Chapter 401: Celebration Dinner, Gift of Manor, Gluttony Disaster

"Mr. Yeats, please wait a moment!"

The cheers echoed through the wall in the exit passage. Ye Zhi heard the call, stopped and looked back, only to see Violet in silver armor trotting towards him.

Her eyes sparkled with admiration, and she said excitedly, "What a wonderful archery technique! What kind of fighting skill is that? It can actually split into thousands of arrows!"

The King of the Wild Hunt often appears in the North, and his knights are not common in the Kingdom of Roland. Violet was unable to figure out the origin of the "Wild Hunt Blessing" for a while.

Ye Zhi did not reveal it, but smiled and reminded: "It should be King Roland who asked you to come?"

"Ah... that's right!" Violet straightened her back and said respectfully, "Your Excellency the Duke, His Majesty ordered me to take you to the Sapphire Manor in Paris so that you don't have to travel back and forth between Fontainebleau and Paris!"

Ye Zhi understood in his heart that this was actually a reflection of King Roland's deepening trust in him.

"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way."

"Please follow me, sir!"

Zuanya quietly poked his head over Ye Zhi's shoulder, looking frightened:

"Oh, that was a close call just now. Fortunately, we teamed up to defeat the Tyrannosaurus Rex!"

Yeats couldn't help laughing.

Funny analysis: My grandma and Lao Da can score 80 points together! "Not bad, at least you managed to attract the hatred of a Tyrannosaurus Rex."

Ye Zhi encouraged, "Add some extra food tonight!"

"Great!" said Zuanya happily.

"But I'm not the one cooking... the steward of the manor should be able to arrange it..." Ye Zhi pondered.

Zuanya's face changed and he said, "Oh no, it's a big loss!"

*Night falls.

Ile de la Cité, Paris.

As night falls, the Seine River flowing through the center of Paris embraces two islands, which are connected by a graceful stone bridge.

The gentle river water quietly caresses the shaded river bank, and the lights and the sounds of oars flow in the golden waves. The Sapphire Manor that King Roland ordered to be prepared for Yeats is located in the core area of ​​​​the Ile de la Cité, like a precious jewel inlaid in the center of the lake.

Not far from the Sapphire Manor is the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Royal Palace…Louis escaped from the fire in this palace and seemed to have a traumatic experience there, so he rarely lived in this palace.

"cheers!"

On the night when Yeats advanced to the quarterfinals, a grand celebration dinner was held at Sapphire Manor.

Celebrities from the capital of Roland came one after another, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Duke of Honeysuckle.

Firstly, Yeats's fame is not only spread in the Golden Lion Kingdom, but there are also a large number of bards in the Roland Kingdom who spread his deeds. Today's great victory further proves his strength.

Secondly, there was news that Yeats was a popular person appreciated by King Roland... If he could get close to him, he would naturally be closer to King Roland! Yeats couldn't understand the Roland nobles' almost fanatical pursuit of Louis, which made this guy look like a succubus, but then he thought about it, developing the economy, focusing on education, and encouraging science... This is already a wise ruler among the personified medieval monarchs! Great, no need to say more!

Before the party, Yeats's second sister, Shirley Brontë and her husband, the Count of Champagne, also came to visit.

Yeats personally received her second sister and brother-in-law.

My second brother-in-law, Count Champagne, is a brown-haired man with a scholarly air. He has a friendly face and seems to be very affectionate with my second sister. He speaks in a very literary manner.

At the steps of the mansion, the Count of Champagne held the hand of Sheri Bronty and looked at Yeats with admiration in his eyes. He exclaimed: "I have heard of your great name for a long time. Today I am fortunate to see your heroic figure in the arena... defeating the Tyrannosaurus Rex with one arrow is really extraordinary!"

Almost half of the nobles in the city went to watch the duel. The duke from a foreign country had become Roland's hottest topic at the moment.

Regardless of his origin, strength, status, or appearance, the Duke of Honeysuckle is first-rate and outstanding... The Earl of Champagne thought to himself... No wonder he is valued by the goddess!

Shirley Brontë smiled radiantly and was also proud of her younger brother.

Ye Zhi inherited some of her memories from her previous life. She remembered that her sister had been very kind to her before she got married. She was polite and said:

"You are too kind, Count of Champagne... Please, both of you."

