Chapter 03: Earl Grey Tea.

A tall, calm-faced young man with graceful gestures is shown poised, holding a fishing rod, on a sheet of paper. It may be something that one could see frequently if the viewer were a student from the top-ranked art school in the Kingdom of Emmaly. His striking facial features, which are uniquely sculpted, make it easy for anyone to remember Charan Pitakthewa as the owner of the high-class art school for the elite.

In addition, he is accompanied by a young man who is the heir to the surname of an ancient noble family, known for his outstanding artistic achievements of the era, which many people admired and vied for ownership of.

Charan has risen to become the top-ranked artist of Emmaly, and many wealthy and influential people all want him to come and stay with them...

Charan has risen as the number one artist of Emmaly, whom the wealthy and numerous people all want to have in their own charity events at the end of this century. However, these wealthy people can only dream because they know in their hearts that the person in Charan's charity is currently the Sovereign-King, the leader of Emmaly.

Being under the care of the Sovereign-King makes Charan look even more elegant and distant. People know well that this artist is not an ordinary person, and meeting him does not necessarily mean having the opportunity to get closer. The wealthy and people who have invited Charan have done the most they can by sending their grandchildren to study as his disciples.

In addition, they are no different from the bees that fly around and admire the beautiful flowers in the palace garden, but cannot take them away. They are owners and admirers...

"I apologize for disturbing you, my lord."

The voice of the old butler called the tall young man who was sitting in the middle of the room drawing out of his reverie. Charan was wearing a dark blue silk bathrobe and frameless glasses, his hands stopping in the midst of painting on the canvas. He turned his head to look at the butler.

"Is there anything wrong? Normally, you wouldn't bother me at this time." the tone of his voice was flat and not tinged with any reproach, but for Nong, the old butler, he knew well that the question that had been asked was accompanied by a certain feeling.

The middle-aged man in a formal suit bowed his head slightly, showing his unease. He knew well that his current employer did not like anyone bothering him, especially when he was with his new mistress on a rainy night. It was a time to be avoided, nerves on edge, listening to the sound of the heavy rain falling and the thunder rumbling since last night until the sky cleared. Narong knew he should not be standing here, but necessity forced him to be.

There is something more important than your orders, sir.

"I apologize deeply, my lord." said the butler with a small bow and a plea for forgiveness. He did not waste any time explaining anything, just stepped aside to allow a soldier in uniform to enter. The third person bowed respectfully to Charan before loosening something from his thick hand and letting go of the artwork in his hand.

"Khun Charan... the Sovereign-King has ordered you to an audience with him." said the soldier, then smiled at each other. The young man in uniform stood up straight, arranging his body in the most polite and appropriate manner for the artist who was under the patronage of the lord.

"When do I need to go?" Charan asked back, gesturing to pick up a cloth nearby to wipe off various stains and dirt from his fingers.

"Right now..." The soldier paused for a moment, his face showing a hint of uncertainty. After a moment of thought, he spoke again. "Um, I mean within half an hour from now."

Half an hour?

Charan's eyebrows twitched as he heard this. He raised his head slightly to observe the man in front of him more closely, trying to analyze his demeanor. He discovered something about this man that was different from the familiar soldiers he had encountered before. The young man was confident in his excellent memory, but this man was not in his memory. Not only was he not in his memory, there were many things that conflicted with each other.

A high-ranking soldier, but his posture and mannerisms were like someone who had just been given the opportunity to serve. Why did they choose this man to deliver the message?

Various questions arose in Charan's mind as he carefully assessed the situation in front of him. He realized that there were many things that were abnormal. Firstly, if it wasn't important, the Sovereign-King wouldn't have commanded him to meet in the middle of the night like this. And secondly, there was no way the king would ask a stranger to come to him... unless he wanted to keep this matter a secret.

"Using ordinary people is better than using people close to you as they may become a point of contention."

"Are you new here?" Charan asked with a calm voice, while observing the conversation and noting the subtle changes in the army officer's facial expressions and the slight widening of his eyes.

"How did you find out?"

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly to show friendliness, and he shifted his gaze to the shoes of the person in front of him as he replied.

