“Prince Nguyen of the Neukeokmam Kingdom.”
Honestly, it took my full willpower to keep from laughing the moment I heard the name, but I somehow held it in.
Prince Nguyen naturally draped his arm over my shoulder, pulled me away from the hostages’ table, and led me toward the buffet, where food was piled high like a mountain.
“Now, since we’ve come to this grand banquet, why don’t we fill our stomachs first? The Imperial chefs’ skills are truly extraordinary, I tell you.”
Humming a tune, he picked up an empty plate and began piling it with savory smoked meats and seafood dishes.
I too picked up a plate and served myself a modest portion, quietly listening to the story he unfolded.
“It is now exactly twenty years since I came to this capital. Having arrived at fifteen, I have lived here longer than in my homeland, I suppose.”
“Twenty years… that is quite a long time.”
“That is so. Some twenty years ago, when our kingdom knelt before the hooves of the Imperial army, I, the third prince, was dragged here as a hostage. Honestly, for the first few years, I even harbored the vain hope that I might return home someday.”
Prince Nguyen smiled a bitter smile and placed a sausage on his plate.
“But when my royal father passed and my elder brother ascended the throne, he abandoned me rather than calling me home. Thanks to that, my feet are bound to this Imperial capital.”
“…….”
“Well, it was not entirely unfortunate. During that time, I fell in love with a woman from my homeland who had come to the Empire to earn money. We started a family, and I settled down here entirely, so to speak. I even have two lovely children.”
I took some lamb since it was there.
“For your information, I am a hostage in name only. In reality, I am thoroughly forgotten by both the Empire and my own kingdom. Even if I packed my bags and fled home this very moment, the Imperial bastards wouldn’t bat an eye.”
“……What do you mean by that? Isn’t it standard procedure for the Imperial army to march out and overturn a kingdom if a hostage escapes?”
“Well, I suppose that still holds true for the Prince of Sterling… but not for me.”
Prince Nguyen gave a bitter laugh and placed two lobsters on his plate.
“The current royals have become fine dogs of the Empire, zealously submitting to Imperial rule and playing the part of loyal subjects. The Empire grants such royals substantial privileges and real authority, entrusting them with regional governance. It is a situation where both sides avoid bloodshed and take what they can get. Thus, there is no reason to break that peace just because a useless hostage like me escapes.”
I nodded silently and listened to his story without a word.
Prince Nguyen, holding a plate stacked like a mountain, guided me to an empty table in the corner of the garden.
We sat across from each other and began to eat slowly.
“Prince Ian. When the Empire judges that a hostage they have brought in is useful for governing or assimilating conquered lands, they treat him quite well indeed. Just as they are doing with you now.”
“…….”
“However, the moment they judge that the hostage is no longer of any use, they ruthlessly withdraw all such treatment.”
He popped a grape into his mouth and added bitterly.
“You must have already realized, but the Empire takes hostages merely as a historical custom. No one in the Imperial family actually expects that keeping a single hostage will prevent vassal states from rebelling. The defeated nations likewise simply cut their losses by tossing one useless son to the Empire.”
“Then wouldn’t it be easier for the Imperial family to simply kill or expel them? What is the reason for keeping them alive?”
“It is for appearances. There is no need to kill a hostage and incite the sympathies of the vassal state populace or turn public sentiment against them. They simply keep them alive and thoroughly neglect them. From the kingdom’s standpoint, even as they squeeze their people dry to pay tribute to the Empire, they can claim that they too are doing their part by sending a royal to the Empire. It becomes a good justification for both sides. In the end, only we bleed.”
“By what means do they neglect them… to reduce the people at that table to such a state?”
I asked, recalling the other hostages I had seen earlier devouring food like beasts.
Prince Nguyen’s expression darkened.
“Well, they do not exactly abuse them. They simply cut off entirely the minimum funds needed to maintain one’s dignity, as well as all monetary support. All privileges enjoyed as royalty are stripped away. The problem is that most of the royals dragged here are so-called discarded trash, far removed from the line of succession.”
He let out a long sigh.
