Dinner Party, Part One

"The most important question is, how will the Siracusa see them?"

"Faced with questioning from their family, they actually chose to evade the issue... Perhaps everyone present had their own reasons and concerns, but to ordinary people, this was proof of the Gray Hall's weakness; they were powerless to stand against the family..."

"And how can the Siracusa trust someone who can't protect them from their families?"

"So someone will definitely come to the Gray Hall... but whether it's Madam Sicily... that's uncertain."

Celinina spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Lappland, standing to the side, simply pursed his lips.

Clearly, although she didn't say it, she also felt that Celinina's reasoning was sound.

Of course, these considerations might seem obvious to them, but to Lavinia, they were completely foreign topics.

She only listened for a short while before her head started buzzing and even started to ache.

All she could see was knowledge from books...

Although it was just the content in the book, the complex and profound things in it had already given her headaches and made her feel helpless time and time again.

But the information that has been sculpted into predetermined events is completely incomparable to the information that Lappland and Celinina are currently exchanging.

Lavinia was learning about things that already had results and judgments, while the two girls were exchanging purely theoretical speculations... This involved many aspects.

These were things she had never known or learned before...

Of course, she also didn't have enough time to study.

As time passed, she soon followed Lappland and the others into the hall, sat in a corner, and quietly listened to the family representative rambling on with those standardized prayers.

The group of people in black sat quietly and closely packed together, maintaining silence among themselves. An unknown incense wafted through the silent room...

This reminded Lavinia of Maria.

Although it was also incense, the smell of this incense made Lavinia feel extremely uncomfortable.

The swaying crowd, like twisted shadows in the darkness, flickered and swayed, a sight that made one nauseous under the lamplight.

Although Lappland was a member of the Saluzzo Family, she seemed unusually relaxed about it, even leaning back in her chair with her hands behind her head to relax.

On the contrary, Celinina, as a member of the Texas Family, was solemn in this occasion.

Lavinia... she only sat for a short while before feeling her stomach begin to cramp.

Are you feeling unwell?

Lappland noticed this quickly and looked at the girl with some surprise.

"Hmm... a little."

"Then you can leave the field first~"

"Huh?" Lavinia paused, looking somewhat nervous. "Is this... alright?"

"What's the problem?"

Lappland, on the other hand, didn't think it mattered much.

Rules are always meant to serve people... If you're not comfortable, just leave.

There's no need to suffer and force yourself to endure it just because of what others think.

"Is that so...?" Lavinia was stunned for a long time after hearing Lappland's opinion.

But after a moment, she nodded slightly and left the venue quietly.

As soon as she stepped out of the venue, she felt a strong sense of relaxation.

She took deep breaths of the pristine outdoor air, savoring both the hardships and comforts of life.

It was at this moment that she suddenly noticed that right next to her, a lady was standing quietly, looking up at the moon slowly rising overhead.

"Um?"

The sudden appearance of the woman puzzled Lavinia.

Just as she was about to take a closer look at the other person, the other person also turned their head away.

It was a slightly aged face...

Although she took great care of herself, it was clear that the power of time was still something she couldn't resist.

Time, with its merciless knife, has still carved many scars on the woman's face.

But those eyes remained clear.

She just stood there quietly, watching Lavinia...

Chapter 231 The Banquet (Part 1)

The woman stood there quietly, silently watching the girl.

Despite her advanced age, Lavinia still felt strained and embarrassed when she saw the other person.

She wasn't sure what the other person's opinion was, but in her own view, the old woman in front of her was someone in a class of her own.

A very unique and distinctive temperament.

After a moment of stunned silence, Lavinia noticed that the other person had turned to look at her. She then quickly nodded, turned around, and hurriedly prepared to leave.

But at that moment, the old woman suddenly spoke.

"Lavinia..."

The girl stopped in her tracks.

"Yeah?"

The old woman continued speaking, a gentle smile on her face.

Lavinia stiffly turned her head, looked at the other person's calm eyes, and hesitantly nodded.

"You... know me?"

