The next day.
Doma City, Royal Palace Castle.
Inside the resplendent grand hall, a magnificent banquet was underway, as if celebrating the repelling of the Roberts Legion's attack and welcoming Cross's arrival.
Attendants and maidens filed in, each carrying silver platters laden with various delicacies, placing them on the long tables lining both sides. At the front of the hall stood a champagne tower, two people tall, with hundreds of crystal goblets filled with an orange-hued wine.
Musicians played beautiful, soft music, and a hundred or so nobles, socialites, and wealthy merchants attended in their finest attire.
Some gathered, conversing loudly, while others embraced and danced in the ballroom. Only Cross was an outlier; not only was he wearing his Marine justice coat, but he was also tucked away in a corner, heartily enjoying the Bion Kingdom's cuisine, completely oblivious to the gazes of those around him.
Curiosity, doubt, disgust, hatred... glances filled with various emotions were abundant, yet varied.
"Captain Cross, it seems you're not quite accustomed to this environment!"
Suddenly, Duke Attawa, wearing a golden crown and a magnificent European-style robe, approached, a beaming smile on his face, holding a crystal goblet filled with champagne.
"In a place where hostility is rampant, I'd say I'm quite accustomed!" Cross shrugged, unconcerned.
As he finished speaking, Cross noticed a stern-faced middle-aged man following Duke Attawa. The man was entirely enveloped in a hooded black velvet cloak, with only his feet, clad in black Martin boots, visible.
"Please forgive them, they're not just targeting you!" Duke Attawa said with a slight apology, then introduced, "This is Count Uzair Lart, the Inspector General of the Bion Kingdom!"
"Good day, Count Lart!"
"Good day, Count Cross!"
Cross politely greeted him, and the other man politely responded. But Cross noticed that the man addressed him as 'Count Cross,' not 'Captain Cross,' clearly indicating that this Inspector General of the Bion Kingdom only acknowledged his noble status, not his Marine captain rank.
"Aniki, is this the 'Star of the Marines' you spoke of?"
Suddenly, a woman of cold beauty approached. Her captivating, emerald-green eyes scrutinized Cross, and her voice, slightly magnetic, held a hint of curiosity.
She wore a white, floral-wreath-like circular headpiece. Her long, sky-blue hair reached her waist, and she was dressed in a jadeite-green puffy dress adorned with white leaf patterns. Her slender, delicate feet wore black high heels, perfectly accentuating her figure. Coupled with her slightly noble demeanor and her aloof, mature beauty, she quite suited Cross's aesthetic.
"Indeed, this is Captain Amphitrite Cross, known as the 'Star of the Marines,' and also a Count of the Tobias Kingdom in the North Blue." Duke Attawa quickly introduced, "This is my sister, Countess Doma Shanna. She is 30 years old and unmarried!" As he said this, he deliberately winked at Cross, as if hinting at something.
"Hello, Count Cross!"
"Good day, Princess Shanna. Your beauty is like the brightest morning star in the heavens!"
Cross quickly put down his food, wiped the food residue from his mouth with a white cloth, then elegantly took her extended hand and kissed her wrist. It was a perfect hand-kiss, which further solidified the belief in Cross's noble status.
"You flatter me too much. I've heard that Princess Lorraine of the Targichin Kingdom and Princess Scarlett of the Dressrosa Kingdom are the truly beautiful ones!" Princess Shanna of the Bion Kingdom, who held the title of 'Countess,' chuckled softly and said humbly.
"You're too modest, Princess Shanna. Perhaps they are beautiful, but you are more beautiful!" Cross released her hand, sincerely flattering her.
"You're quite good at charming women, aren't you!" Shanna inquired, "Have many girls told you similar things?"
"Oh~ Heaven's honest truth, I'm just speaking plainly!" Of course, Cross wouldn't admit it, feigning a complaint.
"Hehe~ Is that so!" Shanna covered her mouth, chuckling softly, and blinked her captivating eyes, giving Cross a somewhat alluring sidelong glance.
Suddenly, just as Cross and Shanna's conversation was progressing rapidly, a somewhat cynical voice, full of disdain, cut in: "Aniki! Imouto! Are you sure he's a Marine Captain? To me, he looks more like a smooth-talking playboy!"
Upon hearing this voice, Duke Attawa and Princess Shanna's expressions visibly changed, though it was fleeting and well-hidden. However, it didn't escape Cross's notice; he caught the fleeting look of disgust on both their faces.
Cross turned to see a handsome young man walking out from the crowd, his face full of unruly arrogance. He wore a black cowboy hat adorned with yellow fur, a yellow cape, a white shirt and trousers embroidered with gold thread, and brown Martin boots.
Similarly, a man followed behind him: a 56-year-old hawk-nosed elder with half-black, half-white hair and a slightly sinister appearance, dressed in a silver-grey ornate robe, holding a black cane.
Though somewhat unwilling, Duke Attawa still introduced him to Cross: "This is my younger brother, the Second Prince of the Bion Kingdom, Doma..."
"My name is Doma Mankervis, you can call me Marquis Mankervis, or Prince Mankervis!" This person unceremoniously interrupted Duke Attawa's introduction, choosing to introduce himself.
"How rude, Marquis Mankervis!"
At this moment, the hawk-nosed elder admonished Mankervis, then looked at Cross with a smiling expression, saying, "My apologies, the youth are boisterous, please bear with them. I am Marquis Lierda Bashar, the First Consul of the Bion Kingdom!"
"Teacher!" Duke Attawa exclaimed respectfully upon seeing the elder.
"Teacher, this brat is just a mere Captain, not Vice Admiral Sakazuki!" Marquis Mankervis glared hostilely at Cross, speaking with displeasure.
Seeing one newcomer after another, Cross suddenly understood. These must be the two factions within the Bion Kingdom.
Duke Attawa, the Grand Prince, Princess Shanna, the Countess, and Count Uzair Lart, the Inspector General, should be the Royalist faction. Among them, Duke Attawa, as the first in line to the throne, was undoubtedly the core of the Royalist faction. Countess Shanna and Inspector General Count Uzair Lart were both supporters of Duke Attawa's ascension.
As for the Second Prince, Marquis Mankervis, he should belong to the core of the Noble faction. Marquis Lierda Bashar was a supporter of Mankervis's ascension, and his position as the First Consul of the Bion Kingdom probably meant he represented the majority of the Bion Kingdom's nobility. The goal of these nobles was likely to depose the Grand Prince and elevate the Second Prince to gain more power and interests.
Furthermore, if Cross wasn't mistaken, Duke Attawa should have the support of the Bion Kingdom's military, and even Grand General Marquis Hebrass was a supporter of the Grand Prince. Otherwise, Duke Attawa would have no way to contend with the power of the Noble faction.
This was why the two sides were evenly matched in their endless struggle, causing the Bion Kingdom to fall into chaos and thus giving the Roberts Legion an opportunity to invade.
As for both Duke Attawa and Marquis Mankervis calling Marquis Bashar 'Teacher,' it wasn't hard to understand.
Grand Prince Attawa was born first, so King Doma VII would naturally seek out a good teacher for his first heir, and Marquis Bashar, as the head of the civil officials, would certainly be the primary choice.
However, later, the Second Prince Marquis Mankervis was born, and then due to power struggles or ideological differences, Marquis Bashar supported the Second Prince Marquis Mankervis's ascension and took him on as a student.
This would then be very easy to explain.
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