Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 213: Emperor's day

How boring, thought the Emperor of Romelia, the Protector and Guardian of the West, as he sat slouched in his chair, one leg swung lazily over the other. His gaze drifted aimlessly around the study, bouncing from the tapestry on the far wall to the flickering candle beside him, anywhere but on his tutor, Frovius, who droned on with undisturbed enthusiasm. The old man's voice was a relentless hum, a monotone river of words that Mesha had long since tuned out.@@novelbin@@

"Now, contrary to popular belief," Frovius continued, squinting over the tops of his spectacles, "during the Red Plague, the ruling House of Estius was not, in fact, completely extinguished in the male line. It seems some of their male relatives had taken up the church as their calling, and due to their noble blood, they were allowed an exemption from the standard penance requirements of the time. Meaning they were still eligible to have kids and so they cou—"

Mesha's mind wandered even further, his eyes glazing over. Frovius had been going on for what felt like an eternity about the genealogies and intrigues of the previous ruling houses whose names were all that remained, as hollow and dusty as the books lining the walls of the study. The tutor's passion for forgotten facts was unwavering, and yet the more Frovius rambled, the less Mesha found himself able to grasp any of it. He stifled a yawn, wondering how many years would pass before Frovius realized that the old names and dead bloodlines stirred no fire within him, even if those were that of his ancestors.

Mesha's thoughts were interrupted by a damp, cool sensation on his hand. Glancing down, he saw his loyal hound, Hadrin, nudging his hand with a wet nose, a pair of amber eyes gazing up at him with quiet affection. Mesha couldn't help but smile, his fingers running over the dog's thick fur, scratching gently under his chin where Hadrin loved it most. The hound leaned into his hand, his tail thumping softly against the floor in contentment, which however caused the old tutor to notice his ward's lack of attention.

"Your grace" came the sharp voice of his tutor, cutting through his brief moment of reprieve. Mesha's head snapped up, catching Frovius's raised eyebrow. "Are you listening? Can you tell me what I was just saying about the House of Estius?"