"..."

"Your shoes are still new, they don't seem to fit well. I guess you just started working here less than a week ago."

"Yes, I just started yesterday." The young soldier responded straightforwardly, seeing it as a good opportunity to make friends with the famous artist in the palace. This was a stark contrast to the listener's inner feelings.

"Have you received any other royal orders?" Charan managed to maintain his natural posture despite feeling uneasy inside.

"I have not received any specific royal orders, Khun Charan. His Majesty just smiled and said that if you asked anymore, I should tell you that 'I saw the molting cicada and it seems summer is approaching. If I had a friend to have tea with, that would be nice. Or...' That's all."

The young man lowered his gaze as he listened to the Sovereign-King's instructions, trying to analyze what he meant when he ordered the soldiers to speak out like this, and also requested that a new soldier be chosen to escort him. It was clear that he didn't want outsiders to know about the matter, but even so, he was still wary.

He chose people who were honest, easy to talk to, and kept secrets well to do this work. He had already assessed that if this matter had to leak out to others, important secrets would not spread. The window had a door and a gap. If you were not careful, it could be dangerous. On the other hand, if you were too cautious, it could also be suspicious.

'I saw the molting cicada and it seems summer is approaching. If I had a friend to have tea with, that would be nice. Or...'

The young man reflected on His Majesty's royal decree in his heart before turning his face to look outside the window. He turned to where he saw a glimpse of light through the cracks. Charan closed his eyes as the sound of rain outside became louder, and the sky grew darker until the scent of dampness permeated the entire area. The flesh in the left side of the young man's chest began to beat faster, and he started to feel a small headache, but he had to keep his composure.

Charan hated the smell of rain, the sound of thunder, the dampness, and everything related to the droplets from the sky.

In fact, His Majesty should be the person who knows best about his condition of hating the rainy weather because he is the one who has a royal umbrella to protect him every time it rains. Now, the weather outside can be said to be nothing close to the phrase "summer is coming soon". On the other hand, the real summer has already passed. Therefore, what Lord wants to convey is probably something else in that sentence.

"If so, please inform the machine room on the other side to prepare empty containers. I will prepare two types of tea myself." Charan stopped his thoughts and the leader of the family, Pitakthewa, stood up before turning to speak to the person in front of him, looking at the homeowner behind.

"I'll have a chamomile and a oolong, please, Khun Narong."

"Yes, my lord."

There is no time to wait if his assumption is true. This time, drinking tea is not just for the taste like usual...

The small door in front of the room turned and knocked on the big wooden door three times as soon as the majestic figure of the person Sovereign-King wanted to meet appeared. The other side of the door knocked back three times as a signal that someone was waiting to hear the news behind it.

"Khun Charan has arrived, sir."

"Let him come in."

Shortly after the sound from the small door inside the room ceased, the large wooden door opened and the person behind it had a calm expression, a straight posture, and raised his left hand to his chest as a sign of respect according to the protocol of the palace. Charan saw this and did the same, then bowed his head.

The greeting was not very ceremonial, and the young man followed the elder into a small, well-decorated room divided into three sub-rooms, all of which were private rooms with different decorations.

The elder led Charan to the room decorated in Eastern style, with a large bird and a panther in the corner, and antique pottery around the room. At the top of the throne in this room, the highest person in the kingdom, Lord of Emmaly, was waiting for him.

"It's just the right time. I've just had someone warm up the scones for you, sir."

Lord Emmaly raised his scepter as he stood up from his tea cup, gliding the plate towards the newcomer. The gentle sound of the strings of his lute stopped at Charan's face.

"May I receive the greatest mercy, sir." The young man respectfully kneeled down, placed his hand on his left chest, and bowed his head as he faced the lord.

"Did I ever tell you that if two people are together, they don't need formal language? Do you remember?" The speaker's voice was somewhat reproachful, and Charan was still kneeling like that. He abruptly spoke the next sentence and quickly got up.

"How can you say that? You are Grandpa's grandchild. He raised you since you were a little child. Will you Charan do the same as Grandpa or not?"

"I'm sorry, Grandpa." he apologized with a remorseful expression on his face. He walked over to the chair on the opposite side of Sovereign-King before sitting down with an unchanged manner.

