"Is everything prepared, Allen?" A charming young man says as he walks down the hallway of the Palace.
"Yes Commander, I have prepared all the information you asked for on the Empress, Jason, and... Miss Selena," Allen said with a bit of a sigh.
"Good," Lance said as he grabbed the stack of paper from Allen's hands.
His eyes turned cold as he read the paper.
"Fiancé? How could she have a fiancé? Who is it?" Lance said with anger bubbling inside him.
"I'm not sure sir, it was hard enough just to figure out she was already engaged, finding out the exact person is very difficult" Allen answered honestly.
Lance froze for a bit while thinking carefully.
"I would like to say, Sir, that Miss Selena had very little contact with almost any man until she met you. Maybe this fiancé of hers is someone she is not interested in or hasn't met" Allen said reassuringly.
"And in my opinion, Ms. Fiona is a better match-"
"Enough! I don't need you messing with my personal life Allen" Lance said coldly.
"But I do agree with what you said before, I should be the closest person to her as of right now. As long as I play my cards right, There shouldn't be a big problem getting her into a relationship" Lance said with a bit of shyness but mostly confidence.
"There should be a dance at the Celebration ball right?" Lance asks Allen.
"Yes sir, Usually family members and close relatives or partners get the first dance" Allen answers.
"Perfect, I know exactly what to do," Lance says with a smirk.
He then reads the rest of the papers while opening the door to the meeting room.
Meeting Room
Duke Zenat sat in the center. His whole body gives off prestige that makes one scared to approach.
Marquis Flamor was next to him also giving off a strong aura.
Viscount Parson was in the back looking very inconspicuous.
Lance came into the room and immediately got the attention of everyone.
They bowed their heads and said, "Welcome, your highness".
"No need to be too polite, we are here for business" Lance waved his hand to dismiss them as he took the empty seat to the left of Duke Zenat with Allen standing behind him.
The room is full of many nobles under the military faction. There are three main groups competing for power in the royal palace.
The military faction, led by Duke Zenat, is backed by the emperor. The Empress faction, led by Mr. Mandeline, is backed by the Empress. The Neutral forces are independent nobles who don't favor either the Military or the Empress, with their biggest member being Count Grenden, the richest man in the empire.
As the possessor of the emperor's eyes, the military faction naturally ended up backing Lance, who they favored to become the next emperor.
"Would the Empress be presiding over the Celebration Ball?" Duke Zenat started the meeting with the question.
"I don't believe so, she would probably find another excuse to avoid giving us praise in public," Marquis Flamor said
"With the accomplishments we've made in the southern territory, there is very little the empress faction can do to stop our momentum. We should start by increasing the prestige of the young prince to set him for the throne" Duke Zenat says firmly.
The room nodded its head and whispered words of confirmation.
"The ball will be important and the Hunting competition next month will be even more so. You must have a good impression in both events" Duke Zenat says while staring at Lance.
"Yes Sir, I will not let your continuous support be in vain," Lance said with a face full of confidence.
"Good!" Duke Zenat says while smiling.
"Unfortunately, after evaluation, it seems that we might lose the southern territory to Prince Jason." Duke Zenat says with a sigh
"WHAT"! The room screamed with their tone rising.
"Calm down, it may not be that bad" Duke Zenat started to say.
"It seems like the land in the southern territory is not that great and it's a big hassle to management. The faction behind the empress didn't even want it but for some reason, Prince Jason insisted and used their influence to put himself in a prime position to win that land" Duke Zenat explained.
"Why does he want it?" Lance says with a confused look.
"I am unsure but we can use this opportunity to further lower his chances to claim the throne. The capital is very far from the southern territory and holds little influence over there. If we can use this to force him to stay in the southern territory for a while, the throne will naturally fall in our hands. No matter what he's planning, it's more dangerous to have him stay in the capital than in the southern territory" Duke Zenat explained.
The others nodded in agreement.
