Chapter 23: Duet.

Chapter 23 - Duet."Being a simple sailor I can't compete with the exquisiteness of the minister of justice, who last year surprised everyone with the party of the century. And most likely no one can nor will, at least not for a decade or two."

During the lengthy speech Newman had complimented basically everyone at the main table, and it was time to say something nice about Clair Ironfist.

Obviously he couldn't praise her looks, but she was still satisfied and happily blushed, and waved towards the maritime minister, acknowledging the compliment. Last year's New Year celebration was a great success, and she spent a fortune to make sure it went that way.

After spouting a bunch of nonsense, Newman was finally about to end his speech. He said, "We all have our own strengths and tonight I'll allow my humble self to show off mine, letting you sample the best sea delicacies there are in the world! But before that, let us raise our glasses and wish our beloved Emperor all the best! Thank you, Your Majesty, for taking care of us!"

Lee was surprised to see the emperor standing up and gulping down the wine, but his guess was that the current informal event was some kind of tradition. And even though everyone still sucked up to the Imperial Majesty, the man felt more approachable than ever.

The next part came as another surprise. Newman wasn't bragging for nothing, and turned out to be a true gourmet. While the soup and afterwards the cutlets the servants rushed to serve, looked rather plain, they were delicious to the point no one said a word during the meal.

Only the host quickly clarified the soup being made from some rare turtle, and the main dish from the liver of the same waletaur whose bones were used to decorate the place.

Lee easily wolfed down his portions and began to eye Drevin's, who for some reason was the only one present to not even sample any of the dishes. He continued to drink though, but luckily did it in silence. The argument with his brother also was over, since Lance pretended to ignore him, and similar to Lee, focused on the meal.

Just when Lee started to wonder what kind of exotic dessert he was about to experience, servants cleaned the tables, brought large amount of alcohol and snacks, and the actual party could finally begin. According to Tess this was the moment the members of the younger generation would perform, and two of them, Cecil Ironfist and Helen Newman, already rushed towards the stage without an invitation.



Helen, assuming the role of the hostess, said, "Dear guests! Finally it's time for the best part of the evening, and as you have guessed, I and Cecil will sing for you, as always. Unfortunately, we've been told we have become too old and no longer count as a part of the younger generation, thus this will be our last public performance."

While murmurs of amusement and some of displeasure were heard at both tables, Cecil added with a straight face, but blushing beet red, "Our last song is dedicated to the most important man in the world!"

Afterwards the two sat right down on the stage, and servants brought over a couple of rather large string instruments which Lee saw for the first time. He wasn't a big expert of music, but one didn't have to be one to enjoy the two young women singing.

Neither of them had Victoria's voice, but it didn't matter because both had a strange synergy that was further accentuated by the instruments they played. The crowd gladly enjoyed the love song, clearly understanding that the most important man in the world it was dedicated to wasn't actually the emperor.

His Majesty didn't mind either, and watched the two beauties perform, with a wide smile across his face.

Only three people weren't moved by the song. Victoria, but Lee's guess was that it was because she was a cold-hearted bitch, Ian Foxson, who after the meal went back to meditation right next to the stage, and Drevin, who relentlessly kept emptying one glass after another as if he had a bladder of an elephant.

Lee found Drevin's behavior slightly odd, even though he was already half wasted. While it was fine for him to argue with his brother, this was his sister on the stage along with another pretty girl. At least the common courtesy required to wait until the performance was over, and then go back to drinking and snorting.

But then the revelation struck Lee. The two girls on the stage, not only had the mysterious synergy. They looked so similar they could be sisters! And the more Lee looked, the more confident he became they actually were! The pretty Cecil looked so different from her tall and thin sister Kris, one had to think they surely had different fathers.

Lee glanced at the Minister of Justice, Claire Ironfist, then at the Maritime Minister Newman, and caught their eyes meeting for a split moment, and didn't need another proof. Obviously, whether they had a love affair more than twenty years ago or not, didn't really matter to him, but the fact that the two sisters raised by two different mothers fell for the same man was amusing.

Meanwhile Mark Hardwood was oblivious to the funny conclusion Lee just came to, and happily watched his two lovers sing. He wasn't bothered by what the other people thought, and with his strength, he had the right to have such mindset. And even though like every year he soon had to get on the stage himself, he wasn't worried about it, and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

'What a guy!' Lee sighed to himself, 'If I didn't have to kill him, I would actually envy his ability to have those two on regular basis! What a life to ...'

Lee didn't finish the thought, when piercing pain assaulted his right hand. It was as if someone stabbed a hot awl through his palm, but there was no blood and no wound.

Only the strange mark that Tess couldn't figure out was there, but to Lee it wasn't strange at all. He knew that the amulet he and Lisa found back then left the imprint on his right palm, almost like a burned scar, except after every reincarnation the mark was there.



Obviously he didn't have the amulet anymore, but every time Lee glanced at the right hand, Lisa's image appeared in his mind. There was the time when all he did was to look at the mark, reminiscing about her.

It was to the point that in his second life the other gang-members laughed at him for constantly staring at his right-hand girlfriend, but even though they intended to insult him, the guys never knew how close to the truth their words were.

'Right ... Lisa ...' Lee smiled to himself, and the pain immediately vanished. He clenched his right fist a couple of times, but the hand was fine. He pondered whether the sensation a moment ago was an illusion, but the emperor's words woke up him from daydreaming.

Looking up, Lee saw His Imperial Majesty on the stage, right next to the two blushed girls. He was currently giving them presents, and jokingly complaining about stealing all spotlight. The two girls bashfully apologized, and, accompanied by cheerful applause, rushed back to the table, or rather – Mark.

"Thank you, Cecil and Helen!" The Emperor said, "I might reconsider the rule of allowing only juniors to perform. To lose a duet like yours is something the Sky Empire can't bear!"

After giggles in the audience died down, the emperor flicked his fingers, and a tall, muscular man carried approximately a foot long and wide box up to the stage. The box seemed to be made of dark wood, but clearly was too heavy for it's size.

"Now that the two vixens are gone, let us turn to the main event of the evening." The Emperor became serious, and said, "Lance, you're up!"

Lance Newman was maritime minister's second son, and Lee didn't know much about him, except the fact that the guy was on his hit list. But him becoming the main event came as a surprise to the most present. Contrary to Lee, the rest quickly guessed what this was about the moment the young man was called to the stage, though.

"Bill didn't lie when he said that our navy killed the largest waletaur ever sighted." The Emperor loudly said, "And yes, you are correct, in this box we have its spark."

While loud murmurs washed over the crowd, Lee's only hope was that the emperor would open the lid and finally show what the thing looked like.