"Where is Lord Patriarch? I'd like to pay my respects to him first." Ivan asked with feigned sincerity. He hadn't forgotten what Audrey had taught him: sometimes, the tone of speech is more important than the content.
"Well... well..." The young man seemed hesitant to speak, clearly finding it hard to say. However, judging from his expression as he tried hard to hold back his laughter, it seemed that Lord Torum's luck wasn't so good this time either.
After holding it in for a while, the young man finally said, "The patriarch? He's cleaning the toilet right now. Perhaps... perhaps it's not convenient for him to see you."
After saying that, the young man couldn't hold it in any longer. He wanted to laugh but didn't dare to, which must have been really uncomfortable.
Ivan quickly turned around and pretended to be admiring the decoration of the hall. Miss Betty also gently covered her face with her feather fan. Obviously, behind the fan, she also had an expression that she was a bit embarrassed to show after hearing this news.
"Um... um... When will Lord Torum be free? Will he have to work for a long time?" Ivan asked seriously. He wasn't sure whether he really wanted to know the answer, or was curious about how long Lord Torum's "suffering" would last, or if it was just a tease, a harmless little joke.
"Well... Lord, you know, we are a big family, a very large family..." The young man explained nervously.
Hearing him say that, Ivan understood that the workload probably wasn't any easier than peeling potatoes and chopping onions. He wondered if Lord Torum would develop a dislike for flush toilets and toilets this time. That would be troublesome. After all, toilets aren't something you can choose to avoid like potatoes and onions. Or perhaps Lord Torum would use his authority as the patriarch to permanently remove the task of cleaning toilets from the lottery list. If that happened, it would be really a great thing for the descendants of the Torum family.
"Is Baron Henred here?" Ivan asked.
"Baron Henred might be peeling potatoes and chopping onions right now." The young man said. In the young man's mind, Baron Henred clearly didn't have as much prestige as Lord Torum, so there was an obvious smile on his face.
Ivan couldn't help but want to laugh either. However, compared to Lord Torum, Baron Henred's job was indeed much more refined.
"Are there any people who are relatively idle? Like those doing gardening work or cleaning the stables?" Ivan asked with a smile.
The young man clearly understood what Ivan meant.
"The ladies and young ladies are in the lounge upstairs. If you like, you can go upstairs and chat. By the way, Baron Lonna is also there." The young man added, "And Viscount Relta. They are all invited guests. Lord Fisnan's family will also come later."
"Lord Fisnan?" Ivan asked in confusion.
Suddenly, he remembered the person named Midit he had met at Baron Lonna's forest villa banquet. That was a very approachable person without any airs of a noble.
"Lord Fisnan is the nephew of Lord Fisnan, the Earl. However, he is completely different from the Earl. In the Torum family, Lord Fisnan is very popular." The young man explained.
Ivan could tell from the young man's words that the Torum family clearly didn't like the acting lord.
After sending the young man off to continue his "family task", Ivan and Miss Betty walked up to the second floor. They were already quite familiar with that luxurious lounge. However, due to the celebration, the lounge had obviously been redecorated. It had lost a bit of its elegance and gained a bit more liveliness.
The lamps in the lounge were covered with bright red glass shades. Ivan guessed that the glass might be the product of the glass workshop he had built. Countless ribbons were hung on the ceiling, and various ornaments were also hanging under the ribbons. The dark blue ribbons set off the golden ornaments, just like a clear summer night sky. The walls were pasted with beautiful peacock feathers imported from foreign countries, looking magnificent, noble, and elegant. The card-playing tables were filled with peeled fruits and snacks, as well as a stack of cardboard plates. The fruits were soaked in bowls filled with sugar water to keep them fresh and delicious. Obviously, the Torum family knew how to enjoy life and had put a lot of thought into these details.
The floor was covered with a thick brocade carpet. It was clearly an expensive item that had been around for some years. It was probably only taken out for use on special days like this. This brocade was an excellent example of the superb craftsmanship of the Tor people. It was simply a fine work of art. Only the Tor people, who had unique views on artistry and practicality, could create such an amazing masterpiece. This was something that those craftsmen in France who were keen on being flashy but lacking in substance couldn't understand.