"I've seen you before...you're a regular at the library." The old woman didn't seem as sharp as she appeared; on the contrary, she was very easy to talk to, her tone even gentle, and her eyes held a hint of a smile as she looked at Lavinia.

"You study very hard... many people have seen it."

"Thank you." Lavinia lowered her head shyly, her face slightly flushed.

Although studying was a habit of hers, she felt somewhat embarrassed when someone suddenly pointed it out and praised her.

"You... you saw it?"

The old woman smiled and slowly walked to the girl's side.

I don't go to the library much.

"Then how did you..." Lavinia asked, somewhat puzzled.

If the old woman doesn't go to the library, how could she say she sees me often?

"I only meet with the librarian occasionally...we've been friends for many years." The old woman spoke slowly, reaching out to gently stroke the girl's smooth face. "He mentioned to me a little Lupo girl who comes almost every day and reads a lot of books that are too big for her age...I think that must be you?"

"Yes, madam."

Lavinia lowered her head in embarrassment.

But the old woman just smiled.

Are you studying the Law?

Clearly, this was something the old woman knew through her network of connections.

"Yes." Lavinia didn't hide anything. After nodding in acknowledgment for a moment, she hesitated and looked up again. "Are you... also interested in this?"

A little, but not much.

The old woman readily admitted her point of view, and only smiled after seeing Lavinia shyly lower her head again.

Are you afraid of me?

"..."

Do you know who I am?

"... I'm sorry, madam, I... I don't know." Lavinia became nervous upon hearing this question.

She barely knew any of the so-called family members, so all she could do in response to the old woman's words was nervously apologize, lest she anger her.

But the old woman took it all in stride.

Rather, she was actually happier after learning that Lavinia didn't recognize her.

"Don't be nervous, girl, this is how our relationship should be..."

"Um?"

"I should have just been an ordinary old man, and you should have just been an ordinary girl... There's no question of who's superior or inferior between us... Those are just things used under the rules, but right now, we're both just guests invited here."

As the old woman spoke, she gently took the girl's hand and led her to look into the distance.

The Saluzzo Family chose an excellent location, situated on the only small hill in the flat city of Volsinii, offering a clear view of the entire Volsinii.

As night fell, Siracusa gradually fell into tranquility, but even in this tranquility, a few lights still shone sparsely.

Through the towering tree canopies on either side, they looked out at the distant plains... and the landscape where the plains met the sky.

On the ground, the light twinkled, even more dazzling than the stars in the sky.

"When you see scenery like this... what comes to mind?"

The old woman suddenly asked another question.

But this question stumped Lavinia.

She was just a child. Although she studied very hard, the level of knowledge one possesses does not represent the level of one's intelligence. Still young, what could she say in this situation?

After struggling for a long time, she could only manage to utter one sentence.

"Nice..."

"Beautiful?" The old woman was taken aback for a moment, then looked more closely at the girl's flushed face before shaking her head and laughing in disbelief.

"Indeed... compared to other places, Volsinii's scenery is truly remarkable..."

"However... that's not what I wanted to say..."

As she spoke, she slightly turned her head and looked up at the sky.

The bright moon shines as always, but the situation is now completely different...

Lavinia stared blankly at the old woman's face, momentarily stunned.

"What's wrong?"

The old woman turned her head and smiled.

Lavinia, regaining her senses, simply lowered her head somewhat embarrassed.

"Um... the way you looked just now reminded me of a lady I know."

"Oh?" The old woman seemed somewhat interested in this.

"What kind of person is she?"

"...I don't know." Lavinia shook her head, honestly stating her thoughts.

She didn't know what kind of person Maria was...

But after the old woman asked the question, she lowered her head and began to think seriously about Maria.

What does she mean to you?

"Huh?"

"It's the person you said I reminded you of."

The old woman's smile was gentle; she truly was like an old lady, quietly guiding the girl and helping her see her true thoughts.

"What... does she mean...?"

Lavinia was stunned.

She lowered her head, pondered for a long time, and then slowly raised her head.