Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie was in a relatively remote place in the banquet hall. He was far from people’s attention. This also favored his current identity. Zhang Tie was listening to music and drinking alone. Watching people accessing to the gate, he just enjoyed himself. Those personal attendants of the other chief priests who came in with Zhang Tie were either in a group of two or three in the far or went somewhere boisterous. None of them came here to invite Zhang Tie or would like to make friends with him.

In the Holy Light Empire, the circle of personal attendants of chief priests was also full of conflicts of interest. In the others’ eyes, it was Zhang Tie’s good luck to become Bordili’s personal attendant. Few personal attendants of chief priests were below LV 10. Most of them were between LV 11 and LV 14. The former personal attendant of Bordili was a great battle master. Even Zhang Tie’s experience was far from that of the other experienced personal attendants, not to mention his battle force as a LV 9 fighter.

Therefore, Zhang Tie was gradually isolated from the other personal attendants.

…

“It’s said that he has just received etiquette training in the hotel the other day. It’s a wise decision for him to stay aside…”

“Hopefully, that brat doesn’t make any joke this time…’

“Hahaha, he might have been dumbfounded by such a grand scene!”

Those personal attendants in ceremonial robe were whispering afar. Every once in a while, someone among them would turn around and take a disdainful look at Zhang Tie.

…

There were only two days left from entering the tower of time to completely recovering his battle force. Therefore, Zhang Tie became relaxed. He just watched everything in the banquet like a calm onlooker as he didn’t mind those discussions about him at all; instead, he felt that everything was ridiculous.

In the melodious tone of the violin, those well-decorated dignified celebrities and noblewomen in longuette entered the banquet hall elegantly. As a result, the entire banquet hall became boisterous soon.

Even in the holy war, in those places far from battlefield in the frontline, banquet and salon were also necessary for the daily lives of dignitaries and celebrities. Like salt in food, these necessary parts could be few in difficult periods; however, they couldn’t be deleted.

Wars could change many things; however, there were some things that could never be changed by wars.

On such occasions, men could make friends with beautiful and sexy women; women could make friends with powerful men; influential men could obtain useful information and make many trades here. Beautiful women also shared many common topics. Additionally, if those expensive pieces of jewelry in boxes and brilliant longuettes in wardrobes that women collected were not exposed to light for long, many women would even worry that those items would go moldy.

Knights who made meritorious deeds on the battlefields could hear compliments and enjoy glory on such occasions. Big figures felt that such banquets and commemorations could boost morale and show people the twilight of victory. As for a few people, even though they couldn’t go to the frontline, they would also feel like participating in the holy war or satisfied with making a contribution to the holy war only by talking with eloquence and toasting each other under the resplendent crystal lamps.

Holding a glass, Zhang Tie watched such a brilliant scene of a myriad of images with a faint smile.

Zhang Tie felt that he was just an onlooker and remained pretty low-key tonight; however, he didn’t know that one could display his personality causally with a smile, an expression even a standing posture.

In someone’s eyes, a low-key onlooker might be distinguished and had a special attraction.

When he just finished half of the drink, he had seen a beautiful maiden at her 20’s in brilliant red bobtail swaying her buttocks towards him with golden, long hair which reached her shoulder, wearing a necklace. She asked Zhang Tie with a smile, “Are you alone?”

This blonde was young, sunny and had an awesome figure. Given her age and personality, she should have a nice family background. She should be a young married woman or a junior of a dignitary or celebrity who attended this banquet tonight.

Zhang Tie replied with a smile, “I was, but not now!”

At this moment, a waiter served them a plate. Zhang Tie then took a glass of champagne from the plate and gave it to the blonde.

“Thank you…” The blonde appreciated him with a brighter smile. Only after hearing one sentence and receiving one glass of drink from Zhang Tie, the blonde had been much more interested in Zhang Tie at once as her passion surged.

The blonde was called Reddies, the granddaughter of the president of Sterland Republic. She was an unmarried girl of a rich and influential family. She followed her father and the minister of finance of Sterland Republic to attend the banquet of the national day. Soon after entering the gate, she had caught sight of Zhang Tie. After that, she was attracted by Zhang Tie.

