Chapter 154: Lando Family’s Business Gathering

Wayne was suddenly a reincarnated angel. All evidence pointed to that being the case, making denial impossible. Even he almost bought into it. Still, he knew he wasn’t one, so...

He pretended that nothing had happened.

He lived his life as usual, starting every day refreshed and devoting his limited time to the endless pursuit of knowledge. In the beginning stage of Silver Cross, he was a blank slate that could learn new things with the highest efficiency. Like a sponge, he needed and wanted every piece of knowledge he could acquire, and he had the passion for it.

Knowledge was power, and he craved knowledge.

Learning might be a dull process for others, but it was happy hours for Wayne. In melee combat, he sparred with Veronica. In learning knightly swordsmanship, he had Valkyrie and Vera. In theoretical knowledge, he received one-on-one tutoring from Kristen. The fact that he could learn while improving their relationships doubled the fun.

Even with meditation, which took the most time, he was supported by the endless supply of old friends from the four rings, allowing him to make perceptible progress every day, keeping his spirit up.

In the meantime, he had visited Cambrook County to make an appearance at Nature’s base. Then he made a detour to a spot near the Silent Hill to open the

Book of Seals

, having a good meal.

The

Book of Seals

provided by the demons was quite useful, in a higher league than the treasure stored in Saint Paul’s Cathedral. When he opened the book, though, he could only pillage the four elements and not the divine power of storm and thunder.

For that, he would have to release the obelisk stone tablet fully, returning it to its original state. That was too risky to be viable at the moment. Forget about the divine power. His priority was to take his old friends under his wing.

There was more than one stone tablet, so who knew if the other holders would kidnap his old friends? There were only so many of them, and the more they fell victim to element-trafficking, the fewer of them Wayne could take in. Thus, moving them was his primary goal.

For that, he phoned Director Planck and took the antique silver coin from him. The four rings could wait. Those were his private properties, over which he had an inviolable right. He didn’t have to worry about the elements contained inside falling into another’s hand. The grey space that the antique coin led to was a different story. Wayne had seen the same coin in Auston’s hands, which meant that other members of the Free Mage Alliance had one.

The pie was only so big. If he didn’t get a slice, others would. If he didn’t finish it now, he wouldn’t even get a bite later. The thought that his wealth could be claimed and stolen by others made his heart burn. Those were

his

antique silver coins, only lent to the alliance for safekeeping. How dare they consider the coins theirs?

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

When Planck returned his silver coin to Wayne, he asked a few questions amicably. He wasn’t surprised by the rapid progress Wayne was making. It made sense for a first human with the original bloodline.

He was curious about which faiths Wayne had chosen and was eager to provide support. He seemed certain that Wayne wouldn’t limit himself to the three goddesses of the Life Alliance since the more deities he followed, the better.

Everyone was greedy, especially mages.

Planck had given Wayne a ring of Darkness. He was sure that Wayne would get addicted after a taste and include the Goddess of Darkness in his selection for the god component. It wouldn’t be a problem if he lacked knowledge. Planck could supply that, making sure that Wayne would overcome the Silver stage.

Once he reached Gold rank...

Muhaha, Red Leaf Asylum was in need of an attending physician!

No love was unconditional. The old man clearly had ulterior motives for treating him so nicely. Wayne couldn’t figure it out just yet, so he didn’t give a straight answer, instead saying that he had to consider whether he would adopt the faith in Darkness.

Since reaching Silver rank, his thoughts had gotten stronger and stronger, which increased the

Book of Greed

’s appetite. The eyeballs in the four corners of the cover were insatiable. The number of tentacles they extended while he meditated increased continuously, raising the speed of their plundering. They yearned for the four elements with fervor.

It was a good thing!

Wayne no longer saw ‘greed’ as a negative descriptor. Being greedy was being ambitious, which was a compliment, just like his magnanimous nature of taking in every first love he had encountered.

It was thanks to the

Book of Greed

’s avarice that he could maintain his efficiency in collecting elements. His life essence was making a three percent progress every day, much faster than when he was in the hexagram stage.

Still, it wasn’t that quick, considering the three percent progress was only for his faith in Nature. Once he expanded his selection to five goddesses, the increase would be even less noticeable.

“Let’s take it easy. At least I don’t lack resources now.”

Wayne threw himself into his happy studying, rarely making an appearance at his detective agency. Since he wouldn’t show up at work, Mona visited him at home, and she always showed up during dinnertime in an attempt to make him get used to her existence and to blend into the family. In her words, it was only natural for her master to be responsible for feeding her!

She was indeed a smart woman. Whatever magic she pulled, she had quickly turned Vera around, and Vera now called her ‘sister’ like they had been best friends for years. Considering how easy Vera was, though, it wasn’t much of an achievement to convert her.

Kristen, for example, had been politely aloof to Mona. She never called Mona by name alone, always addressing her as Miss Mona or Detective Mona. Yet she couldn’t be faulted for being unfriendly since Kristen always greeted Mona with a smile.

