Chapter 88 Mermaid on the Shore 10 “Count Beren is interested in him…

088 Mermaid on the Shore 10

When Lu Jiu received the invitation, he was playing in the water in the courtyard.

Wei Nanlou was sitting by the swimming pool and had just fed the grapes he had peeled for him into his mouth. The sweet and sour juice moistened the man's fingertips, and Lu Jiu couldn't help but lick it.

The finger at the lips paused.

Lu Jiu chewed grapes and opened the invitation letter handed to him by the guard and started reading it.

"...The Autumn Banquet will be held in five days at the Earl of Beren's Palace?"

The pink and blue fish tail slaps the water surface from time to time, causing waves of splashes, full of a leisurely and leisurely feeling.

The fair back is slightly arched, with a thin layer of muscle forming beautiful texture, and the sunken spinal line in the middle has graceful lines.

The servants stood quietly in various places in the courtyard, secretly watching this vivid scene that had never happened in the palace before, and from time to time they were fascinated by the beautiful appearance of the mermaid.

It was not until the young man moved to the side, propped himself up, and put his two wet arms on the Duke's knees that he suddenly realized and quickly lowered his head.

"They said they wanted me to go with you, but the invitation was handed directly to me, bypassing you. What does that mean?"

Wei Nanlou didn't say anything. He withdrew his hand after a long pause and continued to peel the next grape.

He obviously didn't care that Lu Jiu had wet his clothes.

The attendant Wei Xingjiu explained: "Sir, this Autumn Banquet is just a name. They have actually held similar banquets many times, once every one or two months, and sometimes they are also held in other palaces."

"They will send invitations to all the nobles who have orcs living in their mansions. This time they sent it directly to you. I'm afraid they want to test the Duke's attitude."

As Lu Jiu listened, his thoughts raced.

Another grape was passed to his lips.

He raised his eyes and glanced at Wei Nanlou. The man looked calm and had no intention of interrupting.

Lu Jiu stretched out his tongue and rolled up the grape pulp.

Xing Jiu continued, "But with all due respect, it would be best if you don't attend, because this kind of banquet... is not very friendly to orcs. There will be all kinds of games and competitions at the banquet, and sometimes they will let orcs fight each other..."

Xing Jiu became more and more hesitant as he spoke, but Lu Jiu understood him very clearly.

The so-called "nobles with orcs living in their mansions" of course mostly do not refer to situations like his and Wei Nanlou, but rather "nobles who raise orcs in their mansions."

The position of those orcs is naturally to be the pets of the nobles.

The masters and their pets attended the banquet together, and the pets were allowed to fight in the process. This was nothing more than a way for the nobles to have fun, and those orcs obviously became a kind of lowly toys in such a banquet.

They wanted to test Wei Nanlou's attitude towards him. Of course, they should also be prepared that Wei Nanlou would ignore them completely.

Lu Jiu was thinking about it intermittently, and he didn't say anything until Xing Jiu finished speaking.

After he had chewed the grapes in his mouth and spit the two cores into Wei Nanlou's palm, he asked nonchalantly, "You're not interested?"

"Are you interested?" the man asked instead of answering.

"A little bit." Lu Jiu sneered, got down from his knees, and pushed himself up on the shore with his two arms.

The water drops fell down, and the fish tail instantly turned into two slender and straight legs.

Xingjiu immediately turned around, facing away from the scene, his ears red.

Lu Jiu bent down and picked up the white bath towel that had been prepared on the shore, wrapped it around her waist and tied it tightly, then raised her hand and pushed her wet black hair back.

Her sharp facial features are revealed, and her slender and agile figure is extremely beautiful.

From beginning to end, the gaze of the man next to him followed him silently.

"You brought me back here without telling anyone from the beginning. There will always be people trying to find out about our relationship. If you don't respond this time, there will be people next time. Isn't it annoying if it keeps going on like this?"

Lu Jiu walked into the house barefoot.

"I'm bored anyway, so I might as well go and take a look. Who knows who will play with whom. Xingjiu, please reply to a letter for me."

“Ah…Okay!”

After Xing Jiu finished answering, he turned back and looked at Wei Nanlou in confusion.

The man stared quietly in the direction where the young man disappeared, his calm face still unable to tell what he was thinking.

"Duke, are you really going to let His Excellency go?"

Xingjiu asked in a low voice.

He was a little confused.

