freenovelworld Chapter 113 The Banquet
Chapter 113 The Banquet
boom!
The moment the door opened, six young people came into view, immediately attracting the attention of everyone around them; each of them possessed a striking presence.
A young man with curly blue hair and sharp, light brown eyes stood ramrod straight, a smile on his face. His expression was kind and approachable.
There were also two other people next to him.
One of them had white hair and blue eyes, a handsome face, and a sharp edge to his cold gaze. His usual carefree smile had vanished, replaced by a piercing look.
On the other side stood a burly young man, standing upright and exuding the aura of a soldier. His buzz cut and posture indicated that he was a descendant of soldiers.
The three boys were dressed in similar outfits, their suits appearing tailor-made for each of them. The shimmering suits accentuated their handsome faces, making them the center of attention.
"These characteristics... could he be from the Hartley family?"
A young female reporter looked at the newly arrived guests and asked them, "They are waiting at the entrance to have their photos taken of celebrities."
“Yes. He is the youngest member of the Hartley family, Ethan.”
Her colleague replied.
"Hmm? Ethan Hartley?" She didn't know much about the young man whose name was mentioned. That was normal; Ethan hadn't yet made a name for himself in the paparazzi world.
"He's not very famous yet. He was the last to awaken in his family, and he was considered an abandoned child."
The word "discarded pawn" was enough for her to understand. The information their organization had obtained from the Hartley family indicated that their patriarch was disappointed in this heir.
"Ah... he's a disgrace to the Hartley family, isn't he?"
"Shh... keep your voice down."
"Oh! Right!"
Such discussions would be disastrous for their organization. After all, they were talking about the Hartley family, a family with enormous influence.
"The Middleton family is here too? That's Lucas Middleton, as handsome as rumored."
"Is that Karl Darion? Just as the rumors say, the fluid of giants flows through his body!"
Then, to their right, were three young girls.
One of them was a dreamlike beauty with white hair and striking blue eyes. Her hair was short and shoulder-length, and she was curiously looking around.
"She must be Julia Middleton. She's so beautiful; those so-called models can't even come close to her beauty."
"Don't think she's just a beauty; she has something more important to her."
"what?"
"She is a hunter, just like her father. I heard she has mastered the Middleton family's fifth technique."
"The fifth style? He's only 18?"
"Yes."
Next, the girl standing next to her possessed a fiery temperament. She exuded a strong and arrogant aura, as if the world belonged to her, as if she were the master of this place.
"Irina Phoenix, a fire mage, is said to be vying for the title of archmage after her mother."
"However, there are some rumors about her..."
"Yes, we all know who she's competing with."
Finally, there was a woman of unparalleled elegance, whose grace even surpassed that of empresses throughout history. Her green hair flowed like the wind, and her red eyes burned like flames.
Her demeanor, her choice of dress, and even her subtle movements... all drew the attention of every man present.
The women cast envious glances, while their partners were lost in thought.
"Alice, the heiress of the Thornfield family... she's truly captivating, an absolute dream."
"Yes...isn't she managing the guild her father gave her?"
"Yes."
"Wow, she's managing to run a guild while still pursuing her studies... she's a truly gifted genius."
"really."
The sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly and flashes going off constantly as reporters tried to capture the essence of the gathering. An atmosphere of anticipation and excitement filled the air.
These young people, as heirs to a prestigious family, possessed extraordinary abilities and were a sight to behold in themselves. The atmosphere was filled with curiosity and interest; guests huddled together, exchanging information about the young people and the Black family.
Amidst whispers and murmurs, a dignified figure walked through the crowd, his gaze sharp and his demeanor formal.
Reginald, the Black family’s chief butler and the main organizer of the event, came to greet his distinguished guest.
He approached the group with a gentle smile and gracefully bowed. "Distinguished family representatives," he greeted them, bowing respectfully.
Ethan and the others stepped forward, each bowing and shaking hands politely. Their upbringing in aristocratic families had conditioned them to such etiquette.
“Mr. Reginald, it’s an honor for us to be here,” Alice said in her usual professional and businesslike tone. Although he was the Black family’s butler, that didn’t mean he was someone to be underestimated.
In fact, he is a very dangerous person who deserves our attention.
