Chapitre 11: Chapter 7 ~Banquet, the Couple and the Third Wheel~
~Meanwhile at Leonard Mansion~
The whole mansion and the yard were so beautifully decorated that it felt like it was a palace of the Renaissance period. Dignitaries came and greeted the Leonard family.
"Congratulations, Young lord. You look very handsome in that formal attire." The Chairman of the India Hunter Association, Siyun Forsyth, greeted Leon.
"Thank you, sir," Leon said while smiling. He didn't do his hair backwards, rather it was his usual hairstyle, the wolf cut and bangs in front. And the length of his golden hair touched the end of his neck.
"You also look very charming Young miss. You will get your ID today, right? I wish you luck!"
"Thank you, sir. And about the ID, yes I would be leaving the party early because of that sole reason."
The whole group of Guild Masters were cackling up with Raion and Chryseis at a separate table. The Chairman hurriedly joined them.
The siblings were left alone. Every guest was enjoying the banquet and the fresh morning winds of the approaching winter brought a soothing sensation to Lea's cheeks. She asked, "Where is Zecora? He was invited too, right?"
"He'll be here soon," Leon said looking at the sky above.
Lea stayed silent to think of other matters then her lips opened and her eyes widened as if realising something. She said, "Where is our main family bhai? Why they didn't come?"
"...I don't know, dear," Leon said after a pause as if he knew something about them. Then he patted his sister's cheeks and chuckled, "I think they must be angry that Mom didn't invite them."
"They should have just barged in as Mom said! Aww... I miss cousin Naria." She pouted.
"Let's go in the yard, Lea," Leon said changing the subject.
"Yeah, let's go."
The siblings came outside and sat on the vacant table. As they were talking the main gate opened and Zecora entered. His style looked different from what he usually used to wear. Black formal suit and black shoes like Leon but a golden shimmering chunni hung on his neck made him look more stunning. Western but a touch of India. His hair was still messy as ever though it certainly made his handsomeness reach its peak.
"You look really good today Zecora." Leon complimented Zecora.
"It somehow feels sarcastic coming from you, Prince Charming."
"I can't believe that people around me are so very handsome," Leaena said looking at both of them.
"You also look stunning in that golden Ghaghra, Wildcat," Zecora said, throwing a charming smile at Lea. Just some moments later his face frowned. "But that hairstyle doesn't look good on you. Wait, let me do something." He pulled out Leaena's Golden bun stick and her hair fell perfectly till they could, to Lea's waist. The other hair accessories didn't let her hair look dull.
"There you go. These hair are not for you to tie up, they look more alive like this." Zecora said while running his fingers between Lea's hair.
"Thanks. You know, I'm thinking of doing a baby cut like the Japane-"
"Don't you dare!" Both of them shrieked.
"You will look ugly, Lea," Leon complained.
"And your hair is precious too!" Zecora said in a concerned voice.
"A-Ah Okay. I won't."
They talked about how Rae forced her brother to wear this attire.
"She took out some boots too. Thank heavens that I didn't wear that. I would have looked like a total clown."
"She's really not coming, huh?" Leon asked while glancing at her dear sister.
"Yeah. I messaged her but she declined." Lea replied.
"Well, she must be busy," Leon said.
They talked for some minutes until their conversation drift off to another topic.
"Do you know Mr Forsyth's wife, Helena Forsyth?"
"Yeah. What about her?" Zecora asked while chugging the red wine from the bottle.
"She also has a sister," Leon said.
"Oh? What about her?"
"Rumor is that her sister is a company owner. An exceptionally prestigious one at that." Lea butted in.
"Hmm, so?" Zecora said, in a boring way.
"And do you know Park Taegyeom's Hospital, Mirae? The one only for hunters."
"Yeah. Rae went there today. The one in which our guilds, Gemini, Leo and Aquarius invested right?"
"Do you think any other guild or someone else also invested in?" Leon narrowed his eyes.
"I think we are the only ones. The Association didn't even bat an eye for it."
"That's what we believed too but there is another person who invested. And that person is Helena Forsyth's sister."
