A couple greeted them first. Elizabeth recognized them at a glance. The man was pushing the woman in a wheelchair. Both were in their twilight years, yet they were surprisingly energetic and healthy for their age. They wore an immaculate set of clothes, devoid of ruffles or a single misplaced hair. Their fine gold jewelry sparkled under the torchlight, reflecting their status and wealth. Everything was perfect, down to the smallest detail! The woman in the wheelchair was the easiest to recognize. There was no one else like her in the Engelsheft Families: the Second Sage, Alana Lanark. The man pushing her wheelchair was then her husband, the First Sage and Patriarch of the Winhelm Engelsheft Family, Pannark Winhelm. With the Conquestian absent, they possessed the highest authority in the Zino Kingdom!
"Sage Alana, Sage Pannark," Elizabeth addressed.
"Your Highness, welcome and thank you for coming. Technically, this is our second time meeting, but please allow me to formally introduce myself again. Sage Pannark Winhelm, the First Sage."
Elizabeth smiled. "I heard that you treated me when I was unconscious after the Lannisail explosion. Thank you for that. I wouldn't be here today, if it wasn't for you. You have my gratitude."
"You flatter me, Your Highness," the sage returned the smile. "However, I wasn't of much assistance. Your miraculous recovery is your feat alone, as were the rest of your deeds in the Xingyuu Empire. I hear they call Your Highness the 'Guardian Angel' of the Alzar Kingdom."
"What nonsense," she chuckled. "I am a humble Royal Ambassador now, nothing more. You can rest assured."
"I see. That is good to hear," he replied ambiguously.
"Your Highness, the heads of the Engelsheft Families are eager to meet you. May we borrow some of your time?" Sage Alana asked. Elizabeth reflexively glanced at her friends, at which the woman added, "Your Protectors won't be necessary. We have assigned many guards and Arcane Knights to the perimeter. There won't be any unexpected incidents."
"Very well…" To be honest, she did think it was a bad idea to bring her friends to meet the Engelsheft heads anyways. One, they would not be interested, and two, they risked embarrassing themselves. It was better to go alone. "Please, lead the way then."
Watching Elizabeth leave, Shirley looked to Benedict, who had the most experience with these parties. "What should we do next? Talk to people?"
"No, we should stay put and chat amongst ourselves unless approached. It's important not to stand out in these places."
She clicked her tongue. "How boring."
"It's better than getting a new nickname," Freon laughed.
"I'm glad my brothers aren't here for this. This is going to be one boring night."
Freon felt a tug on his shirt. "What's the matter, Nassandra?"
"People are coming."
He saw them and sighed. A headache formed. Trying his best to smile, he said, "It's a pleasure to see you here, Lord Aster, Lady Solis."
"Your face doesn't show it," Aster grinned.
"Haha… Everyone, this is Lord Aster of the Cisvernia Family, and Lady Solis of the Welgen Family. I met them during the graduation ceremony. Likewise, this is-"
"Introductions won't be necessary. We know who they are," Aster stated.
"Lady Shirley and Sir Benedict, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Solis said with a curtsy. "I've been meaning to thank you for saving me in the Siege of Yongtein. I will fulfill any requests you may have, as long as it is within my power."
As she curtsied, her large chest was pushed to the front. Benedict and Freon found their gazes inadvertently drifting in that direction. They were young men, after all. It was a natural reaction. And when they heard her provocative words, they gulped. Her charm was almost too much to handle! Thankfully, Shirley pinched Benedict, and Nassandra nudged Freon, or they might have done something stupid. The girls were upset by their reactions, but the girls had to aim their frustration at Lady Solis. It was clear she was deliberately provoking them. Her motivations had to be impure! Hostility brewed.
"Thanks, but no thanks. We won't be needing your help. If you're done, then please leave," Shirley urged, while Nassandra nodded.
"But why? I don't understand." Solis seemed genuinely confused.
