Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 487 - 449 Noble Lady

The only footsteps echoed on the tiles of Naslan, reverberating down the refurbished corridor. Lyle and Kevin headed to the dining room, all the while listening to Kevin’s enthusiastic exclamations. Young Master Kevin held the Naslan Specter Maids in high regard, even after enduring the mental disdain from the head maid Monica. By the way, Monica’s disdainful look also accidentally encompassed Lyle.

Kevin’s maid mania struck Lyle as odd, and out of concern for his friend, Lyle inquired about it.

"Although people’s interests are their own, Kevin, there’s no future for you and a ghost."

"What are you talking about? I don’t have that sort of idea."

"You are quite passionate about the specter maids, Mr. Single Nobleman."

"Because it’s so easy to get along with them," Kevin looked back with a smile, the warm lights that came on after dusk retained warmth on his face, "I have few friends, Lyle, because of luck, you know."

"I unconsciously bring misfortune to those around me, except for my father. The servants of the Borey Manor and my father, they all comfort me with phrases like ’We’re used to it already,’ which feels like talking to someone through a window."

"Lyle, visitors who insist on barging in through the door like you are rare these days."

This was Kevin Borey’s trouble.

Even in his own home, Kevin tried to keep a distance from his servants to avoid them getting hurt because of his talent. At home, Kevin also needed to be on edge. The seemingly blessed and brightly-shaded young master had his own burdens in Lyle’s eyes.

But ghosts don’t get hurt.

They could instantly suspend a falling vase in midair, and a dropped broom would pass right through them. Even Kevin’s touch wouldn’t matter because his hands would pass through them, while the Specter Maids would gaze intensely at this odd guest with strange looks in their eyes.

No fawning, no shunning.

Strolling through this genuinely haunted castle, Kevin felt truly relaxed.

The sun handed over the lighting duties to the Light Bats, these luminous creatures nestled on their special little platforms, once again drawing astonished admiration from Kevin.

The gentlemen-like creatures rested on their platforms, and when they noticed the gaze of Lyle and his companion approaching, they lifted their bat wings and bowed their heads in greeting. The Light Bats had a good impression of the humans of Naslan, perhaps because they too had partaken in Nia’s cheese-frenzied parties.

"Lord Lyle!" A piercing voice suddenly rang out in the quiet corridor, causing the startled Light Bats to flicker their lights to convey their unrest, like a suddenly malfunctioning voice-activated switch. When everything calmed down, and the lights came on again, the Light Bats collectively glared at a spot in the air, discontentedly looking at their own kind.

Next to a plump little belly, two small wings flapped in the air. When the light passed through her black fur, it turned into a beautiful dark purple, her body covered with dewdrops, creating a sparkling, translucent texture in the light.

Like a grape.

"Long time no see, Grape." This was the Light Bat Grape who wanted to become an explorer, so she signed an employment contract with Lyle. After Lyle arrived in the Naslan Secret Realm, her exploration sites had shifted from the markets of Cassandra to the quiet and dense forests of Naslan.

Grape often ran into Nia, but her interactions with Lyle were much fewer, since Lyle didn’t run around aimlessly walking the dog every day. On the rare occasions that they did meet, it was usually in Lyle’s own Flesh Laboratory, with several Flesh Puppets covered in Grape, coming up to him to ask if they could eat some wild desserts.

The enthusiastic explorer Grape should be busy with her own adventures, Lyle thought.

While Lyle was pondering, Grape had already greeted Kevin.

"It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Kevin. I am Grape, a Light Bat, and I once lived for a while in Cassandra."

"Pleased to meet you, Grape. You look very pretty, and your color is quite special among your group."

And thus, there were three companions walking together.

Kevin and Grape got along well, and Kevin listened with interest to some of her adventure stories.

But for Lyle, these activities seemed quite ordinary.

Like encountering a beautiful woman herding Ghost Dogs in the dense forest, being chased (played with) by a sinisterly laughing rider on a Ghost Dog, being captured by monsters, and delivered to a horrific mad doctor awaiting disposal, only to escape by virtue of his silver tongue.

The macabre physician’s mind was filled with the ominous sound of a crow’s cawing, like a sinister laugh.

A platter of roast chicken flew over Lyle’s head, its strong scent of nutmeg causing tendrils to sprout from his body, which he then promptly retracted.

"Nia is hungry," Nia’s tentacles sagged onto Lyle’s shoulders like dehydrated seafood, feigning to use the last bit of her energy to wiggle them and slap Lyle’s cheeks.

"Even if you’re hungry, you’ll have to eat at the table."

Lyle stepped aside, allowing the dinner procession to pass.

"Kevin, let’s hurry to the dining room; Helena has already arranged a feast."

"Grape, you should come too, you’ve worked hard on the adventure."

"Okay."

The sound of the harp playing rose almost simultaneously with the opening of the grand door. The first thing to catch the eye was the quartz chandelier suspended from the ceiling, deliberately arranged so that the light refracted from the dazzling gemstones made the food and the guests at the round table appear luxuriously extravagant.

Helena’s sculpture was placed in the seat of honor, while to her left, Alianna and Beatrice sat in their chairs, their gazes fixed on the latecoming gentlemen. Lyle took his seat with Kevin, sitting directly opposite Alianna and Beatrice.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Helena, the hostess of Naslan, the banquet officially began amidst the music of the ghost orchestra.

Everything was perfect if one were summarizing the dining process.

As Beatrice had said, she exhibited the nobility of Naslan with all her heart.

But not as Lyle had imagined.

Cold, arrogant, the usually mischievously smiling Beatrice seemed like a different person, competing with Alianna for the role of aloof beauty. Not only did she ignore Kevin’s curiosity as a guest, but even Lyle himself was disregarded. Beatrice dined perfectly, displaying impeccable manners and a distant air that kept others at arm’s length.

As for Alianna, she was always like this. Maybe her aloofness wasn’t as chilling as Beatrice’s, but it wasn’t far off. Occasionally she would turn to Kevin with a smile, but Lyle knew it wasn’t out of enthusiasm for Kevin, it was satisfaction over the juicy steak she’d just savored.

The daughters of Naslan were as icy as ever.

It was actually Helena, the perfectly welcoming ice sculpture, who melted the awkwardness, engaging in ongoing conversation with Kevin in her gentle voice, steering the conversation toward the customs and colors of Cassandra and offering appropriate exclamations and admiration when the moment called for it.

The most personable in Naslan was, surprisingly, a cold stone sculpture.

"Having Mr. Kevin as a guest truly brings glory to Naslan. I am quite interested in your and Lyle’s hometown. If Mr. Kevin doesn’t have any urgent matters, would you consider staying for a few more days?"

Before Kevin could fully smile in response to the stone sculpture Helena’s warm invitation, he suddenly remembered something. His body jerked, cold sweat glistening on his forehead, and he quickly pulled out an envelope from his breast pocket and handed it to Lyle.

"Almost, I almost forgot my initial purpose!"

"Lyle, this letter is for you. Miss Karen Pembai asked me to deliver it to you."

A letter from Karen?

Lyle prepared to lay down his cutlery and take the envelope from Kevin’s hand.

Instead, the cutlery clashed with the silverware, creating an unexpectedly loud noise.

Alianna and Beatrice simultaneously put down their cutlery, no longer maintaining their cold demeanor. Both pairs of eyes focused on Lyle.

To be precise, they were staring at the letter in Lyle’s hands.

"Who is Karen Pembai?"