Chapter 251 - The Barony. Part 1
With the Teleportation circle up and running, Hal called all of his ladies and once they were all gathered, He opened the portal to the Harem space, after he had taken the time to pick the design he preferred.
On Earth, Hal had never been poor since he began to receive funds from his benefactor and thus had his pick of luxurious accommodations and he went for a penthouse suite.
A kind of bachelor pad if you will.
However, even then, he had made a conscious decision on the kind of home he wanted should he be in a situation where he needed to house multiple people,
So once the ladies stepped into the portal, they were treated to the view of a humongous mansion painted in white and gold and of such architectural designs they had never seen before.
Even Emily and Melinda could quite confidently say that while they had been privy to the luxuries of the Nexus world, this was new to them.
The Mansion was even complete with a pool while they could also detect the presence of Cosmic energy in the space.
Hal had already come in here before install the Time warping Array that ensured that one day on the outside would be ten inside the whole Mansion.
Not the space, but the Mansion.
In the space in general, time was the same.
The ladies took to the rooms and toured them to their heart's content while also taking in the royal blue skies in the space.
With the time in the mansion already being warped, there was no reason not to break the Mansion in and have an Orgy.
No one was exempt and Hal worked himself to completely satiate them all.
Melinda, Rita, Emily, Amelia, and Marla refined the essence the quickest which probably had to do with them being the only ones who would actually travel with Hal outside of the Mansion.
They had spent ten hours in the space which only amounted to one on the outside and Hal was the only one who came outside.
It seemed far more prudent to travel with them in the space. For one thing, it was far cheaper.
Hal called for Karmen and Arya. The former came along with two ladies, one of them being Lillian and the other was Olivia.
"Why are they here?" He asked with a raised brow.
Karmen shrugged,
"Since you wish for me to come along, I consider them extra security for you. Also, I prefer to still keep an eye on both of them as I still consider their training underway. Don't worry Master, all will be well."
Hal had felt it was better to have backup. After all, he was going to a place packed with experts. The least he could do was bring along his cavalry.
The rest of his forces were to remain in Sapphire city for the time being and keep the order while also cultivating dedicatedly.
Bringing any more would only encumber him and probably prove to be a hindrance more than anything else.
That said, it was a little amusing to see how Karmen was covering for her decision to bring the two along when he had seen that both Olivia and Lillian had practically begged to come along.
It was their opportunity to finally see the world outside Sapphire city.
Their opportunity to be closer to Hal and was bound to come with opportunities.
"The more the merrier" Hal said and opened up the portal to the Harem space which they all went through.
After which, he retrieved incandescent blue gems from his inventory and slotted them into where they needed to go in the circle, and then stepped inside it to inject a little of his Cosmic energy into the center and activate its effects.
The Blue gem powered it and in a flash, Hal was no longer in the room but in a world devoid of light or any semblance of time.
He was out of the natural order.
He was in a void.
He did not need to steer as the Teleportation Circle/Array did it all for him and moved him seamlessly through the void.
The journey was short and the next thing he knew, he was standing on another circle in what looked like a building dedicated to it.
There was no other circle in the building and Hal could tell after a quick study that this circle was only arriving and not for departing.
The one he had drawn in Sapphire city functioned for both and it was only because he knew there was not going to be a lot of traffic on it as it was a personal circle only known to his men who would keep it safe at all times.
Not that anyone in the city would actually have the guts to intrude in the home of the Lord of Sapphire City.
'A little Anticlimactic' Hal thought as he stepped off the circle and finally noticed that he was not alone in the building.
There was a man seated closely in a green robe that looked suspiciously like a uniform and he was perusing a large screen.
A screen on which Runes were projecting in the form of a hologram.
The screen was an upgrade to Rune sheets and array scrolls and is capable of holding Astral energy.
As the Man touched the runes projecting off the screen and moved them around, Hal could detect Astral energy. The Man was obviously a Runemaster.
And at least at Rank 4.
"Impressive" he muttered and made to leave the building. It was time to look for somewhere private, let the ladies out, and then enjoy a nice ride in the chariot.
However, before he could go far, the man called out to him,
"Hey, you!" He said.
Hal raised his eyebrow in surprise before pointing at himself,
"Who, Me?"
The Man nodded,
"Yes, you. Where are you coming from? Your coordinates don't show up on the tracking screen."
Hal made his mouth in an 'O' shape,
"Well, you see, it's top-secret and I can not say. If it doesn't show, then it doesn't show." He said with his arms spread and turned to leave once again.
He was well versed in the rules of the Barony or any state with a public teleportation circle and knew that not having coordinates was no avenue for arrest as there were many individuals who wished to keep their visits quiet or their locations secret and since they were usually dangerous, it was best to simply stay out of their way.
"Then at the very least, you should pay for your arrival" he said with a sneer.
Hal turned to face him slowly,
"Excuse me?"
The man stepped closer to him and as he and Hal were about the same height, he looked him in the eye,
"I said. Pay up, peasant"
The Runemaster had eyed Hal all over and his clothes, while prestigious enough for a small city like Sapphire city, were not even as good as the public uniform said Runemaster was wearing.
Hal gasped mockingly and grabbed his chest,
"Oh, your words hurt me. Since you've called me a peasant, I'll just do what you want."
"Really?" The Runemaster had not expected Hal to give in so quickly and was already starting to grin when Hal said,
"Of course not, you dumb ass. Why would I pay you? You are to pay when you depart not when you arrive. I know the rules you idiot" he said and shook his head as he turned away.
The pressure of an Early-stage Cosmic phenomenon Realm expert extended from the Runemaster's body.
Hal shook his head even more as this had to be the most idiotic fellow he had met so far. He was already looking for a fight because he did not bribe him.
'I wonder if everyone in the Barony is like this.' He thought when a voice sounded behind him,
"Arlet, you seem to have a death wish"
Chapter 252 - The Barony. Part 2
Two things Hal noted in that voice;
It was authoritative and it was feminine.
He turned around to see the one who had spoken was a lady with moderate assets and a lithe physique, dressed in martial attire and her stare looked ready and capable of boring a hole into the Runemaster named Arlet.
Then she turned to look at Hal and Hal saw her gasp audibly.
While he was narcissistic enough to admit his looks could easily cause such a reaction from her, he could also kind of see familiarity in her eyes.
It was like she knew him.
But that was impossible.
The lady worked to compose herself and flashed Hal a bright smile,
"I'm sorry If he has been causing you trouble. I come here often to check up on him so he does not scam travelers.
Who might you be, sir?" The lady asked and stretched her hand to him in greeting.
Hal smiled lightly and took her hand while lowering his head to kiss it like a gentleman he definitely was not. He then raised his head,
"My name is Hal" he told her.
"No last name?" The question seemed casual and would probably have fooled Hal if he had not already been suspecting her.
He shook his head and released her hand,
"No" he said.
The lady nodded,
"Okay. Eva Noren. Captain of Kirsten city guards"
Hal nodded appreciatively at her introduction.
"You must think I am too slight but I assure you I am quite capable" Eva said with a light smile.
"I never doubted it" Hal said in a sincere voice as he already knew her cultivation was at the mid-stage of the Cosmic Phenomenon realm.
And even if he did not know, he was knowledgeable enough to know that In the Nexus world, physique could be very misleading. Especially on females.
