Chapter 606: Kyoonkai (1)
Editor: Tseirp
On the day of the Kyoonkai.
Ryo and Abel rode in a carriage provided by the Imperial Palace to attend the ceremony.
They were not wearing their usual clothes, but the outfits bestowed upon them by Emperor Tsuin after the campaign on the Ryokusou Plain.
Ryo’s garment was pale blue with deep-blue trim and a karakusa-like arabesque embroidered in gold thread.
Abel’s garment was crimson with black trim and embroidered in silver thread.
Actually, a messenger from the Imperial Palace had come the day before and asked, if possible, that they wear those clothes.
They were splendid garments—indeed perfect for such a festive occasion—so both men wore them.
“It’s rare not to see you in your robe, Ryo. Feels fresh.”
“That robe was a gift from my master. It suits me best, I think. But once in a while, clothes like these are nice.”
Ryo seemed pleased as he let the large sleeves flutter.
While they chatted, the carriage arrived at the Imperial Palace.
They were escorted north within the Forbidden Palace.
To the same room that had been shown to them before—Emperor Tsuin’s private chambers.
Unsure of the room’s name,
Ryo decided to ask the guide.
“Is this the Emperor’s private chamber? What is the name of this room… or building?”
“Yes. It is called the Wenhua Hall. It was built by the sovereign two generations past, and His Majesty often played there as a child.”
‘His Majesty’ referred to the current Emperor Tsuin.
Because Ryo and Abel were originally from the Central Countries, they weren’t used to that particular honorific and typically said ‘the Emperor’, hoping it was sufficiently polite.
“The name Wenhua Hall is lovely. It suits an emperor who loves the arts.”
Ryo nodded happily.
The guide smiled slightly upon hearing that.
If the person he served was praised by a celebrity sung by bards, it was not unpleasant.
This was, as Abel put it, one of Ryo’s many ways of charming people.
Abel remained silent this time.
Though his expression… looked as if he had something to say.
“Oh—Duke Rondo, you came.”
“Your Majesty, thank you for inviting us to the Kyoonkai.”
Ryo bowed with Abel at his side.
“Nonsense. I wished for Duke Rondo and Albert-dono to hear this. Both are well-versed in music.”
Emperor Tsuin said and offered them chairs.
“Well, Albert aside, I…”
Ryo smiled sheepishly.
Albert—Abel—had taught violin to Workshop Chief Ron Shen and had reached a level so impressive the Emperor praised him.
It’s no wonder the Emperor valued Abel so highly.
“Oh, come off it! And Chief Ron told me. That there’s a chance you can play the piano. Because of that, I bestowed the ‘Shen-Lon’ No. 1 Grand Piano on Duke Rondo.”
“Ah, so it was thanks to Ron-san that that magnificent grand piano came to us.”
Ryo nodded vigorously.
Since then, Ryo had been playing the piano every day.
Having lived on Earth in his previous life, he had not played for over twenty years, so his fingers initially felt rusty, but now they moved without problem again.
He could even play the pieces he used to play back then.
In fact, Ryo playing the piano while Andalusia and Feiwan sprawled on the lawn listening had become a new sight at the Rondo manor.
“I hear today is also the official unveiling of the ‘Shen-Lon’ Grand Piano.”
“Indeed. It’s large and won’t be spread immediately… but I hope it will one day, like the violin, be known around the world.”
“That would be wonderful!”
“If ever the two of you return to the Knightley Kingdom… we shall present one from Darwei.”
“Ooh!”
Ryo was surprised and delighted by the Emperor’s words.
Abel, listening beside him, widened his eyes.
It was said that caravans and even high-ranking adventurers did not travel freely between the Eastern Countries and the Central Countries, so transporting a piano would be difficult.
Still… if the emperor of the superpower Darwei truly put his mind to it, perhaps it could be done.
As they talked, the Chief Eunuch appeared in the corner of the room and bowed to Emperor Tsuin;
it was time to enter the main hall.
“The Kyoonkai will be held in the same Zhenglín Hall where Prince Ryun’s banquet took place. I shall sit at the central seat. Duke Rondo and Albert-dono shall be seated where they sat at the banquet.”