The Duke already knew about this letter when it was delivered to the palace.

Although the Duke didn't say anything from beginning to end, based on his understanding of the Duke, the Duke certainly didn't intend to attend that kind of banquet with Lord Lu Jiu. Of course, the Duke would never let Lord Lu Jiu go alone...

But now...? What's going on...?

Lord Lu Jiu made the decision on his own, but he never asked the Duke whether he would go with him... So does he really have to reply in Lord Lu Jiu's personal name...?

After a long time, Wei Nanlou placed the plate of grapes on the small table.

He picked up the soft, damp towel and wiped his long fingers clean.

"Please reply."

*

On the other side, Lu Jiu walked slowly in the corridor, his eyes gradually calming down.

The reason why he wanted to attend the party was certainly not as simple as he said, "I'm bored."

——He wanted to know where the escaped players in this world were.

After playing this quick-travel mission for so long, even a fool should realize that something is wrong. Lu Jiu was not stupid before, he was just too lazy to touch those problems that were obviously troublesome at first glance.

However, the problems are getting bigger and bigger, and the mysteries are getting heavier. His intuition tells him that whether it is him, 111, or the senior, they are all involved in this huge mystery.

Then, we can no longer pretend that we know nothing.

He doesn't like being passive.

Now, 111 avoids him and cuts off contact with him.

If we want to find any clues, we can only start from the escaped player.

He must step out of here and reach out to other people in this world.

…

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The weather was good on the day of the banquet.

In the evening, the setting sun dyed the thin clouds orange and red, and lights were lit in every household in the capital.

Luxurious carriages drove from all directions to the north of the city, where there was a luxurious mansion with candles already lit.

In the banquet hall, red wine was swaying in the glasses, and figures in gorgeous clothes kept crossing each other. The nobles gathered in twos and threes, chatting in low voices about recent interesting events, and occasionally bursting into laughter.

There were also orcs of various races here, some of them sitting quietly by the wall, wearing collars around their necks and looking numb, while others, like humans, gathered in groups and spoke in low voices.

There were also orcs accompanying humans, and humans spoke to them softly, with care in their words and actions.

However, such a combination often attracts all kinds of mocking looks.

There was also a most peculiar person sitting in the corner of the banquet hall. He was a teenager who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. His appearance was completely that of an ordinary human teenager, but his eyes were golden vertical pupils, full of animal-like weirdness.

No human spoke to him, and no orc spoke to him. He sat there like a piece of air, but he did not feel embarrassed about being ignored. He just drank his juice quietly and observed everything in front of him calmly.

Someone checked the time.

"It's almost six o'clock, why hasn't he come yet?"

The sound of murmurs of discussion spread.

"Obviously not here yet, any new faces here?"

"No."

"Aren't you planning on coming?"

"But he did send someone to reply."

"Could it be that he is backing down from the battle and doesn't dare to come?"

"...The Duke's taste is just like that."

"How disappointing. I was quite curious about him..."

Suddenly, a servant came in, stopped, and said loudly: "Duke's Mansion, His Excellency Lu Jiu has arrived!"

In an instant, all conversations in the banquet room stopped, and dozens of gazes shot towards the corridor like arrows.

There was a sound of footsteps, the sound of leather shoes stepping on the floor tiles, tap, tap, tap, tap.

From far to near, leisurely and casual.

A tall figure gradually emerged in the dim light of the corridor, and as the person got closer, his appearance became clearer.

...is an extremely handsome young man.

She was wearing an exquisite dark blue suit. The double-breasted top was buttoned neatly, the hem showed off her slender waist, and the straight trousers highlighted her long legs.

Whether it is the material, dyeing or design of the clothes, they are all extremely high-end. At first glance, they are made by the most outstanding designers, which makes the young man's already outstanding appearance even more outstanding.

She has an oval face, porcelain-white skin, a pair of fox eyes with a nonchalant smile, and two small moles under her left eye and in the middle of her nose that seem to be shining brightly, attracting the attention.

He stood with his back straight and his posture calm. When he came here and faced so many strangers, he did not show any uneasiness or awkwardness. He first glanced around calmly, then raised his lips and revealed a smile.

"Good evening, everyone."

The voice is clear and very pleasant to hear.

However, there was not a single sound in the entire banquet room.

No one reacted. No matter they were humans or orcs, they were all staring at him.

...The appearance and temperament of this new guest exceeded all their imaginations.

