216: Clash of Monarchs (part 1)

Clash of Monarchs (part 1)

Five days after Adela had returned Kannen to Egon, the day of the King and the Crown Prince's arrival at the Archduchy with Lady Larissa de Lanark had finally come.1

As if Emanuel de Lanark's imminent presence summoned cold winds from Fevra, the temperatures in Lanark had drastically fallen.

Emanuel was arriving on an official mission to investigate the industrial zone on the outskirts of the Archduchy, and in response to the King's call, Kiaser de Lanark had summoned the Dukes of Galondy and Serta who brought their wives along with them. The Duke of Latora, Rauul Corvus, was also summoned, but he arrived alone.

An hour before the King's arrival, Lady Adelaide de Lanark and the Archduchess stood upfront in the lavishly decorated reception room of the King's former estate, their elegant gowns maintaining the sophistication of royalty while appearing more understated than usual. Behind them, the Duchess of Galondy and the Duchess of Serta, resplendent in their attire, lent an aura of nobility to the gathering.

Adela let out a long tired breath, hoping from the bottom of her heart that her well-planned conversation with the King would go well.

The all-women assembly was carefully chosen to greet the King and the Crown Prince as they emerged from the portal, their warm smiles prepared to offer a gracious welcome on behalf of their husbands who had gathered in the grand study of the Archduke for a meeting with the King of Varinthia. They too were to greet the King and the Crown Prince once the royal entourage arrived at the Archduke's estate.

Placing her hand fan on her lips, Grace de Lanark leaned closer to Adela but made sure to speak loud enough for all the women in the reception room to hear her. "Hmph! How rude is it for none of the von Conradies to come and greet the Monarch of this Kingdom!"

Adela suppressed a sigh, her eyes drifting to the only guard by the door as she leaned against her mother to reply.

"You heard the Archduke in the morning, Sir Bastian and Leopold have gone to Kolhis along with Andreas on urgent business," She steeled herself for uttering the next name out loud. "…Sir Egon should be here any minute now, not to worry, Mother."

Hearing her words, Grace looked at her with genuine concern, a worried expression fleeting across her face before she swiftly composed herself. This time, when she leaned in closer, she truly whispered.

"Will you be all right once Egon is here?"

Placing her unnecessary hand fan against her lips, Adela whispered back, "There is nothing left to be said between us, don't worry about me."

And there it was again, Grace's worried expression, unmistakably visible on her face. The Archduchess pressed her lips together and cast her gaze at the mana stones on the ground, as if silently urging them to hasten the arrival of Lanark's royal guests. It was as if the former Healer still possessed a touch of magic, for the mana stones on the marble floor crackled with residual energy.

Adela's stare focused on the guard, she spoke with authority, "You there, go and inform Sir Egon that he is required to be present in this room."

"He is present," came the deep voice of Egon who emerged from behind the door as if he had been standing there all along. With a sense of natural grace, he stepped inside, acknowledging the women's curtsies with a light bow.

Adela's hand moved on its own over her stomach, a nervous gesture that betrayed the turmoil within her. Three words coming out of Egon's mouth were enough to shake her to her very core, but instead of thirsting to hear more from him, all that she felt was anger that she had to contain at that moment.

"Sir Egon!" Grace said with an exaggerated sense of enthusiasm that belonged to the social gatherings she hated participating in but had to. She took it a step further, extending her hand towards him, a forced smile on her face.

"Your Excellency," Egon greeted, reaching out with his fully gloved hand and lightly brushing his lips against the back of her hand before releasing it.

"Do stand on the other side of the room now! It is already too crowded in here," Grace said, her words laced with a hint of urgency, trying to create as much distance as possible between Egon and Adela.

Without a single objection, Egon, looking every bit the perfect gentleman in a fancy Emorian suit, proceeded to the other side and positioned himself across from the noble women and kept his empty brown eyes on the portal.

While Lady de Lanark's insides burned, the heartless gentleman appeared entirely unaffected.

As a matter of fact, Egon seemed to be doing so well that Adela was certain that when she finally removed Aldric's bracelet, she would not be bothered by the bond. It was as if there had never been a mate bond between the two of them at all.

Just before the royals emerged from the mana portal, it appeared as a swirling vortex of colorful energies, ranging from brilliant blues and greens to deep purples. The colors constantly shifted and blended together as the portal emitted a soft humming sound, and the surrounding air became saturated with residual energy, similar to the aura of the mana stones positioned in the ground.

The energies finally concentrated and coalesced, forming a clearer gateway for the travelers to step through. The portal's edges became defined, providing a fleeting glimpse of the destination on the other side for the faintest moment. This mesmerizing sight earned gasps of awe and wonder from the Duchesses, who were witnessing the phenomenon of mana travel for the first time.

Adela was the first to curtsy gracefully, her anticipation palpable as she awaited the momentary arrival of the King. The other noblewomen in the room followed suit.

As the royals stepped out of the portal, the energies surged along with them, creating a brief aura of power before dissipating into the air. The portal's surface settled behind them, returning to its serene, transparent state, untouched by their passage.

One long, unusual moment of dominating silence passed.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Adela frowned hearing the annoyed inquiry of the King.

"I have appointed you a noble knight of this Kingdom; have you not the common sense to bow in the presence of a Monarch, von Conradie?"

Adela, who had never broken etiquette in her entire life, lifted her eyes with a mixture of fear and astonishment. They widened as she saw Egon standing tall and proud, resolute in his decision to refuse to bow before the King of Emoria.

"Have you gone mute, young man!" King Emanuel exclaimed, his voice raised in frustration. "Rise and witness the insolence your Monarch is being subjected to, all of you! Rise at once!"

The King's command echoed through the room, prompting everyone to stand up from their curtsies and take notice of the tense situation unfolding before them.

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