blueteamnovel Chapter 134 The banquet has started!
Chapter 134 The banquet has started!
"Perfect. Follow me, we haven't got all day."
Aveline led Maxime through the manor's corridors to a bright room with large windows.
Inside was an old man in a suit with a neatly trimmed moustache.
As soon as Maxime entered the room, the old man inspected him from head to toe.
At the same time, Aveline took the opportunity to introduce the old man.
"This is Maître Olivier, one of the capital's finest tailors," she announced with a satisfied smile.
Olivier bowed slightly, a professional smile on his face.
"Lady Aveline, always a pleasure. And here's the..." He hesitated,
Of course, a small band of musicians was also on hand to set the mood for the banquet.
The guests, representatives of the capital's great noble families, were equally remarkable.
The men wore sumptuous suits, embroidered with gold and silver thread, while the women competed in elegance in their sumptuous gowns, adorned with sparkling jewels.
As hosts of the evening, the Valderics naturally dominated the scene.
The patriarch, Luc Valderic, stood near the entrance, greeting each guest with calculated courtesy.
His imposing presence and measured tone exuded unquestionable authority.
Lady Marissa Valderic, his wife, was equally gracious, chatting deftly with the other noblewomen while glancing around to make sure everything was running smoothly.
As for Dorian Valderic, he sailed between the guests, a confident smile on his lips, exchanging elegant words and flattery with disconcerting ease.
Everyone knew his reputation, but reputation didn't matter if the family behind you was powerful enough.
And the Valderics were only below the king in terms of status and power, so no one could ignore them.
The banquet went rather smoothly at first, until Maxime and Aveline's arrival at the banquet did not go unnoticed.
"Lady Aveline Ardan and... the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, Maxime, have arrived!"
The doormen's powerful voice drew all the attention of the guests already present to Maxime and Aveline.
And as all the capital's nobility looked on, Aveline made an impeccable entrance, her hand elegantly resting on Maxime's arm.
Her midnight-blue gown sparkled under the candelabra lights, and she wore a most charming smile.
Without a doubt, in this room, Aveline momentarily eclipsed all the young noblewomen in the kingdom.
If she wasn't beautiful enough, the Valderics wouldn't have agreed to marry their greatest genius to a mere heiress of an earl.
Between count and duke, there were also marquesses.
So the difference in status was quite substantial.
But that didn't matter at the moment.
Next to her, Maxime, in his suit, radiated natural confidence. His imposing silhouette and calm yet penetrating gaze forced conversations to come to a halt.
His deep black suit was embellished with subtle silver-thread embroidery around his heart, depicting a Saber-toothed Tiger motif with crossed swords in the background.
Master Olivier had certainly touched his innocent young heart with this symbol.
Maxime felt particularly comfortable in this outfit.
The murmuring resumed as soon as they entered the room.
The ballroom, bathed in golden lights, vibrated with constant animation.
As Aveline and Maxime mingled with the crowd, eyes continued to converge on them.
While Aveline attracted compliments for her elegance and beauty, it was Maxime who quickly became the main topic of conversation.
His natural presence, enhanced by his impeccable suit, did not go unnoticed.
Several young noblewomen subtly approached, casting admiring glances or discreet smiles.
"Who's that man with Lady Aveline?" whispered a young noblewoman to one of her friends.
"According to the doorman, he's the leader of a mercenary group, the Saber-toothed Tigers."
"Are they famous?"
"I don't know, but they're going to be with such a handsome leader."
"So much so, I thought mercenaries were country folk, always unshaven with questionable hygiene."
"And leaders to me are the worst of the worst, besides being generally old, they want to fight all the time over nothing."
"But clearly, he..."
"Ahhh I'm melting..."
And what had to happen, happened.
A damsel dressed in a crimson gown arrived in front of Maxime, with a fan that she waved delicately in front of his face.
"Captain Maxime, is it?" she asked in a gentle voice.
Maxime, a little surprised but polite, replied with a slight smile.
He didn't know how, but he was very good at controlling his composure in front of women, no matter how beautiful they were.
Maybe it was his improved strength, his status in this world or his experiences on the battlefield.
"That's me, miss."
"I wonder if the captain would give me the honor of spending some time together?"
Maxime raised his eyebrows in surprise.
But he nodded.
"Of course, who am I to refuse the request of a beautiful lady?
The latter blushed slightly.
Many people had already told her she was pretty, but when it came from the mouth of such a handsome man, it had an entirely different effect.
As the evening progressed, other young women joined the conversation, forming a circle around him.
And surprisingly, Maxime handled being surrounded by so many young women very well, as if he'd done it many times before.
He could make small talk and make each of them laugh.
But not far away, the critical murmurs of some nobles could be heard.
"A mercenary, really? And he dares to strut around here as if he were one of us." tossed a thick-bearded man, with a tone of disdain in his voice.
"Lady Aveline could have chosen someone more... appropriate as an escort," declared a man at her side.
Another, with meaner eyes, continued:
"It doesn't matter what he looks like. A dog of war is still a dog of war. He only belongs here because of the Valderics' generosity."