As long as they keep a firm hold on public opinion and protect the young prince from any accidents, they should be able to secure the throne.
"It has been ten long years... but we finally have enough power to protect young Lance. Don't worry, this time, we will make sure you achieve your dream" Duke Zenat says while smiling at Lance.
Happiness surges in Lance's heart. He has waited so long for this day. It's time for his counter-attack. "The empress, Prince Jason, I will avenge my mother and show you the difference between a real emperor and a counterfeit", he says in his head with a fierce glint in his eyes.
He looks back at Duke Zenat and then stands up, "It has been too long everyone but I promise to not only achieve our dreams but lead our empire to a grander future. The southern territory is just the beginning. Our Kadence empire will become unstoppable in this world" Lance says with a strong majesty that is hard to find in a young man.
The crowd gives strong applause and showers Lance with compliments as the whole continues to be immersed in a good atmosphere.
On Another Side of the Palace
A woman is in her office working on a stack of documents. Her face is very haggard and there are small bags under her eyes.
A young, handsome man walks into the office and his face immediately fills with worry.
"Mother! You are working too hard, didn't I tell you to rest some more" The young man quickly runs to the woman's side and hugs her softly.
The woman smiles, "Jason, how are you doing? No one has been causing you any trouble right?" she asks with a tone full of worry.
"No mother, do not worry about this son of yours, I have been doing fine. I just hope you will take better care of yourself" he says while not letting go of his mother's embrace.
"You know being an empress is not easy, there are so many problems to deal with. Only when the internal issues are stable can we focus peacefully on the war campaigns" The empress says softly.
"Mother..." Jason says with a sigh while clenching his hands in frustrating. My poor mother is still thinking about the empire but all they know is how to infight and cause problems due to their greed.
"Did... he come back?" The empress asked in a conflicted tone.
Jason paused and then let out a sigh knowing exactly who his mother was referring to. "Yes, he did... it seems they have made full preparations and are full of confidence," Jason says softly.
The empress shakes her head softly, "I know I should be happy that they were successful in the southern campaign but I just can't help thinking that..."
"Mother, Stop it!" Jason says sternly. "Don't let their politics poison your mind. You have always been the strongest pillar of this empire and everyone who knows you knows just how important you are to the country. Getting too involved will not be good for us. Just continue to let those mindless and selfish politicians fight each other and focus on yourself okay?"
The Empress smiles. She knows that without this son of hers, she would've gone crazy a long time ago. She can't help but shake in anger when thinking about that foul woman who ruined everything for her dear child. She relaxes her breath and then turns to Jason.
"I have also gotten you that southern land you asked for. It cost me almost all the influence I built up these past few years. Are you sure it's worth it?" The empress asked worriedly.
"Don't worry Mother, that land would be the first big step in the plan. After the magic competition half a year from now, the foundation will be laid for our future' Jason says with strong confidence.
The empress looks at her son, she could never seem to see through this son of hers but she could feel his sincerity in all his words. She smiles once again, Jason is her everything and she's willing to go through hell to give him anything he wants.
Jason notices her warm expression and smiles back at her, "Everything will be fine Mother, I will protect you. I will make sure you won't live in fear of anybody in the future" He says in a reassuring tone.
"Thank you, son," She says with a smile, "Are you sure you will be okay without me at the banquet?"
Jason's eyes turn a bit gloomy. "There is no benefit in you showing up mother, the military faction would only use their new prestige to try and suppress you and it'll work against you if you reprimand them for their bad behavior due to their recent accomplishments. It's better to stay peacefully in your palace and let me deal with the drama" he says softly.
"And besides, it'll be my first time... meeting her," he says with a bit of shyness in his voice.
The empress' eyes gleamed. How could she forget? Her dear friend's daughter will finally meet her son. "You must treat my daughter-in-law well! Her mother was one of the few mages who looked at the bigger picture for the future of our empire. I have learned so much from her. I'm sure her daughter will be a good match for you" the empress says with an excited tone that Jason hasn't heard in a very long time.
