With my words officially starting the banquet, the large doors to the dining room suddenly opened, and numerous servants, carrying trays and pushing carts, entered, filling the entire dining room in mere seconds while a pleasant aroma wafted about. Starting at the center table, the servants gently set down our food and gave us a deep bow, prompting all the servants to serve the food to the other guests as we started eating.
"Oh, lightning cherry jam? Couldn't have asked for a better topping." Muttered Elif with a slight smile; grabbing his golden fork, which had purple tips, he stabbed it into the dish before taking a bit, only to nod in satisfaction.
"Delicous I presume, Elif?" Asked Marcus lightly with a faint smirk as he glanced at Elif to his left while eating a similar dish, only he had a different topping.
"Yes, so long as you add lightning cherries to it, I can almost guarantee you its quality will be massively enhanced." Replied Elif with a nod as he glanced at Marcus, who chuckled while taking another bite, spilling a little on his cheek.
"Be careful, your Highness." Said Illumia softly as she grabbed a handkerchief and leaned down, gently wiping Elif's cheek, a sight that didn't please a few women.
"Calm yourself, Illumia. Can your Prince not get a little dirty every now and then?" Asked Elif with a slight smirk and a raised eyebrow as he took another bite, though this time he purposely spilled on his cheek, causing Illumia to shake her head.
"If that is what you wish, I shall oblige; I'm merely a servant, after all." Said Illumia lightly as she stood still, not bothering to move, causing Elif to roll his eyes.
"Overdramatic, much, no?" Muttered Elif as he grabbed Illumia's hand, which was holding the handkerchief, and wiped his cheek.
Eating the remainder of the dish while purposely dirtying myself just so Illumia would be forced to clean me, I stabbed the final piece with my fork and floated it across the table to Elaine, who opened her mouth and ate it, only for her to nod with a smile before she did the same thing to me.
'Good, but I still think my dish is better: lightning cherries are hard to top.' Mused Elif with a lovely smile as he swallowed the food before grabbing Elaine's fork out of the air and seductively licking it while staring right into her eyes.
Just as I was seducing Elaine while also licking all of her delicious saliva off her fork, I was suddenly smacked in the back of the head, which annoyed me as I at first thought it was Father, but when I looked over at him, I noticed he was too busy happily feeding Mother food.
'Was it Illumia?' Thought Elif in doubt as he rubbed his head and looked behind him, only to spot Tiana staring right at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Behave, Elif; don't make me tell you again." Said Tiana seriously, repeatedly tapping her foot on the ground while eyeing Elif, who still had Elaine's fork in his mouth.
"Hehe, don't forget, you're the guest of honor, Elif; everyone was watching you. I think I even saw a few women faint." Commented Tyler with a slight chuckle as he glanced around, noticing several women looking at Elif while blood leaked down their noses; some were even being tended to by their servants or family members after fainting.
"Heh, and what's wrong with that Grandfather?" Asked Elif with a faint smirk, winking and blowing a kiss at Elaine while floating the fork back to her, earning looks of envy from every woman as she sucked on the fork without any shame.
"Haha, nothing at all, Elif. I see no problem with you playing around a little if you know what I mean." Replied Tyler with a boisterous laugh as he rubbed his bearded chin while giving Elif a knowing glint, only for the both of them to be smacked in the back of the head.
"Do I need to discipline the two of you again like when you were younger?" Remarked Tiana with a frown as she grabbed Tyler's and Elif's ears and pinched them hard, causing the two to cry out in pain.
"Ouch, no, Dear! Grandmother, please, you're going to rip my ear off!" Said Tyler and Elif, respectively, their cries of plea turning them into the center of attention as everyone muffled their laughter while Tiana released Elif with a huff.
"Hmph, fine; I'll be lenient since it's your birthday. However, don't think I'm just going to brush it off; you should know better than to talk like that, Tyler." Declared Tiana as she looked at Elif, who was rubbing his ear in pain, before eyeing Tyler, pinching even harder, though she eventually let go.
"Y-Yes, I understand; I-I was merely joking with Elif; h-he would never do such a thing." Muttered Tyler with a pitiful expression as he tenderly held his ear and looked at Tiana while Illumia coughed a little, causing Elif to glare at her, though she stayed impassive.