Eva then faced Arlet who was looking quite uncomfortable,
"How many times do I need to warn you? You are giving the Barony a bad name. This is your last strike, I think it's high time you be relieved of your post. There are many more ready to replace you." She said.
Arlet's head snapped up,
"He had no coordinates. There is no way to ascertain where he came from" He said.
Hal sighed in an exasperated manner but said nothing.
He was looking at Eva out of the corner of his eye and observed her reaction once she heard he did not have coordinates.
Her eyes widened and she was thoughtful for a second before she cleared her throat and spoke again in a clear tone of voice,
"Be that as it may. Asking to be paid was not the answer and for that, I believe you deserve a beating along with relieving you of your post." She said.
Hal raised his hand,
"Since he will be beaten anyway..." He said then moved closer to Arlet who had stepped back once Eva arrived and...
*Bam*
... Swung his fist to punch the Runemaster's lights out.
"What was that for?" Eva said after taking a deep breath.
Hal shrugged,
"He annoyed me."
Eva shook her head,
"That was impulsive. Arlet might be an idiot but he has friends. Runemaster friends and it is never advisable to get on a Runemaster's bad side."
Hal nodded in agreement,
"True that" he said.
Eva's eyes narrowed as she evaluated Hal as strange before she turned to walk out of the building with Hal following close behind.
Once out of the building, Hal smiled and picked her hand to kiss it again,
"Thank you for interfering. If you hadn't, I might have eventually given in and paid him."
Eva tried to smile,
"Don't mention it. Just doing my job."
Hal chuckled,
"You're the captain. I doubt saving civilians who don't live in the city is your Job." He said.
"You're from the Barony. That is enough to make it my job." She said and this time she managed to smile.
"How did you know I was from the Barony?" Hal asked with his smile still present.
At that time, men dressed in martial uniforms just like Eva's were making their way towards them.
Eva shrugged naturally,
"Lucky guess.
On second thoughts, I should have delegated. So why don't you pay me back by accompanying me." She said and withdrew an envelope from her spatial ring which Hal knew was not a luxury a simple guard could have access to.
He opened the envelope and in it was an invitation to a Party or otherwise Formal gathering the Baron was having the next day.
"What do you think about being my plus one?" Eva asked in an uncertain voice as she wondered if she was not coming on too strong.
She was hoping Hal took it as interest in him which she had to admit she was not faking.
His long black hair, blue eyes, and perfect face made for a very attractive prospect but she needed to remain focused.
The truth was that Hal was quite impressed with her actions and did not feel she was coming on too strong.
However, he could also detect an ulterior motive and much as he probably should have just continued on his way, he wished to know why she seemed to recognize him.
"Sure why not? But we will have to continue this later because I am feeling a little tired and would like to just lodge into an inn right now."
Eva smiled just as their guards finally joined them but stayed a few distances away and watched them,
"No problem. You can lodge into Dan hotel. I assure you it is best in the city" Eva said.
"A hotel?"
"Yes, it's much better than an inn. Drove them out of business within a week" she informed.
"I see." Hal nodded.
'I see advancement is everywhere'
Eva procured a carriage to take him to the Hotel and she even offered to pay for his room which he declined as there was no point pretending to be poor if he could afford a Blue gem to power the Teleportation circle.
Once inside the room which was incredibly furnished and truly had so many luxuries, he bolted the door shut and even added a Rune (lock) for extra security before he opened up the portal to the Harem space and joined the ladies.
"So when are we leaving?" Melinda asked.
Hal sighed,
"Well, after tomorrow." He replied.
"Why wait that long?" Emily asked.
Hal cleared his throat,
"There's been a development. One I feel it is very important I see to as soon as possible. Don't worry, I, WE will be fine."
...
The office of the Captain of the Kirsten guards...
Eva had only just returned to her office as the only reason she had been outside and right on time to find Hal with Arlet was that she was making her rounds in that part of the city.
While meeting Hal was a coincidence, it was a welcome one...
"Captain, who was that young man?" Asked the good-looking guard in front of Eva.
"None of your concern, Henrik" she said and the Henrik nodded and left the office.
Once she was alone, she withdrew a communication talisman from her spatial ring and activated it,
"What is It, Eva?" Asked the voice that sounded out of the talisman.
"Sister, I saw him. The one with the blue eyes" she said to the talisman.
There was silence as the one on the other side of the communication thought on this bit of information,
Finally, she asked,
"Are you sure?"
Eva rummaged through her drawer and pulled out a painting and it was a painting of Hal. The painting while still gorgeous, looked less attractive than the real deal but the resemblance could not be denied,
"Yes, sister. I am absolutely sure."
Chapter 253 - Lady Penelope Delegates.
It was much later in the day that there was a knock at the door of Hal's room. Since he could observe the outside even inside the Harem space, he heard the knock and exited to make use of his Astral sense and ascertain that it was Eva outside.
He opened the door for her and she walked in while he noted that she was not dressed in Martial attire but a beautiful gown that reached just past her knees and had a split in the side.
Probably to aid mobility in case of combat.
She smiled brightly,
"I'm off duty and thought it would be best if I came over to assist you to pick out a proper attire for tomorrow's event.
No offense but your current dressing is far from appropriate" she said with a mild chuckle.
Hal nodded and smiled as well,
"Well, if that is the case, maybe it would be better I purchase new sets of clothes.
Everything I have with me is all of this material"
Eva nodded slowly,
"No problem then. I'll accompany you"
"I appreciate it"
So they left the hotel and boarded a carriage which took them to a luxury store which Hal had to admit was quite impressive.
Picking out an attire was not a particularly difficult endeavor but they were not done until very late in the night.
During that time, Hal had managed to get some answers from Eva.
She was born and raised in the city and no longer had parents. Her only still living relative was her sister who also happened to be married to the Baron.
"Nepotism, huh?" He had said with a raised brow.
Eva shrugged,
"I am qualified, yes but I will not deny that I was not the only one worthy of being captain of the city guards." She said.
"Good to know you are honest" he said as they boarded another carriage and were on their way back to the Hotel.
Once standing before it, Eva offered to help him socialize with those of importance in the city before the Dinner party the next day but Hal was far from interested had declined politely.
He had no patience to waste time on anyone in this city and was only still here because he wanted to know what Eva knew. Which was a suspicion that had been intensified with her inviting him to the dinner party with her.
Once back inside his hotel room he went straight to cultivating but did not enter the harem space, not quite interested in making this day turn into ten by visiting his Mansion.
The ladies however took the time to cultivate which was not quite as efficient for Arya and Emily as the Cosmic energy concentration in the Harem space was only barely enough to continue pushing them forward in the Cosmic Pagoda realm.
That said, with the time stretching, it was not a complete loss.
The next day, Hal spent half of his time in the Harem space with them and gathering essence to refine once on the outside and also giving Emily the essence she needed to make all the difference in her cultivation.
Once back on the outside, Hal refined the essence and pushed his cultivation forward but he was nowhere near an advancement to Mid-stage of the Cosmic phenomenon Realm.
...
That night...
A carriage of luxurious designs stopped in front of the Hotel and Hal exited said Hotel looking particularly good-looking in the clothes he had purchased specifically for the occasion.
There was nothing different about his face and general appearance {since he and anyone else he met considered it perfection already) but he looked particularly distinguished and irresistible.
At least that was what Eva thought as she looked at him outside of the carriage's window and she was not the only one. There were ladies who were either awaiting carriages or already boarding them who could not take their eyes off of him.
