<h4>Chapter 51: Banquet Hall</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: </strong>As Studios <strong>Editor: </strong>As Studios


    After Kevin took the letter, he merely nced at the signature on it and threw it into his bag without opening it. Instead, he broke out in sweat hearing what had happened, and in his heart, he cursed thenky man [Note: in the raw text it was written as “fatty”, but after revising, the author was talking about thenky middle-aged man who had approached Lin Li for a favor in the previous chapter] over and over. <i>Reward handsomely after it’s done? Mage Kevin’s assistant? Kudos to him foring up with that. Letting this kind of demon be my assistant...</i>


    The two talked for a little while and were about to enter the banquet hall when they were recognized by the eagle-eyed Casten.


    “Good evening, Mage Kevin!” The smile on Isaac’s face was cordial. After greeting Kevin, he was slightly befuddled. “Why didn’t President Geriane?”


    “I’m really sorry, Master Casten. Something has cropped up in the guild and requires President Gerian to deal with it. He’s unable to make it for the banquet today.”


    “Then that’s too bad.” The Casten’s expression was pained, but in his heart, he was secretly delighted. He would not have to address the old fellow awkwardly as Uncle Gerian now that he was not here. After returning from the Guild of Magic, Isaac felt regretful countless times. He could have talked about any other things, but he had to mention that his father had met Gerian before. This was like digging his own grave...


    When Isaac’s eyes fell on Lin Li, his brows were slightly furrowed. The Robe of Wrath was simply too old. Isaac furrowed his brows not because he thought Lin Li’s appearance was shabby, but because he thought the young man seemed to have little respect for him. After all, this was a banquet hosted by the Casten of Jarrosus City. People who attended the party should dress themselves decently. It seemed a little too casualing to a dinner in an old mage robe like what the young mage was wearing.


    But Isaac was, after all, a man of high rank as a casten. Even though he was slightly unhappy, he still disyed a warm and gentle smile on his face.


    “And this is...”


    “This is Mage Felic from the guild.”


    “...” The smile stiffened on the Casten’s face. Felic of the Guild of Magic had been a legendary figure in Jarrosus ever since the battle between Gerian and Old Merlin. Even though Isaac was the casten, he had never thought Felic woulde to this banquet in person. He did not even imagine that the legendary potion master, who alone supplied the million gold coin auction, would be a young mage who looked no more than 20 years old wearing an old mage robe.


    However, Isaac was a staid person. Although his heart was pounding, he managed to keep his emotions in control. His smile froze for a moment, and then he held out his hand amicably. “Wee, wee. I’ve never expected to have such a distinguished guest like Mage Felic.”


    “You tter me, Master Casten.”


    Isaac was so excited that he could no longer spare the effort to attend to the other guests. He warmly escorted the two of them into the banquet hall while at the same time expressing his admiration for Lin Li.


    The other guests were slightly further away and so they were unable to hear Kevin’s introduction. Although they found Isaac to be overly enthusiastic, they did not take it to heart. They merely thought that the Casten was like themselves, hoping to befriend the Guild of Magic, and hence regarded the two young mages sent by the Guild of Magic as important.


    The Casten Mansion had evidently put in a great deal of effort for this banquet.


    The spacious banquet hall was bright as day, illuminated by 12 crystal chandeliers. The floor was covered with a thick red carpet, and looked especially gorgeous under the crystal chandeliers. Lin Li entered the hall and felt as if the surroundings were basked in magnificence and filled with a luxurious aura. From time to time, handsome young waiters carrying trays of wine ambled through the hall, and beautiful waitress fluttered between the tables like butterflies.


    Lin Li was somewhat unustomed to it, attending a banquet like this for the first time. Besides, he had no acquaintances at the banquet. He talked to the Casten with a prudent look on his face, but it was mostly about unimportant matters.


    Matters such as he had left in a hurry at thest auction and didn’t have the time to say hello to Mage Felic, and that he was sorry about it...


    Or that Mage Felic was so young but his attainments in pharmaceutics were so advanced, making Lin Li’s head turn as big as a bucket. But he could not tell Isaac that he had smashed in countless gold coins and a Scroll of Wishes to attain his status as a guru of all five series. <i>It was money that paved the way. You could do it as well if you had the money...</i>


    In addition, guests would approach from time to time to greet them, either asking the Casten to discuss some confidential matters or trying to befriend the Guild of Magic. Lin Li gradually became bored, so he made up an excuse to leave, took a ss of red wine from a waitress, and went to hide in a secluded corner.


    After he had withdrawn himself from the banquet and hid in the secluded corner, he found some interest in observing thepany of guests.


    The majority of the guests were distinguished personages of Jarrosus. Apart from the 17 forces, there were many rich businessmen and celebrities. The men and women were all dressed to the nines, fluttering about in the banquet hall like butterflies. It looked an extremely lively scene.


    Among them, the 17 forces were obviously the main characters of the banquet.


    For example, the previous owner of the deep silver ne, the patriarch of the Rolin Family, was present at the banquet as well. When Lin Li spotted him, he was already surrounded by at least five or six guests tantly ttering him.


    And Mr Anthony Rolin seemed to enjoy the feeling. He was talking incessantly and eloquently in front of the guests with a triumphant expression on his face. Lin Li had not recognized him at first nce—he was nothing like the jittery patriarch of the Rolin Family who had asked Gerian for an evaluation the previous day.


    He shifted his gaze away from Mr Anthony and saw someone he knew entering the banquet hall.


    It was the redheaded beauty he saw at Ina’s ce!


    Lin Li’s eyes widened as soon as he saw the fiery long hair. He never thought that he would see this woman at the banquet in the Casten Mansion.


    And this redheaded beauty looked as if she was close to the Casten. Upon entering the hall, she took Isaac’s arm affectionately with a coquettish look on her face. Isaac seemed to be very fond of her as well, his expression kind and loving, just like how Gerian had looked at Lin Li in the beginning.


    Seeing the scene made Lin Li even more confused.


    McGrenn and his daughter could be said to be the lowest level of adventurers, and a reward of a dozen gold coins was sufficient for them to risk their lives in the Sunset Mountains. The rtionship between the redheaded beauty and the Casten was not at all shallow, and they most likely shared some family rtions. Their statuses were far apart from each other, so how did she know McGrenn and his daughter?


    As he was still puzzling over it, he suddenly saw Isaac along with the redheaded beautying in the direction of where he was sitting.


    In that instant, Lin Li hesitated; to be honest, he wasn’t keen on seeing this Rowling woman.


    Unfortunately, regardless of how much he was reluctant to see her, the Casten brought her to him.


    As she got closer, Rowling saw Lin Li in the corner too. She was again reminded of what happened at Ina’s ce, and embarrassment could at once be seen on her pretty face.


    “Mr Felic, why are you sitting here alone? Are you ming Isaac for the poor reception?”