The conference, as most expected, began turbulently.
The representatives of the three territories had no intention of pledging allegiance to the Empire from the start, viewing the conference as nothing more than a way to buy time.
It was clear that they needed more preparation before engaging in conflict with the Empire, and they wanted to delay the start of the war until the off-season for farming, which was more suitable for warfare.
“The discussions went nowhere and ended up leading into a banquet.”
“Was Mr. Gernot also present?”
“The city council members were also invited to the banquet. So, I was there.”
“What kind of dishes were served?”
Gernot showed a slightly disappointed expression to Shinobu, who was full of curiosity. In fact, the Imperial attendees at the banquet seemed quite let down.
“It was just ordinary food. Bread mixed with barley, grilled salted fish, meat with bones. There were plenty of potatoes, though.”
“Aren’t banquets supposed to have more luxurious food?”
“Normally, yes. Especially since the host of this particular banquet was, no less, the late Emperor himself. The attendees were expecting a lavish feast…”
“It was a letdown, then.”
“That’s right.”
Eleonora of the Water Transport Guild, for instance, didn’t seem to touch any of the dishes. The other council members also seemed to be eating reluctantly.
“Wouldn’t the people from the Northern Three Territories be angry with such food?”
“That’s the thing, it wasn’t like that. The delegation, who had been so stubborn during the conference, became surprisingly relaxed at the banquet, even starting to chat amiably.”
“Huh?”
“It was the late Emperor. It was all thanks to him.”
The Imperial attendees were shocked when the late Emperor began to eat the banquet food with his hands. They had thought that was the custom of the northern barbarians.
But, since it was the late Emperor, the highest-ranking person present, who did it, others had no choice but to follow suit.
“So, the banquet was conducted according to the Northern style?”
“That’s right. Seeing that, the other party’s delegation seems to have let their guard down.”
For Gernot, it was quite an interesting experience.
The flat, hard-baked bread was used as a plate, and food was eaten on top of it. When it became soft from soaking up the juices, the bread was torn and eaten.
“During the conference, they didn’t mention any conditions for not seceding from the Empire, but at the banquet, they started to say various things.”
“Isn’t that good?”
“Not really.”
The late Emperor’s strategy worked.
He succeeded in bringing the Northern Three Provinces, who had been angered by being constantly ridiculed as barbarians by the Imperial center, to the negotiating table.
But, at the same time, it also made them vulnerable to being taken advantage of.
“The Northerners despise the Empire, calling it an old pig. The conditions were quite severe. If accepted as they were, the Empire would be ridiculed by the Eastern Kingdom and the United Kingdom.”
“They were being looked down upon, weren’t they?”
“Well, that’s about right.”
As Shinobu nodded in agreement, Taisho popped his head out from behind her.
“Sorry to interrupt the lively conversation, but the Napolitan is ready.”
“Oh, this is it! I’ll also have some Tabasco and grated cheese!”
“…Gernot-san, you know your stuff.”
Of course, he does. How many times has he dreamed of this reunion with this pasta?
He’s known as a gourmand, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he was obsessed with the staff meal, so he’d been holding back until now. But since he was told he could have anything as a reward, there’s no reason to hold back.
Delicious!
The moment he took a bite, he was so overwhelmed by the deliciousness that he almost stood up and shouted. The only thing that stopped him was his pride as a city council member.
It was a little different from what Shinobu made, but the deliciousness of Napolitan was still supreme. It could even be called the ultimate.
He ate voraciously, not caring that his mouth was getting dirty.
Ah, he should have ordered two servings, no, three servings.
However, it felt somehow shameful to use this heavenly food just to fill his stomach.
Perhaps it’s better to stop when it’s slightly insufficient. The craving for Napolitan is what gives him the energy to live tomorrow. That’s what Gernot thinks now.
For the past few months, he has tried and failed day after day to find a substitute for Napolitan. He even sought refuge in the Unagi Bento (Eel Bento).
But it’s not the same. No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find any food that could compare to Napolitan.
That’s why, when he became involved in the Backeshoff incident, he almost did a little dance in his heart.
This way, he could legally and naturally eat Napolitan without any awkwardness.
