Chapter 255: The Ninth-Circle Banquet

Two days later, at the Eisenberg family estate.

A stable spatial gate opened before the estate’s magnificent fountain, and Lia and Klein stepped out.

To celebrate Lady Eleonora’s successful advancement, Master Horace was hosting what he called a “small banquet” at the estate.

However, when Lia saw the dozens of luxurious Pioneer No. 1s parked on the lawn and the top figures of the capital mingling among the waiters, she began to have profound doubts about the definition of the word “small.”

The President of the Magic Association, Samuel; the Captain of the Royal Griffin Knights; Duke Roland from the military; and even a few rarely seen members of the royal family.

Everyone was dressed splendidly, their demeanor elegant, and the air was filled with a mixture of expensive perfume and top-shelf red wine.

When Lia and Klein appeared, the bustle at the entrance to the banquet hall paused for a brief moment.

Countless gazes instantly focused on them, filled with awe, curiosity, scrutiny, and a hint of greed.

Their gazes were not on the Eighth-Circle Archmage Klein, but on the golden-haired young woman beside him who looked no older than eighteen.

Lia Farrien.

That name had long since spread throughout the upper echelons of the capital, but back then, she was still just a genius.

Now, she was not merely a budding young talent, but was adorned with a series of dizzying titles, such as “Pioneer of the Ninth-Circle Path.”

In their eyes, Lia was like a treasure trove that had yet to be fully excavated.

A wealthy merchant with a potbelly and fingers laden with jeweled rings immediately approached with a wine glass, his face wreathed in smiles.

“Professor Farrien, I’ve long heard of your great name. I am Bart, the Vice President of the Capital’s Chamber of Commerce. Our Chamber of Commerce is extremely interested in the alternating current induction motor technology you’ve proposed. I was wondering if we might have the opportunity to…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a figure had already stepped in front of Lia.

Klein looked at him expressionlessly, his blue eyes as calm as still water, yet they caused the smile on the Vice President’s face to stiffen.

“Please do not disturb Professor Farrien.”

Klein’s voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone nearby.

The merchant glanced at Klein, then at Lia, who was being shielded behind him.

He wisely raised his glass, gave a dry laugh, and retreated.

With that opening, the others who had been eager to make a move also temporarily suppressed their intentions.

Lia breathed a sigh of relief; she had always kept such occasions at arm’s length.

Her gaze quickly swept across the room and precisely locked onto the long dessert table in the distance, which was laden with a dazzling array of sweets.

“Let’s go over there,” Lia whispered.

Klein nodded and naturally positioned himself slightly ahead and to the side of Lia, using his own body to block the majority of the scrutinizing gazes and clear a path for her.

Lia soon had a plate with a slice of mousse cake topped with cream and fresh raspberries.

She found a quiet corner and, with a satisfied expression, scooped a bite into her mouth with a small spoon.

The sweet flavor melted on her taste buds, making her instantly forget the hustle and bustle around her.

“This one is good too.” Klein, who had returned at some point, placed a small dish of translucent pudding in front of her.

It was made with wind honey and the nectar of morning dew flowers, with a light and sweet taste, a specialty of the Eisenberg estate.

Lia’s eyes lit up, and she accepted it without ceremony.

For the remainder of the time, Klein stood guard by Lia’s side.

Whenever someone attempted to strike up a conversation, whether it was a mage wanting to discuss academics or a noble seeking to solicit an investment, they would be turned away by him with all sorts of concise reasons.

After this happened several times, even the most slow-witted person understood.

This powerful Eighth-Circle spatial mage clearly did not want anyone disturbing his girlfriend’s enjoyment of her dessert.

The hostess of the banquet, Lady Eleonora, was conversing with several noblewomen.

She wore a moon-white long dress, her red hair coiled at the back of her head, her disposition even more gentle and captivating than two days prior.

After two days of meditation, the imposing pressure originating from the world’s law had been completely restrained, forming only a faint, soft glow around her.

Her gaze crossed the crowd and fell upon Lia and Klein in their quiet corner, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

As time went on and the banquet moved into its later stages, the guests began to take their leave in twos and threes.

Eleonora gracefully made her way through the crowd and arrived before Lia and Klein.

“Lia, did you enjoy the desserts tonight?” she asked with a smile.

“They were absolutely delicious, my lady,” Lia said, wiping the corner of her mouth, feeling a little embarrassed.

She felt as if she might have eaten more tonight than she usually did in a week.

“That’s good.” Eleonora’s smile grew even more sincere. “As a thank you, I had the head chef prepare a portion for you to take away. You can bring it back to enjoy at your leisure.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly.”

“There’s no reason to be modest. You deserve it,” Eleonora said in a tone that brooked no refusal.

She then extended an invitation to Lia. “The moonlight is lovely right now, and the Moonlight Flowers in the estate are all in bloom. Would you be willing to take a walk with me?”

Lia glanced at Klein, and seeing his slight nod, she readily agreed.

“Of course, it would be my honor.”

The two of them walked side-by-side out of the bustling banquet hall, down a cobblestone path, and into the tranquil rear garden.

A gentle evening breeze blew, carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass.

In the garden, vast patches of Moonlight Flowers were blooming in the night.

Their petals, like butterfly wings, emitted a pure and gentle light, illuminating the entire garden as if it were a fairy realm.

The faint glow around Eleonora’s body mingled with the light of the flowers, enveloping her in a holy halo.

“After becoming a Ninth Circle, the whole world feels different,” Eleonora began softly, breaking the silence.

“I can hear the voice of the wind more clearly and feel the breath of every single plant. It’s a marvelous feeling.”

“Congratulations, my lady. You have embarked upon a brand-new path,” Lia said sincerely.

Eleonora stopped and turned to look at the young woman beside her. Under the moonlight, Lia’s golden hair seemed to flow like liquid gold, and her emerald eyes were clear and bright.

“No, Lia,” Eleonora shook her head, her gaze gentle and earnest. “I am merely a lucky person who found a treasure by following a map. You are the one who drew that map.”

She gazed at Lia, and then her tone suddenly shifted, taking on a hint of teasing.

“Speaking of which, Master Klein treats you very specially.”

Lia, who had been observing the beautiful Moonlight Flowers, was caught off guard by the sentence, and her mind momentarily stalled.

“Huh?”

“Oh, yes,” Eleonora’s smile deepened, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Throughout the entire banquet, his gaze has hardly left you. Anyone who tried to approach you was subtly blocked by him. That doesn’t seem like ordinary concern.”

Lia’s cheeks instantly grew hot.

She quickly averted her gaze to a nearby Moonlight Flower in full bloom, but her mouth subconsciously tried to argue. “N-no, that’s not it! He’s… he’s just my mentor. Isn’t it normal to care for one’s apprentice? Yes, that’s it, just concern!”

Her voice stuttered, completely lacking its usual calm and composure.

Her flustered eyes and slightly reddened earlobes thoroughly betrayed her true feelings.

Seeing her adorable, flustered appearance, Eleonora couldn’t help but chuckle. Her laughter was light and particularly clear in the quiet garden.

“Is that so? Just concern, then,” she deliberately drew out her words, her smile growing more meaningful.

She did not press the matter further, but instead raised her hand and gently brushed the petal of a Moonlight Flower, feeling the life-mana it contained.

“The language of the Moonlight Flower is love hidden in the heart,” Eleonora said, as if to herself, or perhaps for Lia to hear.

“Sometimes, what the eyes see is much more honest than what the mouth says.”

The evening wind blew past, and Lia felt her cheeks burning.

She looked down at the softly glowing Moonlight Flowers at her feet and was, for a moment, lost in a daze.

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