Chapter 126

Chapter 126: The Banquet by the Sea

The twilight at the edge of the sky was a blend of purple and red, with the sunset casting its glow upon the clouds, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. Under the clear sky, seagulls circled above the harbor, and the sea tides by the shore were dyed golden by the setting sun.

Rows of armed personnel clad in various colors stood at attention before a seaside cliff, facing each other in silence. After a while, several carriages parted the crowd and slowly made their way up the hill to the manor atop the cliff, where candles already illuminated the interior.

After the representatives from the five major guilds had thoroughly inspected everything, they gradually withdrew, allowing maids and attendants to enter and prepare for the banquet.

As the sky darkened, a cool breeze carried the scent of the sea, yet it remained pleasant.

Lolan Hill stood by the window, letting the gentle wind lift her sleeves, pass through her fingers, and caress her wrists before entering the bustling hall.

Tonight, the manor hosted not only the upper echelons of the five major guilds but also notable figures from Hopeland and neutral organizations, such as the former Blue Songstress Lady Phyllis, Master Hulang of the White Orchid Crossblade, Bishop Jua of the Pure White Church, and naturally, the alchemist Zenepp.

The grand hall was aglow with lights. Society’s elites, who had recently experienced intense conflicts, began to relax. To them, guilds were primarily about making money; what couldn’t be negotiated? As long as there was no more internal strife, life could return to its previous state of prosperity and comfort.

As the hall grew livelier, some violinists started playing, seated on the second floor’s circular corridor. Piano music also joined in, and occasionally, the sound of glasses clinking echoed through the hall. Attendants carried various delicacies through the crowd.

“Still here, Miss Lacy,” Mereu said, walking over in a light green dress. She was accompanied by a gentleman, Jerald, who wore a black suit beside her, protecting her. Seeing Mereu and Lacy talking, he didn’t approach any closer but stood guard nearby.

“Isn’t it lonely standing here alone?” Mereu asked, then stood beside Lolan Hill, gazing out the window at the seaside view.

“No, I actually enjoy being alone. It gives me a sense of freedom and comfort.”

“Oh, I can’t do that. I love being with my family, relatives, and friends. Even if we don’t talk, just watching them laugh brings me a subtle happiness,” Mereu said, her eyes filled with nostalgia.

“Is that so? I’ve rarely felt that kind of emotion because I’m the only child in my family. My father is often away, and only my mother is around. But she doesn’t understand how I feel. I often want to escape her love,” Lolan Hill reminisced about her past.

“Why would you want to escape? Isn’t love wonderful?”

“Because this love carries too many expectations, too heavy a burden. I can’t live up to their ideal image of me.”

“I can’t work as hard or diligently as my mother expects. I’m timid and want to take shortcuts and give up, but in the eyes of my elders, that’s shameful.”

“How can you just give up? Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for you?”

“I can’t refute such great love, so I struggle through life feeling miserable and inferior,” Lolan Hill brushed back her wind-tousled hair.

“You? You feel inferior too?”

“Yes, I’ve almost never been praised by my mother. She always seems to notice my weaknesses and expose them.”

“Mereu, do you know? A child relies entirely on their parents. If parents never approve or recognize them, it’s terrifying.”

Mereu seemed to understand somewhat but continued to ask curiously.

“But now you seem very confident, as if you’re radiating light.”

“Haha, no, not that impressive,” Lolan Hill covered her mouth and laughed.

“Indeed you do,” Mereu looked at Lolan Hill by the window, her clear eyes reflecting the candlelight in the hall, exuding a natural and peaceful aura, a kind of calm pride and confidence that was captivating.

What exactly transformed her?

The banquet in the hall reached its peak. Some people began dancing, their voluminous skirts swirling and floating like blooming lotuses of various colors.

Many violinists on the second floor played lively tunes, and the lively notes danced along with the beat and the crowd.

Adelie and Wick from the Tisiphone family sat at a small table by the side, with a candle holder and glass wine cups on the table.

“Why don’t you go dance with your fiancée?”

Wick glanced at the group of girlfriends surrounding Feng Nai and said to Adelie.

“It might be embarrassing to join now, and they’d mock us,” Adelie replied, sipping deep red wine.

“There will be plenty of time later to make it up to her.”

“You’re still so good at manipulating girls’ hearts.”

“What about Miss Lacy? Are you still infatuated with her?”

“Hmm, her.”

Adelie raised his wine glass, looking at the distant Lolan Hill, making her silhouette sway slightly through the transparent red wine liquid in his vision.

“She’s still so dazzling,” he sighed, then continued.

“As long as she stays obedient, she’ll survive.”

“But if she’s so obedient, she wouldn’t be so attractive to you,” Wick added.

“Yes.”

“This reminds me of a phrase from the East, which fits perfectly.”

“What phrase?” Wick asked curiously.

“If life were only like our first meeting.”

“That night, after I expressed my goodwill, she drank the wine, her cheeks flushed, smiling beautifully, so captivating.”

Adelie’s tone was distant, as if reminiscing and lamenting.

“Do you ever truly fall in love, Adelie?”

“True love? If it means a fervent goal, then yes.”

“Would you soften then?”

“No, I could even kill her myself.”

“That makes me feel better,”

Wick looked at his brother, his copper chandelier casting a faint shadow over his black hair, his eyes reflecting the entire hall, contemplating something far beyond.

Outside the brilliantly lit hall, Hopeland had entered the night. Stars dotted the sky, and firepits burned quietly along the main road, illuminating everything. Below the manor, ropes dangled down the seaside cliff, and one black-clad figure after another ascended.

Jelinck, the head of the Yargtirin family, was unwell tonight, and his second son, Daniel, would host the banquet and subsequent negotiations.

Sorry, I got stuck for a moment, adjusted my state, and there will be another chapter tonight.

End of Chapter