"You…"
"Now, now… Let's calm down." Aster stepped between them. "This is our first meeting together. Shall we start over?"
"I apologize if I have offended you," Lady Solis said.
Shirley looked at her suspiciously before nodding. "Alright, I'll accept your apology. And as for you two, get those perverted thoughts out of your heads." She glared at Benedict and Freon. Nassandra looked disappointed too.
Freon coughed with a face full of shame. "Will do."
"Right." Benedict added, bobbing his head in agreement.
"By the way, we haven't seen Her Highness anywhere. We wanted to meet Her Highness as well." Aster looked around.
"Elizabeth… Her Highness is busy with the two sages, so you'll have to wait until she's done," Freon replied.
"I see."
"Shall we tour the party in the meanwhile?" Solis suggested with a gentle smile. "We're gaining too much attention here." She was right. Because of how loud they were, people were staring with amused expressions. Once again, it became obvious how much they stood out in this party.
"Please lead the way," Benedict said wryly.
"It would be my pleasure."
"You're walking with us!" Shirley growled as she split up the boys and girls. She needed to keep a close eye on her.
Solis chuckled. "As you wish."
While they walked, Aster casually probed, "Will Lord Avin be joining us later?"
Freon turned alert. He wondered if this was the real reason they approached him. He considered his words before replying, "Perhaps."
"What a shame," he sighed.
"Why do you want to see him?"
"Why not? Lord Avin is the strongest Arcanist in history, having reached the legendary Blue Depth Core Level. I was curious about his experiences, as well as any advice on how to form a Condensed Drop Core and beyond."
"My uncle isn't-" He stopped himself. He was about to say that his uncle was not kind enough to instruct random people, but there was no need to tell Aster that.
"Isn't what?"
"It's nothing," Freon replied coolly. It was better to keep these Engelsheft Families at a distance. There was no telling what they had planned.
Benedict was absentmindedly listening when he noticed someone out of the corner of his eye. At the same time, that person saw him too and began walking in his direction. Whispers of shock and awe were heard, because this person… was breathtakingly beautiful. Her snow-white hair, flawless face, cold demeanor, and aqua dress captivated everyone's attention. Even Lady Solis, who was a beauty in her own right, seemed inferior in their presence. The Solitary Wind, Lady Kalasena, had arrived! Funnily enough, no one seemed to recognize her. After all, an Engelsheft might stand at the top of the Zino Kingdom, yet they were insignificant compared to a Grand Noble from the Alzar Kingdom. The difference was like comparing a town mayor to a city lord. Their statuses were too far apart! Not to mention, Lady Kalasena was one of the most famous Grand Ladies of her generation. This made it even more unlikely for anyone to know her, or vice versa.
Some brave boys tried to strike up a conversation with her, which obviously failed. She directly ignored them. She was called the Solitary Wind for a reason. Arrogant! Extremely arrogant! That was everyone's opinion of her. Eventually, Lady Kalasena stopped in front of Benedict and glared at him. It was the first time she showed any interest in someone. This made people gossip. What was the relationship between this girl and Sir Benedict? As for Benedict, he was at a loss for how to proceed. Lady Kalasena's two maids and Lord Fredrick were not here to translate either…
The awkward situation was seen by Elizabeth, who was chatting with the heads of the Engelsheft Families. She furrowed her brows, prompting her conversation partners to look over too.
"Grand Lady Kalasena Dewshard, I wasn't expecting her to come tonight," Lady Alice Cisvernia remarked. She was the matriarch of the Cisvernia Engelsheft Family, mother of the late Ten Dawn Iris, and grandmother of Lord Aster Cisvernia. She was known for being a very strict and traditional woman.
"She's as beautiful as they say!" Lady Joanna Welgen said with an intense gaze. She was the matriarch of the Welgen Engelsheft Family, and mother of Lady Solis Welgen. She was known for having an extreme favoritism towards beautiful people, and in particular, beautiful girls.