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Chapter 567: Cardinal Lanchi's Midsummer Night Feast
Chapter 567: Cardinal Lanchi's Midsummer Night Feast
In the sweltering summer heat, the mansion neighboring House Lysandra was always ablaze with light and music drifting through the air in the evenings.
"Are there any particular things I should pay attention to when I meet Mr. MacCarthy?" Lysandra asked, feeling a bit weary after a long day's work and the trek back home. Despite her fatigue, she was surprised and intrigued by the invitation from her neighbor.
It would be a rare opportunity to explore the palace next door and a much-needed break from her usual routine. Perhaps she could even share this new experience with the princess tomorrow as an interesting anecdote.
The only thing that made Lysandra slightly nervous was the thought of her host being an unapproachably high-ranking demon. After all, among the demon tribe, this individual was shrouded in mystery.
"You don't need to worry about anything. He's not what you would expect of a typical demon." For once, the usually stoic butler, Luca, offered a rare smile as he paused briefly on their journey.
"..."
Following the butler, Lysandra made her way through a small path, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the expansive view that opened up from the woods.
In the azure garden, male and female guests fluttered like moths, navigating between whispers, fine wine, and the twinkling stars above.
On this evening of surging tides, guests took to the waters, diving into the rippling waves or basking in the moonlight on the sandy beach. Several magitech boats created white foamy trails in the harbor as they towed water-skiers behind them.
Luxurious magitech vehicles, akin to buses, shuttled back and forth under the moonlight, transporting guests to and from the city in style.
Well-trained and efficient gardeners, resembling a disciplined army, worked diligently to clean the garden with cloths, brushes, hammers, and pruning shears, ensuring that not a single piece of trash, like fruit peels, was left unattended.
Lysandra recalled how, every morning when she set out for the royal palace, she would see dozens of baskets of freshly picked demon realm fruits being delivered from the outskirts of Necallis.
As she walked through the outer garden and into the dining area, she understood that these fruits were halved, their pits removed, and only the juicy flesh remained. With simple commands from the attendants, the magitech devices in the dining room could freshly squeeze hundreds of cups of chilled fruit juice within just half an hour.
Standing in the grand lobby of the restaurant, Lysandra's gaze was instantly drawn upward to the dazzling display above.
The carved relief paintings of the ancient gods on the dome shimmered like constellations, while the grand wall lamps illuminated the light-colored stone sculptures, casting countless bright light traces on the pure chalk stone floor.
The reflections above and below created an otherworldly atmosphere, as if one had stepped into the mythical age.
She couldn't help but marvel at the artistry of the demons who had crafted such a masterpiece.
Among the tables, silver candelabras sparkled in the firelight, casting dancing shadows on the air and reflecting the light. Finely dressed demons hosted a grand banquet, toasting and laughing, their voices echoing throughout the hall.
It was a scene of decadent luxury and intoxication.
Unlike Lysandra, who came from a declining noble family, the other guests seemed to be the true upper echelons of Necallis, and she recognized a few faces as ministers of the demon realm whom she wouldn't dare approach on a regular day near the royal palace.
The dazzling atmosphere made her feel a little dizzy.
When she snapped back to her senses, she realized that the butler had already bid her farewell and was now busy with his duties in the distance, and a corresponding attendant had come to guide her through the feast.
The bar buzzed with activity, and trays of drinks were constantly being delivered by the attendants.
This was Lysandra's first time stepping into MacCarthy's abode.
She believed that the number of guests invited tonight was rather exclusive.
This was a high-end custom restaurant with a membership system, and Lysandra had no idea what the criteria were for becoming a member. All she knew was that if she weren't Mr. MacCarthy's neighbor, she probably wouldn't have had the chance to step into such a prestigious establishment.
"As a rising noble, Sir Gareth Noctis of the House of Thunder needs the royal family's noble blood to prove the worth of the Noctis clan, and they seem to be making extensive preparations for this event."
Lysandra's ears picked up snippets of conversation, and due to her limited knowledge and interests, her mind unconsciously filtered out the complex information, leaving her with only a few words and phrases that she could understand.
"The Greenwald family has a deeper heritage, and with the enigmatic Sir Orion Greenwald at its helm, they are said to have the support of the strongest craftsmen in the demon realm."
"In my opinion, Sir Esmode Belfagor of the True Night Court has the highest artistic sensibility as a scholar-official, and he might be the one with the best chance of impressing the princess."
"The Fallen Court has made quite a few concessions to ensure the demons' victory. As long as the paintings are submitted to the sealed golden cabinet on the first floor of the Regency Hall in the royal palace within the next week, the Fallen Court can unveil them impartially during the grand ceremony, allowing the princess to choose her favorite work publicly."
Laughter and cheerful voices filled the lobby, along with casual greetings, forgotten introductions, and enthusiastic conversations between demons who didn't even know each other's names. The gathering of demon nobility was ever-changing, swelling with new arrivals and then breaking apart only to reform again.
Since painting on the spot could be time-consuming and unpredictable in terms of inspiration, the Fallen Court simply allowed the great demon nobles to paint wherever they pleased and submit their works before the ceremony.
The Fallen Court would, of course, be able to discern whose magic was on the paintings and determine when they were created based on the nature of the magic.
"In any case, we'll find out the result during the princess' selection ceremony in a week's time."
Lysandra had interacted with the House of Thunder, the Greenwald family, and the Belfagor family to varying degrees in recent days, so these names were particularly memorable to her.
She knew that in her lifetime, she might never have the opportunity to associate with the great demon clans at the top of the demon realm's hierarchy, except perhaps on rare occasions like this due to her current position.
The royal ceremony for the princess to choose a painting was an event that would likely attract many of the demon realm's nobility present in this restaurant, and Lysandra felt fortunate to be able to accompany the princess to such an event.
