A pool of wine and a forest of meat? That description might be a bit exaggerated, but “extravagant revelry” was certainly an accurate way to describe the scene.
Young men and women celebrated with countless bottles of champagne, spraying expensive liquor just to see who could make it go further or higher. The prices were often heart wrenching; a single bottle could pay for a poor person’s food for an entire year.
“How extravagant,” Li Yue murmured, sitting in a corner and swirling a glass of blood red wine. She took a sip and found that this wine, with the Black Epiphyllum logo on the bottle, was actually quite delicious for some reason.
“How do you like this wine, My Lady?” a maid dressed in black asked with a smile.
“It is not bad. I like it quite a bit.” Li Yue handed over her glass, and the maid immediately refilled it.
“The family head said you would surely like this wine,” the maid said with a charming smile. “It is produced by the family head’s own winery in the Royal Court.”
Li Yue’s hand trembled slightly. She took another sip, the fresh fragrance of grapes spreading through her mouth. It was indeed grapes, with no strange substances mixed in.
Why is my impression of the Royal Court always so bloody? It is clearly an orderly nation; it is just that their living habits are different.
Li Yue continued to watch the young men and women spraying champagne. They looked incredibly happy and far less restrained than before, perhaps because the family head had not made many demands today, likely only asking them to enjoy themselves to the fullest.
Perhaps today was one of the few days they could truly let loose. Passionate encounters were visible everywhere, even in the small groves of trees. The chaotic thumping of heartbeats made Li Yue feel restless; it was the first time she had found the sound of heartbeats so noisy.
“Is spraying champagne really that much fun?” Li Yue waited quietly for the gathering to end, feeling quite bored.
“It is a small program for welcome and entertainment. If you wish, all the family members and servants here can spray champagne for you.”
“No... there is no need.” Li Yue drank another glass. She did not use her magic to deliberately neutralize the alcohol. Her mind remained clear, but her inner loneliness and emptiness were infinitely magnified. She only felt that the world was noisy and that their laughter had nothing to do with her.
She rose from the soft sofa. Several servants gathered around to straighten her clothes. Feeling somewhat numb, she simply accepted their service.
Holding a glass of wine, she wandered around the edge of the dance floor. She did not know how to dance, nor did she want to; she was just watching the excitement, imagining what it would be like if she could dance gracefully with a partner.
For no reason at all, Clo’s figure appeared in her mind. She froze for a moment before shaking the strange thoughts away.
Why would I imagine her holding my hand and dancing? And why am I the one in the swaying dress dancing the woman’s steps... At the very least, I should be the one dancing the man’s part.
She gulped down another glass, wondering if she was getting tipsy. By the time she snapped out of it, a servant from somewhere had already refilled her glass again.
She picked up a plate, intending to grab some food to stop her brain from dwelling on those images. Besides, once a person is full, their spirit tends to relax.
At a small side table, she spotted the trio of Aestherin, Lane, and Melina again. In this bustling party, Li Yue kept mistaking them for a family of three. It was a strange and funny thought, but if it were true, Melina would likely be very happy.
She wondered if the girl, who had been oppressed by domestic violence for so long, had gained any parental love or warmth from these two.
Holding her plate, she hesitated, unsure whether to join their conversation.
“Sister Li Yue!” While she was hesitating, she heard little Melina’s excited call. Though a bit helpless, it was a good transition, as Lane and Aestherin also noticed her. Both sides seemed to have their own hesitations.
“How was the meeting on the second floor?” Aestherin asked cautiously.
“Not at all pleasant...” Li Yue sighed. “It felt like attending a bandit gathering where human life is treated like grass.”
“I have a general idea of what was discussed. My father told me when I reached the Inner Ring.” Aestherin looked around. “I only managed to secure temporary residency for Melina and Lane in the Inner Ring.”
“Reinhardt...” Lane sighed, looking as if he wanted to say something but stopped. “It seems I have nowhere else to go now.”
“If the Ein family does not want you, you can come to my place. I can give you permanent residency,” Li Yue said nonchalantly. “Besides, you are no ordinary Mage, are you?”
“You saw through it long ago?” Lane smiled. His blue eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions, mostly a combination of relief and gratification.
“Sister, so you were here.” A young man walked up to Aestherin’s side with a gentle smile on his face. An old man followed behind him, and the surrounding crowd bowed to him.
“Ah, Brother...”
The man’s sharp gaze swept over everyone present until his eyes met Li Yue’s blood red eyes for an instant. His body couldn't help but shudder.
“Hello, successor of the Black Epiphyllum.” He extended a hand. Li Yue simply looked at him and wiped her hand, hesitating because her right hand had just touched food.
“My apologies. A simple handshake is not quite appropriate between successors.” The man smiled. “I was presumptuous. As compensation, allow me to introduce myself first.”
“I am Aize Ein, Aestherin Ein’s brother. It seems my sister is on good terms with you.” Aize gave a polite smile.
“I am Li Yue. Miss Aestherin and I have some agreements, but we could be considered friends.”
“You are that child from earlier.” An old man walked over. Aestherin and Aize bowed slightly toward him, respectfully calling him Father. Lane pulled Melina up to show his respect.
“I remember you. ‘Why must the next Yakutsk be in a frozen wasteland again?’ It has a very literary feel to it, but unfortunately...”
“Unfortunately what?”
“Unfortunately, this Yakutsk happened to be born in a frozen wasteland.” Li Yue forced a smile, which quickly faded back into her usual expression. Her pupils gradually narrowed into vertical slits.
“Perhaps the next city could use a different name. There is nothing worth commemorating. To the souls of the countless who froze to death, the name of hell is not a good name to inherit.”
Ein’s expression stiffened, and he let out a sigh.
“For the continuation of the family, this is the best possible strategy. If you could solve the problem of the bitter cold, Yakutsk could stand for another thousand years.” Ein smiled, not at all angered by Li Yue’s sarcasm. “When I was young, I also thought of bringing back the warmth, but the cold wave will destroy your dreams time and time again.”
“Even large scale environment altering spells collapse in an instant under the impact of the cold wave.” Ein shrugged. “That was the final effort of my generation. The last thing we did was accept reality.”
Li Yue remained silent for a moment. Ein reached out his hand, and Li Yue took it, feeling a deep sense of helplessness.
The feast continued, as if tomorrow would never come.
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