"Who is he?" Asked a beautiful lady dressed in a form-fitting gown that looked quite expensive and was in the process of boarding a carriage.
Her question had not been rhetorical but had been to the guard by her side,
"I have no idea, Lady Penelope." The guard replied.
Lady Penelope flicked back her raven black hair and glared at the guard,
"You were supposed to show me around the city and you failed to mention that there was a hunk like him residing in my hotel?" She said in obvious annoyance.
The guard looked a tad hit uncomfortable,
"Well, it was not exactly part of my job description..." He began before Lady Penelope interrupted him,
"Shut up! Find out who he is" she said and boarded the carriage.
At which time Hal was done savoring the hungry looks from ladies and jealous/envious looks from the men and was ready to board Eva's carriage.
The guard caught up with him,
"Excuse me, sir, My lady would like to know who you are" he said and while his words could be considered polite, there was a look in his eyes that told that he was screening Hal.
Whether because he unconsciously found his looks threatening or because he suspected Hal was not truly someone of importance was not quite clear.
But Hal guessed it was both.
He looked past the guard,
"Who's asking?"
The guard frowned but he answered,
"Lady Penelope of Cruz County" he said.
Cruz county was where the Kirsten Barony fell under and the fact that lady Penelope was from there was not something that could be ignored.
Alas...
"Never heard of her"
...that was exactly what Hal did as he continued to board the carriage.
The guard grabbed Hal's arm and from the strength he was exerting, Hal put him at the Late stage of the Cosmic phenomenon Realm.
"I apologize but I can't just let you leave. At least show lady Penelope some respect. Even someone like you should know that being from the county puts her above an indigene of Kirsten city like you" He growled in a low voice.
The situation was already garnering attention from those present and the guard knew Lady Penelope would not want to cause a scene.
Hal sighed,
"Sorry but it's a personal principle of mine. I don't like Ladies who delegate. If She wants to know who I am, she can come and ask. Now if you'll excuse me, I will like to get going now or I might be late"
And with that, he boarded the carriage with Eva looking at him like he was insane.
"What?" Hal asked.
"You just ignored Lady Penelope" she said as though she could not believe it.
"Is it that big a deal?" He was playing dumb but he knew it WAS a big deal.
"Yes it is, you don't ignore someone like Lady Penelope" Eva said while inching forward a little.
"Let me guess, she'll kill me?" Hal said with a smirk.
Eve looked confused by his words,
"Of course not! She might have you punished but killing is much too harsh and seems a little unnecessary.
Ignore her again and then, then she might kill you."
"Good to know" Hal chuckled.
Eva's look told him she felt he was not taking this seriously and wondered if he was an idiot or he was that confident.
If it was the latter, then where did that confidence come from.
...
Meanwhile, the guard returned to Lady Penelope and relayed it all to her.
"What would you have me do? Keep in mind that there is a reason you are here, My lady, and this young man while rude is not it."
"Oh, I don't need you to do anything. He sounds interesting. It wouldn't be so bad to speak to him in person."
Chapter 254 - 'Make Love Not War'
Throughout the carriage ride to the Baron's residence, Hal tried to engage Eva in conversation and continue what they had been discussing the day before but Eva looked preoccupied as she twirled a lock of her dark hair in her fingers.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Hal was sitting opposite her in the carriage and moved his face closer to speak directly and garner her attention.
Eva started,
"Sorry, I was just lost in thought" she said.
"Anything you can share?" Hal asked tentatively.
Eva's head snapped up and she looked him in the eye with a strange expression.
Hal continued while he held her gaze,
"Of course, I'll understand if it is too sensitive for you to talk about." He told her.
Eva shook her head slowly,
"I just can't get it out of my head that you are being so cavalier with dignitaries like Lady Penelope"
"Dignitaries, huh? Well, now I didn't know that" he told her with a sigh.
"If you had, would it have changed anything?" She asked with her eyes a little wide.
"Honestly? No, it probably wouldn't have changed my actions.
However, I am quite the peaceful fellow. 'Make Love not war' is what I always say." Hal said and if Grimoire could perform a face smack, it would have.
'Shameless!' It groaned.
How could it not understand the innuendos in those words?
Hal ignored it.
Eva however looked incredulous,
"'Make Love not War?' What does that mean?"
Hal shook his head lightly and chuckled,
"Nothing really. Just a personal philosophy of mine. It really works.
Eva covered her mouth with her hand while she giggled. Even if she wished to stop the amused sound, she knew she would not be able to.
This young man was just too charming.
And young was the keyword here because from what she had heard about Hal from her 'source', he was not yet in his thirties and might still be a teenager.
Her preconceived notion with regards to his cultivation was that he was quite talented but at most was at the Cosmic Armament Realm. Which considering where he was supposed to be from was a kind of a stretch.
His successful punch to Arlet was termed as him taking advantage of a lapse in attention of the much more powerful runemaster.
It was the main reason she was so surprised with his unabashed confidence and casual attitude in a city where those who could kill him as easily as breaking twigs roamed.
That said, she was still quite focused on remaining casual with him as his fate was not completely certain.
It was why they were here today after all.
It was all so that Hal could finally meet her sister.
...
Soon they arrived at the residence and Hal could tell that by the standards of the Barony, it was the height of luxury.
It made him think of Sapphire city and the eventual change his actions would take.
After all, with the cultivation techniques he had blessed them with, they would continue to cultivate and then surpass the status they had been given.
At such a time, the fact that someone was playing a role would not be able to be contained anymore.
However, that was not particularly worrying to Hal.
All that was in a possibly distant future.
Anyway,
The Baron's residence was packed with guests and even someone like Hal who only just arrived could tell that they were mostly not from the city. Many of them had tells, be it a crest or a symbol or maybe the County's coat of arms.
In fact, not only those from the Cruz county were present as Hal could spot dignitaries from neighboring cities from the Three other counties in the Silva Duchy.
He alighted from the carriage and like a gentleman, he held Eva's hand and helped get off the carriage.
It was an action Eva would normally have been hostile towards as she was not particularly a fan of such gestures, however, it was as though Hal had completely disarmed her.
Not long after their arrival came another carriage which Hal recognized as the Luxury ride of Lady Penelope.
She alighted as well with the dutiful aid of her guard who caught Hal's eye and frowned. His actions after that were as though to prevent his charge, Lady Penelope from seeing this rude miscreant.
Although Hal would probably have taken offense to the name-calling because while he had undoubtedly been rude, he had not really acted like a miscreant.
Despite the guard's best efforts which were hindered by him not being allowed to make physical contact, Lady Penelope caught Hal's gaze which was appreciating her beautiful gown.
She smiled at him and went on ahead into the residence while Hal looked on and thought he caught a slight exaggeration in the swaying of her hips.
She was subtly seducing him and he found that he appreciated it.
He looked to Eva by his side and she looked like she was only just releasing the breath she had been holding.
"That was stressful" She said while holding her chest.
Now that they were out of the carriage, Hal allowed his eyes to look over the beautiful sky blue gown she was wearing which clung snugly to her moderate curves.
Not just that, Eva had done herself up just so she looked so much more beautiful that evening. It was moderate but nice.
"I would be remiss if I did not tell you how beautiful you look. You're just wow"
Eva blushed and cleared her throat,
"Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself." She said as Hal held out his arm to her which she grabbed and let him steer her towards the hall where the party was really taking place.