Just as she felt privileged to be invited to this palace restaurant tonight, it was one of those rare occurrences in her life.
"By the way, will I get to meet Mr. MacCarthy?" Lysandra asked, feeling a bit out of place as she navigated through the crowd of demon nobility, careful not to bump into anyone or draw unwanted attention.
"Sometimes, even we can't find Mr. MacCarthy right away in this place, but I'm sure that as an invited guest, he wants to meet you.
A servant kindly explained to Lysandra.
Lysandra nodded.
She noticed that the demons in the lobby would often talk about MacCarthy, yet they also seemed to know very little about him. After inquiring about Mr. MacCarthy's whereabouts out of curiosity, they would wander off freely as if they were in a playground.
Even these true demon aristocrats had never seen MacCarthy's true face. So, did she really have a chance to meet this neighbor of hers?
"However, Mr. MacCarthy is covering the expenses for tonight. Aside from the limited-supply dishes, feel free to help yourself to anything else and enjoy your time here without any worries."
After briefly introducing the matters concerning the restaurant, the soldier-like attendant left to attend to his duties.
Next, Lysandra approached a few wealthy young ladies who seemed approachable and asked them about MacCarthy's whereabouts.
She still wanted to find her neighbor, especially since she was holding a note signed "Roki MacCarthy" instead of a membership card.
The rich young ladies responded with surprised looks, saying they didn't know, but they showed some interest in her.
"You're the one invited by Mr. MacCarthy, aren't you?"
They sized Lysandra up and down with a hint of suspicion.
"Of course not, of course not," Lysandra waved her hands repeatedly, feeling embarrassed and laughing awkwardly as she tried to brush them off and walk away.
Now she felt even more that it was a mistake to say, "Roki MacCarthy invited her," as it seemed hard for other demons to believe.
If she didn't get to meet Mr. MacCarthy tonight, it would be quite embarrassing.
So, Lysandra quietly made her way towards the dessert table—the only place where she wouldn't feel out of place or lonely.
"I wonder if I can sneak some treats for the princess," she muttered softly as she gazed at the cat-shaped caramel pudding adorned with black rose petals and raspberry sauce.
The top layer was a crispy crust, and the bottom layer was a delicate cream brulee, adorned with fragrant rose petals and a tangy-sweet raspberry sauce. It was not only skillfully crafted but also incredibly adorable.
The caliber of this restaurant seemed befitting of the princess's status.
It was as if it had been tailor-made for her.
Just as Lysandra was about to indulge in a luxurious meal to pass the time.
Suddenly, someone called out her name.
"Lysandra Pukrelli?"
"..."
Lysandra paused, surprised, her hand reaching for the pudding, and looked in the direction of the voice.
She saw a female demon with golden hair standing on the broad marble staircase connecting the first and second floors, looking down at the lobby with a mix of contempt and curiosity.
"Oh, hello," Lysandra called out and walked towards her.
She felt that no matter who this person was, as long as they were a rare familiar demon, she needed to engage in conversation, which was still better than being approached by a stranger.
However.
This was a demon classmate she would rather not meet, Tia Noctua.
In school, if she was a poor student, then the other was an honors student.
While she was a nominal descendant of a noble family, the other was an impeccable high-ranking noble of the Demon King's City and even the cousin of Lord Thundercrack.
"I never expected to see you here," the golden-haired demoness said absentmindedly upon seeing Lysandra.
She indifferently shook Lysandra's hand, her attitude condescending.
"Hehe," Lysandra scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
In school, she had always been well-behaved and tried to get along with others as much as possible.
Even though she knew the other party looked down on her, she would still accept it.
"But I did hear that you've been working for Lord Fallen recently, playing companion to that princess, isn't it?" the golden-haired noblewoman asked.
"Not really," Lysandra felt that it wasn't a matter of her having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; the princess genuinely considered her a friend.
"What's she like?" the golden-haired noblewoman, Tia, asked as she led Lysandra towards the second floor.
Her strides were slightly longer, and Lysandra, who walked beside her, looked more like an attendant.
"She's a really nice demon," Lysandra didn't know how to describe Princess Hyperion, who didn't quite fit the typical mold of a demon.
"Hmph, for you to give such an evaluation, I guess there's really nothing to expect," Tia let out a light laugh, crossing her arms and leading Lysandra like a lackey into a small circle of demons.
"My poor brother, having to marry such a useless former demon princess," she shook her head as she spoke.
Just thinking about her cousin, Lord Thundercrack, a general in the Demon World, having to compete with other great demon nobles for a half-demon princess who could get along with lower-class nobles, struck her as hilarious.
If it weren't for the trace of ancient royal blood in the princess's body and the fact that no new Nine-Seal Great Demon could activate the new royal bloodline in the short term, no great demon noble would even consider marrying her.
To these aristocratic families, the last princess was merely a breeding machine laden with interests.
"..."
Lysandra wanted to retort, but as she began to stammer, she realized the inappropriateness of the situation. After all, she had been invited by Mr. MacCarthy, and the owner of the palace had yet to make an appearance. If she were to offend the other guests first, it would be highly impolite.
However, it was undeniable.
The princess's fate was not something she could control herself.
And Lysandra was even less capable of influencing the outcome.
If there truly existed a demon who could save and deeply love the princess, Lysandra believed she would be happy for her. Unfortunately, no demon like the knights in fairy tales existed to protect the princess.
In this age, where the Demon World was filled with greed and decadence, only power and influence reigned supreme.
Even those in "high positions" who managed to maintain their integrity and avoided being consumed by desire were few and far between.
Not to mention those truly powerful demons capable of marrying into the royal family.
(End of Chapter)
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