The Vastness of Magi Chapter 79 - 79 7 Stunning Beauty

??Chapter 79: Chapter 7: Stunning Beauty

Chapter 79: Chapter 7: Stunning Beauty

Afternoon negotiations with officials from the Kingdom’s Ministry of the Interior seed to lack novelty, and after the necessary gifts were given, several kingdom officials appeared very enthusiastic. However, they also brought the latest directives from the Minister of Internal Affairs, stating that the number of refugees to be accepted was not 80,000 or even 100,000, but 120,000, and this had to be ensured to maintain an advantage for the kingdom in negotiations with the other three receiving nations.

Seeing Kor and Caffrey looking at each other in dismay, the official in charge of negotiation affairs consoled them by stating that the Minister of Internal Affairs would strive to secure the maximum financial subsidy for Caucasus to ensure the smooth arrival of refugees and a stable passage through the winter.

As for the transportation and migration routes for the refugees, there was not much involvent required; the Minister of Internal Affairs had already instructed concerned officials to greet the lords of territories along the way, to take charge of providing the necessary logistical support, but the actual effectiveness of this was uncertain.

Regarding the source of refugees, Kor originally planned to accept them according to the ratio of 60,000 from Myron Duchy and 30,000 each from ine City-State and Susoer City-State, but upon learning from Caffrey that the residents of Susoer City-State were relatively wealthy, and a significant portion of the refugees from ine City-State were descendants of the Half-Elves, he imdiately changed his mind. He proposed a new ratio of 50,000 from Myron Duchy and 35,000 each from Susoer City-State and ine City-State, which of course t with unfettered support from kingdom officials.

The evening banquet was held in a small banquet hall on the side wing of the Hunting Manor. Although this was His Majesty the King’s private hunting lodge, due to the fact that His Majesty also often worked here, many of the kingdom’s senior ministers had to co and stay. However, official business could not be delayed, so several senior ministers had their own working spots in the lodge, and the small banquet hall had beco a place for the kingdom’s senior ministers to receive important guests.

When Kor arrived at the small banquet hall, apart from two officials from the Internal Affairs Departnt and a few attendants preparing, no one else had yet arrived. In such situations, the higher the status of the person, the more they needed to demonstrate their difference in status, usually appearing right on ti. This was a common malady among nobles, sothing Kor understood very well.

Taking the glass of apple brandy offered by the attendant, Kor stood silently by a window overlooking the courtyard and took a small sip.

From the attendants’ preparations, it seed the number of participants at the banquet was not large, perhaps only a few diplomats from different nations and officials from the Kingdom’s Internal Affairs Departnt, in addition to himself—the main topic likely being the issue of accepting refugees. He hoped that the Minister of Internal Affairs would not change his mind again. 120,000 was not a small number, and Kor had no idea how to reassure and lead these people through the winter.

As people began to trickle in, several won dressed as noble ladies entered the banquet hall slowly, dragging exceptionally long and dignified dresses. The bodices, cut in a sharp V-shape, cinched the body tightly, with short sleeves, and due to the particularly large scooped necklines, it was easy for onlookers to glimpse the roots of their swelling breasts, a rather flirtatious charm.

Without any shyness, they sipped their drinks and laughed carefreely. Strong liquors like almond-flavored Amare Derico Wine and orange-flavored Goando seed not to affect them at all, and were clearly their drinks of choice.

Observing the behavior of these ladies from the Royal City, Kor had to admit that the won from Cyprus were no different from village maidens in the countryside compared to them, possessing an added touch of simplicity and nature, yet lacking in their graceful composure.

The Hunting Manor’s nights were exceptionally lively, especially when His Majesty the King was in residence. Accompanied by relatives of the king, senior ministers, and wealthy rchants, as well as their wives, mistresses, subordinates, and servants, the Hunting Manor imdiately beca a sleepless estate.

Even though the kingdom had imdiately demanded expenditure cuts to ensure the needs of the front-line war effort due to financial reasons, it was rely talk, and guests who could co here were either the distinguished of the kingdom or wealthy rchants, none of whom were troubled by money.