“From the start, they never received proper royal education or scholarly learning in their homeland. They are people who have never worked a day in their lives, merely consuming what was given to them. What happens when such people are trapped in the heart of the expensive Imperial capital and even their financial support is cut off? They become nothing but beggars. Born with blue blood and raised with privilege all their lives, they know nothing but how to breathe.”
“……Good heavens.”
“In my case, by some stroke of luck, I have a remarkable talent for cooking my homeland’s rice noodle soup. Together with my wife, I opened a small rice noodle shop in a back alley of the capital and make a modest living. It seems to suit the Imperial bastards’ palates quite well, so business is always good, but the prices and rent are so high that little is left over—more’s the pity.”
Prince Nguyen smiled sadly and pointed again to the hostages at that table.
“But those seated there are poor souls without even such meager talents. To avoid starving to death, they perform manual labor at construction sites, butcher pigs, or do odd jobs in the back rooms of taverns—anything and everything to survive. Ah, try this. It is a dish from my homeland, and it is delicious.”
“What is this?”
“Fried rice.”
“…It’s fragrant.”
It looked like something strange had been sprinkled on top, so I took one spoonful and stopped.
“At least such work is honest, but there are quite a few who abandon all dignity. Some crawl their way into becoming concubines or playthings for high Imperial nobles. If even that fails, they sell their bodies—though fortunately, I have rarely seen anyone fall that far.”
“……If life is that miserable, one would think some would choose suicide instead.”
At my question, Prince Nguyen shook his head and set down his fork with a clack.
“That is precisely the most vicious part of the Imperial bastards. They will never tolerate a hostage taking his own life. The Imperial Intelligence Bureau’s surveillance network usually keeps its distance as if absent, but if someone tries to hang himself or drink poison, they appear like ghosts and forcibly revive him.”
“Surely there are ways to die instantly. Stabbing oneself in the throat, for instance…”
“The Intelligence Bureau mages are incredibly skilled, I tell you. Unless one is already dead, they will save even a person on the brink of death by any means necessary. We are nothing more than immortals, stripped even of the freedom to die, doomed to wander the capital and live in squalor forever.”
“…….”
“And yet, how truly deceitful they are. Once a year, during the social season, they invite these poor souls to the Imperial Palace and treat them like royalty for several days, piling up delicious food and fine drink like mountains.”
Nguyen took a sip of wine.
“It is, of course, far from respect. It is closer to mockery. But… those who starve the rest of the year have no choice but to come, even knowing that. It is the only day they can eat their fill of delicious food. Why would one refuse good food and fuss over such worthless pride? I too come here with such feelings.”
“……”
“Well, no matter how you look at it, Imperial food is delicious.”
His calm confession made a corner of my heart feel heavy.
“Then the reason they were so hostile toward me earlier…”
“Is it not obvious?”
Prince Nguyen smiled gently.
“The Empire finished its southern conquest with Sterling Kingdom. When they said they would bring its prince as a hostage, the hostages here were inwardly delighted. Sterling is neither particularly powerful nor important, so they thought another poor comrade would soon join them in misery. Ah, do not take it poorly. I meant no insult to Sterling Kingdom.”
“It is not wrong, so I do not mind. But it seems I am being treated better than expected.”
“Indeed. Far from being abandoned, Prince Ian is receiving unusually favorable treatment. The expensive evening wear you are wearing today speaks for itself, does it not? How many days would those royals working manual labor have to toil to buy such clothes?”
Prince Nguyen patted my shoulder lightly.
“They live like beasts at the bottom, while you, a hostage from the same defeated nation, are mingling with Imperial royalty. How great must their jealousy and sense of deprivation be? They must hate you tremendously.”
“……I understand.”
“They do not truly hate you, Prince Ian. Please regard their resentment… as the grumbling of the pitiful. I ask this on their behalf.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you, Prince Ian. If you ever have time, come visit my shop. I shall treat you to a special bowl with plenty of cilantro.”
Prince Nguyen showed a good-natured smile, revealing teeth as white as rice noodles.