"What's her name?" Zecora questioned, taking some interest.
"It's just a rumour, so nobody knows," Leaena stated.
"And it would be suspicious if we were to pry into their matters." Leon sliced the pastry.
Who could it be? Helena Forsyth... That Korean lady. Her sister owns a prestigious company and even invested in Mirae whom the Association didn't even give a shit? Zecora let himself lost in his thoughts but he didn't forget to chug the whole bottle.
"Bro, why do you always drink wine from the bottle? Just drink it from the fucking glass!" Leon spatted.
"Oh yeah? Old habits sure die hard." Zecora grinned.
"How did you get this habit?" Leaena asked in curiosity.
"There was this bestie of mine who liked to drink directly from the bottle. Eventually, I also picked this habit."
"He must be quite obedient to keep up with your sly personality!" Leon laughed.
"Pfft! O-Obedient? Him?" Zecora almost choked. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't hold my laughter." He wiped his tears and then again cackled up.
"Um, so he isn't obedient?" Leaena asked.
"Wildcat. Have you ever heard of a Mafia being 'Obedient'?"
A silence fell.
"Bro, you sure got some incredible connections."
"This is my first time hearing that you have a Mafia friend! Please introduce him to me sometime!" Lea's eyes were practically sparkling.
"No," Zecora answered right away.
Leon laughed from inside. It was funny how Zecora didn't want Lea to meet men other than himself.
Zecora chugged another bottle and stood up.
"Let's talk with your parents about the raid we are doing today. The Maitri Garden one."
"Yes. Let's go." Leon said taking the last bite of his pastry.
Lea was left alone. She checked her phone and saw that Rae replied to her message with a single word- No. Park Taegyeom already declined the invitation politely. She stared blankly at the screen.
Come to think of it, Lea and Zecora looked like couples today with Lea wearing the golden dress and Zecora wearing the golden chunni. She grinned while looking at the phone.
She snapped out of her fantasies and clicked the 'Hot Topics Today'.
1. Leon Leonard's Ascension Banquet.
"Not surprising." She said.
2. SunBerry and BlackPink pics.
"Can't believe people are still using these names for us. Geez... They compare Bhai with the sun and me with Blueberries but why the hell are they using BlackPink for Zecora and Rae? Isn't that the name of a famous K-Pop girl group? What if that group's fandom clashes with this fandom because of using the same name?" She let out a sigh. "I would've used something more grandiose like ChittyPitty or KaalaMitti for Zecora and Rae."
#She doesn't even realise that she is 80% trash at naming beings.
In the midst of all this, someone interrupted her.
"There you are, Leaena."
3 familiar-looking people were coming her way. Aquarius' Guild Leader- Rigel Rubus, Libra's Vice-Guild Leader- Heera Rathore, and Picses' Guild Leader- Maehara Charleen.
"I heard from Raion that you got a new skill?" Rigel asked.
"Oh, yes. I showed my new skill to my parents earlier this morning. They were feeling very proud. Please take a seat." Lea said standing up.
"Leaena, there is no need to give your seat to me," Heera said smiling. "I'm only a Vice-Leader."
Both Rigel and Charleen sat down.
"How can I, Miss Rathore? You are still a higher rank than me. Without the ID I'm a mere human, not even a hunter. Please sit down, I'll get something to drink." Lea walked then turned around, "Such beautiful Amber hair you got there, Ms Maehara. I'm sure your husband loves that about you." Leaena smiled and then left to order some particular drinks for them.
"What a sweet-talking brat," Charleen chuckled.
"She sure is. Hey, Vice-Leader, why Libra didn't come? Still holding his grudges?" Rigel asked Heera.
"Well, you know how he is sir. I told him not to act like a kid but he just won't listen."
"Well, what can we do? Love changed him in a bad way." Charleen said in a pitiful voice.
Heera was surprised that her boss, the Libra Guild Master, who was remembered for his great leadership in the 3rd dungeon break, and is famously known as the Duke of Ocean and not to mention the great looks he had, was changed by something so insignificant called 'Love'. Heera couldn't imagine her hot n cold boss to be like this.
"Says the person who married a Japanese bartender." Rigel taunted Charleen.
"You wanna fight now? My hubby is a Cafe owner."
"How has love changed our Guild Leader?" Heera interrupted their fight, absolutely feeling curious.
"It's a cliche story but I'll tell you anyways." Charleen grinned. "Long ago, Libra liked Chryseis but Chryseis and Raion were already engaged in their teens so Libra became the third wheel here. Though he didn't stop there, he genuinely tried to show Chryseis his feelings. Chryseis and Raion were engaged by their families but they really loved each other. Most people in India prefer to marry because of love but they still get married to whomever their parents choose. It is most likely that a couple in arranged marriage don't love each other too deeply unless it is a 'Love along the way' type. Raion and Chryseis are childhood sweethearts so there's no way they wouldn't be happy with this marriage but they were also feeling sorry for Libra. Raion isn't humble as to give Chryseis to Libra and Chryseis isn't kind enough to leave Raion for the sake of being with someone else."
"Hmm. I understand it now but... how were they childhood sweethearts?" Heera said thinking hard. "I mean...the Leonard family moved to India after the gates started to appear and at that time Mr Leonard was just 15. He must have been already engaged at that time. Does this mean that Ms Chryseis' family also moved here with them just because of their arranged marriage?"
"Pft!" Rigel laughed. "Ms Chryseis' Family? Heera, are you pretending not to know or are you new in Libra?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" She looked confused.
Rigel spoke up. "Actually both Raion and Chryseis are from the Leonard family."
"..." Even a proficient girl like Heera had to take time to understand his words.
"To be more precise they are cousins. If they weren't married and Raion had Leon as his son then Leon would've called Chryseis his Aunt."
"I'm dumbfounded sir," Heera said. "Does this mean that both of them are cousins and share the same last names?"
"Yeah. Only in-family marriage is acceptable in that family. So Leaena and Leon have to marry other Leonards or maybe each other."
"But that's not going to happen, Ms Maehara," Leaena said smiling.
"Oh! Leaena's here." Heera said in surprise. She felt guilty about talking behind Lea's back about her family but seeing that Rigel and Charleen didn't brood about that she also pretended that nothing happened.
"Chocolate syrup for Ms Maehara, Vodka for Mr Rubus and Iced Coffee for Miss Rathore." Lea continued, with a slight seriousness in her tone, "Our mother promised us that they will let us marry whoever we want, not just the Leonards."
"It's creepy that you know what exactly we like." Rigel took a sip and both Charleen and Heera nodded.
"Haha. There's nothing creepy about the knowledge you get after reading so many tabloids about Guilds." Lea said then continued, "Mr Rubus, you know you have some traits like Korean people."
"Aha? How come?"
"Actually, even though you are in your late 30s you look very handsome and on top of that you have such beautiful blue hair."
"Oh yes! You're talking about those Korean Actors right!? They look hot and handsome even though they pass their 40s!" Heera screamed.
"Stop flattering me both of you." Rigel chuckled.
"Hey, you are still not married right Rigel?" Charleen said with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah. Why are you not married, sir?" Heera said excitingly.
Rigel held Heera's hand, in a flirty way. "Heera, are you willin- Ouch!" He didn't get to complete his sentence as his fingers got slightly burnt.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, sir! It was our Guild Master's protection spell. I'm really sorry." Heera rubbed her handkerchief, which was dipped in the water, on Rigel's hand. "You see, he is quite protective of his people." She continued.
"I think he's quite protective of only you, Heera..." Rigel murmured.
Lea, meanwhile, was thinking as to why Rigel doesn't look aged at all. He doesn't look in his late 30s. The only people she knew who were like this were her own parents and the Leonard family. But now Mr Rubus, Libra Leader and Helena Forsyth. They were the only ones whom Lea has seen with this trait. This was the speciality of her family but she wasn't sure about how these people had that too.
Do they have any connection with each other, she thought.
[Lea, I'm getting some info.] Kiera's voice interrupted Lea's thoughts.
"Excuse me. I think I should leave now. Please keep your conversation going." Lea went back to the mansion. She saw Leon and Zecora talking with Raion and other people around that table.
Zecora glanced over and when he saw Lea standing at the end of the stairs he winked. Lea smiled and winked in reply.
[I think flirting is more important than my information.] Kiera's fed-up voice felt like daggers to Lea.
She hurriedly walked up the stairs and then inside her room.
"Phew. Kiera, you can come out but please make yourself invisible when we are outside." She said while undressing herself. Soon Kiera appeared and was floating in the room.
"You looked beautiful today, you know."
"Tell your mom something she doesn't know." Lea smiled as she took out the earrings and replaced them with her casual ones. "Wait, get down and come here."
Kiera got down and sat on the bed. Leaena first squeezed her cheeks then spun Kiera to see her hair length.
"You look some millimetres taller."
"Oh Really? But what is the relation between height and cheeks?"
"What's wrong with squeezing my baby's cheeks?" Lea chuckled.
"Ugh... Enough. Just gather the relevant documents. I'll tell you the info on our way." Kiera grunted.
"Hehe. I'll do as you say, my cutie."
Leaena put on her navy blue formal suit.
"By the way, my status window said that ordinary people can't see me so why are you telling me to become invisible?"
"Even if ordinary people can't, Hunters can still see you. I don't want them to see you until I get my hunter ID and debut in the hunter circle." She said while putting on the lip gloss. After that, she pulled out the drawer and picked car keys and a file. "Let's go now."
Leaena went down and said bye to her family and Guild Leaders.
The steward opened the garage. She and Kiera got inside her Lamborghini Aventador SV. The dark blue car was shining clean and the steward looked very proud. Lea giggled and started the car.
As they were at the intersection. "So what is the new info?" Lea said while taking the left turn.
"It said, Something big is going to happen to the Guild Leader of Gemini."
Leaena pressed the brakes unconsciously. "To Zecora?"
"Yes."
"No, no, no. Nothing is going to happen to him because he is the second strongest in India! And as long as we are together..." Leaena said while sweating hard.
Kiera looked at her. She pulled out her handkerchief and started wiping her.
"Don't trust him too much, Mom."
"I... trust him. But that's a problem on my end, it isn't his fault that I trust him blindly." She laughed and started driving the car.
"There was another piece of info. It was that Helena Forsyth, Han Sooah and Libra Leader have some deep relation with each other."
"Why isn't Mr Rubus' name there? I thought that having a young face was the relation between them. That means that contrary to my thinking Mr Rubus isn't related to them." She kept driving and then realised something. "Now, who is Han Sooah? Judging by the name, she must be a Korean. I can't recall encountering someone with that name. Do you know her, little Kiera?"
"Nope. Not at all."
"Hmm..."
Soon they reached the Leo's Guild building.
"Good morning, young miss. I already received the information that you'll be here."
"Good morning, Mr. Dave. Take me to the teleportation gate without delay."
"Yes, young miss. It's prepared just follow me." Lea went inside the room and a Vermillion-coloured circular portal could be seen. The colour of the gates was the only factor which can be used to distinguish them.
Blue- E to A rank gates.
Green- This colour indicates that the gate is soon going to break.
Vermillion- Teleportation Gates which can be used inside the country. (Also called National Teleportation Gates)
Purple- Teleportation Gates which can be used to teleport to other places outside the country. (Also called International Teleportation Gates.)
Dark Blue or Black- S rank gates.
As we reached the gate they took my fingerprints. It was necessary. The other side, which is the Hunter Association building, verified my entry.
"You may get going now, young miss."
"Okay. Let's go." Leaena stepped inside. "To India Hunter Association building!"
~ To be continued.
Chunni- Another term for Dupatta. It is a long shawl-like scarf traditionally worn by women in the Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders. However, men also wear chunni with their Sherwani.
Ghaghra- Another Traditional Indian dress. Google it and imagine Lea dressed in 'Golden Ghaghra' with a bun and then long hair.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone