Tome of Blood

Chapter 353 -9- The Breath of the Blood Race

Charlotte thought that she might be invited soon, but she didn't expect the invitation to come so soon.

Not only that, but the one who invited her was Duke Gaston, a representative of the neutral nobles in the kingdom.

The so-called neutral nobles, as the name suggests, are those nobles who remain neutral in the struggle for the throne.

They neither support the second prince nor the third prince, and they do not actively support the king to strengthen the centralization of power like those royalist nobles.

This made Charlotte very curious.

She represented Castel, and also represented the force that brought down the third prince. She thought that the nobles who supported the second prince would be the ones who invited her, but she didn't expect to be a neutral faction.

"Sebas, why do you think the nobles of the neutral faction invited me to the banquet? Didn't it mean that the nobles of the neutral faction never participated in the struggle for succession to the throne?"

Looking at the invitation in her hand, Charlotte asked thoughtfully.

Sebastian thought for a while, frowned and shook his head:

"Master, I also don't understand..."

"Perhaps... what the third prince did violated their bottom line? So they also chose to stand up?"

After hearing Sebastian's words, Charlotte's heart moved slightly.

Not without this possibility.

But then again, even if the neutral aristocrats chose to support the Central Council's trial of the third prince, it should be the second prince's party who rushed to the forefront, right?

Thinking of this, Charlotte was even more puzzled.

"Master, the banquet will be held tonight, are you going to attend?"

Sebas asked.

Charlotte glanced at the invitation and nodded slightly:

"Go, why not go, no matter what the situation is, just go and see."

One of the purposes of coming to the central meeting is to make friends with nobles. Since you have an invitation, you just have to come to the door.

As for standing in line, Charlotte has no idea for the time being.

Her original intention was to remain as neutral as possible on the basis of successfully attacking the third prince, but after she declined the church's invitation, she changed slightly.

Now, she wants to see the specific situation before deciding.

...

Duke Gaston's banquet time was at night, and the venue was the Gaston family's manor in the royal capital.

As the great nobles of the kingdom, the Gaston family's manor is also located in the inner city, but it is a bit far from the manor rented by Charlotte, on the other side of the palace.

In the evening, seeing that it was almost time, Charlotte changed into a black dress and boarded the carriage.

Since she was attending a banquet, she didn't bring too many followers, but just followed the noble practice, bringing the butler Sebastian and the personal maid along.

Including the bloodline Lena, and the black dragon Eudocia.

When Charlotte came to the Gaston family's manor, many nobles had arrived one after another.

The Gaston family's manor is not small. Charlotte estimated that it would be four or five times the size of the manor she leased. Horse carriages came and went at the gate of the manor, decorated luxuriously, and various badges were inlaid on the side. Aristocratic families who came to the banquet.

Although night had fallen, the manor was brightly lit, and the waiters were busy receiving the nobles who came to the banquet.

Charlotte was a little surprised.

The number of nobles attending the banquet... was much more than she had imagined.

Not only that, but she also saw a lot of badges she knew, all of which were great nobles of the New Moon Kingdom, including several other duke families.

When Charlotte looked at the noble families attending the banquet, the nobles also noticed the carriage of the Castel family.

A similar scene appeared again. When the carriages of the Castel family passed by, many carriages of the noble families gave way consciously.

In a sense, this is also equivalent to reflecting status.

Although Charlotte is only the earl, I am afraid that no noble under the duke can underestimate her.

Charlotte could feel many eyes resting on her carriage.

And when she got out of the carriage accompanied by Sebastian, she directly became the focus of the entire manor, and the sight of her almost doubled again...

Most of them are curious and amazing, but there are also some explorations and even hostility.

Um?

hostility?

Charlotte's heart twitched slightly.

The sense of blood clan is still very keen.

Although that kind of hostility was very faint, maybe it just represented guard and dislike, but she still sensed it.

She looked along the line of sight, and saw a middle-aged nobleman about forty or fifty years old getting off the carriage in the distance.

The manor housekeeper and waiters surrounding the nobleman were quite respectful.

When Charlotte looked at the nobleman, the nobleman happened to look at her.

However, when Charlotte cast his gaze away, the other party quickly withdrew his gaze and entered the manor house under the guidance of the waiter.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

Without him, she recognized the other party's identity.

Or to be more precise, through the family badge on the other party's carriage, he recognized the other party's identity.

The emblem of the opposing family is a sword and a griffin. In the New Moon Kingdom, there is only one family with such a symbol, and that is the Prutz family, one of the nine Duke families.

Although they are far apart, Charlotte can still feel the powerful and extraordinary aura of the middle-aged nobleman.

This is a blazing sun.

"Huh? Duke Prutz? Did he even come? Isn't he a staunch supporter of the third prince? He even came to the banquet?"

Sebastian's surprised voice came from beside him, attracting Charlotte's attention.

"Duke Prutz?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

Interesting, really interesting.

The banquet held by the neutral nobles was actually attended by representatives of the nobles who supported the third prince, and the Duke himself attended.

Not only that, the number of nobles who came to the banquet was a bit outrageous.

Looking at the endless stream of carriages and the many family crests that can only be seen on the book collection, it is said that all the well-known families in the entire New Moon came to this banquet, and Charlotte believed it.

It seems... tonight's banquet is not that simple.

"Master Earl Castel, welcome to tonight's banquet, please follow me."

After Charlotte stepped out of the carriage, the manor housekeeper and waiter also greeted him quickly, and said respectfully.

Charlotte looked away, nodded slightly, and then followed the waiter into the manor house.

The manor house of the Gaston family is also quite magnificent, and the level of luxury is much stronger than Charlotte's Earl's Mansion. When Charlotte entered the banquet hall, it was already quite lively inside.

In the hall, tall stone pillars surround the entire banquet hall. The huge long table is covered with gorgeous tablecloths, filled with gold and silver tableware, exquisite porcelain and rare glasses. A blazing bonfire is burning in the fireplace, emitting Warm light and slight fragrance.

The nobles in gorgeous costumes chatted and laughed, and gathered together in groups of three or four based on the family.

The waiters shuttled among the crowd, holding wine glasses and trays, carefully pouring wine for the guests, and the musicians played melodious and melodious music.

The entire banquet hall was full of cheerful and joyful atmosphere.

However, the moment Charlotte entered the banquet hall, her figure paused slightly.

She smelled a familiar smell.

The breath of the blood race.

And, more than one.