"Your Highness… are we really going to attend this dinner?"
The Mirror Maiden asked again.
Fearing Severin might misunderstand, she quickly explained,
"Lawyer Yanfei is representing two cases—both involving you."
"Although the Hua Chu case has already cleared your name, Lady Yelan's lawsuit accusing you of economic fraud is still ongoing. Yanfei may be trying to get close to you at dinner… to draw out statements that could help her case."
The legal profession, after all, wasn't just about knowing the law—it was also about wordplay.
One careless sentence from the Prince could easily be cited as evidence.
"Are you worried about my innocence," Severin asked calmly,
"or my innocence?"
The wording was odd—but the Mirror Maiden immediately grew flustered.
Of course. His Highness had seen straight through her.
The first "innocence" referred to his reputation—the Yelan lawsuit.
The second referred to his personal purity—the dinner invitation itself.
She knew better than anyone how popular her Prince was with women.
Several female Harbingers openly admired him.
So even if Yanfei wasn't fishing for evidence, she might still be… interested.
As a woman, the Mirror Maiden believed she understood women's intentions better than the Prince himself.
"Your Highness… I'm worried about both."
"Enough," Severin replied lightly.
"If she has something she wants, then I have something I want as well."
At first, the Mirror Maiden didn't understand.
She soon would.
The banquet was held at a place known as Luofu Grotto.
Beyond floating islands and mist-shrouded skies, there seemed to be nothing but boundless clouds.
Yanfei led them through a hidden realm, proudly explaining its wonders along the way.
But Severin already knew.
Luofu Grotto was a subspace realm created by Liyue's adepti, using a Serenitea Pot as a medium—
a pocket world formed by adeptal arts.
In essence, it wasn't all that different from Severin's own spatial ring.
The moment he stepped inside, he resonated faintly with the entire space.
Strange elemental creatures emerged from the flowers and forests around them, staring curiously at the man who had entered their world.
"These are native beings of Luofu Grotto," Yanfei explained.
"They've absorbed adeptal energy for generations, so their forms differ from ordinary creatures."
"They're usually timid and hide from humans. I don't know why they all came out today… maybe they're welcoming you, Your Highness?"
Truthfully, Yanfei herself was surprised.
She could never get close to these beings—yet today, they gathered on their own.
Was it because the Snezhnayan Prince carried some extraordinary treasure?
Severin merely nodded gently toward them.
In his perception, the primordial beings of the Serenitea realm truly were welcoming him.
Even with his divine power deliberately restrained, the elemental fluctuations around him were impossible to hide.
The dinner was an intimate one—only familiar faces attended.
Madame Ping,
and her two most beloved disciples—Xiangling and Yaoyao.
With Xiangling present, the table was naturally overflowing with exquisite dishes.
"Your Highness!"
Xiangling greeted him enthusiastically.
"Is Guoba not here?" Severin asked.
"He and Beidou went to a fishing village to collect tigerfish two days ago—they haven't returned yet."
"Your Highness, you probably don't know this yet," she added brightly.
"After word spread that you enjoyed grilled tigerfish, the dish became wildly popular! Customers line up outside Wanmin Restaurant every day—there's never enough fish!"
Xiangling beamed with joy.
The fishing village's tigerfish had made a name for itself, and Wanmin Restaurant was packed daily—
a perfect win-win.
And it was all thanks to the Prince.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Yaoyao stepped forward, holding her mechanical companion Yuegui, and bowed politely.
She'd heard countless stories from Madame Ping and her senior sisters—
about how the Snezhnayan Prince was a legendary figure.
It was even said that before Rex Lapis announced his seclusion, this Prince had personally met with him.
To be received by the Geo Archon himself—
that alone proved Severin's extraordinary status.
So when Xiangling said the Prince would attend tonight, Yaoyao thought it was a joke.
She hadn't expected him to truly come.
"Senior Sister, honestly—why are you just standing there?" Yaoyao scolded with a childish seriousness.
"Hurry and invite His Highness to sit!"
Her youthful face and elder-like tone made everyone laugh.
"Prince of Snezhnaya," Madame Ping said at last, hands clasped behind her back, spectacles resting on her nose.
"Allow this old woman to greet you."
"Streetward Rambler," Severin replied calmly.
With his current standing and strength, he could address her by her adeptal title without the slightest discourtesy.
"Please, have a seat," Madame Ping said kindly.
During the meal, Yanfei once again expressed her gratitude.
"If you hadn't been present today, Your Highness, we never would have identified Jian Qiu as the true culprit."
"A trivial matter," Severin replied evenly.
He raised his cup and clinked it lightly against hers.
Yanfei clearly wasn't used to drinking.
After a single sip, she coughed repeatedly, her face flushing bright red.
"Your Highness, I—"
"There's no need to force yourself," Severin said gently.
"Lawyer Yanfei, feel free to substitute tea for wine."
Warmth spread quietly through Yanfei's heart.
The Snezhnayan Prince is truly considerate…
From Severin's perspective, however, Yanfei's gesture—hosting the dinner and inviting Madame Ping and her juniors—felt sincere rather than calculated.
Unlike the Mirror Maiden's concerns, Yanfei had no hidden agenda.
She simply wanted to express her thanks.
Perhaps, to a lawyer, justice itself was something precious enough to celebrate.
"Your Highness," Madame Ping spoke again after the meal.
"Since you know my title, you must also know that Liyue has the Three Adepti of the Five Manifestations."
"I am one of them."
Severin showed no surprise.
Madame Ping continued,
"Tell me, Prince of Snezhnaya—how do you view us adepti?"
"Does my opinion truly matter to you?" Severin asked calmly.
"It does."
"Five hundred years ago, after the dark calamity ended, Liyue entered an era of peace and stability. But in recent years, many claim that we adepti have become a burden—that Liyue no longer needs us."
The answers Severin had given the Qixing at the Jade Chamber banquet had already reached the adepti.
They were insightful, profound—enough to earn their respect.
Now, Madame Ping sought his judgment.
"In times of peace, withdrawing from the mortal world and avoiding karma is a reasonable choice," Severin said evenly.
"But whether in peace or war, the existence of the adepti will always hold special meaning."
"And what meaning is that?" Madame Ping asked softly.
Her heart stirred.
She had a feeling—
that a question which had troubled the adepti for centuries might finally be answered tonight.
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