Read Novel Full Chapter 574: A Conversation with Grandfather
Chapter 574: A Conversation with Grandfather
Nolan and Ryuuten walked toward a special room for tea.
The room wasn’t particularly large—just enough to accommodate four people.
It was similar to the room where Mikazura was, but it looked more luxurious.
Inside, there was a small table, two cushions, and a tea set consisting of a teapot and two green cups.
Nolan sat on the right side, while Ryuuten sat opposite him. Neither of them spoke. Ryuuten began brewing tea in the teapot.
His movements were slow and calm, like the gentle flow of a stream.
When he finished, Ryuuten poured the tea into the two cups in front of him.
He handed one cup to Nolan and kept the other for himself.
"Drink," he said.
Nolan nodded, took the cup, and sipped it slowly.
A bitter yet faintly sweet taste touched his tongue. His eyes widened slightly as the tea left a unique aftertaste.
"What kind of tea is this?" Nolan asked curiously.
Since arriving in Hinode, he had grown to love tea. Before that, he had preferred coffee.
The tea on the eastern continent tasted incredibly unique and delicious.
It was as if every tea leaf grown here possessed a subtle magic that made anyone who drank it feel at ease.
"This is a special tea obtained from a distant mountain in the south of the eastern continent," Ryuuten explained calmly. "It is called Three-Color Tea Leaves. It is very difficult to obtain, and it is usually used for worshiping the sun god."
Nolan was surprised again. He had never heard of Three-Color Tea Leaves, but he believed his grandfather when he said they were difficult to obtain.
However, the taste was indeed exceptional—surpassing every tea he had ever tasted.
"Is it really okay to use these tea leaves for me? Isn’t that too excessive?" Nolan asked, staring at the tea in his cup.
"Hahaha! What are you talking about?" Ryuuten laughed, waving his right hand dismissively. "Relax, kid. The Imperial Family has plenty of these tea leaves, so you don’t need to worry."
His words made Nolan feel relieved. Since they had only just met, he still felt awkward and a little uncomfortable speaking too bluntly.
"By the way, how have you been? Have you faced any difficulties? And I heard you have a twin sister. Her name is Elina, right? Why isn’t she with you?"
Ryuuten fired off a barrage of questions, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The corners of Nolan’s mouth twitched, but he wasn’t angry. If his father had said something like that, he would have replied, "Old man, can you ask one question at a time?"
But the person in front of him was his maternal grandfather. It was their first meeting, and Nolan wanted to leave a good impression.
Sipping his tea, Nolan replied, "I’m fine, Grandfather. As for Elina, she’s currently in the empire. She couldn’t come because she has something very important to do. Actually, she was the one who was supposed to come, not me. And..."
Nolan began explaining everything to Ryuuten. The Eastern Emperor listened attentively.
However, when Nolan mentioned the battle for the throne, Ryuuten was stunned.
"Your sister is participating in the battle for the throne?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling. The hand holding the teacup shook slightly. "Y-You’re not joking, are you?"
The battle for the throne in the Great Velmora Empire had been famous for a thousand years.
Although the Eastern Empire of Izanagi was far from that land, Ryuuten had read many historical records about the throne battle.
Admittedly, the process was brutal. But the outcome was undeniable—the battle produced extraordinary emperors.
The Great Velmora Empire had reached its current position because of that system.
Still, in his opinion, the selection process was inhumane. Siblings fought one another, and only the strongest survived.
If something like that happened in the Eastern Empire of Izanagi, the Sun God might have grown furious and cursed the Taira clan.
"I’m not joking, Grandfather. And you don’t need to worry—Elina is fine. In this battle, only three candidates remain. First is Aldric, the first prince; second is Cedric, the second prince; and last is Adalen, the third prince. The other two princes are already... dead," Nolan explained emotionlessly. "Right now, Elina has the upper hand, and I’m on her side. You can relax."
Ryuuten felt relieved, though not completely. Elina and Nolan were the grandchildren he had longed for.
If it weren’t for Yuki’s stubbornness, he would have brought them to this empire long ago.
"Thank goodness..." Ryuuten sighed softly. "I understand. I won’t interfere with your decisions. However, if you encounter any difficulties, this empire will always be open to you."
"Thank you, Grandfather." Nolan smiled, appreciating his open-mindedness.
The two continued their conversation, gradually strengthening their bond.
After all, it was their first time meeting in person. It was only natural that Ryuuten seemed especially excited.
"By the way, Grandfather, I just remembered something," Nolan said as he sipped his tea. "Can you tell me what happened to my mother? Why did she become a geisha and even give up her status as a princess?"
By common sense, it was impossible for someone to willingly give up their status, dignity, and position just to become a figure looked down upon by many.
Geisha, although not prostitutes, were still often looked down upon and did not have a good reputation in society.
But his mother had chosen that path, and it still confused him to this day.
Upon hearing the question, Ryuuten sighed deeply and gave a wry smile.
"Your mother was very stubborn, my dear," he replied in a heavy tone. "Unlike Kaede, who was obedient and gentle, she was more tomboyish and driven by curiosity. I don’t remember exactly when, but she once said she wanted to become a geisha. You can imagine how shocked I was at the time, right?"
A helpless look appeared in his eyes.
Nolan chuckled softly and nodded.
"I can imagine," he replied lightly.
"I was furious at the time. But the girl was so stubborn and often ran away from the palace. Since leaving her alone could put her in danger, I eventually sent an envoy to one of the most famous geisha houses in the capital and asked them to train Yuki. Of course, I also instructed them to protect her and ensure nothing bad happened to her."
His expression showed both anger and determination, making Nolan unable to hold back his smile.
"Then one day, Emperor Ragan came to the capital to discuss cooperation with me. Somehow, he ended up at the geisha house where Yuki was staying, and the two of them fell in love. After that, you already know the rest," Ryuuten continued with a quiet sigh.
It wasn’t that he disapproved of their marriage, but in his opinion, with Yuki’s status, she should have been able to become queen, not merely a concubine.
Unfortunately, Yuki had already fallen too deeply in love with Ragan and ignored all his warnings.
Nolan listened in silence. Lowering his head slightly, he murmured, ’Something feels strange. It doesn’t make sense...’