Only after having a half glass of drink in less than 3 minutes, the distance between Reddies and Zhang Tie had been much intimate like lovers.

…

Only after those chief priests’ personal attendants ignored Zhang Tie for a few minutes, when someone among them turned around and looked at Zhang Tie, he had seen Reddies almost sticking herself to Zhang Tie with an amorous look…

…

Following after, Zhang Tie had seen Ockham.

In the brilliant and majestic robe of holy light chief priest, Ockham entered the banquet hall with someone else almost at the same time.

Zhang Tie saw a Hua man next to Ockham. In blue Hua people’s robe made of boa silk, he seemed to be in his 40’s. Being slightly fat, he had small eyes and a walrus mustache. Given his qi, he was not a knight; however, he had a strong qi field with a paramount look. Those beside him held him in great veneration.

That man entered the banquet hall together with Ockham; however, Ockham’s feet never surpassed that of his. Meanwhile, Ockham remained at that man’s side. Even the president of Sterland Republic closely followed after him and whispered to him while slightly inclining his body.

Zhang Tie once saw the half painting of the president of Sterland Republic; therefore, he could recognize him here.

Soon after they entered the banquet hall, a lot of people had surrounded them like how a myriad of stars surrounded the moon.

Ockham spotted Zhang Tie too. However, after an eye contact with Zhang Tie, he took a glance at the blonde beside Zhang Tie. Then, he moved his eyes away like nothing had happened without arousing the attention of anyone else.

“Who’s that Hua man?” Zhang Tie whispered to Reddies.

“He’s Taixia Country’s ambassador in the Sterland Republic!” Candis had long leaned against Zhang Tie as her face turned warm due to love. When she talked to Zhang Tie, she almost exhaled her qi into Zhang Tie’s ear.

“Why an ambassador is such prestigious? Why do I feel that all the others are flattering him?”

“Of course, Taixia Country’s ambassadors in Western Continent have special positions. They focus wherever they are. However, this person is different than ordinary Taixia ambassadors. My father told me that this ambassador in the Sterland Republic has a very deep background in Taixia Country. He was born in a very powerful party in Taixia Country…”

“Are there also parties in Taixia Country?” Zhang Tie asked her after being temporarily stunned.

“My father told me about that. I’m not clear about it either. That party might have a very great influence in Xuanyuan Hill…”

Zhang Tie understood that Reddies referred to the Gobbling Party. Parties in Taixia Country were absolutely different than parties in republic countries like the Sterland Republic essentially. It was reasonable that Reddies couldn’t clarify it.

After ten more minutes, the two people had finished two glasses of liquor respectively. Reddies’ face had blushed evidently.

“How about breathing the fresh air outside…” Reddies whispered to Zhang Tie as her alluring red lips rubbed Zhang Tie’s earlobes.

“Outside?” Of course, Zhang Tie was crystal clear about Reddies’ hint. However, he preferred to stay with this lovely beauty secretly than waste a few hours in such a boring banquet. The former one might be more interesting.

“No, it’s too noisy outside there. I know a garden upstairs…’

With the guidance of Reddies, the two people walked out of a side door of the banquet hall where there were two guards. After that, they twisted here and there before coming upstairs.

There were guards of the presidential palace on the entrances of corridors and staircases. Therefore, ordinary people could never assess them; however, as Reddies usually came to the presidential palace, of course those guards recognized her. Therefore, when they saw her coming here with Zhang Tie, they didn’t stop them.

There was indeed an indoor small garden upstairs. It was covered with roses. The garden was tranquil and filled with fragrance of rose flowers. It was really a good place to “breathe fresh air”. Candis directly took Zhang Tie to a small parlor being connected to this small garden…

…

Over 10 minutes later, they heard the next door being open and the president’s voice, “Ambassador Sun, please come in. This is my private study room. Nobody would disturb us…”

There was a door between the small parlor and the study room. At this moment, the door was not completely closed; actually, it left a small crack, through which they could hear the talk.

Zhang Tie hurriedly made a hand gesture to Reddies and asked her to be quiet…