Chapter 266: Since You’re His Senior
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 266: Since You’re His Senior
“It’s been a long time, Lady Lymain.”
“Oh, Mashuherad? Has it really been a year since we last met?”
Theodora Lymain, the youngest daughter of the Lymains—a family influential enough to be known across the entire surface world—couldn't walk three steps in the banquet hall without someone greeting her.
She certainly has a wide social circle.
From Yoo Eon’s perspective, he couldn't fathom how she remembered everyone’s names, but apparently, one couldn't be a noble without such a skill.
Looking around, the reason was glaringly obvious. It wasn't just that she knew someone every three steps; it was that everyone who knew of the Lymain family was swarming around her.
They were like a pack of hyenas, waiting for her current conversation to end so they could aggressively swoop in and strike up their own.
“Lady Lymain! It’s been so long!”
“Ah, Saphisian! How long has it been? I think it’s been half a year!”
She even remembered the exact date she last saw each person. Yoo Eon marveled inwardly at just how sharp Theodora’s mind was.
“I heard the news! I heard you’re staying in Calax now?”
“That’s right. I’ve been so busy lately, you wouldn't believe it. It’s been absolutely hectic.”
And there was one question that most people who knew Dora had.
“Lady Lymain, the gentleman behind you is...?”
“Oh, let me introduce you. This is... my husband. Or fiancé?”
“Oh my, oh my goodness...!”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Dora’s fiancé.”
“And? You have to tell them your name. Just call him Aven.”
Theodora spoke freely. Originally, the title of an unmarried woman from a powerful family was, in itself, an aggressive lure on many negotiation tables. There were enough people wanting to form a solid bond with the Lymain family to form a line reaching the moon.
“Ah, it’s a pleasure, Mr. Aven. You’re incredibly handsome!”
“Ahaha, thank you. You are quite beautiful yourself, milady.”
“Aven, what are you doing?”
“Uh, well.”
While it wasn't a problem to compliment a lady’s husband on his looks, it became a major issue if that husband happily returned the compliment.
That problem usually manifested in the form of a lady’s jealousy. Yoo Eon, being new to social gatherings, had no way of knowing such nuances.
“What do you do for a living, Mr. Aven?”
“I’m an explorer. I’m active in Calax.”
“Ah... an explorer...”
In the Labyrinth City, it was different, but to ordinary people, the profession of an explorer was viewed with a certain stigma. They were seen as madmen who gambled with their lives in dangerous labyrinths, hoping for random skills with unknown effects.
If one had enough fame that their name was widely recognized, that perception might be diluted, but Yoo Eon had only been active for slightly over half a year—an exceptionally short period.
Most explorers built their reputation by joining the vanguard parties of large clans to explore deep-floor labyrinths, or by preventing the Labyrinth Opening of medium-to-large labyrinths with many floors.
As for the recent subjugation of the Antonio Brotherhood, only a brief summary of the incident had leaked outside the city. This was to ensure no harm came to the reputation of the Lymain family, who were set to become the practical rulers of the Southeast.
A region where a group of psychopathic criminals had gathered corpses to build power—it was a place that sounded incredibly unpleasant to anyone’s ears.
The clash between Lilith Astaroth and Yoo Eon that occurred there was known only to the higher-ups of the Guild Headquarters, the Calax branch guild, and a few explorers within Calax.
“L-Lady Lymain... are you okay...?”
“Hmm? With what?”
In large cities, when a man-made problem occurred, seven out of ten times it involved an explorer or someone with a record of entering a labyrinth.
It was common for someone to suddenly gain a powerful skill, succumb to a sense of omnipotence, and go on a rampage, or for a steady explorer to lose their mind after being struck by a mental illness curse.
“Aven is... r-really incredible.”
“W-What’s so incredible about him?!”
Two beastkin women leaned in, linking arms and whispering. Theodora lowered her voice so those around them couldn't hear.
“He’s... he’s incredible at night...”
“At night...!”
Hearing this, Saphisian peeked up for a moment, her eyes quickly scanning Yoo Eon from head to toe.
H-He really is handsome, though!
The women giggled together, seemingly enjoying themselves, before parting ways. As time passed and 3:00 PM approached, preparations were completed for the appearance of the chairman of the Latras Foundation, the host of the social gathering.
The influential nobles scattered throughout the banquet hall began to gather in the central hall. Here, too, a clear distinction was made between those from major families and those from lesser ones.
The area near the second-floor terrace, where the chairman would appear, was occupied by powerful nobles who gathered in spacious groups to listen comfortably.
Further away, nobles from slightly lower-ranking families huddled together, trying their best to stand out.
As usual, Theodora boldly made her way almost to the very center of the hall, with Yoo Eon following closely behind. He didn't fully understand the social dynamics; he was simply following her lead.
“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone here today for gracing this glorious occasion with your presence.”