While they moved, Hal thought he caught someone glaring at him and it was a man he recognized as one of the guards that had come to Eva's side the day before.
However, this time he was out of his guard wear and into a luxurious-looking martial attire studded with silver stars, that said he was someone of status. Who clearly had the hots for Eva.
'That was fast' Grimoire piped.
'What was?'
'You just got here and you already have a jealous rival and he is quite handsome too' it said.
'First off, he's not a rival. Someone like me does not have rivals. I'm way out of his league for that.
Second, jealousy is kind of an everyday thing for me now. It's the curse that comes along with being blessed with a face like mine. Which by the way can also be a blessing and a curse depending on the occasion.' Hal said.
'You really love yourself, don't you?' Grimoire said.
'I prefer to say, I am proud of myself and love the benefits it brings me.' Hal said smugly.
'No, you just love yourself' Grimoire said and made a mental appropriation of the shaking of the head.
'Whatever' Hal shrugged.
He and Eva were finally inside the Hall and Hal marveled at the architecture which was quite stunning.
He also let out his Astral perception a little and it was enough for him to view the numerous Runes and Arrays etched into the Hall alone but he retracted it quickly as if another Runemaster caught wind of it, it would most likely be considered spying.
"I need to find my sister. Mingle for a while. I'll be right back" Eva said and left soon after.
Hal wanted to call out to her on how he did not particularly feel comfortable at the party alone when the jealous young man from outside was suddenly in front of him.
"I am Henrik, do you mind telling me who you are?"
Chapter 255 - Demon Beast Infestation. Part 1
While the jealous look had been toned down and mostly replaced with a serious expression, there was nothing friendly about Henrik's gaze at Hal.
"Hal" Hal introduced himself and took it upon himself to shake Henrik's hand.
Henrik looked down at their joined hands,
"Did I ask you to touch me?" He asked.
"No, but I wanted to" Hal said and shook the hand firmly once again before letting it go and smiling at the irate upperclassmen.
After all, Henrik's demeanor and clothes showcased such prospects.
Henrik continued to look down at his hand which Hal had shaken when he noticed Hal's feet were no longer in front of him.
Quickly, he looked around and he saw Hal laughing a little at his ponytail while moving about the hall, now with a wine glass in hand and garnering attention wherever he went.
It was not that he was dressed particularly well, as there were many on the scene, Henrik included who dressed in a more dignified fashion, it was that he seemed to hold a lot of charisma as he walked the room.
Hal seemed oblivious to all this as he took long a sip of the wine and his eyes widened when he felt the sudden burst of energy that traveled right down his throat to his abdomen.
Immediately he closed his eyes and did his best to refine the energy right then and there.
When his eyes opened again, the sapphire blue orbs seemed to be sparkling as he looked down at the ruby red alcohol in his glass and felt a definite increase in his cultivation base.
A treasure!
That's what it was.
Clearly, this was no ordinary beverage and had been refined with ingredients capable of aiding cultivation.
Immediately, Hal downed the whole glass and now that he knew what to expect and was not caught by surprise, he could keep his composure and refine it.
The increase while still not getting him any closer to the next stage of his Cultivation, was well worth the burning sensation he was feeling.
"Strong stuff, isn't it?" Asked a mellifluous female voice behind him and Hal turned to be face to face with none other than lady Penelope.
Meanwhile...
Eva walked across the Hall to the very end of it where a dignified pair stood side by side. The first was a middle-aged man with brown hair and handsome features.
He was buff and his stance was like that of a militant but his smile was ever-present as he greeted the guests who came over to greet him.
He was Aaro Kirsten, the Baron of the Kirsten Barony and the beautiful and stately woman beside him was Camari Noren, his wife and the Baroness by marriage.
It was to the pair that Eva now curtsied,
"My lord, my lady" she said.
Baron Aaro sighed,
"How many times do I need to tell you that we are family. If you would even use honorifics with me, you shouldn't use them with your sister" he said exasperatedly.
Eva simply bowed while Camari spoke,
"We're in public, it's good that she has the good sense to be formal. Come on Eva, walk with me" she pulled her sister's hand was leaving when gestured,
"Hold on. Who is that young man you came here with? I don't believe I've seen him before" he said.
Eva looked over and frowned slightly when she saw that Henrik had approached Hal,
"Oh, his name is Hal and he only arrived in the city yesterday." She replied.
"Is that so? From where?" Aaron asked. He was frowning slightly at the Hal and Henrik pair and could not hear what they were saying clearly due to all the chatter in the Hall.
Eva shrugged,
"No idea" she said and before Aaro could question her again, Camari pulled her to the side with the Baron's attention now entirely in Hal. Or at least until another dignified individual came over to speak with him.
"So that's him, huh? He's the one the Princess recruited from that City" Camari said.
Eva nodded,
"Without a doubt. He must still have the seal on him. What do we do?" She asked while watching Hal walk away from Henrik and take a long sip of the wine which she knew was not wise.
That said, it was her fault for not warning him.
The sisters watched as Hal paused and closed his eyes in an uncomfortable posture. Eva made to move forward and assist him with 'digesting' the wine when he opened his eyes again looking perfectly fine.
He did not even crumble to his knees which should have been a given considering his presumed cultivation base.
To make things worse, he downed the whole glass and closed his eyes again. This time, he look quite as uncomfortable and before long, he was opening his eyes again with a smile.
"Well, there is something you don't see every day. And you are sure he is from a city like Salmon city. It's now been renamed but that is far from enough to simply change the status quo." Camira said.
"The princess said he was from there so I don't see why we should doubt her, not that we would even dare to do so anyway." Eva said.
Camira shook her head,
"The princess said she met him there. He might be from somewhere else. And he really did not tell you his last name?" She inquired.
Eva shook her head with a sigh,
"He told me he did not have one which means he is either lying or he really is not someone of importance. However, considering he had no coordinates and was most likely keeping where he departed from a secret. He could really not be from the Sapphire city." She said.
Camira frowned as at that time Hal was already conversing with Lady Penelope and there was no etiquette in his manner at all.
"He certainly acts like someone from that city though. I don't trust his intentions one bit.
I'll have you screen him after the party."
"As you wish sister" Eva said with a short bow.
...
Back to when Lady Penelope approached Hal and commented on his drink,
"You can say that again. Quality drink. Thumbs up all the way" Hal said as he changed the empty wine glass for a full one from a servant and then faced Penelope again,
"It seems you got my message."
"It was impetuous." She said with a light smile.
"You still came personally, did you not?" Hal replied with a shrug while walking about the hall again in short steps.
It might have seemed casual but it actually was not as he was doing so to get close to the inlaid Arrays and furtively study their functions.
Since there was only so far he could extend his perception, he had to move closer and that also aided Grimoire to sense anything he missed.
Penelope caught up to him and they were now side by side with many men admiring her beauty and cursing Hal to the deepest part of the abyss for not even paying such a beauty enough attention.
"So who are you exactly?" Penelope asked.
Hal chuckled,
"You seem really curious so I'll tell you. I am Hal and I come from Sapphire city formerly known as Salmon city. Not sure if you know where that is" he said.
It was not in an attempt to be snide but to be perceptive. Being from the County, a small city such as that was bound to not be noteworthy.