“Thank you.”
Ryo and Abel bowed in gratitude to the Emperor’s arrangements.
“His Majesty approaches—”
All the courtiers stood to greet the Emperor.
The Emperor entered.
Followed by two men.
The courtiers glanced with puzzled looks.
But that lasted only a moment.
Even without knowing their names, everyone could guess who they were.
One wore pale blue with deep-blue trimming and gold-stitched arabesques;
the other wore crimson with black trim and silver thread embroidery.
Both were magnificent garments.
Everyone present, of course, knew these were garments bestowed by the Emperor.
Anyone ignorant of such things would not be standing in this assembly.
“That’s Duke Rondo…”
That whisper floated from seats away from the throne and turned into a murmur.
Those seated near the throne… the princes and the senior officials of the Six Ministries—kept silent;
Of course, they knew the Duke and recognized him.
And they knew his standing.
He had entered with the Emperor.
That single fact signaled that he was a favorite of the Emperor.
In the first place, it was unthinkable for the Darwei Emperor to enter accompanied by anyone.
Yet Duke Rondo had come in,
Accompanied by his bodyguard swordsman.
Some present felt displeased but hid it;
Most were indifferent.
Only one person watched them with a bitter, sour expression.
That person was the Fourth Prince and an imperial prince.
Prince Bin.
The princes were seated together.
Slightly apart sat their families.
Most of the princes’ families were looking forward to the Kyoonkai.
But the princes themselves… could not truly enjoy it.
From the entrance’s perspective, the princes and their families sat on the left side.
On the opposite right side sat the high officials of the Six Ministries.
In the highest-ranking seat among them, Duke Rondo and his bodyguard swordsman took their places.
Just as they had at the reception.
After the opening address, the dishes were immediately brought out on trays.
Performances began with lesser-ranked members of the Shitaifu class and their families.
They could be considered the opening acts.
“Abel, just now it looked to me like someone was glaring at us fiercely—was that my imagination?”
“Ryo, that wasn’t your imagination. Prince Bin, the Fourth Prince, was scowling at us with a frightening face.”
As the concert began, Ryo and Abel started speaking in low voices.
Of course, they wouldn’t be scolded for talking.
The Emperor and Empress, seated at the front, were chatting happily, and small conversations were taking place here and there at volumes that didn’t interrupt the performances.
Naturally, the princes themselves were not speaking to one another.
Their families, however, were talking amiably with their neighbors…
“I don’t think Prince Bin needs to glare so obviously.”
“He’s probably upset about several things.”
“But we weren’t the ones who repelled the attack by seventy second-rank adventurers—that was Lord Rowon. And Lord Rowon serves under Prince Kouri, the Second Prince, right? If anyone should be glared at, it should be Prince Kouri.”
Ryo spoke without changing his expression, his gaze fixed on the performers.
Abel nodded while also keeping his eyes on the performers.
Their seats were above those of the ministers.
In other words, directly across from the princes—so they had a clear view of the princes’ faces.
Prince Bin was obviously in a bad mood.
He was pouring drinks for himself at an unusually fast pace. And glaring at the two of them from time to time.
Prince Kouri watched the performers steadily, drinking and eating slowly.
“The Second Imperial Prince appears composed.”
“You mean Prince Kouri. The fact that he’s so visible from our seats means the other senior ministers can see him well, too.”
“Yeah! If he appears composed, people will think ‘as expected of His Highness Kouri!’ ”
“Exactly. It’s the difference between being constantly aware of being observed or not.”
“Excellent point, Abel. Your experience as a king is coming in handy!”
Ryo nodded repeatedly at Abel’s apt explanation.
Indeed, the higher one’s rank, the more one must maintain an awareness of being watched.
In such a position, there is no real privacy.
Once you become famous, private life ceases to exist.
That is true in any era and any world.
Thus, one must always be careful.
“Oh—Princess Shio Fen and Mifa are looking our way.”
When Ryo said that, he saw the two of them give a small bow.
Seeing that, Ryo smiled broadly.
Abel gave a very slight nod.
“They don’t look nervous.”
“They must be properly prepared. That removes one worry.”
