We still hugging each other for a while before I and Celes step down from the stage and sit back in our seat. Clara, Claire, and Carina return to their place to sing again once more, granting the wish of our guest to hear them singing again.
Meanwhile, in the front seat, my father and Earl Stamfort still chat happily.
"Ah, it's really nice to be young"
"Yeah…youngsters nowadays, they express their feeling without hesitation anymore. So envious"
"Sometimes it's good, to be frank with our own feeling. I remember I used to play guitar to win over my late wife's heart. Henry seems followed my steps back there, although his guitar plays still need to refine"
"Which girl that will not melt her heart when hearing such a beautiful song, John. Besides, when I first time met Henry, he already says he will marry my daughter someday"
"Huh? You ever met Henry before? How come he not tell me about that"
"It's been a long time ago John when all vassals invited to celebrate Your highness King Hammond fifty years birthday in the capital city"
"That's ten years ago. I did bring Henry at that party, but I don't know such an event happened there"
"Hahaha…we, adult gather with other adults while our kids play with their peers in the garden. But you know what people talk about my daughter right? And children are easy to copy what their parent doing"
Earl Stamfort sighed when he talks about Celes, what he meant is those bad gossip and rumors about Celes, and talk about it make him somehow sad.
"What a nonsense, I don't believe it at all"
"Glad to hear that John, but not everyone likes you and your son. That gossip even spread to their children which make them keep the distance from my daughter. Only one boy, your son, that can make my daughter feel happy at that time. He accompanies my daughter, talking and playing despite looking weird by his peers. And when my daughter introduces him to me, I ask him 'what's your opinion about my daughter?' and guess what he says that time?"
"I have no idea, Edward"
Earl Stamfort chuckled before he continues his words
"I still feel funny when I remember that until now….your son said 'Celes is beautiful as an angel sir, I want to marry her in the future'… isn't it surprising? When other people labeling her as devil incarnation, your son think my daughter as an angel…since then I have set my eyes on him, that he's the only one that suitable for my daughter. And after that party, my daughter seems to have her self-confidence back, and a lot happier"
"My late wife indeed educated our children not to see people from their looks but from their heart"
"You have a great wife, John. So when our kid's age is enough for marriage, I send the proposal to you. I bet you must feel surprised by the proposal, right?"
My father only smile wryly while scratching his head
"To be honest…yes. I feel surprised because according to what I know, they never see each other. But actually there's the story behind it, now I understand"
"That's why when the news about Henry get accident reaches us, we immediately set on the journey here. Thank God, he is alright and I can see him already grow into such a fine young man. My journey here is really worth to do. And why I suggest to married them sooner because I want to recommend Henry to that event"
"What event Edward?"
Earl Stamfort is about to reply when my maids finished their singing and our guest give them applause again. Uncle Jake step up to the stage to give closing speech
"Ladies and gentlemen, that song is also the last event of our banquet today. For guest who wishes to return, we bade farewell and hope their safety on the road. For guest who still wants to have conversation with our lord, there's still time until 4.00 a.m for it."
It's currently 3.10 a.m right now, that's mean our guests who wish to stay a little longer can have 50 minutes to spend for either talk with my father, Earl Stamfort, I and Celes, or my sister Eliza and Sir Anthony. Guests who wish to return, after bid farewell to my father and Earl Stamfort, give their pray and bless for me and Celes, also my sister and Sir Anthony leave the great hall.
The remaining guests who wish to stay a little longer immediately divided into three parts. With consistsed most with elderly men, they flock around my father and Earl Stamfort table. Maybe they want to discuss matters related with territorial management. The youngster and ladies come to me and my sister table. There're also some women and youngster who approaching my maids instead. Maybe they want to say their admiration for my maids performance on the stage.
People who come to my table and my sister table mostly want to give greetings. After shake hands, they ask what they have in mind, such as:
"Young master Henry, would you take apprentice in cooking?"
"Young master Henry, could you teach me how to make such beautiful song?"
"Young master Henry, would you share the recipe for the food on today's banquet?"
And many other questions and request from the guest. For those related with food and cooking, I just said that simple recipes of food will available in near future while some with the ingredient that hard to get like soy sauce and yeast will wait until I can produce myself. For things related to music, I just say that practice and creativity will play important roles. So I apologize that I currently can't take any disciples or apprentice yet.
The male guests who flock around my sister and Sir Anthony mostly ask about the matter with royal army things while the female asks my sister about the dress she's wearing now. It's her own made and a good one which makes my sister look more beautiful. No wonder many female guests interested in the dress she wears.
Although not as much as the guest who flocks around my father, me, or my sister, there's some guest who gathers around my maids. Mostly saying praise about their performance and also some who ask if they can perform in their party in the future.
Without we realize, time passed by so fast and the time show four o'clock in the afternoon. It's time for the guest to return to their homes with good memories of today's banquet. I can see satisfied expression from our guest when they bade goodbye and leave the great hall. Today's banquet and our bethrothal event is a big success!!