Inside the spacious carriage cabin, Lorien Caldwell and his new member, Aeliana Dewlight, sat facing each other in silence. Both wore highly luxurious formal noble attire.
Lorien was dressed in a midnight-blue long-tailed coat embroidered with silver threads, while Aeliana looked elegant yet awkward draped in a dark silk gown that accentuated her racial beauty.
Breaking the tense silence of the carriage ride, Lorien looked at Aeliana with an apologetic expression.
"Forgive me, Aeliana," Lorien said softly, breaking the silence. "Because of my business, you had to go through the trouble of accompanying me to attend this dinner banquet right after your exam at the guild earlier."
Aeliana smiled gently. Her emerald eyes radiated innocence.
"It is alright, Lorien," the Elf answered in an innocent tone. "This is a direct invitation from the Mayor of Wealden. Naturally, I gladly attend it as part of House Caldwell."
Hearing the naïveté of his new member, who had yet to grasp the cruelty of human intrigues, Lorien let out a long sigh. He massaged his temples slowly.
"Well... I hope tonight is truly just an ordinary dinner banquet to welcome your arrival," Lorien murmured with a skeptical tone he could not hide.
Aeliana, who did not comprehend the political pressure and power plays behind the scenes of Wealden, merely tilted her head with a confused expression.
Lorien looked away, staring out the carriage window, watching the rapidly blurring street lamps. His jaw hardened. His teeth ground together.
Inside his head, he continuously recalled the report from his spies that the Wealden Tower Master, Zareth Caldris, as well as the Astora family, had already learned the news regarding Aeliana's Hero-tier Aptitude.
His intuition told him that the evening banquet at the Mayor's residence would not be an ordinary dinner. This was a negotiation table, or perhaps a political battlefield.
In his heart, Lorien cursed whoever had destroyed his plan to lock down the information this afternoon.
Greedy adventurer bastards... his gaze implied a dense killing intent. Whoever you are that dared to leak this news and sell me out to the nobles... I will find you and kill you with my own hands.
The horse carriage finally slowed down and stopped on the gravel courtyard of the Wealden Mayor's mansion. The carriage door was opened by an old male servant wearing a neat suit.
"Welcome, Lord Lorien and Lady Aeliana," the servant greeted while bowing respectfully, inviting them to step down. "Lord Wealden and the other honorable guests are already awaiting your arrival inside."
Lorien Caldwell stepped down first, radiating the charm of a high-class noble. He extended his hand, helping Aeliana step down from the carriage.
She looked stunning tonight; her dark silk gown blended beautifully with her flowing blonde hair, drawing stolen glances of admiration from several guards on duty.
The two of them walked side-by-side past marble stone pillars and entered the main hall of the mansion.
At the threshold, the Mayor of Wealden was already standing waiting for their arrival. The middle-aged man in formal blue attire welcomed his guests with a friendly smile.
"Ah, Sir Lorien! It is a great honor that you are willing to attend," the Mayor greeted, spreading his arms familiarly. "Once again, congratulations on the success of your expedition in the northern territory. I hear those glorious achievements will soon bring you to touch the threshold of the Mithril-Tier Adventurer rank. This city is proud to harbor your party."
"You flatter me too much, Lord Mayor," Lorien replied, shaking the man's hand.
The Mayor's gaze then shifted, staring intently at the figure beside Lorien. His eyes sparkled full of calculation. "And this must be the new member who is the talk of the town. The beauty of the Elf race truly never disappoints. You are exceptionally captivating tonight, Lady Aeliana."
Aeliana, who was still naïve and unaccustomed to the double meanings of human noble pleasantries, merely returned that flattery with a gentle smile and a polite nod.
She completely failed to catch the evaluating gaze, like a merchant haggling over a precious good.
Seeing how quickly the Mayor had invited and gathered influential figures in this sudden evening banquet, Lorien smirked slightly. His eyes flashed with a concealed disgust.
"Your intelligence network is apparently highly efficient, Mayor," Lorien mocked with a smooth yet sharp tone. "News spreads faster than a gust of wind in your city."
The Mayor chuckled softly, trying to evade the accusation elegantly. "Merely a small precautionary measure, Sir Lorien. Maintaining the peace and prosperity of the city is my top priority. We must welcome and secure valuable assets properly, must we not?"
Lorien leaned his body slightly, replying with a low tone laden with threat. "Of course. That is precisely why House Caldwell has sent 'assistance' to this city to ensure our asset is safe from parties who are a bit too greedy."
Hearing the name of a Duke noble family from the Capital mentioned as a show of force, the Mayor's smile twitched for a moment. There was tension in his eyes before he managed to regain his composure. He cleared his throat softly, then turned his body to make way.
"Come, please enter and enjoy tonight's banquet," the Mayor invited.
The mansion hall felt warm, filled with the strains of classical music from musicians in the corner of the room. The clinking of crystal glasses filled with red wine collided with each other.
However, beneath that grandeur, the air felt heavy with the evaluating gazes from the aristocrats, wealthy merchants, and faction leaders gathered, whispering to each other upon seeing Lorien and Aeliana step inside.
Lorien had not long taken a glass of wine from a passing servant's tray when a muscular middle-aged man rushed up to him from behind the crowd. It was Thorne, the Adventurer Guild Master who had processed Aeliana's registration this afternoon.
