097 Birthday Gift

Among the three grand dukes whose power stood highest in the empire, the Grand Duke Thurstan had risen through the military. After the empire was established, the Thurstan family naturally became one of the foremost military houses, and through centuries of development, the foundations of their power had taken firm root in the imperial realm. Each generation’s Grand Duke Thurstan had been the family member of greatest military talent and most illustrious merit in battle. The healthy competition among the heirs to the dukedom had kept this house glorious and unshaken for hundreds of years.

What people liked best to talk about regarding the current Grand Duke Thurstan, Yarman Thurstan, was not only his valor in war and his keen decisiveness, but also his passionate, romantic devotion. Far from diminishing his prestige, such a reputation had made Yarman Thurstan, over the past two centuries, the most approachable and most beloved Grand Duke Thurstan of them all.

This year, the reigning Grand Duke Thurstan had already reached the age of seventy. For an ordinary person, such an age would have meant a leisurely retirement, a life of grandchildren and quiet ease. But for a warrior of Yarman Thurstan’s extraordinary skill, seventy was merely the beginning of life’s true prime, at most no more than middle age. Thus, though it was a milestone birthday, the Grand Duke showed no intention of making a grand affair of it. He had long since announced that he would accept no outside gifts, and on the day itself had simply gathered a few family members to celebrate together.

The Thurstan family was a large one, but only a handful could truly be counted as the Grand Duke’s intimate kin. Aside from the Grand Duke himself, the two children born of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’s love, together with their wives and children, there was only the Grand Duchess’s grandniece, Benita Aslam.

The study door stood slightly ajar, yet not one of the servants passing to and fro dared so much as glance inside. Each and every one of them behaved as though the narrow opening did not exist at all. Within the study, Yarman Thurstan stood with his back to the door before a bookshelf, searching for something. Now and then he would draw a volume out, skim through it, and return it to the shelf before pulling out another. Though he was seventy, Yarman still stood tall and straight as a pine tree, his golden hair bright and resplendent; from his appearance alone, he seemed scarcely older than forty.

In utter silence, a small head peeked through the slightly open door. Bright, clever eyes blinked at Yarman twice, and a lovely face beamed with a look of eager mischief. But before she could make any move, Yarman Thurstan, as though he had eyes in the back of his head, said, “Nini, if you need something, come in. Don’t lurk there peeping like a little thief.”

Benita was not the least bit offended at being called out. She grinned broadly and bounced into the study, skipping all the way to Yarman’s side before linking his arm and saying sweetly, “Great-uncle, happy birthday.”

Yarman closed the book in his hands, lowered his head to look at her smiling face, and said with a laugh, “A verbal blessing alone doesn’t sound very sincere.”

Benita giggled too. “The birthday present I brought for Great-uncle definitely, definitely contains my biggest, biggest heart. I know Great-uncle has surely seen every wonderful thing this world has to offer. But this time, what I’ve brought is absolutely one of a kind.”

“Oh? Then what good thing has Nini found for us to admire together?” came a voice thick with amusement from outside the study. The old and the young both turned toward the sound, and there stood the Grand Duchess Thurstan at the doorway, smiling warmly.

Benita quickly let go of the Grand Duke, ran to the Grand Duchess’s side, and threw herself into her arms with an affectionate little whine, making both elders laugh heartily.

In truth, Benita’s ability to delight the two elders so completely was inseparable from her unchanged, childlike sincerity. First, her genuine warmth toward others was naturally endearing. Second, the Thurstan couple had two sons and five or six grandsons, yet only one granddaughter, and that granddaughter was reserved, meticulous, and never given to coaxing or sweet-talk. It was hardly surprising that Benita was so dearly favored.

After a round of teasing and laughter, Benita could no longer contain her excitement. Once she had seated the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess on the sofa, she hurried out the door again, saying she was going to “show them her treasure.”

A short while later, Benita returned to the study leading a servant behind her. The male servant was carrying a roll nearly a yard high, looking very much like something made of woven cloth or tapestry.

Benita gave the two elders a playful wink. Grasping one end of the roll, she began to unspool it. As she walked, the roll slowly unfurled before them.

It was an enchanted tapestry.

At first, a monstrous sea raged under storm and thunder, with waves towering to the sky. Amid the howl of wind and rain, one could almost hear the cries and pleas of human beings mixed into the din. As the scene gradually spread open, countless sea monsters appeared in full devastation. Blood, storms, and carnage filled the eye; there could be no more fitting description.

Broken walls and ruins lay everywhere; all signs of life had withered away.

As the storm shifted and changed, the tapestry’s scene slowly transformed. Beneath the ruined city walls, the figures were no longer helpless civilians, but soldiers in battle array, surging with fighting spirit as they took ship and sailed out to sea. Most striking of all was the young general in blue battle armor aboard the flagship.

He was bold beyond measure, aflame with fighting spirit, commanding vessel after vessel with confidence and ease to divide the sea monsters, to overwhelm them with numbers, and to slaughter them one by one. Under his orders, countless warships advanced and retreated in perfect discipline, as though moved by his own limbs. The coordination was so smooth it seemed less like he was directing a battle than performing a piece of music.

At last, when the battle neared its end, the storm too quietly dispersed. The heavily overcast sky slowly opened to a stretch of blue, and sunlight poured down from above, illuminating the battlefield where the fruits of victory were being gathered. It shone upon the countless grateful people, and also illuminated the spirited young general.

When the sounds and images on the enchanted tapestry finally came to a stop, Benita stared anxiously at the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, afraid that even the slightest hint of dissatisfaction might cross their faces. Only after quite a moment did Yarman Thurstan let out a faint sigh and say, “Forty-three years... time waits for no one.”

“Great-uncle, you’re still young. Why make such a sigh?” Benita teased with a grin.

Hearing this, Yarman laughed, rose to his feet, and lightly tapped her head. Then he praised, “Good. Very good. I’ll gladly accept this gift.”

“Hee hee, Great-uncle, Great-aunt, I must make a very serious declaration. I wove this myself. It is absolutely, absolutely one of a kind.” Benita lifted her small chest, only just beginning to develop, and looked immensely proud.

This startled the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess greatly. After all, Benita was a warrior and still quite young. How could she possibly weave an enchanted tapestry? They had always assumed she had merely designed it and commissioned someone else to make it.

Seeing the two elders so astonished, Benita was filled with pride. To be able to surprise two such well-informed and shrewd old hands was no easy feat. After basking in that pride for a moment, she then recounted everything in full detail: how she had conceived the idea, how she had asked Theresa for help, and how, under Theresa’s guidance, she had completed it step by step.

Do not be fooled by her young age; her skill at storytelling was truly remarkable. She made the whole affair sound vivid, fascinating, and immensely entertaining.

To be continued.