I was glad that the hundred and ninety-fifth floor was covered by concrete walls and rooms on all sides, with no sign of windows. Otherwise my acrophobia would act up. Even though I could avoid falling to my death by summoning Cygnus or Aquila, that wasn't sufficient for me to overcome the trepidation and sheer dread I felt whenever I found myself on a very high place.
As such, I was allowed to preserve what dignity I had originally without screaming or collapsing whenever I looked out of a window from the height of the 195th level.
"This way."
Yuan Dao stretched his hand out to gesture us toward the direction of one of the corridors that split off when we reached a fork. We obediently followed him until we came to the end of that new corridor and found ourselves before a massive set of double doors.
The doors towered above us, probably reaching a height of five meters. They were completely made of metal, probably blast-proof and able to withstand an explosion from a bomb. I snidely wondered if it could withstand my Antares spell or Rigel arrow.
Yuan Dao stalked toward a small intercom beside the massive frame and flipped the transparent lid open, revealing a tiny number pad. He quickly punched in several numbers before taking a step back and rearing up to stare at something hidden in the wall.
"Verifying personnel," a woman's voice spoke softly and coolly. A red laser flickered out and scanned Yuan Dao's eyes. The crimson light then faded away, and a few seconds later, the voice continued. "Retinal scan completed. Personnel identified: Yuan Dao Yue Guang, Security Chief of the Stuart Security Department. Permitting entry."
Why the hell did they need such drastic security measures for? I wondered curiously. This is just an engagement party, isn't it? Do you really need a security chief to escort people in and out of such a massive metal door capable of withstanding bomb explosions and requiring retinal scans and a pass code?
Then something else occurred to me, even as the doors slowly creaked to life.
"Uh…what happens if we need to leave? Do we have to ask you to open the doors for us?" I asked Yuan Dao.
"Please do not worry," the security chief replied calmly. "Only specific guests are allowed entry and participation in Lady Cecilia's engagement party, and there have been…assassination attempts. Thus the need for such security measures."
I suddenly recalled the unprofessional assassin, Selina Wright, who was more interested in playing summoner from a certain anime regarding the Holy Grail War and seven Servants than actually assassinating her target, and nodded subconsciously. I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't the only attempt on the lives of members from the Stuart family.
"However, the door is easily opened from the inside. You can leave anytime if you wish. However, to return to the interior of the party room, you will have to contact security again and request for them to open the door for you." he regarded me sternly. "As such, I would advise you not to leave the party room too many times. There are restrooms and other accommodations in the party room, so there should not be a need for you to leave unless you wish to return home early."
I definitely planned to leave the party early and return home before the last train, but any retort I could muster was lost as soon as the double doors fully slid open to allow us inside.
If I had thought the lobby extravagant, then I hadn't seen anything yet. An opulent and gleaming room met my sight, blinding me both literally and figuratively. My first impression was that the entire room was plated in gold.
And I wasn't mistaken. After my eyes adjusted to the dazzling view ahead of my glasses, I saw that the room really was covered in gold. Talk about a complete waste of money.
"Please, enjoy yourselves."
Stepping back, Yuan Dao bowed humbly before withdrawing to some corner of the room to maintain security. Alicia, Adrian and I glanced at each other, and then we wandered toward the side of the room, where the banquet tables were laid out.
"That's quite the menu they have," I commented when I saw how extravagant the dishes were. Then again, I didn't expect anything less. After all, I had already seen a similar but slightly less luxurious buffet during Stewart Stuart's hotel opening ceremony. As usual, succulent seafood from jumbo shrimps to mussels and oysters to even lobsters were all out on display.
"They even have an international menu," Alicia remarked as she picked up some sushi and curry. I followed her lead, especially since I love sushi.
Adrian looked less impressed, probably because he was used to eating such food all the time, and he casually plopped some shrimps and sushi in his plate. I noticed that he favored the eels. I loved them too, so I grabbed some for myself.
While we dined, Cecilia showed up in the middle of nowhere. Dressed in a black and red gown with flowers, she had left her hair loose to flow down her back, but from several of the curves at the tips, I was pretty sure she got it styled beforehand. I wasn't a fashion expert, though, so don't take my word for it.
"I'm glad you could come, Alicia." She nodded a greeting at me, and I responded with a slight bow.
"Thanks for inviting me."
"No problem. My father was really enthusiastic about inviting Richard, and I thought it only natural that you came along."
"Really?" Adrian teased, but Cecilia pointedly ignored him. She glanced at our plates. "How's the food?"
"Good," Alicia told her.
"Delicious," I agreed whole-heartedly after swallowing a piece of curried chicken and rice.
Cecilia smiled. "That's good to hear. Help yourselves. There's plenty, after all."
Before she could leave, however, Alicia quickly stepped in with a question. Glancing around curiously, she turned to Cecilia.
"Where's your fiancé?"
"Oh yeah! That's right!" Adrian also joined in excitedly. "Where's Shawn Franklin? I haven't met him before, so I'm not familiar with how he looks like. Even though I have seen pictures of him on social media, I still can't find him in here…"
"Shawn is over there, speaking with his friends." Cecilia pointed briefly toward our left. There was a handsome blond guy in a white suit and pink shirt chatting boisterously with a group of similarly dressed guys. They were all laughing at something. Cecilia's expression was a little stiff when she looked at him, her eyes slightly hard.
"He's certainly good looking," Alicia remarked.
