Once the servants had finished adjusting their clothes, the two of them returned to the banquet hall together.
As soon as they entered the hall, Altair saw Madame Anna signaling for him to come over. After saying goodbye to Audrey, he headed straight toward his teacher.
When Madame Anna saw Altair approaching, she turned and began looking for somewhere they could talk. Once they had found a secluded corner, she asked curiously, "Has your family been working with the Earl Hall's family recently?"
Altair thought for a moment. Seeing no reason to keep it secret, he answered frankly, "We have, more or less. Two months ago, I invested in one of Count Leif's projects. A month ago, Earl Hall joined in through an exchange of benefits."
"You've probably heard about it. It was the issue that caused the biggest stir in the Industrial Zone a while back."
"Is something wrong?"
Madame Anna patted Altair's hand reassuringly, then said, "I thought so. I was wondering how someone as little-known as you had come to their attention."
After you left just now, Caitlyn—the Countess Hall, and Audrey's mother—kept asking about your marital prospects. There's a good chance their family has set its sights on you.
"Altair, you're the most obedient and studious student I've ever had, so I'm willing to say things I probably shouldn't. Here's some personal advice: I don't recommend marrying into the Hall family.
"Although the current Earl Hall earned an extremely high social standing and great wealth through his remarkable early investments in industry and infrastructure,
"his eldest son, Lord Hibbert, is a typical aristocratic playboy. His second son, Alfred, is levelheaded, but as the second son, he can't inherit the Hall family. At this point, he can only hope Hibbert will give him a larger share when