In the place where the ladies were sitting and chatting in the distance, it was all covered with thick camel hair. In comparison, cashmere cushions didn't seem suitable for this occasion. Ivan immediately saw Baron Lonna and Viscount Relta chatting animatedly on the other side, and a member of the Torum family was accompanying them. Ivan couldn't remember the name of this member for a moment. He was probably a baron. This gentleman's real task seemed to be to temporarily act as a nanny to take care of the children who were playing. It was a relatively easy job. The children were playing by themselves and showed no sign of causing trouble.
Miss Betty signaled Ivan to go and say hello to Baron Lonna and Viscount Relta first, while she herself walked towards the chatting ladies.
"Baron Lonna, Viscount Relta, hello!" Ivan walked over and politely expressed his respect, just as he had done when he first met Baron Lonna. The three people who were chatting vigorously didn't notice his arrival at first. When they came to their senses, Baron Lonna and Viscount Relta looked very happy, while the member of the Torum family was a bit cold. However, judging by that person's age, Ivan guessed that this gentleman might also be a disappointed admirer of his "mommy", so he could understand the other's cold attitude.
"Ivan, long time no see. How have you been recently?" Baron Lonna asked with concern. Although Ivan's identity had changed, Baron Lonna's attitude towards him remained the same. In Baron Lonna's eyes, Ivan was still the generous and knowledgeable young man who had brought uncut tea leaves as a gift. Ivan's identity as the heir to the lord didn't have much influence on Baron Lonna, who had always been indifferent to fame and fortune.
"I've been busy studying magic recently and really couldn't find the time to visit you and Auntie." Ivan replied sincerely. This time, he was telling the truth. However, even if he had been free, he might not have visited Baron Lonna and his wife, considering the factor of Miss Fanny.
Ivan's words aroused everyone's interest. However, this time it wasn't that Ivan deliberately wanted to draw everyone's attention to the things he was good at. That little trick of quietly showing off his talent was unnecessary at this stage. Actually, Ivan hoped that he wouldn't become the focus of everyone's attention.
Ivan chatted with the two gentlemen about the progress of his magic research to satisfy these two ordinary people's curiosity about the mysterious thing that was magic. These two well-informed adults were completely attracted by the novel and mysterious content from the young man in front of them. Even the member of the Torum family, who hadn't been very friendly at first, was also immersed in this strange world that ordinary people like them had no chance to touch.
"I really want to finish dealing with things quickly and then go back to Teacher Lavash to concentrate on learning magic." Ivan said.
Baron Lonna and Viscount Relta were both stunned. They could completely understand Ivan's idea. After all, the mysterious world of magic was full of endless charm. However, out of selfishness, they didn't want to see Ivan give up everything and devote himself wholeheartedly to learning magic.
For Baron Lonna, what he cared about the most was his daughter's lifelong happiness. Although he had great confidence in his daughter's beauty, compared to the allure of the magical world of magic, Baron Lonna wasn't sure how much attraction his daughter's beauty would have for Ivan. Moreover, he had indeed heard that the vast majority of magicians didn't marry. In fact, there were very few magicians who knew how to enjoy worldly desires and pleasures. This made Baron Lonna extremely worried. He didn't want his daughter to live an unhappy life, and as a husband, perhaps there was no more inappropriate candidate than an outstanding magician.
As for Viscount Relta, he was in a different mood. This old man, who was loyal to the Meding family, sincerely hoped that Young Master Ivan could focus all his attention on the responsibilities of the lord. In fact, like most of the officials in Thorsburg, this old man also undoubtedly believed that the young man in front of him was the most outstanding lord in history.
Compared with the previous lords of the Meding family, this Young Master Ivan was really not easy to serve. Because he was so knowledgeable and shrewd. What was even more tiring was that this young heir to the lordship pursued perfection in everything he did, and it must have been quite hard to be his subordinate. As far as Viscount Relta knew, those officials often complained to each other in private, lamenting how much heavier their work had become since this young lord took charge, and how careful and nervous they were every time they reported to the young lord, for fear of missing any details.
However, apart from this aspect that might be considered a shortcoming, people really couldn't find any other flaws in this young lord. Even Viscount Relta had to admire Lord Hyde. How did he teach the young lord to be so outstanding? The profound knowledge and meticulous mind were secondary. What was even more remarkable was that this young lord seemed to be born with an air that made people obey and fear him. In fact, this young lord was polite to everyone, and he had never reprimanded or punished anyone. However, compared with any previous lord of the Meding family, he undoubtedly had more authority. He didn't need to scold others at all. Just a serious expression could make the officials who were reporting work inexplicably nervous. And his sharp eyes, which often glinted with a cold light, were even more intimidating.