"This is an ivory sculpture that I specially ordered to be made. It is based on your image of winning the curling game... Please accept it, Your Excellency the Duke."

The Count of Champagne waved his hand, and the servant brought a long box and uncovered the silk cloth. In the glass cabinet inside the box, there was an exquisite ivory carving, so lifelike that one could almost see the scene of black mountains with white snow, fluttering flags, and a young man standing alone on the cliff, drawing his sword and shouting orders to the army.

Ye Zhi's heart moved.

I just said, my second brother-in-law is a good person to get along with!

Roland's social etiquette is cumbersome, and the nobles are proud of their pursuit of fashion. It is said that this was deliberately done by the Sun King in order to consolidate his rule. The purpose is to make the nobles waste a lot of energy on trivial matters so as to avoid focusing on power.

The dinner was organized and hosted by the manor's steward... The servants and workers of the manor were all prepared in advance, so Yeats didn't have to worry about it.

At Mammon's repeated request, Ye Zhi gave the black cat the specific list of the guests at the dinner and asked curiously:

"Mammon, what do you want the list for?"

Black Cat lay on the desk, with his hands in his pockets, looking at the list attentively, and said:

"I don't remember who gave me a gift, but I will definitely remember who didn't!"

The vengeful kitten.JPG.

Ye Zhi was slightly stunned, thinking that he was indeed the God of Greed, and had the family tradition of my Ye Zhi! "Good cat." Ye Zhi rubbed Mammon's soft fur, and said with satisfaction, "The responsibility of receiving gifts is left to you!"

Mammon looked up at Ye Zhi speechlessly. I don't understand. Do humans like to pet cats so much? I'm almost annoyed by him!

"Here, for you!" Yeats took out a jar of jelly.

Mammon's eyes suddenly lit up. He squinted his eyes and licked the jelly with a snort. Facing the invisible principle of true fragrance, he forgot about Yeats's visible big hand.

Yeats was mainly interested in the dinner menu. He took a quick look and saw the appetizers of foie gras with crackers, roasted squab, lobster tail, and Roland Rose oysters. The main courses were roasted venison legs, salmon steaks, and stewed lamb chops. Of course, there was also champagne, cheese platter, butter bread, and vanilla custard...

"The Roland people really know how to eat!" Yeats exclaimed, "There are so many more delicious things than the Golden Lion!"

The only things that can be considered gourmet at Golden Lion are French fries and fried fish... oh, and of course, there's also the Stargazing Pie!

The dinner officially begins.

As the host, Yeats made a brief appearance and then left amid the guests' compliments.

Just let the butler be responsible for entertaining these nobles...Yets still doesn't like the masked world of Vanity Fair.

To be kind to others is to hope to get something from them.

Yeats didn't have many friends. He had been in this world for almost three years, and he had never made many friends. But he was satisfied to have a few friends with whom he could get along well.

In Yeats's eyes.

Friends are those who can trust each other and share life and death with each other!

Of course, there is an exception, such as him and Zuanya... They are bad friends, back to back, just to see who can run faster! It is worth mentioning that the dwarf Baruch, who lost to Yeats in the duel, also came to visit the manor and brought a special gift "Dwarf Liquor".

He was a dwarf with a generous personality. He seemed to have forgotten the disastrous defeat and left without a care in the world, leaving behind the liquor.

Yeats learned from the housekeeper that Baruch Ironbeard had left him a message, saying that if there was a chance, he would invite Yeats to visit the dwarf tribe!

"'The dwarf tribe is the best at forging. I have connections and can give you a good price!'" The butler imitated the words perfectly and said, "That's what Master Baruch said."

That's useful information.

It is inevitable that I will encounter situations where I have to deal with dwarf craftsmen in the future.

With Baruk's relationship, it would be more convenient for me to go to the dwarf tribe in the future...

The Ironbeard Tribe where Baruch is located is one of the three major dwarf tribes. The three major tribes are the Goldbeard, Ironbeard, and Greybeard, and the Goldbeard Tribe is the most noble.

The three major tribes are all good at forging, but the Goldbeard tribe is the best at it. The Ironbeard tribe makes a living by mining, and the Greybeard tribe is a jack of all trades, specializing in brewing, machinery, animal taming, mercenaries... Most of the dwarves in these industries come from the Greybeard tribe.

