Gospel of Blood

Chapter 39: Towards the Banquet

"Quick! What are you dawdling for? Does it take this long to fetch a basin of water?"

"Who told you to bring the everyday clothes? Go get the formal attire!"

"What? You think this is formal attire? This is everyday clothing! Can't even differentiate between everyday and formal attire as a servant of the Castell family?!"

"The formal attire is in a separate wardrobe! Each set is specially tailored in advance for every banquet! Each set can only be worn once!"

"No need to bring them all, just bring the few warm-toned ones. The mistress specifically requested a mature and sunny look."

In the Castell Manor, Casimodo directed the busy maids and servants with a stern expression.

Although they had been trained by Charlotte for many days, it was evident that the newcomers were still not prepared for a Duke's banquet of this caliber, and they were all a bit flustered.

Inside the manor, the roar of the old servants could be heard without interruption.

As Charlotte looked helplessly at the formal dresses brought by the maids, she sighed, finally selecting a gorgeous evening gown predominantly white in color.

Speaking of which, perhaps the existence of extraordinary powers allowed for advanced productivity in the Myria world. The clothing, food, housing, and transportation of the nobility were quite advanced.

Overall, although society was still in a feudal era, with commoners and the lower class living lives similar to the Middle Ages on Earth, the upper class had clearly entered a period resembling the Renaissance or even the Industrial Age in terms of material conditions. The wealth gap was enormous.

Even tailcoats were being tailored, which initially led Charlotte to believe that she had transmigrated to the seventeenth or eighteenth century. It wasn't until she left the manor that she realized how much more backward this world actually was.

Through various alterations and additions, the overall estimate was akin to the late Middle Ages of Earth, around the fifteenth century.

Unlike the avant-garde Gothic dresses, the evening gowns were elegant and beautiful in pattern, with a preference for heavy fabric, intricate decorations, a lot of embroidery and cutting, and many places adorned with jewels, overall exuding a rich and luxurious style.

Furthermore, the styling was quite exaggerated, with cinching and padding everywhere, making it uncomfortable to wear.

Especially the large petticoats, which made Charlotte feel like she was wearing an oversized heavy hula hoop.

But there were advantages too, this dress was convenient for hiding small items. While no one was looking, Charlotte decisively tucked her hand crossbow for self-defense inside.

After stuffing it, she still felt there was plenty of space, so she casually tucked in a dagger and a few magic scrolls she had obtained from Nice.

Grooming, bathing, dressing, hair styling, makeup, perfume spraying... After a tedious preparation, it was already forty minutes later.

Standing in front of the mercury mirror, Charlotte felt that her reflection in the mirror looked even more beautiful and charming than usual. Underneath her youthful and charming appearance, there was a touch of maturity.

She also smelled good, surprising even herself with how fragrant and soft she was.

This was all thanks to the formal dress and perfume, as well as Charlotte's natural beauty.

Under the cumbersome formal dress, even her chest appeared much larger, and surprisingly, there were even cleavage lines. Although Charlotte always felt that having cleavage somehow... made her feel she had lost something precious in her innermost being.

After getting ready, she boarded the carriage to the banquet. The chosen carriage was the best one from the Castell Manor, adorned with exquisite carvings, decorated with gold edges and gems, and on the side, the black eagle family crest of the Castell family shone brightly, luxurious and grand.

The old servant Casimodo served as the temporary steward, accompanied by two maids and two male servants.

The maids and male servants sat on the second servant carriage, with a religious oil painting selected from the manor's collection, valued around two hundred thousand gold Tana selected as the birthday banquet gifts placed on top.

This was the entire entourage for the banquet.

Nice, the black cat, lay on the window of the second floor, watching the departing crowd with amber eyes full of pity. Of course, no one truly pitied it, not even the maids in the manor.

During this time, this guy didn't dare to act recklessly towards Charlotte, temporarily dispelling Charlotte's idea of giving it a luxurious version of a neutering package. However, it made the maids anxious, and they even had to check if a fat cat was lurking nearby before changing clothes.

Although being watched by a cat seemed harmless, being stared at by a speaking cat with such a strange gaze made people uncomfortable, feeling as if they were being peeped at by a pervert.

Charlotte felt that this lecherous cat would eventually pay the price sooner or later, and it would eventually be neutered.

It was just bullying the maids and other ordinary people.

In terms of strength alone, this guy couldn't even beat Charlotte, and its physical quality was also that of an unawakened trash, just slightly stronger than an ordinary cat...

