CHAPTER 308: ALL EYES ON LILY.

Zeenat called the assistant as they arrived near the Grimm Estate. When they reached the gates. They found their were many cars waiting there. All of them were going through a proper security check and the guards were checking their invitations. At this moment, Kyle drove up the vehicle and as Zeenat lowered the window to present the invitation, the assistant walked over while huffing.

The guard was surprised and the assistant said, "They are special guests of the night. Be quick."

The guards understood the assignment and they quickly dealt with their duties. They just entered Leo’s name in the entry log without bothering them with questions like they did with others. However, some younger generation nobles who were not qualified to enter the event unrestricted saw this and they frowned.

One of them asked, "Butler Yahi, why this discrimination? We are also waiting in the queue?"

Butler Yahi turned to look at them and said, "Young Master Crowley, it is because the gentleman in this vehicle is the special guest of the Master. He is representing his family and nation in the gala. While you are all young scions, with your fathers and mothers taking the lead in the event."

The young nobles found that the assistant was acting rather arrogantly, how could he tell them that their status was lower? This pissed them off and just as Young Master Crowley was about to fly off the handle, a young lady said, "Young Master Crowley, if you wish to create a scene, please do it when you are standing away from us. The city had seen enough drama for the day and I would like to be left out of the bad press."

Her words reminded the people that they were being watched by the media people, if they just as much as tried to do anything, they would be ripped off to shreds. As they discussed the black Royal Chariot moved through the paved driveway and slowly approached the huge mansion and the garden.

...

In the back seat, Lily leaned over to the side, and said, "They have a nice house."

Leo smiled and said, "You call that a nice house. Sweetheart, you know that is not the house? That is just the reception villa."

Lily was surprised and then she regained her composure and said, "I would certainly be careful from now."

Leo patted her head gently before the car came to a stop before the gates of the reception hall. One of the two valets rushed up to the door, and gently pulled it open. Lily got down from the car, and said, "Thank you."

Then she moved to the side, and waited for Leo to come over from another side and held his hand. Leo thanked the valet for his service, and the latter smiled faintly before bowing his head. Kyle followed behind Leo and Zeenat winged Lily before the former gave the valet the key and walked up to the counter to collect a token that would be used to call the car back later.

As they were about to enter the threshold of the Reception Hall, Stefan Grimm appeared with a big smile. Leo returned the smile and shook hands with the man, before Lily greeted him politely. Stefan smiled even brightly and said, "Young Miss Cardinal, you look very pretty."

Lily smiled and bowed slightly as she said, "Thank you for your praise, Uncle Grimm."

She wasn’t going to compliment this man or any man apart from Leo for that matter. Stefan Grimm led them inside and then he gestured the waiter beside him, and said, "Jared, call over my wife please."

Jared bowed before leaving in haste. Stefan Grimm led Leo inside the reception. This place was decorated rather luxuriously and many guests were enjoying drinks and conversation inside as they all stood. Stefan introduced Leo to some people and the young man shook hands with people.

However, many people noticed Lily standing behind Leo, and one young lady, who was a very active social worker in the celebrity circle of the Stag Nation asked, "Mister Cardinal, this beautiful little lady is your daughter, right?"

Leo smiled at the mention of his daughter, and said, "Yes."

Then he turned to look at Lily and said, "Love, come, greet the elders."

Lily walked over beside him and greeted everyone with a measured smile and a bow, but when she turned to look at the young lady, her eyes sparkled and she said, "Hello, Miss Granger, I am Lily Cardinal. Nice to meet you. You look very beautiful in real life as well."

The people smiled, finally, initially when Lily greeted them, they thought something was out of the ordinary but when she greeted Miss Granger, they realized that she was just ignorant about them and knew the celebrity who acted in a famous child movie. This made them understand that Lily was a normal child after all.

Miss Granger was surprised and then she smiled before asking, "Lily, thank you for the compliment. Did you also watch the movie?"

Lily shook her head and the people were surprised and Lily said, "I watched your speech in the gathering of the World Nation Summit last month. It was a school project. I found that you looked very beautiful and I loved your speech as well. It taught me a lot."

The people were shocked, Leo smiled proudly and Stefan said, "I am telling you all, not to underestimate Young Miss Cardinal. She is quite ahead of her peers. Believe me, I didn’t even knew what the name of my nation was when I was five and here we have Young Miss Cardinal, I feel like I have wasted my life."

The elders chuckled and some even bluntly agreed with it. Miss Granger on the other hand asked Lily a few questions about the speech and what she learned. However, as Lily answered all her questions the people were taken aback, as this five years old was surely smart.

Lily sighed, he wanted to avoid this, and just when he thought the situation was about to garner some more attention, a soft voice interrupted them, "Dear, you called for me?"

