Chapter 41: My Uncles 1

The coronation played out exactly as I had planned.

The ceremony was grand and imposing, that not only showcased the empire's strength and heritage to the foreign emissaries, but also managed to thoroughly intimidate most of the nobles back into their places, insuring their silence and obedience for the next few months at least.

Although some imbeciles might still try to foolishly cause some ruckus, it will amount to nothing more than a hushed whisper in a silent void.

But sadly I couldn't keep the hall governed under the suffocating atmosphere I had created, since this was still a time of joy and merrymaking in honor of my ascension to the the Black Throne, and it would reflect poorly on me and the empire if everyone was too nervous to even dare breathe loudly, much less to dance and talk, so I stood up from my throne, while keeping Dark Majesty by my side, as I descended the stairs into the pit of prowling vipers below me.

Thankfully the oppressive atmosphere was shortly lived once I began socializing with the deferent guests, especially the emissary of the Yue Empire and the Omorfia Isles, who quickly understood my purpose, and began to loudly talk and laugh when I greeted them, greatly easing the restlessness of the other guests, which finally allowed the party to begin in full swing.

And as I was continuing my elusive dance of words with the emissary of the Mercenary Kingdom, who slyly attempted to gleam some fragments of information on the state of the empire's military, the gates to the hall loudly opened, and a tall man with a deep scar running vertically from his left cheek to his neck, while wearing modest, yet dignified blue garbs, with knee length light brown hair that was tied in a single long braid, and sharp deep blue eyes that seemed to contain the unrelenting might of the seas, swiftly approached us, before quickly falling on his right knee and respectfully saying "Greetings your majesty.

May your reign be long and good. Please excuse the tardiness of my late arrival."

An unconscious smile bloomed across my face as I gazed at the man, who more deeply imprinted himself as my father figure than my true one, as I quickly say, while gesturing him to rise "You need not bow before me uncle Haytham."

But despite my words, he didn't stand back up, and instead wrapped me in a tight, and protective embrace, before releasing me and placing his large, rough hand on my shoulder, while looking deeply into my eyes, as he proudly said, much like how a father would do "You've performed excellently till now my boy!

Absolutely spectacular!"

Hearing his kind words and fatherly tone of voice only broadened my smile, since despite being a powerful eighth rank martial artist, an Archduke of the empire, the Grand Admiral of the western navy, and feared worldwide as the Blood Tide of the South, he always maintained his unyielding conviction and loyalty to his family and country.

"Thank you uncle." I replied to him happily.

And at that moment my mother gracefully approached us, as her melodious voice sounded out from behind me saying "It's been too long Haytham."

My uncle stands up, and courteously bows his head to my mother, while respectfully saying "It's indeed been a long time my lady Esmerelda, and yet you seem to have only grown in elegance and beauty."

My mother warmly smiles at him with a nostalgic look in her eyes, as she happily says "And you seem to speak even more stiffly than ever before. How many times must I tell you to simply call me Esmerelda?"

My uncle could only awkwardly smile upon hearing her words, as he skillfully changed the subject, saying "Congratulations on the birth of the new twin prince and princess, I can hardly wait to meet them!"

'But as usual nothing is ever that simple.' I thought annoyedly, knowing that I couldn't do it, since not only are they supported economically and militarily by powerful foreign nations, such as the Luminous Empire and the Mercenary Kingdom, but they also have the support of nearly all the minor and middling noble houses, who previously could do nothing against my Imperial Faction, which held nearly all the major and old houses of the empire.

Yet I had no interest in allowing some mere slobbering dogs to bark in my presence despite all their supposed power and influence, as I stepped forward with my hand on Dark Majesty's pommel, and said with a fake warm smile "Welcome Archduke Zadkiel. I hope you are enjoying the festivities so far."

An ugly frown appeared across Zadkiel and his follower's faces as they clearly felt the great distinction of attitude afforded to my uncle Haytham and them, especially in the way I addressed Zadkiel as Archduke, instead of uncle, clearly drawing a very firm and obvious line between us, which greatly wounded their bloated egos, as well as utterly destroying their moronic delusions of easily acquiring more power through leveraging my blood connection with Zadkiel.

Sadly though I must give credit where credit is due, since despite Zadkiel's arrogant, greedy, spiteful, conniving and envious personality, he was undoubtedly a patient and cool headed man, as he said in seeming joy "Of course I'm enjoying the celebration so far, how could I not with so much delicious food, great wine and beautiful ladies surrounding us!"

My smile broadened as I noticed he didn't say anything about my coronation, as I replied "Excellent, I'm glad to hear that.

Now if you would excuse me Archduke, I would like to go get a little rest with my family, but please feel free to continue enjoying yourself." I finished as I turned away from him, once again clearly drawing an obvious line between us, much to the glee of my mother who always despised Zadkiel!

And yet the fool ignored all common sense, as fools generally do, as he stopped me by loudly saying "But I do have a single complaint, my dear nephew."

Hearing him call me 'my dear nephew' infuriated me to a level most men would never even comprehend, not only due to the sheer amount of hypocrisy contained within those three words, but also because he casually stepped over the line I marked not once, but twice!

I turned back to him slowly, with my previous smile now gone, replaced by a chillingly apathetic expression, as I asked with a neutral tone that contradicted the smoldering blaze of undisguised wrath in my eyes "And what might that complaint be Archduke Zadkiel?"

Zadkiel questioned how the room's temperature seemed to have dropped to such frigid degrees, as he replied in an overly dramatical way "Why are ostracizing me so much, and treating me as if I'm a stranger among you? Am I not one of your own, nephew?"

Instantly after hearing his words my expression radically changed, causing everyone to question if I had a bipolar disorder, as my apathetic mask broke under the massive wild grin that etched itself upon my lips, while my wrathful gaze morphed into one of sadistic pleasure, as I replied amusedly "I see, but if that's true, then who are those behind you?

Are they related to us as well?"

"Wha...?!" Zadkiel confusedly muttered, as he turned around to gaze upon the arrogant nobles he always pranced around with, only to then remember that he brought them with him in a show of power and prestige to intimidate both the other nobles and myself.

But he couldn't exactly say that, so quickly thinking of a reasonable answer he said haughtily "I merely wanted to introduce them to you, since I have judged them all to be men of great loyalty and merit."

"Men of great loyalty and merit?" I ask mockingly, as I looked at the men who physically imbodied the meaning of the word 'corrupt'.

"Indeed. But you simply misunderstood my good will, my dear nephew." Zadkiel confidently replied, as he flashed a contemptuous smirk at me, believing himself to have regained the upper hand, oh how wrong he was!