章 34: Chapter 34: The Divine Dog Duo
Chapter 34: The Divine Dog Duo
Hastur arrived about ten minutes earlier than Audrey.
His arrival also attracted many gazes, especially from the noble ladies who were chatting happily.
With his tall stature, handsome face, and a youthful and tender aura, he was undoubtedly the most outstanding male among the nobles, almost all of whom were in their thirties. Moreover, he was single, and his reputation had always been good.
Fortunately, tonight's banquet was hosted by Gray , which somewhat tempered those fervent stares.
After Hastur arrived, he quickly scanned the room and was surprised to find that Mrs. Germani was also among the invited guests tonight.
When his gaze swept over her, Mrs. Germani returned an even more provocative look, the smile at the corner of her eyes making her seem years younger.
Hastur maintained a proper smile and naturally turned to avoid the area where Mrs. Germani was.
Recently, although Mrs. Germani hadn't blocked him at the courthouse, she often sent him invitations to banquets, all of which he politely declined.
Perhaps such actions further ignited Mrs. Germani's competitive spirit. She stopped pretending and no longer sent messages through invitations but directly sent ambiguous letters in her own name.
In response, Hastur would always smile and burn the unopened letters to ashes.
Aside from the unexpected presence of Mrs. Germani, Hastur felt quite free here.
He knew few of the noble youths, and only three or four were truly acquainted with him. Some, due to their insufficient status, were not included in tonight's invitation, and Grellent, being a viscount, was also not invited to the banquet.
Hastur guessed that this might be Gray 's way of expressing his displeasure.
With few acquaintances, there were not many who came to talk to him. Apart from superficial courtesies, he didn't have to interact with anyone.
While savoring sweets, he listened to the nearby nobles discuss the latest current affairs and the scandalous tales of high society.
He felt at ease, as if he were in his own home.
Besides the dessert area, there was also a hot food section, but looking at the piles of various utensils, he felt overwhelmed and had no intention of going to the hot food area to eat.
In front of each type of food, there were dedicated knives, forks, and spoons, totaling over a hundred different kinds.
Moreover, they were all made of pure silver, a display of wealth that was too high-end for most people, who would feel their courage wane at such a sight.
This was still a relatively public banquet. If it were a private banquet at a grand noble's home, it would be even more luxurious, with even more etiquette.
When you sat at the dining table, the utensils in front of you were just the few you would start with. The servants would discreetly replace them with specialized utensils as different dishes were served.
Knowing how to choose the correct utensil from the similar-looking forks, spoons, and knives was a profound skill.
After a banquet, each person would use dozens of utensils. Without proper training, one would likely embarrass themselves on the spot.
Complicated, exquisite, and luxurious—such was the normal state of life for the grand nobility.
Hastur speculated that just the maids responsible for preparing today's banquet probably numbered over a hundred, and the money spent would start in the thousands of pounds.
This was the vast difference between the grand nobility and a fallen noble like him.
It wasn't until Audrey's arrival that he was drawn away from his thoughts. From a man's perspective, Audrey's beauty was unmatched by any of the noble ladies present.
From a noble's perspective, there probably wasn't a better marriage prospect than Audrey.
Hastur simply admired her for a while before shifting his gaze. Audrey was beautiful, the brightest jewel of Beckland, but not the type he wished to court.
As for a marriage partner?
He, a fallen baron, obviously couldn't compare to a countess's daughter who could marry into royalty at any time.
Even if their statuses were equal in the future, he wouldn't entertain such thoughts.
Audrey's beauty was better appreciated from a distance, just like now.
"Hmm, the caramel pudding tastes the best tonight."
After sampling most of the desserts, Hastur concluded that the caramel pudding was the champion of the evening's sweets.
To honor the champion, he took a few more bites.
"So, you really like desserts."
Taking advantage of the attention Audrey drew, Mrs. Germani, who had been watching Hastur, finally found her opportunity.
Hastur kept smiling and said meaningfully, "Sweet but not cloying is the best praise for a dessert."
"Are you implying that I'm too cloying?"
Mrs. Germani was clever, and her tone became somewhat wistful.
Hastur didn't engage, answering her with silence.
"For two people to be together, one must take the initiative, or the person you fancy will slip away right before your eyes."
"Is that another famous quote from Emperor Roselle? Was he also a casanova?"
"…"
Mrs. Germani paused, the ripples of atmosphere that had just begun to form were destroyed by his words.
She was about to say something more when Hastur didn't give her the chance, walking towards Audrey.
This caused a slight change in her expression as she watched Hastur's retreating figure. When she saw that Hastur merely brushed past Audrey, a smile appeared on her face again.
"Trying to use Miss Audrey's radiance to make me look dull? The thoughts of little men are so easy to see through."
With a smile, Mrs. Germani stood up and walked towards Audrey, making polite conversation for a while, then gave Hastur a challenging look.
Baffling.
That was the only thought in Hastur's mind. He just wanted to avoid Mrs. Germani, not use Audrey to reject her.
Such trivial matters were too boring; he wouldn't waste his time on them.
The banquet was well underway, and soon it was time to dance.
Many wanted to invite Audrey to dance, but most knew they had no chance, and Audrey wouldn't give them one either.
She danced only with her elder brother, Hibbert Hall, then found an excuse to go to the manor's second-floor lounge to avoid that time.
Mrs. Germani searched around but couldn't find Hastur, which frustrated her.
On the second floor, in Gray 's study, Hastur had already left the center of the dance floor and came here to rest.
When he made the request, Gray 's butler, knowing his good relationship with Gray , consciously led him away from Mrs. Germani.
Sitting on the soft sofa in the study, Hastur comfortably closed his eyes to rest for a moment. He had eaten quite a few desserts tonight and took this opportunity to digest.
After resting for a while, Hastur stood up and walked to one of the bookshelves, picking out a book on jurisprudence to read.
Compared to dancing below, he preferred to stay here and read.
At least reading could increase his knowledge and wisdom, while dancing below would only waste his time.
Knock, knock, knock! About ten minutes later, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," Hastur said naturally, continuing to read.
The door opened, and two figures walked in.
Hastur turned his head and was slightly startled. He had thought that the only person who would come to the study at this time was Gray , not expecting Audrey and her personal maid.
Well, and Susie, the future dog of fantasy.
Audrey and Hastur exchanged glances, both sensing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
This was Gray 's study, a private place where only close people were allowed. Audrey was here only with Gray 's permission.
She had thought the person inside would be a servant guarding the study, not expecting a young and handsome nobleman.
Judging by age, he should be about the same as her.
After all, that youthful and tender aura made him seem several years younger.
Hastur took the initiative to speak, "Miss Audrey, I'm pleased to encounter you here. If you don't mind, shall we enjoy some quiet reading time?"
He was at the most exciting part of the book and didn't want to be distracted at this moment.
"Hmm."
Audrey nodded indifferently and sat on the other side of the sofa, guarded by her personal maid.
After sitting for a moment, Audrey wanted to inquire about his identity, but seeing how engrossed he was in reading, she didn't want to disturb him.
After all, she didn't know him, and it would be quite impolite.
Thinking it over, she left the sofa and walked to the bookshelves, looking for a suitable book. She had no intention of returning to sit on the sofa.
Gray 's study was large, with a rich collection of books, many of which were rare. There were even books on mysticism.
If it weren't for her personal maid's presence, she would have definitely picked up a book to read.
After about ten minutes, Hastur finished the key section, closed the book, and looked around to find Audrey quietly browsing books deep in the shelves.
Hastur glanced at her, then turned his attention to Susie, the future dog of fantasy.
Currently, Susie hadn't taken any magic potion to become an audience dog and was just ordinarily intelligent.
Facing Hastur's beckoning finger, she didn't even glance at it, choosing a spot not far from Audrey to lie down.
Her tail gently wagged, as if declining any disturbance to her sleep.
"Susie is female, right?"
"Should I get a male dog in the future, let it take the audience magic potion, and make it a divine dog duo with Susie?"
"That way, they could keep each other company, and when no one's around they could gather and discuss which human made a fool of themselves today."
Hastur imagined the scene of two extraordinary dogs interacting.
It seems not many people are watching.
Is it because my writing is too mild and slow?
I expect Klein to be born and advance to Sequence 7 around chapters eighty to ninety.
Isn't that pace fast enough?
(End of Chapter)
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