No one could forget that when Ivan stood quietly beside the deceased magician, his expression was cold and indifferent, as if taking someone's life was just an ordinary thing for him and he was already used to it. His eyes stared at the corpse, as cold as ice, like cold stars in a cold night, emitting a chilling aura. Even a high-ranking knight like Viscount Relta couldn't help but feel a sense of fear under that gaze, as if being covered by an invisible pressure, and the chill went straight to the bottom of his heart.
Because of this, although the official confirmation decree from His Majesty the King had not yet been issued, this young lord had already begun to exercise the power of the lordship in advance, and his authority was even stronger than that of any previous lord of the Meding family, like the rising sun, shining brightly and hotly, making it impossible to ignore.
As a loyal subject of the Meding family, Viscount Relta naturally hoped that this situation could continue for a long time, like an ever-flowing stream that continuously nourished the prosperity and prosperity of the family.
"You are the last heir of the Meding family. Please think carefully about this matter. Although the world of magic is full of irresistible charm, the responsibilities on your shoulders are like a majestic mountain, heavy and inescapable." Viscount Relta quickly offered his advice, his tone full of worry and concern. Different from Baron Lonna, because Viscount Relta's family had been loyal to the Meding family for generations, in his eyes, Ivan was not just a junior, but also the hope and pillar of the family's future, and should be treated with more respect and seriousness.
"You don't need to worry about this." Ivan gently advised, his tone calm and steady, as if it had a power to soothe people's hearts. "I have already promised my great-aunt that only after I have successfully completed several crucial things can I regain my freedom and devote myself to the study of magic as I like, to pursue that mysterious and magical world."
"Oh? What are those agreements? Could you tell me about them?" Viscount Relta asked eagerly, his eyes full of eagerness and expectation, but he was also secretly worried that Ivan would hide something and not tell him the details.
"Firstly, I will go all out to consolidate the respected status of the Meding family in Thorsburg and make it as solid as a rock, impregnable." Ivan said with a firm look, and the determination in his eyes seemed to be declaring his determination and belief to the world.
"This is just a piece of cake for you, an easy thing." Viscount Relta said without hesitation, his words full of trust and praise for Ivan's ability.
Baron Lonna and the member of the Torum family standing beside him also nodded in agreement. Their expressions were like watching a wonderful game with a predetermined outcome, without any suspense. Obviously, this was an undisputed fact in everyone's hearts.
"Secondly, I need to continue the bloodline of the Meding family so that the family's glory and inheritance can continue and never fade away." Ivan continued, with a faint blush on his cheeks, as if he was a bit shy.
"This is an excellent thing." Viscount Relta and Baron Lonna said in unison. However, what was on their minds was like two diverging paths, completely different. Viscount Relta was overjoyed, as if he saw the rising star of the family's future, while Baron Lonna was secretly thinking about his daughter's lifelong happiness, and worry climbed onto his brows.
"Your Excellency will surely succeed in this regard without any obstacles." The member of the Torum family said coldly, with an elusive tone in his voice.
"The Meding family has always had a thin bloodline. Miss Meding must be longing for as many heirs as possible to strengthen the family's reputation, right, Young Master Ivan?" Viscount Relta asked hopefully, with a glint of expectation in his eyes.
"My great-aunt does have such an idea." Ivan replied with a bit of shyness, looking like a budding flower, a little shy in the breeze.
"May we take the young lord away?" A soft female voice came from behind.
Ivan turned around when he heard the voice and saw four ladies standing gracefully in front of him, all with faces he was quite familiar with. The leader was Baroness Lonna. She was elegant and graceful. Standing beside her was her closest female friend, Viscountess Terbo. The two of them were like twin lotuses, complementing each other. Following these two ladies were the two daughters-in-law of Lord Torum, the host of this place. They had gentle faces and the demeanor of noble ladies.
For the ladies' request, Baron Lonna and Viscount Relta naturally couldn't refuse. This was the most basic etiquette in the noble class, like a rule engraved deep in the soul that couldn't be violated.
