Chapter 79

The grand social gatherings we commonly refer to, especially in Europe, took their complete form only in the 19th century.

Prior banquets, especially those from the medieval era, aimed solely at enjoying themselves noisily, without distinction between commoners and nobles.

As a result, nobles showcased their status not through music, atmosphere, or dance but through the opulence of their silk and velvet dresses and suits, alongside extravagant food.

Particularly, food was considered a reflection of their dignity and wealth, with pepper, priced nearly the same as precious metals, being thrown into a glass of fine wine, and dishes embellished with gold laid out to demonstrate their grandeur.

Of course, during this time, it was enough for nobles to bask in the feeling of superiority that came from such displays…

True nobility, distinguishing themselves from serfs or commoners, has always wanted to set themselves apart even in their gait; I instructed so fervently it felt as if my feet were on fire.

“Hang chandeliers from the Grand Hall’s ceiling! They cost 300 gold coins each, so make sure they don’t fall!”

“Ice cream must be provided in abundance for the nobles! If milk is scarce, buy it from the surrounding serfs at three times the price! I shall provide unlimited sugar!”

“The orchestra must perfectly memorize the original tempo pieces for when I dance, and the slow pieces for the nobles stumbling through them for the first time! If there are no mistakes, I shall reward each of you with two gold coins!”

“Even though you are servants, those of you who carry the food and pour the drinks are truly the high nobles. Maintain the proper decorum! Instead of rushing around like before, move slowly and elegantly! That too will inspire them!”

“All tools needed for the performance must have no margin of error when setting the stage! This performance is tied to your lives and your pride!”

Under normal circumstances, a count should not need to engage in such acts…

However, this banquet takes place in the palace of the United Kingdom, and if it unfolds as I envision, the king shall directly participate.

Because, regardless of my informal status as a diplomatic envoy, the king would be curious about a count from the Empire with such robust forces coming to present something new.

Thus, I participated directly to ensure the banquet’s success and simultaneously to showcase my sincere efforts should the king attend.

For about three days, I restless worked with subordinates and the palace servants to prepare the most perfect stage.

**

On the day of the ball, as expected, an immense number of nobles attended to greet me for the curated gathering organized directly by a foreign count.

“I am Sir Sergei Tula, a baron. It is an honor to partake in the banquet hosted by the count of the Eraline Empire.”

“I am Viscount Visilkov of Novgorod. The Foreign Minister Your Excellency urged me to attend!”

“I am Count Braif Kirigort. It has been decades since a count from the Empire has come, and my expectations are high.”

I politely welcomed them all, and only after countless nobles had arrived did the true heavyweight present himself.

“I am Duke Mikhail Vladivostok, and soon His Majesty shall arrive.”

“It is an honor, Duke Vladivostok Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, that may be; my domain is merely smaller than yours…”

In response to this, I slightly bowed my head and replied cheekily.

“Though I am but a foreign count, how could I possibly disregard the head of the Vladivostok family, a grand pillar of the United Kingdom? By the way, His Majesty…”

And soon, the sound of trumpets and drums rang out, making way for a commanding voice.

“His Majesty, King Sergey Vladimir Vasilyev has arrived!! Pay your respects!!”

Despite being a foreigner, as a king of a nation, I knelt and deeply bowed my head in reverence to show respect, just as I would to the Emperor of Elaline.

After showing my respect, a few moments passed, and the king halted before me and spoke.

“Raise your head, count of Elaline.”

I lifted my head to look at the king.

The king, with an impressive long beard and lengthy hair, donned a Northern Union-style suit with wide sleeves made of silk.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

“Can I expect great things from today’s banquet? The Foreign Minister suggested I do so.”

I clapped to ensure the servants guarding the door could hear and said,

“Your Majesty, while humble, this banquet is what I have prepared. I hope you enjoy it.”

With those words, the grand hall doors creaked open.

As they opened, chandeliers made of gold and silver sparkled like stars, and the ornate paintings, along with columns and walls covered in gold, gleamed with a soft, luxurious glow.

On the marble tables lay extravagant tableware made of silver and gold, and at the innermost seat, the throne for the king awaited.

Soon after, the orchestra I had hired began to perform elegant music.

The Northern nobles, witnessing the spectacle, seemed unable to contain their astonishment, expressing their awe in emotional tones.

“Has the palace’s grand banquet hall ever looked this splendid?”

“It resembles the heaven depicted in the scriptures…”

To those awestruck individuals, I said,

“Shortly, the stewards will come to guide you to your respective seats. Please take your places.”

After a moment, stewards came forth to direct the many nobles attending the banquet.

The stewards I had trained guided everyone respectfully, aligning with their ranks and statuses.

Next, I began serving the prepared dishes in sequence.

First, a palate-tingling distilled drink, followed by fried tofu with sauce, roasted salmon as an appetizer, lamb shashlik, and rich cheese in order.

Their reactions exceeded all expectations.

“The fork and knife are quite fascinating. This is so much better than eating with a crude knife and skewer!”

“What do you mean, Baron? Drinking before eating makes the body nicely warm!”

“No, this atmosphere… Despite the food not being lavish, with the music accompanying it, it feels as if I’m enjoying a 20 gold coin delicacy…”

“This is tofu? They say it’s made from soybeans, yet it tastes rich like meat, savory, and melts so smoothly… My elderly mother would love this.”

Next, looking toward the king, I prepared to present the final dish with the highest added value.

