ITIF Chapter 29

Uninvited Guest

“Since everyone has gathered, let us begin the investiture ceremony.”

When the Emperor announced the start of the investiture ceremony, the High Priest and the group of priests ascended the platform.

The worship service led by the High Priest continued with blessing prayers from the high-ranking priests.

Sensing that the blessing prayers were coming to an end, Giselle Grante turned her head toward the area below the platform.

There stood Joshua, dressed in the Crown Prince’s formal attire.

Behind him, priests holding trays stood in formation.

When the blessing prayers ended, the priests carrying trays moved toward the nobles, and Joshua ascended the platform.

Having mentally rehearsed and actually practiced all the procedures of the investiture ceremony countless times, she could clearly see what would happen next.

Giselle Grante took the cup offered by the priest who approached her.

Looking down at the wine cup with lowered eyes, she made a vow.

That she would take revenge on those who had taken everything from her.

The Empress who had killed her to make her own son Emperor, and Joshua who had participated without hesitation.

And the Emperor who knew all these circumstances yet pretended not to know.

And she muttered only to herself.

‘Let us raise a toast for the Crown Princess.’

When Giselle Grante turned her gaze forward again, the Emperor spoke.

“Let us raise a toast for the Crown Prince.”

The Emperor, watching all the nobles in the hall raise their cups, finally lifted his own cup.

The Emperor drank the wine from his cup. Joshua also emptied his cup.

Afterwards, the Emperor’s congratulatory speech followed, and the Empress also offered words of blessing to Crown Prince Joshua, who would lead the Phasis Empire in the future.

The investiture ceremony seemed to be smoothly heading toward its end.

Only the High Priest’s congratulatory speech remained. Or so it should have been.

It was when the High Priest was moving to the center of the platform.

“There is one more person to offer congratulations to the Crown Prince.”

The Emperor said.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that…?”

Flustered by this unannounced situation, the Empress looked at the Emperor. Bewilderment also appeared on Joshua’s face.

But the Emperor, without even glancing at them, stared somewhere and said.

“Come up.”

Naturally, the heads of the Empress, Joshua, the High Priest, and all the nobles in the hall followed the Emperor’s gaze.

And the person who soon ascended the platform was Philipo.

“……!”

In an instant, not only the Empress and Joshua but all the nobles in the hall gasped.

The Emperor greeted Philipo ascending the platform with a very benevolent-looking smile.

With a gentle smile on his face, Philipo went to stand beside Joshua, who was positioned between the Emperor and Empress.

And he said.

“Congratulations on becoming Crown Prince, Your Highness.”

“…….”

The Empress struggled to control her expression that was about to contort, while Joshua didn’t even seem to think of hiding his expression as he furrowed his brow.

Giselle Grante didn’t even blink as she took in all their changing expressions.

****

“What on earth is going on here?”

As soon as he entered the High Priest’s office, Joshua growled in a low voice.

“If you have a mouth, explain this.”

The Empress also pressed Marchioness Latse with a cold expression.

Marchioness Latse, who had been frantically rolling her eyes in confusion, immediately shifted the blame to Count Court Anwarz.

“Yes. What is going on?”

Count Court Anwarz, who glanced sideways at Marchioness Latse, secretly let out a sigh.

Soon, all three people’s gazes focused on Count Court Anwarz.

Having no choice, Count Court Anwarz offered an excuse.

“Actually, I don’t understand it well either. Why things turned out this way… I will begin an investigation immediately.”

“You call that an explanation?”

Joshua raised his voice. His demeanor was so menacing it seemed he might throw anything within reach.

“I understand your anger. But Crown Prince, there are still many people outside. His Majesty the Emperor is also present.”

The Empress intervened, blocking Joshua’s glare at Count Court Anwarz.

And she whispered quietly.

“Don’t forget what I’ve told you repeatedly. It’s not over until the crown is on your head.”

At the Empress’s warning, Joshua whirled around. Then he roughly disheveled his neatly arranged hair.

The Empress looked at Count Court Anwarz with an expressionless face.

Under her gaze demanding an explanation, Count Court Anwarz opened his mouth.

“Recently, the atmosphere around Countess Tarel seemed unusual, so we entered into more thorough surveillance than before. As you know, a few days ago the head butler took Countess Tarel to a villa far from the capital for a secret meeting.”

“As briefly as possible.”

When the explanation grew long, Joshua snapped impatiently.

“Count Tarel’s eldest son was also sent far from the capital under the pretext of hunting. We confirmed this as well. We never dreamed he would suddenly appear and backstab us like this…”

Count Court Anwarz appealed his innocence.

