I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means

If it was not due to cowardice, then it must be because the other party has a greater conspiracy in the shadows.

And for that reason, they continue to endure in silence.

By contrast, Lis didn't have any particularly good solutions and could only slowly continue the investigation of the numerous Feis nobles.

Even worse, the mastermind might not even be a Feis noble, although Lis considered this possibility to be quite small.

After all, it wouldn't make sense to trouble Mr. Stephens with matters concerning the All Beast Church, right?

That would really be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

However, there was now a very good opportunity for Lis at hand.

That was the court banquet hosted by the Feis Royal Family tomorrow.

It served as a preparation for the title ennoblement ceremony to be held in the Feis Royal Palace a week later.

Tomorrow night, the majority of Feis nobles residing in Bright City were going to attend the banquet.

In other words, Lis had a chance to compare and confirm the aura of the vast majority of nobles all at once.

Even if nothing was discovered, he would be able to significantly narrow down the scope of his suspicions.

Thinking this over, Lis couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency in his heart.

After all, if he could not weaken the influence of the All Beast Church in Bright City as much as possible, everything would rely solely on his own strength once he reached Danerluo Port.

Hmm—right.

Suddenly recalling something, Lis's figure flashed and vanished on the spot.

...

The next day, at Feis Kingdom Royal Palace,

As the sun set, only the faint blush of twilight stretched across the sky, which was gradually being devoured by the pitch-black night.

At this moment, the entire Feis Kingdom was completely enveloped in bright lights; a red carpet stretched from the entrance of the Royal Palace all the way into the grand hall, where the palace servants had decorated the entire banquet hall extremely lavishly with golden ribbons paired with red curtains, reflecting the confidence, strength, and wealth of the Feis Kingdom.

The banquet had not yet begun but the long dining tables were already filled with an array of exquisite and tempting delicacies—Northern smoked chicken, seared scallops with truffles, Feis cold cuts platter, garlic-pepper beef fillet cubes, matsutake and foie gras braised beef, shrimp with vegetable salad, birch-steamed lamb ribs, raw sliced tuna, salmon risotto, and more.

It seemed as if to highlight the victory over the Boditch Kingdom, there was an abundance of seafood from the Boditch Kingdom at this dinner.

As dusk fell, a steady stream of Feis nobles had begun to arrive at the Royal Palace for the banquet, but most of the early arrivals were minor nobility, mainly Barons and Viscounts.

Like the former Marquis Kane, such minor nobles depended on the Feis Royal Family for their survival; events like this banquet where many important figures appeared were of utmost importance to them, with many dressing in their finest in hopes of networking with the real power players of the Feis Kingdom.

The Viscount Kane, who had once been so engrossed in magic that he frequently missed noble gatherings, was considered an oddity, but such views had already faded among the Bright City nobility.

What remained were praises and envy for Marquis Kane, with many noble lords even using Lis as an example, encouraging their offspring to calm their minds and improve their strength in hopes of carving out a career for themselves.

Of course, the big bellies of those noble lords did little to lend credibility to their words.

Just then, a carriage that was obviously far more lavish than those of the surrounding nobles slowly made its way to the front of the Royal Palace, catching the attention of many onlookers.

The attendant officers, who had been waiting to one side, saw the conspicuous soaring eagle emblem on the carriage and hurried their steps forward.

Gently opening the door, a young attendant bowed in respect and said with a tone filled with honor:

"Respected Marquis Kane, welcome to your arrival!"

Attendants serving at the Royal Palace of the Feis Royal Family were mostly descendants from the Feis noble families, just not the eldest sons who had no right to inherit.

Educated in the ways of the nobility, these attendants were well-mannered and skilled in flattery and social navigation, with keen eyes and expertise in dancing at large sleeves.

Similarly, they held no small positions of their own; even ordinary Barons and Viscounts were not necessarily welcomed by them personally, as general attendants were sufficient for guidance.