The outsider’s skirts are getting shorter and shorter,

Kristen thought with concern.

Veronica lacks shrewdness, while Vera lacks intelligence. If I stay out of this, Wayne will become her captive, and they will suffer great losses.

Veronica, on the other hand, was downright hostile to Mona. The first time she met Mona, she labeled her as a ‘bad woman’. In her conservative view, black stockings and short skirts constituted a bad woman since a good woman never exposed her body to a gentleman. Mona had to be aiming for something. The last time Veronica saw someone so skimpily dressed was in Mr. Lando’s office.

Wayne watched them like a spectator, feeling good about his life. Mona was a catfish stirring up the water and rejuvenating the environment[1].

Work harder!

You must all work harder, or you’ll have no future!

***

It was the fourteenth of October, the day of the business gathering Auston had invited Wayne to. The event began at three in the afternoon and ended at eight at night, held in a business venue in Central Londan.

Since noon, Veryl had been hard at work, arranging Wayne’s outfit with great care and reviewing important social etiquette for him. The butler’s thinking was simple: he wanted to prove to Auston that the new master of his choice was no lesser than his previous master!

Wayne was patient with Veryl. Even when he was getting tired of the lecture, he let Veryl fuss over him with a smile.

“Master, are you sure you’re not taking a companion?” Veryl frowned. “Any of the three ladies in your life can accompany you to the gathering. If you’re worried about getting rejected, consider Miss Mona. She will not turn you down.”

As expected of a professional butler. He had a good eye for people and immediately noticed that Mona would do whatever Wayne commanded. It wasn’t a relationship between lovers, friends, or employer and employee, and the power imbalance between them exceeded that between a regular master and servant. So...

Veryl didn’t expose him. Someone as young as Wayne was bound to have needs. It was perfectly normal.

“I don’t need a companion. I’ll go alone.” Wayne glanced at his watch. Veryl had been nagging him for two hours. It was time to depart. “Oh, Veryl, remember to wait for me in the parking lot. I’m not going to stay for long.”

Wayne wasn’t interested in the business gathering, and he suspected that it was a trap set up by Auston. Originally, he wasn’t going to attend, but that would be disrespectful to his master. He decided to go and enjoy it as a free dinner after some deliberation.

Accumulating wealth was about increasing income and cutting expenses, so he would be earning money by saving money.

You’re being naive, Master!

Veryl thought with a smile. He had already guessed the purpose of the invitation; Wayne wouldn’t return home until much later today.

***

Financial Town, Central District of Londan.

The business venue was located in the most prosperous street block in the area, where rows of banks and stock exchanges were clustered, and upper-class elites of the society gathered. They all had their connections and were no longer targets for exploitation, but the sickle with which the rich and powerful reaped the exploitable victims. They were one opportunity away from joining the dark side and finding their sickles.

The business gathering today was a perfect opportunity.

The socialites, too, were eager for the opportunity to build connections. They could increase their value by investing in social elites who had yet to make a name for themselves or by playing around with the rich and powerful. Even just making an appearance would help.

The elites and the rich and powerful suffered no losses, while the socialites stood to gain a great deal. Everyone came out of the arrangement a winner.

Veryl thought Wayne would stand out if he attended the gathering without a companion, so he proposed to contact a socialite for him.

“You have ways to do that? Why did you never mention it?” Wayne got out of a luxurious black car, waving the invitation in his hand with a smile. “Those women are too much for me, Veryl. You don’t want a random socialite to become the mistress of the Wayne family, do you?”

“You misunderstand, Master. They aren’t cheap women but ladies from wealthy families, educated, learned, and incredibly graceful. They also contribute to society.”

Wayne realized his mistake. Yes, in this age, socialites were well-regarded and hadn’t yet fallen from grace.

“Master, if you need me to contact—”

“Next time. For sure!”

He decisively turned the butler down, entering the venue by showing his invitation.

Veryl was right, but boys—especially innocent, good boys who didn’t yet know the way of the world—should protect themselves outside. He had been through the honeytrap of a charismatic actress; he didn’t want to repeat that experience.

Besides, he didn’t actually lack a companion. He simply didn’t want to bring one. If anyone questioned him, he would summon Mona with a whistle.

***

The venue had four floors. The first was the reception hall, the second the display hall for various products, the third the lecture hall and the meeting rooms, and the fourth a temporarily arranged banquet hall serving a scrumptious buffet.

It was very formal!

Unlike what Wayne imagined, there was no pool or beautiful ladies dressed in swimsuits. Neither were there people singing and dancing to entertain the guests. High society might be depraved, but they weren’t brainless. Activities benefitting physical and mental health were limited to private gatherings.

Clad in a black suit, Wayne went around the second-floor exhibition and saw the stockings he designed in the household goods area, with a sign that said, “Partnerships welcomed, limited to those from outside Windsor.”