After all, dwarves value being a blacksmith, and other professions are not welcome.

Dwarven liquor is a good thing. Only dwarves know the brewing recipe, and the recipe for liquor in each tribe is different!

Yeats didn't know the formula.

However, just by taking a sip of the wine given by Baruch, you can guess 99% of it!

Yeats was in a delicate mood and couldn't help but associate things.

——Baruch, who is 120 years old this year, has not yet realized that he is about to become the culprit who sells out the recipe of the clan's strong liquor...

Of course, this was a gift from the hospitable dwarves. Yeats, who accepted the gift, was not despicable enough to disclose the secrets of other people's tribes.

Immediately.

Ye Zhi looked at the butler who was imitating Baruch's tone and said:

"You used to be a bard? You even know how to imitate voices?"

The butler was flattered and nodded respectfully in response to the question from the Chosen One of Art.

"To be honest, I have always dreamed of becoming a bard! But..." He didn't continue.

Yeats patted the butler on the shoulder and encouraged him: "Everyone is a poet, but they just lack the ability to express themselves..."

The butler's eyes flashed, and he nodded vigorously, saying, "Your Excellency the Duke, His Majesty has specifically instructed me to emphasize something to you."

"What's up?"

"His Majesty said that if you can make it to the top four, he will give you this manor as a reward to use as your palace in the Roland Kingdom."

Ye Zhi laughed dumbly and said, "It's a good idea to refuse a manor that's delivered to your door."

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

The butler smiled and said, "Then I wish Your Excellency the Duke a successful start!"

Ye Zhi nodded slightly, thinking... Isn't there another auspicious word today? The opponent of the next round of duels will not be known until a week later, when all the top 16 matches are over.

Taking advantage of the free week, Yeats decided to go to the Gastronomy Society on the hill of Montmartre to inquire about the whereabouts of the "Gluttony" ritual vessel.

Butte Montmartre is a relatively remote area near the capital of King Roland, where nobles and monasteries built manors and farmlands, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Food Association owns large tracts of farmland, wineries, ranches, and even a special Magical Beast breeding base on that hill, thus achieving self-sufficiency in food to a certain extent.

During the Saturnalia during the autumn harvest, the Food Association would join forces with local businesses, trade unions, and villages to hold a large-scale celebration, where even civilians could enjoy free bread and wheat juice.

While Ye Zhi sent people to inquire about the current manager of the Food Association, he was also keeping an eye on another master who advanced to the quarterfinals on the same day as him.

This master is an orc, which is quite rare in human society.

Among all the contestants participating in the duel tournament, there was only one orc, the swordsman named "Danu Stoneheart".

Danu's fighting style was quite smooth. With his phantom-step-like movements, he easily played with an imperial mage and dodged all the thunder blasted by the mage. He suddenly drew his sword and killed the enemy with one strike, delivering an instant kill performance.

Ye Zhi vaguely remembered that in the original plot, this orc was very powerful and had the title of "Orc Sword Master".

Later, he was defeated by Hastings in a ring match and had one of his arms cut off... a classic mat-type character.

Ye Zhi shook his head. The one who deserves the most attention in this duel must be Hastings, one of the three giants of the Holy See! The former God of War, the current Spear of God, a natural warrior, is a more difficult opponent than Famula!

"To be on the safe side, I need to continue improving my strength before the finals..." Ye Zhi thought to himself, "Obtaining [Gluttony] will increase my combat power even more!"

*The opening ceremony ended, the next day.

An unexpected guest arrived at Sapphire Manor.

The Dragon Eagle King flapped its wings and landed on the lawn of the manor. The silver-armored female knight turned over and left the Dragon Eagle. She looked at the figure on the corridor, smiled, and took the initiative to greet him:

"Mr. Yeats!"

Ye Zhi nodded slightly and said with a smile: "From your looks, was the action successful?"

"Yes, thanks to your advice, I got a clue and planted a few spies inside the Thieves Guild." Violet's black hair swayed, her violet eyes flickered, and she smiled, "His Majesty even praised me for it! He said I learned a lot from you!"

Ye Zhi was stunned, thinking, is this a compliment? Or is he warning you not to get too close to me?

"Ahem... Is there something that brought you here today?" Ye Zhi cleared his throat.

