Tails didn't know what the order of the stellar nobles' banquets was on weekdays, but at least judging from the royal banquet nominally held by him, the table manners of the stellar people were more than one grade better than those of the northlanders:

The banquet is still in the stage of seating, the people come and go to greet each other in an orderly manner, men and women sit staggered, get along with each other in a proper and natural way, the servants and waiters come and go in an orderly manner, the guards guard their whereabouts are low-key and almost invisible, and even the clowns and minstrours who are entertaining are properly musical, and the performances are moderate, never crossing key areas and annoying the guests.

Tails couldn't help but think of the banquet King Nunn had held at Valhalla, and he couldn't help but regret the little slippery head for a second—but then he remembered that the latter's life and death were unknown at the moment, and the mocking silence turned into complete gloom.

"Your Majesty is here!"

"Long live the King!"

"Long live the Queen!"

As the king's procession entered the hall, the otherwise quiet Mindis Hall exploded, and the sound of greetings and discussions poured in like a tide.

"May you be in good health!"

"God Bless the Stars......"

"Congratulations on the reunion with His Excellency the Duke and his son......"

There seemed to be a huge whirlpool centered on King Kessel in the banquet hall, full of force and irresistible, which sucked a group of guests from the Earl Honorary to the Baron, from the invited officials to the Honorary Soldiers, and the ants gathered until they entered a safe distance and bumped into the unpretentious royal guards.

Many of the guests in the front row bowed respectfully, but proper etiquette could not hide their impatience.

"The Leckmurray family of the Donna greets you......"

"Your Majesty, on behalf of all the members of the Dongcheng Alert Department, I ......"

"Go forward, try to let Your Majesty see us, but not too deliberately, lest the emperor lose his honors......"

"Your Majesty, do you remember Hazzard at the Battle of the Altar?"

Tails watched it all, watching the guests gathered around King Kessel, bowing from front to back like straw harvested in rows.

Where the sickle goes, the straw is poured.

Tails suddenly remembered the drama of the Temple of the Night, which he watched as a child, and in the scene about the disaster that befell him, the same was true of the actors who played the "good people" on the stage.

The only difference is that after these "straws" fall, they slowly come back up, as if there is no ground, leaning towards Tails' position, bringing a convergent but complicated gaze.

King Kessel looked as usual and walked steadily, and Queen Koya beside him nodded softly and smiled, and they were silent and majestic, and amiable, and they walked forward arm in arm, step by step, to the top of the two steps, facing the whole banquet hall, and the highest seat of the royal family.

Of course, not everyone was sucked into the "whirlpool" caused by the king:

Bob Cullen, Duke and Prime Minister of the East China Sea, sat on the long table on the second order with a smile, surrounded by the nobles of the East China Sea who had befriended him, and there was an endless stream of central officials and important nobles who came to greet the Prime Minister.

Duke Jenn Cavendier sat across from Prime Minister Cullen. Many of the low-ranking bureaucrats and newly wealthy businessmen who had come to the table with anticipation, but had not been able to muster up the courage to meet the Prime Minister, chose to pay their respects to the young magnate who held the South Bank Domain, and who, encouraged by the Duke, gradually let go of their restraints, talked and laughed, and as they left, they repeatedly praised the approachability and nobility of the owner of the irises.

In stark contrast to this table, there was another long table on the same level, but quite remote: the shackled, bearded and shoulder-hanging Duke Val Arend sat silently at one end, ignoring the strange inquiring gazes of the people around him, pouring himself a drink, and behind him stood a few royal guards who did not leave an inch.

At the other end of the long table sat the casual Duke of the Cliffs, Gausd Nanpust, the owner of the Giant Horn Deer, with cold eyes, watching the sensation caused by the king, and from time to time raising a glass to the Duke of Val opposite, many nobles with deep family backgrounds and close ties to the north and the cliffs came to greet him, but compared to the Prime Minister and the Duke of Iris, this table can only be regarded as deserted.

