Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 9. A Lively Banquet
After returning to the palace, the first thing William did was have someone bring over a Soul Contract so the nine newly recruited attendants could sign again.
Soul Contracts were extremely expensive, but in William’s view, this form of restraint that guaranteed loyalty was far more valuable than gold coins.
After settling them in, William went to check on the noble youths.
Seeing that they were somewhat restrained but still behaved properly, he did not interfere further and simply left.
Over the next few days, William stopped going out and immersed himself in meditation and cultivation every day.
With ample financial support, he poured the most important resources—high-grade magic crystals, specially prepared body-tempering potions, and even lost swordsmanship insights—entirely into Kyle, A'gu, and the other nine.
As for the noble youths, they were only given basic cultivation materials. It was enough to maintain their daily progress, but it could hardly be considered abundant.
These noble youths clearly did not put much effort into cultivation. Instead, they spent their days investigating one another’s family backgrounds, building connections, and attempting to weave their own network within the royal palace.
William paid no attention to this. From the moment they entered the palace, he had already instructed Tos to explain the palace rules clearly—anyone who violated a taboo would bear the consequences themselves, no matter who they were.
Fortunately, according to the reports from the knights, although these youths were ambitious, they had not crossed any red lines. They had neither formed secret alliances nor intruded into forbidden areas.
Thus the days passed peacefully.
Before long, the Founding Day of the Kroll Kingdom arrived.
Two hundred years earlier, the Kroll family had overthrown the previous dynasty and established a new kingdom on this land. The royal family therefore designated this day as Founding Day, celebrating it each year with a grand festival.
The palace was already filled with festive energy early in the morning.
Maids busily hung colorful banners. Knights donned newly polished armor. Even the air carried the faint aroma of wine—the fine vintage prepared for the celebration banquet.
William walked briskly toward the throne hall.
Along the way, nobles gathered in small groups, speaking quietly among themselves. Amid the glittering garments and elegant hairstyles, the festive excitement of the holiday was evident, yet subtle undercurrents flowed beneath the surface.
Knight Tos followed closely behind him, his gaze scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
In such an occasion, glory was displayed—but hidden dangers could also lurk.
Fifteen minutes later, ceremonial cannons roared in the distance, their thunder causing the stained-glass windows of the hall to tremble faintly.
The nobles of the royal capital immediately fell silent, turning toward the entrance of the hall and waiting for the king’s arrival.
Suddenly, a tremendous pressure descended from the sky, carrying the scorching aura unique to dragon breath.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
A wind dragon with azure-tinted scales circled above the palace. Standing firmly upon its back was Kroll II, clad in a jeweled royal robe, his eyes sharp as he looked down upon the crowd below.
The wind dragon slowly descended and landed at the entrance of the hall.
Kroll II stepped down from the dragon’s back. The vibration of the dragon’s claws striking the ground seemed to echo through the air.
Without anger or expression, he walked step by step toward the throne at the center of the hall.
Each step seemed to land upon the heartbeat of everyone present.
When he finally took his seat upon the throne, all the nobles bowed in unison, their voices thunderous.
“Long live the kingdom! Long live His Majesty!”
Kroll II gave a slight nod and swept his gaze across the crowd below.
His eyes briefly lingered on the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Princess before finally settling on William. For an instant, a trace of warmth flickered in his gaze.
Then he turned to the assembled nobles and spoke in a clear voice.
“Today marks the two-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Kroll Kingdom. I thank all of you for celebrating alongside the royal family. May the kingdom prosper forever.”
“May the kingdom prosper forever!”
The nobles echoed the words once more, their voices filled with reverence.
William stood at the end of the princes’ line, quietly observing everything.
He knew that his father’s dramatic arrival on a wind dragon was both a display of royal power and a warning to the restless forces lurking in the shadows.
This banquet appeared to be a celebration.
In reality, it was a battlefield of influence.
Proposals of marriage alliances, exchanges of power, and negotiations over resources would all unfold quietly amid raised glasses and polite conversation.
William calmly observed the nobles around him.
The flattering smiles, the cautious gazes, the hidden ambitions—he committed each face to memory.
Nearby, the First Prince was laughing and conversing with a Duke. The Second Prince was raising a toast toward a powerful merchant magnate. The Third Princess was surrounded by noble ladies, chatting and smiling.
William tightened his grip on his glass.
His mother’s family was only a Marquis household. Among royal family members surrounded by numerous Dukes, that background offered little advantage.
He had already realized this during the previous annual gathering.
Vivian walked over and gently patted his arm.
“My child, are you nervous?”
William looked at his mother in confusion, unsure why she had suddenly asked that.
Vivian laughed softly at his puzzled expression.
“Come, let us go meet your grandfather, Marquis Peter.”
“He has been complaining to me recently, saying you chose attendants but did not pick anyone from the Peter family. I have been blocking him for you. Otherwise, you would have had quite the headache.”
William raised an eyebrow.
“Mother, if I choose my own attendants, do I need his approval?”
“You little rascal, making such a fuss. Are you planning to lecture your grandfather?”
Vivian rolled her eyes, her tone carrying a hint of reproach. Then she sighed.
“If it were not for what happened back then… never mind. Let us not speak of that.”
“Come on. You should at least meet him. Do not embarrass the old man.”
William remained silent for a moment before nodding.
He had never had much contact with this grandfather and felt little affection for him. Still, for his mother’s sake, meeting him once would not hurt.
Following Vivian through the bustling crowd, they arrived at a table in the corner of the banquet hall.
An elderly man with graying hair sat there alone, wearing the attire of a Marquis. He was drinking quietly, yet his gaze occasionally drifted toward William, filled with a mixture of expectation and complexity.
“Father, look who has come,” Vivian said lightly as she approached.
Marquis Peter suddenly looked up. When he saw William, he hurriedly set down his wine glass and stood up.
“L-little William. It has been a long time.”
He seemed somewhat nervous, his hands unsure where to rest.
William performed a proper bow.
“Grandfather.”
“Ah, good child.”
A broad smile instantly spread across Marquis Peter’s face, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing with delight.
“Come, sit down and have a drink with your grandfather.”
Vivian pulled William into a seat and laughed, trying to ease the atmosphere.
“Father, do not frighten the child.”
“He has been busy training attendants recently and did not have time to visit you. Please do not take it to heart.”
“It does not matter, it does not matter.”
Marquis Peter waved his hand repeatedly. His gaze rested on William with a mixture of scrutiny and pride.
“I heard you selected quite a few promising youngsters. Good eye. Just like when I was young…”
William listened quietly, occasionally giving a brief response.
He could sense that although this grandfather carried a certain air of senior authority, he held no malice. The concern in his eyes seemed genuine.
Vivian watched from the side and discreetly signaled William with her eyes, telling him not to appear too cold.
William lifted his glass of juice and raised it toward Marquis Peter.
“Grandfather, a toast to you.”
Marquis Peter’s eyes brightened. He quickly lifted his wine glass and clinked it against William’s, smiling from ear to ear.
“Good, good! What a fine child!”
The music in the banquet hall continued, while distant laughter from nobles echoed through the air.
William looked at the slightly awkward old man before him and suddenly felt that perhaps the past his mother had not spoken of contained unseen bonds.
Some relationships might not be as simple as he had imagined.