CHAPTER 62 #2
Napansin ni Galsarius na bahagyang yumuko si Russel upang magbigay-galang kay Lurtheron.
Agad siyang marahang tumikhim. Napatingala naman si Russel sa kaniyang lolo, inosente ang kaniyang ekspresyon na tila hindi nauunawaan kung bakit siya pinigilan nito.
"We are a Quentin. We bow to no one."
Malamig at istrikto ang tinig ni Galsarius, sapat lamang upang si Russel ang makarinig sa kaniyang sinabi.
Napalunok na lamang si Russel. Unti-unti siyang tumuwid at muling hinarap si Lurtheron, pilit na pinapanatili ang kaniyang tindig sa kabila ng biglang tensyon sa pagitan nila.
Galsarius did not bow. He remained standing tall and composed before Lurtheron. He merely gave a slight nod of his head as a formal acknowledgment, enough to show respect toward the Imperial Crown without lowering himself before the Emperor.
"Your Imperial Majesty, Emperor Lurtheron Azul Vacardi. On behalf of House Quentin, I extend our formal congratulations on your recognition as Emperor of the Erenhal Sartorias Empire."
His voice remained calm and restrained, without the slightest hint of submission.
"May your reign bring stability and prosperity to the Empire. House Quentin shall continue to fulfill its duties to the Empire and its people."
Solomon simply rolled his eyes.
Magsasalita at sisingit sana siya, dahil para sa kaniya ay isang malinaw na paglapastangan sa utos ng Imperial Crown ang hindi pagsunod sa itinakdang kasuotan at ang pagdating nang huli sa seremonya.
Ngunit bago pa man siya makapagsalita, mabilis na itinaas ni Lurtheron ang kaniyang kamay, isang tahimik na hudyat upang pigilan siya. Napahinto si Solomon at napabuntong-hininga na lamang.
Samantala, madilim na tiningnan ng Empress Dowager si Galsarius mula sa kinatatayuan nito.
He is indeed a neutral man... perhaps he and the king of the north are more alike than they realize...
Thankfully, because of Galsarius' neutrality, he chose the Empire over his own son. He was even willing to turn against Cesare and killed him himself...
Whatever his intentions may be, his loyalty to the Empire during that crisis cannot be denied...
But I have no idea what is truly running through that man's mind.
I know exactly what kind of man Galsarius is...
He may present himself as calm, reasonable, and neutral... but there is something deeply unsettling about him.
That man is not someone I can trust....
Tumango at bahagyang ngumiti lamang si Lurtheron sa mga Quentin.
I was beginning to wonder if the Great Goddess had asked House Quentin to arrive at a different time...
I knew it. I could feel it deep in my bones. House Quentin has never truly acknowledged me as their Emperor.
However, I cannot simply confront them openly.
House Quentin is too powerful, and their loyalty to the Empire is still valuable. For now, I have no choice but to tolerate their arrogance and keep them on my side.
"Your presence is acknowledged." Lurtheron nodded.
Nang makaupo na ang mga Quentin sa kanilang mga espesyal na upuan na nakalaan para sa mga maharlika, muling humarap si Lurtheron sa buong Imperial Court. Saglit niyang pinagmasdan ang mga nobles, knights, at commanders bago siya nagsimulang magsalita.
"Today, we gather to honor those who defended the Erenhal Sartorias Empire and brought an end to those traitors. The traitors have fallen, and the threat foretold by the prophecy has been extinguished. Vincenzo Amadeus Vacardi, whose true name was Vincarion Cenzo de Erenhal Vacardi,
carried the blood of Old Erenhal, the cursed bloodline of the empire. Cesare Fuegoleon Quentin betrayed the Empire to protect his demon daughter, Rassia Saint Quentin, the Orythea who carried a demon within her. Yet because of the courage of our nobles, commanders, and knights,
those who were deemed a threat to this Empire have finally been defeated."
Muli niyang ibinaling ang kaniyang tingin sa mga knights at commanders.
"To every noble, commander, and knight who fought for Erenhal Sartorias, this victory belongs to you. You stood together when the Empire needed you most, and through your loyalty and sacrifices, the threat of the Orythea and the prophecy has finally come to an end.
The Imperial Crown recognizes your service, and history shall remember what you have done for this Empire. May the Great Goddess bless those who defended Her chosen Empire, and may She guide Erenhal Sartorias into a new era of peace and prosperity."
Nang matapos, tahimik na tumayo ang Commander ng Imperial Knights.
"All honorable knights gathered here, and every commander of the Empire, raise your hands and render your salute to His Imperial Majesty!"
All knights and commanders in the Imperial Court raised their hands in a synchronized military salute.
Yet among the countless soldiers standing in formation, four commanders remained completely still.
One by one, the officials turned their attention toward the ranks of the Quentin Knights.
