Chapter 240 The Banquet (Part 2) The Duchess, the Engagement, the Brothers Reunite...
This free-flowing exchange lasted for nearly an hour.
The guests seemed to have all arrived, and the servants began to arrange the dinner.
Everyone present took their seats according to the nameplates on the table, and the sumptuous and delicious dinner lasted for another hour and a half.
The dessert after the meal was strawberry pudding, with each guest receiving a pink pudding and a white strawberry.
The key point isn't the price of white strawberries, but rather the fact that we were able to order so many strawberries to ensure that every guest could enjoy them.
Lei did not open up the sale of white strawberries too much.
The Duchess's action clearly demonstrated that although the head of the family and the heir had passed away, the glory of the Arcanis family remained.
The well-trained servants quickly cleared away the dishes so that the leftover food would not be an eyesore to the guests.
Long tables with various snacks have been set up along the walls in the banquet hall.
Male servants moved among the guests, serving them a glass of low-alcohol wine or a glass of brightly colored juice.
The music started to become a bit more lively.
Nearly three hours had passed since Lei and his group arrived, but they still hadn't seen Neil.
This contradicted the information Edmund had gathered, and Ray couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
I'm not sure if I'll actually be able to meet Neil tonight.
Shortly after dinner, the host will typically give a more formal speech. This usually includes welcoming the guests, praising God's blessings, extolling the king's great reign, and so on.
It's boring and tedious, but it's an indispensable part of the banquet.
"Ding ding ding".
The silverware struck the crystal glasses with a clear, resonant sound, and the music abruptly stopped. The entire banquet hall gradually quieted down.
People gathered in the center of the banquet hall, with plenty of space left in the middle.
In this environment of great public attention, Duchess Arcanis, the third daughter of the Torland family, and once the most beautiful rose in the empire, stood on the wooden platform, supported by her brother, Marquis Torland.
Time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her, leaving no trace on her face. The pain of losing her husband did not diminish her unwavering will.
The Duchess wore a white and purple satin evening gown, with large areas of bauhinia flower patterns embroidered in gold and silver thread.
She wore five pearl and gemstone necklaces stacked around her neck. Her hair accessory was also from the same collection, a small purple veil hat adorned with feathers, lace, and jewels.
Such grandeur and magnificence are not something that ordinary nobles can possess.
"A show-off peacock."
Ray glanced to the side and saw a noblewoman standing in front of him, clutching a bone fan tightly in her hand.
Jealousy twisted her beautiful face.
"Stop behaving like this. Do you want everyone to know that you and your precious son are eyeing the position of family head?"
A man standing next to the lady pointed out that he had a very gloomy face.
The two spoke in voices as soft as mosquitoes, but thanks to his enhanced hearing, Lei managed to make out most of what they were saying.
That's interesting.
Lei silently memorized the physical characteristics of the two people.
By this time, the Duchess's speech had been going on for some time.
"Here, allow me to introduce you to a gentleman who is my husband's cousin and my adopted son—Ronan Alcanis."
A young man in a white evening suit emerged from behind the curtain.
Ray recognized him immediately; it was Neil.
It's been almost a year since I last saw Neil, and he's grown quite a bit taller.
His hair had turned completely brown, and his skin was very fair. His rapid growth spurt had caused some nutritional deficiencies, making him appear somewhat thin.
However, this is typical of young people his age.
Neil's expression was somewhat gloomy and lacked depth, but he showed clear respect for the Duchess.
As for etiquette and other aspects, Neil's performance was impeccable.
All the guests present knew that the claim of being cousins was just an excuse.
This young man is the illegitimate son of Duke Arcanis, a puppet heir whom the Duchess found from who-knows-where.
The guests around the lady frequently glanced at her.
It is no secret that Lady Ada was the mistress of the late Duke and bore him two children.
She maintained a smile on the surface, but in reality, she was grinding her teeth to powder.
She knew it! She knew it! This woman wouldn't let it go!
The Duchess was radiant, her smile composed and smug. She wouldn't deign to give her defeated opponent even a second glance.
"In addition, tonight is also the day Ronan officially gets engaged to my niece Anne Toland. Let's all raise a glass to congratulate the two young people."
Ray's heart skipped a beat.
The joy of seeing Neil again instantly cooled; things had developed too quickly.
He looked at Edmund, whose face was dark and whose eyes seemed to be brewing a storm.
Neil's face remained expressionless, as if he wasn't the protagonist the Duchess was talking about.
The speech ended, and music began to play.
Neil gestured invitingly, taking Annie's hand. Toland walked to the center of the crowd, and the first dance of the night began.
After the first section of the music ended, the other guests, along with their female companions, joined the dance floor.
For a time, the banquet hall was filled with people dancing gracefully.
Lai and Seymour retreated to the very edge of the banquet hall, ensuring they could observe the entire dance floor without attracting too much attention.
"That must be Neil. This duchess has really played her cards well."
"I'll do that," Seyia said sarcastically, taking a small sip of his drink.
Lei was a little annoyed, so he took a big gulp of wine.
“It’s him. I need to find an opportunity to talk to Neil.”
"Look at that person over there, and that person over there, aren't they both staring at him? I think I might not have a chance tonight."
Seyia gestured for Lei to look to the left and right sides of the hall.
"But if we miss tonight, we don't know how long we'll have to wait."
Ray thought of Ryan, sought His opinion, and breathed a sigh of relief after receiving an affirmative reply.
As the song ended, the dance partners bowed and left the stage.
Soon, the next piece of music started, and a new crowd surged into the center of the dance floor.
Neil walked over to the Duchess, spoke a few words with her, and only after she nodded did he rejoin the crowd.
"Sir, would you like to dance another dance with me?"
Lai looked down and saw a very sweet-looking girl with flushed cheeks, whether from makeup or something else, he didn't know.
"Excuse me, I..."
Ray was trying to come up with an excuse to brush her off.
And he really doesn't know how to dance this kind of ballroom dance.
"Beautiful lady, I wonder if I would have the honor of dancing with you?"
Seyya took the initiative to help Lei Yi out of the predicament.
The girl looked somewhat embarrassed, still gazing at Ray with expectant eyes, but he remained unmoved and showed no reaction.
She noticed Ray's silent rejection, and although she was a little disappointed, it didn't affect her mood for the evening.
"Sorry to bother you."
The girl tugged at her skirt, bowed to Lai, then bowed to Seya, and turned to leave.
"That girl has a strong liking for you. The sapphire around her neck is very precious; her parents will likely prepare a very generous dowry for her."
Lei rolled his eyes at Seymour, and the elf shrugged.
"It was just a joke. I can also introduce you to some elven girls."
“This is not funny, Seyah. I am a staunch celibate.”
"Okay, sorry, Lei."
"It doesn't matter."
Just as this little incident occurred, the third piece of music began.
The second most eye-catching woman in the room, Anne, the Duchess's niece, was dancing and chatting happily with a man in a grey suit in the center of the dance floor.
Neil... Neil has disappeared.
After searching around, Ray found Neil by the French windows, with two empty cups on the table in front of him.
When did this child learn to drink alcohol?
Ray looked at Neil with a mixture of heartache and helplessness.
Good evening.
Lai approached the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a wine glass, pretending that he was just passing by and casually saying hello.
The people attending the banquet tonight were a mixed bunch. There were quite a few people like Lai who came over to greet the Duchess's adopted son and try to become acquainted with him.
Therefore, his action did not attract much attention from the two male servants next to Neil, or rather, it would be more accurate to say that the two of them were the ones watching.
Good evening.
Neil tried his best to control his excitement, but his eyes clearly betrayed his efforts to maintain composure.
Neil lowered his head and picked up the wine glass on the table, trying to use it to cover himself up.