In the corner, the boy with vertical pupils who had been sitting quietly straightened his back with surprise in his eyes.

At the back of the banquet hall, the orcs gathered together with curiosity on their faces.

Among them, the young bird with a pair of white wings who had shown his face in front of the little emperor was also here.

When he heard the name, he turned around and saw the face of the person who came. The smile on his face disappeared instantly and his eyes became gloomy.

For a moment, the atmosphere was weird.

Xing Jiu arrived right behind Lu Jiu and looked alert when he saw this, but Lu Jiu was not afraid at all.

The smile on his face even turned a little playful.

"Ah, it seems that everyone doesn't welcome me?"

"——No, we have been waiting for a long time!"

A mellow voice sounded, and a noble came out.

His voice startled everyone, but it was also his identity that made everyone's eyes change color.

He is the most important organizer of this kind of banquet and the owner of this mansion today, Count Beren.

This man bought his title with money. He was originally a wealthy businessman with a fortune, but this alone was not enough to make the aristocratic circle look at him differently.

The reason why he has a special status and can organize such gatherings is because he has close relationships with important figures within the royal family.

He was over forty years old, with a few strands of premature gray in his black hair, but because he kept himself clean and well-groomed and had a strong and sturdy figure, he did not look old. Instead, he exuded the elegance and gentlemanliness of an elder.

But those who are familiar with him know that this "gentleman" loves nothing more than torturing his pets.

Count Beren passed by a servant, picked up a glass of red wine from the latter's plate, walked towards Lu Jiu, and handed it to him in a very elegant manner: "Are you the Duke's new friend, the legendary mermaid?"

Lu Jiu had just taken off the white gloves she had put on before going out. She lowered her eyelashes and glanced at the glass of wine, still smiling.

"Sorry, I can't drink lately."

Count Beren paused, and a rustling sound was heard from behind.

Being rejected so straightforwardly, the earl was not angry. He smiled slightly, waved to the servant to come over, put the glass of red wine back on the plate, and said with his hands spread out:

"Which one do you like?"

In the back, among the orcs, someone whispered, "Count Beren is interested in him."

"But that's the Duke's pet..."

"It depends on how much the Duke likes him. If Count Beren asks for it, the Duke may not refuse to give it to him."

"But Count Belen..."

Someone whispered.

This beautiful young mermaid would be dead if he fell into the hands of Count Beren.

The orcs here all share the same suffering and can't help but feel compassion for their companions.

Hearing this unfinished sentence, the bird-like youth with a pair of white wings immediately turned his head and shouted in a low voice: "Do you still want to stand up for him? Are you looking for death in front of Count Beren?"

The orc who had just spoken shrank his neck, and a look of fear appeared on his face.

This small space became quiet.

"Don't you understand? He wanted to come here on his own. His master is the Duke. No one can force the Duke to hand over his pet, unless the pet wants to come here on its own." The young bird turned around and stared at Lu Jiu with a sneer, "He is different from us. Didn't you see his attitude? He is so happy to receive such attention!"

At the same time, all the nobles' gazes fell on Lu Jiu.

Even though they had long guessed that the Duke would not attend such a banquet, only when they saw with their own eyes the rumored mermaid youth appear here alone did they finally put their minds at ease.

The Duke eventually kept the mermaid as a pet.

The Duke is on their side.

Secret smiles were revealed one after another, glances filled with various meanings were exchanged in the air, and the flickering candlelight around became more excited.

Lu Jiu watched all these changes, chuckled softly, raised his hand, and lazily swept his fingertips over the wine glasses on the plate.

Count Beren's eyes were drawn to his hand.

There was always a gentleman's smile on his face, but the flickering candlelight in his pupils was dancing wildly and burning.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind Lu Jiu, covered his palm, and lifted a wine glass for him.

"This is the grape juice."

A low, magnetic voice fell from above my head.

The sound of inhaling suddenly echoed throughout the banquet room.

Count Beren froze, his pupils constricted.

Lu Jiu raised his eyebrows and accepted the glass of juice that the owner of the hand picked for him, but he still muttered quietly: "I'm tired of eating grapes every day."

He was a step late, and the man standing behind him was still wrapped in a hint of coolness from the autumn night.

Hearing this, he paused and laughed softly.

"Jiujiu, are you getting tired of fruit too quickly?"

"After a month, what will be left to eat?"

The Duke is coming.