The imperial banquet started late. By the time the attendant came to escort Lady Manny to the banquet hall, Rick had wolfed down half the food in the antechamber, leaving even Lady Manny's entourage staring at him like he was a monster.
After a short nap on the sofa, Lady Manny had her makeup touched up by the maids. At the attendant's invitation, she beckoned to Rick, smiling as she pointed to the wheelchair's push handle.
"Oh, time to go? Coming right up!" Rick belched, gulped down some juice, and hurried over. Just as he reached for the chair, Lady Manny tugged at his sleeve.
"Kneel down a bit."
"Why?" Rick crouched in confusion, his breath hitching as her angelic face leaned close.
"You look nervous." Lady Manny hid a smile, wiping breadcrumbs from his corner of his mouth, adjusting his collar. "I'm nervous too, so you can't be—otherwise, I'll get more jittery."
Their intimate gestures left everyone in the room dumbfounded. Good heavens—did they look like employer and bodyguard? More like a couple! Even the inviting attendant thought so.
"Alright, from now on, call me 'No-Nerves'!" Rick grinned, scratching his head.
"Are you always this cute?" Lady Manny laughed, then blushed at the stunned attendant, patting Rick's hand. "Let's go. Can't keep His Majesty waiting."
"Roger that! Move out!" Rick whooped, barreling out with the wheelchair, causing more than a few gasps.
"Th-this is Palais Saint-Rosel's banquet hall? This is... insane..." Rick's jaw stayed dropped from the moment they entered. He wheeled Lady Manny around the cavernous hall like a mummy, while she greeted passing Ison officials. Each official wondered: who was this fool pushing the merchant guild heiress?
"Gods! Is that a swimming pool? In a banquet hall? This is an amusement park!" Rick pointed wildly at the pool, his voice carrying far enough to make every guest turn. Even Lady Manny felt embarrassed.
"Want to go for a swim? You're shouting," she said, guiding him to a quiet corner.
"Not now, but... does old Arthur like stripping mid-meal for a dip?"
"Rick!～～" Lady Manny giggled at his wild imagination and disrespectful nickname. "You have quite the imagination."
"Is that so? But why else put a pool in a dining hall?"
"Hmm, good question..." Lady Manny tapped her chin, then looked up at him wide-eyed. "Maybe His Majesty does have that hobby."
"Right! Ask him when he gets here."
"What? I can't!" Her cheeks flushed.
"True. We'll stay late and see if the old codger actually jumps in."
Huddled in the corner, they whispered intimately, making onlookers more curious about Rick's identity. No one guessed they were debating this.
Suddenly, the orchestra struck up a solemn tune, shifting the hall's atmosphere. All eyes turned respectfully to the entrance. Lord Arthur had arrived.
At the ornate circular arch, the dashing old man appeared, arm in arm with a red-haired beauty. Rick, still in sightseeing mode, wheeled Lady Manny to the red carpet to glimpse the century-old ruler. But at the sight of the redhead beside Arthur, he froze like he'd been struck by lightning.
In the wheelchair, Lady Manny felt his tension. "Rick, are you unwell?"
He didn't seem to hear, staring fixedly at the redhead, muttering like a man possessed: "No... impossible... can't be..."
As Arthur greeted guests with the redhead, she seemed unfamiliar with noble etiquette—her movements precise but stiff. Perhaps Rick's intense gaze drew them: Arthur and the redhead both looked over at the stunned Rick by the carpet.
"Rick!"
"You blockhead!"
The redhead was Anna, and Arthur was the old drunk from the tavern a week ago! They both froze after shouting their nicknames for Rick, then exclaimed in surprise: "You know him?" Their eyes fell on Lady Manny in the wheelchair, looking bewildered. "This lad knows her too?"
Arthur recovered first. Maintaining his composure, he led the dazed Anna through greetings, then marched straight to Rick and Lady Manny. Seeing Lord Arthur approach, Lady Manny pinched Rick in a panic, but he stood there like a wooden doll.
Helpless, Manny forced herself to rise and curtsy. "Grandpa Arthur, hello."
"Ah, little Manny. Are the dishes to your liking?"
"Yes, very much. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Glad to hear it. You know, half this banquet was prepared for you." Arthur turned to Rick, who was still gaping at Anna, while she kept her head down, avoiding his gaze.
The old man needed no further clues. He clapped Rick's shoulder. "We have quite the karma, lad."
The slap jolted Rick from his daze. He squinted at Arthur, then pointed, shouting: "It's you!～～You old... old coot!～～～"
Clatter! Dozens of wine glasses hit the floor. Everyone wore the same stunned expression Rick had when he saw Anna—including Manny in her wheelchair.
"Ahem..." Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly, flicking Rick's head. "Brat! Watch where you are before spouting such rubbish!"
"But... but you..." Rick's finger trembled.
" 'But' my ass." Arthur swatted Rick's hand away, frowning. "This isn't the place. Follow us—time we sorted out your connections."
"Damn right. I need answers more!" Rick retorted, stiffening his neck. Anna yelped, hiding behind Arthur.
Manny sensed the tension. "Perhaps I should leave you to talk."
"Nope." Rick cut in before Arthur could reply. "Where I go, you go." His tone brooked no argument, so Manny stuck out her tongue and nodded.