However, the assessment did not seem true for Penelope,
"Oh, I know where that is. It's one of the only two cities in Cruz County to have a Demon beast-infested forest. Didn't know it was renamed though."
Chapter 256 - Demon Beast Infestation. Part 2
Because past the phenomenon Beast realm, Demon beast gained intellect that made them capable of ignoring their instincts and acts rationally for the purpose of survival, the forests were far from being adequate homes for them anymore.
Now they could reason that humans would always hunt them down as long as they could be overpowered. Staying in the forest was only going to make that easier.
However, without being at the Aurora beast realm, they could never take human form and attempt to mingle and once they advanced to the Aurora beast realm, somehow the Exterminators always knew and would come down to offer two choices.
Serve the Haron empire or die.
As for humans, once they were in the Cosmic Phenomenon realm, only meats of beasts at the corresponding realm could truly have desired effects on their bodies and cultivation. And while a scant few skewer and eat them anyway, the majority felt it was much too close to cannibalism.
After all, at that realm, the Demon beasts already gain intellect.
As such, other than cities like the old Salmon city where cultivators at the Cosmic Armament realm or weaker were abundant, other cities had no need for Demon beasts and the forest was usually devoid of them.
Those born, raised, and used to this lifestyle tend to consider such cities and such situations as infestations.
So Hal did not really find her choice of words odd, he did however wonder how well she knew Salmon city,
"Quite well. It's usually my family's chosen location for our cosmic Pearl realm young generation to train themselves." Penelope said.
"Is that so?" Hal said with a smile.
"So, do you mind telling me what this party is all about? It does not look like it's just for socializing." He added.
Penelope giggled,
"You're right, it's not just for socializing" she said and took a sip of wine.
"Is It something secret that I can not know about?" He asked.
"Don't be silly, of course not. The old Baron died recently and Aaro just inherited the title. This party is for him to get to know all those he owed his title to." She told him.
"I don't really follow" Hal said to get her to continue.
Penelope was not fooled,
"Now we are getting to the secret topics. Oh well, I never really cared about protocols.
The title of Baron could have easily shifted hands after the Baron's death and while Aaro is quite powerful, he is far from influential enough. So he reached out to an ally who reached out to the County and the connection continued until he had enough to keep the title.
It's nothing really. It's actually the order of things."
Hal nodded in understanding,
"I see"
At that time, the Baron infused his voice with Cosmic energy and spoke to all those gathered,
"Good evening to you all. It is quite a happy occasion as today I officially become Baron and it is all thanks to you all.
Before the merriment continues, I'd like to call out my brother, the lieutenant of the Kirsten guards, Henrik Kirsten"
*Applause*
It was not a deafening one but one that showed interest as Henrik walked towards his brother while a stage was set up in minutes and Hal looked on in mild surprise.
Eva was suddenly back at his side,
"Surprising isn't it? She said with a smile.
Hal returned the smile,
"It actually is. You two are related" he said.
"In-laws"
"And the Baron let his brother serve under you?"
Eva shrugged,
"Why wouldn't he? While there are those more capable than me to be captain, Henrik is not one of them. He is lovesick though." She said.
The way she said it caused Hal to glance at her as he realized the feeling was mutual. Eva was only attempting to hide it. Most likely because of conflicting feelings.
Which was mostly due to her inability to not be attracted to Hal when she was still screening him.
He found their dynamic a tad bit amusing and interesting.
Henrik alighted the stage and gave courteous bows to those present while he stretched his hand and pulled out a regular sword while three men suddenly emerged from the back of the gathered crowd of guests who made way for them to pass.
The three men alighted the stage and pulled out regular swords as well.
"Ladies and gentlemen. This is to be a display of swordsmanship which I do hope you will all find interesting." Henrik announced and the sparring display began.
*clang* *clang* *clang*
Henrik crossed swords with the men numerous times and made use of impressive dexterity and footwork to evade their attacks while still attacking them.
The three were no amateurs either and even Henrik had been incapable of delivering connecting strikes to either of their bodies, but it was only a matter of time.
*Applause*
Henrik performed a particularly impressive twist and jab that caught one of them in the midsection. He groaned and stepped off the stage while the applause rose from the crowd.
But it was not over yet and Henrik continued to spar with the other two.
Hal frowned because he could tell that the moves were choreographed. The three men and Henrik had clearly practiced this ahead of time.
That said, it did not mean that either of them was incapable because they WERE capable, it was just not real.
*Bang*
*Thud*
Soon, one was blasted off the stage completely while the other was whacked behind the knees and forced to kneel.
*Applause*
"Wow"
"Impressive"
The audience praised the display while Hal snorted in his mind and struggled not to roll his eyes.
At least it was now over and he could get back to drinking his wine in peace, he was turning away when Henrik's voice sounded right behind him,
"Wait, Mr. Hal. The demonstration is not over yet" he said.
Hal turned,
"Really?'
"Really. All that happened was planned ahead and there was no danger at all, so how about a true spar. How about a true spar with you?" Henrik offered.
"What?" Hal was incredulous.
"Henrik, what are you doing?" Eva asked in such a low voice that only Henrik and a few others, Hal included, heard.
Henrik replied in the same low voice,
"Since you don't want to tell me who he is, I've decided to find out on my own."
And then he turned to Aaro,
"Baron, permission to ask this young man to spar with me" he said with a bow.
"Granted" Aaro said without missing a beat while Camira's eyes narrowed.
Hal followed Henrik to the stage while feeling a little annoyance and chancing a glance at Camira, Eva's sister, and realizing he did not recognize her at all.
He had not forgotten he was here to find something out his Eva knew him and if he did not recognize the Baroness, then where and how did his path cross with Eva's who he also never knew before today.
"Can you summon an Armament?" Henrik asked.
Hal shrugged,
"Of course" he said and there was surprise in the eyes of many.
While age was not easily determined by looks due to cultivation, seasoned men and women in the crowd could still tell that he was twenty at most.
For him to be at the Cosmic Armament realm was worth noting and would probably warrant him being called a genius.
Henrik, however, could not care less as he summoned his sword Cosmic Armament while Hal summoned his serrated and Straight edged sword.
"We will not make use of cultivation. Only our skills with our weapons. It's good that they are both swords, albeit still quite different."
The two walked briskly towards each other and crossed blades to release a loud...
*CLANG*
...sound that marked the start of their spar.
Chapter 257 - Espionage. Part 1
*Clang*
With the preset rules that only their skills in weapons were to be used, Hal knew already that he was on the back foot because for one thing, after that demonstration, Henrik was surely the better man with the sword and his attacks were performed with incredible finesse.
However, what Hal lacked in skill, he more than made up for in the strength which came as a surprise to Henrik.
He had proposed the use of merely their skills with weapons in an attempt to be fair and take into consideration that Hal was not at his level.
Of course, even with those rules, there was still bound to be a disparity in body strength but that was something Henrik felt he could do nothing against.
After all, life was never truly fair in a strength-oriented world such as this, so what the point of attempting it now.
However, he could not help but feel that things were not as they seemed.
"What is your cultivation?" He asked in a level tone as he and Hal separated.
Hal stabbed his sword into the stage while flexing his wrists.
"I detest having to fight in this nice dress. The least you could do was allow me to change" he said with a shake of his head.
"Did you not hear me? What is your cultivation?" Henrik repeated.
Hal looked up as though he was only just hearing what Henrik asked,
"I don't see how that is any of your business" He said and pulled out his sword while cranking his neck.
"Prepare yourself" he said and dashed forward.
Henrik's eyes narrowed and he quickly pulled his sword horizontally in front of his face and caught Hal's strike.
The strike had been with the serrated edge of his blade and it caught on Henrik's sword edge which Hal then pulled.
Henrik attempted to resist the pull but quickly found himself unable to as he moved closer to Hal who drew back his fist.
Clearly, Hal did not consider physical contact as a breach of the rules.
*Bam*
Henrik caught the punch in his palm and heard a faint crack as his wrist was sprained but not to a level he could not endure and continue fighting.
Even then, his eyes widened.
This confirmed it, impossible as it might be, Hal who was surely not yet in his thirties was already at the Cosmic Phenomenon Realm.
The crowd was enjoying the show and occasionally they applauded at the display and the fact that this unknown young man was contending with the Baron's brother.
Eva frowned lightly and glanced over at her sister who at that moment looked in her direction as well.
They were both clearly thinking the same thing which was that Hal needed to be interrogated.
And it was not something that could wait till after the end of the party which could potentially last till the next morning.
Meanwhile, the spar between Hal and Henrik continued in full swing with the older of the two finally gaining the upper hand.
Hal's strength had taken him by surprise but now that he had adjusted and no longer underestimated him, he now fought him as an equal.
Hal thrust his sword at Henrik's midsection but the other man simply parried the strike and reciprocated with a jab of his own at Hal's shoulder.
Hal managed to get his sword to intercept while also making use of the impact to push himself back and create a separation between them but Henrik was not interested in giving him a breathing room as he dashed forward and slashed at the front of Hal's robes.
A strike that had he not moved away from the sword's reach had the potential to cut right through him and kill him. Of course, his Bloodline ability {Regeneration} could heal him but Henrik did not know that.
This was getting real serious, real fast.
The crowd agreed and while they quite enjoyed the spar with many of them not giving a damn if one of the two of them died, they still wondered if the two had grudges before this spar.
Eva agreed and was ready with a Comic phenomenon in hand and out of sight to stop things before they went too far.
*Clang*
"What are you?" Henrik asked with a growl as that was the main reason he wanted thus spar.
He was hoping Hal's low-level expertise with a weapon would help him ascertain that he was from a little city but while Hal's weapon expertise was really not that good, it was still better than what a country bumpkin should have.
Also, his potential Cosmic Phenomenon realm cultivation did not fit the bill of a small city either.
He could very well have a last name but be more interested in keeping it private. Secret.
"None of your business" Hal spat as Henrik struck out with his fist.
Hal dodged to the side and transitioned into a one-hand stand and in that position,
*Bam*
...he kicked Henrik in the face.
"Let's keep it civil" The Baron's voice sounded.
'You keep quiet when he almost kills me but you want us to be civil when I kick him in the face. This is my kind of guy' Hal chuckled in his mind.
'You're praising someone who clearly does not care if you live or die? Are you crazy?' Grimoire was shocked.
Hal rolled his eyes mentally,
'I'm not praising him. I can just relate to his actions.' He said.
'So if you get the chance to pay him back...' Grimoire started.
'... I'll take it. Nothing over the top of course and also maybe something that he does not exactly have complete knowledge about, but yes, I will take it'
With that, Hal's communication to Grinoure stopped and he was back to focusing completely on Henrik who was pushing even harder now.
He felt it was about time to end this display and he wanted to do so in the most flashy manner possible.
He had just managed to smack Hal in the stomach with the flat of his sword, causing him to double up in pain and began to make exaggerated movements with his sword.
Keen observers could see that the movement was merely a cover for Henrik to harness cosmic energy and hold it at the edge of his sword blade.
He wanted to slash it and blast Hal off the platform when the 'whimpering' young man looked up suddenly and his eyes flashed nightmarish black.
Immediately, Henrik froze. He could not be clear if he had really seen the eye Change or had merely imagined it, but one thing was sure;
He was afraid.
Immensely so.
He did not know why and could not shake it off as he was paralyzed by the feeling.
Hal straightened up with a grin and walked briskly to Henrik to speak into his ear,
"I am Hal from Sapphire city"
*Bang!*
There was a flash of a Cosmic phenomenon and Henrik was blasted off the stage while Hal dispersed his Armament.
The Baron frowned as Hal walked down from the stage to the applause of the crowd while Lady Penelope grabbed his arm. He took one step towards Hal when his wife stopped him,
"Let me deal with him" Camira said.
The Baron took a deep breath and flashed her a smile,
"Of course darling. I trust you to be efficient"
With that, he ascended the stage and joined in on the applause while men took away a delirious-looking Henrik who was only just stunned and would be back on his feet soon enough.
"Impressive. That was simply impressive. Clearly, looks can be deceiving. A round of applause for the young man."
The applause grew louder while Penelope smiled at Hal,
"That was an understatement." She said and before Hal could say anything, Eva approached him,
"Follow me" was all she said and walked away from him.
Knowing this was the information he came here for, Hal followed after her.
Besides, there was nothing in Eva's tone that showed flexibility.
Chapter 258 - Espionage. Part 2
Hal followed Eva out of the party Hall and down the Residence corridors and straight to a large ornate door.
The one thing Hal did not particularly care for at that moment was Eva's grim expression. It made it seem as though the things just past that door were torture devices meant to bring him immense and excruciating pain.
Then again, that could very well be the case since he had no idea what the fuck was going on!
Had Eva continued to stand there and stare at him with that same expression, he might have lost it but she pushed the door open and went inside.
"Come in" she called out to Hal.
He sighed and followed after her and had to admit he was quite disappointed when he saw it was merely a very large study.
He took a quick look around and noted many things that told him that this was the Baroness' study and not the Baron's.
He frowned.
Since the Camira Noren had only become Baroness by marriage, the title did not truly hold any political power so what was the need of this study.
Either, contrary to public opinion, the Baroness was the one truly in power,
Or
What she was doing here was completely different.
Hal was quite inclined to the latter as it was probably related to why he was here.
Eva did not say a word and only went off to stand by the wall while resting against a shelf of books.
Hal was about to ask her what this was all about when the doors of the study opened and in came Camira, still in her stately attire for the night's event.
Hal did not wait for her to get settled at all,
"What is all this about?"
Camera smiled lightly but the sentiment did not touch her eyes as she said,
"Sit down." She said.
Hal shrugged,
"I don't want to."
Camira's eyes flashed and she released the faint pressure of a Late-stage Cosmic Phenomenon realm expert while Eva was already behind Hal and pushing a chair against the back of his knees to cause them to buckle so he was forced to sit.
He frowned but said nothing.
"I insist" Camira said as she went to sit behind the large desk decked with books.
Eva turned Hal's chair so he was facing Camira while she drew another chair for herself and turned it to look at him.
"So, Hal. Who are you and where are you from?" Camira asked
Hal rolled his eyes,
"My name is Hal and I'm from Sapphire city."
"We have no knowledge of Sapphire city having a Teleportation circle." Camira said with a frown.
Hal shrugged,
"I said I'm from there, not that I traveled from there."
He had no intentions of letting these ladies know about his Teleportation circle. If he did, What would have been the point of keeping the coordinates private?
What he still did not understand was why they were making such a big deal of this.
The sisters shared a look and Eva drew her chair closet to Hal while wondering why there seemed to be tingling in her lower region as she inhaled his scent.
