Mystery: But the Witch's Path

Chapter 43 Edsack

The hunted prey was not wasted; it was collected by a dedicated team.

From the moment the prey is brought down, the nobles approach to confirm its identity, take photos as souvenirs, have it transported by special envoys, and then process it into food, there is a series of procedures.

Altair and his men ate these prey for lunch today, and the start of this hunt marked the official climax of the feast.

At 12:00 noon, people began to gather at the banquet restaurant, waiting for lunch to begin.

The main character of this banquet, the third prince, Edsak Augustus, made his official appearance even before the luncheon began.

He was not dressed in the typical royal attire, but rather in a dark blue naval uniform, bearing the rank of major.

His attire brought the lively banquet to a standstill, gradually calming the atmosphere. After all, with everyone dressed in casual or formal wear, the sudden appearance of someone in military uniform was like a crane standing among chickens.

Meanwhile, the high-ranking officials in the country, especially the Duke of Negan, began to show signs of unease.

He was a naval representative, and the fact that Edsack is now wearing a naval uniform indicates that his joining the navy is a done deal.

Although it is not uncommon for princes to serve in the military, they usually go to military academies to study and are appointed as captains or at most major generals after graduation.

But this Prince Edsak Augustus never attended a military academy and has been appointed a major without going through the proper procedures.

Altair could understand Duke Nigan's expression, after all, the drama of "illegitimate sons vying for the throne" was about to unfold.

Edsack is wearing a naval uniform, which is practically saying, "I've become a navy officer, and you'll have to support me from now on."

Altair mingled in the crowd, watching the spectacle unfold. To be honest, Edsac Augustus really did look like King Henry Augustus I of the five-pound note. He was the fifth king of the Kingdom of Loen and a direct ancestor of George III, with a round face and narrow eyes.

Altair quickly interrupted his wild thoughts, realizing he was thinking inappropriately.

This concern has nothing to do with my future. As for cooperating with him, forget it. After all, if things don't change in the future, this prince will become a scapegoat.

Why he became a scapegoat is none of Altair's business.

Curiosity is certainly present, but not to the point of investigation. After all, it's a royal secret, and excessive curiosity can kill the cat.

As the protagonist, Edsack Augustus, gradually walked onto the stage, his father, King George III, began to introduce him and appoint him as a naval lieutenant commander, prompting everyone to applaud.

The third prince was also shrewd; he brought a large number of reporters with him when he arrived. Now, these reporters began to crouch down and quickly press the shutter button on their cameras to take pictures of the people on stage. In an instant, the entire banquet hall was filled with the dazzling flashes of cameras.

King George III and Edsack Augustus were quite remarkable; despite the intense flashes of light, they didn't even blink, accepting the attention with smiles throughout.

This impressed Altair greatly. Nowadays, cameras still rely on flash to take pictures, and a sudden flash can be very uncomfortable.

As for Duke Negan and the others standing to the side, their expressions were not very pleasant; they could be said to have kept a straight face the entire time.

In contrast, Uncle Rafe and his family didn't show any change in expression, but they were probably overjoyed inside.

Since the Age of Exploration, due to the special nature of the navy, its status has been rising infinitely, and the military expenditure allocated by the empire has been increasing every year.

Of course, the status and military spending of the army will continue to decrease accordingly. After all, the country only has so much money, and it is impossible to conjure up extra money for you out of thin air.

Although the leaders of the two militaries were related to each other to some extent in the past, their relationship began to change after the advent of the Age of Exploration and the subsequent separation of the navy.

It's reasonable for someone representing the Army to be happy to see the Navy suffer a setback.

This interlude lasted for more than half an hour before the luncheon officially began.

Because of the hunting trip, lunch consisted mostly of roasted meats, which had a unique flavor thanks to the various spices used in the marinating.

After lunch, the leaders began to leave in groups to discuss matters. The remaining people gradually left on their own, some returning to their rooms for a nap, while others formed small groups to engage in their own activities.

Meanwhile, the protagonist, Edsac Augustus, is chatting and laughing with some young nobles, which has attracted many people to join him.

..........

As usual, Altair dressed up for the ball that night. When someone invited him to dance, he used the same excuse as yesterday: he twisted his ankle and couldn't dance with them.

He found a corner and sat down to wait for the ball to end. Not far away, Audrey, after talking with her father, happily came to Altair's side.

Seeing her happy expression, Altair couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why didn't you go dancing with the others? Come and sit with me, the 'wounded' one."

Audrey smiled and said, "I told my father I would come and look after you, and he agreed. So you don't need to dance with anyone else. Dancing at balls once or twice a month is enough; I can't stand dancing every day."

Altair didn't refute Audrey's reply; she was at an age where she was very active, and repeating the same thing every day would definitely make her tired of it.

As the two were talking, Edsac Augustus walked straight over and invited Audrey to dance, looking at her pitiful eyes.

Altair said to Edsac Augustus, "I am truly sorry, Your Highness, but Miss Audrey has been temporarily conscripted by me. It is also my bad luck that I twisted my ankle and am unable to participate in the ball. As a gentleman, you should not want to see an injured young girl sitting alone in a corner, should you?"

It was only after Altair finished speaking that he caught the attention of Edsac Augustus.

Edsack Augustus did not know Altair.

Before coming here, she only regarded him as one of Audrey's close friends.

To maintain his image, Edsack Augustus politely inquired, "May I ask who this young lady is?"

Audrey then began introducing the two: "Third Prince Edsack, and this is Earl Altair Sheffield."

"Count Altair, this is Prince Edsac Augustus, the third prince."

For most people, they don't really know Altair yet, since he hasn't received the king's personal investiture yet, and only a few insiders know about him.

As it happened, Edsack knew this, gave him a deep look, and said helplessly, "I'm really sorry, Count Altair, I wasn't aware of your situation when I came."

Then he turned to his head and said, "Then, Miss Audrey, I'll leave it to you to take care of Count Altair."

After Edsack left, Audrey regained her composure and took Altair's hand, saying, "Thank you so much this time, Count Altair. If it weren't for you, I would have been dragged off to dance, which would have been so boring."

Altair looked at her and asked curiously, "It's not just for that reason, is it? I always feel like you don't really like being with him."

Having her thoughts exposed, Audrey deflated like a punctured balloon. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she cautiously glanced around. Finding no one nearby, she whispered to Altair:

"I really don't like those princes. They feel like a bunch of restless male peacocks performing in front of me. You can probably understand that feeling."

He could understand this. The phrase "the most dazzling gem" already explained the problem simply: gems are always valuable.