“A big guy?”
Recalling the events that had once occurred at Lakeview Manor, Shade instinctively thought of a Divine Descent. A flicker of panic crossed his face, but he quickly remembered that the relic [Profane Cross] was on his person—the very tool he used to steal...
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but judging by your expression, you’ve probably got it wrong.”
Miss Karina reached out and tapped Shade’s forehead with a slender, pale finger.
Miss Sylvia added while flipping through Shade’s manuscripts
“It should be some kind of relic—a location-type relic. We aren't clear on the specifics yet. It will likely manifest fully in the center of Lake Schluch tonight between eight and ten o'clock. Currently, only we know about this; witches possess a perception of Elements and relics that far exceeds normal levels.”
“That’s the general situation,” Miss Karina said, handing her wine glass to Shade and gesturing for him to taste it. Shade drank the remaining red wine from the bottom of the glass, and Tifa continued to pour more beside them.
“Is it necessary to cancel the banquet? There are so many ordinary people here, after all,” Shade asked.
“No need. The opponent won't be particularly strong. And as you know, the characteristic of location-type relics is that as long as you don't enter the interior, you generally won't be significantly affected. To protect Margaret of Anjou, who was attacked in Huntington, the Church has arranged a squad of Ring-casters to guard her. If something truly goes wrong, the two of us and the Church's Ring-casters can handle it.”
Miss Karina’s words put Shade more at ease, and he handed the goblet Tifa had filled back to her. Seeing how relaxed she had been letting Angelina roam the manor, he knew the Great Witch truly felt there was no danger.
“Besides, even if an unsolvable problem arises, aren't you still here?”
The Duchess added jokingly, flicking her finger as if intentionally showing off her nails to Shade.
Miss Sylvia raised an eyebrow; she felt that Karina Cavendish’s words seemed to carry a deeper meaning. Recalling that Shade could travel to Huntington at any time, and that he possessed the flame from Sister Daphne of the [Spirit 修 Cult], the young Great Witch decided it was necessary to investigate the events that had occurred in the City of Mountains during autumn once more.
“I’m only a Fourth Ring; I don’t have power like yours,” Shade said casually, though some worry remained in his heart.
“What exactly is the cause of this anomaly? Is the appearance of a location-type relic really just because this manor has consistently bad luck?”
“It’s unclear for now. If there’s time later, I’ll try to find the Speaker at the Council; she has extensive research on these phenomena.”
Miss Karina shrugged and continued sipping her wine from the glass Shade had used.
As it turned out, in a city where the first Chosen, Iluna, resided, the probability of accidents occurring was far higher than anywhere else.
The two witches had much more to discuss, so Shade did not linger and soon departed. Only after Shade closed the door did Miss Karina ask Miss Sylvia with a hint of complaint
“He actually didn't praise my nails. I specifically used the formula you gave me to make this nail polish. Is it not beautiful?”
Miss Sylvia didn't know how to answer. Even though she had known beforehand that Shade had a private affair with this high-ranking lady, she hadn't expected their relationship to have reached this stage.
“Hmm...”
“Miss, perhaps Mr. Hamilton was simply attracted to other parts of your body. Compared to your nails, you have far too many things today that would draw his gaze,” Tifa said softly.
The Duchess let out a satisfied smile and continued to gaze at the manor courtyard under the setting sun.
“Tifa, I really don't know what kind of love potion the Knight gave you. However, you have a point.”
Miss Sylvia took a sip of her wine to hide her expression. Internally, she was reconsidering what Shade’s appearance meant for the Witches' Council. But thinking of the young gentleman's demeanor—his forceful methods when facing the "Pantanal Abomination" statue in Huntington and the manuscript in his hand—she couldn't help but sigh in her heart
“Still, Shade Hamilton certainly possesses the ability to attract witches.”
On the other side, Shade had already left the third floor with Mia. Since the horse race Angelina had invited him to attend hadn't started yet, Shade took the opportunity to go to the courtyard to get some food. He wanted to fill his stomach first, as there was plenty to do tonight.
The Iceberg family had clearly spent a fortune on this banquet. Despite it being the end of the Frost Descent month in winter, fresh summer vegetable salads and seasonal fish transported from the West Coast were still visible on the dining tables.
As for that five-story cake, it hadn't seemed like much from upstairs, but standing beside the table and looking up, Shade felt he would likely never see a dessert of this scale again in the near future.