He didn’t mind sending numerous letters to the unpleasant Chief of the Bureau of Brewing to solve the problem. It was all for the sake of Napolitan.
He finished it in the blink of an eye, and Gernot was struck by a terrible sense of loneliness. The blissful encounter was over, and all that remained was an empty plate.
He was horrified to find himself wishing for a second and third Backeshoff to appear.
“Ah, Mr. Gernot. If you like Napolitan that much, I can make it for you anytime?”
“R-Really, Taisho-san!”
“Y-Yes. I can’t when it’s too busy, though.”
“You’re not lying, are you? There’s no benefit in lying to a tax collector, is there?”
“I’m not lying, I swear.”
After saying that, Gernot looked around and coughed softly.
“W-Well, this Napolitan is quite delicious. If Nobu insists, I’ll order it from time to time.”
As he made a somewhat excuse-like justification, Eva quietly offered him a handkerchief.
“Mr. Gernot, your mouth is dirty.”
“Ah, thank you. You’re very thoughtful.”
“No, not at all. So, what happened to the conference?”
Urged by Eva, Gernot returned to the story.
“The conditions presented by the representatives of the Three Territories were quite harsh. The Empire could never agree to a condition that required annual payment in gold coins to the Three Territories as legitimate compensation for undertaking border defense.”
“That sort of thing is a matter of face, isn’t it?”
Shinobu nods knowingly. It seems that this girl, despite her appearance, might be surprisingly aware of the ways of the world.
“Just when the banquet, which had begun to thaw the ice, seemed to be over, the main meat dish was brought in at the late Emperor’s signal.”
“A meat dish?”
“Yes, a whole roasted calf.”
There is an old tradition in the North where the leader carves and serves the cow.
The amount of the cut reveals the status within the alliance, so it is an important ceremony for the proud warriors of the North.
“The late Emperor went that far to accommodate the North?”
“That’s what I thought. The Northern representatives probably thought so too. However, an unexpected accident occurred there.”
“An accident?”
“The calf was so magnificent that the carrier dropped it midway.”
“What a waste…”
“It was such a fine calf that everyone regretted it. Even the representatives of the Three Territories, who should have been hostile, sighed. However…”
“However?”
“At the late Emperor’s signal, another calf appeared.”
Everyone at the banquet was surprised by that.
The previous calf was magnificent, but this one was even more so.
Thinking about it later, it was probably a staged performance, but at the time, no one could say anything because of its magnificence.
“When the late Emperor carved that calf, the Northern Three Territories became completely docile. They seemed to be surprised by the unfathomable wealth of the Empire, which they had underestimated.”
He had thought Shinobu and Taisho would be surprised by this story, but their reactions were rather dull. When he looked, for some reason, they were both looking at Eva.
“Don’t you think it’s amazing? Thanks to the late Emperor’s quick thinking, the crisis of the Northern Three Territories seceding from the Empire was averted, at least for the time being.”
“Y-Yes, I think it’s, amazing.”
Eva’s strained smile was somehow directed at the handkerchief in Gernot’s hand.
“Is there something wrong with this handkerchief? It seems to be made of very fine silk…”
Instantly, Gernot’s expression froze.
The handkerchief was made of pure white silk, but there was an embroidered crest in each of the four corners.
“The crest of the ‘Three-Headed Dragon and Hawk’s Claw’…”
Only one person among all the royalty and nobility of the continent is allowed to use this crest. A person who was adopted into the Three-Headed Dragon’s Imperial family from the proud Hawk family.
“The, the late Emperor’s crest…”
He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief bearing the late Emperor’s crest.
It’s a rare experience that others cannot imitate, but for Gernot, who had renewed his reverence for the Imperial family through this incident, it was a staggering event.
“E-Eva-dono. I will wash and return this handkerchief! I will definitely return it!”
Translator’s Note
“dono” is a very formal honorific, showing respect and some distance since Gernot is suddenly very aware of Eva’s potential status.
“D-Dono? A-Ah, yes, if you could return it…”
Without thinking, Gernot handed over his entire wallet in payment and rushed out of the tavern. Come to think of it, the fact that lager was released at this strange timing might also be related to Nobu.
“What a terrifying shop.”
He would definitely not try to collect unreasonable taxes from this shop.
Gernot vowed to himself.