The Lando family invested in a variety of industries, ranging from military production to household goods, but the financial sector was still the focus. The family first exploited people through financial services before investing in other fields.

Compared to their lucrative financial business, the other industries fell far behind, and Auston wasn’t interested in investing overseas, so when a product caught the market by storm, he would invite foreign businesses to form partnerships.

Wayne went around the exhibition hall, particularly interested in the display of military products, featuring models of the real things.

The second-floor exhibition hall was spacious. He ran into quite a lot of socialites, and as Veryl said, while not everyone was particularly stunning, they were all educated and well-mannered. Most strikingly, they all held themselves with grace.

Many elites struck up a conversation with Wayne, too. After confirming that he was a nobody, they left after handing him a name card politely.

Wayne checked his watch. It was four o’clock, about time to head to the buffet for dinner. He made it straight to the fourth floor. No one else was there.

“Yes, stay busy!”

He grabbed a plate and picked up a roasted sausage and two pieces of bread to make a sandwich. Before he could take a bite, he saw a familiar figure walking toward him.

The woman had short blonde hair and wore an impeccable suit. Megan!

“As expected, here you are, Young Master Wayne.”

“Why, have you been looking for me?” Wayne glanced at the sandwich on his plate and offered it to her. “Want some, Megan?”

Megan shook her head without an expression. She was able to find Wayne so quickly because of Auston’s accurate judgment, which he came to through the process of elimination. Wayne wouldn’t stay in the exhibition hall for too long, and he wouldn’t go to the lecture hall or the meeting room. Also, to maintain his image of a reserved man who kept his distance from women, he would avoid the socialites...

Thus, he would be found at the buffet. She had to go to him quickly, or he would head home soon.

She didn’t voice all that to Wayne, of course, but instead got right to the point. “Master Auston is waiting for you in one of the meeting rooms on the third floor. Please follow me.”

“He’s waiting for me?” Wayne’s heart sank. As expected, after a period of peace, the old man was going to make another move.

“He is.”

“May I ask if my master is with Mr. Auston?”

“She was. Now, Mistress is discussing business with a foreign company on Master’s behalf. Master is alone in the meeting room with no strange women around. Please don’t worry about it.”

“Did he tell you to say that?”

“He did.”

“...”

Wayne huffed. That was why he didn’t like Auston. The old man could read him so well it was almost uncanny, as if he were a roundworm living in his stomach[2].

He would tell Veryl to get deworming medicine first thing when he got home!

***

Third floor.

Megan led Wayne through the corridor to the meeting room. Quite a few social elites had found their benefactors and reached an agreement, ready to head to the fourth floor to celebrate with red wine. Although they didn’t know Wayne, they knew Megan was the Lando family butler, as well as Auston’s secretary, assistant, and lover. Thus, they cast curious glances at Wayne, speculating about who the lucky guy was.

Megan knocked on the meeting room marked with ‘00’, opening the door to let Wayne enter while she stood guard outside. Wayne sucked in a breath, but still walked into the room.

Inside, Auston stood before the window with the antique silver coin he always carried with him, showing Wayne his broody-looking back. Wayne looked around. Indeed, there was no strange woman in sight. He went up to the window and stood beside Auston.

Both of them stayed silent, and only after ten minutes did Auston say, “To be honest, I didn’t like you, and I still don’t. I think I’ll continue to dislike you.”

Same here!

Wayne nodded, accepting that as fact. Auston was straightforward, just like him.

It was a groundbreaking event where Auston initiated a conversation with him for the first time. Wayne would like to know what he was thinking.

“But you’re Silvia’s student...” Auston shifted his gaze from the window to him for a moment. “The Lando is one of the Tulip Families, once a member of the Tulip Knight Order. We’ve sworn to be loyal to the royal family for generations!”

“After the regime evolved into a constitutional monarchy, the royal family retreated to the background and ruled without governing, seemingly giving their power to every subject. The knight order thus disbanded, and according to the royal family’s order, the fourteen families came to be...”

“Receiving starting funds, the fourteen families entered different fields in Windsor, including economy, politics, culture, military... and magic.”

Auston explained simply the history of the Tulip Families and the rise and fall of the Lando family. Half an hour passed in his storytelling.

So, why are you telling me this? (一`´一;)

Sweat streaked down Wayne’s forehead. He might be overthinking this, but it sounded like the old man was making post-mortem arrangements. It was as if Wayne would be the successor of the family, and once the old man died, Auston’s wife and daughter would be his responsibility.

How absurd!

Master, where are you? Your husband’s gone mad!

1. A reference to the catfish effect, where a strong competitor is introduced into an environment and ends up pushing the weak to better themselves. It’s now commonly used in the dating context, especially in dating variety shows. Oftentimes, there will be participants entering the show at a later time to shake up the established dynamics. ☜

2. A common phrase to express someone knowing another person unnaturally well. ☜