Even if montarily strapped for cash, the usury rchants, like maggots on bone, would imdiately swarm in and satisfy any requests, so there was no need to worry about any embarrassing situations.

Of course, the least able to stand loneliness were the noble ladies who accompanied their husbands or lovers. As their husbands or lovers’ eyes wandered through the crowd looking for new conquests, their own yearning eyes were no less eager. Young nobles of strong build and extraordinary looks were naturally their first choice, and many youngsters who had co to marvel at the opulence of the king’s Hunting Manor were losing their innocence in this decadent setting.

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Kor picked up his wine glass and coolly watched the noblewon in the banquet hall flirting shalessly with one another. The number of won kept increasing, significantly surpassing the male guests, with many arriving accompanied by female companions, likely in search of new thrills in such an environnt.

A few elegant noblewon occasionally threw a seductive glance his way, but due to no one recognizing this handso young man, their residual pride prevented them from lowering themselves to initiate a conversation. They all hoped for an acquaintance to bridge the awkward gap.

“Baron Kor?” A sowhat hesitant, lodious voice ca from behind him, causing Kor to start. Could it be that he had a female acquaintance in Versailles? Apart from Tracy, he couldn’t recall any woman from his circle of friends who would frequent such a place.

Turning around slowly, Kor’s calm expression was briefly pierced by a trace of surprise.

Underneath the chestnut hair was a face as smooth and refined as ivory. The rosé lips, perched beneath a slightly prominent nose, caught the light and shone with an enchanting shade. Her eyes, the sa color as her hair, seed profound. She wore a black evening dress that accentuated the snow-white cleavage, a diamond-studded jade brooch pinned at a prominent spot, and held a pair of white silk embroidered gloves, her delicate slender fingers resembling tender shoots. Like a focal point, Kor imdiately felt the envious gazes of the surrounding won swirling around him and this woman.

“Yes, may I inquire who you are…?” Kor politely bowed, his inquisitive gaze resting on her face. He was certain he had never seen such a woman before; a woman of such unique allure would have left an indelible mark in his mind had they t.

With a “clucking” laugh, the woman covered her mouth gracefully with one hand, her bosom heaving with the motion of her laughter, drawing the attention of everyone present. “Your Excellency the Baron, I’ve heard that you were a dashing and carefree figure in Cyprus, but today I find you quite different from the legends, wouldn’t you say?”

A twinge of concern tightened Kor’s heart. Here was another person who knew his past, and it seed that his dubious history had truly spread throughout the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Nicosia. However, he was puzzled as to how his past misadventures as a wayward noble could have caught the attention of Jazair’s high society.

With an odd smile surfacing on his face, Kor had to be extra cautious. The woman before him appeared to know everything about him, yet he knew nothing of her. Such a conversation was decidedly challenging, “My lady, not all rumors are reliable. The many can turn gold to dross, rumors end with the wise.”

“Haha, Your Excellency the Baron, you do have a sense of humor. Are you saying all those romantic anecdotes from your past were fabricated by others? I doubt it. Even my brother, who idolizes you, is said to have had an encounter with you in Cyprus, a fact well-known to the public. Isn’t that so?”

The woman’s words suddenly beca crass, and her voice rose several notches, drawing noticeable expressions of interest on the faces of the noblewon eavesdropping on the conversation.

Kor’s face went pale as he began to guess the identity of the woman.

Lady Princess Katya, His Majesty the King’s third daughter and the third in line to the kingdom’s succession, a woman of scandalous reputation, already engaged to Viscount bon, the Deputy Corps Commander of the Royal Fire Shadow Knights of the Kingdom, a noble from a family whose power was in decline but still had widespread kinship ties throughout the kingdom.

It was said that the fiance was chosen by herself, and her choice caused a commotion at the ti, with no one understanding why she would choose such a fallen knight with no economic strength. Furthermore, it was believed that she had fought to secure the deputy corps commander position for him.

So speculated that Princess Katya had deliberately chosen a powerless knight as her fiancé to facilitate her dalliances. The rumors and speculations were endless.

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