"Um, it's okay. Let's talk comfortably. Talk to me, I'm sorry, if I'll be grateful if we can talk without you referring me as Your Majesty. Listening like this will make me bored. No one has spoken to me like a normal citizen for a long time. They keep talking abd if they are not apologizing then they are thanking me with His Majesty this and Your Highness that." The tall man smiled and even chuckled a bit with a relaxed attitude.

"Only you Charan can talk comfortably with me."

"Yes, and Grandpa, are you okay?" The tall body owner asked tentatively, having been well taken care of since childhood. Although Charan felt that in this situation, it was not appropriate to greet the elder with words like this, he didn't want to wait.

"I am all faded with aging... I even called you to come and have tea together..." The middle-aged man paused for a moment, feeling uneasy, as the sound of raindrops fell and collided with the outside world together with the bright light of lightning that made Charan inadvertently tense his hand without realizing it.

"..."

"I'm sorry that I have to make Charan come in the rain like this." The elderly person spoke when he noticed a person of equal status as an adopted grandson of merit with abnormal symptoms. Charan, with his lips trembling, couldn't say anything for a moment, but then he regained his composure and focused on the important matter once again.

"I heard that you wanted to have tea, so I asked Narong to prepare two cups... as always." The handsome face turned to the small pavilion standing in front of the scene with a barrier depicting a pair of hornbills, and then the two sets of tea were brought in and placed waiting for him to choose.

"Two sets as always... um, is it chamomile and Oolong tea?"

"Yes, I brought chamomile and Oolong tea... which tea do you want to drink today, grandfather?" In the eyes of others, Charan was the favorite young grandson of the lord, as he always managed everything well, from preparations that were pleasing to the eyes and in accordance with the will of the lord, to being called to attend the court frequently, which was not a strange thing.

However, that is only the outer shell... In reality, anyone would know that these two types of tea are just secret codes used for communication.

Chamomile tea means that he wants to meet to relax and talk. If the grandfather chooses to drink this tea, it simply means that he wants to meet with him to have a small chat. He wants to ask for some comfort, but if he choose Oolong tea, it means that he have a secret desire for him to do something, and of course, the orders will change according to the king needs.

"Charan... I am bored of these two teas." Lord Emmaly of the kingdom of Emmaly replied simply, causing the listener to pause.

"So be it."

"Lately, my body has not been doing well. My mouth doesn't taste much, and my nose is used to the same smell. Drinking chamomile tea doesn't help me sleep as deeply as before... but if I drinks Oolong tea, it makes my throat feel uncomfortable. Now I have some interesting tea. I want my grandchildren to try it."

The third person in the small group came in with another set of tea when he received the signal from the highest-ranking official. The person in charge of the setup placed the tea set next to the saucer and creamer cups before everyone else who was not involved left.

"Earl Grey?" The scent of fragrant oil from the kaffir lime peel stands out and for a moment, it seems to have made Charan's happiness disappear. The young man immediately asked with suspicion, but in the next moment, he was back to his old self.

"Yes, this is tea that I brought from England. I don't drink it often because it reminds me of things from when I was a child... The taste of it makes me think of old memories."

"..."

"Charan... I am very old now. My health isn't good this year. I can't go out and buy it myself, but I can't trust other people to buy it for me..."

The wrinkles around the old eyes, which were due to his age, meet the sharp gaze of the young man as he carefully analyzes everything around him, from the health of his grandfather to the quality of the tea. Although His Holiness does not have a royal decree, everyone knows this, and it is only his royal demeanor that is respected.

"Mister..." the man could cough once and the royal physicians would be running in chaos. So this was not the main objective that His Holiness had given him.

It seems like it's more about English tea.

"If grandfather trusts me, I will go and buy it for him." The intimate pronoun is used as the speaker lifts his head to look at Charan who says in a serious tone, calling forth a smile from the listener.

"Good... very good. Who could understand my heart like Charan?" The old king smiled for a moment, then lifted the cup to drink, and then became more serious. "So, get ready to leave quickly. If we are too slow, we may not be able to catch up with the situation."

