Chapter 242: Guests at the Banquet

After making this discovery, Mage Roman immediately led Shaoke toward Mage Yisier, quickly introducing some people as they walked. The Fourth Tier Mage who had been interacting with Mage Yisier was her current husband, though Roman did not know his name, and Yisier had not provided a detailed introduction. As for the other mages, Roman only told Shaoke that they were all from various sub-legions of the Blizzard Legion, offering no further explanation.

The approach of Shaoke and Mage Roman quickly caught Mage Yisier's attention. She slightly waved her hand to signal that she had noticed them.

Mage Roman mentioned Shaoke briefly without giving his name. Of course, the mages were used to this, so no awkwardness arose. Mage Yisier warmly took Shaoke’s arm, secretly pinching his back playfully before introducing her husband to him. The mages exchanged formal greetings according to protocol; then they sat down at a long table to begin their conversation.

This time, however, the discussion was primarily between Mage Yisier, Mage Roman, and a few other female mages. Shaoke and the other male mages simply sat there, listening to the female mages’ talk, occasionally chiming in with a remark before falling silent again, leaning back in their chairs to observe the other guests. Shaoke, holding his wine glass, swirled it slowly while lost in thought.

"Mage Xueye, it’s truly a pleasure to see you again." A string of Ancient Magic Tongue sounded in Shaoke’s ear. This clunky language made him uncomfortable; he only used it when transcribing texts or chanting spells, never for everyday conversation.

The one who interrupted Shaoke was the noble mage who had accompanied Francis Dun in that small town. However, following mage etiquette, the man had not embroidered his family crest on his robe, so Shaoke, despite his knowledge of heraldry, could not identify his specific family. Beside him, Mage Francis Payton, clad in a silver robe, tightly held the noble mage’s arm, nodding calmly at Shaoke.

Both were Fifth Tier Mages, as Shaoke quickly discerned from the insignia on their robes. "Is there something you need?" Following protocol, Shaoke answered in Modern Magic Tongue. Hearing this, Mage Yisier, who had been chatting with Mage Roman, suddenly burst out laughing. She walked over to Shaoke and reminded him.

"Mage Xueye, you really should learn the language used for conversation at gatherings like this. I think Ancient Magic Tongue has replaced Modern Magic Tongue as the mainstream language here." She couldn’t help laughing again.

The noble, unfazed by Shaoke’s choice of language, returned an equal greeting and switched to the same tongue to converse with him. But Shaoke merely nodded in acknowledgment and responded perfunctorily. He acted as if he forgot to invite the two mages to sit down.

Eventually, Mage Roman stood up, invited both mages to take a seat, and led Mage Francis Payton aside for a private conversation among the women. What they discussed was beyond Shaoke’s understanding at the moment.

"I am a member of the Orpheus Family. I heard from Mage Yija that you have left the Blizzard Legion and become a Wandering Mage," the noble mage said with a polite smile, stating his intent. "If you’re willing, I’d like to invite you to join my family. There, you’ll receive benefits no less than those of the Blizzard Legion." He looked at Shaoke, trying to bolster his case with evidence of his family’s strength and sincerity. Yet this tedious recruitment did not sway Shaoke’s decision, and he firmly shook his head in refusal.

After Shaoke’s rejection, the noble mage showed no anger, instead continuing to smile and chat with Shaoke and the other mages from the Blizzard Mage Corps. The other mages were happy to talk to him. As Shaoke occasionally exchanged a few words with the noble mage, a slight commotion drew the attention of all the guests.

Loud arguing echoed from the entrance of the hall. Soon, Shaoke saw Mage Yija leading several Fifth Tier Mages hurrying toward the door, with some mages following to watch. However, most mages and a few nobles remained in their original spots, continuing their conversations.

The argument did not cease with Mage Yija’s arrival; instead, it grew more intense. Eventually, the disputing parties, pushed by some onlookers, entered the hall. A lot of people were eager to see the embarrassment of a newly promoted middle-tier mage family. With no one influential enough to step in, the quarrel escalated. After a while, Shaoke still couldn’t grasp what Mage Yija and the young, handsome Fourth Tier Mage were arguing about. His puzzled expression quickly caught the noble mage’s attention, who readily explained.

It turned out that the arguing Young Mage and his companions were all students from the Imperial Academy, exceptionally talented. The leading Young Mage had advanced to Fourth Tier by just twenty years of age—a speed not unheard of, but rare enough to draw attention.

"A super genius without family backing or much help from High-rank Mages," the noble mage sighed inexplicably. "For such a person to seek marriage with a daughter of the Yija Family is no easy feat." His gaze remained fixed on the Young Mage, watching him argue with a flushed face.

After hearing this, Shaoke nodded to the noble mage to show he understood. He didn’t pay much attention to the dispute between the Young Mage and Mage Yija, as he wasn’t the host. Mage Yija was now thoroughly annoyed by this so-called super genius, whose disruptive behavior at the banquet embarrassed the family. Though no material loss occurred, the damage to their reputation was unavoidable. The mage, newly entrusted with family affairs, wished he could kill the genius and throw him out, but the time and place forbade it.

The genius mage refused the host’s suggestions, angering Mage Yija further. Just as he was at a loss, a Middle-aged Mage apologized to the nobles and High-rank Mages he had been speaking with, then interrupted the quarrel. After a few words with the genius mage, the Young Mage stopped arguing with Mage Yija and led his companions to a long table near Shaoke’s group, where they sat down. Servants quickly attended to them. The genius mage noticed the noble mage beside Shaoke and nodded in greeting before sitting down, indicating they knew each other.

"I once tried to recruit him, just like you," the noble mage said, nodding back. "Unfortunately, he refused me too, just as you did." He shrugged, feigning helplessness, though Shaoke couldn’t tell how genuine it was.

The hall returned to calm, but most conversations now revolved around the recent incident. Soon, a young Female Cleric, accompanied by several maids, approached the genius mage and spoke softly with him. Shaoke guessed she must be the one he loved.

After calming his anger, Mage Yija followed his family’s gaze and soon spotted Shaoke and the noble mage. He approached without hesitation. "Mage Xueye, I apologize for what just happened. If you have time in the future, I’d like to make amends for today’s events." He bowed to Shaoke, then briefly exchanged words with the noble mage, whom he seemed to know well, so they skipped formalities.

"Mage Xueye, would you be willing to meet my family? They’d be delighted to see you, especially since I’ve never forgotten your help in the Misty Forest." He waited nervously for Shaoke to answer, unsure if it would be positive. As he feared, Shaoke declined, not wanting to entangle himself with local mage families.

As time passed, the hall grew livelier. Half a magical hour later, a series of Ancient Magic Tongue announcements rang out, indicating it was time to present gifts. Mages could now offer their blessings for the Yija Family’s successful expansion.

Guests handed over formal magical items to the maids, who placed them on a large central table. All conversation ceased. Everyone silently assessed whether their gifts would uphold their dignity or surpass those of others.

Seeing this, Shaoke felt awkward. He hadn’t known such a custom existed at formal banquets, and Mage Roman hadn’t mentioned it. Having paid no attention to this matter, he regrettably had no gift prepared.