"Go dance."
The baroness spoke quietly, seemingly issuing some sort of command to Bruce.
The Gu she raised was called the Bewitching Heart Gu. It allowed her to control other people's actions without anyone noticing. Since this was the Gu insect's own ability, it caused no fluctuations in Spirituality Power.
In fact, all the Mistvale Family's servants were under the influence of her Bewitching Heart Gu, so there was no need to worry about them leaking secrets.
Even if something did get out in the end, it would not matter much. The servants were never allowed to hear the real secrets.
Although the baroness had given Bruce a command, he showed no reaction. He kept eating and drinking, making no move whatsoever to dance.
It actually doesn't work on him.
That shouldn't be possible.
Is some extraordinary item protecting him, or is he powerful enough to resist the influence on his own? He doesn't seem to have noticed my manipulation, so he shouldn't be that strong.
An interesting young man.
The baroness rarely encountered anyone she could not control anymore, except for untouchable beings, Extraordinaries stronger than herself, or the dead.
A faint golden ring shimmered in her pupils again. This time, she looked at another man.
He was a handsome young man, probably the son of some wealthy man, with a burly build. He was telling a young woman some amusing story, making her shake with laughter.
Shemir was delighted to have met such a witty gentleman at the party. He was so well-built that he must exercise regularly, and he came from a wealthy family. He seemed like a good marriage prospect and appeared interested in her too. She should be able to accomplish what her parents had sent her here to do.
Just as Shemir wanted to get to know him better, the young man's expression turned cold. He turned and walked away, leaving a bewildered Shemir standing there.
We were having such a nice conversation. Why did he suddenly leave?
Fickle men.
The man walked over to Bruce, his face filled with anger and displeasure.
"Sir, please mind your manners!"
Bruce gulped down the piece of meat in his mouth and looked in confusion at the young man standing before him. Anyone would be baffled by a sudden scolding.
Manners?
What's wrong with my manners?
Do I look that bad when I eat?
I'm eating my own food. What's it got to do with you?
"Who are you?" Bruce wiped his mouth with his hand.
"I'm Winston Schulte, the eldest son of the Schulte Family of Lane Village." Winston straightened up and planted his hands on his hips to make himself look more imposing. His tall, burly frame was indeed enough to make many people afraid to face him.
"Oh. And?"
Bruce shrugged, ignored Winston, and forked another piece of roast meat into his mouth. This salt-and-pepper roast meat really was delicious, with a rich texture and plenty of substance.
A son of the Schulte Family of Lane Village?
Never heard of him. Never dealt with him. Is he supposed to be impressive?
Although Bruce had considered getting to know some wealthy people, since he would certainly have dealings with them once he entered the business world, he had no interest in befriending this overbearing fellow, much less treating him politely and gently.
He could simply ignore him.
"You're eating far too much. This is a party, not a shelter for starving wretches. Behave in a manner befitting your status, instead of like a tramp who's never tasted good food!" Winston stared at Bruce. Although he did not know this man, anger burned inside him, and he wanted to vent it on him.
"Am I eating your family's food? Move, move. You're ruining my appetite." Bruce rolled his eyes. What a busybody.
"You..."
Winston glared at him and leaned forward, looking ready to throw a punch.
Can't win an argument, so he wants to hit me? What a temper.
Bruce glanced at Winston's muscular build, then at his own. The man's arms alone were three times as thick as his, not to mention the enormous muscles covering his body. Were those muscles fake? By comparison, Bruce's own body looked a little slight. Although he had been building muscle too, he was certainly no match yet.
If that fist comes swinging at me, he might end up kneeling on the floor giving me mouth-to-mouth...
The thought of that mouth-to-mouth scene sent a shudder through Bruce. This was Baron Mistvale's party, after all, and the Mistvale Family had secrets of their own. He should avoid causing a scene if possible. Drawing their attention would not be good.
It was best to avoid unnecessary trouble.
But Bruce did not back down. Instead, he met Winston's gaze without a trace of fear.
Naturally, some people noticed the confrontation between Bruce and Winston.
Someone actually dares to stand up to the Schulte Family's little lion? Does he have a death wish?
The Schulte Family had started out as hunters and made their fortune from the carcasses of wild beasts. Their little lion, Winston, had once knocked a wild ox unconscious with his fists.
Would this young man die if he took a punch?
The onlookers did not know why Winston had become angry. They dared not ask, much less step forward to stop him.
"Divine Might!"
After meeting Winston's gaze, Bruce used Divine Might without hesitation. A powerful aura emanated from his body and bore down on Winston.
To Winston, the scrawny fellow before him suddenly became a beast, a predator lurking in the darkness. An inexplicable fear surged from the depths of his heart. His body instantly stiffened, leaving him frozen in place.
Bruce had used Divine Might several times already and had grown fairly adept at it. He did not draw the attention of anyone else.
Upstairs, the baroness let out a grunt, her expression tinged with pain.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Several of her daughters noticed something amiss and hurriedly asked in concern.
"It's nothing..."
The baroness waved a hand to show that she was fine, her gaze lingering on Bruce. Her remote control over Winston had actually been broken. This Bruce really did have quite a few secrets. He was becoming more and more interesting.
Bruce moved away from Winston and found a secluded corner to continue eating.
His appetite was not quite as good as before, though.
Besides using magic and developing my Spirituality, I also need to improve my fighting skills and physical fitness. Bruce viciously bit off a chunk of meat. Along with practicing swordsmanship, I should consider learning some combat techniques. I can work on that alongside the security plan.
It took a long while before Winston came to his senses. He rubbed the back of his head. What just happened? Wasn't I talking to a beautiful young lady?
He seemed to have gone looking for trouble with someone just now-and had been frightened?
Danvers had just finished dancing with a young gentleman and gone to the edge of the hall for some juice when she spotted a rather familiar figure from behind.
"Cousin? Bruce?"
Danvers walked over and asked uncertainly.
Hearing someone call his name, Bruce instinctively moved to wipe the grease from his mouth with his sleeve. Then he remembered that these clothes were rather expensive. Grease stains would be hard to wash out, and hiring a laundress would cost money. He hurriedly stopped himself and, feigning composure, picked up a napkin from the table to wipe his mouth.
He turned to find Danvers standing behind him with a puzzled expression.
"Cousin, what are you doing here?"
Danvers had thought Bruce would never attend an event like this. She had assumed her cousin was someone who devoted himself entirely to his books.
"Uh, after you left, Baron Mistvale's servant came to invite me, so I came."
Bruce certainly would not admit that he had come because there was nothing to eat at the manor. Yes, coming here for the food was only part of the reason.
"Invited?"
Danvers was taken aback. Everyone knew Baron Mistvale was hosting a party. It had been publicized for days, and several nearby villages knew about it. Anyone wealthy could attend. He did not seem to have sent anyone a special invitation.
Perhaps he had invited people, and she simply did not know.
The doubt flashed through Danvers's mind, but she did not voice it. She readily came up with an explanation that made sense to her.
Upstairs, all the information concerning Bruce had been relayed to the baroness and her six daughters. At the same time, the baroness also received Baron Mistvale's reply.
"Bruce Wayne. So he's the heir to the Wayne Family. No wonder my husband specifically invited him. Interesting."
Watching Bruce and Danvers on the first floor, the baroness gave a meaningful smile. Come to think of it, the ties between the Mistvale Family and the Wayne Family ran very deep indeed.