He smiles, "Of course, I will do anything for my wife," he says with a loving expression glued to his face.
The mother and son continue chatting in the office as the sun slowly sets. A new day slowly begins to arrive.
In the Jobaine Manor in the Capital
After a good breakfast, Selena was preparing for the banquet. She picked out a beautiful dress and started posing in the mirror. She has never been to a big banquet before but there is a feeling of excitement growing in her heart. She is now a hero, one who made great contributions and is publicly recognized by the royal family. All done with her non-offensive magic, It is hard not to feel great.
After a while, she arrives in front of the Royal Palace. She approaches the entrance and hands her invitation to the guards who let her in. She walks slowly to appreciate the beautiful architecture of the palace. The walls are grandeur and the hallways feel very majestic.
As she is walking, she recognizes a familiar figure talking to two other guys. She looks closer and sees it's Lance. They lock eyes and his face beams with a smile.
He walks over, "Hey Selena, You look beautiful," He says with a happy smile.
"Thank you, Commander," She says with a smile on her face.
"We aren't on the battlefield anymore, call me Lance," He says.
"Okay Sir Lance," She says.
Lance can't quite put his finger on it but it seems like Selena is trying to put a small distance between them. He can't let things continue like this.
"Do you have someone to dance with for your first dance?" Lance asks.
Selena had a small shock on her face when she heard the question. Her head has been in a mess recently and forgot to arrange a first dance for herself. Thinking about it, her first dance should be with her closest male relative or partner, right? Her father is absent so in a way, Lance is her closest male friend. But technically, her fiancé should be the "closest" person to her at this party. It's a bit complicated but I want to avoid any unnecessary trouble...
"Uhm... I don't have anyone right now but..." she starts to say but is clearly hesitant.
Lance could tell something was making her conflicted and a cold flash appeared in his eyes. "It must be that fiancé of hers, right?"
"Remember when you said that you owe me a favor? How about you let me be your dance partner for the first dance? Of course, who you dance with afterward is up to you. I don't have a partner myself and you're the closest woman to me so it will be a great help if you can agree" He says in a soft tone that's almost pleading.
Selena hesitates but after thinking about his words for a while, they did make sense. She had the same thinking earlier aswell.
"Okay, I can promise you, Lance" She says gently.
Lance smiles, "Thank you Selena, I will see you later then" he says without hiding his excitement. He then heads back to talk with his subordinates.
Selena watches his slowly departing back and couldn't help feeling a bit amused at his reaction.
"He's quite cute" she chuckles as she continues to head down the hall.
She eventually reaches the banquet hall and gets recognized by the guards.
"Miss Selena" They say in a polite bow and show her way to the door.
Selena smiles and then walks in with a confident smile on her face. She loves the feeling of honor that she has experienced so far.
The Banquet hall was huge and was full of many people she saw in the campaign. She saw two women who look stunningly beautiful in their dresses. She approaches them with a smile.
"Ivory, Fiona, It seems you guys made it" Selena says.
"Selena! You look so amazing in that dress. I'm glad to see you" Ivory says as she hugs Selena.
"Am I someone who lies? I said I would come so I'm here" Fiona says indifferently while sipping on her drink.
Selena gives her a faint smile and before she could start speaking, they hear a loud sound from the announcer.
"Here comes His Majesty, The Emperor!" The announcer says.
The banquet hall freezes and a man with kingly robes walks into the hall. He gives off a majestic vibe so strong it makes one want to kneel down. He slowly approaches the throne and then turns around to face the crowd.
Selena looked at the emperor from the crowd. This is the first time seeing the emperor and he felt even more dignified than Selena originally imagined. She was still in a daze after experiencing so many novel things at once but now she knows for sure that now, with the appearance of his majesty, the celebration ball has officially begun!