This is not the first time that Shade has expressed his stubbornness. Although it is regrettable, the witch is not disappointed.
"I'm fine here, I'm just an ordinary person. Have you finished the matters at Yodel Palace? I heard from the newspaper that there is an important meeting this afternoon?"
"Important meetings are not as important to you."
Miss Carina looked at Shade:
"It seems that you don't have any other travel plans today. In that case, I want to comfort you. Come with me to the banquet tonight. I didn't plan to go, but I remember that we rarely dance together."
The evening banquet was held at the Villard Manor in the city. In name, Count Willard welcomed his relatives. Count Dewey of Kasenlik arrived in Tobesk, but that Count Dewey actually came from Kasenlik.
The identity of the leader of the second delegation was similar to that of the annoying Earl of Lewis, the leader of the first delegation.
This banquet was actually ordered by the king to contact the Kasenlik delegation privately to complete the last unofficial "tacit agreement" before the formal negotiations in the Green Lake area. Therefore, the grand banquet invited many permanent residents
The nobles of Kassenrik from Tobesk and even Kassenrik's ambassador to Delrayon were invited to attend.
This should be the first time that Shade has participated in such a high-level banquet as Miss Carina's best man. When the maids were helping him prepare his dress at home, Shade was worried that he would see Lacey at the banquet.
Ya, but fortunately Lesia will not attend this banquet. Only Agelina was asked by King Larus III to attend.
Spring has arrived, and there is no need to consider temperature restrictions for banquets held in the open air of the manor, so women's evening gowns are no longer as bulky as in winter. When the lights first came on, the carriage passed through an uphill road and stopped at the entrance of the manor surrounded by white walls.
Shade, who was the first to get off the carriage, discovered that the women's clothes were very different from those in winter.
Of course, he did not forget to turn around, and held Miss Carina's hand in a very gentlemanly manner, asking her to get off the carriage. The witch was wearing a long red dress today, with shiny silver threads sewn on the skirt.
, which can better set off her tall figure under the light.
She seemed to be in a good mood, and motioned to Shade to take her hand and walk into the manor with her. There was no maid behind her. Tifa and other maids had already gone to the manor in advance to prepare for Jia.
The lounge prepared by Miss Linna. She has to meet several guests in a while.
The guests who came to the banquet kept nodding to the duchess, and when the beautiful witch stepped into the red carpet in the manor courtyard, she looked at the colorfully decorated vestibule and the slender waterways floating on the ground.
The paper boat carrying candles and the table with food smiled and whispered to Shade:
"Before I met you, I never thought that one day I would be like my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, holding a man's hand and attending an important banquet in the kingdom."
"There will be more opportunities like this in the future."
Shade also answered softly, which made the witch's powdered cheeks look even more rosy.
Because it was not a formal banquet in name, the atmosphere in the manor was very relaxed that night. In the past, when participating in such events, Miss Carina always sat and chatted with aristocratic women she knew well, but since she was accompanied by Shade today, she
You can enjoy the banquet atmosphere like ordinary people.
Of course, before that, Miss Carina first met with the owner of the manor, Count Willard, and then, through Mrs. Willard's introduction, she met her cousin, Count Dewey of Carsenlick. She met Earl Lewis.
Bi, this tall and thin southern aristocrat can obviously be called a qualified gentleman. Although he has a pretentious tone when he speaks, but compared with Earl Lewis, who is known as the "Pig of Willendale", this kind of
Small problems are no longer problems at all.
People holding wine glasses were chatting at the long table with cooked food and snacks in the courtyard. At this time, the ambassador from Kasenlik also came over. Although the foreigner had been in this world for nearly a year, this
This was the first time he saw this gentleman.
They chatted in Delarian, talking about the weather in Tobesk, the food, and the schedule of the Green Lake delegation, and then Miss Carina sent an invitation to Count Dewey to visit Yoder Palace tomorrow.
Shade stood next to Miss Carina as a foil. He didn't speak the whole time. He felt that his smile was about to freeze. Fortunately, he could appreciate Carina Cavendish's side face at such a close distance.
Amidst the background noise of the lively open-air banquet, she watched the warm night breeze pass through the long tent illuminated by gas lamps, blowing the red hair around her ears.
