The grand banquet hosted by the Shinomiya Family had entered its final stages of preparation. Servants bustled about, ensuring every detail was perfectly arranged before the arrival of the honored guests.
The venue itself exuded an almost blinding level of luxury. The red carpet stretched beneath one's feet felt incredibly soft, made of special silk velvet imported directly from Europe, its value rumored to far exceed the price of gold.
Above, crystal chandeliers cast a shimmering light, reflecting the breathtaking sparkle of large and extremely rare uncut diamonds that adorned them.
The round tables and chairs neatly arranged throughout the room were handcrafted by the finest artisans, using the highest quality wood that displayed beautiful natural grains and exceptional craftsmanship.
Among the prestigious guest list prepared by the Shinomiya Family, the names of three other giant conglomerate families were also noted as invited to this special event: the Sanzenin Family with their immeasurable wealth, the Momobami Family who controlled the gambling world with astonishing influence, and the Tenjouin Family known for their extensive power and political connections.
Only the leading figures in the Japanese business world received direct honorary invitations from the Shinomiya Family. Of course, some locally prominent families also managed to attend thanks to their connections and influence with these great tycoons.
Among the invited guests, the Yukinoshita Family was also present, their attendance acknowledged due to their reliance on the more influential Arima Family.
The two Yukinoshita sisters, Haruno and Yukino, sat side-by-side at a table located somewhat on the periphery of the main banquet area, observing the crowd with different expressions.
"Hey, Yukino. What kind of people do you think the Seventh King and the Eighth King are? I heard they're both around Yukino's age and still high school students."
Swirling her sparkling wine glass, Haruno looked at her younger sister.
"King? What a ridiculous joke. They are not rulers of a country, so why are they called kings? What on earth is the Shinomiya Family thinking, holding such a lavish banquet just to entertain ordinary high school students?"
With her arms crossed, Yukino glared coldly at Haruno. She didn't believe in mysticism and had nothing but disgust for it, she only believed in science and knowledge.
"Enough, Yukino."
Haruno's voice suddenly sounded sharp, breaking the quiet between them. There was no trace of the usual gentleness and friendliness she displayed. All that remained was cold and stern anger.
Haruno glanced around, relieved that no other guests seemed close enough to hear her sister's controversial statement.
"Stop your habit of criticizing others with that razor-sharp tongue. If anyone is offended by your words, even the Yukinoshita Family with all its connections won't be able to protect you."
"It seems Mother spoiled you too much when you were growing up, and now look at you."
Although the Yukinoshita Family was a prominent family with considerable influence in Chiba Prefecture, in the circles of high society in Tokyo, they were still considered rural gentry.
Although their father served as a council member, his position was only at the regional level.
Haruno herself had never truly been exposed to supernatural phenomena, at least not beyond what she had seen in fictional works. However, through her interactions with various important figures in the upper echelons, she knew that supernatural entities were real and possessed powers that could not be underestimated.
The fact that one of the four largest conglomerate families in Japan—the Shinomiya Family—was welcoming individuals called Kings with such a lavish banquet was clear proof that the other party possessed extraordinary power and influence.
And here, her younger sister so easily insulted those clearly in power with her harsh words.
Was Yukino courting death? Or dragging the Yukinoshita Family into ruin?
After being scolded by the usually doting Haruno, Yukino bit her lower lip, feeling unfairly treated. She lowered her head, hiding her annoyed expression.
'I still don't believe in all that mystical nonsense.'
'King? That's absurd. This is the 21st century, the era of science and technology. How can respectable people like the Shinomiya Family still believe in supernatural things? Holding a lavish banquet just to entertain high school students who claim to be kings? This is no longer the feudal era with daimyos and samurai. They should be more rational and scientific in their thinking.'
Yukino snorted softly in her heart, feeling disgusted by what she considered a regression of thought.
'I only believe in what can be empirically proven and tested through scientific methods. All this is just superstition and sheer foolishness.'
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It wasn't just prominent figures from the secular world who attended this lavish banquet. Several influential factions from the mystical side of Japan also sent their representatives, recognizing the importance of the presence and potential power of the two newly emerged Kings.
For example, the Divine Enforcers, a Japanese government organization specifically dealing with supernatural affairs and divided into two main divisions—the History Complication Committee and the Onmyou Agency—also sent their respective delegations.
From the History Complication Committee, Sayanomiya Kaoru, the head of the Sayanomiya family, one of the four prominent magic families in Japan, was present. Her presence showed how seriously the government was taking the observation and potential establishment of relations with the Campione.
Meanwhile, the Onmyou Agency even sent a significant force, namely four of the highly respected Twelve Divine Generals: Dairenji Suzuka, Yuge Mari, and the twins Kadei Kurogiku and Kadei Byakuran.
Interestingly, both the History Complication Committee and the Onmyou Agency only sent female representatives. This was strongly suspected to be related to the results of their initial investigations into the Seventh King: Rokuhara Ren, and the Eighth King: Kusanagi Godou.
Both young Campione were reportedly very interested in women, information that various parties seemed to be exploiting to approach and influence them.
In a corner of the room somewhat separated from the crowd, the four Divine Generals gathered, observing the attending guests with varied expressions.
With a deliberately sweet smile adorning her face, which looked younger than her age, Dairenji Suzuka began the conversation in a cheerful, slightly affected tone.
"I heard one of those Kings is still very young, a high school student if I'm not mistaken? Hmm... what type is he? Hopefully, his face is decent. But even if it isn't, maybe his innocence can be a little entertaining."
Her eyes then narrowed slightly, revealing a cunning glint. "But if his power doesn't match his arrogance, that would be very disappointing."
Having never seen a Campione in person, it was no wonder Suzuka didn't take the so-called Demon Kings seriously.
Beside her, the Kadei twins, Byakuran and Kurogiku, giggled simultaneously.
"Wow, wow! The King is so strong, Kuro-chan? That the Shinomiya Family is holding such a lavish party!" Byakuran exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
"Yeah, Byaku-chan! His power must be like lots and lots of sweet candy!" Kurogiku chimed in with the same enthusiasm, her childish imagination envisioning power in her favorite form.
Standing upright with a flat expression and her arms folded across her chest, Yuge Mari responded in a stiff tone.
"The information we received states that both possess significant power, capable of causing natural disasters. Judging based on appearance or superficial personality is irrelevant. Focus on the potential threat and how the Agency will respond."
Her gaze was straight ahead, uninterested in frivolous gossip.
Suzuka snorted softly, though the smile on her face didn't fade.
"Come on, Mari. A little visual assessment won't hurt anyone. Besides, isn't it easier to approach someone if we know a little about their preferences? I heard one of them is quite... friendly to women. Maybe that could be an opening."
She chuckled softly, hiding her arrogance and manipulative side behind a false friendliness.