The entire place felt busy without ever appearing chaotic.
Riven slowed slightly as he approached beside Leyla, his gaze moving quietly across the gathering crowd ahead of them.
Most of the guests looked young.
Young masters and noble daughters dressed in carefully chosen robes and dresses, the fabrics rich enough to reflect the lantern light with every step they took. Servants trailed behind some of them, carrying gifts or small boxes.
But clothing wasn't the only thing Riven noticed.
Cultivators.
Quite a few of them.
Even without actively displaying their strength, he could feel it in the way some of them carried themselves. The steadiness of their posture. The faint pressure that came from bodies strengthened by cultivation.
Some were around his level.
But most felt slightly weaker.
These weren't just random rich kids.
The realization settled naturally in his mind as he watched a pair of young men greeting each other near the gate, their handshake firm but measured.
It wasn't just a gathering for idle nobles.
It was a place where influence was displayed.
Strength included.
Half social gathering.
Half power display.
Beside him, Leyla suddenly tugged lightly on his sleeve.
"Wow…"
Her voice was quiet but full of excitement as she stared at the now close mansion.
"It's even bigger than ours."
Riven glanced up briefly at the towering structure. Azurelake Manor rose several stories high, its balconies decorated with lanterns and silk banners that swayed gently in the evening breeze.
"…Only slightly," he said dryly.
Leyla didn't even seem to hear the sarcasm.
She was too busy looking around.
By the time they reached the entrance, a carriage had just arrived behind them.
Servants stood in a neat line near the gate, greeting each new guest as they approached. One of them held a long scroll, reading names as people entered.
When Riven and Leyla stepped forward, the man glanced down at the list briefly before raising his voice clearly enough for those nearby to hear.
"Young Master Alric Silvercrest, and Lady Leyla of Silvercrest Manor!"
The announcement carried easily across the courtyard.
For a brief moment, several nearby conversations paused.
A few heads turned toward the entrance.
One young master near the steps blinked in clear surprise before quietly whispering something to the person beside him. Another glanced over, his brows lifting slightly before his attention drifted back to the discussion he had been having.
Further ahead, a pair of noble daughters looked toward Riven and Leyla, curiosity flashing briefly across their faces before they continued inside.
No clear hostility.
Or admiration.
Just surprise.
Riven caught fragments of quiet murmurs drifting through the courtyard.
"…thought he stopped attending things…"
"…didn't think he'd come back..."
The rest faded into the surrounding noise as people quickly lost interest.
A few more curious glances followed him as he stepped forward, but none of them lingered for long.
Which told Riven everything he needed to know.
Recently Alric had become more of a rumor than a presence.
Riven walked past the entrance without reacting, his expression calm as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
Internally, however, he exhaled slightly.
Good.
Doesn't seem like they care too much about Alric.
A servant stepped forward and bowed politely.
"This way, Young Master."
Riven nodded once and followed as the servant turned, guiding them through the open gates and into the brightly lit halls of Azurelake Manor.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The courtyard outside had been lively, but the interior felt even more alive. Warm lantern light filled the large hall, reflecting off polished stone floors and tall glass windows that overlooked the gardens beyond. Long tables stood along the walls, already filled with trays of fruit, delicate pastries, and bottles of wine arranged with almost obsessive care.
Servants moved quietly between the guests, refilling cups and adjusting plates whenever something was disturbed.
Clusters of nobles filled the open space between the tables.
Young masters stood in small circles discussing something in low voices. Noble daughters spoke together near the windows, occasionally glancing toward the entrance as new guests arrived. A few older retainers stood nearby as well, their presence quieter but unmistakable.
Riven slowed slightly as he stepped into the hall.
The moment he entered, the same pattern repeated as outside.
Brief glances.
Recognition.
Then most people returned to their conversations.
He scanned the room.
Cultivators were everywhere.
Some stood casually with cups in their hands, laughing with friends, but the steadiness in their movements and the subtle pressure of their presence made it clear they were far from ordinary nobles.
At least Inner Essence.
Most were probably already in Inner Condensation.
A few perhaps even stronger.
Not the kind of people one could dismiss easily.
There were more of them than he had expected.
Until now, he hadn't fully realized just how many noble families actually lived in this city.
Then again, the city itself was larger than he had initially assumed.
Greyford City wasn't comparable to Verdance, of course. Verdance was a different kind of place entirely, its true powers hidden high within the massive tree crowns where the strongest cultivators lived far above the common streets.
But here things were different.
Everyone existed on the same level.
The wealthy.
The powerful.
The cultivators.
The nobles.
All of them shared the same city.
And right now, because of the identity he was wearing, Riven stood in the middle of the most prestigious circle among them.
Beside him, Leyla tilted her head slightly.
"You're looking around a lot."
Riven glanced down at her.
"…Just observing."
Leyla followed his gaze across the hall, then smiled slightly.
"Oh. I can help with that."
Before he could respond, she lightly tugged on his sleeve and leaned a little closer so she could speak quietly.
"See the tall one near the wine table?"
Riven looked in the direction she pointed.
A young man stood with two others, his posture relaxed as he spoke, one hand resting casually against the edge of the table. His robe was a deep green with silver threading across the shoulders.
His back was toward them, clearly unaware of their entrance.
"That's Young Master Eldwyn," Leyla whispered. "His family manages a lot of trade caravans around the city."
Riven nodded faintly.
"Apparently he talks to you a lot," she added.
Riven raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Apparently?"
Leyla shrugged.
"I've heard him visit before. But-"
She looked around, making sure no one was in hearing distance.
"Alric never let me stay when friends came."
Riven's gaze moved on.
"And over there," Leyla continued, clearly enjoying herself now, "the one with the blue robe near the balcony."
Riven followed her gesture again.
Another young man stood near the open doors leading to the garden outside. His robe was lighter, almost sky-colored, and he leaned casually against the railing while speaking to a small group around him.
"That's Ren Alderic," she said. "His father works closely with Azurelake Manor."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"He used to argue with Alric a lot."
Riven made a small sound of acknowledgment.
Leyla continued pointing people out one by one as they slowly moved deeper into the hall.
"That one is from the Hollowmere family."
"And the girl next to her is from the same estate."
"Oh, and that one over there—"
She paused briefly before adding,
"He definitely visited our mansion before."
Riven listened quietly while she spoke.
It turned out that even though Alric had rarely brought her to events like this, Leyla had still recognized most of the people present. She had attended a few gatherings before, and apparently that had been enough to remember faces.
For Riven, that information was invaluable.
Names.
Connections.
Possible personalities.
He memorized everything she said.
After all, pretending to be Alric was far easier if he knew who he was supposed to know.
Leyla finished pointing toward another group before glancing back up at him.
"You didn't already forget who I described, did you?"
Riven looked ahead calmly.
"…Of course not."
Leyla seemed satisfied with the answer.
Around them, the noise of conversation continued to grow as more guests entered the hall.
At this point Riven noticed an anomaly.
Someone was walking toward them.
It seemed like one of Alrics or Leylas actual aquaintances had noticed them too.
A girl roughly his age—perhaps a little older. Unlike most of the noble ladies present, she wasn't wearing a dress. Instead, she wore a fitted black suit that gave her a sharp, almost severe appearance.
Yet nothing about her suggested a servant.
She moved with quiet dignity, her steps steady and purposeful.
And her eyes were fixed on him.
Riven leaned slightly toward Leyla.
"Who is that?"
"Uh…"
Leyla frowned slightly.
Just as she opened her mouth to answer—
A louder sound echoed across the hall.
"Welcome!"
The voice carried easily through the room as the girl in the black suit paused.
Apparently, the host had finally arrived.