CHAPTER 523: CHAPTER 501: BANQUET

The delegation from Black Snake Bay entered Kush Castle, the venue for the evening banquet.

As the Secret Faction leaders and their entourage stepped into the black brick castle, their rough wooden-soled shoes landing on the luxurious wool carpet, they collectively gasped in amazement.

The fireplace in the main hall blazed with brilliant flames, while bright candles and fluorite embedded in the walls illuminated the room brightly.

Two rows of pillars carved with Saints and Angels supported the layered ceilings.

Ceramic plates held red-roasted suckling pigs, sizzling steaks lay on iron griddles, and thick creamy mushroom soup was being served by maidens.

Of course, there was also an abundance of char-grilled pork belly, the Norn delicacy of sauerkraut and pig knuckles stew, cold pork ham platters, and sauerkraut pig-killing soup stored in wine barrels.

Due to an abundant harvest this year, and the opening of forest lakes along with the common use of tuber roots, nearly four or five out of ten households raised chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, and other livestock.

The Salvation Army owned a pig breeding farm, selling piglets at a low price and additionally popularized the technique of castrating pigs, successfully eliminating the rank smell in pork caused by eating tuber roots.

On the side tables of the banquet, there were almond cookies and baked pastries served on exquisite silver plates, personally made by Truth Chief Madlan of the Truth Court.

For Madlan, being the Truth Chief was work, but baking was a way of life.

White soup lay garnished with finely chopped parsley and crushed sea salt and pepper, emitting an entrancing aroma.

"Hey, hey, hey, where are you going?"

If not for Weng Ken pulling him back, a young wizard would have almost been lured away by the aroma.

"Focus, don’t let people make jokes about us Black Snake Bay... sss... Black Snake Bay People." Another middle-aged wizard scolded softly.

"Is this the life of the nobility?"

"Are our clothes a bit too plain?"

"Look, look, they even have cheesy beef pies. I haven’t had beef in almost ten years!"

Due to Black Snake Bay’s subtropical climate, filled with rainforests and swamps, there is limited arable land and low grain production.

Cooking fried or seasoned foods, especially livestock meat and dairy, is extremely difficult.

The best foods they had were at the joint wizard banquet in Celestial Maiden City, serving creamy tomato soup and cinnamon rolls.

Which in the Empire was just a middle-class family meal, yet in Black Snake Bay, it was a top-tier banquet.

They normally ate cold platters of various fruits and snake meat slop, rarely having more than four hot dishes a year.

Aside from being liberal with spices, their food was slightly lacking even compared to the average farmer’s meals in Thousand River Valley.

Compared to the young and vigorous wizards, the Secret Faction leaders felt deeply emotional.

Truth be told, many of them had never entered a noble’s castle in their entire lives. The only chance they might have would be if they were captured, then brought to a castle to stand trial and be hanged.

But now they proudly stood in front of a noble’s castle hall, enjoying food only nobility could afford.

"This is truly..." Schreiman, an elder of the Bald Head Society, couldn’t help but sigh but couldn’t continue.

Chatting in front of the lively hall, over thirty main members of the delegation looked around hesitantly, afraid to walk further in.

In their bewilderment, Catherine arrived first, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.

"You arrived quite early." Catherine wore a purple long dress, her hair styled back, with a few strands of wine-red hair hanging by her temples, casually yet elegantly.

"We were bored, so we walked over from Wayne Manor, where we were staying, to see the scenery of Joan of Arc Castle." Weng Ken was relatively calm among the Black Snake Bay people.

To be honest, it was because he was a Norn, a first-generation family member, who joined the Flame Rose Association later.

"Ahem." Schreiman coughed slightly, "This is awkward, so what’s the etiquette here? Court etiquette or local customs?"

"There’s nothing in particular to worry about. The Salvation Army is not nobility, just don’t make a mess with the food, be casual." Catherine explained with a smile.

"I thought it was going to be like Celestial Maiden City." Schreiman muttered softly, "If I had known this was the level, I would’ve brought my tailcoat and silk shirt. Wearing this here, I just look like a clown."

Catherine glanced at his neat coat and ruffled shirt, then at his full body of hair and shiny bald head, and finally at his colorful companions dressed in linen cloaks, open vests, and male skirts.

"My bad, I’ll be sure to notify you next time." Catherine decided to comply.

Under Catherine’s lead, the Black Snake Bay delegation closely followed.

Their movements were stiff, unsure of where to place their hands and feet, instinctively forming a procession, walking shoulder to shoulder in the out-of-place room.

"Kathy (Catherine’s nickname)." Louise called out to Catherine, sitting on Sister of Suffering Saphie’s shoulder, "Who’s attending this banquet?"

"Some high-ranking monks from Pope Country, a few officers from the Salvation Army, then the Kush Knights, Dean Ludvik of Kasha County, and then you all."

Catherine introduced the banquet participants: "Totaling no more than a hundred people, all key core figures from several sides."

"Monks from Kasha County are here too? What a coincidence?" Weng Ken blinked.

Because Juanuo went to college with the support of the Ruo’an Faction, there was some unofficial cooperation between Blago Monastery under his leadership and the Ruo’an Faction.

Although both sides were accused of "consorting with wizards" and "associating with the Church" due to this, their relationship remained quite good.

Sometimes, even when Juanuo’s believers escaped, they used Ruo’an Faction’s underground network.

"I thought it would just be a few subdeacons." Louise toyed with her white hair with her fingers, "I never expected Ludvik to be here."

"His Majesty Saint’s Grandson said before, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. We all have a common enemy, the Church, so uniting is the right course." Catherine did not forget the task given by Horn, and subtly probed Louise’s thoughts.

"Where’s Horn? Let him come see me." Louise asked, resting on Saphie’s head, "Why isn’t he the one welcoming us?"

"Some awkward things happened before, Your Majesty feared an awkward situation, so asked me to ease it."

"What’s so awkward about it?" Schreiman asked in confusion, "If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten."

Schreiman wasn’t lying, if Catherine hadn’t mentioned it, they would have soon forgotten.

For the broad-minded Black Snake Bay people, what counted as a diplomatic incident? Unless there was a fight.

When two leaders of the Secret Faction met and dueled over whether the red soup should be salty or sweet, leaving both punctured with one testicle, that was a diplomatic incident.

Hugging the future mother-in-law and pinching her cheeks, what’s the big deal?

"I’ve told His Majesty, but he didn’t believe me." Catherine shrugged, "If you insist on seeing him, he’s on the second floor right now, just in time with Dean Ludvik."

"Come, take me to him." Louise said concisely.