Chapter 34: Raviel
Dean had heard the woman’s request and seen her hold out her hand to him.
It looked as though the woman herself were inviting Dean to dance.
Given the contrast between Dean’s tracksuit and the woman’s stunning dress, the scene really did look like a comedy sketch straight out of a soap opera.
Dean must have been aware of this, for his smile had now widened to the point of showing his teeth, and the young man finally said, "Of course, I’d be honoured."
Dean didn’t know who this woman was; to be perfectly honest, he had already begun to take a slight interest in her, but it was not love or romance.
The young man was not the sort to take such matters too seriously.
He simply had to admit it. The woman’s manner of speaking, her bearing and even her behaviour made her seem like a superior person, almost as if she were of noble birth.
Perhaps that was why Dean had taken an interest in her.
The young man allowed her to take his arm and lead him all the way to the meeting room.
No one else had followed them. On the contrary, they would have to ask government officials to find out what had happened.
When the pair arrived at the meeting room shortly afterwards, the woman gestured to a seat for Dean, and he took his place there.
"I’d like to offer you some tea, water or coffee," the woman said politely.
Dean replied, "Trust is forged, my lady. I don’t think I trust you enough to drink anything in this place. I hope you understand," he said.
It was clear that the woman was slightly taken aback by this response. Nevertheless, she did not argue with Dean, as it was a perfectly understandable situation.
Still, the woman possessed sufficient skill to present herself as someone worthy of trust.
That was precisely why she had suddenly removed her mask.
Dean turned his head to the right, not wanting to look at her and not wanting to break the rules.
"You may look, young sir. Since I am not someone you trust, which is quite understandable, I would at least like to show myself to you, so that next time or now I might become someone you can trust."
At the woman’s words, Dean turned his head and looked at her.
The person he saw... was very beautiful.
Perhaps she wasn’t quite on a par with Nemesis or Mirael, but this woman truly was a masterpiece.
What’s more, the young man felt as though he knew her very well.
Or rather, it was as if he had seen her somewhere before.
The woman took hold of a corner of her dress once more and, bending forward, placed her hand on her chest.
"My name is Raviel. Raviel Evergold," said the young woman.
Her bright red eyes glowed even more brilliantly in the moonlight, and her long, jet-black hair fell from her neck down over her dress.
Her snow-white skin seemed to represent snowflakes falling to the earth.
"Wow..." Dean thought to himself.
Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "Evergold?"
The woman giggled and said, "Yes, young sir. The Evergold you’re thinking of."
Dean nodded as if he understood.
The Evergold family were a family based in England at the time the House of Normandy, that is, the first British Royal Family, was established.
It could be said they were a global power centre that had existed even before that time, had managed to survive to the present day, and, contrary to popular belief, had grown even further not through family ties but by recruiting talented individuals.
Even the investor behind the factory where Dean had previously worked was one of Evergold’s smaller companies.
It was a family with a presence all over the world.
Evergold.
"I never imagined I’d meet someone so noble at any point in my life," Dean had said, addressing the woman without any hint of condescension, but with genuine thought.
It would be fair to say he behaved with considerable respect.
The woman, who introduced herself as Raviel, smiled and then said, "Please, there’s no need to speak to me with such deference."
Dean knew exactly who this woman was.
Although the Evergolds had had a significant influence on English history, they were a family who were reserved and used their wealth for the good of both themselves and the world.
Raviel, meanwhile, was one of the family’s future leaders.
She had an older brother and two younger sisters.
The family’s leaders, in short, the family itself, consisted of rather secretive individuals.
"My family and, of course, I have possessed knowledge of both Aether and the Nether for a very long time. It is said that our family’s founders managed to attain incredible power through the guidance they received directly from the High Gods and Goddesses of Aether," Raviel had said suddenly.
When Dean heard these words, he furrowed his brow.
"So... you’ve been connected to Aether for a long time, have you?" Dean asked.
"Of course. It wouldn’t make much sense for a family to come out of nowhere and suddenly become the most powerful people in the world, would it?" replied Raviel.
She didn’t stop there; pointing to the portraits around them, she added, "Every single person you see here is a High God or Goddess. Among them are Zeus, Indra, Shiva, Thor, Loki, Ares and even Odin."
Dean examined each portrait one by one, then pursed his lips and muttered to himself.
He hadn’t realised that people had been connected to heaven for so long.
To put it plainly, that forum post he’d read earlier was now starting to make much more sense.
"Dungeon Master Families"
That term now made perfect sense.
"So you’ve been playing this game for a very long time. Is that right?" Dean asked.
"We’ve been playing for the last hundred years. It’s not just us; many families around the world have gone through the same trials, young master. Of course, we aren’t very powerful. After all, attaining divinity isn’t exactly easy. Still, we have an Angel-Lord and a Demon-Lord living in the Nether and the Aether," Raviel had replied.
Dean, for his part, let out a deep breath.
With every new thing he learnt, everything seemed to become even more absurd, yet just as logical...
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