Hollywood Zenith

It was a brief exchange other also noticed it; I also saw the man looking proudly at me.

I exchanged small talk before dinner was served. I also looked toward others; Oscar was managing it with Karoline. He also noticed my gaze, but I signaled that I was okay.

The dinner looked delicious; Fumihito, sitting beside me, took it upon himself to explain it.

Kaiseki was the course's name, a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. The term also refers to the collection of skills and techniques that allow the preparation of such meals and is analogous to Western haute cuisine; Haute or grande cuisine is the cuisine of "high-level" establishments, gourmet restaurants, and luxury hotels. Haute cuisine is characterized by meticulous preparation and careful presentation of food at a high price.

The preparation of both of these dishes was vastly different, but they were focused on similar concepts. But where Kaiseki was different in that it also consisted of essential dishes which could be polished to perfection, whereas the other cuisine was centered around expensive ingredients.

The tray consisted of several dishes pressed together, and I found out that most of them were appetizers and there would be several more rounds.

Emperor noticed my expression, watching me conversing with his son earlier. He explained--

" Kaiseki is a type of art form that balances food taste, texture, appearance, and colors. Only fresh seasonal ingredients are used and prepared in ways that aim to enhance their flavor, and local ingredients are also often included. Finished dishes are carefully presented on plates that are chosen to enhance both the appearance and the seasonal theme of the meal."

You could see dishes are beautifully arranged and garnished, often with real leaves and flowers and edible garnishes designed to resemble natural plants and animals.

" There really are dried leaves and other garnishes present; I guess they are celebrating fall with these dishes." I thought.

One of the servers began to explain the dishes.

We were served an assorted tempura – maitake mushroom, ginkgo sweet potato, Japanese pepper with lemon, and charcoal salt.

The roast duck breast with special wasabi sauce was cooked with a juicy, rosy medium. I was not too fond of the taste of wasabi; it made my face distort, and everyone found it amusing, so I left it alone.

There were more dishes like Soba Sushi Rolls.First, we dipped the soba sushi roll into the tsuyu, a kind of sauce, and topped it with some spring onion.

Emperor saw me enjoying the food and nodded with satisfaction.

" The finest kaiseki meals are an expression of both time and place.

The Chef who prepared the meal today owns a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Kyoto prefecture; he would comb the surrounding forest and river for ingredients, including wild plants and herbs, daily.

Most of the produce came from our farm, situated approximately 13km northeast of central Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture. It is far but has a massive plot of land for different purposes. "

Emperess added further--

" Most of our food came from arable farming and stock breeding, which includes rearing of riding horses and carriage horses for the Imperial Family and for the Court functions, raising other livestock and poultry, and producing such as milk, meat, and eggs for the use of the Imperial Family and domestic and foreign guests.

The foraged ingredients -- like the purple shiso flower that blooms in mid-summer -- must match the atmosphere, their flavors reminiscent of a particular season."

" Wow, sounds complicated," I asked.

Fumihito contradicted my statement.

" Kaiseki meals were originally much simpler.

A set consisted of meshi, which is steamed rice, shiru, a soup, and mukozuke, which are side dishes. These dishes were for easier digestion before consuming something like sashimi.

The first rule was to have a little bit of rice and soup to warm up the stomach.

Then sake would be served, followed by the sashimi. But this centuries-old practice has always welcomed new techniques and innovations. You cannot drink alcohol yet, but you should try the whole menu when you grow up a little. "

Seeing the Emperor and his son in close conversation with me alerted the other party.

I didn't know what they would do, but they couldn't openly attack with the presence of the head of the family. Not everyone but the old man and the man beside him had a firm standing inside the family.

As dinner progressed, the other party began to show displeasure; they were repeatedly bullying the workers and ordering the same dishes. They were still not talking to me, and I ignored their antics.

" Boy, you forgot to introduce yourself. Don't you know how to respect your elders? " The old man asked.

" Oh, I thought everyone knew me. But I guess some people are ignorant. " I took a slight jab which made him change expressions.