However, the giant cake that firmly captivated Mia was not the most attractive thing in the long-table area. At the end of the long table near the mansion entrance, hundreds of red paper boxes were piled into a small mountain, covering the ground and a small section of the tabletop.
Guests dressed in vintage robes, standard formal wear, or red wool sweaters with vests were gathered there, laughing as they watched people try to open the boxes.
This was a traditional staple of Delarion wedding feasts: the "Lucky Red Boxes." Guests attending the banquet could open boxes at will, but regardless of what they found, they had to keep the item on their person for the entire night. While a few boxes contained highly valuable souvenirs, most were prank toys.
Nobles loved such "mischief" at wedding banquets; people would even compete over which family prepared the most unique "Lucky Red Boxes" for their marriage.
Shade spotted his friend, Baron Lavender, in the crowd. The last time he had seen him was last week, when the two played Rhode cards at the Seer's Association to thank him for introducing some business. The Baron opened a box and pulled out a dress-wearing doll smaller than a palm. Amidst bursts of laughter, he looked somewhat depressed as he tucked it into the breast pocket of his formal suit.
The people laughed even harder.
“Shade!”
Baron Lavender noticed Shade eating and waved him over, urging him to try his luck.
“Only the truly brave do this!” he encouraged.
Shade suppressed a smile as he looked at the doll's head poking out of the Baron's chest and handed him a glass of red wine.
“I heard some unlucky fellow opened a box and got a donkey-ear headband, and he actually wore it all night.”
“That donkey-ear headband is now a unique souvenir that can sell for a high price of 50 pounds. Oh, Shade, as the champion of the Great City players, you should trust your luck.”
Baron Lavender continued to entice him. Thinking he had nothing better to do for the moment, Shade actually walked over. The curious crowd saw Shade and shouted, “Hamilton of Reged!” while exaggerating the "expensive" souvenirs the Iceberg family might have prepared.
“Are there donkey-ear headbands this time?”
He randomly picked a box to open. Baron Lavender, following beside him, answered with a laugh
“I heard there are cat ears.”
“If I really pull a cat-ear headband, I’ll put it on my cat.”
As he spoke, he patted Mia, who was still tilting her head and staring at the giant cake. The cat ignored Shade completely.
Shade's luck was decent; the box contained a pink gauze scarf. Although it was somewhat inappropriate for a man to wear, Shade still tucked it into his breast pocket, leaving a corner visible. This left Baron Lavender, with his doll in his chest, exceptionally disappointed.
“Look at that, the Rhode card game hasn't even started, and I'm already the unlucky one.”
Calculating that there were ten minutes left before the horse race officially began, Shade agreed to meet the Baron again when they played Rhode cards and headed toward the manor gates.
Bright, warm lights had already been lit inside the erected tents, illuminating the world under the final glow of the sunset. Ropes tied with colorful small flags connected almost every building in the courtyard and garden.
After taking over the manor, the Iceberg family had renovated the courtyard, creating a network of ground water channels that were not very dense but interconnected. The channels were about a quarter of an adult's step wide; though very shallow—only enough to submerge a small animal like Mia—stone slabs still covered them for ease of walking.
Under the faint moonlight and outside the bright tents were water channels floating with green leaves and petals from some unknown source. The water in the channels was running water, connected directly to the fountains and Lake Schluch behind the manor.
Although Shade had never seen this style of decoration in this world, he had to admit that while it greatly increased the manor's maintenance costs, it truly elevated the overall landscape of the estate.
“Speaking of which, can you swim?”
He asked while looking at the bustling tents. Different strains of music intertwined; invited bards played and sang cheerful melodies inside the tents. Gas pipes running along the ground outside lit gas lamps, illuminating the various ribbons decorating the tent entrances. Under the flags, guests in diverse attire laughed and enjoyed the evening's clamor.
This wedding banquet would surely be talked about for many years.
“Meow?”
The cat stood on Shade's shoulder and let out a soft cry, though it was unclear what she meant.
“The last time Mia had a bath was nearly two months ago. Although it's now winter, the temperature isn't particularly cold yet; perhaps it's necessary to give her another wash.”
Shade muttered to himself, while the "she" in his ear chuckled without responding.
“How lively~”
Looking around, the lavish enjoyment and the fires of civilization were displayed in full. Though it was just a wedding feast, in Shade's eyes, it perfectly showcased the strongest flicker of civilization in this world and this era.
“Civilization...”
Thinking of the possibility of the apocalypse, he couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy. Looking up toward the manor entrance, under the final rays of the setting sun, Princess Angelina Cavendish was already smiling and waving at him.