“Additionally, we at Croilet provide even more varieties of noble-appropriate dishes. It is now time to enjoy the dessert that will garnish the conclusion of the meal. Please indulge.”

As soon as those words ended, the same dessert was served to all nobles, including the king.

An ice cream made abundantly with fresh milk, pudding, macarons, a slice of whipped cream cake, and a non-alcoholic cocktail made by mixing lemon and peach.

All of these were served in beautiful glasses or exquisite bowls placed before them, and the nobles, without hesitation, began to fervently savor every bite.

“This is unbelievable! How can it be this cold and sweet? It melts like baby’s skin on my tongue…”

“The crunching sound in my mouth as the nutty sweet flavor spreads… I never imagined it would taste this good.”

“Just as it touches my lips, it melts away without even having to chew…!”

“The combination of lemon’s tartness and peach’s sweetness is a masterpiece… It feels like summer has been captured in a cup…”

Moments later, as the king had remained silent while eating, he spoke with a tone mixed with admiration.

“Serving all dishes in the most delicious order while providing a sweet joy at the end… I have never experienced such a delightful meal.”

Upon hearing this, despite many more sequences remaining, I felt confident in the success of the banquet.

Because it meant the king, who represented all nobles and was the harshest critic, acknowledged it, signaling that other nobles would strive to receive it favorably even if they didn’t genuinely like it.

So, I offered my sincere thanks to the Northern king and said,

“Thank you, but there are still many sequences remaining, so I hope you will enjoy those as well.”

Then, I clapped my hands to command the silk curtains set up in the middle of the banquet hall to be drawn.

As the silk curtains fell, actors dressed in costumes for the play needed began to emerge.

Among them, the actor portraying “Captain Frost,” who held the highest status, came forth, bowing deeply to all the nobles before beginning the introduction.

“I am William. Today, I will present the performance of Captain Frost, the honorable soldier under Lord Croilet, and Lieutenant Mark’s battle at Stuttgart. Let us begin.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the quickly changing actors stepped out from behind the curtains.

The actors portraying Mark and Frost adorned their helmets with distinct feathers to stand out, while the other actors added their own character to their costumes.

And thus, the play commenced.

The theme of the play depicted Mark and Frost who, by the grace of God Deus, managed to defeat 2,000 knights with merely 5,000 infantry, gaining recognition and elevating a serf to nobility, with the illegitimate son becoming a knight.

Even in chivalric literature, which is considered part of a noble’s education, tales of a serf earning recognition while serving an honorable lord to receive a fief are occasionally found, making this story a suitable choice.

A moment after the play started, palace servants silently went around filling cups with juice.

The actors portraying Mark and Frost took the stage and began the performance.

“Captain Frost! Our soldiers tremble in fear, and the enemy knights’ morale is soaring!”

“Calm yourself, Mark! Their morale may soar, but their lord is devoid of honor. We shall never lose to those without honor. Encourage the soldiers; our commander will stand at the front with us…”

While I had personally reviewed the script, watching the actors perform over-the-top dramatics made me feel slightly embarrassed.

Of course, from the soldiers’ perspective, it wouldn’t be far from the truth…

And the reactions of the spectators varied.

Some shed a tear, some wide-eyed in admiration, fixated on the performance, while others silently cheered for Mark and Frost…

Thus, the play continued.

In the scene where they used Bargenburg to block the enemy knights’ charge, a deliberately flimsy paper was used for the horse, and upon colliding with an actor portraying it, it tore, while the actors charging on horseback and the soldiers blocking them vividly portrayed their roles.

“Stop the enemy’s charge! Do not let them plunder our forces!!”

“Kill that Croilet scum! Turn their wealth into ours!! Long live Count Schwabin!!”

“Argh!!”

The actor who spoke these lines did a Hollywood-style action, flying far away after being struck by a horse.

Before long, the play reached its climax, and the final actor, who took on my role, portraying the decapitated Count Schwabin, walked out and spoke hollowly.

“Count Schwabin, to perish thus is truly a pitiable fate. I vow by my honor as a knight and noble to save your family. Your shame is not your family’s sin.”

The next scene concluded as the actor playing my role handed a dagger to Mark and the sword I wore to Frost.

Upon wrapping up the performance and the actors bowing before exiting, a roaring cheer erupted.

“Bravo!!”

“No way! Though it was a battle between a knight serving a lord who lost his honor and a soldier of an honorable lord, they actually lost! Incredible!!”

“That Frost, a mere captain of hundred, was already a distinguished knight with potential! The baron who recognized this is admirable too!!”

“To wave the flag and fight alongside the soldiers, even personally striking down the enemy baron! How noble and brave!!”

I was genuinely delighted to see my story and my subordinate’s being appreciated so passionately, yet a strange feeling lingered in my heart.

Because, in truth, I had merely picked off exhausted knights and not engaged in single combats like those depicted in the play.

And shortly after, the king stood up, clapped twice, and said.

“Outstanding! It is a banquet beyond our imagination. Thus, Count Croilet, shall we step aside and enjoy the finest drink of the Northern Union as we discuss your war?”

At first glance, it seemed like the king simply desired to hear tales of warfare from my own mouth.

However, what I perceived in the king’s eyes was a burning desire recognizing the value of this banquet and the culture and food I was providing.

I began to feel certain that more than half of my plans had succeeded.

Momentarily, my mouth almost stretched into a grin, but I suppressed that feeling, maintaining a composed demeanor as I replied.

“It would be a great honor to receive Your Majesty’s drink.”

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