Stefan turned around and found his wife standing there. He smiled and said, "My dear, I called you over to introduce you with the special guests that I mentioned for the night. This is Mister Leo Cardinal, a businessman and philanthropist from the Clover Nation, and this little beauty here is his daughter, Young Miss Lily Cardinal."

Then he turned to look at Leo before he said, "Mister Cardinal, this is my wife, Susan Emerald Grimm."

Leo greeted the lady with a polite handshake and said, "Thank you for inviting us to your home, Madam Grimm."

The middle-aged lady had taken care of her well and she didn’t look any older than thirty. She smiled and replied, "Mister Cardinal, it is our pleasure to have you here. Also, please just call me Susan."

Leo smiled and said, "This is my daughter, Lily."

Lily bowed like a noble and said, "Good evening, Madam. My name is Lily Leo Cardinal. Thank you for having us."

Susan opened her eyes wide and crouched down as she said, "Oh well, I didn’t expect that we would have a little angel gracing us with her presence tonight. Thank you for coming."

Lily smiled brightly and replied, "It is our pleasure to be a part of a gathering like this."

Susan couldn’t help but look at Leo and the rest of the people, and asked, "Well Lily, would you like to tour the place, but only if you call me Aunty Susan."

Lily didn’t answer instantly but turned to look at Leo, who nodded and Lily replied, "Thank you, Aunty Susan."

Susan smiled and patted her head gently before taking her hand and leading her away. Leo cast a gaze to Zeenat who bowed and left silently. The people noticed this, and Miss Granger asked, "Mister Cardinal, is it not too restrictive to keep someone around to observe Lily, after all, she is just a child, no?"

Leo didn’t care about the criticism in her question, he replied, "Zeenat is not tasked to observe Lily, but to observe other people and assist Lily in things that she as a child cannot handle on her own. Last month someone attacked Lily, Zeenat took a bullet for her. Now, do you understand why she is there?"

His tone was definite, and his words shocked the people. Stefan Grimm sighed and replied, "It seems demons exist in all corners of the world."

Leo shrugged and then they moved around to meet other people. However, just then Stefan Grimm sighed and said, "Harry Shrine has arrived."

Leo raised his brow and looked at the man who gestured with his chin. Leo looked to his left and spotted the man himself. Harry Shrine had golden hair and was wearing a decent suit. As if sensing a gaze projected towards him, he turned to look and found Leo gazing at him. At first Harry Shrine was somewhat confused but then a minion whispered something in his ear, and then his eyes turned cold as a sneer appeared on his face.

Leo observed the man for a few moments before he sighed and turned around with disregard. His action stunned the people, the sparks that they anticipated to fly when these two were to meet didn’t come through. It was not a secret that Shrine Family held a grudge against the Marlin family and they all were aware of Leo’s identity as well.

Miss Granger spoke softly, "He is coming here."

Leo didn’t react and continued talking to the other nobles, just then he heard an arrogant voice, "Master Grimm, I see that you are busy attending to a special guest."

His voice was slightly loud and attracted the attention of all the guests. Even if the Reception Hall was big, it was still not that loud as the guests were here only to meet and greet before they proceeded to the garden behind.

Stefan Grimm turned around and replied, "Young Master Shrine, you are blaming me wrongfully, Mister Cardinal doesn’t have any friend here, so as a host it is only right for me to introduce him to some people."

Harry Shrine smiled and replied, "Well, how about you introduce him to me? I am someone his age. Or is it because that I am a noble that he is hesitating?"

The snobs in his support raised their lips smugly. Leo looked at Harry with a deadpan expression, and at this moment, Susan and Lily came back, and Harry greeted Susan with a smile before he asked, "Oh, who is this kid?"

Susan didn’t want to sound rude, so she said, "This is Lily, daughter of Mister Cardinal."

Harry’s eyes flashed and said, "Oh, she has indeed taken after her father, learning to mix up with those of higher status from a young age."

His words caused even some of the snobs to frown, what sort of a man would comment bad things about a child. Leo heard his words and his eyes flashed with a chill. Just when he was about to unload, Lily held his hand and while still looking back at Harry, she said, "My father has taught me to learn from the elders and be a better person. From the way you speak ill of others, it appears to me that you were not told the same. As for the status, your nobility is inherited, and I come from a family that has been rewarded with a noble sigil because of the good deeds for the people. So, forgive me for not knowing who you are and what generation of noble you are, I as a second generation Sigil Heiress is way above you in hierarchy."

Her words were akin to a sword that cut through Harry and his pretense in a quick second. Harry didn’t expect this, heck even Leo didn’t expect this, but unlike the shocked audience, Leo was trying his utmost to not laugh. Everyone was looking at Lily and they were doubting their own wits.