Eijiro smiled for a moment, though he did not answer. Not at first, anyways. It was not as though there were anything to hide; the cooks certainly weren't going to be serving fugu (though mostly due to some centuries-old ban) or worse, rather, he simply needed to think it over. After all, though he had eaten it many times since he was very young, it was difficult for him to put it into English, even with his mastery of the language.
"Have you ever had the chance, if you don't mind me asking of course, to try Kaiseki cuisine?" He asked, glancing momentarily at the palace before turning back. "If you haven't, which, in all fairness, I suspect is the case given it isn't seen much outside of the Empire and Toshikawa, allow me to say, it is... quite the experience. A work of art as much as it is a meal." He added as he looked out on the water. Tonight would be one of celebration, for it was the eve of "greenery day", an observance of the many gifts of the natural world bestowed upon the people. Certainly, it was something to look forwards to.
A few hours laterThe sun hung low on the horizon, its golden light peering through the windows, filling the state banquet hall as guests from across the Empire entered. The room itself was quite occidental in its construction, a decision made by Emperor Keiyo when he moved the court here in the early 1870s, yet it also had many elements of Ōnishi architecture throughout, which were added when the palace underwent repairs after sustaining significant damage as a result of Ardian firebombing during the war. Truthfully, Eijiro didn't particularly enjoy how it looked, especially after his time in Tenkyō back in 2012, which was in part why he was so eager to move back there. That and its position as the cultural and spiritual heart of the Empire since time immemorial, of course.
Still, though he had a slight disdain for the room's appearance, Eijiro was nonetheless glad that he could spend his last few days in the palace hosting the Achkaerinese; in a way, he felt as though he were returning the favor after Peter had so graciously done the same during his studies abroad. He glanced around the room for a moment, watching briefly as the gagaku ensemble prepared to play their music. He was joined that night by members of his family—most notably
Uchitsune, the retired Emperor Daiwa—as well as a few close friends such as Count
Muneyori Tomoshige, given that they were there to attend the transfer from this palace back to Tenkyō.
"I am glad you could join us, your Highness." Eijiro said whenever Peter and Renee arrived. "If I may, allow me to introduce you to my grandfather, His Majesty, the Emperor-Emeritus, and His Excellency, Count Muneyori Tomoshige."
"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, your Highness." Said the retired Emperor first, his voice weakened by age and slowly-failing health. At just over eighty years old, he was the second oldest monarch in the country's history, although his actual reign was comparatively short as it only lasted a mere eighteen years.
"As it is mine." Muneyori spoke up, offering a slight bow in respect. Appearance-wise, it was striking how similar he looked to Eijiro, but even more so to the late Emperor Antei, which of course led to rumors but was, in all likelihood, a mere coincidence.
"In any case, please, feel free to take a seat so that we may begin." Eijiro said with a nod.