Ivan was gently pulled by Baroness Lonna and slowly came to the middle of the ladies and young ladies who were sitting around chatting. At this time, the atmosphere was like a calm lake, seemingly calm on the surface but with undercurrents surging beneath.
"Ah, today the sun is shining brightly, just like a beautiful picture bestowed by heaven. It's really a rare and excellent weather. Now is the time when the flowers in the garden are in full bloom. It's a wonderful time to enjoy the flowers and take a stroll. Why don't we take the children for a leisurely walk in the courtyard? What do you all think?" Baroness Henred suggested with a smile, her smile like the warm sun in spring, warm and kind.
The old ladies naturally nodded slightly without any objection. Although the young ladies were eager to listen to the conversation between their mothers and the young lord who was like a Prince Charming in their hearts, they also knew that their mothers would surely mention some private matters that were not suitable for them to hear. Reluctantly, the girls had to follow the old ladies out of the lounge with a bit of loss and unwillingness, and their backs seemed to carry a touch of melancholy.
"Three gentlemen, could I ask you to move downstairs for a short rest for a while?" Baroness Lonna asked politely and gently, her tone like a gentle breeze that was hard to refuse.
"However, my responsibility is to take care of these children." The member of the Torum family frowned slightly and said with some difficulty.
"It doesn't matter. We will help you take good care of these children carefully. In my opinion, these children are quite well-behaved and quiet, and there should be no unexpected things happening." A lady said with a smile as she gently persuaded, and her smile seemed to have a magical power that made people feel at ease.
Seeing this situation, the three men had no choice but to comply with the ladies' wishes and slowly went to the small living room next to them to continue chatting. Their steps seemed a bit heavy, as if there was a bit of helplessness and reluctance.
"Ivan, I have something I want to ask you. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to force yourself to speak, but please don't deceive us. Has your great-aunt, Miss Meding, already made arrangements for you?" Baroness Lonna asked with a soft gaze, and there was a hint of inquiry in her eyes.
Hearing this, Ivan lowered his head slightly and thought for a moment. Finally, he resolutely decided to tell the truth. Perhaps in his heart, this was the best and most proper way to make Miss Fanny take the initiative to give up, just like a glimmer of light found in the darkness.
"Yes, my great-aunt has indeed made proper arrangements for me." Ivan raised his head and said calmly.
"Is it Miss Betty?" Baroness Lonna asked tentatively in a very low voice, but it sounded particularly clear in this quiet atmosphere.
Ivan was immediately shocked and his face was full of astonishment. He couldn't imagine how these ladies had discovered this secret. This secret was like a treasure hidden deep in a treasure chest in his heart, protected layer by layer, but he didn't expect it to be so easily spied on by others.
Baroness Lonna obviously keenly sensed the doubt in Ivan's heart. She smiled slightly and said gently, "Perhaps you will be very surprised and wonder why we know about this. Actually, it can be said to be a wonderful intuition, a keen intuition unique to women. You may not have noticed that when you are with Miss Betty, sometimes you will inadvertently show overly affectionate behaviors and expressions. We are quite familiar with Miss Betty. Since she was a child, she has been influenced by Miss Meding, so her personality is a bit cold and somewhat difficult to get close to. However, she can calmly allow you to have such affectionate behaviors towards her. From this, it can be completely imagined that this must be what Miss Meding instructed her to do."
"Furthermore, we are also very familiar with Miss Meding. Once Miss Meding decides to do something, she will put all her heart into it, be extremely serious, and is very stubborn in doing things. Sometimes she will even stop at nothing to achieve her goals. And in this world, the only person Miss Meding trusts completely is Miss Betty, whom she has carefully raised since childhood."
"If Miss Meding only needs an heir of the Meding family's bloodline, there is really no reason not to use Miss Betty, who she trusts the most around her, but instead let you get an heir through a long, variable, and uncertain relationship and marriage with a girl she doesn't know well, right?" Lady Terbo interjected at the right time. Her words were like a sharp sword, piercing straight to the core of the problem.
Hearing this analysis, Ivan was speechless for a moment, as if he had been put under a body-fixing spell and stood there blankly. He had never expected that the so-called secret would be so vulnerable in front of these ladies and be easily seen through. No wonder Audrey had repeatedly warned him seriously that habits formed over the years were often the key points that others could use to identify a person's identity most easily, like hidden traps in the dark. Once you were not careful, you would fall into them.