"Oh, His Majesty sent me here. He invites you to go out of the city with him tomorrow to the Gastronomy Association on the Butte Montmartre to attend the Gastronomy Festival!"

There was a flash of surprise in Ye Zhi's eyes.

I'm following this guy, is he following me too? Otherwise, how would he know my recent whereabouts and my plan to go to the Food and Beverage Association? Ye Zhi felt a chill on his back, but he felt that he couldn't possibly reveal his whereabouts when he followed Louis to the cemetery that day. After all, after being trained by Skach, Ye Zhi also had some experience in the art of hiding in the dark, and he could be said to be one of the best at hiding on the continent!

Ye Zhi quickly calmed down and pretended to be surprised:

"Why did your majesty think of inviting me to the feast celebration?"

Violet did not doubt him and smiled, "Of course it's because His Majesty admires you very much! He watched your duel yesterday and praised you highly. It just so happened that he had to attend the celebration and needed a musician, so he thought of you first!"

Yeats was in a strange mood.

Well, it turns out that they invited me to a “commercial performance”!

Louis probably doesn't know that food is what I am best at, he just wants to hear my performance live.

The King is my fan?

Seeing Yeats remained silent for a long time, Violet thought he was worried about the reward, so she raised her hand and said, "Oh, don't worry, His Majesty is always generous! He has said that as long as you agree to attend the celebration with him, Sapphire Manor will be yours!"

The original condition was to advance to the semi-finals, and now the manor would be awarded as a reward for attending the celebration... Ye Zhi suspected that Louis had already decided to give the manor to him.

Glancing at the gold ring on his knuckles, Ye Zhi thought to himself, [Fortune] is coming...

According to the price of [Fortune], there will be trouble on this trip to the Food Association!

Ye Zhi had originally planned to go to the Food Association. At worst, he could just say goodbye to King Roland and act alone.

"Your Majesty spends money like water. It is common for him to reward courtiers with carriages, mansions and estates. You don't have to be surprised." Violet smiled and said, "If you agree, I will go back and report to His Majesty!"

Ye Zhi pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "Okay, please tell His Majesty that I will go to the palace to pay a visit tomorrow morning."

Back at the manor, the sound of teeth drilling rang in my mind.

"This human, Louis, is so mysterious. I even suspect he made a deal with the devil!"

"Hmm?" Ye Zhi asked Zuanya to elaborate.

"Like...giving your soul to Lucifer or something like that."

Zuanya said: "Didn't Mammon say that Louis collected the [Morning Star] diamond, so he should be affected by the power of arrogance. It is very likely that he will become a servant of the Arrogant Demon God!"

"But I don't sense any trace of arrogant power in him," said Mammon.

Ye Zhi speculated: "Is there a possibility... that he really has the inheritance of the God of the Blazing Sun, which conflicts with the power of arrogance, so we can't see any clues?"

Mammon was surprised and asked, "You mean, he is not afraid of divine conflict just like you?"

Yeats frowned. The original work did not dwell very much on the Sun King and Lady Black Rose. The existing information was insufficient, and he could not speculate more.

But Ye Zhi was certain of one thing: the stronger his power was, the more powerful he would be in fighting against the Holy See, Lady Black Rose, and the Nightmare.

"Anyway, let's continue collecting the Demon God's ritual vessels." Ye Zhi said, "You said that Mammon would share the information about the ritual vessel in the Food Feast Guild with me."

Mammon said: "Its name is [Gluttony], it should still be alive."

Ye Zhi was stunned. He only knew that there was such a ritual vessel in the Food Association, but he knew very little about the specific information. He asked in surprise:

"Alive, what does that mean?"

Mammon said calmly: "'Gluttony'... is a living creature, and it can also change its own form."

"It sounds... quite novel," Yeats commented.

"It's better not to be careless."

Mammon smiled coldly and said, "Gluttony is like Pandora's Box... a forbidden item that will bring disaster!"

Ye Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and he asked in a heavy voice, "What disaster? A flood, or a fire from heaven?"

The black cat had a stern face and said seriously:

"Gluttony will eat up all the food stored! Let everyone around starve! Isn't this scary enough?"

Ye Zhi hissed.

Just hearing this makes me feel creepy!

(End of this chapter)