Commander Valentino, Commander Agustin, Commander Finn, and Commander Owen were the only ones who did not salute.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga opisyal at ang mga miyembro ng holy cathedral, habang ang ilang nobles ay napatingin sa isa't isa, halatang hindi makapaniwala sa kanilang nasasaksihan.
Gayunpaman, nanatiling tuwid ang apat na commanders, blanko ang kanilang mga mukha at walang bahid ng pag-aalinlangan sa kanilang mga mata.
They did not bow. They did not raise their hands. They did not move even an inch. Amidst hundreds of thousands of knights saluting the Emperor, the four Quentin commanders simply stood there as though the command had never been given.
And in that silence, their refusal spoke louder than any words ever could.
They had deliberately chosen to wear black instead of the required white, making the four commanders stand out among the countless knights dressed in the ceremonial colors of the Empire.
Naramdaman ni Megan ang matinding inis at tila kumulo ang kaniyang dugo habang masama niyang tinitigan ang apat.
Lalong kitang-kita sila dahil nasa gitnang hanay mismo ng mga kawal ang Quentin Knights.
Those bastards... mga lapastangan! what do they think they're doing?
Hindi ba nila kilala kung sino ang kanilang kaharap?
This is not simply disrespect toward my son. They are openly challenging the authority of the Crown in front of hundreds of thousands of knights, commanders, and nobles!
They should be punished for this!
Madilim ang naging tingin ni Lurtheron sa apat na commander. Saglit niyang pinanatili ang kaniyang tingin sa kanila bago dahan-dahan itong inilipat kay Galsarius.
Nakatayo lamang si Galsarius nang taas-noo, tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang lahat ng nagaganap sa harapan niya. Wala ni bahid ng pagkabigla o pag-aalala sa kaniyang mukha, na para bang wala siyang nakikitang anumang mali sa ginawa ng kaniyang mga commander.
Lurtheron's eye twitched slightly.
Is he deliberately allowing his commanders to disrespect the Crown? Or is he simply watching to see how I will respond?
He is even wearing red. His own house colors.
The Crown and the Holy Cathedral clearly required everyone to wear white for this ceremony, yet he deliberately chose to appear in the colors of House Quentin...
I don't know whether this is a deliberate challenge to my authority or simply another display of his pride.
That man is impossible to read... and that makes him even more dangerous...
Even though the four commanders of House Quentin refused to salute, the Commander of the Elite Knights proceed for his speech.
Samantala, sa gawi ng mga Quentin, tila namamangha si Russel sa kaniyang nasaksihan. Tahimik niyang pinagmamasdan ang apat. Hindi niya maiwasang mapaisip kung bakit nila nagawa iyon sa harap ng buong Imperial Court.
Ever since his father and older sister were declared dead, he became distant to Galsarius. He knew the truth behind his father's death. Alam niyang si Galsarius mismo ang pumatay kay Cesare at tumalikod sa sariling dugo nito para piliin ang kapakanan ng imperyo.
Because of that, Russel rarely spoke to his grandfather unless necessary. Even when they stood beside each other, there was always an invisible distance between them.
At higit sa lahat, may lihim na galit si Russel sa kaniyang lolo.
"Russel." malamig ang pagkakabanggit ni Galsarius sa kaniyang pangalan.
"Why, Grandfather?" malamig ding sagot ni Russel, without turning his eyes away from the ceremony.
Saglit na tahimik si Galsarius bago siya nagsalita.
"Do you know what the most important trait of a good leader is?"
"Yeah..." simpleng sagot ni Russel. "To be strong like my father... and skilled like my brother-in-law."
Bahagyang diniinan ni Russel ang dalawang taong binanggit niya. Nanatiling tahimik si Galsarius bago bahagyang tumingin sa kaniyang apo.
"You're not wrong. Strength allows a leader to protect those under his command. Skill allows him to make decisions when everyone else is uncertain."
Bahagya siyang huminto. "But there is something far more important than either of those things..."
"Loyalty."
Tahimik na napatingin si Russel sa kaniya.
"A leader may lose his honor, his reputation, and even the love of his people. But if his sacrifice protects what he swore to protect, then his loyalty has not been wasted."
Bahagyang tumalim ang tingin ni Galsarius.
"Sometimes, a leader must make decisions that others will hate him for. Sometimes, he must sacrifice something precious for something greater. Even if that sacrifice means giving up his reputation and his honor..."
Saglit siyang natahimik bago muling tumingin sa harapan.
"That is the burden of leadership."
"People will judge you by the choices you make, Russel. They may call you cruel. They may call you a traitor. They may even hate you for the rest of their lives." Galsarius continued.
"Sometimes, the greatest loyalty looks like betrayal to those who cannot see the truth."
Muling ibinalik ni Galsarius ang tingin kay Russel.