Miss Carina's ears seemed to be turning slightly red, and then she put her hands behind her back and pinched Shade gently, apparently warning Shade not to look at her so openly.
Shade then looked away, and then heard someone calling his name softly. So, he temporarily left the talking people, and then found that an unknown Kasenlik woman was looking for him.
"Your Highness Margaret sends her regards, Mr. Hamilton."
The brown-haired lady in her thirties wearing a blue dress greeted in a low voice and handed a letter to Shade, and then said in a normal voice:
"I am the sister of Countess Dewey. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hamilton. I have read about your performance in the riding competition around the city in the newspaper. When I really meet you, it is indeed more impressive than what was described in the newspaper.
deep impression."
The lady even asked for the blessings written by Shade on the paper for her two nieces, and then she left with satisfaction. Shade put the letter away and returned to Miss Carina.
They have now discussed the issue of import and export trade between Delrayon and Kasenlik, a topic that was probably caused by tariffs.
"It was ten years ago that we signed the last version of the tariff agreement. At that time, the agreement was negotiated for half a year. I was still acting as secretary at the meeting, and I remember the situation very clearly."
Count Dewey smiled and said:
"At that time, you Delrayon requested higher tariffs for Kassenrik's financial subsidies for wheat, industrial alcohol, and special airbags for Mark III special steam engines. We only talked about this for two months."
"In addition to these, there are actually drive shafts for large steam engine ships and special subsidies for the development of steam aerial airships. Delarian also has great opinions."
Shade, who stood next to Miss Carina, said aloud, and smiled at the surprised expression of the duchess:
"However, it was later discovered that Delrayon also had subsidies for special alloys, so the two parties understood each other in the agreement, and finally reached terms that both countries were satisfied with. I believe that this time the Green Lake negotiations will also have satisfactory results.
, just like back then.”
He slightly raised the wine glass in his hand:
"Before the tariff agreement ten years ago, there was a lot of uproar in the city, but we still came through it safely."
Count Dewey nodded in surprise:
"Is this Hamilton from Ray Jade? Yes, you are right. We all need to have confidence. Confidence is more precious than gold."
It wasn't until she politely bid farewell to the two earls and began enjoying the atmosphere of the open-air banquet with Shade that Miss Carina couldn't help but curiously asked:
"How do you know these things? Even I only know the information about the meeting ten years ago."
"Oh, Carina, don't think of me as an incompetent man who just eats soft rice next to you."
Shade said, straightening his tie:
"Since I'm standing by your side, of course I won't embarrass you. Although I'm not interested in politics, it doesn't mean I don't understand anything."
"But you still didn't answer, how did you know those things."
The witch asked curiously, looking at Shade's handsome face under the gas light in the courtyard.
Shade explained softly:
"One of the members who participated in the tariff negotiations on behalf of Delrayon was my neighbor, Mr. Smith, the former Chief Financial Secretary of the Kingdom. And I know something about him."
In fact, it was Shade who gained some of the important memories of Mr. Smith and Mrs. Smith after defeating the twin monsters in [The Past and the Sixth Era]. The conclusion of the tariff agreement was the most important event in Mr. Smith's life.
One of the political achievements, Shade had read it once in his memory, and with the help of "Silver Moon Library" to enhance his memory and "her", he could just say it casually.
"Shad, you always act like you know everything, so now do you know what I'm thinking?"
The witch pursed her lips and asked with a smile. She stopped with Shade and looked at the magician who was invited to perform "steam magic" in the courtyard. This type of magic usually involves complex machinery, so it is also called
It's called "mechanical magic", and at this time the magician is trying to make a bird assembled with mechanical gears fly.
"What you are thinking is also what I am thinking."
Shade said softly, and then was patted on the arm by the witch. She scolded angrily:
"Really, how can you think about those things here? You are such a lustful and slutty man."
She was smiling in the crowd at night, under the gas lamp in the courtyard, and she looked younger and more charming than usual. Shade even felt that his heart was touched.
So in accordance with his own wishes, Xia De suddenly kissed Carina gently on the side of her face, which made the blush look even more gorgeous. She did not blame Xia De for being arrogant, but covered her mouth and lowered her head.
She smiled softly. At this moment, her figure almost overlapped with Lesia's.