The banquet had reached its climax, and Glück introduced his daughter, Lektire, to the crowd.
Unlike the young child Nanoda had seen when they first met, Lektire had grown over these past few years into a graceful young maiden, like a flower bud ready to bloom.
Dressed in a pure white, wide-hemmed European-style gown, with her slightly curled long golden hair carefully combed down, she displayed an air of loveliness and gentleness.
At this moment, Lektire followed behind her father, Glück. Her beautiful eyes curiously surveyed the guests around her, her lips slightly pursed in a display of shyness.
"Hahaha, Lord Glück's daughter is truly beautiful."
People praised Lektire's beauty while raising their glasses to toast her.
From within the crowd, a young boy wearing a tuxedo and sporting slicked-back hair squeezed his way to the front. A round monocle hung over his right eye.
The boy had a tall, upright posture and a handsome, square-jawed face. His expression was serious, yet carried a hint of wooden awkwardness.
Seeing the boy appear, the tension on Lektire's face relaxed, and her lips moved ever so slightly.
"Denken..."
Lektire's voice was very soft; only Glück heard it.
Denken. His parents had both died at the hands of the Demon Race when he was young. As a relative, Glück had adopted him after his parents' misfortune.
He and Glück's daughter, Lektire, were essentially childhood sweethearts who had grown up together.
On the periphery of the noble circle surrounding Glück and Lektire, Nanoda stood on her tiptoes, witnessing this scene.
At this time, Denken looked to be only in his teens, extremely young. Nanoda found it hard to superimpose the image of that short old man with a massive beard over the current Denken.
"Although my Yuna is also very cute, I have to say, this child is truly beautiful. If I were twenty years younger, my heart would be fluttering too."
Aaron stroked his chin, sizing up Lektire.
"Give it a rest, you're already an old geezer," Nanoda retorted from the side.
"Heh, how boring. I was very handsome before I lost my hair. Back then, there were plenty of people chasing after me."
"Then why are you still single now?"
"Isn't it because I haven't found someone I'm satisfied with?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow and changed the subject.
"Let's find a corner with fewer people first. I have a feeling he'll be coming to chat with me soon."
The two grabbed some food and found a secluded corner to sit down.
In the center of the banquet, young Denken extended an invitation to Lektire for a dance.
Lektire glanced at her father. Seeing Glück nod slightly, her cheeks flushed a faint red, and she offered her fair hand to Denken.
As he led Lektire toward the dance floor, a trace of unnaturalness appeared on Denken's usually calm face, as if he too was feeling shy.
The two held hands and began to dance.
Denken and Lektire indeed looked like a talented match made in heaven. Their graceful movements won the applause of everyone present.
Lektire revealed a smile as brilliant as a blooming epiphyllum, causing the usually composed Denken's heart to ripple. The two fully enjoyed the moment, their budding romantic feelings gradually erupting and heating up.
Watching the two young people dance, the expression on Glück's face remained unchanged, but something was faintly hidden in the depths of his pupils.
Suppressing the overflowing emotions, he walked toward a corner of the banquet hall. The person he had specifically named to see was there; letting Lektire and Denken show their faces before the crowd was merely secondary.
"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Lord of Gaderia, Baron Aaron."
Glück pulled out a chair and sat down in the empty seat opposite Aaron.
"No, I am no longer a Baron. Just call me Aaron."
The light reflecting off Aaron's bald head revealed a rough, faint smile, while beside him, Nanoda ate her cake expressionlessly.
Upon first meeting Glück, intuition told Aaron that the man before him was no benevolent soul either; he was a cunning viper.
"Well then, Mr. Aaron, could you come to my office for a chat after the banquet ends? I have a pretty good..."
Glück paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Transaction."
"Heh, I love making transactions. Please, let us definitely talk."
Ever since meeting Nanoda, Aaron had been constantly engaging in cooperation and transactions.
"And this person beside you is?"
"My bodyguard and attendant."
Nanoda remained focused on eating her cake.
The two exchanged no further words, both understanding the situation tacitly.
"Well then, please enjoy yourselves. I look forward to our meeting after the banquet."
Before leaving, Glück glanced at Nanoda on the side. He couldn't quite see through this attendant of Aaron's.
Only after Glück had left did Nanoda speak up.
"Aaron, what do you think?"
"Depends on the business. I won't do anything where I lose out." Saying this, Aaron drained the wine in his glass.
"You consider it. I'll just tag along and listen."
Nanoda had to admit, compared to the Demon Race, Humans who had suffered under the torment of Demons were far more cunning and intelligent.
*
After the evening banquet, Denken supported a slightly weak Lektire as they withdrew. The guests also bid farewell to Glück and departed one after another.
Sitting in the corner, Nanoda and Aaron did not move. It wasn't until everyone else had gone that an elderly man who looked like a butler led them to Glück's office.
"So, what kind of transaction is it?"
Aaron lifted the prepared black tea and took a sip, intending to clear the smell of alcohol from his mouth, but his eyes lit up.
"Oh? This tea is brewed quite well?"
"A friend brewed it. It's passable."
Glück also took a sip, pulling the topic back on track.
"I know the Gaderia Territory has been separated from the Empire for a long time. Have you never wondered why the Empire hasn't sent anyone to crusade against you until now?"
Hearing this sentence, Aaron revealed a smile full of intrigue.
"Let me guess. Is it because someone conveniently removed those corrupt fellows who found us to be an eyesore?"
Hearing Aaron's answer, Glück did not feel surprised.
"As expected. To be able to develop that territory so rapidly, you are indeed a man of capability and skill."
"Hehe, you flatter me. It wasn't my achievement alone; I was just lucky. On the contrary, your Fortified City of Weise has been flourishing all the way."
The two exchanged a round of professional pleasantries. Then, Glück cut directly to the main topic.
"You are a smart man as well. Those bureaucrats and great nobles who ostracized the border aristocracy... I was actually the one who secretly removed them!"
Glück's gaze suddenly turned gloomy.
"That is truly impressive. Mr. Glück's methods seem to be much grander than mine... On behalf of Gaderia, I thank you."
Faced with Glück's revelation, Aaron appeared very calm.
"So, I have a transaction here. I can promise to continue helping you eliminate those enemies unfavorable to Gaderia. You only need to give me corresponding wealth as remuneration. A fairly simple transaction, right? Anyway, those being killed weren't good people to begin with, and it won't dirty Gaderia's reputation. I will handle them all for you in the shadows."
____
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