In contrast, the third order of the table next to the duke's table was much more harmonious, and the figures seated here were perhaps no more noble than those of the guardian dukes and the earls of the Imperial Lord, but they were still very important, such as the central dignitaries of the Imperial Council, the bureaucrats of the various ministries in the city of Yongxing, and the important leaders of the industrial and commercial industry.

and the hereditary landlords of the Central Territory, including the "Seven Servants of the Bright Stars".

"That's a lot of people, isn't it," said Baron Stowe, looking at the king with a blank expression:

"There are four ...... dukes alone"

Baron Stoart paused.

He saw the young man who had arrived with Princess Elise, and smiled softly:

"Sorry, five. ”

"Indeed, irises and sun swords and shields are all the same, as for the giant horned deer and the white eagle, including many ......" At the same table, Viscount Adrian of Swan County agreed, and sighed to Lady Barney across the long table, but his eyes were focused on her son and the "toy" in his hand:

"I thought I'd never see each other in my life. ”

"The return of the young master, the kingdom is stable, and the natural pomp is unprecedented, and it is gratifying," said Mrs. Barney, smiling in response, and whispering to her son, who bowed his head and played with the badge of the nine-pointed star:

"Luther, listen to your mother, put away the Duke's gift first, and see how much fun there is at the table. ”

Over there, D.D.'s father, Baron Doyle Sr., turned his head and excitedly introduced to a market bureaucrat at the next table:

"So, this year's grain harvest in my territory is too much to pile up in the granary...... It's just that you know that grain is cheap and hurts farmers, if you can follow the laws and regulations, and set the local market price of agricultural grain higher when outsiders come to buy grain...... I mean, you might as well make it reasonable...... Oh, that's right, understand, after all, you have to do things according to the rules......"

"By the way, did you see the two guards behind Duke Xinghu, pay attention to the more handsome one...... Eh, that's Daniel Doyle, a loyal guardian of the royal family, who is trusted by the Duke of Tails...... So, with him here, every time I come to Mendis Hall, it's like coming home......"

"The big man with a serious face next to him is Galen Glove, a close friend of my son's service to His Excellency the Duke, a ......sibling! Oh, you know, it's the Viscount of Hushan County, Lozano Clofer, one of the Seven Servants of the Bright Stars, the mainstay of the Kingdom's Finance and Taxation Department......"

"Oh, what? Have you changed your mind? Do you also think that Gu is cheap and hurts the peasants? Do you want to go back and re-check the relevant laws and regulations and adjust the pricing? Hey, my lord, I really didn't misread you! To tell the truth, I am a noble and self-professed person, and I generally don't look down on those vulgar and vulgar people, and only a good person like you, my lord, who cares about the country and the people and acts according to the rules, is rare to see at first sight...... Come and come and drink and drink......"

As the King's party approached, the adults at the noble table ceased to talk, and they did not like many of the guests, but they rose from the table and greeted them respectfully.

"There is no need to salute, ladies and gentlemen," Tails watched as the King walked through the center of the hall, up the steps, from the most ordinary of seats all the way past the long tables of the dukes, and listened to him speak slowly:

"If you wait until you kiss my rings one by one, we won't be able to start until dawn. ”

The king's tone was unconcerned, but it was thick but lingering in the hall.

But it made Tails's heart sink, and he subconsciously touched the back of his hand.

There are no rings there.

"Pay attention to your performance," Aunt Elise, who was beside her, noticed his abnormality, and although she smiled as before, her tone was rarely stern: "Maybe Jenny can not care, but you ......"

Tails only felt a tightening of his arm.

"You are a prince, facing the whole kingdom, your demeanor, your expression, your gaze, your tone...... Every move will be infinitely magnified and over-interpreted. ”

The aunt held him, but the words were full of power, so that Tails couldn't help but straighten up and adjust his demeanor:

"Put on your armor, or in Gini's words: raise your shield. ”

Tails took a deep breath, trying to make the smile natural.

Under the guidance of Baron Quentin, the head of the court, and Adrian, the captain of the royal guard, the king took the queen by his arms and sat down at the highest level with great skill.

Face the guests and overlook the hall.

Tails, at the beckoning of Marlos and Gilbert, took a seat at the long table of the lower king, and Aunt Elise and Genie sat to his left, both of whom cast concerned glances at him.

A few meters away, Jenn Cavendier at the next table gave Tails a meaningful smile.

Countless eyes were on the few people at the table.

The guests had different expressions and reactions, which were clearly visible from his point of view.

Of course, from the king's point of view, Tails's movements must be the same.

Tails listened to his heartbeat, but walked away for a second very unprofessionally, and he suddenly remembered the memory of his previous life, the moment he stood on the podium, the luck and fantasy you had when you were a student would be shattered:

It turns out that for thousands of days, you have been on the podium, under the desk, and the teachers have seen all the small movements that you thought were hidden and low-key, and no one noticed them.

But they still pretended that nothing had happened, and continued to lecture patiently and with a smile.

It seems that the students in the audience are good children who listen carefully, don't they?

At this moment, Tails maintained a smile and quietly looked at the "good students" in the hall, and suddenly realized the height of the king's seat.

"Damn, zombie, sit there a little, or you'll be a little bit later, pretty maids...... I mean, the attendants can't get past delivering food......" Doyle's voice came from behind him, gritting his teeth:

"This place is too narrow, is it really for the prince? Barney's manor banquet is ...... wider than this."

"Or do the servants have no human rights......

Next door, Marhros, who was at the same table as Gilbert, slashed at him with a knife in the eye.

D.D.'s whispered whining immediately disappeared into Tails' ears.

The banquet hall slowly changed from noisy to quiet.

Duke Cullen, the owner and prime minister of the East China Sea Domain, got up from the table with a smile, and he first reached out to stop the music, and then saluted the king, his huge belly almost arching the heavy long table several inches.

"Your Majesty, it's been a long time since there has been such a big royal banquet in Yongxing City, this is a grand event of the country......"

But Kessel V only waved his hand lightly, and did not care about the words of the Prime Minister in his mouth.

"I know why you're here. ”

"You know why I'm here. ”

The king's cold voice echoed in the hall, like his countless royal meetings, and the temperature was lowered in a trance:

"You don't have to waste time. ”

Prime Minister Cullen, who had apparently prepared a large number of opening remarks, choked up.

I saw King Kessel leaning back in his chair and said lightly:

"Let's eat. ”

In the hall, the guests who came to participate in the rare royal banquet and were looking forward to the festivities and enthusiasm were stunned!

Yes?

At that moment, whether it was the ladies and ladies who were calmly and decent, or the ladies and ladies who were dressed up, or the performers who were trying their best to make a name for themselves here, or the guards and servants who worked hard to maintain order......

Everyone was like being poured a basin of cold water on their heads.

The hall was silent, and the atmosphere was extremely awkward.

Princess Elise beside her sighed, and Gilbert, next door, frowned.

After a few seconds of silence, endless whispers began to ring in the hall, and the guests exchanged heads and ears like a buzzer.

The Duke of Cullen was stunned, a little at a loss.

Feeling the atmosphere around him, Tails couldn't help but roll his eyes and subconsciously lowered his head.

the groove.

Daddy Kessel.

I'm underestimating you.

You're the strongest atmosphere killer in the kingdom!

Speaking of atmosphere killers, though......

It would be nice if Duke Falkenhauges was here, as bored as he was, he must know how to answer.

In the noisy buzz, the guests were talking differently.

"You know, Kessel wasn't like that before......" Aunt Elise explained in an embarrassed whisper close to his ear:

"Maybe it's because the royal family hasn't held a banquet for too long......"

At the seat of the Seven Servants of the Bright Stars, the old Viscount Patterson ignored the frightened eyes of the two nephews, and hummed in a disdainful and disrespectful whisper:

"It doesn't matter how many years have passed...... Even if he wore the crown, the boy's speech was still rotten. ”

"I guess that's what he said when he was going to a woman: it. ”

The guests at the same table were a little embarrassed by this, and they all laughed and said nothing.

Until Viscount Adrian responded decently:

"Concise, efficient and straightforward. ”

"Your Majesty is indeed a role model for us. ”

Viscount Patterson snorted lightly, yin and yang strange and vague:

"We?"

On the other side, Baron Stowe turned his head and bowed his head expressionlessly:

"We. ”

On the table of foreign guests from farther away, Jorge from Elk City in the Northland was eye-catching.

"This king has a kind of ......"

The bearded man smiled, ignoring the gazes of the people around him:

"Damn, I'm starting to like him. ”

The scene lasted for several seconds, until the Duke of Cullen sighed and coughed violently, suppressing the situation that was gradually rising, and began to speak bitterly again:

"Your Majesty, but as is customary, you are required to make a toast at the beginning of the banquet......

King Kessel looked up slowly, as if he had just just woken up from his contemplation:

"Yes? I almost forgot. ”

Duke Cullen nodded and said with a smile:

"That's right, think of the banquets you attended when you were younger, right, many of them were held here......"

The king narrowed his eyes, and his voice was as thick as ever, which made people can't help but be right:

"But it wasn't my turn to speak, was it?"

The Duke of the East China Sea shuddered.

"Your Majesty, this ......"

His face was pale, his lips opened and closed, and he still couldn't answer.

Tails couldn't help but sympathize with Duke Cullen when he was choked on and speechless as he had to pay attention to public influence and take care of the king's face.

When I thought that this poor fat grandfather was actually the prime minister, he would probably be embarrassed by King Kessel at the royal meeting every day......

"Okay. ”

King Kessel snorted softly, and he spared the poor prime minister, and looked at the seat one rank lower:

"Come, kid. ”

Tails met the King's eyes, and subconsciously responded to His Majesty the King according to the instinct of etiquette training.

Perfect etiquette and a decent smile.

to show loyalty.

But......

Yes?

A few tenths of a second later, the young Duke of Star Lake came back to his senses and smiled.

You wait.

What did he say?

Come, come, what?

In the next moment, the eyes of everyone in the hall swept together!

It was like a myriad of swords that glittered with cold light, covering Tails's whole body.

Duke Cullen let out a breath and sat down tremblingly.

The king lowered his head again and played with the glass in his hand, as if nothing had anything to do with him.

Tails realized what was going on.

He looked back blankly and saw Queen Koya's expectant eyes, Gennie's surprised and worried gaze, Gilbert's anxious look, Marhros's thoughtful expression, and countless ......

"Tails. ”

Princess Elise had a smile on her face and was as calm as ever, but she pushed his arm under the table, and a few weak syllables appeared from her mouth without moving:

"Quick, don't hesitate, speech. ”

"Whatever. ”

After months of training, and without any need to be reminded anymore, Prince Tails instinctively stood up.

Thanks to Jenny's etiquette lesson, he has an elegant posture and a calm look.

Only Tails himself knows that it's all fake.

At this moment, the Sin of the Prison River is desperately helping him stabilize his body's reactions, from his joints and muscles to his blood vessels and heartbeat......

It's like a poor plasterer who is out of breath and running back and forth, tearing down the east wall to make up for the west wall, but still can't stop the leaking water.

Tails took a deep breath and used his brain frantically as he kept his smile on his face.

No, speech, what's the speech?

section, is there this item in the program list?

I didn't mention it during the banquet rehearsal!

Tails twisted his neck stiffly, and calmly to the outsider, and raised the glass in his hand full of untold and untold wine.

He looked into the hall at a pair of eyes full of emotions: doubt, curiosity, anticipation, fanaticism, schadenfreude......

The Sin of the Prison River was a little overwhelmed, and kept changing back and forth, but he still couldn't figure out what the master wanted at the moment: explosiveness, speed, durability, agility, senses, and balance?

Or is it the bloody nature of fighting to the death and not retreating, you and I will die, killing everything in front of you, and then giving up?

Tails struggled to suppress the sin of the Prison River, which had grown ferocious because he had been unable to find his target for a long time.

After all, this is not a life-or-death battle.

Tails smiled wryly, raised his glass, bowed slightly, and cleared his throat to delay the moment.

No, it's much harder than fighting.

Fight to clean up opponents such as the Starfaller, the Death Raven, the Wings of Legends, and the Knight of Punishment?

That's a piece of cake, okay!

(End of chapter)