Chapter 50 - Banquet
There seemed to be some celebration today; the Castellan Mansion was brightly lit with lights.
Lin Li and Kevin got out of the carriage, and soon a servant came up to meet them. He took the invitation card from them with great respect and politely escorted them into the mansion.
Outside the richly decorated banquet hall was a garden full of exotic flowers and plants. The banquet had not yet started and many guests still remained in the garden. As the two passed through it, they naturally drew curious looks from the other guests.
Although Kevin was honest and low-profile, he was Gerian’s nephew after all. Moreover, he was also famous for being the magic genius of Jarrosus City since young. There were some sharp-eyed ones among the guests present, and both of them had barely taken a few steps when they were recognized by these people.
The Guild of Magic was at the peak of its power now; who in Jarrosus City wouldn’t want to claim a relationship with them? Now that Gerian’s nephew had graced the event, how could the guests hold back?
In the blink of an eye, Kevin was surrounded by a crowd of guests.
“Mage Kevin, you don’t recognize me? I’m your Uncle Rode. I came to the Guild of Magic about ten years ago. I even carried you in my arms then. To think you’ve grown so tall after not having seen you for more than a decade…” A chubby businessman looked at Kevin with kindness and relief.
Lin Li was listening at a side and he nearly burst out laughing. How come the fatties like to claim to be uncles nowadays?
“Oh, oh… So it’s Uncle Rode. Long time no see indeed…”
“Brother Kevin, why have you not visited me for so long…” Kevin was politely playing along with the businessman when an affectedly sweet voice suddenly rang out from behind. He turned around in shock and saw a lady in her thirties pressing forward with her full bosom.
“When did I go to you before!” Kevin was almost half dead from the scare at her words.
The guests did not care whether he was frightened or not; they finally had a chance to befriend the Guild of Magic and were trying desperately to squeeze through the crowd just to have a word or two with Gerian’s nephew.
As for that someone who was hiding at a side watching the comical scene, no one really paid any attention to him.
Since joining the Guild of Magic, Lin Li rarely showed his face in public. In addition, the Robe of Wrath he was wearing now was crumpled and old, giving people the impression of him being poor and miserable just by looking at it. Even if he entered the garden with Kevin, the guests only regarded him as Kevin’s footman. It was already late to curry favor with the master now, whoever had the time to make friends with a footman?
“Excuse me, excuse me…” The chubby uncle had only said a few words and was accidentally squeezed to a side. How was he willing to take it lying down? He hurriedly pushed Lin Li away with his physical advantage and moved up to Kevin again. “Mage Kevin, how about having a dinner with me after the banquet? Uncle Rode has a business deal to discuss with the Guild of Magic!”
For a moment, Kevin was swarmed. He wanted to flee, but realized he was surrounded by people front and back, without even the slightest gap. He did not dare to move as well for fear that he would touch something that he shouldn’t, for example the aunty who had addressed him as “Brother Kevin”…
“Brother Kevin! You have to invite me for a dance at the banquet later…” The aunty was still pushing herself on him so hard that Kevin felt the hair on his body rise. He was utterly regretful that he had agreed to attend the banquet now…
“Little buddy, how about doing me a favor?” Lin Li was hiding at a side, gloating at Kevin’s misfortune, when someone leaned in on him unwittingly.
“What?” Lin Li was slightly stunned. When he turned around, he saw a lanky middle-aged man in his forties taking out a few gold coins from his pockets.
“A small token.” Lin Li had yet to grasp the situation, but the lanky middle-aged already stuffed the gold coins into his hand. Then, he patted Lin Li’s shoulders affectionately. “Little buddy, you have joined the Guild of Magic at such a young age and followed Mage Kevin. Your future is definitely promising!”
“Thank you for the kind words.” Lin Li scratched his head, somewhat understanding what this fellow was trying to do.
“If my guess is correct, you must be Mage Kevin’s assistant?” He wanted to say mage apprentice, but took back his words after seeing the Robe of Wrath Lin Li was wearing. With the Guild of Magic’s financial resources, how could Kevin’s apprentice be so underdressed?
“Mm, mm… Something like that…”
“Bright future!” The middle-aged man stuck his thumb up and took a letter out from his pocket. “When we get to the banquet later, can I ask you to do me a favor and pass this to Mage Kevin? Tell him that my little girl admires him very much and would like to invite him for a dinner at our place another day.”
“Ah!” Lin Li took the letter, dumbfounded. The envelope turned out to be an equivocal pink with a bright-red lip print on the bottom right side…
“Little buddy, you can rest assured. The small token earlier on was nothing much. When it’s done, I’ll reward you handsomely!” The middle-aged man was flushed, addressing Lin Li as a “little buddy” ever so affectionately.
The mysterious gratitude of the middle-aged man made Lin Li feel a little anxious. In his heart, he was speculating that Kevin might have run up to some romantic debt and didn’t dare to tell Gerian, but now the person came looking for him…
“Castellan Isaac has arrived!” Just as he was letting his thoughts run wild, he heard another clamor coming from outside the garden.
Lin Li looked up and saw Gerian’s convenient nephew walk into the garden, still followed by the two powerful attendants.
As the Castellan of a city, the people who wanted to claim a relationship with Isaac were no less numerous than the admirers of the Guild of Magic. A throng of guests surrounded him like stars surrounding the moon as he walked into the garden, but Isaac was not at all flustered. He wore an adequate smile on his face, greeting the guests as he walked towards the banquet hall, neglecting no one on the way.
“Master Castellan.” The appearance of the Castellan gave Kevin a breather from the misery.
Kevin finally found an excuse to flee when the guests gathered around Isaac. He saw Lin Li laughing at his discomfiture as soon as he got out of the crowd, and in that moment, Kevin lost his temper. “Felic, you’re too unkind…”
“You should thank me.” Lin Li took out the envelope from his pockets as he spoke, “Look, if it weren’t for me hiding at a side, how would I have the opportunity to receive this love letter on your behalf?”