"Mr. Thornheart, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Sir Goldberg remarked with a smile.
Mr. Thornheart replied. "How could I miss such an event?... I am glad you invited me."
Alex watched with interest as a few nobles gathered around the man known as Thornheart.
He had an air of nobility about him with an underlying sense of commonality.
A strange combination but what was even stranger was that Alex couldn’t seem to keep his eyes away from him for too long.
It was almost as though something was drawing him while also pushing him away, causing him to fall into a dilemma of sorts.
"Yeah?" Nadia replied from beside him.
Currently, they were both seated at a corner of the banquet hall, watching the proceedings with keen eyes.
"Do you know anything about that Thornheart fellow?"
Nadia glanced at the man in question and after pondering for a moment, replied. "If I’m not wrong, that should be Abraham Thornheart."
"What’s so special about him that the proud nobles would follow him like flies?" Alex inquired.
"Well, it’s understandable seeing as how he managed to gain control and ownership over everything the Albion family once held after your paper caused their patriarch to lose his title."
"He gained ownership?"
"Indeed." Nadia nodded. "No one knows how but he is the new owner of the Albion estate and since the Albions were second only to the Maple family, it’s understandable that nobles from weaker families would want to worm their way into his life to take everything from underneath his nose. It’s easier to deal with one man than to deal with an entire family."
Alex studied Abraham before sighing. "It looks more like he is scamming them though."
"I’d expect nothing more from a commoner that managed to become a powerhouse overnight," Nadia remarked only to reveal a disgusted expression at the approach of a certain personage.
"Lady Nadia, I’m glad you could make it," Oliver remarked as he stood before her with a most charming smile on his lips.
Nadia ’smiled’ back as she replied. "I’m most honored to be invited to such a gathering."
"I understand. The personages invited for the banquet are not to be looked down upon." Oliver remarked while throwing a side-eye in Alex’s direction.
However the latter couldn’t care less about what he was saying as he activated his spirituality to study Abraham only to turn up a blank.
There was nothing of note.
Alex expected for him to be a Mystic but Abraham was normal... a bit too normal.
He furrowed his brows as he pondered on what exactly drew him to Abraham.
Just as he considered approaching him, Nadia grabbed his hand, jolting his thoughts.
"I was just saying that we were about to go for a dance, isn’t that right?" Nadia remarked, a brilliant smile on her visage.
Realizing her true intentions, Alex had no choice but to play along as he glanced at Oliver.
As he spoke, he rose to his feet with Nadia and led her to the dancefloor.
Oliver glared at Alex’s back as he clenched his fist.
’Fatima!... Where the fuck are you!’
Upon getting to the dancefloor, Alex held Nadia’s right hand with his own before placing his left on her waist after which they began to move to the slow song playing in the background.
Just then, Alex felt a gaze in his direction causing him to glance back but no one was there.
Frowning deeply, a slight headache assaulted Alex as he wondered if he had forgotten something.
Just then, Nadia reached out and placed her palm on his cheek before shifting his attention back to her.
"What are you looking for?" She asked jokingly as she added. "Is the beauty before you not enough?"
A smile tugged at the corners of Alex’s lips as he replied. "You look stunning tonight."
Rendered speechless by the compliment, Nadia took some time to compose herself as a blush appeared on her rosy cheeks.
Nadia then went ahead to place her head on Alex’s chest as she muttered softly. "This is nice."
Alex didn’t reply as he kept Nadia close as they slowly danced till the end of the song.
After the dancing and initial merriment, Mrs. Goldberg was called to cut her three-layered cake.
Standing aside, the nobles watched with anticipation as she blew out the candles and picked up a knife to cut the cake.
Meanwhile, Alex stood aside, his gaze dancing around the crowd as he was searching for someone or at least... something.
However, he couldn’t seem to remember what it was in the slightest.
"Hip hip, hooray!" The nobles cheered as Mrs. Goldberg cut her cake and picking up a platter, went ahead to cut out a healthy slice.
Just as she prepared to feed her husband, the lights began to flicker and at the same time, a mist slowly spread down from the stairs, engulfing the entire hall.
Alex looked down before quickly grabbing Nadia’s hand.
"Hold your breath." He said.
Noticing the mist a bit later, she did as she was told before asking.
Alex studied the expressions of the nobles as some began to collapse while others were on the verge of doing so.
"The Hyenas are acting first."
Pulling Nadia along, he added. "Come with me."
They quickly rushed out of the hall and into the garden to escape the mist and whatever effects it had.
"A mist that causes people to sleep is most likely a concoction. Hyenas have no such ability."
"Mn, brews made from rituals with various effects. It’s mostly a specialty for Mystics of the Devil Wheel."
"So it’s the mysterious woman acting..."
The sound of clapping caused Alex and Nadia to pause their conversation as they glanced at the entrance of the hall to find a woman donning a black veil with a similar-colored gown walking out from the hall.
Due to the low neckline of her dress, a symbol of two figures engaged in intercourse was visible in between Fatima’s cleavages.
"Alex, be careful." Nadia used her hand to hold Alex back upon studying Fatima’s Stigma.
"A Devil Wheel Mystic contracted with the Lust Devil, her powers would be a bad fit for you."
Alex acutely caught the word, Lust, causing him to frown.
Placing his hand on Nadia’s shoulder to calm her down, he addressed Fatima.
"Are you the one that sent those Hyenas to attack my family?"
Fatima replied. "Yes."
Then going ahead to remove her veil, she revealed a most charming smile as she added with a wink. "But I hope you don’t misunderstand... I had no choice."
Alex’s heart palpitated as he met her gaze and he began to feel weird all over his body, especially down there.
Taking a moment to breathe, he said to Nadia. "Now I see what you meant."