But this attendant knew very well that the man before him, Marquis Kane, was no simple character.

Whether in terms of strength or status, the vast majority of the dukes in the Feis Kingdom were no match for this young man.

At the same time, being well-informed, he was also aware that this very man was one of the stars of tonight's royal banquet at the royal palace; it wouldn't be long until he became the first Duke of the Feis Kingdom.

Lis stepped down from the carriage and waved his hand to indicate that the attendant's guidance was not needed.

Turning around, Lis extended his right hand into the carriage, leading a beautiful white-haired young girl down from the carriage.

The girl standing beside Lis seemed somewhat shy, slightly shrinking behind him, yet this couldn't hide her stunning beauty. Her exquisitely tailored purple evening gown perfectly outlined her graceful figure; the skirt swayed lightly with her gentle steps, rippling like purple waves under the night sky.

Her white hair, with no need for much adornment, flowed simply like a silver waterfall, smooth and lustrous, shimmering faintly under the magic stone lamps, as if the stars from the galaxy had fallen to the tips of her hair. Her crimson eyes stared intently at the young man before her, her thick lashes trembling slightly, betraying a hint of girlish unease.

Feeling the warmth clinging to him, Lis patted the girl's small hand on his arm and said, smiling,

"There's no need to be so nervous, Risa."

"Didn't you agree to attend the banquet with me? Just enjoy it!"

Risa didn't respond, as she now only wanted to hide behind Lis. The amazed gazes of the people around them made her, accustomed to solitude, somewhat uneasy, yet even more bashful.

Master Lis, really! I thought we were going to a noble's evening event, and yet we were brought directly to the royal palace.

Lis, of course, knew the girl's little thoughts, but it also isn't good to always stay at home.

He didn't want Risa to become like she did in a previous life, staying deep within Floating City every day, moldering away at home.

With Risa, who was slightly stiff at the banquet hall, Lis made his way to the hall.

There weren't many nobles in the hall at the moment, and great nobles were absent altogether.

Strictly speaking, Lis could also have arrived a little later, but he had other purposes for being there and didn't mind these trivial details.

When Lis and Risa appeared in the banquet hall, they almost attracted the gaze of everyone present.

An attractive and dashing young man and a stunningly beautiful young girl, wherever they went, would surely draw everyone's attention.

Many nobles were whispering, inquiring about the identities of the young couple before them.

After all, with such outstanding appearances and demeanors, they definitely weren't ordinary people in Bright City, but they were somewhat unfamiliar to these socially enthusiastic individuals.

Soon enough, someone recognized Lis.

As an important figure who had risen meteorically within the Feis Kingdom, the status and identity of Marquis Lis Kain surely needed no introduction, and many were eager to get to know Lis.

Although Lis had attended very few noble banquets and many had no way to make his acquaintance, quite a few had managed to get their hands on his portrait.

So naturally, they could recognize Lis.
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However, Lis didn't pay much attention to these nobles.

He had already scanned them with his spiritual power, and the few minor nobles present were ordinary people, not even Extraordinary Professionals, so naturally, they couldn't escape his detection.

After looking around, Lis found no one he recognized, so he took Risa to a table to the side and started feeding her.

The royal palace banquet was naturally extraordinary, with exquisitely arranged, interesting dishes that tasted quite good.

Lis carefully put a piece of beef cooked just right into Risa's mouth. Chewing gently, the juice from the black pepper and many other spices spilled over her lips, causing a faint blush to spread over Risa's white-as-snow face, but she still obediently accepted her master's feeding.

Although nobles came up to Lis to bow and converse, Lis casually dealt with a few words, and seeing his lack of interest, they took the hint and walked away politely.

As time passed, more and more nobles started to fill the banquet hall, yet there was an implicit area of emptiness around Lis and Risa, with no one daring to intrude on this pleasant atmosphere.

At that moment, a deep male voice rang out,

"Oh, my dear Lis, long time no see!"