Above, the moonlight spilled across the trail in a silver sweep, its glow cutting through the night and making their path easier to see.

They continued walking until they reached the Count’s mansion.

When they reached there, the guards stopped them. "Halt!!"

One of the guards standing in front of the gate shouted.

Leon stepped forward, leaned towards the guard, and said. "Count called us in here for dinner."

He took a small pause, and then continued as he pointed his finger at the guard. "How dare you stop someone who is a ’guest’ in here?"

A small bead of sweat appeared on the man’s forehead as he muttered. "Why will the Count call someone who’s not a noble for dinner?"

Leon was about to say something, but before he could even reply to the man, Kael’s voice echoed through the surroundings.

"Do not waste any more of my time." His mana shot through his body instantly; some of it coiled tightly around him, while the rest surged toward the man, constricting his chest and making it harder and harder for him to breathe.

No visible expressions appeared on Kael’s face; he just remained standing there until a voice echoed from the inside.

"Let them enter." The voice belonged to a man whom they already knew.

Stephan, dressed in his usual robe, stepped outside. He bowed slightly as he muttered. "I’m sorry for the inconvenience, mister."

He gently directed his hand towards the entry and continued. "Please walk through here, the Count is waiting for your arrival."

Kael ignored him entirely as if he didn’t even exist in there; he simply walked inside through the gate.

Leon followed behind him, and the moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by a lavishly decorated scene. Warm lights illuminated the walls, casting a welcoming glow across the estate.

Numerous tables had been arranged throughout the garden, each laden with fine liquor and an assortment of snacks, giving the place the atmosphere of a grand gathering.

His gaze lingered over it all for a while before Kael’s voice fell inside his ears. "Don’t look here and there, just simply follow behind."

After walking for a while, they reached the castle’s hall. The inside was even more decorated than the outside; the tables, which were inside, had candles placed on them.

Before they could do anything else in there, a voice echoed from above.

Both Kael and Leon turned their heads in unison. Descending the staircase at an unhurried pace was the Count himself. His arms were spread wide, and a broad smile rested on his face.

"My benefactor," he called out warmly, "it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?"

A smile remained instant on his face as he stepped closer to them. He walked straight towards Kael.

He directed his hand forward to shake hands with Kael, but he didn’t expect the response that Kael gave him.

"I don’t like greetings like that," Kael replied flatly, his expression remaining as stoic as ever.

The Count’s eyes widened instantly as he took his hand back. His hands travelled down to the robe as he fixed it lightly and continued. "I didn’t know about that, benefactor."

"Please pardon my loose behaviour, hahah."

Then he turned towards the tables and gestured towards them. "Please take your seat while my butler and others bring the food."

Kael offered no reply and simply walked toward the table. Gently lifting Sylas, he seated him on a chair before taking the seat beside him. Leon quietly followed after them and sat next to Kael, a trace of nervousness lingering on his face.

They both sat there for a while until the Count’s wife stepped out of her room. She was dressed in a stunning yellow gown, its exquisite craftsmanship making her stand out effortlessly among the crowd.

Two maids were walking right beside her, their grip was over her dress in order to prevent it from getting dirty in any sort of way.

Alongside her was their daughter, who was wearing a dress that looked almost identical to her mom’s.

A sense of realisation flickered over Kael’s face as a faint smirk appeared on his lips. ’That’s the girl from that day.’

They both stepped down from the stairs at their own pace, trying to look elegant. But none of that mattered enough for Kael to care about.

His gaze returned to the Count, he crossed his arms, and asked. "I don’t think you invited us here just for dinner," Kael said calmly. "There is likely something which you wish to discuss."

A slow chuckle left the Count’s lips. He instantly covered his face with his palm and continued. "Let’s talk about that after we eat," he said calmly, and continued. "Shall we, mister benefactor?"

The moment he said that, multiple men dressed in white robes entered the hall. All of them had a plate on which the food was placed. One by one, they started placing the plates onto the table.

After they placed all the plates onto the table, they took the covers off them, and the delicious aromatic smell lingered across the room.

When that smell fell inside Sylas’s nostrils, his eyes instantly started to glow with excitement. On the other hand, Leon wasn’t able to act civilised, and a small trail of drool passed through his mouth.

The Count and his family, who were sitting on the opposite side of the table, started giving looks to each other that weren’t pleasant at all.

Kael’s gaze turned towards Leon, and when Leon noticed that look, he instantly knew what it meant. His back straightened as he wiped the trail of drool with the back of his hand.

"Ah, my bad," he muttered.

The Count’s wife, seated beside him, leaned closer and spoke in a low voice that only he could hear.

"I was told that only the man who saved us would be attending," she muttered, her gaze briefly flickering toward Leon and Sylas. "Why did his son and that uncivilized man come along with him?"

--- 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

A/N

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