New Gods of North America

"Isn't your detective agency active in the North? Why did you come to Richmond?"

In the banquet hall, Ian Fisk looked at the Y-shaped staircase leading to the second floor and asked nonchalantly.

It turns out that this guy asked Wayne to come in because he wanted to use Wayne as a shield.

Pretending that the two of them had something to talk about, they invisibly turned down a considerable number of social engagements and compliments.

Wayne was also looking towards the second floor connected to the stairs at this time.

While being curious about tonight's "protagonist", he casually answered Ian Fisk's question:

"I was just passing through Illinois before. My original plan was to go from Kansas to Virginia to study at the George and Anna College that you southerners are so proud of. I thought you knew this before."

"Ah? Did you tell me that?" Ian Fisk didn't really care about it. "But you're going to the 'College'... It's okay there."

"Are you going to college too?" Wayne asked.

Ian Fisk shrugged. "I already have a diploma from the Academy, majoring in architecture."

I can't tell.

I didn't expect that this guy is actually a top student.

Wayne was curious, "Is the workload in the academy heavy? What kind of conditions do you usually need to meet in order to graduate successfully?"

"Hmm..." Ian Fisk hesitated for a moment, then immediately gave up thinking, "I don't know."

Wayne was stunned, "Huh?!"

At this time, Ian Fisk had already looked in the direction of the stairs and applauded along with the guests in the banquet hall:

"If you go to the 'College', you will see a new library next to the School of Arts and Sciences. It is called the 'Fisk Library'. It is the latest donation from our family and also my graduate project.

"Although I am advertised as its designer, in fact I only drew a sketch of the appearance, and the rest was done by some excellent designers and engineers."

Wayne thought about how the original owner of this body of his had been "enrolled" in college.

I think this makes sense.

At this time, the owner of the manor, Mr. Russell, was holding the hand of a beautiful girl dressed in a gorgeous dress, and walked slowly to the platform in the middle of the Y-shaped stairs, smiling at the guests present.

The applause died down.

Then another lady dressed in gorgeous clothes took the hand of the girl in the gorgeous dress, which was wearing a white silk glove, from Mr. Russell and led her forward another step:

“I am honored to formally introduce to you a young lady who is as dazzling as a jewel, whose kindness and beauty are astonishing, and whose character and manners are impeccable.

"She is the most dazzling jewel at tonight's banquet, Gladys Russell."

As the guests applauded again, the band nearby began to play melodious music.

The girl pulled her gorgeous skirt, bowed gracefully and appropriately, responding to the guests' gazes and applause.

Then, led by the noble lady, she slowly walked down the stairs.

…

Ian Fisk still remembers that Wayne was a "small town youth" from the West.

While clapping along, he introduced the local customs to Wayne:

"She is Mr. Russell's daughter, and tonight is her coming-of-age ceremony. According to convention, after the coming-of-age ceremony, young ladies can be invited to various social occasions, and they no longer have to live with their parents when traveling or living on a daily basis. However, it is still not in accordance with etiquette for 'ladies' to go shopping alone. Before having children, they need to at least travel in groups."

At this time, the guests had already given up their seats in the center of the banquet hall, allowing the ladies who had prepared in advance to enter one after another and perform the opening dance that they had perhaps carefully rehearsed for a long time.

After the opening dance, the guests' first dance will follow.

At the young ladies' coming-of-age ceremony, the first person to be invited is naturally the protagonist of tonight's banquet in theory.

According to etiquette, unless a young lady already has a chosen fiancé, the person who invites her for the first dance will usually be a gentleman of higher status but obviously older, and this will usually be arranged in advance.

Wayne didn't have time to learn anything else when he was a child, but in fact, his parents had taught him these etiquette common sense very early on.

So he was not concerned about it at the moment. He had already set his eyes on the delicious food on the long table next to him, waiting for the guests to finish the first dance so that he could go over and serve the plates to fill his stomach.

- As a guest who was not actually formally invited by the host, if he took the initiative to socialize or solicit business with others tonight, it would be regarded as an act of "disrespect" and "lowering of standards".

But Ian Fisk pulled Wayne and became more and more excited.

It was as if they were afraid that if Wayne slipped away, several gentlemen who were ready to go nearby would come over and start ineffective greetings and socializing.

"If you are interested in any of the ladies at the party, I can introduce you to each other. But if you want to get married, I suggest you get to know me first.

"Some of our customs are similar to those in the Kingdom of Windsor. If you want to find a partner who can help you in your career and take care of family affairs, it is best to choose the 'eldest daughter' in the family. They will receive more education in communication and management, and the assets they receive as gifts after the coming-of-age ceremony will usually be higher.

"But if you want to find love, then give priority to the 'second daughters' or later. Usually the family will be more relaxed in their education and their personalities are easier to get along with. As for the only daughters, you have to get to know them in advance."

Wayne nodded absently, already eyeing the placement of the plates, steak, and lobster.

The opening dance ended and the venue was empty again.

Miss Russell was first invited to the center of the banquet hall by a white-haired gentleman.

Then the owner of the manor, Mr. Russell, invited Ian Fisk's sister, Miss Olivia, who had been kidnapped not long ago.

Strangely enough, Wayne didn't think this girl was that pretty before.

But compared with other ladies, even Miss Russell who was having her coming-of-age ceremony tonight, she was always the most beautiful one in the picture at a glance.

Then the people in the banquet hall seemed to stand still for a moment.

The other guests all looked silently at Ian Fisk who was still talking nonstop.

Wayne felt that this guy didn't know what was going on.

As the male guest who made the host wait until the last minute to enter, whether he came on behalf of himself or his family,

According to etiquette, when dancing the first dance, the person who has priority in choosing a dance partner is him, except for the host. In any case, no matter for whose face it is, other guests should not skip him.

So Wayne quietly took a step back, suggesting that it was time for this guy to come out.

But Ian Fisk is obviously not someone who doesn't know etiquette. He did it on purpose.

After letting the guests wait for a while, he finally finished his nonsense and winked at Wayne, "I am the 'second son' in the family, so I can be a little more unruly. This can also save a lot of unnecessary trouble."

Then he straightened his posture, walked to the opposite side of the banquet hall where the ladies were gathered in a dashing but elegant manner, and began to invite dance partners.

He invited the hostess of the manor, Mrs. Russell.

It is one of those options that is so polite that you can't go wrong with it.

So the dance continued, and the men came over one after another to invite dance partners.

Then the guests took the starting pose for the dance in the banquet hall. The music started and everyone began to dance gracefully to the melody.