"Cheeky whelp." Arthur grumbled at Rick usurping his authority, but led them to a private chamber off the banquet hall, ignoring the stares.
The moment they left, the hall erupted. Rick was now a legend—few dared address Lord Arthur so freely. Whose bastard was this fool? Some even whispered he might be Arthur's illegitimate son, given the lord's rumored wild youth and recent "daughter" reveal.
Inside the chamber, once the attendant closed the door, Rick flung a teacup lid at Arthur, nearly giving Manny a heart attack. "You lecher! First you fought me for a barmaid, now you're hitting on my girl? Anna, don't fear him! Did he threaten you with that Royal Seal? Bah! Even if he tosses you in the dungeon, I'll break you out!"
Anna tried to interject, but Arthur exploded, hurling a chair that knocked Rick flat. "Insolent pup! You think you can storm my dungeon? I'll teach you—" Before he could finish, Rick tackled him, and the pair rolled on the floor like toddlers, leaving Anna and Manny rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
"Stop! Rick!～～～" Anna finally pulled them apart, only for Arthur to land two quick jabs on Rick's eye. Rick retaliated by yanking out tufts of Arthur's beard.
"ENOUGH! I'm leaving if you two don't quit!" Anna shouted, red-faced.
They froze, panting and glaring. "Rick, it's not what you think," Anna stammered once they calmed.
"Then what is it?"
"He... he's my father."
"WHAT?" Rick gaped, eyes nearly popping. "Say that again? I... repeat it!"
"He's my father."
" Impossible! " Rick leaped up, pointing at Arthur's aged face. "He's over 200! You're barely teens! He's more your ancestor!"
"Dammit boy, you praised my stamina the other night! I'm still in my prime!" Arthur thumped his chest proudly.
"Bullshit! Prove it!"
"She wears the mayfly pendant I gave my wife. That's proof!"
"Maybe she found it!"
"I have photos—of her mother." Arthur fumbled in his elaborate robes, producing a heart-shaped locket. Inside lay a group photo of a woman strikingly like Anna, though without her vibrant red hair.
Rick's resolve wavered, but he pressed: "Your hair's white, your wife's brown. Why's Anna's red?"
"Fuck!" Arthur rummaged, producing a younger photo. Rick gawked—Arthur had indeed sported flowing red hair. "That's the Tanzan royal bloodline. My hair turned white with age. Got it?"
With so much evidence laid out, even Rick couldn't deny it. Yet he recalled Anna joking in the restaurant about being a princess on his first day in Ison—who would've thought she actually was one?
"Ugh... all the girls I know are big shots." Rick silently lamented. He was still a nobody, surrounded by famous women.
The old man-versus-youngster feud ended, but a new storm brewed. Before Rick could process Anna's revelation, she grabbed his ear.
"Explain! How did you two meet? What's this about a tavern and barmaids?"
Anna's question made Arthur and Rick flinch. Neither could tell her: Honey, your dad and I met while visiting a brothel.
After a flurry of covert eye signals, they reached a consensus.
Rick started: "I took a job tracking a group to the red-light district."
Arthur added: "I was tailing suspicious characters there too."
Rick: "We both approached a barmaid to disguise ourselves, got found out, and fought."
Arthur: "Exactly!"
Rick: "I took down four of them and escaped."
Arthur concluded: "I cleaned up after him. The end."
Their synchronized story left Anna and Manny confused but somewhat satisfied. Anna released Rick's ear. "Is that true?"
"Cross my heart!"
"Then..." Anna eyed Manny in the wheelchair. "Who is she? Why are you sticking to her? And what's your job?"
"Idiot! My job is protecting Manny. With so many after her, I have to stay by her side." Rick moved behind Manny's wheelchair, escaping Anna's grasp.
"Yes!" Manny clasped his hand.
After a jumble of half-truths, the lie somehow held—much to Rick's relief. But Arthur and Manny had their own questions.
"What's your real relationship?" they asked in unison.
"Us?" Rick glanced at Anna, speechless.
"We live together," Anna blurted. Arthur nearly fainted.
"Bullshit! I've slept alone for days! Since when is that cohabiting?" Rick exploded.
"I... I was busy..." Anna mumbled, head down.
"Too busy to send a note? I nearly destroyed the Underground looking for you, almost raided the palace dungeon!"
Anna's eyes welled up. Seeing her tears, Rick relented, panting as he sat. "Fine, what were you up to?"
"After reuniting with Dad, I started learning court etiquette—it's so hard! I haven't mastered it...," Anna peeked at Rick. "And I was afraid to tell you too soon. I planned to wait until Lav arrived."
True—if Anna had sent a note saying she was a palace princess, Rick would've thought she'd gone mad.
"Ugh, this is too complicated... and there's still Lav..." Manny, forgotten in the corner, counted on her fingers. Used to being the center of attention, she found this neglect strangely fun, like watching a soap opera—though she disliked how many girls surrounded Rick.
Rick, caught in this web, felt equally awkward. How did all these messy affairs involve him? It was baffling.
Like threads of fate, everyone and everything had converged. Even the cunning Lord Arthur didn't realize that from this moment, Ison had become the world's epicenter.
More complex trials awaited. Their every decision might reshape the world order. As the sun rose tomorrow, the curtain would finally rise...