They could say how they got into this situation, but everyone looked at the young man with fear evident on their faces, from the servers to the chefs to the household members.
Lilia on the other hand had a knowing smile. If there were anyone that loved food more than this boy it would be his father. This pair duo clearly had some world-devouring stomach.
She watched him gulf down obscene amounts of food as though he did not need to process it.
"Ah. It was light but thank you." Tristan rubbed his stomach in satisfaction but that only earned him more sour looks.
Light? In which universe were 3 trays of food light?
Was he competing with a beast to see who had the bigger stomach?
But if he could read their thoughts he would only smile bitterly.
Honestly, he questioned whether there truly was a meal that could satisfy him. All because of this thing in his chest.
Having thoughts of it he frowned before shaking it off. Now wasn't the time to think of it.
Seeing their looks he smiled sheepishly. This was why he never got to eat to his fill.
'They are the ones who said it's an all-you-can-eat...' He sighed, everything was so difficult.
"Tristan I want you to stay until the festival," Lilia said as she signaled the servants to clean up.
"Festival?" Tristan fell into thought. He had indeed heard about a festival coming up.
[The Night Parade.]
"The... Parade, but-" Tristan cringed at the thought of it.
Would he really need to partake in such pointless gestures?
The Night Parade was the most prestigious event of the Stone Family's Empire. It held once every thousand years and lasted the span of a year itself. As for what it entailed beyond the preliminaries not much was known.
But, all those who managed to make it back alive were always powerful beyond measure.
Truthfully, to Tristan, there was nothing attractive about it. But if those outside were to hear his thoughts, they would probably cough up blood in anger.
Nothing attractive? The number of treasures being offered up for simply participating was so many that it could turn even the most mediocre into an expert.
But the way Tristan saw it if he needed those things. Then he would find them himself.
Sitting around like pampered young masters and looking for benefits wasn't something geniuses did.
But alas...
"No buts. If you try to leave I will keep you here forcefully." His face turned sour. how could he not know by now that?
Lilia let him leave that night if not the probability of him having escaped was worse than nil. No companion of his father was possibly weak, crippled, or not.
'Sigh, this is why I avoided coming back.' He shook off his line of thoughts instead, focusing on the current matters.
If Lilia could read them though she'd probably kill him.
"Why do you want me to stay?" Tristan said esperated. Honestly, he didn't have a reason not to participate. His plans were essentially on hold till he could form his Diagram.
Not to mention he would die if he touched 'THAT'...
The major reason he refused to form his Diagram, besides his pride that is, was because even though it was already better than most people he couldn't help but feel the grip of death around him.
Almost as if it was waiting for him to fall in.
Lilia's gaze flickered, seeing through his thoughts, but she quickly resolved herself.
Unfortunately, it seems everyone was oblivious to her turmoil. Not noticing a thing.
And how could they? Despite being a cripple she was still much more powerful than those so-called 'Third Progression' practitioners.
"You know you're pitting me off against people in the First and Second Progression right?" But Lilia looked at him as if he was an idiot.
"Artisans Crafts are allowed."
Olivia raised a brow but Tristan had already started laughing his ass off. Artisans are allowed? If they wanted to lose so badly why didn't they just say so?
If he was just going in with his body he wasn't certain how far he would go but since artisans were allowed that made this much simpler.