In fact, everyone here, including the Empress and Joshua, had completely failed to anticipate what the Emperor would do today.

And for good reason.

Philipo had visited the imperial palace several times for private audiences with the Emperor.

But even after that, the Emperor showed no signs of particularly favoring Philipo or taking special care of him.

Given the Emperor’s fickle nature, the prevailing opinion was that he was merely allowing Philipo close to him temporarily to fill the emptiness of losing his daughter.

Nevertheless, since they couldn’t know what schemes Philipo might have in approaching the Emperor, they couldn’t be completely at ease.

So on the day of the investiture ceremony, they had sent Philipo and Countess Tarel as far from the capital as possible.

“But today, didn’t he appear at such an important event as the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony.”

Joshua said quietly with a slight curved smile.

Then he stepped toward Count Court Anwarz.

When Joshua smiled like that rather than showing anger, it meant something bad was about to happen.

Count Court Anwarz, seized with fear, hesitated and stepped back, when the Empress intervened.

“Stop! Stop this. Wasting time like this here has no meaning. First, we need to discern His Majesty the Emperor’s intentions! Then devising countermeasures should take priority.”

Just then, murmuring sounds came from the corridor.

The Empress quickly signaled to the three people – Joshua, Marchioness Latse, and Count Court Anwarz.

The murmuring sounds from the corridor grew closer, and soon the High Priest and the Emperor walked into the office.

The Empress quickly opened her mouth to change the somewhat hostile atmosphere.

“You’ve arrived! How about having dinner together as a family on such a good day as today, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor, who quickly scanned the expressions of the people in the office, soon nodded with a warm smile.

“……That’s a good idea.”

****

While the Emperor, Empress, and Joshua, who had become Crown Prince, were having an intimate family dinner together, Philipo also faced his family.

At the sight of Philipo entering the mansion, Countess Tarel slowly closed and opened her eyes.

She seemed relieved to see him unharmed.

“……Were you alright, Philipo? You weren’t hurt anywhere, were you?”

Philipo deliberately smiled brightly to reassure Countess Tarel, who was filled with worry and concern.

“Let’s go inside and talk first, Mother.”

Only after seating Countess Tarel on the reception room sofa did Philipo continue speaking.

“Fortunately, His Majesty kept the promise he made with me before.”

Countess Tarel sighed with relief and patted her chest.

“……By the way, she’s truly mysterious. Lady Amaterasu.”

At Countess Tarel’s words, Philipo nodded.

In fact, it wasn’t only Countess Tarel who had doubts until the very last moment heading to the Grand Temple.

Philipo was also inwardly worried.

What if the Emperor didn’t keep his promise?

But Philipo repeatedly recalled what Lady Amaterasu had said when she suddenly visited on a day when no salon was scheduled.

Her words that the Emperor would actually gain much from this incident.

Since the day Philipo first visited the imperial palace under the pretext of comforting the Emperor who was grieving the loss of Princess Trinity and played chess with him, Philipo had two more private audiences with the Emperor.

And each time they had chess matches.

For the first and second matches, Lady Amaterasu had said he must lose to the Emperor unconditionally, but before the third match, it was different.

[When you have your match with His Majesty the Emperor this time, give it your all. And you must win if possible. Since he’s won twice, he’ll likely be overconfident. So it shouldn’t be difficult to win.]

[But why must this time be different from before?]

When Philipo asked the reason out of genuine curiosity, Lady Amaterasu had said:

[Because matches where you always win are no fun.]

Philipo immediately understood what Lady Amaterasu meant.

When the opponent is too strong to ever defeat, and when the opponent is too weak to lose to. In both cases, one easily loses interest in matches with that opponent.

To continue requesting private audiences with the Emperor under the pretext of chess matches, it was better to instill in the Emperor the perception that Philipo possessed some skill.

And Philipo acted according to Lady Amaterasu’s words.

Of course, being able to win the chess match against the Emperor this time was also helped by luck.

[If you win the match, what comes next will be easier. His Majesty the Emperor will ask what you want first. Then just casually mention that you’d like to congratulate His Highness the Crown Prince on the day of the Crown Prince investiture ceremony.]

[……Pardon? B-but I haven’t even been properly recognized as a prince yet… Would that be possible?]

To Philipo’s questioning, Lady Amaterasu had said:

[There’s absolutely no problem from His Majesty’s perspective with the young master congratulating Crown Prince Joshua in front of everyone on the day of the investiture ceremony.]

[I don’t understand what you mean at all.]

When Philipo looked at her with a puzzled expression, Lady Amaterasu added:

[He won’t say anything like “From now on, I will recognize my son Philipo as a prince of the empire” at that occasion. I’m certain of this.]