Sitting at the desk and pretending to work hard was the easiest thing for Cassian. All he had to do was switch between his taskbar and his work-related documents.
He typed another line into his already-filled report when a notification distracted him. So he closed the documents and opened his Messenger app on the computer.
It was a message from his father.
'Why am I needed in the office now?' Cassian thought as he got up from his seat.
He made his way to the office quietly.
Hopping out of the elevator, he stepped toward the door and knocked on it.
"Come in," his father's usual voice came from inside.
Cassian twisted the doorknob and entered. The sight of his mother, who was dressed in a gorgeous navy blue dress with golden butterflies embroidered on it, stood beside his father, who was also wearing a navy blue suit with a similar butterfly on his fine jacket.
"Yes?" Cassian said as his parents looked him over from top to bottom; after all, he was just wearing a plain white button-down shirt and black formal pants.
Pretty normal for an office day.
"Change immediately," his father said, pointing toward a suit hanging on the clothing stand.
"What?"
"We are going for dinner, dear. Now make haste," his mother said sweetly as she pushed him toward the suit.
A dinner? Why was he given notice of this so late?
He looked at her smile and nodded. Taking the suit off the stand and entering the bathroom, he thought about this sudden dinner.
'Well, it's almost clock-out time, so… But why? Maybe to show people that I'm back or something.'
After changing, he came out, and his mother's reaction said it all as she smiled. His father just made a small fraction of a smile. Cassian was matching with his parents—the only difference was that his butterflies were black instead of gold.
"Let's go," his father commanded.
The whole ride was quiet, leaving Cassian to wonder where they would be going, and after a few minutes, they arrived at their destination.
Empire's Crest is a premier, upscale hotel and restaurant that exudes an ambiance of grandeur and sophistication. The main dining area, The Imperial Hall, features vaulted ceilings, chandeliers with crystal pendants, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of the cityscape.
One could say that it was a rich man's second mansion.
It had been a while since he'd been here, having visited this place almost every week when he was younger. From what he remembered, all the important celebrations usually occurred here.
The Black family made their entrance in the Imperial Hall as his father whispered, "It's an important meeting of high-end people, Cassian. Be careful not to get caught up in the atmosphere. People like to bite here."
Cassian nodded and looked around, understanding what his father meant with that statement.
There were lots of people here whom ordinary people can't even imagine seeing face-to-face, let alone talking to them.
There was the Archduke and other nobility from Celestine, a continent in the west of Ekrois.
Then there were top rankers from the AU, like Admiral Helena Voss, leader of Naval Operations, known for her loyalty to the AU cause. And Marshal Julian Cross, head of Tactical Defense, specializing in advanced combat training.
The more he looked around, the more AU-ranked officials showed up.
There were even famous actors and actresses who had ruled the entertainment business for more than a decade. Cassian had attended dinners before, but today was different.
For some reason, however, he felt an odd sensation today, as if this hall felt way too big, even bigger than when he had been here as a child.
He was starting to feel a little pressure, completely different from his memories of this hall.
'It's a social party,' he thought to himself as he made his way with his parents to the assigned table for the Black family.
After they had taken their seats, the servants brought glasses of personalized drinks to the table. This place was also renowned for remembering the customers' tastes and preparing the perfect meal for them at every visit.
Cassian watched as champagne was poured into his glass and the plates were set in front of him. He noticed different gazes and glances directed his way, and he responded with an expression of indifference.
The Imperial Hall's five-course meal was on today's menu. Different for every customer, but the number of courses remained the same for everyone.
Cassian followed every waiter and looked at every table, observing and learning as much information as possible while also maintaining his manners and expression.
Each person he recognized in the crowd was a face he'd seen only in news reports, now seated just tables away.
"We're sorry to have told this to you on such short notice, hun," his mother said.
"It's alright," he replied. "I'm used to it."
"Glad you are," his father replied. "I was thinking of not bringing you, but your mother insisted."
Cassian understood why his father didn't want to initially invite him.
Nevertheless, he didn't know where he belonged; the feeling was far more draining than he thought as people finished their first and second courses of their five-course meal.
'Now it's discussion time…'
It was always a tradition that after finishing two courses, there was usually a break to talk and meet people who were not at that particular table. People called it friendly chat, but it was far from that.
As people started dividing into groups, Cassian found himself alone. No one needed to talk to him because all he had for a title was Magnus Black, the head of the AU's son.
This was no ordinary dinner, as he knew.
The waitstaff cleared the second course, prompting his father to signal for Cassian to come over.
Magnus's gaze was intense as he leaned close, holding Cassian's shoulder, so it looked like a normal father-son moment.
"I expect you to learn, Cassian. These connections will shape your path."
Cassian nodded. Like a puppet, he agreed, following his father's steps.
As he turned, he found himself face-to-face with Admiral Voss. She acknowledged him with a brief, appraising glance before saying, "Ah, Mr. Cassian Black. Your father speaks highly of you. Let's see if he's right."
Cassian returned her stare, keeping his expression neutral.
"I hope to prove him right," he replied, displaying confidence.
Their conversation was short, just the way he liked it. Those in her position often liked to discuss politics. And he disliked politics.
As the third course arrived, he found himself in a web.
His mind was not resting, as it was an important information-gathering situation, but even that was not helping his feeling of oddness in his stomach.
He watched his father's interactions. Now, it wasn't just about inspecting—he had to find his place in this party so as to not tarnish his father's reputation.
The dinner continued in the same fashion as it had been. Two more courses and another break before dessert.
Cassian finally got to take a breather when he stepped out the door of the Imperial Hall. He felt that the dinner had concluded on a note of not belonging, with subtle annoyance laced with frustration.
After some time, he understood why his parents had forced an invitation on him. As the son of AU's head, it was a necessity for him to show his face—to help his father garner this reputation.
Of course, his mother was quite apathetic about the entire ordeal, which was why she didn't force him to really talk to anyone. All in all, his main objective was to make an appearance so that others might see who was likely to succeed after Magnus retired.
To his surprise, not many politicians or investors approached him, likely due to the scrutiny they would face if they did.
When all things were said and done, his parents convinced him to attend another event since he had performed so well. It was hard to refuse them, mostly his mother, so he hinted that he wouldn't mind.
After he was dropped off at his apartment, he changed, grabbed a bottle of water, and took his laptop.
'Time to work this frustration out of the system.'