" I already know, but you should do it in person. Didn't your family teach you this? Well, I expected too much. " The man beside him interjected.

" Well, what can you expect from a 'child' ? They should enjoy playing, not acting like an 'adult.' It would help if you learned some discipline, boy. "The old man said with a mocking tone.

" He is clearly egging me on. " I thought. I was going to reply, but Naruhito spoke before me.

" As elders, we must guide the young, not mock them. Samuel, this is my Uncle Kenji and his son Isamu. Now as you are acquainted, we should focus on food. " Naruhito said in a calm tone, but his message was clear. As the first in the line of succession, he had to have leadership qualities.

The old man grumbled; they were clearly instigating conflict, and pushing more would give Emperor to intervene or a chance to retaliate.

" Just you wait. I will make you pay for this. Both of you! " Kenji thought, but his son, on the other hand, was fuming.

Other branch elders were also looking at the duo mockingly, which made Isamu more angry.

" This little shit is always looking down on me. Fuck, I will have to do something. " He thought.

Their plan was ruined because of me, and it looked like he was not going down without a fight in front of everyone.

" Liar," He muttered, but people close to him heard it, including the princes.

" What do you say?" The crown prince asked but later confirmed it again.

" Liar, He is a liar! And you protecting him like this?" He exclaimed.

I cut his rant, " I don't need anyone protecting me; besides, that's a big accusation. I don't need to tell you about the consequences, right? " I was fed up with their bullshit and asked him outright.

" What did you say? Are you threatening me right now? Is that how you 'stole' the Sword too? Huh?"

" Whatever, I don't care about it. Someone gifted me the 'Sword' that belongs to him. Are you that person? No right. Are you questioning their decision?" He flinched, but before he could see anything,

Empress convened.

" My, my, Isamu. It would be best if you did not yell at the dinner table. "

" But he threatened--" before he could utter a single word, a slap resounded inside the hall. By this time, Oscar and others were also worried about the situation. Oscar was ready if it got out of hand, but he trusted our hosts. My presence also prevented him from doing something unnecessary.

Old man Kenji slapped his own son, which surprised me.

" I am sorry on his behalf. I will discipline him later." He stood, bowed slightly, and dragged his son outside the hall. Everyone stared at his back, it was an unexpected situation, but it evoked a fury of discussion and murmurs inside the room.

" Old man is smart; I could have trapped him and humiliated him more if it had gone on for a few more minutes. He gave a half-ass apology and dragged the culprit outside to contain the situation. I need to be careful; they will definitely look to trouble me in the future." I thought.

Emperor calmed everyone down with a few words, and there were no more disturbances for the rest of the night.

After dinner, while we were preparing to sleep, Oscar visited me. I talked with him; he had already made up with the rest and looked happy too.

" You bounced back fast? Did something happen?" I asked.

" Yes, I don't know, but I begin to see hope again after all these years."

" I can understand. But we will have some problems once we return."

" Yeah, but at least I have something to look forward to. Iblis also calmed down, and I can't shake this feeling of connection between us. "

" Well, with everything that has happened today, It is normal. You discovering that Iblis might be your sister is a big deal."

" I know, but It will not be easy. I also have to find out about my mother's traces. I need to know if she is alive. And Karoline too, I don't--"

I cut him off, " Don't worry. You are already family, I am sure your father and others will support you. Besides you also have so many friends, David is also there. So, we could plan to resolve her situation. "

" I know, but I don't want to bring up my mess to them. With that being said, It could lead to another underground war between both families." He was still unsure about it.

" You have me. I know it is hard to believe in me, but I have some ideas to help us avoid another such incident."

He wanted to ask, but I stopped him.

" No, first, we have to prioritize what happened here. We also have a long week ahead of us."

He nodded.

" He is an extraordinary child. I feel like I am taking advice from someone older than me." Oscar thought.

He left to inform David and others about the dinner incident. We were sure they would not try anything in their backyard but outside was a free zone. We have to be prepared.

" I am also tired; tomorrow is a big day. I need to get some sleep." I thought as I headed toward the bed.

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