat.
John Deere had no choice but to leave in frustration.
After John Deere left, Yaris stood up, walked to the crystal floor-to-ceiling window, and opened the curtains.
"Kelly, go to the next room and bring Jean out. The moon is beautiful tonight."
"yes."
"Master, be careful not to catch a cold."
The servant came forward with a silver silk robe and draped it over the shoulders, which were thinner and weaker than those of ordinary people due to his special bloodline.
Yaris raised his arms and let the soft silk slide down his shoulders.
"...The night he left me, it was also under this moonlight... He stopped me, holding his harp. He said he had written a song for me and wanted to sing it to me. However, I was thinking about how to trick Edmund into appointing Ulysses as Vice-Chancellor of the Empire and make him believe that this appointment was his own idea, and I didn't stop for Lucien."
…
…
Next to a large cluster of Rosa Marie shrubs that bloomed brilliantly like burning flames, there was a large dining table that was six meters long and one meter wide. The table was piled with carefully cooked delicacies, and the tableware was made of gold and silver, with patterns carved and gemstones inlaid on the surface.
Fifty servants stood on both sides, ready to serve their master at any time.
In the white pavilion ten meters away on the left front, a eunuch singer sang heavenly music with the accompaniment of a band.
(Is this the noble from another world? He needs so many people to wait on him even for a meal, and…)
Xiao Yun glanced at the dining table which was filled with enough food to feed twenty adult men, and then looked at the thin body of John Deere who was dining with him.
“These are…”
"These are foods that the chefs prepare specially for you."
"so much……"
"Any uneaten food will be shared among the servants."
"but--"
Xiao Yun, who was trying hard to find a topic, was speechless for a moment. His eyes wandered in the air, and his eyes instinctively avoided Yaris who was sitting above him.
However, even if he deliberately avoided it, the fragrance on Yaris's body - the unique elegant, sweet and slightly seductive scent of Bisarua, which was made from a variety of precious spices, mixed with the rich ebony and wormwood scent he had picked up during the prayers in the sacred tower, would still flow into his nostrils along with the floral, fruity and food aromas that filled the air.
Xiao Yun was somewhat dazed, feeling like he was in a steamy midsummer garden after a heavy rainstorm.
The ground was littered with fruits that had not yet fully ripened but had been tragically trampled by the heavy rain. A thick layer of colorful petals that had been blown off the branches by the strong wind floated on the slightly green surface of the pond. A piece of fallen ebony lay deep in the pond, and the jagged and broken wounds were still burning. A faint white mist rose from the deep red ashes, silently diffusing into the emerald green lake water.
"What are you thinking about, Lucien?"
Xiao Yun suddenly woke up from his thoughts.
"Ah...I'm sorry, brother, I..."
"It's okay. You always get distracted when talking to me before."
Yaris's voice was gentle and soft, and his deep and mysterious black eyes looked with interest at his brother's face, which was less than 30% similar to his own because he was too close to his biological mother.
"How's the wound healing? Is it still bleeding? Does it hurt?"
"Dr. Moss said he's almost fully recovered."
"John said you temporarily lost all memory of the previous twenty years."
"--Yes."
"In that case, let's get to know each other again. Look up at me, and let me take a good look at you."
Unable to refuse this request, Xiao Yun raised his head and looked at the person in front of him in disbelief.
In an instant, he understood Lucien's recurring obsession with his brother in his dreams, and also understood why almost everyone he met after reincarnating into this world had a glint in their eyes when they mentioned Jaris.
It's not just because he possesses dazzling beauty and gorgeous brilliance, nor is it just because he naturally exudes the nobility and elegance of an emperor.
What really makes people fall in love with Yaris at first sight is the sacred emotion that envelops his body like a fragrance - this is an intense emotion that cannot be described in specific words. Just one look at him will fill your heart with unprecedented intensity, and you will be willing to be swallowed up by his eyes as deep and brilliant as a night lake.
Compared to my brother, who was gorgeous, luxurious, and divinely elegant, I, who inherited my mother's chestnut hair and eyes that were too watery for a man, seemed to leave only an impression with my friendliness that was inappropriate for my status.
Xiao Yun was daydreaming.
"Okay, Lucien, let's go over there and talk."
Yaris stood up, put his arm around his brother's shoulder and walked towards the white pavilion in the front left - after the meal, the castrato and the band immediately and silently left the pavilion.
Seeing the table full of delicious dishes being taken away almost untouched, Xiao Yun showed a look of regret.
Yaris didn't care.
He had always had a poor appetite, and the servants had long been accustomed to their master's stomach, which was as small as a bird's, eating only a little.
…
In the white pavilion, Jaris motioned for Lucien to sit next to him.
"I thought having John Deere there would make you feel more comfortable..."
"elder brother……"
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I was the one who ordered Milia's murder. You have the right to hate me."
"Millia..."
Xiao Yun shook his head: "I don't remember Milia."
"What about music? Are you still thinking about singing?"
"I……"
Xiao Yun suddenly had an idea: "Growth is always accompanied by sacrifice. This is what you told me."
He wasn't actually sure whether Jarris had ever said something similar to Lucien, but when Jarris asked this question, he faintly heard Lucien crying, and—
Yaris choked.
(I'm sorry... I don't want to force you, but we have to give up something if we want to survive... to avoid being wiped out by our enemies...)
The unexpected answer brought surprise and astonishment to Yaris's face, which then turned into a warm smile. He placed his slender white hand on his brother's hair, as if to comfort him.
"Edmund said he wanted to see you."
Edmund is the current Emperor of the Empire of the Sun and the cousin of Jaris and Lucien.
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