“Worry? There wasn’t a worry to begin with, right? Ryo, you were only thinking about eating good food, weren’t you?”
“W-what are you saying? I was also concerned about whether the two of them were properly prepared.”
“Well, I wasn’t worried at all. I was only thinking about the dishes that would be served.”
“Ugh… now Abel is trying to show off how magnanimous he is.”
Abel grinned and said it, and Ryo gave a small, frustrated shake of his head.
But then…
“This fish-ball thing is delicious!”
“I’ve never had this in the kingdom, but it’s certainly tasty.”
They quickly cheered up after eating good food.
Truly, the power of cuisine is formidable.
The Kyoonkai was divided into two parts.
The first part began with performers from among the Shitaifu class who were not of particularly high rank, and as it progressed, the performers grew more senior, culminating in guest performances.
The second part featured performances from those connected to the imperial household: beginning with the princes, then the various imperial princes… and closing with the grand finale—Princess Shio Fen, who would be presented as the formal consort of the newly elevated Sixth Prince, Imperial Prince Ryun.
“Officials perform, or the women who appear to be their wives perform… sometimes a husband’s music is accompanied by his wife’s dance—a variety of presentations.”
“They’ve put together various tasteful arrangements, haven’t they?”
For Ryo and Abel, the primary goal was to eat well.
Still, some surprising acts and performances drew them in.
The instruments ranged from violin-centered string quartets combining cello and double bass to East-West collaborations like koto paired with violin—fascinating from Ryo’s perspective.
But all of it was lovely.
“Music is wonderful.”
“That it is.”
There might be varying levels of technical skill, but you could feel the performers’ desire to deliver something good.
It was very pleasant.
The instruments most commonly used were the violin, flute, and koto.
Flute and koto were expected, but Ryo found the widespread use of the violin particularly interesting.
“Abel also plays the violin, but so many people play it.”
“Well, the violin exists across the world.”
Abel said that as if it were self-evident.
Ryo, who knew the history of Earth, couldn’t understand it at all.
(It must have been spread by a past reincarnator, without a doubt.)
“Did King Richard spread it around the world?”
“I don’t know about that… When I was studying at the royal castle, the violin was regarded as a universal refinement that everyone had to acquire because it was played everywhere.”
“Violin as refinement…”
What a terrifying world.
“Of course, it’s refinement for royalty. If you visited foreign lands and were perceived as lacking in culture, it would shame your nation. Royals, for better or worse, are the face of their country. So being able to play the violin is considered natural for royalty.”
“Abel, when you were an adventurer, did you ever get chances to play the violin?”
“No, not at all.”
Abel answered Ryo’s question immediately.
“So the cultural refinement expected of royalty and the knowledge needed by commoners are completely different. Though those who move between both worlds surely have it rough.”
“Is there anyone like that besides Abel?”
“Isn’t Rihya like that?”
“Ah! I see.”
Rihya had married Abel, the king.
Although a saintess, she was not originally royal, and there was no talk of her being a noble before.
In other words, she entered the Knightley royal family from common origins.
The expectations placed on her would have changed drastically, which might be difficult.
“Did Rihya practice the violin, too?”
“She did practice. The earlier you start learning something, the easier it sticks. That’s why in the royal household violin training starts at age three…”
“Well, it’s not that you can’t learn it later.”
“She put a lot of effort into it, including dance.”
“Dance…”
Royal balls and such were things Ryo had only read about in novels and stories.
He merely had no such knowledge; and even in the twenty-first century, the tradition of debutante balls in European society still existed.
Naturally, such events required a level of refinement and etiquette completely different from what is expected of ordinary people in their daily lives…
“When your status changes, it becomes really troublesome.”
“That’s for sure.”
Ryo said ruefully, and Abel nodded in agreement.
While they were talking, the first part of the Kyoonkai reached its final program.
It was a guest performance…
“Closing the first half is a performance by the era’s foremost bard, Wang A-Shi!”
At that moment, cheers erupted.
Voices cried out here and there—“Oh!” and “As expected!” among others.
Only the princes and the senior ministers remained quiet.
Incidentally, the princes’ families chatted happily with their neighbors.
And then Wang A-Shi took the stage.
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