The middle aged man was followed by an entourage most of whom were women in revealing clothing.
However there was a pair of women who gave off powerful auras despite being suppressed. Aldrich could faintly tell that he was no match against even one of them not to mention the two together.
The servants of the mansion on both sides bowed their heads, "we welcome, great lord Merrick Ford to the house of Seerstorm."
Aldrich did not expect that the guest of honor would be the first to arrive. Shouldn't he show up last? That was common sense, right?
He wasn't sure.
After the servants bowed they worked together with lord Merrick's servants and took away the carriages and mounts to the staples in a different section of the mansion.
Meanwhile lord Merrick walked over in their direction, his steps were taken springily despite his size. He stood before Ayemon in silence before he broke into a cheerful laugh.
"Ayemon, look at you! Still healthy I hope." Merrick extended his hand shook hands with Ayemon.
"And you," Ayemon coughed, "you look a bit different from last I saw you, when was it two years ago?"
But Merrick paused at the remark, or perhaps was it the question, "different, how? May I ask?" He asked sharply, his big face contorting into a giant frown.
Aldrich felt himself sweating, looks like things were not up to a great start. But he wasn't worried, Ayemon was always slick and smooth he surely knew what to say.
"Well, it's not alchemy, now is it?" Ayemon sneered, "first of all, you're fat."
Aldrich felt his heart drop to his stomach. But Ayemon was not done yet.
The air grew still and even the birds did not chipper as if they too acknowledged the severity of the situation. The tray on Aldrich's hand started to shake slightly.
"Ayemon, you…." Lord Merrick pointed at Ayemon while shaking. The two dangerous women behind him had sharpen their gazes and their aura was on the verge of exploding.
Lord Merrick and Ayemon suddenly burst out laughing together and hugged, rambunctious laughter shook the place as if an earthquake was was going on.
"Man you don't hold back!" Lord Merrick, "I am fat, yes." He slapped his beer belly and laughed again. "This is what happens when you sit on your rear for two years."
"Norge you can laugh if you want," lord Merrick looked at Norge, "why do you have to be so stiff all the time?"
"I'm on duty, sir." Norge stoically responded.
"Loosen up, will you? Take a break once in a while." Lord Merrick advised looking unimpressed.
Perhaps lord Merrick and Ayemon were much closer than he was lead to believe? Aldrich felt this way. After all, they seemed very familiar with each other.
Aldrich smiled bitterly, his heart was not ready for this.
"Who's the wine kid?" Lord Merrick suddenly looked at him. "I've never seen him before."
"Oh, just a kid. He was looking for work so I took pity on him. Don't mind him." Ayemon replied.
Aldrich showed his warmest smile possible. Not too shabby, he made an impression just be standing there.
"Let's go, the others will let themselves in." Ayemon and lord Merrick entered the mansion together, Norge and Aldrich followed a step behind.
Inside they move on to a huge room made to accommodate many guests where a long table with many foods of all kinds and shapes was placed in plates. Servants were standing at the ready.
Aldrich didn't have to do much like Ayemon said just stand by holding the tray. He heard the two of them talking and passed the time like that. In the next few hours guests came flooding in.
There were many lords and ladies that he lost count of who was who he grew numb and was no longer impressed he just kept handing out drinks.
However, the arrival of certain guests drew his attention again, like the Deacon of saint Payton's cathedral, High priest Hjanda. Along with Templar, Amalia of saint Quintin's cathedral.
After that the current mayor of the city came Maximos Omulous, after that several judges came in together, moss notably, the judge of the High court Gladwell, and some other junior and senior court judges.
Aldrich was in a state of calmness on the surface but inwardly he noticed something weird. Out of all the guests, four of them shook hands with him personally.
That was weird. It wasn't very suspicious at first but when he thought about their identities he couldn't help but frown.
High priest Hjanda, Templar Amalia, mayor Maximos and high court judge Gladwell. Each one of them was of the highest standing.
After greeting Ayemon they would turn to him, asked fro his name and then went on with their business as usual, but that stood out to Aldrich but Ayemon seemed oblivious like he didn't care or notice anything.
After that most of the guests mingled and chatted with one another, by dinner time a musical band started playing and the atmosphere became very enthusiastic.
But after dinner the most important guests moved on to a different room. While they were going in Aldrich gave himself the chance to sigh in relief.
However, things did not go as planned.
"What are you waiting for? Go in already." Norge whispered to him.
"But, I thought that I shouldn't…" Aldrich tried to explain himself.
"What? And leave our guests without drinks? Go in already."
Aldrich could only drag himself in to the room with all the big shots, like a lamb to the slaughter.
'What more drinks do you guys need? You've all been drinking for half a day already, how are you not shit-faced yet?!'
He could only complain in his head.
Within the room everyone took their seats and some of them started talking to one another in soft whispers, it was a quiet meeting for the most part.
Aldrich stood behind Ayemon's seat and felt bored to death.
"So, Merrick, how were the Boqwen gardens? They must be very enchanting for you to spend half a year there." Ayemon suddenly asked.
"Oh? Ah, yes. Yes indeed. The beautiful nature and the wildlife in Norfgard is already tens of times better than Vorian but the Boqwen gardens are something to behold." Replied Merrick.
Aldrich who had keen senses notice a change in the atmosphere, although the others were talking still, they were now focusing most of their attention to this conversation.
"True, true. Unfortunately, I could not get lord Edwinn Ademar's invitation. But… I do remember advising you to keep a safe distance from him, he—"
"I know, I know. I have heard this talk many times now. But actually after you meet the man himself you will know he is not that bad."
Merrick unexpectedly interrupted Ayemon and explained on his own.
"I bet he is a solid man, indeed. After all, I heard you took his daughter as your third wife. You certainly wouldn't want to badmouth your father-in-law." Ayemon's words were loaded with meaning.
"Well, I think that building closer relations with old rivals is good, who needs more enemies?" Merrick countered.
"True, true," Ayemon conceded, "I really don't care about that. What I'm concerned about is the Western reclamation bill, I hope it will pass."
Lord Merrick grabbed a glass of wine and took a sip before he replied. At this point none of the guest were talking or pretending to talk they were all listening on the sidelines.
"I don't know, it just doesn't feel like we have enough votes. Don't you think we should focus on the flood outbreak disaster bill in Norfgar? It's just the more pressing issue…"
"The flood outbreak disaster bill?" Ayemon whistled, "what a name! Actually I looked it up and it seems this disaster caused only minor damage with only twenty injured. I think our long standing plan to clear up the chaos in the west is more pressing."
The chaos in the west, it referred to the lawlessness of that region. It had left Vorian vulnerable in every way but most importantly, in a political and financial sense too.
Many of Vorian's resources were in the west, including slat and ore mines. That was not all, the homeless lords who made it out had to suffer ridicule for fleeing and abandoning their ancestral homes.
This was not a light matter to nobles, if these lands passed down through generations were to be lost for good then so would their claim to nobility.
Their subjects would lose all respect and reverence to them, it was the greatest shame to a noble. And yet the nobles of the west had to endure this for so long.
There was no greater wish for them but to restore their homes and honor.
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