A social gathering was a display of wealth. The size of the hall, the status of the attendees, the amount of money poured in, and the prominence of the guests were all measures of success.
Fundamentally, a banquet occurred when the host had a problem they wanted to solve. In other words, it was a high-end recruitment agency where money was spent like water.
By gathering people from prominent families and engaging in conversation, the host would subtly look for someone to solve their headaches amidst the exchange of various stories.
If the matter was urgent, private meeting times with the host were scheduled for each participant, which wasn't an uncommon occurrence.
Anyone who held a banquet in this manner was bound to be extremely powerful and wealthy, and the world was full of people who wanted a closer, more intimate relationship with such a host.
* * *
“He’s like a school principal.”
“I don’t quite get what you mean... but somehow, I feel like I understand.”
The chairman of the Latras Foundation was a very talkative man. He had probably been speaking for about twenty minutes, but the audience had already spent thirty minutes walking around and greeting people.
As they circled the banquet hall, occasionally popping chocolates into their mouths and greeting people they recognized...
“Lady Lymain.”
“Ah, is it time? What should I do... Hmm. Aven? Can you stay here by yourself for a bit?”
“By myself? Hmm.”
It seemed it was time for the private meeting Theodora had mentioned. It was a bit awkward since he didn't know anyone, but he figured if he just stayed in one spot, no one would bother him.
And besides, he didn't really have a choice. If he held Dora back because he didn't want to be alone, there would be no point in coming to the social gathering.
“Go ahead. I’ll wait here.”
“Okay. Be a good boy and wait for me, alright?”
Theodora patted his back affectionately and disappeared, following a servant.
She’s cute.
He said he’d stay put, but it was true that standing still was boring. As he wandered around the edges to avoid bumping into people, he noticed a spot where a large crowd had gathered in a circle.
Ugh, that looks suffocating.
He didn't know much about the ecology of nobles, but he knew well enough that one wrong word could give someone leverage over him. Above all, he had entered as Theodora’s husband, not under his own name.
Considering that every action he took here could reflect on the Lymain family... it was only natural to be cautious.
—Oh? Isn't that...?
—Hmm? Who?
—Over there, the man with black hair. I think I’ve seen him somewhere...
—Wow, who is he? He’s so tall.
Crap.
Just as he was about to quickly turn around and retreat, he was spotted by the eyes of the "hyenas" who loved to measure others by their wealth and status.
A few people broke away from the circle and approached him. Running away now would look pathetic.
“Hello? I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“Ah, h-hello.”
“Wow, what a voice! It’s so deep and cool!”
He didn't know what was so funny, but they giggled even at a simple greeting. Being a noble must be exhausting, he thought.
“Would you like to join our conversation?”
“This way! Let’s talk for a bit!”
“Uh, o-okay. Please don’t push.”
And so, he was somewhat forcibly dragged into a group conversation, but he didn't recognize a single face. He thought he had memorized the faces of the people Theodora had greeted, but apparently not.
“What is your name?”
“Aven. It’s Aven...”
“Aven... I see...?”
“What do you do? What’s your profession?”
It was an interrogation backed by numbers. Questions laced with the silent pressure of 'We’ve all revealed ourselves, so aren't you going to talk?' Since he hadn't introduced himself by his family name first, their gazes had already shifted.
“I... work as an explorer.”
“An explorer? Ah~ The Labyrinth? In the Labyrinth City, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“An explorer. How very interesting. It’s a profession every man admires at least once when he’s young.”
“Ahaha! Really? Are all men really like that?”
They weren't saying it was an object of genuine admiration. They were implying it was a trivial job one might consider as a child. He could vaguely sense the underlying condescension in their words.
Phew, let’s just endure this.
“What is your grade? Surely every explorer aims for a high grade, don’t they?”
“My grade... well, I’m not really sure myself.”
“Eh? Is it possible not to know your own grade?”
An unnamed woman spoke as if she truly couldn't understand, while others snickered.
“Isn't it normal for everyone to know their own grade?”
“Now, now, let’s not be like that. It’s actually more impressive to work your way up from the bottom.”
“Oh! That’s right! That person is here too!”
While he was being mocked in real-time, one person clapped their hands as if they had just remembered something.
“Ah, you’re right. Now that I think about it...”
“Where are they? Shall we go see?”
“Huh? No, wait, where to?”
“There’s another explorer here!”
The group, which had been standing in a circle, began to move en masse to find this other person. Before long, they encountered the other explorer who had become their target.
“Lady Justitia!”
“W-What is the matter?”
Wait, that person is...
She was someone he remembered seeing recently.
“This gentleman says he’s an explorer! Since you’re his senior, please give him a word of advice!”
“Is there another explorer here?”
As she stood up, still chewing on a piece of sponge cake, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Justitia, who had demurely turned her head and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, finally locked eyes with him.
“Ugh, h-heeeek...!! A monster...!!!”
“Wait, no.”