"Elara thanks you all today. I'll drink this first cup to you. I hope that in the future, when Plumera rises to greater heights, I'll still be able to sit here and celebrate with all of you!"
As she finished speaking, Elara raised her head and drained the wine in her cup.
She didn't use the word "I" as a ruler would, and her tone was unusually soft and modest for an era that valued status and rank so highly. She had nearly placed herself on equal ground with everyone else.
This was something very few emperors of this age would do after ascending the throne. After all, this was a time when distinctions of rank were treated as a tool to maintain social hierarchy.
Even the kindest ruler knew that doing this could weaken their authority. It could blur class boundaries and lead to problems with maintaining power.
But Elara came from the future. In the modern world, she had thousands of high-level executives under her and tens of thousands of basic employees across every country. Her entire group had an enormous number of people.
She never ruled such a large company through hierarchy or power. She used clear and reasonable systems, along with her own set of principles.
The officials present had given more than the average worker from the modern world. Their sacrifices ran deeper.
Even the civil officials had risked their lives for her and Plumera.
The soldiers who had gone to battle were people Elara genuinely admired from the bottom of her heart.
After all, everyone only has one life. No matter their reason for stepping onto the battlefield, as long as they dared to go, dared to fight for Plumera with their lives, they deserved the highest honors.
They shouldn't be treated like their lives didn't matter just because of social rank. Their deaths for Plumera shouldn't be taken for granted.
Elara didn't carry that kind of rigid belief in superiority. Her upbringing and moral baseline from the 21st century made it impossible for her to think that way.
So what she said just now was sincere. If they weren't in this time period, she would have gladly interacted with them as equals and even gone into business with them.
After her words, the entire hall grew silent.
Perhaps because none of them had ever seen a ruler speak to them so sincerely and treat them as if they truly mattered.
Maybe because they'd never seen a monarch toast them before they had a chance to do so themselves.
Or perhaps because they'd never heard a ruler who could command their lives with a word instead bow their head, thank them, and praise their contributions without hesitation, saying that their support was still needed, that every single one of them was important.
For a moment, everyone froze. Even Kristof, who had just been laughing and chatting with others, fell silent.
After a while, the people seated finally came back to their senses. Then they all stood up together, gazing at her with expressions of gratitude, seriousness, or quiet respect, and deeply bowed:
"Your Majesty praises us too highly! This is what we ought to do!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! We never thought... never thought we'd ever hear such recognition from you. This is... it's too much, we can't even find the words..."
"With these words from Your Majesty, we would die without regret!"
"Your Majesty's words are touching and moving, but they're too much. Without you, we'd all have died on the streets or in prison! You're the one who gave us this life!"
Most of Elara's officials had been saved by her from desperate situations.
She gave them a second life, and they were grateful. They naturally gave back their loyalty.
Now, hearing her speak like this, some of them couldn't hold back their emotions. Their eyes reddened slightly, and their feelings for Elara and Plumera grew even deeper. They silently vowed to devote themselves even more fully in the future to serve her and their nation.
"Your Majesty, it was you who saved us! You're the true and irreplaceable leader! Without you, most of us here wouldn't be alive today!"
"Your Majesty! Plumera would still thrive without us because you'd find more capable people. But without you, even the best talents would be destroyed by chaos and treachery!"
"Your Majesty! Without you, we would be nothing. Long live the ruler! We pledge our lives to follow you!"
"Long live the ruler! We pledge our lives to follow you!!"
"Long live the ruler! We pledge our lives to follow you!!"
All the officials knelt again, bowing deeply toward Elara.
Hearing their solemn voices echoing through the hall, the sincere smile on Elara's face grew wider.
She raised her hand slightly and said warmly, "Alright, I know each of you is the most loyal subject of Plumera. Please stand. I've said what I wanted to say. The rest of the time, treat this as a family feast. Talk freely, eat freely, and relax. Don't mind me."
Only then did the kneeling officials slowly rise to their feet.
Ancient music started playing in the grand hall. As they stood up, they picked up their wine cups, calming themselves while enjoying the feast and chatting in low voices with their colleagues. Yet their eyes still drifted often toward the emperor's seat, as if that was the true center of their focus.
The strong, murky rice wine of ancient times was passed around and downed cup after cup.
The rich aroma of traditionally brewed wine gradually filled the entire grand hall.
Even though it was low in alcohol content, rice wine could still get some people drunk if they drank too much.
Elara sat on the throne and finished her toast with a few ministers whose eyes were slightly red. She looked at the dishes of plain-colored snacks on the banquet table and thought to herself that this world still lacked delicious food. She would need to find more skilled chefs and teach them more recipes. Otherwise, her palate would eventually get bored. Just then, a low laugh came from nearby.
"Your Majesty, you're making me feel both sad and happy. You clearly said this banquet was specially for me, but then you invited all the important ministers. Everything you said earlier was to them, not a single word was directed at me. I... hic... feel so heartbroken, Your Majesty~"
Kristof, holding a wine cup with a flushed face, wobbled his way over to Elara. His long legs folded beneath him, and he knelt at the side of her throne. He leaned in so close that his slim upper body nearly touched her.
Elara caught the fragrance of rice wine on him and picked up some food from the table to eat. "Kristof, looks like your tolerance isn't very good. Back when I saw you tricking people in the dungeon for food and drinks, I thought you were a wine expert."
Kristof chuckled, also recalling the moment Elara had rescued him from the dungeon in Marigold. His eyes grew darker. As he leaned in close, he pushed himself even nearer, finally pressing against her completely. His free arm, the one not holding a wine cup, naturally reached up and wrapped around her shoulder like a bold and carefree friend.
"Your Majesty, don't change the subject. I... hic... I can hold my liquor, but don't change the subject. You still haven't made it up to me. This was supposed to be my special banquet, but you invited so many people. I'm heartbroken~"
The scent of his clean skin mixed with the wine surrounded her.
Elara glanced at the arm draped over her shoulder and at Kristof's flushed, dazed face. She couldn't be bothered to argue with a drunk. Besides, this man gave off the lowest noble air of anyone she'd met, like he was used to living freely.
She looked at his reddened, handsome face. "Then what do you want?"
Kristof chuckled again and leaned even closer. "Give me some real compensation~"
"Do you want a thousand acres of good land? Or countless gold and silver?"
Kristof squinted and leaned against her with a hum. "Mmm, that's fine too, but does Your Majesty have anything else to offer?"
"A grand mansion, a big estate, many servants?"
He hummed again, still unsatisfied. "Is there anything else?"
Elara shot another look at this drunk. "Then how about a noble beauty to marry?"
Kristof frowned. "A beauty? Kristof doesn't want a beauty. Your Majesty, pick something else. Since it's compensation, at least let it be something I truly want."
Elara raised her brows. He didn't want this or that. Was he just looking for trouble under the excuse of being drunk?
She was about to warn him not to go too far.
Before she could speak, a pair of arms suddenly reached out from the side and pulled her away from Kristof's embrace, holding her tightly against another warm and broad chest.
"Kristof! You're going too far! Hugging like that in the public hall, how inappropriate!"
Oswyn had walked up behind Elara without her noticing. He pulled her away and wrapped his arms around her as he sternly glared at Kristof.
Kristof paused when he suddenly lost the person he had been hugging.
He watched Elara in Oswyn's arms, narrowed his drunken eyes, and laughed softly. "Oh, it's Young Master Oswyn. But before you criticize me, shouldn't you take a look at your own behavior? Do you even have the right to say that to me?"
Oswyn didn't loosen his grip at all. In fact, he held Elara even tighter.
He gave Kristof a heavy snort, as if declaring with his whole posture that "only I can hug her, no one else can."
Elara: "...Enough. What are you two doing? Can't you just go drink by yourselves?"