After Grandmother and Grandfather's sudden intrusion, they approached Mother and Father, who happily indulged in feeding each other, only to be suddenly separated as two thrones appeared between them.
"Really, Mother and Father?" Asked Marcus with a frown as he eyed Tiana and Tyler, who unceremoniously sat down in the newly appeared thrones.
"Yes, really; it's my grandson's coming-of-age birthday; there is no way I'd miss it." Said Tiana with a smile as she looked at Marcus, who sighed and shook his head, while Maria just huffed and continued eating by her lonesome.
Just as Illumia swapped my finished dish with another one, I saw Grandmother looking at me, and instantly, I knew what that look was; knowing I could do nothing to stop the inevitable, I grabbed the plate Illumia had just set down, only for me to suddenly appear sitting on Grandmother's lap, which, is quite familiar if I will add.
"Fufu, to think my baby girl's, baby boy, has grown into a man; I can't believe this day. It feels like just yesterday I was helping Maria as she birthed you, and now, you're a full-fledged man." Remarked Tiana with a motherly aura as she tightly embraced Elif, caring little for the numerous spectators or the frowning Elaine.
"Slow down, dear; he's not a full-fledged man just yet." Commented Tyler with a smirk as he nudged Tiana while glancing at Elif, who faintly smirked.
"I will be tonight." Said Elif lightly as he sat on Tiana's lap and ate from his plate, his words causing Tyler and her to smile slightly while they glanced between Elaine and him.
"That's wonderful news; it seems experiencing that epiphany really helped out this morning." Said Tiana with a delighted smile as she rubbed her cheek against Elif's, causing him to truly dirty his cheek while trying to eat.
"Huh? Epiphany?" Questioned Marcus and Maria as they stopped eating and glanced at Elif, while everyone sitting at the table also stopped and looked at him.
"Oh, yes, I forgot to mention it, though I'm surprised Illumia hadn't told you two about it. While consulting with Grandfather and Grandmother over something important, I underwent an epiphany; nothing special occurred. I simply deepened my understanding of my Immortal Will, that's all." Remarked Elif lightly as he glanced at everyone before taking another bit, only for Tiana to intercept it and eat it instead.
"D-Did Prince Elif just say experiencing an epiphany was nothing special? Did I hear that correctly?" Asked Birger as he rubbed his ears before glancing at Sarah, Eyvor, Echo, Goliath, and Shelia, who were equally dumbfounded as him.
"Um, did you happen to put us under an illusion, Eyvor?" Asked Echo hesitantly as she looked at Eyvor, who blankly shook her head.
"I can't tell whether that's his immense pride talking or if he's just being arrogant." Said Shelia as she looked at Elif, who happened to glance at her and wink, causing her to blush slightly.
"I think it's his pride, after all, that's his third epiphany; he had his first one when he was four just as he picked up a sword, his second when he was six and battling against Marley, and today." Remarked Sarah lightly, her words only shocking them further since while it wasn't too hard to figure out about the first two, next to no one knew about his first epiphany.
"Heh, three epiphanies within twelve years; that's definitely his pride speaking." Muttered Goliath as he downed a barrel of alcohol and shook his head.
"Haa, sometimes even I can't help but be envious of you, Elif." Muttered Maria lightly as she gazed at Elif in disbelief before rubbing her head while Marcus cleared his throat and glanced at Tyler.
"Mother, Father, since you're here, I've actually been meaning to speak with you about some trouble I've been having; I was hoping you two could help me?" Asked Marcus seriously, only for Tyler, Tiana, Maria, Elaine, and Elif to blankly look at him.
"What, don't give me those looks; if it's a chance to experience an epiphany, I have no shame in asking my parents for assistance." Stated Marcus with furrowed brows as he glanced at his family, who all couldn't help but nod in understanding.
"I suppose, Father. Yes, I can't fault you for trying." Remarked Elaine and Elif, respectively, as they glanced at Marcus, while Tiana and Tyler just shook their heads and sighed.
"So, about that assistance, Mother and Father?" Asked Maria with a slight cough as she looked at Tiana and Tyler while faintly smiling.