"Don't worry. We definitely won't spread this matter around. We will keep it a secret." Baroness Lonna comforted softly, and her tone seemed to have a power to soothe people's hearts and dispel the uneasiness and fear in Ivan's heart.
"Ivan, can you tell us how you and Miss Meding have agreed? We secretly guess that Miss Meding will definitely not let Miss Betty leave her side easily. Moreover, after you leave Thorsburg, the person who will really take over all the affairs of Thorsburg and shoulder the important task of teaching the next-generation lord must be Miss Betty, right?" Baroness Lonna asked with sincere eyes, and her eyes were full of curiosity and a desire to explore.
"Well... Just as you guessed, I don't need to add anything more." Ivan sighed slightly and said with a somewhat helpless look, secretly amazed at the intelligence and keenness of these noble ladies. In front of them, he seemed to be a transparent person with no secrets at all.
"What we are most concerned about is how you will choose the partner to spend your life with. Please forgive our little selfishness. As mothers, we must carefully consider the future of our daughters." Lady Terbo said firmly, and there was maternal care and worry in her eyes.
"I haven't really thought about these things carefully. For me, I really don't have time to take care of emotional matters at the moment. I'm tied up with so many affairs, as if trapped in a thick fog and can't get out." Ivan replied with a tired look, looking like a traveler walking alone in the wind and rain, carrying a heavy load.
"Ivan, we also want to ask you a question that might make you feel very embarrassed. Um... Compared with the harvest and satisfaction of emotions, are you more inclined to the pleasure and enjoyment of the flesh?" Lady Terbo frowned slightly and asked with some hesitation.
Just as this lady said, when Ivan heard this question, he immediately felt extremely embarrassed and his cheeks turned red in an instant, like ripe tomatoes. He twisted his body uneasily and his eyes wandered around, trying to find a place to hide, looking very cramped and uneasy.
"In our family, we have never lacked the kind of pleasure that you ladies mentioned. However, if there is only the pleasure of the flesh and the integration of the soul is missing, then the body is just an empty shell, lifeless and without connotation. Regarding this point, perhaps no family can understand it more deeply than our family. However, perhaps in the eyes of you ladies, I will be regarded as a dissolute person like the previous generations of our family. What I expect is that the woman I love can accept all the pleasures I give her, whether it is the delicate care on the emotional level or the intimate interaction on the physical level. She won't be a lofty existence as pure as an angel, but will be with me, indulging in the world of desires and pleasures, and become what others call a 'degenerate'." Ivan said this, thinking that perhaps he could scare off those young ladies who had fantasies about him in this way, so that he could get out of this complicated emotional entanglement.
"The family tradition of the Bendixit family is really quite different." Lady Terbo responded with a light laugh, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, and there was a bit of playfulness in her smile.
Hearing this, most of the other ladies also half-covered their faces with their feather fans. It was obvious that they were quietly covering their smiles and secretly laughing. However, their laughter was different from the sneers full of contempt and disdain that men would show when they heard these things. Obviously, the ladies didn't regard these things as heinous and unforgivable evils, but just as an interesting thing for chatting and passing the time in noble life.
"I heard that there is a beautiful woman by your side. I wonder if she is the object for you to obtain pleasure?" A lady asked with a bit of curiosity, and there was a hint of inquiry in her eyes, while trying to maintain the noble's implicitness and elegance in her words.
This question really made Ivan a bit embarrassed, but he didn't think it was too difficult to answer. After thinking for a while, he said, "Our family has always had a relatively strong desire and pursuit for pleasure. And I'm a bit different from the others in the family. My grandfather, knowing my temperament well, sent Miss Susanna to me."
"But won't this have any adverse effects on your magic cultivation? After all, as far as we know, most magicians stay away from women." Lady Terbo asked tentatively again, with a hint of inquiry in her eyes, seeming eager to dig out something unusual from Ivan.
"My teacher has never told me that lust would hinder magic cultivation. If there were such a situation, I think Teacher Lavash would surely warn me solemnly, but he didn't do that." Ivan replied unhurriedly, looking quite calm.