Thorne's face was no longer adorned with a friendly laugh. The man looked tense, his neck covered in cold sweat even though the hall's temperature was quite cool.
Thorne glanced left and right warily, then leaned his body close to Lorien.
"Sir Lorien," Thorne whispered in horror, his voice trembling holding back panic. "The situation is incredibly bad. All of them... they already know about Lady Aeliana's Aptitude."
Lorien did not answer with words. He merely sipped his wine slowly, then turned his head. His eyes narrowed sharply, staring at Thorne's face like an eagle ready to tear its prey.
Lorien was perfectly aware that the speed of this information spreading could not possibly have come from adventurers alone. Someone from within the Guild itself must have profited by selling the news.
A cold killing aura slowly wafted from Lorien's body, pressing down on the air around Thorne.
"It seems several Wealden adventurers have begun acting too boldly in courting danger," Lorien hissed incredibly coldly, every syllable radiating the threat of death.
Receiving that silent warning, Thorne's face instantly went deathly pale. He swallowed hard. He immediately lowered his head deeply, avoiding Lorien's gaze.
"I-I understand, Sir," Thorne stammered, his sweat dripping even faster. "I swear I will find that rat. And for tonight... I will fully support your position."
Amidst the tension the Guild Master was trying to hide, an old, luxuriously dressed noble walked closer. It was Earl Astora.
By his side, Caspian Astora walked with his chest puffed out proudly. The young man intentionally positioned his body so the crystal lights reflected perfectly off the metal badge on his left chest—the Three-Circle Mage Emblem he had just acquired that afternoon.
Seeing the old noble approach, Lorien slightly bowed his head, offering a perfectly measured formal greeting. "It is an honor to meet you tonight, His Grace Earl Astora."
Earl Astora halted his steps. The silver-haired man replied with a faint smile that covered a multitude of calculations behind it. "Ah, Lorien Caldwell. I have indeed been waiting for you."
As if not wanting to lose the spotlight after his father's exchange of greetings, Caspian took the initiative. The arrogant young man stepped forward. He grabbed the Elf's right hand, kissed the back of her hand brazenly, and stared at Aeliana with a flirting smile.
"The beauty of the Silverleaf Forest is apparently not mere lip service," Caspian flirted in a confident tone. "However, a gem as beautiful as you should be enthroned in a comfortable palace, not forced to wallow in dust and blood with a group of adventurers."
Aeliana, who had spent the majority of her life in the forest and was unaccustomed to the aggressive etiquette of human nobles, gasped in surprise. Her cheeks flushed slightly, more out of awkwardness and confusion rather than being flattered by the cheesy pickup line.
Seeing his new member being flirted with right before his eyes, Lorien's face turned cold.
With a highly gentle movement yet possessing an undeniable firmness, he pulled Aeliana's hand back from Caspian's grip. Lorien took one step forward, placing his back as a shield between Aeliana and Caspian Astora.
Feeling his ego flicked by that open rejection, Caspian's face hardened. He clicked his tongue cynically, glaring at Lorien with utter disgust.
"Do not act too arrogant, Lorien," Caspian mocked openly. "An adventurer, no matter how high their rank, is ultimately merely a dog to us nobles."
That insult was sharp, yet Lorien was not provoked to anger. As a veteran of political intrigue, the leader of The Gilded Falcons merely replied with a casual, elegant smile.
Lorien's composure actually created a lethal contrast, making Caspian look like nothing more than an angry little child whining because his toy was taken away.
Realizing his son was beginning to look foolish and losing his dignity, Earl Astora was forced to clear his throat softly. "Caspian, mind your words in front of the Mayor's guests," the Earl reprimanded. However, his tone was flat and lacked emphasis, merely a formal reprimand to save face.
The minor argument that was beginning to heat up was cut off abruptly.
The heavy creak from the mansion's main doors being pushed wide open sucked the attention of the entire room. The classical music from the corner of the hall slowly faded, replaced by a gripping silence.
Zareth Caldris, the Wealden Tower Master, stepped inside.
His presence brought an invisible gravity that immediately pressed down on the air inside the room. All the nobles present, not excluding the Mayor and Earl Astora, simultaneously bowed their heads with deep respect to welcome the ruler of the magic tower.
However, the Tower Master's steps were truly unexpected. Ignoring the greetings and the rows of bowing nobles around him, Zareth walked straight, parting the crowd.
His shoes tapped the floor with a rhythmic pace, until he stopped right in front of Aeliana and Lorien.
With a paternal smile that appeared incredibly warm, Zareth reached into the pocket of his luxurious magic robe and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened the box slowly.
Upon the fabric cushion lay a silver pendant with a blue gem in the center, emitting a soothing pulse of magical aura.
"A small gift for our future hero," Zareth said in a gentle tone that echoed clearly amidst the silence of the hall. "Within it resides high-tier protective magic that will guard you at every step, Lady Aeliana."
The presentation of that gift made everyone in the room hold their breath. The implicit meaning behind Zareth's action was extremely heavy.
Publicly and without hesitation, the Master of the Tower had just validated the rumors regarding Aeliana's Hero-tier Aptitude. That action instantly skyrocketed the Elf's value to the absolute highest tier, while simultaneously painting a massive target on the innocent girl's back.
At the same time, through his paternal smile, Zareth's gaze shifted to lock eyes with Lorien, delivering an undeniable political message: The Magic Tower wants her too, and you will not be able to protect her.