“It is my honor,” Reginald replied, his gaze subtly sweeping over the young man before him. “I am very pleased to see the future leaders of our society gathered here.”
He then gestured towards the banquet hall. "Please allow me to lead you into the banquet hall; the banquet is about to begin."
As the group followed him into the hall, whispers continued to echo behind them, with everyone speculating about the relationship between these young talents and the Black family.
The fact that the six of them entered the banquet together as usual signifies a certainty.
An alliance between the five major families.
The Pentagon.
These five families each possess their own strength, complementing each other like stars.
They entered the magnificent banquet hall, and the opulence before them left them speechless for a moment. The hall was filled with an atmosphere of splendor and wealth, with shimmering chandeliers, exquisite wood carvings, and luxurious tapestries telling the legend of the Black family.
Soon after, guests dressed in splendid attire began to approach them. Some were curious onlookers, eager to catch a glimpse of the future leaders, while others were keen to engage in conversation with them.
A middle-aged man in a custom-made suit, exuding an air of wealth, approached Lucas.
“Mr. Middleton, I have been following your family’s swordsmanship for many years. Your swordsmanship is unparalleled.”
Lucas responded with a professional smile, "It is my honor to receive your praise."
The others were immediately surrounded by a large crowd.
Julia was entangled with a female swordsman, eagerly discussing swordsmanship and style. Their conversation quickly delved into the details of swordsmanship, while Irina found herself surrounded by a group of mages eager to join her family's magic tower, passionately discussing their magical abilities.
Alice attracted many admirers, both men and women, with her elegance and beauty, all trying to strike up a conversation with her to win her favor. She responded to their attention with composure and charm, a skill honed through years of social interaction.
Over the next few hours, they moved through various conversations, exchanging pleasantries and ideas, while the noise around them gradually intensified. Their arrival ignited the curiosity and anticipation of the guests.
......
"I wish you a pleasant banquet, Miss Alice."
"Tsk... They're finally gone." Alice murmured, watching the three young girls' departing figures. They were all dressed in gorgeous clothes and had elegant manners; they were clearly from wealthy families.
She couldn't ignore them because the Thornfield family had close business ties with their respective families, and she needed to maintain those relationships.
Nevertheless, she disliked their conversation. Most of it was gossip and trivial matters about some man and woman breaking up.
She hasn't wasted her time on these things for a long time since she started ignoring them.
'A bunch of plastic figures.'
With that thought in mind, she slowly turned her attention to her friends. She had just been pulled away to talk to other people, and now that she was finally free from them, she could talk to her real friends.
There, she saw five other people who had just escaped, just like her, so she immediately joined them.
“Oh, Alice, you’ve come too.” Julia greeted her immediately, taking a sip of her drink. She looked as composed as ever.
"Is the conversation finally over?"
"yes……"
At her words, Lucas let out a helpless sigh and rubbed his hair. "Sigh, can we talk about how tiring it is to be an heir?"
Julia grinned and rolled her eyes. "You bet I felt like a trophy tonight, being passed around like a trophy."
Lucas mimicked, “Ah, yes. You are the future of the family. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve heard that.”
Irina leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "You bet, I feel like my head is about to explode."
Although it was annoying, Alice knew how important it was to be the center of attention.
“Well, at least they think highly of us. Being the subject of gossip isn’t all bad,” she added.
Lucas smiled, his fatigue from the evening instantly vanishing. "Exactly. The paparazzi might make a big deal out of it tomorrow."
Just as they continued their relaxed conversation, Alice suddenly noticed something.
To be precise, it's one person.
'Um? '
She has a habit of constantly looking around when talking to people. This is a habit she developed to stay alert at all times.
An ordinary waiter is serving drinks to the guests at the banquet.
Normally, such things wouldn't attract her attention, but as an archer, she had a keen eye.
He has black hair and brown eyes, and his appearance, mannerisms, and facial features are all quite ordinary.
There's something off about this person.
Everything about him was normal, except that his face would twitch unnaturally from time to time.
It's like a robot that's malfunctioning.
This could be a characteristic of criminals.
This is her intuition.
She was about to activate her skill to check it out, but just then, the banquet lights suddenly dimmed and the classical music stopped playing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention."