Chapter 42: Kailun, Save Me!
Paul suppressed his disgust and said politely, “Sir, please behave yourself. I’m just an attendant. Don’t make things difficult for me.”
The obese noble withdrew his hand in surprise, taking a closer look at Paul and confirming the presence of the number tag on his chest.
“Playing hard to get, are we? Interesting.”
He plucked the tag off Paul’s chest. “I’ll be back for you later. Let’s have a wonderful night together.”
He grabbed a glass of wine from Paul’s tray and swaggered away, leaving a deeply unsettled Paul standing there.
Even Paul realized something was amiss now. The strange makeup, the creepy nobles, the exorbitant salary, and the unsettling atmosphere of the banquet.
Some of the women wore revealing dresses, their bodies bare beneath the thin fabric, their ample curves on full display.
However, he was bound by the contract he had signed. He couldn’t leave before the banquet ended, or he would face a hefty penalty.
He searched for Kailun, only to find him being greeted by the Second Prince at the front of the hall.
…
The Second Prince, Lodis, was a young man with a brooding aura. In his early twenties, he was slightly younger than Hilna and a few years older than Kailun.
Unlike his sisters, who inherited their family’s signature red hair, he had green hair, leading to speculation about his true parentage.
It was precisely because of this that the king had never considered him as a potential heir. If not for the Divine Church’s support, Hilna’s ascension to the throne would have been a certainty.
“Kailun, it’s an honor to have you at my banquet. It seems even heroes share similar tastes.”
Lodis completely ignored Vivian as he approached Kailun with a warm greeting.
He was accompanied by two individuals, one old and one young. The younger one was Captain Loston, while the older one was the blue-robed Archbishop of the Divine Church in the Xiya Kingdom.
The Divine Church categorized their regional bishops into three ranks: blue-robed, yellow-robed, and red-robed, in ascending order of authority.
Red-robed Archbishops were considered core members of the Divine Church.
This particular Archbishop had been severely poisoned in Kailun’s past life, falling under Hilna’s control. As a result, the Divine Church had been unable to make any significant moves.
The main conflict had been between Hilna and the Grand Duke. This time, Kailun was using the same tactic against the Divine Church.
He didn’t want any other factions interfering after he dealt with Hilna. As for Loston, he was an unexpected bonus. In Kailun’s past life, he had been Hilna’s loyal dog from beginning to end.
“You flatter me, Your Highness. I’m simply curious. Just here to observe.”
Kailun responded with a smile, feigning shyness and curiosity.
Loston’s face darkened at the sight of Kailun’s smile. He hadn’t expected him to be here.
He hadn’t even managed to establish a connection with the Second Prince yet. If Kailun reported him to Hilna, he would be finished!
Lodis chuckled. “There’s a first time for everything. Once you experience it, you’ll understand how wonderful this world truly is. But why did you bring my little sister? That girl spends all her time with Hilna. Won’t she get in trouble for attending my banquet?”
He feigned concern for Vivian while subtly probing Kailun’s relationship with Hilna.
“It’s fine. Teacher Hilna wants to set us up. She told me to take Vivian out more often, so I brought her here.”
“…”
Lodis was momentarily speechless. He stared at Kailun for a moment before saying, “You’re a good man.”
“Thank you. I’m always gentle with ladies.” Kailun replied sincerely.
Vivian, her hand still in his, rolled her eyes. If she hadn’t experienced his “gentleness” firsthand, she might have actually believed him.
“Actually, I have something important to discuss with you. But tonight is for enjoying the banquet. We’ll talk after it’s over.”
This was just an excuse. He couldn’t discuss business in front of Vivian.
Lodis glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time. He left Kailun with a parting remark and walked to the front of the hall.
“First of all, thank you all for accepting my invitation. Tonight, we’ll engage in free and open conversation, setting aside our differences and embracing honesty. As always, the first part of the evening will be dedicated to dancing, followed by a more… unrestrained celebration. Now, let’s enjoy this unrestricted ball!”
As his voice boomed through the hall, cheers erupted. Elegant music filled the air, and the well-dressed nobles and officials began seeking out their prey.
Some raised their glasses in a toast, while others embraced on the dance floor. The scene seemed no different from a regular ball.
This was Paul’s busiest hour. He scurried through the crowd, offering drinks.
He endured the occasional groping, his patience wearing thin.
Finally, after half an hour of relentless service, he was granted a short break. He spotted Kailun chatting with Loston.
He straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and headed towards them, carrying two glasses of wine.
As he approached, he overheard Loston’s panicked explanation. “I was just curious about the banquet…”
Seeing that Kailun’s back was turned, he quickened his pace, intending to bump into him and spill wine all over his clothes.
“Kailun, long time no see… Ah!”
Two meters away from Kailun, he called out his name, feigning excitement at seeing a friend.
This feigned enthusiasm made his hurried pace seem less suspicious, and his subsequent stumble more believable.
With a yelp, he lost his balance, his body tilting forward. He was about to crash into Kailun’s back.
However, Kailun, as if sensing his approach, pulled Vivian into his arms and sidestepped, effortlessly dodging the collision.
Paul, stunned, met Kailun’s innocent gaze. He couldn’t understand how he had reacted so quickly.
As he attempted to use Windwalk to regain his balance, a leg suddenly tripped him.
“Thud!”
He crashed into Loston, sending them both sprawling onto the floor. Wine splattered everywhere, and their faces collided in an awkward kiss.
“Get off me!”
Loston shoved Paul away, scrambling to his feet. His face turned livid as he saw his soaked suit.
He had rented an expensive suit for one hundred gold coins to make a good impression at the banquet. Now it was ruined.
“My new suit! You’ll pay for this!”
To save face, he claimed it was a new purchase.
He grabbed Paul by the collar and roared, “One hundred gold coins! Pay me now! Or I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!”
Paul, penniless, looked at Kailun pleadingly. “Kailun, save me!”
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