Kapitel 94: Banquet

Months more passed in the service of Prince Takis. In his day to day life, Lucian cultivated whenever the prince did and was allowed access to techniques and arts from the royal archives so long as he requested it.

It was surprising to realize how little was left out of the libraries in the Clarke Estate. Those that were left out were only the few reserved for the royal family, and those whose requirements were too hyper specific or high level to be of worth to those in the estate. Things that could be brought in if ever one of the children showed promise for such an art.

However even here, there were no arts that continued beyond the 4th stage. Like his own Grand Life Tome, they all ended after the 4th stage, some abruptly, and some with the end of a volume and promise for more that could not be found.

While preparing for a banquet Archduke Ballas was hosting, a celebration for the Crown Prince's return to the capital, Lucian asked Takis about it while double checking he had everything he needed.

"Of course you won't find any within the royal library, you won't find them anywhere but in the personal storage of Sect Leaders, Kings, and the Outsiders. Don't worry about it though, I'm sure Master or my father will provide you with what you need soon enough."

Lucian felt a bit uneasy at that response, but there was nothing to be done about it.

He had always known what the next step of his cultivation would be long before reaching it, that is up until now that he'd entered the Soulbody stage. Not knowing what was next was like walking towards a ravine with no clue where the bridge was.

'Perhaps once I achieve something of more significant merit I'll push the point to get my hands on the next tome earlier than necessary. That way I can make plans for the future.'

Eyeing himself in the mirror, Lucian confirmed that nothing about his manner of dress would cause problems for the Prince, and confirmed that within his Knight's badge, pinned proudly on his chest alongside another, everything he might need in case of emergency was there.

Archduke Ballas was a loyal man, nephew to the king and father of David Ballas, Prince Takis' aide. Ordinarily, a prince that did not inherit the throne would be titled Archduke after the coronation of their crowned sibling. The title did not bring great land or responsibility by itself, but those were quickly acquired by Archdukes as they took up military or court duties and cemented their positions through deep connections in the nobility.

The heir to an Archduke was a Duke, though the title of the parent could be maintained through generations if heirs upheld the same level of merit and loyalty to the throne, as was the case with the current Archduke Ballas. It was his service in the military that allowed him to maintain his father's title of Archduke.

"Keep an eye on Irina during tonight's ball" Takis said. "She's not a good judge of character and the brats her age are starting to sense that."

Lucian nodded as if that was always the plan.

"I know. I'll shoo away anyone without enough tact."

Takis smiled at his response and finished preparing.

An hour later, the two of them stepped into a luxurious carriage and set out with an escort of 30 King's Guard.

Archduke Ballas' estate was within the capital and so it was only a short moment before the two arrived. As the carriage pulled in through the large and expensive gates to the Ballas Estate, Lucian employed a new Will technique learnt from the royal library.

It was named Featureless. It did not change or remove his features, but was instead a simple mind trick to make himself less noticeable and interesting to non-prying eyes. It helped in allowing his large frame and warrior's build to go unnoticed so as to blend in with common servants and guards.

The carriage door opened and well dressed servants bowed as Takis stepped out, followed by Lucian.

There were quite a few carriages around, every one of them competing with the next to show greater levels of luxury. It made for quite a clashing of colours, every one of them and their attached horses draped in bright heraldry and gilded with silver and gold.

The 30 King's Guard split into groups of 5 as they spread out around the estate. That was one difference between a noble and royal arrival. Only royalty could bring more than a few armed guards to the house of an Archduke.

He and Takis followed a servant to a second building adjacent to the primary manor, but separated from it. The front doors were open, and Takis entered to the loud announcement of:

"His Highness, Third Prince of Demia, Takis Savvas Demia enters!"

Conversations quieted for a moment before the buzz of activity returned and David Ballas could be seen striding for the entrance to greet them.

"Your Highness, I'm glad you could make it." He followed with a nod to Lucian that extended the greeting.

David had warmed to him slightly over their months together, but he seemed too hung up on status to consider Lucian an equal. But that didn't matter to him, Lucian was here to do his duty, not befriend David Ballas.

Returning the nod, he swept his eyes over the crowds, his height giving him a slight vantage.

'It's not just the youths gathering today.' He noted as his eyes swept past groups of landed nobles.

The first wave of people eager to ingratiate themselves surrounded Takis in a flood, exchanging greetings, asking questions they cared not for, and shaking hands.

Falling back to the edge of the banquet hall, Lucian practiced the rhythm of breathing that brought him tranquility, letting all unnecessary thoughts slide out of mind like sand between his fingers.

His eyes stilled and became tranquil as his thoughts were replaced by a great deal of impersonal information; everything collected by his senses as he monitored the prince and his surroundings.

He'd been to many banquets by now, it seemed one was being held every two weeks, and those were just the ones the prince had attended.

Sometimes he stood aside as a guard, and other times he dressed in extravagant clothing to blend in and mingle. Yet only once had he been required to act.

Two young men had gotten into a heated argument before throwing fists. The weaker, or rather, the more inebriated of the two, had been launched towards the prince in that exchange, and Lucian had reached forward to grab the man, throwing him aside gently.

That same young man was present today and had glanced at him a few times from the other side of the room, seemingly still indignant for some reason.

He doubted the young men and women tonight would do anything as hotheaded as the last time, not with their parents and what Lucian considered the 'true' nobility present, but he'd still rather go unnoticed as he did his job.

Featureless was great for those who didn't care to look for him, but if someone already had his impression and thought to search him out, it did nothing to actually hide his presence.

'I should look into improving it one day'

It was a fleeting thought of little importance, and didn't linger as his mind remained a tranquil ocean, observing and predicting.

Nearby that young man were quite a few others his age, late teens and early twenties, who seemed to be eagerly waiting for the initial wave of greeters to leave the prince alone before sauntering over.

Lucians gaze continued to sweep the hall when the announcer's voice reported the entry of Princess Irina, and again a wave of initial greeters swarmed the young girl. Unlike with Takis, they did not leave after greeting and show tact, but clung to the Princess and almost blocked sight of her from outside their crowding.

Most among them were boys, but Lucian was satisfied to see the Princess not faltering before the large crowd.

'She should be fine.'

"His Grace, Count Vassilis Glaider, and Countess Elle Glaider enter!"

Lucian resisted the urge to turn his head too quickly, matching pace with the others in the crowd.

'Count Glaider. I can finally lay eyes on you.'

He was a thin man, taller than most with a well trimmed mustache and bright blue eyes. He looked quite respectable, but had he been older, Lucian would pin him for a butler rather than a noble.

By his side, a middle aged woman with a plain face but warm smile held the Count's arm loosely. She was a bit plump, but smiled and nodded at a great many of those present, evidently having many friends among the crowds.

The two began greeting those they knew or wanted to know, and others came to greet them, as with most who entered.

Lucian watched them as subtly as he could, but doubted he would get anything of worth watching the Count's public face.

For that reason, it was surprising to see the kindly woman by his side fighting a frown as she moved from group to group, exchanging greetings.

Lucian saw a few men and women who the count and lady had passed, talking among themselves with telltale faces of gossip, and trained his ears to listen in.

Evidently the group made little effort to avoid being heard, and had he not been on the other end of the hall he imagined he would hear it clearly whether he wanted to or not.

"Did you hear? Vassilis found himself a new mistress. A young thing she is, I saw her myself, and beautiful too."

"That's horrible, it's not Elle's fault she's so plump"

The second woman's words were filled with sarcasm that disgusted Lucian somewhat.

"Glaider's a fool" A man said. "That young woman he keeps locked in his estate is draining him for all he has. Serves him right I suppose, he'll go bankrupt before long, then where will that pretty thing be? Probably knocking on my door if not another's."

The women dismissed his words with snorts and comments of his overvaluation of himself, and soon their topic changed.

Lucian didn't think it very important. It's not his matter to care for if some noble gets himself a new mistress. But he committed it to memory as it was Vassilis Glaider in question.

The royal artificers had managed to open the storage box from the Cinderheart Sect, and found a great many treasures within, including some things that landed in Lucian's own pockets. But among those found were more glass spheres, like the one that had blazed through his defenses and torn his flesh in an instant.

He had learnt that those spheres, the explosives of fire and force, were named Alger's Devotion, and by the materials stored with them, it was likely the Cinderheart sect could indeed create these weapons themselves.

Lucian watched as the slim man smiled beneath his neat mustache and shook the hands of half the man and women present.

'He greets only the old blood.'

Only the nobility of old.