When they mentioned Julius's name, Altec's face became ugly. His face scrunched like a twisted paper.
Can he say he wanted to retract his earlier words of rewarding the one who came up with such delicacies?
He did not expect, Julius—his troublemaker son—still had a few brushes.
"He really did it? Not someone by his side who had their credit stolen?"
Concubine Ava widened her eyes in shock. "Your Majesty! How can you think of your son like that?"
"It's exactly because he is mine that I think that way!" Altec rolled his eyes, still not believing it. "Don't I know his virtues?"
"Your majesty, on my honor, I guarantee that he neither stole credit nor bullied someone for it."
"Yes, your Majesty!" Queen Abigail added, showing her stance. "I'm certain little Julius is not as bad as many have made you believe. Stealing? That is not his style. On the contrary, his business has suffered because of villains who stole Lily Rain's earlier recipes."
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty," Concubine Pyla also took Julius's side.
The boy they practically raised, don't they know who he is better than anyone else?
He might be mischievous, but he wasn't a bad seed. It's only unfortunate that he inherited his mother's nature of not knowing how to scheme or how to avoid schemes.
They weren't blind. That boy fell into a trap set by others which led to his expulsion. They didn't believe he stole anything.
If he said he made it, then he made it. What's more, they spoke to the servants who delivered the meals and could see the awe they had in their eyes when talking about Julius.—It couldn't be masked.
They confirmed it, saying Julius invented the kitchen in his estate himself, making some ingredients on his own before sending them to Lily Rain. It's because some ingredients were made by Julius, that even if someone somehow manages to steal the recipe, they will never make it to taste the same way Julius's tastes.
Don't forget that he castrated the pigs, revealing a secret to making pork not smell foul. People who ate the Taco bells with pork sides, were flabbergasted, wondering just how they did it.
How did they make it not smell foul? The smell of cooked pigs was so bad that it made people gag and lose their appetite when eating them. This was why pigs were so cheap compared to poultry and cattle.
One must be starving for them to eat pig. They would rather jump into a river and struggle to catch fish than eat a pig that was standing in front of them.
But… Julius did it.
Just because he was expelled, doesn't mean he suddenly became so broke he couldn't afford water.
No… he left the palace with the remaining monthly allowance that was given to him two weeks away. With that amount, he prepared enough ingredients he estimated could run Lily Rain for three weeks.
That was how confident he was in his plans. And sure enough, only a week has gone by and he has made his Capital investment back and even made spending money too.
Obviously, down the line, the sales curve will go down before going up again and reaching a steady plateau.
Julius estimated that after the first two weeks, sales will start dropping for a bit before slightly ascending again and stabilizing once more.
As a former genius scientist who has also had to open his company and shrewdly fight his way to become one of the richest men, how can he not understand how sales rise and fall?
Julius had prepared for a long run, and also prepared for certain hiccups that would definitely come along the way… A hiccup, such as the Royal family…. And what did he do? He kept sending his Mother, The queen and Concubine Pyla, his goods for free.
They say publicity and alliances start at home.
After eating his food for so many days, they didn't even know when they were bold enough to counter Altec's accusations without even giving him time to finish his sentences.
——————————————————
Well, the confrontation the three beauties had with Altec, was all Julius's thoughtfulness.
[Queen Abigail chewing a drumstick]: "Your Majesty, how can you wrong little Julius like that?"
[Concubine Pyla enjoying a crispy Taco Bell Crunchy-wrap]: "Yes, your Majesty. If you can't believe him, then don't you believe your concubine?
[Concubine Ava munching on the delicious Burrito Taco Bell wrap]: "Your Majesty, take it from me, he did it, not anyone else… But more importantly, your Majesty, are you going to eat that?"
——————————————————
The hidden guards wanted to cry when they saw everyone's faces after eating the food.
On the side, Steward Hayden, who was generously given a Crunchy-wrap Taco Bell, was also chewing it with a smile on his face.
'Oh, my heavens! Concubine Ava sure is kind. She is so kind, kind enough to give a servant like me a taste of the godly food.'
Steward Hayden looked as though he was about to go to heaven.
'Forgive me, your Majesty, but after having a taste, I'm inclined to side with concubine Ava in this one. How can you… (burp)… How can you accuse your son without any clear evidence?… Oooow~… I wonder what the Crunchy Taco Bell tastes like.'
"—"
Altec was dumbfounded.
What happened to everyone? Why did their faces turn so fast? He just said one sentence and received 50 from them in return.
Altec couldn't understand it while his hands continued reaching for the meal.
Hayden secretly looked at Altec in disbelief.
You accuse someone (Julius) and still rush to eat their food? You could have made your point by refusing to continue picking up that KFC.
Despite the few unsatisfactory words going on, the atmosphere was still very harmonious, with everyone devouring the meal with satisfied smiles.
"Your Majesty!!" Someone hastily stormed in, causing Altec to frown.
Altec was furious. "How dare you? How dare you enter my concubine's courtyard so unruly?"
What if he was in the middle of other activities, and this bastard happened to see his woman's nakedness?
'Put down the chicken leg and your anger will be more believable.' Hayden and the secret guards inwardly muttered.
The guard who came in, hastily dropped to his knees, "Forgive me your Majesty, but I have urgent news to report. The court is in chaos, and the ministers request your audience at once."
Altec's frown deepened even more. "What's it about?"
"Your Majesty…"
"SPEAK!"
"Your Majesty, they are here to impeach someone."
"Impeach? who? Who do they want to impeach this time?"
"Your… Your Majesty, it the Sixth prince."
BOOM!
Altec shattered a drumstick with a grim face.
Even now, they still don't want to let his son go?
Altec narrowed his eyes dangerously.
A storm was coming, one he could feel deep in his bones. And yet, here was a part of him that wanted to push the envelope, to see what this son of his had up his sleeves.
Julius, Julius, Julius…
What will you do now?