"Yes," Cecilia agreed noncommittedly. "And his skills are the real deal. I have never met a swordsman as excellent and insightful as him."
That last sentence was spoken with genuine admiration. I had the feeling she was marrying him more for his swordsmanship than him as a person, and it felt a little disturbing. Probably because I was a hopeless romantic.
Glancing over, I couldn't help but note Shawn's expression. His lips were constantly curled into a mocking smile, pride written all over his features and his nose in the air. He reminded me of those typical arrogant young masters I read about in trashy, cliché wuxia novels. Fortunately, this was the future, so he wouldn't be using his family's name to go around killing people from the lower classes. No matter how rich you were, murder was still murder.
Even Lin Zhan Long didn't dare to go that far, and was tricked into summoning a high ranking monster at the cost of his life. Poor dude.
Fortunately for me, Shawn Franklin didn't cast a glance in our direction. All the better. I didn't want to catch the attention of such a slimeball if I could help it. Okay, I was probably being unfair because I didn't know the guy, but that perpetual smirk of scorn on his face automatically triggered my dislike button.
The best course of action was to minimize contact with such a guy. He was from the esteemed Franklin family, anyway. We were literally worlds apart. Our paths would never cross.
Cecilia had broken away to speak to some other guest, leaving Alicia, Adrian and me to our own devices. As we had no idea who anyone else in the engagement party was, we didn't reach out to them. In the same way, they left us well alone.
In the end, we just indulged in eating the delicious food available as there was literally nothing else to do.
"Richard Huang, correct?"
I almost jumped out of my skin when a deep voice boomed out behind me. Alicia, Adrian and I turned around and found ourselves standing before the president of Stuart Corporation, and Cecilia's father and Adrian's uncle, Lionel Stuart. Adrian, for his part, waved brightly while his uncle favored him with an indulgent look.
"Uncle Lionel!"
"Hey, Adrian. I trust you've been well. How's your father?"
"He's busy." Adrian shrugged. "He couldn't come today, but he sent me to congratulate Sister Cecilia in his place."
"Ha ha! Sacha's always busy, isn't he?" Lionel Stuart laughed. "Well, he has his own division to run." He then glanced at me. "So you're already acquaintances with Richard?"
"Brother Richard saved my life a few months ago, remember? Around Jing Tian Forest?"
"Now that you mentioned it…" Lionel Stuart nodded. He then swiveled toward Alicia. "And the daughter of the Violet family, Miss Alicia. It's so nice to see you here today as well."
"Same." Alicia bowed politely. "Thank you so much for inviting me here today."
"Of course, of course." Stuart then turned toward me. "And…Richard, was it?"
"That's correct." I also bowed as deeply as Alicia. "It's an honor."
"The honor's all mine." Stuart chortled.
Raising my head, I studied him. Lionel Stuart appeared every bit as impressive as a president of a multi-trillionaire corporation should be. He possessed a massive frame that matched his stature. Behind him, right at the back of the room, was a golden-plated chair that resembled a king's throne. I could almost imagine him seated atop it, and the vision that swam to mind made him look more like a monarch than a corporation president.
The whole castle thing and royal wannabe vibes were growing stronger. Did this guy really thought of himself as a king?
Fortunately, he wasn't dressed like one. Like everyone else, he was dressed in a suit, a white shirt inside a white blazer and a dark tie that contrasted with his clothes. A single eyeglass hung on a chain atop his nose, more likely for aesthetic purposes than practical reasons, and his jaw was framed by a neatly trimmed beard.
"It's a pity that you're already engaged to Miss Alicia, or I would have pressured Cecilia to form a relationship with you."
"…engaged?" I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Alicia, but she shrugged, apparently just as lost as I was. "Um…I see."
"I've heard a lot of good things about you," Stuart continued, as if he didn't hear me say anything. "And your rise through the school rankings have been nothing short of meteoric."
"Um…meteoric? That's quite the claim." I murmured nervously. "But I must humbly warn you that whatever you might have heard regarding me, it has most likely been exaggerated."
Stuart chuckled. "You're very modest, I see."
I shook my head in disagreement. "I beg to differ. I'm just being honest."
"Ha ha ha ha!" Stuart laughed heartily at that. "I suppose the story about you destroying three Crastrates by nuking them with a spell of mass destruction capable of blowing a crater about three kilometers wide and obliterating an entire valley is exaggerated, then?"
"I probably did destroy the three Crastrates, but the measurements seem off." I pretended to think about it. "Yeah, I think three kilometers wide and an entire valley is definitely an exaggeration."
"It's not, though," Adrian muttered under his breath. "They actually measured it."
"And you did destroy the entire valley," Alicia added in amusement. "The academy has an actual recording of the site."
Oi. Weren't you guys supposed to help me, not sabotage me?
Stuart was unable to suppress a vigorous guffaw. "I like you, kid. I really do." He lowered his voice. "Between you and me, I think Cecilia has made a mistake in choosing him over you." he then turned to Alicia. "You're very lucky, young lady. You had best treasure this young man."
Alicia smiled sweetly, the same expression that brought chills to my spine for some reason. I swear, one day, I was going to see a giant hanya mask floating above her head. "I have every intention of doing so."
"…so, you are Richard Huang, huh?"
All of us turned around, only to see Shawn Franklin swaggering toward us arrogantly.
I shrank back with a sigh. Seemed like no matter where I went, trouble always knew where to find me.