Also, what was with that face of his that made her just want to jump his bones?
"Hal, this is very serious. This would not have mattered to us, had it not being for the Jade token you had with you, we would not have bothered." she told him.
Hal's eyes widened,
"Jade Token?"
Camira sighed,
"Don't bother attempting to deny it. We know the Princess gave you a Jade Token. She also left us this..." She said and pulled out a poster.
On it was a beautiful painting of Hal's face. While slightly less attractive, the resemblance was clear.
"Not many get the privilege of receiving a Jade Token so I hope you did not think she would simply give it and not keep an eye out for you. The princess deduced that should you ever decide to leave Salmon city, you would have to come to the Barony for a Teleportation circle.
Of course, she did not expect you to have a Blue gem, so she also expected you to need to exchange Gold for gems to power the Circle.
We are part of her information gathering network and she left us and some others this portrait so that she would be informed the moment you were seen.
The thing was that she was right and you did come to the Barony center but you did so through an arriving Teleportation circle with no coordinates.
This makes it quite likely that you tricked the princess and are not truly from Sapphire city. If that is the case, I need to know where you are from and you must convince me you are not from the Dystopian Continent.
We've been having an influx of spies from there as of recent and the last thing we need is for one of them to be in possession of a Jade Token."
Hal said nothing but thrust his hands into his robes as though to pull something out but it was just a cover to retrieve the token from his inventory.
He toyed with it in his hands for a while before he looked sideways at Eva,
"Before I answer any questions. Tell me what this Token really is. The 'Princess' told me it was so that I could join the Royal academy selection in Four months, but I'm guessing there is more to it than that." He said.
Was Hal worried about the situation?
No, he was not.
While Camira was at the Late stage of the Cosmic Phenomenon realm and Eva was at the Mid-stage, they both had no hope whatsoever of defeating him.
Also, all those in the Baron's residence presently fell under the category his Invisibility could affect and he could sneak out of here as easily as he wished.
"You are not in the position to ask questions." Camira interrupted with a frown.
"Sister, please. If he's a spy, he won't get out of here alive anyway. His cultivation is at the Early stage of the Cosmic Phenomenon realm. We might as well answer his questions." Eva told her sister.
Hal was not surprised that she could tell what his cultivation was as he had been faintly releasing the pressure of his cultivation base since he arrived.
It was his way of putting them at ease that they had him dead to rights.
"Alright fine." Camira said with a wave of her hand while she stood from the chair and went over to her platform behind her where there were bottles of Alcohol.
She poured herself a glass and downed it while cranking her neck.
All of which Hal did not fail to notice.
With the permission granted, Eva answered Hal's questions,
"The Jade Token is indeed not just for selection. First, you need to know that there are three tiers of students at the academy. The White robed students who are the lowest tier and are where all students start from, the Blue robed who have more status and represent better prowess.
And then the Green robed students who are usually hand-picked by Elders and other distinguished individuals in the Academy.
With the Jade Token, you can become a Blue robed student immediately after passing the selection and some are even lucky enough to become Green robed by having Elders or other distinguished figures take interest in them.
However, that is only one of the uses of a Jade Token, the second and most important is Espionage"
Chapter 259 - The Best Of The Sects.
Those words caused Hal's lips to twitch.
"So, you mean to say that I have been recruited to what? Spy?" Hal asked.
Eva sighed,
"Not exactly. YOU were not recruited. I'm guessing the princess decided that you were too weak to go through the ordeals so she settled for having you join the selection and becoming a part of the Royal Academy.
We were only supposed to keep an eye out and once you were seen, report back to her so she could offer you assistance."
What kind of assistance?" Hal asked but it was Camira who answered,
"A sound cultivation technique, cultivation resources. Really, anything that would give you a fighting chance.
After all, should you attempt to be a student at the academy, you will be up against geniuses. The best of their sects." She said.
"The best of their sects. Does that mean...?" Hal began but Camira replied to his incomplete question,
"...that the best of the sects will only be a white-robed student? Yes, that is exactly what it means.
It is why no one dares to look down on any student of the royal academy no matter what robe they wear. The other robes are more like privileges and usually have nothing to do with superior strength.
That said, white-robed students still strive to become the best and that is signified by the best to robe of them all; The Green robe."
Hal eyed the sisters,
"Which robes were you?" He asked as Camira sat down with a stressful sigh while Eva chuckled,
"We were never students at the academy. We were never talented enough for that.
Now back to you. With your current strength, you are more than qualified to be recruited which is why it is so suspicious.
If the princess deemed that you were not strong enough for recruitment merely two months ago, how could you have possibly overcome all of that so soon?" She asked.
Hal smiled lightly,
"Perseverance" he said.
Camira snorted,
"Nonsense. It is much more likely that you are from the Dystopian continent and hid your cultivation before. Meeting the princess, I admit might have been a coincidence you did not plan." She said.
Hal sighed,
"I am not from the Dystopian continent and if you have the time to and patience, you can send word to Sapphire city and they will tell you who I am.
You have no reason to distrust me.
Also, your 'Princess' searched me the day we met and ascertained my age. If she did not find anything amiss, then I don't see why you even bother.
Don't tell me you actually hope to find something she missed."
The two looked uncomfortable.
Did they really hope to discount the Princess's assessment?
Not to mention that they could not bear to hold a candle to her strength, her age and expertise were beyond them as well.
Hal took advantage of the silence and the lapse to pat Eva's hand affectionately,
"It's okay. You don't have to look so worried." He said and stood up from his chair.
Eva looked confused,
"Why would we be worried?" She asked.
Hal shrugged but said nothing as he walked behind Camira's chair and placed his hands on the lady's shoulders.
It was as though it was magic touch as Camira felt all of the stress and ache she had been feeling as of recent suddenly relieve her.
"Ahhhhh"
She let out a long sigh of contentment while Hal rubbed and massaged her shoulder blades for a while before stopping,
"I thought you would be worried I would relay this all back to the 'Princess'. If that is the case, you don't have to worry.
I don't wish to be part of any recruitment and in four months, who knows? I might not even join the selection.
Just relax..." He said and gave Camira's shoulder a few more rubs before leaving it completely.
Camira's hands flew up and she held his hands down to her shoulder,
"That was nice. Don't stop" she said.
Hal made to pull his hand away,
"No I think I'd much rather leave" he said.
Camira held his hands,
"No, continue. I insist."
"You really like those words, Don't you?" Hal said and continued to rub her shoulders.
"Mmnnngghhh" Camira moaned and leaned back in her chair and more into Hal's hands.
Eva watched it all and could already feel herself getting flushed as the ache of arousal slowly set in.
...
Meanwhile...
The party continued and Baron Aaro continued to greet and converse with dignitaries with only a few of them asking where the Baroness was, politely of course.
Aaron evaded the question politely as well while directing their attention to political matters of the Barony and request their help to always keep his seat.
The most adamant of the dignitaries was Lady Penelope who did not particularly feel at ease with Hal being gone at the same time as the Baroness and her sister.
She worried that Hal was being punished at that moment and demanded the Baron tell her where his wife was.
"What is this really about? Is it that Blue-eyed young man?" The Baron eventually said in an exasperated tone.
Lady Penelope sneered,
"Glad you're catching up."
