Chapter 36

The meeting began in turmoil, as most had predicted.

The representative of the Three Provinces had no intention of pledging allegiance to the Empire from the start and saw the meeting as nothing more than a way to buy time.

They still needed to prepare for a confrontation with the Empire and clearly wanted to delay the outbreak of war until the agricultural off-season, which would be more suitable for warfare.

"The discussions made no progress and eventually led to a banquet."

"Mr. Geanote, were you there too?"

"The city councilors were invited to the banquet, so I was there as well."

"What kind of dishes were served?"

Shizune, who was clearly interested, looked a bit disappointed as Geanote showed a slightly regretful expression. In fact, the Imperial representatives present were quite disappointed.

"It was just ordinary food. There was bread mixed with barley, grilled salted fish, and meat on the bone. Only the potatoes were plentiful."

"Wouldn't the banquet serve more luxurious dishes?"

"Usually, it would. Especially since the host of this banquet was none other than the late Emperor. The attendees were expecting a grand feast, but..."

"It was a letdown, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's right."

Eleanor of the Water Transport Guild probably didn't touch any of the dishes. The other councilors seemed to be eating reluctantly.

"Wouldn't the people from the Northern Three Provinces be angry with such food?"

"On the contrary, the delegation, which had been so stubborn during the meeting, relaxed and even began to chat during the banquet."

"Huh?"

"It was all thanks to the late Emperor."

When the late Emperor started eating with his hands during the banquet, the Imperial attendees were taken aback. They thought it was a barbarian custom from the North.

However, since it was the late Emperor, the highest-ranking person at the table, everyone else had to follow suit.

"So, the banquet was adapted to the Northern style?"

"Yes. Seeing that, the delegation from the North seemed to relax."

For Geanote, it was quite an interesting experience.

Using flat, hard bread as a plate and eating from it, tearing it apart when it became soft from the sauce.

"The delegation didn't say anything about the conditions for not seceding from the Empire during the meeting, but they started talking about various things during the banquet."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Not really."

The late Emperor's strategy worked.

He successfully brought the Northern Three Provinces, who had been angry at being treated as barbarians by the Imperial center, to the negotiating table.

However, it also meant that the Empire's weaknesses were exposed.

"The people from the North look down on the Empire as an old pig. Their conditions were quite harsh. If we accepted them, the Empire might become a laughingstock to the Eastern Kingdom and the United Kingdom."

"They were taken lightly, weren't they?"

"Pretty much, yes."

Taisyo's face appeared from behind Shizune, who was nodding in agreement.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but the spaghetti is ready."

"Oh, this is it! Please bring me some Tabasco and grated cheese too!"

"...Mr. Geanote, you know it well."

Of course. How many times had he dreamed of this reunion with pasta?

As a known gourmet, he had endured until now, unable to admit his obsession with the catering, but he was told to be grateful for everything. Why should he hold back?

Delicious!

The moment he took a bite, he almost stood up and shouted in delight. The only thing that stopped him was his dignity as a city councilor.

It was slightly different from what Shizune made, but the deliciousness of the spaghetti was supreme. It could even be called the ultimate.

Without caring about getting his mouth dirty, he devoured it greedily.

Ah, he should have ordered two, no, three servings.

However, it seemed shallow to use this heavenly food just to fill his stomach.

Perhaps he should stop just short of being satisfied.

The desire for spaghetti would be the energy to live tomorrow. That's how Geanote felt.

For months, he had been trying to find a substitute for spaghetti, day after day. He even sought refuge in eel bento.

However, nothing could match spaghetti, no matter how hard he searched.

That's why he almost did a little dance in his heart when he got involved in the Backes Hof incident.

This way, he could legally eat spaghetti without any unnaturalness.

Sending multiple letters to the unpleasant distiller for the sake of solving the case was no trouble at all. It was all for the sake of spaghetti.

He finished it in no time, and Geanote was overwhelmed by a terrible sense of loneliness. The blissful encounter was over, leaving only an empty plate.

Scarily, he found himself hoping for another Backes Hof incident, which frightened him.

"Ah, Mr. Geanote, if you like spaghetti so much, I can make it for you anytime."

"R-Really, Mr. Taisyo!"

"Um, yes, but not when I'm too busy."

"You're not lying, are you? There's no point in lying to a tax collector."

"I'm not lying, I promise."

After saying that, Geanote looked around and cleared his throat.

"Well, this spaghetti is quite delicious. If Nobu insists, I'll ask for it from time to time."

As he made this somewhat apologetic excuse, Eifa quietly offered him a handkerchief.

"Mr. Geanote, you have something around your mouth."

"Ah, thank you. You're very considerate."

"Not at all. So, how did the meeting go?"

Prompted by Eifa, Geanote returned to the topic.

"The conditions set by the representatives of the Three Provinces were quite harsh. The Empire couldn't agree to pay them a legitimate fee for border defense in gold coins every year."

"It's a matter of face, after all."

Shizune nodded knowingly. Despite appearances, this girl seemed to understand the world quite well.

"Just when it seemed the relaxed atmosphere of the banquet would end, the main dish was brought in at the late Emperor's signal."

"A meat dish?"

"Yes, a roasted calf."

In the old tradition of the North, the leader would cut and distribute a cow, revealing the status of each member of the alliance by the amount of meat they received. It was an important ritual for the proud warriors of the North.

"Did the late Emperor go that far to accommodate the North?"

"I thought so too. The representatives from the North must have thought so too. But then an unexpected accident happened."

"An accident?"

"The calf was so magnificent that the bearer dropped it halfway."

"What a waste..."

"It was a calf that everyone regretted. Even the representatives of the Three Provinces, who were supposed to be enemies, sighed. But then..."

"Then what?"

"Another calf was brought in at the late Emperor's signal."

Everyone at the banquet was surprised.

The first calf was magnificent, but the second one was even more so.

Looking back, it was probably a staged performance, but at the time, no one could say anything about its magnificence.

"When the late Emperor cut the second calf, the Northern Three Provinces became completely docile. They were shocked by the Empire's seemingly bottomless wealth, which they had underestimated."

Geanote thought Shizune and Taisyo would be surprised by this story, but their reactions were rather dull. They were both looking at Eifa for some reason.

"Isn't it amazing? Thanks to the late Emperor's quick thinking, the crisis of the Northern Three Provinces seceding from the Empire was averted."

"Y-Yes, it's amazing."

Eifa's strained smile and her gaze were fixed on the handkerchief in Geanote's hand.

"Is there something wrong with this handkerchief? It seems to be made of very fine silk, but..."

Suddenly, Geanote's expression froze.

The handkerchief was pure white, made of fine silk, with an emblem embroidered on each corner.

"Ah, the emblem of the 'three-headed dragon with the eagle's claw'..."

Only one person among all the nobles and royalty on the continent was allowed to use this emblem: the person who had married into the three-headed dragon imperial family from the proud eagle family.

"T-The late Emperor's emblem..."

He had wiped his mouth with a handkerchief bearing the late Emperor's emblem.

It was a rare and precious experience that no one else could have, but for Geanote, who had renewed his reverence for the imperial family through this incident, it was almost overwhelming.

"E-Eifa, I'll wash this handkerchief and return it! I'll definitely return it!"

"Y-You're calling me 'Lord'? Ah, if you return it, that's fine..."

Handing over his wallet with the payment, Geanote left the izakaya in a hurry. Reflecting on the timing of the lager ban being lifted, he wondered if it had something to do with Nobu.

"What a terrifying place."

Geanote vowed never to impose unreasonable taxes on this place.