"Ivan, thank you so much for satisfying our curiosity as women. Now, could you do us a favor and go to call the old ladies and young ladies back? It's getting cooler, and if they stay in the garden for too long, they might catch a cold and fall ill." Baroness Lonna said to Ivan with a smile. Although her words were gentle, there was an unmistakable meaning that couldn't be refused. Obviously, the ladies had some private matters to discuss quietly next.
Ivan didn't dare to disobey. He nodded obediently and walked out of the room. He randomly stopped a member of the Torum family in the corridor and relayed the ladies' instructions word for word. After hearing this, that gentleman didn't dare to delay at all and immediately turned around and ran down the stairs, dashing towards the distant garden.
Ivan didn't know where to go for a while, so he wandered aimlessly around the mansion of the Torum family. He didn't want to go back to chat with Baron Lonna and the others. After all, those topics were rather boring as there was nothing new in chatting about them. And obviously, the ladies had many things to discuss carefully. If he went back to the lounge at this time, the situation would be extremely embarrassing, and he probably wouldn't be welcomed. Maybe he would even spoil the ladies' mood.
When he was feeling rather bored, Ivan saw a waiter passing by and stopped him, asking him to take him to the study.
The study of the Torum family was located in the middle of the second floor. As soon as he stepped in, he could feel that the decoration and layout here were quite elaborate. The hardwood floor was polished smooth and shiny, with a thick layer of wax on it, giving off a soft luster. The gray cashmere carpet laid on it was soft in texture, and it was very comfortable to step on. There were six or seven rows of long bookcases in the room, and both sides of the bookcases were filled with all kinds of books, a dazzling array that made one's eyes unable to take them all in.
This study obviously had someone taking good care of it regularly. The books were placed neatly, and the classification was done extremely carefully and accurately, with hardly any mistakes. There was also a circle of sofas placed around the study. The cushions of the sofas looked like big pillows stuffed full of cotton, making people think that it would be very comfortable to sit on them.
Perhaps because there were many family members, the space of this study was extremely spacious, and the types of books collected were also rich and diverse. It was a pity that it was rather difficult to find those precious and profound books that were hard to understand here.
"This is a public study for the whole family, and only common and ordinary books are placed here. The important members of the family all have their own exclusive studies." The waiter patiently explained to Ivan.
Hearing this, Ivan couldn't help thinking that this arrangement was quite good. He secretly thought that if there had been such a public study in South Port back then, it would have been like heaven for him. You know, although Mr. Mardield, the employer, was usually generous, he was extremely cautious when it came to lending books. He never lent books to others easily, let alone to Ivan. It was almost impossible to borrow books from him.
Ivan sent the waiter away and specifically told him not to disturb him unless the family celebration officially started.
After that, Ivan casually flipped through the books in the study. He flipped through one book for a while and then looked at another one. He felt that time passed quite quickly like this, and it was quite suitable for killing this boring time. In this way, until the evening, finally someone walked into the study and informed Ivan to go to the hall.
When he came to the hall, Ivan truly felt the vastness of the Torum family. All the family members gathered together, and the scene was really spectacular.
Ivan finally understood completely why the Torum family was called the largest family in the south of France. This family was really flourishing. There were dozens of main members with various titles alone, and when adding their respective wives and children, the number was even larger, a huge crowd indeed. What's more, there were also those family members without titles, and their number was countless.
Ivan secretly guessed that those who needed to draw lots to decide on work were probably the Torum family members with titles. Otherwise, with such a large population of the family, there probably wouldn't be enough job positions in this mansion. Maybe according to this population ratio, at least two or three gentlemen would have to be arranged to clean each toilet together. Thinking about that scene, it was really a bit funny.
Speaking of which, standing beside Lord Torum, Ivan could smell the strong fragrance of perfume coming from him. Presumably, in order to cover up the residual odor after cleaning the toilet, Lord Torum had sprayed all the perfume he could find on himself. Judging from this situation, perhaps in the next month, the ladies of the Torum family would be full of complaints because there was no perfume available. That scene was estimated to be quite lively too.
The celebration of the Torum family was really lively. Because everyone was quite familiar with each other, everyone seemed extremely relaxed and at ease, without any sense of restraint.