"Yes, grandpa."

"I wanted for the cicada to have more time before molting... wants the summer to come late, but it probably won't happen... Nowadays, there are injuries to the roots of the Jamjuree tree we planted in the middle of the city, there are insects and parasites all over the tree... No one is there to take care of it for me... but Charan you are the only one who can be trusted."

The real order has been revealed. Charan went out and looked at the rain pouring down outside. It had been like this since the beginning of the sentence, stretching out for hours. The atmosphere around was nothing like the words "summer" and "Jamjuree tree" in the middle of the capital...

Which was a national tree and still well taken care of. Grandfather did not really mean the Jamjuree tree, and the insects and parasites were just symbols representing those who were hostile to his rule.

As for "cicada molting." This was the secret code that made him uneasy.

Charan had read the story of the life cycle of "cicada" a long time ago from a fairy tale book that the lord had given him. The lord said that "the life cycle of the cicada is one of the wonders of the world because the larvae of the cicada's live underground for a long time, from 2-17 years, until they become strong, then they dig up the soil, shed their skin, and use their lives to continue the lineage on the earth.

If that's the case... does that mean it's time?

"Don't let Tarin know about this."

There is only one important secret between Charan and the Sovereign-King that no one else knows, not even Prince-Tarin Atsawathewathin, one of the only sons of the lord and the sole heir of the Atsawathewathin family.

The secret that is associated with the important mission that Charan has been waiting for all along, "Charan, this is the duty of our Pithaktewat family. Remember that we must protect the Young Prince and protect Atsawathewathin."

The voice of his mother abruptly entered Charan's thoughts, causing him to pause for a moment before responding with a firm voice.

"Yes."

"Go find Tattanai, he is my old friend. He will offer the best tea for you to bring back here."

The scent of kaffir lime from Earl Grey tea and warmth from the heater didn't help relax the atmosphere inside Tattanai's guesthouse much, even a little. Charan hugged his knees, sitting on the sofa, staring at the white smoke rising from the Earl Grey tea cup floating aimlessly, until the second hand moved forward ten times, then raised his head to look at the person who seemed like ... the caretaker of the cicada.

"I need some time. Young-Prince is still..."

"This is an urgent matter. The Sovereign-King is ill, the foundation of Atsawathewathin is weakening. Therefore, His Majesty has the intention for me to come here to take Young-Prince back."

The weighty sentence from Charan's mouth had an impact on Tattanai's mind that should not have occurred. The middle-aged man looked down, his face drooping strangely, deviating from the happiness he used to have.

"But..."

Those strange behaviors caught the attention of Khanin, who watched them all. The young boy wandered outside and looked inside his own home, trying to listen to his father's conversation from outside, but the thick wall prevented him from hearing everything clearly. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating his actions before deciding to do something he knew was not polite to others.

Khanin intended to eavesdrop... even though he knew it was not the right thing to do.

However, the unfamiliar man who caught his attention was behaving aggressively, resembling a threat to his own father. And for sure, Khanin could not stand idly by.

The young boy sneaked into his own house through the window, using his trained light steps to quietly approach the position of the living room before stopping at a distance close enough to hear, just to observe.

"He still doesn't know anything about himself... He's just a kid."

"No matter how long it takes, someday Young-Prince will have to know who he really is, Tattanai... As you know, Young-Prince must compete as the only heir of Atsawathewathin." The strange man spoke with a firm voice.

"I know, but I need time to explain..."

"I understand how difficult it is."

Tattanai was interrupted mid-sentence by the imposing figure on the sofa. The atmosphere in the once warm and cozy guest room was now tense and uncomfortable. Khanin was confused and unable to grasp the meaning behind those strange words.

"Ι..."

"... but Khun Tattanai, you know, don't you?"

""

"Nothing changes the fact that Young-Prince Khanin is of royal blood... and you are not his true father."

The sound of the clock ticking faded away, and the air around them became icy and sharp, taking hold of their hearts.

Khanin remained still, his feet carrying him forward unconsciously. The young man stood in the middle of the room, struggling to form the hardest question he had ever asked in his life.

"What did you say?"

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***