Chapter Eighty-Three: The Banquet (Part Two)
“Nothing… nothing at all!”
Pasifal and I froze, quickly straightening up to strike a pose as if we were important dignitaries. Meanwhile, I casually tilted my head, sneaking a glance over my shoulder with my peripheral vision.
And then, bam! Caught in Lady Catherine’s fiery gaze.
Her lips curved into an attractive arc, her expression a blend of amusement and mockery, while her sparkling eyes seemed to see right through Pasifal and me.
I quickly averted my gaze, my heart racing.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you two are plotting… Pasifal, if you can’t even handle a simple greeting, then just go to Pagos and don’t bother coming back,” Lady Catherine’s voice floated to us from behind, “Pepé, you make sure to behave too, or you might just miss out on the dessert at the banquet.”
…Ouch.
It was clear Lady Catherine was throwing us a threat with pinpoint accuracy; just two sentences from her, and my mischievous thoughts were doused halfway. I had been thinking about casually handling things and then slipping away… but it seemed that if I went ahead with that plan, dessert would be off the menu.
I might have just finished eating, but I’ve always been the type to plan ahead and wouldn’t let a moment of temporary comfort make me neglect the delicious treats waiting for me a few hours later.
“I promise, I will behave very well.”
I reassured her with a serious face, and she chuckled softly, deciding to say no more.
The three of us made our way to the porch on the first floor. A servant stepped forward, slowly pushing open the heavy doors of the inner castle, and Pasifal and I followed behind Lady Catherine as we stepped outside.
The courtyard was buzzing with activity.
The sun was just peeking out from behind the clouds, the sky still holding traces of the night’s fog. The huge castle was partially shrouded in mist, but the shed for the war chariots was already over half full.
The shed had just been completed not long ago, with over a dozen unique carriages from all corners of the Empire quietly parked inside.
Lady Catherine mentioned that many small noble families were eager to align themselves with Shanter Castle. Most of them were lords and barons directly governed by the Winter Moon, suffering under the Emperor’s tyranny and utterly fed up. Since they caught wind of things here, visitors had been trickling in nonstop since the day before yesterday.
It seemed the Duke’s reputation in the Empire was much greater than I had imagined.
I raised a hand to push a stray wisp of hair out of my face. Looking ahead, I caught a glimpse of a parade of patrolling hunters in the distance.
Security around Shanter Castle was exceptionally tight today. According to what I heard at the dining table, in addition to three groups of 561 members patrolling along a route that was nearly twice as dense as usual, Bella also specifically pulled nearly 2,000 people from the second group, standing along the battlements since the night before.
Uncle Hoover was in charge of security inside the castle. The purpose, they claimed, was to prevent any disruptions during the banquet, but really, it was more about showcasing power and intimidation.
As I pondered these things, I shifted my gaze to the garden not far ahead, where a few pavilions designed for relaxation already had scattered guests. After the doors to the inner castle opened, they all stood and began walking this way.
There were about a dozen people—men and women alike—dressed in elegant attire, including the servants. The plump man at the front of the group called out in a booming voice from several dozen meters away.
“Lady Catherine! I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing your beauty for an entire year; how are you?”
Lady Catherine greeted him with a smile, and Pasifal and I hurried to follow.
“Thank you for thinking of me, Marquis Oliver. I’m doing well, but judging by your fine appearance, it seems you’ve been living it up these days?”
“Hahaha! Lady, you jest! If I had really been living it up, I wouldn’t be here at Shanter Castle right now!” The plump man’s laughter nearly turned his eyes into slits. “In critical times like these, it’s imperative that we key figures take the lead, wouldn’t you agree, my lady?”
Her smile remained broad.
“Absolutely! The first annual banquet at Shanter Castle would be incomplete without you!”
“Precisely! It wouldn’t be the same without me! I’ve heard that His Highness Skarlij has brought out his collection of vintage snow wine for this event! Hahaha, I’m going to drink my fill today, so don’t you worry about it at all, my lady.”
“The right wine meets the right occasion, and this wine was prepared just for today—no need to worry!”
Their small talk seemed endless.
Pasifal and I stood awkwardly to the side, feeling like we were on the sidelines of a comedy show, unable to jump in but too polite to leave, exchanging glances with the family members trailing behind the plump man, our faces frozen in smiles that felt more like grimaces.
After a while, it started to feel like my cheeks were going to cramp up, making me feel like an idiot.
At that moment, the plump man glanced back at me behind Lady Catherine and finally shifted the topic.
“My lady, are these two the rising stars of Shanter Castle?”
Upon hearing this, Lady Catherine waved her hands repeatedly, covering her mouth as she chuckled.
“Oh, please, compared to the wolves of the Kariye family, these kids are nothing—sorry to make you chuckle.”
The plump man seemed to relish that comment, breaking into hearty laughter.
“Hah~ You’re just being modest, Lady. In terms of achievements, who could compare to Lafael in this age group? Stop being so humble…”
More chit-chat followed, and then Lady Catherine led them inside the castle, but not before she turned back to remind us.
“You two stay right here; whoever comes, take turns leading them to the guest room on the second floor… Pepé, you know where that is, right?”
“Got it.”
Honestly, did they think I was an idiot?
Once she left, Pasifal turned to me and whispered, “That plump guy is the head of the Kariye family, significant power in the western Empire, commanding over 3,000 heavy cavalry, making him one of the key figures my father wants to win over. We need to talk to him during the banquet.”
I looked at him in surprise.
“What?” Seeing my expression, Pasifal instinctively reached up to touch his cheek. “Is there something on my face?”
“You have eye boogers.”
This guy, just a moment ago he was plotting to sneak away, and now he’s acting all serious… suddenly caring about all this stuff.
I watched him desperately digging at the corner of his eye and felt a wave of disdain wash over me.
Is he really that scared of Pagos?
After a bit of digging, Pasifal grumbled, “Where are the eye boogers? You’re just messing with me!”
I didn’t feel like responding because I saw another group approaching.
A bright red war chariot rolled past the newly built cobblestone path in the garden, stopping at the door of the inner castle. A young woman with sharp brows lifted the curtain adorned with colorful petals and stepped down, her red armor clanking with each step.
She looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, not particularly stunning but commanding in presence—her short hair was neat and sharp, and her flowing cape billowed in the breeze, giving her a striking demeanor.
She unbuckled the sword at her waist and handed it to the driver waiting at the front. Then, frowning, she glanced around until her gaze landed on me.
I took small determined steps toward her for the sake of that dessert.
Striving to pull a smile, I was about to speak when she suddenly relaxed her brow and broke into a soft smile, “Little Pepé, long time no see.”