Another thing that Ivan found particularly interesting was that the celebration of the Torum family combined the ball and the banquet together. Here, there were no waiters carrying drinks and food shuttling among the crowd, and there were no chairs placed in front of the dining table for people to sit on as in the usual banquets.
If someone was hungry and wanted to eat something, they just needed to walk to the long dining table on one side of the hall and choose the food they liked. The dining table was filled with all kinds of delicious food, delicacies from land and sea, everything one could think of. It could be seen that the Torum family was quite willing to spend money on these aspects of enjoying life.
Besides the numerous kinds of food placed on the dining table, plates, knives, forks and other tableware were also neatly placed. Beside the soups, clean bowls and spoons were always placed for people to use conveniently.
Moreover, both the food and the tableware could be taken and used as needed. The used dirty plates could be directly put into the big wooden basin placed aside, and someone would come to take away the used plates in the basin and wash them. Similarly, there were always special people responsible for putting the washed tableware back on the dining table for people to continue using. Everything was arranged in an orderly manner.
However, this set of rules was only for others. The Torum family specially prepared a unique banquet for Ivan.
This was not because of Ivan's identity as the lord, but because of the different eating habits inherited from the old Lord Meding.
In Thorsburg, almost all noble families knew one thing, that is, the old Lord Meding and his beautiful and charming daughter had always regarded various "shells" as their daily staple food, and they even had a special preference for squid and regarded it as their favorite delicacy.
It was okay for shellfish and the like, but that squid looked really strange, black and with those soft, wriggling tentacles, which made people feel creepy at the sight. It was the kind of food that most people would never dare to try. So, having dinner with the old lord and his daughter was really not something pleasant or memorable. For some people, that scene was almost a kind of "torture" in spirit.
However, the strange eating habits of the old earl and the earl's daughter had been passed down intact to the current awe-inspiring young lord, Ivan.
In one corner of the hall, there was a curtain hanging, and behind the curtain was a set of exquisite tables and chairs, which was the dining place specially prepared for the respected young lord.
Originally, Miss Fanny and Miss Lystine planned to come and accompany Ivan. Presumably, the ladies had said something to them in the lounge, so they had such an idea.
But who would have thought that when these two young ladies saw the black dishes cooked with cuttlefish ink on the table and the curled, stretched and intertwined cuttlefish tentacles, their faces instantly turned ashen, and they were so frightened that their beauty faded. They quickly fled from that corner, looking extremely embarrassed.
And this scene immediately became the most talked-about and eye-catching topic at the ball.
Compared with Ivan's profound knowledge, awe-inspiring dignity, and his mysterious identity as a magician, the so-called "dissolute" bloodline inherited from the Bendixit family, the unique charm inherited from his beautiful and charming mother, Miss Lisa, and this rather unappreciated strange diet seemed to be more popular topics for people to talk about in their casual chats.
The members of the Torum family gathered in groups of three or five, laughing softly and discussing with great interest the various quirks of the young lord. And Miss Fanny and Miss Lystine naturally became the objects of good-natured teasing and laughter among everyone. However, not everyone regarded this as an interesting and fun thing.
In this family, Viscount Terbo obviously had quite a few allies who shared the same views as him. They didn't have any good feelings for the bloodline of the Bairnt family flowing in Ivan's body from the bottom of their hearts. They thought it was a shame and a symbol of the family's bad character. However, for Ivan's "special preference" inherited from Miss Lisa, that is, his unique eating habits, they didn't have too strong objections, just thought it was a bit hard to understand.
Viscount Terbo stood gloomily in one corner of the hall. Not far in front of him, Lord Torum and Viscount Relta were like two serious guards, always keeping an eye on the situation here, firmly detaining these "dangerous elements" who might disrupt the cheerful atmosphere of the celebration in this corner far away from the young lord to prevent them from doing anything out of line.
On the other side, a group of members of the Torum family who were loyal to the young lord took the initiative to go forward and pulled Viscount Terbo and the others to chat together. Obviously, they wanted to try their best to distract these "dangerous elements" in this way, so that they wouldn't always keep an eye on Ivan and disrupt this rare celebration atmosphere.
But it was almost in vain. Viscount Terbo stared at his daughter with eyes full of anger. Watching her dance with the little "lecher" in his eyes, as long as there was a slightly affectionate gesture between them, it could make Viscount Terbo's chest heave violently with anger, and then a low growl would burst out from his mouth. He looked so angry as if he wanted to swallow everything in front of him.
