Chapter 94: The Canary’s Ir Debut!
“Marquis Harvey! It’s been a long time!”
Marquis Reynolds’s laughter was proper and hearty, but it made Harvey extremely annoyed.
“It has indeed been a long time, Lord Marquis Reynolds!”
As a representative of the new faction, Harvey was naturally not fond of Reynolds, a representative of the old faction. The two men embraced warmly, patting each other on the shoulder and laughing heartily.
“Oh, where’s that wizard’s pipe you love so much? Didn’t you always carry it with you?”
Carter, behind Harvey, raised an eyebrow and was about to explain, but he saw his father wave his hand dismissively and say magnanimously, “It’s just a pipe. I don’t know where I put it. I’ll just buy a new one when I have time.”
“But where’s your gold monocle?”
Reynolds also laughed heartily, then shrugged and said, “The cat at home broke it. I’ll have to switch to a crystal one. I was in a hurry to leave today and didn’t find it.”
Carter watched the two marquises bickering like children and sighed helplessly.
“Sigh…” x2
Quietly looking up, Carter saw Phyllis behind Reynolds. Their eyes met for a moment, then darted away.
“No one saw.”
“No matter what this Shelley is like… it’s good to see Phyllis.”
In the banquet hall, the nobles were mingling with their families. It was worth noting that, due to Nadia’s own charisma, female heads of noble houses made up half of the nobility. Most of these female nobles were admirers of Nadia herself, a fact that the old half-elf woman named Winnie had told Shelley.
“Lady Winnie has arrived!”
“Lady Winnie!”
The noisy hall fell silent. Everyone bowed their heads respectfully, waiting for the old woman to pass. Half-elves had longer lifespans than humans. Two hundred years was at most three generations. There were even old people in the hall who were only a few decades younger than Winnie.
Shelley wanted to support her, but she refused. He could only let Winnie take his arm, recalling some information about the half-elven kingdom from his past life.
Winnie Meili, “the Benevolent.” One of the few heroes who had liberated the half-elves alongside Nadia. One of the only two women among them, she had never married. Born a lowly slave, she was saved by the newly freed Nadia when she was on the verge of death and had been by her side ever since. But such a legendary-tier priestess, due to severe injuries sustained in her early years that were not treated in time, had little time left. It had to be said, she was a legendary woman.
“So? What do you think of the children?”
Winnie’s benevolent voice sounded in Shelley’s mind, filled with amusement, as if she were chatting with a friend.
“You are very respected.”
Without directly answering Winnie’s question, Shelley replied with a smile.
In fact, Shelley did have some thoughts. The situation with the half-elven nobles was better than he had thought. It seemed that after two hundred years, some of the old spirit still remained. Power had not completely corrupted the nobility. And the new generation…
He took a good look at the young couple who were secretly glancing at each other. Shelley found it quite interesting. Both of their parents could see their children’s little movements, but they all pretended not to know.
“Two silly children. The makings of a Romeo and Juliet.”
“Interesting, interesting.”
“Much better than I had initially expected.”
I thought it would be a tense standoff.
Arriving at her seat, Winnie said softly, “Everyone, I would like to introduce the gentleman beside me.”
The benevolent, gentle voice spread throughout the hall. Everyone looked up and only then noticed a strange human man beside Winnie.
The human man didn’t look old. His body was clearly well-trained, but not as burly as a barbaric warrior. This was very much in line with the half-elven aesthetic. The massive muscles of orcs and barbarians, coupled with their habit of taking off their clothes when excited, was a nightmare.
And what was most surprising was his face. His features were very soft, but it wasn’t a neutral beauty. It was a handsome, gentle type. His silver-gray hair was simply combed back and tied into a low ponytail. His azure eyes were like the purest sapphires, filled with a gentle, warm gaze.
Under Shelley’s full power, his aura was like a warm sun, shining on everyone around him.
Charisma didn’t just come from facial features. A person’s temperament and bearing were also a form of charisma. The domineering aura of an emperor, even an unattractive one, is charisma. Even a kobold’s attraction to elemental power is charisma.
In any case, it was certain that of Shelley’s 25 points of charisma… most of it was in his face. (laughs)
“A femme fatale…”
Someone’s whisper escaped their lips. Many people silently nodded, especially a few single female nobles, who were particularly enthusiastic.
“I didn’t believe that a human could capture the queen’s heart, but now it seems…”
“It’s quite natural.”
Secretly pleased, Shelley’s expression didn’t betray anything. He elegantly performed a standard half-elven court bow.
“Pillars of Ir, it is an honor to meet you.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Nadia’s lover, Shelley.”
A commotion broke out. Everyone had thought he would be nervous in such a situation. But he was like a host, completely at ease, even feeling like a fish in water.
“Compared to the foul-mouthed half-orcs, nobles are much easier to deal with.”
Winnie smiled, interrupting the few nobles who wanted to ask questions. “Her Majesty the Queen is resting in her bedchamber. Let’s begin the banquet.”
“Yes!”
Melodious music began to play. Shelley remembered it was the same song he had heard in Nadia’s study last time, the one that was playing when he and Nadia had confirmed their relationship.
The banquet began. Although the food was lavish, no one had much of an appetite. But they couldn’t all crowd around him. They could only look at the people around Shelley with envy, their ears pricked to hear the conversation.
A group of noblewomen and girls of various appearances and ages gathered around Shelley. After some chitchat, a noble lady finally asked, “…We still don’t know your background.”
“Me? I am the illegitimate son of a duke in the Kingdom of Fente.”
His status wasn’t low, but his family was far away in Fente. No threat.
“What are your plans for the future?”
“I plan to travel the world, to improve myself…”
“To eradicate evil and defend justice.”
The people around him were stunned. The noble lady who had asked the question even dropped her fork…
Maintaining his expression, Shelley caught the falling fork, wiped it with a silk napkin from the side, and gently handed it to her.
“Yes, I am a paladin.”
“And the oath I have sworn is…”
“The Oath of the Crown.”
Perfect…
For a moment, no one could find any fault with Shelley. A harmless, non-threatening paladin who might not even stay in Ir for long in the future…
“The perfect lover for Her Majesty the Queen.”
In a corner of the hall, a few young nobles were gathered together, frowning at Shelley in the center of the crowd.
“He must be faking it! Let me go and expose his true colors!”
A slightly burly half-elf, ignoring the protests of those around him, walked directly over.
“Darcy! That brute!”
Among them, a blond man pushed up his gold-rimmed monocle and said lightly, “Let him go. He’ll expose something eventually.”
Let me see your true face, outsider!
