The next morning, at Bangup Palace, just as Manuel was about to continue handling military and political affairs, a letter from Afrita Port suddenly interrupted him.
"Moria Despotate, Prince Constantine, my Brother-in-law, has sent a capable person from Constantinople," Manuel briefly summarized the letter's content, then handed it to Barbara beside him.
As Barbara read it, she asked curiously, "Hmm, what kind of person did my brother send?"
"He said it's a talented young man about my age, named Serenus," Manuel replied casually. "Serenus, is there such a person in the official history of the Roman Empire? And why does that surname give me a strange feeling?" he thought to himself as he spoke.
"Justinian Seresnus," hearing Manuel's reply, Barbara, who had largely finished reading the letter, placed it on the table, frowning as if recalling something. "An old acquaintance, I suppose?"
"An old acquaintance?" Manuel unconsciously became wary. Fortunately, his expression remained normal, preventing others present from noticing anything unusual.
"To be precise, he's my brother Constantine's old acquaintance, not mine. This person became familiar with my brother when he was twenty. It's said that his ancestors were Easterners who fled to our territory after losing power in a struggle within the Golden Horde. According to his family's biography, if it's true, then his direct ancestors should have come from the southern part of the Eastern Dynasty.
"Regardless, after his ancestors arrived in the Empire's territory, which was still quite large at the time, although they were down on their luck for a while, they eventually managed to turn things around in Morea through silk trade, using their insight and accumulated wealth. By my father's generation, they even became nobles by helping him. By his generation, though still considered minor nobles, they grew closer to the Imperial Family. In the year I left Constantinople, he became a retainer for my brother Constantine," Barbara patiently explained to her Little husband.
Barbara's detailed explanation, however, made Manuel even dizzier. "Is that how Serenus came to be? What a strange surname, thankfully it's 'Serenus' with 'Seres' in it. If it were 'Wang Chen Qian Zhang' with 'nus' added, it would truly be neither Han nor Roman.
"Also, what timeline am I on? Is it because of a parallel world or the butterfly effect?" He felt completely bewildered. Although he had vaguely realized that something might be slightly different from the history he was familiar with in his previous life when he learned that his brother Ioannes in official history had "become" his sister Ioannina when he was a child. Now, this Serenus, who appeared out of nowhere, further confirmed his suspicion: the current timeline he was on, while still largely consistent with official history, also had some harmless minor differences.
"I've strayed from the point. Although he's considered talented, for some reason he really likes writing strange diaries and talking nonsense," Barbara's last addition interrupted Manuel's musings, and she, unaware of this, then looked thoughtfully at her Little husband. "How should I put it? He's even worse than you."
"Is that how you see me? And who writes diaries if they're a serious person?" Manuel, having snapped back to reality, grumbled discontentedly upon hearing this, incidentally thinking of a certain bald man from his previous life.
"You don't even listen to how ridiculous the things you've said before are," Barbara looked at him, speechless.
"Alright, alright, stop, stop. Then I'll head to Afrita Port to welcome this talented person my Brother-in-law highly recommended," Manuel quickly and stiffly changed the subject, indicating he didn't want to get further entangled in it. "Oh, by the way, Barbara, do you want to come?"
"No, after all, this person is familiar with my brother, not me."
"Hmm?" Manuel's vigilance intensified.
However, Barbara then added a few sentences, "As I just said, he was with my brother when he was twenty. I only had some contact with him then. Let me think, I was probably twelve or thirteen at the time, a lively and beautiful young girl, completely engrossed in Western European knight novels, hoping that my future other half would be as brave and resourceful as the male protagonists in them. It seems that goal has been somewhat achieved..."
"Get to the point."
"The point is that I have always lived in Constantinople, while Serenus's scope of activity was in Morea. Besides when he later followed my brother as a retainer to Constantinople to report for duty, we had no other interactions. The reason I know about him is simply because when I was in Constantinople, my brother would often write about his experiences in Morea in letters and send them to me," Barbara quickly clarified the main point.
"I see," Manuel breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
"What, you're not getting jealous of an imaginary person, are you?" Barbara noticed his slight movement and, with a teasing tone, reached her right hand to his waist. Seeing this, the attendants on both sides tacitly looked outside.
"No, no," Manuel quickly defended himself in his own language, "I just wish I could have been present for the first fifteen years of your life too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Barbara's face visibly flushed bright red. "Holy Mother above, what, what are you saying...? Aren't we already... husband and wife...? Oh, never mind, you go out and welcome this person right now!"
So, Manuel was half-bewildered and half-embarrassed as his wife urged him out the door.
When he led his trusted retainers to Afrita Port, it was exactly noon. Fortunately, the sailboat from Constantinople had only officially docked a quarter of an hour earlier. After both parties confirmed each other's identities, Manuel finally saw with his own eyes the young man, Serenus, whom Constantine had recommended as an aid.
Serenus, standing before him, had black hair and black eyes, sharp gaze, a short goatee, and was dressed in a simple black dalmatica with a pair of black short boots made of cowhide. Although he seemed a bit pale due to seasickness, his demeanor still exuded an undeniable aura of an old Roman noble.
After officially meeting and scrutinizing each other, Manuel and Serenus naturally began to exchange pleasantries. When Barbara was mentioned, Serenus casually remarked, "Oh, Princess is so intelligent now? She wasn't like that before, was she?"
"Uh?" Manuel became wary again, in case any cuckolding remarks came out of his mouth.
Unaware, Serenus continued, "Although I've only met her a few times, she was a very mischievous and annoying child. It's hard to believe that such a unruly child would also have a day to become a wife."
Manuel felt his nerves tighten. "Oh?"
"Yes, I'm considered a senior to Princess. These words are naturally sincere."
"Well, as a noble, you wouldn't have any other thoughts?" Manuel asked casually, feigning a normal expression.
"Of course not," Serenus, completely unaware, sincerely denied. "The last time I saw Her Highness, she was only 14. Who would have thoughts about a little girl? I certainly didn't."
Manuel remembered a certain Muslim who was still staying with him. "If he knew, he might ask Serenus: 'Are you being polite?'" He chuckled inwardly.
"But this also puts my mind at ease." After confirming the truthfulness of the other party's words, he dismissed his various thoughts on the matter and chatted with Serenus with a relaxed mind.
After the two talked for a quarter of an hour, Manuel, who had a good initial impression of Serenus, had a rough initial plan for him on the way back to the palace, after learning his purpose.
"Let him be an external affairs officer first. Once he truly demonstrates his abilities, then I'll entrust him with important responsibilities." Looking at the talented young man before him, Manuel thought, "I hope he will be as loyal to me as he is to Constantine."