He really couldn't understand what Baron Lonna was thinking. Why did he let his daughter get so close to the little "lecher" who was dissolute and shameless in his eyes? He couldn't possibly not know what kind of people the descendants of the Bairnt family were. Their reputation was known to everyone, and it was not a good one.
What puzzled him even more was why so many people were secretly encouraging and helping these two innocent little girls to pursue this Prince Charming who seemed to him like a sharp spear that could hurt people. Moreover, these people even included his own wife and his two usually gentle and kind but actually rather stubborn father-in-law and mother-in-law. You know, they were not the kind of people who were greedy for wealth and attached themselves to the powerful. Why did they do such a thing?
Viscount Terbo was both angry and frustrated in his heart, but he had no choice but to gather with those allies who shared the same views as him and use sarcastic remarks to vent the resentment in his heart. It seemed that only in this way could he feel a little better.
As for Ivan, who was cared for by everyone, he was actually hoping that there would be one or two people like Viscount Terbo at this time. Even if he was unceremoniously driven out of the mansion of the Torum family, it would be better than now. Now, his relationship with these people was getting more and more entangled, which gave him a terrible headache.
伊万很清楚,休息室里那些小姐们对那些小姐说的话,根本不是劝告和警告,分明是鼓励,甚至是教唆.这让他更加无奈,因为他发现,无论他用什么方法,都无法在不伤害到她的情况下,拒绝这个美丽温柔,对自己寄予厚望的姑娘的感情.这实在是让他陷入了两难境地.
在凝视着芬妮小姐的瞬间,伊万的思绪不由自主地飘向了贝蒂小姐,仿佛在芬妮的身上,他隐约看到了贝蒂熟悉的身影投射出的淡淡残影.的确,和贝蒂相比,芬妮就像是一颗尚未完全成熟的未熟果实,缺少了岁月沉淀而来的从容和优雅,更缺少了贝蒂身上那种如春风化雨般,悄无声息却又深刻地滋润和影响着身边人的独特魅力,那是一种由内而外散发出来的气质.她的一举一动都透露着一种无形的力量和温暖,显然,范妮在这方面还有很长的路要走.
然而,命运的丝线已经将他和贝蒂紧紧地缠绕在了一起,贝蒂注定要站在他的身边,成为他的妻子,但这并不代表他们就能逃脱命运的操控.贝蒂看似纤弱的肩膀,却肩负着极为沉重的使命.一边是托尔斯堡乃至整个法国南部的繁华,是那片辽阔土地上无数人的期盼和希望,如一座巍峨的高山,压得人喘不过气来.另一边则是梅丁家族未来的命运,家族的辉煌和兴衰,全都取决于她一个人.这份责任,如同浩瀚无边的深海,深邃无边.
在这两道枷锁的禁锢下,贝蒂小姐就像是被囚禁在美丽笼子里的鸟儿.虽然外表光鲜亮丽,但她却失去了最珍贵的自由,无法掌控自己的命运,每一步都要按照命运规划的轨迹前行,稍有偏差,都可能带来难以想象的后果.
或许就在无助与感动交织的那一刻,伊万的脑海中闪过一个念头,他想知道范妮小姐是否能成为他共度一生的伴侣.虽然她没有贝蒂那么完美,但她也有自己的闪光点,她那没有被世俗玷污的纯真笑容,脸上偶尔流露出的羞涩表情,以及看他时眼中毫不掩饰的崇拜,都像一颗颗小星星,在她的世界里闪耀着独特的光芒.
但这个想法一冒出来,伊万就感觉自己像是被人当头浇了一盆冷水,瞬间清醒了过来,内心充满了深深的悔恨.自己怎么会这么糊涂,竟然把范妮小姐当成了贝蒂小姐的替代品?这是对范妮小姐的极大不尊重,是对其独立人格的亵渎.每个女人都是独一无二的存在,范妮小姐也不例外,她有自己的灵魂,有自己的情感,有自己的梦想,绝对不是别人的影子或者替代者.伊万很清楚,哪怕这个想法只是一瞬间闪过脑海,也已经无形中伤害到了范妮小姐,让他陷入了深深的自责和痛苦之中,仿佛陷入了无底的黑暗深渊,无法自拔.