Chapter 325
Chapter 325.
The welcome ceremony for the expeditionary force went on until the afternoon, with Emperor Bartlett Griffin lavishly rewarding the generals for their war achievements, with some receiving higher knighthoods, some more fiefdoms, and some more wealth.
Then they all returned to the palace, where Bartlett set up a feast for all the courtiers and generals.
Kevin along with his mentor and senior once again had a feast, this time it was not the emperor’s daily family feast, but a delicious meal from the hands of a famous chef in the imperial capital.
The evening ended on a high note, and it seemed that everyone at the banquet was satisfied.
Kevin followed the adults and drank a little wine, which was a bit stimulating for someone like him who didn’t drink often, so he went back to his room and fell asleep that night.
Kevin rubbed his sleepy eyes and ninja’d the discomfort of his hangover to his mentor Aldrich’s study.
The scene inside surprised him, in addition to his teacher Aldrich and senior Mond, there were three other people – one of them was none other than His Royal Highness Antonio Griffin, the second prince who returned triumphantly yesterday.
At this moment, the prince was dressed in ordinary noble clothing, wrapped in a cloak with a hood, presumably so that he wouldn’t be recognized on his way here.
The other two people standing behind Antonio, a man and a woman, the man is a few days ago Monte senior brought him to see the royal guard Ampollov, the woman does not know, but looks very beautiful, may be the court lady officer a kind of people, like that day encountered the great prince also followed by a lady officer.
It looked like they had been talking in the study for a long time.
Kevin was not prepared in the slightest, all of a sudden nervous, stuttering and not knowing how to start.
Amporov scowled at him as if he wanted to see his joke, while Antonio looked him up and down with interest.
“Kevin, come over and say hello to His Royal Highness, you met them all yesterday.”
Aldrich finally came over to relieve his student.
Kevin hurriedly bowed to Antonio, “Your Royal Highness, how do you do.”
Turning to the captain of the guards again, “Lord Amporov, how do you do.”
A smile surfaced on Antonio’s face, making Kevin instantly feel like a spring breeze.
“You are the new student that teacher has taken in, very young indeed.”
Actually, the Emperor was only four or five years older than Kevin.
Kevin said coyly, “Thanks to Mr. Aldrich’s disdain.”
Antonio came over and patted him on the shoulder, “Learn well from your teacher! You’re really lucky, Mr. Aldrich hasn’t had a student in years.”
The action of the Emperor’s son reminded Kevin of Antonio’s father, Emperor Bartlett Griffin, the two had the same tone and action.
Antonio carefully asked Kevin about his recent life and studies, and Kevin answered each and every one of them, he felt that today’s Emperor Prince was like a big brother next door, not the awe-inspiring and inviolable look of yesterday. It looked like His Highness was not a difficult person to get along with in his private life.
“Teacher, look …….” Antonio got up and put on his hood as if he was about to leave, and behind him, Amporov and the suspected courtesan also stood up.
“Well, it’s about time, let’s go over there.” Aldrich picked up his wooden staff, “Mond, you don’t have to go yet this time, stay home with Kevin and entertain for me if anyone comes to the door.”
Kevin’s mind was made up, it looked like his teacher was going out with the second prince. Mond responded, “Okay teacher, you guys be careful with everything.”
Kevin followed his senior to send Aldrich and his party out the gate, when he heard Mond mutter to himself, “It looks like teacher is not optimistic about the current situation either.”
A few minutes later, a carriage left the area of the Maester’s Tower, and inside the carriage sat none other than Antonio and the other four.
Sitting across from the Emperor’s son, Ampolov spoke, “Your Highness Antonio, are you still sticking to your original proposition now?”
Antonio did not respond, his brows slightly furrowed, not knowing what he was thinking.
Aldrich made a silencing gesture, “Let’s talk about it later when we get to the place.”
Carole, who was sitting on his side, whispered, “Yes, it’s better to discuss it with the masters.”
The carriage was very fast and kept galloping out of the Imperial Capital’s city walls, following the avenue to a piece of building. The perimeter of this building was also surrounded by a circle of not-so-short walls, with soldiers patrolling and keeping watch on it.
In addition to the city guards stationed within the Imperial Capital, the Gabella Royal Family also held a standing military force of no less than 50,000 people, and this was its station in the Imperial Capital region – the City North Camp.
As the carriage approached the entrance of the barracks, the guards immediately released the carriage after the driver showed his token, they recognized that this was the carriage of the second prince Antonio, and there was nothing wrong with him entering or leaving this place as he served in the army.
Arriving at a building in the center of the barracks, the four of them got down from the carriage, the red-haired young general – Siegfried Alpheus was already standing there waiting for them. There were already many guard posts inside the barracks, but this place was even more heavily guarded.
“Your Highness Antonio, Lord Aldrich, the people are already all here.” Siegfried said after bowing to the imperial prince.
Antonio nodded, “Let’s go in.” Taking a step towards the building, the others followed closely behind.
They arrived inside an open conference room with a huge round table, and there were already nine people sitting around it. They were all dressed in black robes, and when they saw the imperial prince and his group enter, they all rose and saluted.
Antonio looked around at the crowd, ”Only nine people have come from the group of ten? Master Barnett still hasn’t returned?”
An old man among the nine replied, “Your Highness, forgive me, Barnett has not returned from his trip to the Northwest Bay.”
Antonio walked over to the main seat and sat down, Aldrich, Siegfried, and Ampolov also sat down on either side of him on their own, while Carol waited at his side.
The prince continued to ask, “I remember he went to the Northwest Gulf last year.”
It was the same old man who answered, “Yes, and came back once during His Highness’s expedition, but left again a few days later.”
“What? Did the original plan not go well?”
The old man said, “It looks like it did, the latest news is that the lords there split into two factions and fought a battle, unfortunately, the faction that Barnett supported lost, luckily, our people withdrew back safely. As for Barnett himself, we haven’t gotten hold of him yet. Your highness you know, Barnett has always been conceited, do not achieve the goal will not stop, and the northwest bay plan and he personally planned, think must be lurking in a place waiting for the next opportunity. And ……”
Speaking here, the old man coughed somewhat awkwardly, “He has always been a loner, and he doesn’t know the other people in the ten-member group when he does anything, and not contacting us for several months and half a year is also an occasional occurrence.”
Antonio nodded, he knew that Barnett was a “lone wolf”.
(End of chapter)