But then something else occurred to him, and his hand froze in mid-air, unsure whether to pick it up or put it down.
"The champagne tonight has a very smooth texture."
Lai raised his glass and took a sip.
That's right.
Neil swallowed hard and took a small sip.
After that brief encounter, Lei turned and left as if nothing had happened, heading towards the dessert area.
Neil looked at Lei with reluctance, but did not try to stop him, and quickly looked away.
Taking the opportunity to adjust his sleeves, he subtly observed whether anyone had noticed the commotion.
Edmund stood three meters away and raised his glass to Neil.
It was the uncle who asked him and his brother if they wanted to come to the royal city.
Neil recognized Edmund.
Thank goodness, my brothers have come to rescue me!
Neil finally cheered up again.
He thought Ray would never find him again. Many times he considered ending it all.
He couldn't accept the reality that his brother was no longer his brother, nor could he accept being manipulated by others and becoming a puppet to gain power.
Neil's hope was finally rekindled when the note was delivered to the secret room where he was imprisoned.
He stopped attempting suicide. He stopped trying to prove his resolve and get the woman to release him by hurting himself.
From the moment she sent him to the capital, she had already made all the necessary preparations and plans. Neil didn't want to give up; he simply had no other choice.
As it turned out, Neil's later compromise was the right thing to do.
He later learned that if it weren't for the black flames that suddenly appeared on his body, which still had some use to the duchess, he would have died long ago during the time he was trying to starve himself to death.
The black flames of Arcanis are not inherited by every offspring.
Unfortunately, I am one in ten thousand.
From those people, Neil vaguely learned some information about his identity.
His biological mother, whom he never met, was the daughter of a minor nobleman who died shortly after giving birth to him.
They went to great lengths to seal his magic and sent him to a remote area, hoping he could live out the rest of his life peacefully.
But unexpectedly, as he grew older, his magical abilities became stronger and stronger.
Until one day, the magic that had been accumulating broke free of its shackles, and he was completely exposed to the world.
An unwanted illegitimate child, a girl who should have had a wonderful life, is shamefully proven.
What an ironic and laughable life.
That once happy and carefree life felt like it had been stolen.
If I am a fake, then where is my parents' real child, the real Neil?
Or is it that they only ever had one older brother, their only biological child?
Conflict and unease constantly filled his heart.
And Anne Toland.
Neil looked at the girl having fun on the dance floor.
He had no affection for her whatsoever, or rather, he was now filled with hatred for the entire Toland family.
With my brother here, everything will be alright.
All Neil can do now is protect himself and not worry Ray and the others.
“Neil”.
A voice suddenly appeared in Neil's mind. Although it felt a little unfamiliar at first, he recognized it immediately; it was the little elf who had always been with Ray.
"I am here."
Neil could not hide his excitement.
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Author's Note: Demons—the most evil race in the world.
It is two meters tall, has horns on its head, and is skilled at bewitching people.
Based on strength, demons are divided into five levels: demon seed, demon soldier, demon captain, demon general, and demon king. Demon gods only exist in mythology.
The Demon Seed has the largest population size, is unconscious, and has a bloodthirsty and brutal personality, with only a hunger for food. It begins to possess intelligence after breaking through to the Demon Lord level.
They mainly rely on devouring other races and their own kind to increase their strength.
Bloodthirsty, belligerent, cold-blooded, and ambitious.
The common enemy of all inhabitants of the entire continent.
Editor's Note: Maintain a sense of crisis and be vigilant against the return of the demon race! Do not take this book or novel seriously; the demon race is definitely not a good match.
Also: I would like to specifically criticize miscellaneous books such as "The Overbearing Demon King Falls in Love with Me", "The Succubus and My Two or Three Things", and "Yes, I Have a Child with the Demon King".
In reality, demons only have a hunger for humans, not sexual desire; do not try to emulate them. According to reliable sources, demons are impotent.
—Excerpt from "Vagura on Anecdotes of Race"
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