The Baron sighed heavily,
"Lady Penelope, I assure you that he is fine. There are just certain things we need to ask him. While I cannot assure you that he will return to the party, I can however tell you that he will be alright. So long as he has nothing to hide." He said.
Lady Penelope glared and walked away from him and back to her guard/escort.
At that time, Henrik returned to the party hall looking quite well other than the occasional stagger in his movements.
Soon, he was at his brother's side and groaned in annoyance when people with either pity or amusement in their gaze.
"Are you alright?" Aaro asked and Henrik nodded.
"Nothing wounded but my pride" hr said.
Aaro's eyes narrowed,
"Mind telling me what happened. You seemed to freeze in place."
Henrik frowned in concentration as though to remember what had happened but other than a Dark shadow of fear, there was nothing he could remember, and knowing that it must have been Hal's doing did not help matters at all.
Eventually, he shook his head,
"I'm as clueless as you are. Where is the little bastard anyway?"
The Baron smiled proudly and seemed to pull himself up as his handsome face lit up,
"Camira and Eva are interrogating him" he said.
Henrik turned towards his brother sharply,
"Why would you let Eva join in? She has a soft spot for him." He said which was kind of a stretch considering the duo only met the day before.
Aaro chuckled,
"That was all an act. Camira has filled me in. The Imperial Princess Tanya seems to be looking for him."
Henrik's eyes widened and Aaro nodded in satisfaction at his brother's reaction before adding,
"So as you can see, it's a big deal."
Henrik nodded.
That it was a big deal was an immense understatement. This was a humongous deal. The chain of command from imperial power to Barony was so far that people such as them were not as important as an ant in the presence of imperial pedigree.
"I'll keep watch. I won't let anyone get inside and interrupt." Henrik said and made to walk away when Aaro grabbed his arm,
"That includes Brother. You must not interrupt them."
Henrik nodded and was gone in seconds.
Chapter 260 - Pleasing The Baroness. R-18
Henrik walked briskly towards the study but did not get too close once the door was in view.
Instead, he hung back and would make sure no one got close.
But,
Was that a moan he just heard?
...
In the Study...
Hal was in full sensual massage mode with Camira leaning forward so that Hal could work his hands down her back and towards the small of said back while she continued to moan.
When this massaging session transitioned from a soothing massage to one that set her nether regions on fire while also moistening her inner thighs at breakneck speed,
She looked at Hal out of the corner of her eye and saw him concentrating on the massage with a serious expression that held no lecherous will.
At least until he caught her stare and his handsome face split into a wide grin before he winked at her.
"What...?" Camira was about to ask what he was winking about when a particular press on the small of her back had her arching and moaning so loudly, she hoped no one was on the outside.
Hal stomped his leg on the ground and activated a Dormant Array in the room.
Being a place where Camira often discussed important and sensitive matters, there was a need for sound canceling Arrays that would guarantee complete privacy.
While she was too lost in pleasure to activate it, Hal was not, and the fact that he used Astral energy to do so as opposed to Cosmic Energy was informative to Eva,
"You're a Runemaster" she said with the tone of a sudden realization.
Her legs were crossed in an attempt to hold back from thrusting her fingers inside her snatch and bringing herself to climax.
Hal looked up at her, still grinning,
"Yes, I am"
Camira's eyes widened as she heard it all, albeit in a hazy manner, and starting to realize that there was surely more to Hal than meets the eye.
While she was thinking of this, Hal's eyes turned a bright shade of violet while he lowered his lips to speak into her ear,
"You wanted to know who I am right?" He asked.
Camira gulped ad she heard the menacing undertone of those words and attempted to sound intimidating,
"I knew you were hiding something" She said and moaned shortly afterward.
"At least I was not lying. I just didn't tell you everything. You made two mistakes today.
First, you pulled me away from the crowd and brought me here where we three are alone.
Second, you let me touch you..." Hal said and looked up at Eva,
"Both of you"
Camira's eyes flashed and she tensed,
"I can still defeat you" she said.
Hal knew she did not have hope of defeating him with her Late-stage cultivation but he saw no reason to bring that up. After all, he was not after conflict at that moment.
His philosophy remained 'Make Love not war'.
"Sure you can. But do you want to?" he asked still in a whisper.
Camira's body shivered slightly and she answered immediately,
"No"
"Then what do you want?" Hal asked and stopped touching her.
Once again without missing a beat, Camira replied,
"Your hands. I want your hands on me"
Hal sighed and walked away from her, his eyes now back to normal,
"Well, I don't want to" he said.
Camira stood to her feet immediately,
"Please" she pleaded while trying to ignore the itch she was now feeling.
Hal chuckled lightly,
"What, you don't insist?" He asked.
Camira shook her head while moving closer.
"Okay then, show me how much you really crave my touch" Hal said and somehow Camira was not confused about what he wanted and was on her knees in a second.
She grabbed his pants and pulled them down to grab his flaccid cock which she pumped in her hand before stretching out her tongue to lick at its underside.
"Mmmm" Camira moaned from the pleasure she was feeling from the act.
Which surprised her as she always believed the act was for the other party. Never had she expected to enjoy it as much as she did.
Not to mention the increase in the volume of pussy juice that leaked out of her snatch.
*Fap* *Fap* *Fap*
Eva's eyes widened at the perverse act that was going on in front of her at that very moment but could not voice out a word against it as her hands were already in her underpants.
She was rubbing her pussy lips slowly to relieve a bit of the ache she was feeling and had only just found her clit which she was now teasing and was bringing her debilitating pleasure.
"Nnggghhh" She groaned but did not thrust her fingers into her pussy so as not to risk the breaking of her hymen which she wished to save for Henrik.
Or was it now Hal?
*Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*
Camira's efforts were getting rewarded as Hal's cock was finally rising and filling with Blood so that it was erect in seconds.
And then Camira engulfed the organ in her throat.
Her fellatio was incredibly pleasurable to Hal who grabbed her head and pulled her forward until more than half of his cock length was buried in her throat.
Taking the whole thing was but a pipe dream for the Baroness.
However, Camira's face lit up with pleasure as Hal had touched her and she could already feel the mix of soothing and sexual sensations that encouraged her even more to give him the best blowjob he had ever felt.
Her enthusiasm could not be faulted as she used her throat to squeeze tighter around Hal while she cupped his hefty balls and massaged them as though calling for his seed.
Hal groaned in pleasure,
"Impressive" he managed to say before dumping his seed down her gullet and straight to her stomach.
Camira marveled at the volume and when he pulled out, there was still one last shot that landed on her tongue.
Her eyes seemed to glow as she tasted the seed and could not believe how good it was but by then, Hal was already pulling her up.
He pulled up her gown and dragged down her underwear before aligning his cock at her entrance and pushing inside to the hilt in one thrust.
Camira's pussy was already as wet as it could be and she tightened around Hal as soon as he was inside her.
He raised one of her legs so he could pound her harder while she wound her hands around his neck and buried her head into his neck to breathe in his scent.
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
Once again, Eva watched the perverse action with widened eyes and thought to remind her sister that she was married but the words caught in her throat and she instead began to wish they got it over with quickly so Hal could have a go at easing her own ache.
Camira's arms around his neck did not stop Hal from loosening the upper part of her gown so that he could pull out her breasts from the top of her neckline.
As she felt Hal's hands on her perky assets, Camira moaned and yelled out her joy when he pitched her nipples.
"Oh yes. Pinch it harder. Ohhh I love it!"