Time passed at the Rasforh family banquet as various guests arrived one by one.
Theos spent most of his time talking to Alice while Luna recovered from the psychological imprint she had acquired after observing the coordinates given by Theos.
None of the guests approached Theos; they all kept their distance out of fear, as no one knew his exact identity.
Alan dared not act on his anger, and although the girls around him were deeply impressed by the handsome Theos, they still did not stray from Alan's side.
"Whatever, Halo male harem protagonist," Theos thought with a small smile as he glanced at the heroines gathered around Alan.
But that didn't matter nearly as much as the message in front of him.
The protagonist of the story, Alan Roy, and his sister, Luna Roy, had several negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings triggered by the host. We felt them: they ranged from anger to fear to horror, etc. +6000. The system's mechanical voice echoed in Theos's mind, informing him of his rewards.
"Hmm, juicy rewards," he thought ecstatically as he observed the tablet in front of him, feeling his modified mana core growing steadily.
"Why do you have that strange expression on your face?" Alice asked, confusion etched on her features.
"Nothing," he quickly denied, changing his expression to his usual indifferent demeanor.
"Sure..." Alice replied, still puzzled but with a happy smile on her lips.
Despite the strange things she had witnessed, like Luna's actions, this was by far the best day of her life. She was doing everything she had always dreamed of: eating the food of the nobles, even if it wasn't as delicious as theirs; dancing; talking... And all this happiness was amplified a thousand times by having her lover at her side.
"Look, Theos, over there," Alice said, pointing to a performance at the banquet. A man was juggling fireballs, his long pants adding to the amusing atmosphere and drawing her attention.
Theos watched the spectacle she had indicated, enjoying the scene of the nobles. A smile slowly spread across his face, not because he found the performance amusing, but because of Alice's words.
I am called by my name… My name is Theos, he chuckled to himself, knowing that this would shorten the distance between them, moving from calling him "Your Majesty" to calling him by his name.
This change made him immensely happy. He knew Alice was shy, so intensifying their relationship had to be difficult for both of them, but Alice also had to do her part.
Fortunately, she hadn't disappointed him. After years of infatuation, she was finally ready to seize the opportunity.
"Wow, here they come. They're here!"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, that's them."
"The meeting started..."
Because of the negative energy, Theos's physical abilities were gradually improving, allowing him to hear every whisper of the nobles perfectly. Each noble muttered about the appearance of more guests, and he knew who they were.
The dukes, Theos concluded, but he felt uneasy recalling who those dukes were.
Every noble guest turned their attention to the entrance of the Rasforh mansion, where one by one, shadows appeared, revealing their forms.
Every step they took sent a shiver through the other nobles. The figures emerged one by one...
The first was a tall man, standing six feet tall, with a muscular build and short golden hair. His emerald green eyes were full of confidence and arrogance, and his smile radiated the power of his family. His mere presence exuded a powerful pressure.
His armor, golden and beautiful, looked so solid that it gave the impression it wouldn't budge even under a million blows. His golden hair and handsome face matched his golden armor, creating a stunning scene.
"It's Duke Sun himself!"
"Yes, yes, the legendary Hero of the Sun, one of the strongest experts in the world. There are even rumors that he is only one step away from reaching the true rank."
"He is the Duke himself."
The murmurs of the guests soon erupted at the sight of Duke Sun, one of the strongest subjects in the world.
Theos's eyes were fixed on this figure, accompanied by a beautiful woman at his side. Her beauty was no small thing; if Theos weren't a fan who had read the novel at least ten times, he would have thought Duke Sun's wife was a heroine.
With her perfect figure signifying maturity, her cleavage was much larger than usual, almost spilling out of her dark blue dress. Her skin was flawless and white, her beautiful green eyes sparkling, and her long hair cascaded down to her slender waist. Her curvy figure could not be hidden, arousing the lust of any man... but in this case, no one dared to look at her.
And everyone knew why: one look could mean death.
But Theos wasn't worried about that. A younger woman walked gracefully behind the two figures.
His betrothed was Eleanor Sonne.
~