Attending the Banquet

Chapter 35 Attending the Banquet

Alphonse opened the letter and glanced at it. It was an invitation to a party from Count Mujik's son, Feren, for tomorrow night.

After that duel for honor, Faerlen brought it up.

I agreed to it then.

I didn't expect it to take so long.

The timing was quite coincidental, coming right after he succeeded as the lord of Coldwind Territory.

Ferren's information network is quite efficient.

It just so happens that at this very moment, with just over a day of quiet cultivation, the Innate Formless Divine Skill will be able to complete its first level.

To be honest, Alphonse was a little reluctant to go.

Attending such aristocratic social gatherings is a waste of time.

After thinking it over, I decided to go anyway.

This is a good opportunity to see what Felix is ​​really up to.

If nothing unexpected happens, this so-called "good friend" is definitely harboring malicious intentions.

The original owner obtained hallucinogenic drugs from him, but fortunately, she did not become addicted.

Although he couldn't use the Xuan Tian Wu Jin Palm yet, he had enough true energy to protect himself.

He couldn't possibly set up a trap and order all the executioners to attack, could he?

Even if that were the case, Alphonse was confident he could escape.

Besides, there's still Mia, who's a knight with at least third-tier battle aura.

Speaking of this, Alphonse still had something to complain about: Mia had been unwilling to explain what level she had reached.

The next morning.

Alphonse boarded the carriage bearing the coat of arms of the Tartarus family.

The family crest was chosen by the old baron; it features a sky-blue background with two ears of wheat flanking a sickle.

The significance is to remind future generations of the family not to forget their roots and to remember that the Tartarus family originated from farmers.

It's a pity they didn't add a hammer.

The carriage was dark red in color, with gold patterns decorating the doors and windows. The curtains were made of red silk satin, and the windows on both sides of the carriage were decorated with black feathers.

The carriage was small, with just a row of seats resembling long European-style sofas, the cushions of which were covered with brown leather.

It's not too extravagant, but it still has a refined and elegant feel to it.

Such a carriage is not suitable for carrying goods, yet it is pulled by two horses.

The old baron had always disliked extravagance, and this carriage was a remnant of the previous lord.

Besides Mia and the coachman, Captain Simon also sent his apprentice Jerul and a soldier to accompany them.

Compared to during training, the two soldiers had changed their equipment.

The helmet was made of fine iron with chainmail hanging down from the brim to protect the ears and the back of the head. On top of the leather armor, there was another layer of chainmail that covered the waist and below, and on the outside, there was a vest embroidered with the coat of arms of the Tartarus family.

Although they wore swords at their waists and rode horses, their appearance was hardly impressive, far less imposing than the royal envoys they had seen a few days earlier.

Mia didn't want to go to the noble gathering with Alphonse, but for the safety of the new lord Alphonse, Lady Mary pleaded with her, so she had no choice but to go.

The journey is quite long, even as far as Ryan City.

Of course, one must dress formally for a banquet. I had two suits made in advance, but I rarely wore them and only took them out when attending gatherings.

One set was a flashy bright red, and the other was black; Alphonse chose the black one.

A long black velvet coat embroidered with exquisite silver patterns from the shoulders to the waist, flowing smoothly to the knees, with similar patterns on the cuffs, delicate and intricate, adding more sophistication to the overall look.

The coat doesn't need to be buttoned up; underneath is a silver-gray vest, and a white silk scarf is draped around the neck, hanging just to the chest.

Pair it with beige trousers and tall riding boots.

Overall, the dress was custom-made in the city, so it's not bad; it's not ugly.

As soon as he got into the carriage, Alphonse closed the door tightly and lit the incense burner.

Don't waste the time spent on the long journey; it's a good time to cultivate your inner strength.

The smoke from the Refining Incense is naturally faint, so even in a small space, one won't be bothered by it.

Bumps along the way were inevitable, as carriages in this other world didn't have shock absorption features, but it wasn't enough to affect Alphonse's meditation.

They didn't arrive at the Earl's mansion until night fell.

Alphonse stopped exercising and got off the carriage.

I glanced around.

Although both are castles, Count Mujik's mansion is much more magnificent.

Above the towering gate is a unicorn bust, as if it might charge out at any moment.

The spacious courtyard was filled with all kinds of magnificent carriages.

Judging from the noise coming from inside the castle, the banquet seems to have already begun.

The butler and his servants came forward to greet them.

Mia and the two soldiers were not allowed to participate in the gatherings of the noble young masters and ladies; the attendants would lead Mia to a side hall for the meal.

After all, being awarded a knighthood is considered a noble title.

The soldiers didn't have such good treatment; they could only wait by the carriage for the servants to bring them food.

Alphonse followed the butler to the banquet hall.

The castle was brightly lit, and in the banquet hall, long tables on both sides were filled with steaming hot food, including roast turkey, smoked meat, fruits and all kinds of dishes.

The melodious strings played softly as waiters carried wine and glasses through the crowd.

This is the most popular banquet style in the capital at the moment.

However, for banquets among nobles, the social aspect far outweighs the act of eating dinner.

The young noblemen and ladies each had their own little circles. When they gathered together, they raised their wine glasses and talked loudly. The only difference was the pitch of their voices. The ladies always had to be a little reserved. Even when they were laughing, they would elegantly use their feather fans to cover their mouths.

"Oh, I heard that Lord Ferren has invited that country bumpkin Alphonse over again?" A young nobleman asked the person next to him, swirling his wine glass.

"It seems that's true. It's said that Alphonse broke off his engagement with Miss Monica. I really don't know what he was thinking."

"That's why he's called a fool. Anyone with a brain would have made a decisive choice. Coldwind Territory is so barren, yet he let go of such a good opportunity. If he had become Baron Swood's son-in-law, he wouldn't have to worry about the rest of his life."

"It's a pity that His Excellency Ferren didn't invite Miss Monica to the dinner party this time, otherwise we could have tried to win her heart."

Several noble young men laughed. Since they had not yet inherited their titles, their main topics of conversation were women and various romantic affairs.

Their conversation was overheard by Feren, who was surrounded by several noble ladies.

With a smile, he apologized to the noble ladies beside him and stepped forward, holding his wine glass.

"Alphonse has now inherited a title, making him a rank above all of us. You must give him the respect he deserves and stop speaking ill of him behind his back."

"So what if he heard us! He's always been pretentious. Even though nobody likes him, he still insists on coming along!" a young nobleman said, still annoyed.

(End of this chapter)