After-fight Party

In a matter of days, the army led by Prince Arshakein finally arrived at the royal capital. The soldiers dispersed after being welcomed by Prince Arshakein. But tomorrow morning they all had to attend a palace banquet to celebrate their victory.

"Lord Ron." A soldier gestured, inviting the elderly man to join him at their favorite spot.

Ron whistled and directed his horse to follow the young men to a brothel. It had been a long time since he had visited. It was his favorite place, and he would be very disappointed if the kingdom had shut down the brothels. Even in his old age, Ron remained steadfast in his belief that he was a formidable man.

"Come, Uncle Ron. I have plenty of money, don't worry about your choice."

"You seem excited, Quanes." Ron shook his head in amusement, the man was exactly like him, very excited.

Quanes just laughed. They entered the building with the inside full of glittering oil lamps, the small flames emitting various colors illuminating the walls and ceiling of the building.

"Sweet spice mussels, honey toast, and a full bottle of wine, Miss. Don't underfill the bottle," Quanes shouted at the waitress.

"You're still alive, Quanes. I wonder what motivated you to be so strong. Is it because your bird is still functioning properly?" said the waitress who was very familiar with him. Quanes' laughter erupted even though the insult was very indecent for a warrior. But Quanes' brain took it as a compliment.

The excitement never waned in the hidden establishment, where various activities to fulfill desires were always presented in a tantalizing manner. Ron and Quanes ordered one bottle of tuak for each person at the large table. They needed to fill their stomachs first before satisfying their lust.

Despite its powerful military forces, Seodurnag was still grappling with chaos. Unending wars, corrupt official behavior, the lavish style of the palace elite, and course rampant poverty.

The capital's poor residents like Quanes loved to spend time in brothels. Occasionally they worked as porters in the market when there was no military training scheduled. This habit had been passed down for generations and no one considered it a problem.

"Where's the money, Quanes?" whispered Ron after seeing the young man pay for all their orders.

Quanes just smiled wryly, the answer already meaning that Quanes had just pickpocketed or stolen, probably before they left for the battlefield. Ron didn't blame or judge what the young man had done. A crime was not a crime until the perpetrator was apprehended by the authorities.

"Time to have some fun, gentlemen." Quanes exclaimed, raising his cup. The other patrons raised their glasses or cups in appreciation of Quanes' welcome.

Upon arriving at the heavily guarded gate, Prince Arshakein grunted, the capital was still the capital, nothing had changed from before he left this place. He rushed to the palace to meet his beloved mother.

"Pay your respects to His Royal Highness the Prince." The guards called out as he passed by.

The next morning, a feast to celebrate their victorious war was hosted. The soldiers and some regional officials under the Seodurnag kingdom gathered, as well as the nobles.

"His Highness the Crown Prince enters the room." The call made everyone stand up to salute, and Prince Arshakein who had arrived earlier was no exception.

"How are you, Little Brother? I heard that you were besieged, but it turns out that you still returned safely. You're doing great." Prince Shankarein said as he took a seat beside her.

"Thank you for your flattery, Your Highness." Prince Arshakein replied formally.

Prince Shankarein said nothing more at his brother's cold response. Neither did Prince Arshakein, he did not bother to act familiar with his brother in public.

"His Majesty King Meghalodein enters the room." Finally, the most awaited person entered the room, which meant the feast was about to begin.

King Meghalodein delivered his speech and thanked all the soldiers who fought on the battlefield. Thunderous applause and cheers echoed in the giant room. The king seemed satisfied with this achievement, his troops were once again victorious on the battlefield against Gordeganemian.

After many words, King Meghalodein unfortunately did not thank or congratulate his second son, Prince Arshakein, the commander who had led his soldiers. Prince Arshakein had grown accustomed to this; his father never acknowledged his efforts.

"Before our feast begins, do you have anything to say about our beloved country?" said the King.

"Your Majesty." Someone stood up and asked for permission to speak. The King said yes, and with a dignified look on his face, he waited for the man to say something.

"I express my gratitude for our victory on the battlefield against Gordeganemian. I am pleased with the victory, as it directly demonstrates our strength in the eyes of the world.

"On the other hand, I would just like to express my concerns that our commoners may also feel." The man paused for a moment and further piqued the curiosity of the people in the vast room.

"What are you concerned about?" asked King Meghalodein as the man did not continue.

"Human trafficking still occurs secretly within our kingdom, Your Majesty," the man reported.

"Hmm, that is indeed very difficult to overcome. As long as it does not harm us, let it go for the time being." King Meghalodein responded as if what one of his subordinates said was not a serious matter.

"The others?" asked the King lazily.

"In certain regions of our province, frequent fuel shortages persist. Nearly all the fuel is allocated for wartime purposes. Isn't that right, Lord Bromenius?" said the man as he turned to a governor. Bromenius looked surprised when the man suddenly dragged him.

"Yes, it is." Bromenius replied with a doubtful face, but the man insisted on hiding it.

Prince Arshakein frowned as he detected irregularities in this conversation. But he chose to listen to everything until the end. He did not want to care about the irregularities, because it should be the task of his brother, Prince Shankarein.

As per his father's will, Prince Shankarein was to focus on government, and corrupt and arbitrary officials were one part of it.

If there were issues with fuel distribution, it should have been Prince Shankarein's responsibility to address them. Because not all fuel was included in the war budget.

With no other opinions or questions raised, the feast commenced. The clinking of cutlery and the sound of soy sauce filled the room. The soldiers seemed to be enjoying the palace banquet, they ate heartily. Prince Arshakein sighed with relief seeing the soldiers happy, as they had been his constant companions more so than the members of the royal family.

"Your Majesty. Diplomats of Gordeganemian is here," whispered one of the guards interrupting the King.

Prince Arshakein could hear, to his surprise, that his father allowed them in at this very moment. Even though they were in the middle of feasting on the defeat of the prospective guests.

***