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Backlund, Empress Borough, East Tucker Family's luxurious villa.
The hall on the first floor was decorated with solemnity and splendor, ready to welcome distinguished guests from various noble families.
At the entrance of the hall, a pair of golden, magnificent drapes hung from the tall archway, and on either side of the archway, wide steps supported by meticulously carved marble railings showcased the noble temperament of the aristocracy.
The walls of the entire hall were carefully covered with cream-colored wallpaper, adorned with huge oil paintings depicting the rise of the East Tucker Family, displaying their past glory and honor.
A pair of magnificent crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each crystal shining with a soft glow, their refracted light creating a mysterious and dreamlike atmosphere within the hall.
In the center of the hall, a large rectangular dining table made of magnificent mahogany, inlaid with intricate and delicate patterns, was placed.
The table was covered with a snow-white satin tablecloth, adorned with gold trim, and set with silver cutlery and exquisite porcelain, along with delicious food such as pan-fried foie gras, roasted steak, roasted spring chicken, pan-fried sole, Desi oysters, stewed lamb, and cream soup.
Not far away, bottles of Mist Champagne, Aurmir Wine, and Southville Red Wine emitted an inviting luster under the lights.
Around the dining table, round red velvet dining chairs were lined up, their backs embroidered with exquisite patterns, and the table was adorned with fresh flowers and scented candles, emitting a tranquil and fragrant aroma.
Aaron stood at the second-floor staircase, looking down at the opulence of the first-floor hall, somewhat surprised by Mr. Butler's arrangements.
However, he was still very satisfied, and after expressing his approval to the butler beside him, he took out his gold pocket watch from his pocket and checked the time.
It was already 5:58. Aaron put away his pocket watch, straightened his magnificent formal attire, and walked downstairs towards the door.
The guests tonight were all of high status, and having the butler greet them at the door would be slightly impolite.
At least Duke Negan and Earl Hall required his personal welcome.
A luxurious carriage approached from a distance and stopped at the entrance. Duke Negan, dressed in a crisp dark blue admiral's uniform with red sashes connecting honor medals on his shoulders, stepped out with his wife, Lady Della.
Behind him followed two Beyonders dressed as secretaries; Aaron sensed they were at least Sequence 6 and above.
Aaron went up to greet and converse with Duke Negan, a major supporter of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Agushid's brother, remaining noncommittal to his attempts at solicitation.
A moment later, Duke Negan, having failed in his attempts, was led into the banquet hall by the butler.
A luxurious carriage bearing the Hall Family crest slowly stopped, and two men and two women disembarked, followed by two Nighthawks.
Aaron straightened his formal attire and proactively walked towards Earl Hall and Lady Catherine, making a scarlet moon sign by touching his chest four times clockwise.
"Praise the Goddess. It is an honor that Earl Hall could attend my party."
Earl Hall smiled and returned the scarlet moon sign:
"This is the Goddess's grace." He then introduced, "This is my eldest son, Hibbert-Hall, and this is my youngest daughter, Audrey Hall."
Aaron's eyes subtly moved, looking towards Audrey Hall in the back.
Audrey Hall wore a fitted light white long dress, with a tightly cinched bodice and an extremely narrow waist, while the multi-tiered cake-cut skirt was perfectly supported by whalebone stays.
Her golden hair was elegantly styled, her earrings, necklace, and ring all sparkled brightly, and on her feet were white dance shoes inlaid with roses and diamonds.
Her emerald green eyes, both deep like the ocean and pure as the finest gems, were curiously observing Aaron.
After their gazes met, she shyly lowered her head slightly and picked up a golden retriever puppy that was quietly sitting at her feet.
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly; due to the angle and its small size, he hadn't initially noticed that a golden retriever puppy had also gotten out of the carriage.
Now it was being held in Audrey's arms, looking at him with innocent eyes.
Noticing Aaron's unusual reaction, Earl Hall explained with a slight apology:
"This is a pet I gave Audrey last month. Audrey likes it very much, so she brought it to the party. It's very well-behaved, and Audrey can keep an eye on it."
Aaron smiled and nodded, took a few steps forward, stroked the golden retriever puppy's soft fur, and said with a smile:
"It's alright, I also like pets very much."
He secretly muttered to himself, "So this is Susie, the future Dog of Fantasies. She's really cute when she's little. Should I also get a Beyonder pet?"
After the pleasantries, Aaron personally led the Hall Family into the banquet hall, while the remaining guests were greeted by Mr. Butler.
The banquet guests had not yet all arrived; those who had already come gathered in small groups. Duke Negan was surrounded by several Conservative Party nobles, while Earl Hall was surrounded by several bankers.
Aaron glanced at the situation in the banquet hall and found Audrey in a corner, feeding Susie.
Aaron smiled, picked up two glasses of champagne, and walked over.
Seeing the host of the banquet arrive, Audrey stopped feeding and performed an elegant noble bow, and the golden retriever Susie also sat up properly and looked at Aaron.
Aaron returned the bow, handed one of the champagne glasses to Audrey, and said with a smile:
"Beautiful Miss Hall, it seems the party will still be a while before it truly begins. I would like to invite you for a stroll in the garden."
Audrey looked at the young man, who was about her age, with great curiosity.
She took the offered champagne, stroked the golden retriever puppy's head, and nodded in agreement.
Aaron smiled and said something to the male servant accompanying him, asking him to inform the butler that he was going for a walk in the garden and that if anything came up, he could be found there.
He then led Audrey and the golden retriever puppy out of the banquet hall and towards the garden.
Not far away, Earl Hall and Lady Catherine exchanged glances but did not intervene.
Duke Negan also saw this scene, frowned slightly, and whispered to a gentleman beside him.
Aaron strolled in the garden with Audrey and Susie, their respective male servants and maids slowly following at a distance.
They discussed various news, including the weather conditions in Backlund, which noble family was experiencing a financial crisis, and so on.
To avoid uncontrollable factors, he deliberately avoided topics related to mysticism.
Even so, the two gradually became more familiar, and Aaron reasonably learned Susie's name from Audrey.
Soon, the topic came to the fundamental reason for holding this banquet—the dispute over the grain act.
Aaron stopped and looked at Audrey, slowly speaking:
"What do you think of the grain act?"
Audrey blinked her emerald green eyes, looking at her new friend.
"My father told me it's something beneficial for the country and the people, but I don't understand its meaning, and Father is unwilling to explain it to me, always thinking I'm still just a child."
As she spoke, Audrey puffed out her cheeks, stroked Susie's soft golden fur beside her, which again drew Susie's innocent gaze.
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