But unfortunately... Nice could still perform a series of high-level divine rituals and even magic.

It was eerie. Charlotte was sure this cat had its secrets, but it refused to say, and Charlotte didn't force it. After all, who didn't have a secret or two in this world?

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As long as it didn't betray her, that was enough. Trust and loyalty would gradually change over time.

After a brief thought, Charlotte waved at the window on the second floor.

After all, this guy had quite a few divine rituals and magic with it, barely considered a master, so she might as well let it accompany her.

Seeing the girl's signal, Nice's eyes lit up. It meowed excitedly, and eagerly jumped out onto the carriage on the back, making the maids scream out of surprise.

"Stay away from me, mind your identity. You can follow me, but as a pet."

Charlotte said coldly as she watched the excited black cat.

Nice's cat face immediately fell. It forcibly stopped itself from looking at the girl's enticing cleavage, sighed regretfully, and then jumped onto the back servant carriage to harass the maids.

The convoy slowly started moving, leaving the Castell Manor.

Charlotte leisurely leaned against the window of the carriage, taking out a goblet and the milk bag prepared by the maids in advance, skillfully filling it up for herself.

Passing through the spacious and bright streets of the western city area, the convoy headed east, and after about fifteen minutes, entered the eastern city area.

As the most central area of Borde City and also the area with the most nobles, the buildings in the eastern city area were much more magnificent overall.

The streets were spacious and bright, clean and tidy, with religious sculptures, fountains, and small gardens everywhere. Even the clothing of pedestrians on the street was much neater and more luxurious. This scene formed a sharp contrast with the dilapidation and backwardness of the outer city area, as if spanning two to three hundred years.

The beautiful scenery made Charlotte, who liked to admire the scenery, brighten up. But as the carriage continued to move forward, she gradually lost interest.

Although the scenery of the eastern city area was good, they all are too similar. All the sculptures were about religion, the decorations on the fountains were also patterns of the Holy Court, and even the greenery in the gardens was pruned into the stiff style of the church.

Heavy, oppressive, and full of restraint. This feeling couldn't be experienced without careful consideration. But Charlotte was always sharp.

"So... religious authority is the most powerful force in this world."

Taking a sip of milk, the girl sighed.

As the carriage continued to move, similar convoys on both sides of the street became more numerous.

Every carriage was also adorned with various badges, and as they moved in the same direction as Charlotte and the others, it was obvious that they were all nobles attending the banquet.

Charlotte noticed that when her family's carriage passed by, almost all the convoys slowed down to let them pass. Sometimes, the windows of the carriages would even open, and people would salute towards Charlotte's carriage.

Nobles were also ranked. Even though there was a trend of decline and the risk of extinction, the wealthy Castell family was definitely one of the most powerful noble families in the Borde Duchy. Perhaps, the "one of" words could even be removed.

After another fifteen minutes of travel, Charlotte finally saw a magnificent palace, the Duke's Mansion.

The history of the Borde Ducal Mansion was quite ancient, tracing back to the founding period of the Yunette Empire 1,100 years ago.

At that time, it was a fortress used to resist the orc tribes and also a majestic castle.

Now, the orc tribes on the Crescent Peninsula have long been completely annihilated, and the once-active orcs have all become slaves or migrated to distant places. The historical mission of the Borde Castle has long been completed.

Therefore, around seven hundred years ago, during the time of the first head of the Borde family, the castle was ordered to be rebuilt into a palace with fortress functions, and the city was built around it. The city of Borde also developed from that time on and was expanded several times.

At this moment, on the garden square in front of the Duke's Mansion, there were already more than a hundred carriages from various families parked.

The Duke's family servants, dressed in deep blue butler uniforms, stood at the door, guiding various nobles into the palace.

When the Castell family carriage arrived, it almost attracted the attention of everyone, whether they were nobles, attendants, or commoners who came from afar to watch the excitement, their eyes were full of curiosity.

"Mistress, we have arrived."

The carriage door opened, and Casimodo's old and respectful voice came over.

Charlotte nodded slightly.

"Help me down."

She took a deep breath, extended her fair little hand, placed it in the palm of the maid attendant, and then, with the careful assistance of the maid, gracefully stepped down from the carriage where the ladder was placed.

The bright sunlight shone on her, accompanied by a light breeze, lifting her beautiful golden hair slightly. She appears in her sacred and gorgeous evening gown, with her beautiful and divine face, and her elegant and noble demeanor... At that moment, the entire garden square fell silent.