Chapter 134: It's This Foolish Woman Again

  The ba was held in the grand hall of the sanctuary. At this moment, most of the guests had yet to arrive. Only minures like Padin had shown up early.

  Bas followed a certaiiquette, much like walking the red carpet. Ordinary individuals couldn't use the mairance; only those with fame and prestige were entitled to that privilege.

  In theory, Alex was qualified to walk the red carpet. After all, he was the key figure iroying the Gate of Hell, a feat no less impressive than that of the Guardians of the Order Fortress.

  However, Alex had little i in sualities. This was why he arrived early with Ikaros to indulge in some food and drink in peace.

  After exging a few words with Padin , Alex led Ikaros to a quiet er to rest.

  From , Alex learhe ba's program: parade the heroes who had defehe northern nds before the crowd, followed by a speech from the tral archbishop. Afterward, it was time for eating, drinking, dang, aw.

  Alex found all this unappealing.

  He was only here because he heard that Stone and Carl would be attending, and he wao greet them out of courtesy. Stone had always treated him well, so Alex felt it was only right to show respect.

  Ohat was done, Alex po leave. This pce bored him, and he'd rather go home to pet his cat or practice magic.

  He had never liked these kinds of events, even before his reination, when, as a high-ranking corporate officer, he was forced to attend simir gatherings.

  Time passed, and the hall gradually filled with people.

  None of them were of io Alex, who remained in his er, chatting with Ikaros while pying with the bck cat in his p.

  People noticed the young man in the er and were curious, but no one approached to cause trouble.

  Alex’s aosition in the sanctuary was evident.

  He wasn’t wearing the armor of a padin or a mage’s robe. Instead, he donned ire, as he often did.

  Ikaros, too, had fone her usual cloak and short skirt for a light, flowing gown. Following Alex’s instrus, she had hidden her angeligs before entering the sanctuary. After all, no amount of low profile would help if an angel showed up at the ba.

  Although Alex had achieved great feats, his name wasn’t well-known, not even as much as Padin ’s, who had returned from the Order Fortress.

  This artly due to the aftermath of his iations with the cil of Bishops. Alex had made it clear he wouldn’t dedicate himself to the sanctuary, so they hadn’t bothered promoting his achievements.

  Thus, aside from a few noblewomen attracted to his looks, most people assumed he was just another aristocrat from the northern regions.

  If Alex had been alone, some noblewomen might have approached him.

  But with Ikaros by his side, such situations were avoided.

  Though Ikaros saw Alex as her master, he treated her more like a younger sister.

  He spared no expense in dressing her, ensuring her clothes were of the highest quality.

  Acc to the rules of noble society, a woman attending a ba apanied by a man was assumed to be either a sibling or a fiancée.

  Although Ikaros’s age was young, this world had no ws against such arras. In fact, many noble families raised "panions" for their children, simir to child brides.

  The nobles present were no fools. They noticed how respectful Ikaros was toward Alex but also observed that she sat beside him rather than standing behind him.

  This ruled out the possibility of her being a servant, leading them to the natural clusion that she was Alex’s fiancée or panion.

  Given these assumptions, no one dared to disturb them.

  Alex was quite tent with the peace, petting the bck cat in his arms.

  The little cat was irresistibly cute.

  It swatted pyfully at Alex’s fingers with its tiny paws, occasionally nibblily with its teeth.

  When Alex scratched its or belly, it purred tentedly, curling up in his p like a child.

  It would sometimes roll over or let out soft meows, melting Alex’s heart.

  Why are cats this adorable? Truly, life is about petting cats!

  Just as Alex was lost in the bliss of cat-petting, a voice suddenly interrupted him.

  “What are you doing here? How you be here?!”

  The sudden artled the bck cat, which darted into Alex’s arms.

  Alex frowned, clearly annoyed, and looked up to find the source of the voice.

  His expression darkened further when he saw who it was.

  “Didn’t your family ever teach you basiners, ie? ’t you learn some etiquette before addressing others?”

  Indeed, standing before Alex was her than Padin ie, the same woman Alex had cshed with in the Shadow yon.

  She was now the sanctuary’s padin armor, looking every bit the picture of valor and grace. However, her expression as she stared at Alex was unusually severe and wary, as though she were fronting an enemy.

  Alex, naturally, had no iion of showing her any courtesy. He scoffed coldly and spoke with disdain.

  Hearing his words, another padin standing beside ie stepped forward, his haing on the hilt of his sword as he gred at Alex.

  “How dare you speak to Lady ie in such a manner! Disrespeg a padin is a grave offense! Apologize to Lady ie immediately!”

  “Oh?”

  Alex s the man’s outburst, giving him a desding gnce.

  “Disrespeg a padin is a grave offehen I wonder, what’s the punishment for disrespeg a Grand Padin? Should you it seppuku right here and now? And as for you, Lady ie…”

  As he spoke, Alex turned his gaze to the now-pale woman, his mog smile widening.

  “As a padin, you dare to show disrespect to a Grand Padin? It seems your problem isn’t just a anners—you’ve got quite the nerve as well.”

  “You…!”

  ie gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, trembling with rage.

  She wanted nothing more than to draw her bde and challenge Alex to a duel right then and there.

  But she knew she couldn’t.

  This was the sanctuary’s grand hall, and the occasion was the New Year’s Goddess Festival. Starting a flict here would only bring shame upon the sanctuary.

  Moreover, Alex was a Grand Padin, a rank above her own.

  While the sanctuary didn’t pce extreme emphasis on hierarchy, a padin ag belligerently toward a Grand Padin was uable.

  If word of this got out, what would others think of her?

  Especially since she was a s of the prestigious Castina family, a true child of destiny.

  “…I deeply apologize, Lord Alex.”

  Though ie’s anger could have boiled the Infinite Sea, she ched her teeth and bowed her head.

  “I lost my posure earlier and disturbed you. Please five me.”

  “If there’s nothing else, stay away from me and stop b me.”

  Alex had no fondness for ie.

  He knew she didn’t like him either, likely still seeing him as the heretic William from before.

  Sihis woman was so stubborn, Alex saw no reason to pcate her.

  After all, even if he did, she would only suspect him of ulterior motives.

  So Alex made his disdain for ie clear. This way, if she ever accused him of being a heretic again, others might think she was ag out of personal bias.

  ie might have been attractive, but so what?

  Could she pare to the ess of Ikaros?

  Was she more fun than his little cat?

  Spending time with a loli aing his cat was far better thaing involved with a woman like her.

  Having dismissed her, Alex returo pying with the bck cat in his p, not even sparing ie annce.

  “You… you…!”

  Seeing Alex’s plete disregard for her, ie trembled with fury. Her ched fists and biting of her lip betrayed her iurmoil.

  At st, she lowered her head and said, “I deeply apologize for disturbing you. We’ll take our leave now.”

  With that, ie turned and walked away.

  The other padins quickly followed her.

  They weren’t fools. ie was a celebrated figure in the sanctuary, a favored protégé even among the cil of Bishops.

  Yet here was this young man who not only dismissed her but also scolded her mercilessly—and she didn’t even dare talk back.

  Who is he?

  Though they had already put some distaween themselves and Alex, the question lingered in the minds of the padins.

  Unbeknownst to them, someone oher side of the hall was w the exact same thing.

  (End of Chapter)

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