After purchasing Villa No. 67, the Russell family made some simple renovations before moving in with Butler Hank and eighteen servants.
In Will City, there was also a custom of hosting a banquet for friends and relatives after moving into a new home. House Russell had no relatives anywhere in Will City, but they did have friends.
Colin invited five knights, including Knight Victor and Knight Abel, as well as Bill and Ms. Anna, to attend the banquet.
That evening, the banquet was held in the large living room on the first floor. The room's decor had barely changed; only a painting from the Kebir family had been taken down, and the furniture had been replaced. The furniture had now been cleared away, replaced by a long dining table laden with cakes, biscuits, all manner of food, and drinks.
Butler Hank directed the proceedings while male and female servants moved among the guests. Though the banquet was small in scale, it was refined and luxurious, displaying the grandeur of nobility.
Linda invited her two close friends. Smith had not made any friends while working at the Ministry of Finance, so he only invited three classmates from Wales University, one of whom was a girl.
This left both Colin and Linda clicking their tongues in amazement. Smith had actually invited a female classmate?
The banquet had not yet begun, but many guests had already arrived. Linda pulled her two friends along and even snatched away Smith's female classmate, taking over a corner of the living room to whisper among themselves.
Colin stood nearby, holding a wineglass as he chatted with the early-arriving Knight Victor.
Smith stood with his two male classmates, each holding a stemmed glass as they drank and talked. His two classmates were somewhat restrained. Wales University was Wales's most prestigious institution, but it was also a school for commoners, encompassing students from both the noble and commoner classes.
However, commoners at Wales University were not as sharply divided from nobles as they were at Wales Knight Academy. Smith had once been poor himself and had never gotten along with noble-born students. Both of these classmates were commoners.
"Smith, do you remember when I visited your home five months ago?" Nelson, seated beside Smith, chatted with him while secretly glancing at Colin.
Nelson had handsome features, a slender build, and fair skin. He came from a middle-class family.
"Of course I remember. What about it?" Smith asked curiously. He had been the one to invite Nelson over that time.
"When I saw your amazing younger brother at your house last time, he seemed completely ordinary. Five months later, he still looks ordinary. So how did he found such a huge company all by himself? And even bring down a top tycoon like Kebir?" Nelson shook his head, utterly unable to understand.
Smith wore an expression as though he were constipated. Then he looked around and lowered his voice. "Forget you. Even I still haven't recovered from the shock."
Whenever Smith thought of the changes over the past few months, it all felt like a dream. A few months ago, he had still been a financial officer at the Ministry of Finance. Though he was an outstanding graduate of Wales University, he had faced the risk of being laid off.
Linda had it even worse. Her pay as a private tutor was low, and her work was unstable. Every day when she returned home, she still had to wait on two masters.
Their old house had a long history, at least eighty years old. Whenever there was a storm, they had to worry about leaks. A few months had passed in the blink of an eye, yet Linda had made no progress at all.
Colin, however, had taken a mysterious magician as his teacher and was now stirring up the winds and clouds outside.
He had even been tested and found to possess the Bronze Bloodline, so his future prospects were fairly good as well.
They now had an enormous villa, a butler, male and female servants, gardeners, coachmen, grooms, and a whole host of staff serving them.
Smith's other classmate, Orr, smiled and said, "Never mind how it happened. Congratulations on having such an amazing younger brother. May your Russell family shine forever like the midday sun."
"Congratulations," Nelson said sincerely as well.
"Thank you both." Smith gladly accepted his friends' blessings and thanked them.
As Colin chatted with Knight Victor, a male servant approached him and quietly reported something.
"I'll go greet them." Colin handed his stemmed glass to the servant, said this softly to Victor, and walked outside.
Before the two heavy mahogany doors, Colin saw Knight Abel and a striking girl of thirteen or fourteen. Her features had not yet fully matured, leaving her with a touch of childishness. Her blue eyes carried the aura of the sea, yet she was tall and well-developed. A black formal dress perfectly accentuated her flawless figure.
"Congratulations, Colin." Knight Abel smiled and gave Colin a hug, then took out an exquisite gift box and handed it to him.
Colin accepted it with a smile, thanked him, and passed the gift box to a male servant nearby.
"And this young lady is?" Colin looked toward the girl. She seemed slightly shy, hugging Knight Abel's arm and lowering her head.
"This is my grandniece, Mida. The little girl is a bit shy, so I brought her out to see the world. You have to look after her, all right?" Knight Abel gave Colin a playful wink. This old knight had always been quite humorous.
"Of course." Colin agreed with a smile, though he also caught the implication. Why had Knight Abel brought along a younger relative? And why a girl his own age? In fact, Colin had received quite a few similar hints lately.
Colin then invited Knight Abel and young Mida inside, but soon afterward he came back out to greet the arriving guests one after another.
Bill and Ms. Anna were the last to arrive. Bill still wore light makeup and women's perfume. Ms. Anna, on the other hand, wore no makeup at all. However, she was dressed in a white formal gown that day, its fitted design fully displaying her voluptuous figure. Below her firm, rounded calves were a pair of black high heels.
"Hi, Colin. Look what I brought you." Bill held the reins of a white pony. Though it was small, it looked quite spirited.
Colin remembered. Bill's thoroughbred horse, Jenny, had given birth to a foal, and Bill had once said he would give it to him.
"Thank you, Bill." Colin stepped forward and hugged Bill, then took the pony's reins from him and handed them to a male servant.
"Congratulations, Colin." Ms. Anna stepped forward, hugged Colin, and kissed his left cheek. During this period, she had rebuked Colin for frequently skipping classes at the academy, but after hearing about the waves he had made in Will City, she was truly happy for him as well.
"Thank you, Ms. Anna." Colin looked slightly embarrassed. Ms. Anna was simply too well-endowed; even a light embrace filled his arms.
The banquet was a great success. Colin even danced with Miss Mida. The girl was very shy, but she truly had an excellent figure.
Of course, Colin spent more time discussing business with Knight Victor and the other four knights. Noah Company was expanding rapidly and had tremendous momentum. The two financial advisers Colin had hired were also keeping watch at the company and reporting developments at all times.
It was already midnight when the banquet ended. The Russell family saw off most of their guests. Only Ms. Anna and Bill remained.
"Colin, I know you're busy. But as a Quasi-Knight, I hope you'll prioritize your studies. The reason several Imperial Knights are held in such high esteem is because they are knights. Do you understand?" Ms. Anna said to Colin very seriously.
Colin felt warmth in his heart and nodded with a smile.
"For the Knight Order Action on November 1st, I hope you won't ask for leave." Ms. Anna's eyes curved into a smile. She had an excellent impression of Colin and truly did not want him to neglect his studies.
"All right." Colin showed a troubled expression, but quickly agreed readily.
Will Knight Academy held its annual Knight Order Action every year, and all teachers and students in the academy took part. Though it would delay his Pharmaceutical Plan, since Ms. Anna had spoken so seriously, how could he refuse?
Before you continue