Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Attending the Blood Race Banquet, Why Provoke These Little Ancestors?

The Blood Race Marquis’s face was practically green, twisted with misery.

The audience from Dragon Country couldn’t help but sigh for him.

[Honestly, this guy has some seriously bad luck.]

[What’s that saying? You just can’t escape your fated tribulations.]

[You guys are so destined to meet. Why don’t you just adopt this pack of little hellions?]

[He’s at least a high-level Evil Star, right? And he’s hiding here because he’s scared of a bunch of kids?]

[It’s perfectly normal, nothing to be ashamed of. Drop any one of these kids into another instance, and they’d be a world-ending demon lord!]

...

At that moment.

"Mister Marquis?"

"How did you know we’d arrived at our territory? Did you come all this way just to welcome us?"

Meimei asked the Blood Race Marquis curiously.

His blood pressure skyrocketed upon hearing her words.

’Welcome?’

He wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run.

’So much for enjoying the show, now I’m the one in the hot seat!’

’If I’d known I was going to run into these little tyrants...’

’I would’ve rather crawled into a mouse hole than show my face for even a second!’

’Besides,’

’this is the Blood Race Duke’s territory!’

’The place I told Yun Zhenyue to go is a million miles from here! Have you no sense of direction? Do you just see a castle and claim it as your own territory?’

’That Duke is a true top-tier Evil Star!’

’And he’s only one step away from becoming a Great Evil!’

’If you piss off the Duke, I’ll probably be dragged down with you!’

’You orphans fear nothing and no one.’

’You’ll just up and leave when things get bad...’

’But what about me?’

The Blood Race Marquis had a million complaints he wanted to voice.

But there were so many, he didn’t even know where to begin.

Just as he was about to try and trick Yun Zhenyue and the children into leaving...

...Meimei’s eyes suddenly lit up. "Loli?"

The Blood Race Marquis’s heart skipped a beat!

He turned his head.

His daughter, Loli, had come out as well.

A light breeze ruffled her gothic skirt. The beautiful girl looked just as confused. She remembered these children were supposed to have gone with Yun Zhenyue to a different territory. How did they end up here?

She shot her father a questioning look.

But Loli only saw the Marquis’s pained and awkward expression.

"It’s the Duke’s banquet tonight. All the nearby Blood Race were invited. Did you get an invitation too?" Loli asked, gently stroking Meimei’s hair.

"Nope," Meimei said matter-of-factly. "I thought this was Miss Yun’s turf."

"..."

Loli fell silent.

’This...’

’Aren’t the two places really far apart?’

"By the way, where is Miss Yun?" Loli continued. "Even though you aren’t Blood Race, she holds a title, so she should be eligible to attend."

"She’s got a bit of motion sickness—"

Meimei scratched her head in embarrassment.

Just then,

after taking a moment to recover, Yun Zhenyue finally came to her senses.

She spotted a familiar face and immediately walked over.

"Loli, what are you doing here?"

Yun Zhenyue asked, bewildered.

Loli had always been a person of few words.

But today, she felt an overwhelming urge to retort.

’Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?’

’It’s perfectly normal for me to be here.’

She shook her head.

Loli glanced at the broken-down trolley. "How did you get here? Can that thing actually move?"

"Shoushou drew this one!"

Yun Zhenyue explained.

"We were trying to head west at first, but we ran into a little... hiccup."

"I see."

After hearing Yun Zhenyue’s explanation,

a faint sense of envy stirred in Loli’s heart.

She had spent her entire life in Eternal Night Manor. She and her brother, Sam, were like birds in a cage. But at least Sam could get out from time to time; she was always forced to stay cooped up in her room.

It was only because Yun Zhenyue and the children had wrecked the manor, necessitating repairs, that her father had brought her along to this banquet.

’Such a rich and interesting journey.’

’A plane crash, a "little sun," crashing a wedding, feasting, and now this trolley...’

All of it filled Loli with a deep sense of longing.

’If only I could go on adventures with them.’

But alas...

...she was born to be lonely.

With that thought, Loli turned to her father, the Marquis. "Father, can they join us for the banquet?"

At that moment,

the children who were walking over all heard her.

Pangpang was the most excited.

As soon as he heard the word "banquet," he knew there would be plenty of delicious food.

"Me, me, me! I wanna go too!"

Shoushou chimed in, "A Blood Race banquet? I’ve never been to one. It should give me plenty of inspiration."

Kuku remained silent.

But a flicker of curiosity showed in his eyes.

A vein throbbed on Meimei’s forehead. "Didn’t you guys just have a feast today? You’re so embarrassing! From now on, when we’re out, don’t tell anyone you’re from the orphanage!"

Hearing this, Yun Zhenyue knew the children were all eager to attend.

She took the initiative and said to the Blood Race Marquis, "I promise I’ll keep a close eye on them. They won’t cause any trouble."

The Blood Race Marquis: "..."

Faced with their expectant gazes...

...what else could he say?

They had put him on the spot.

If he refused now...

...it would mean disrespecting the orphanage.

In the end, he could only turn to the Blood Race guards beside him and explain, "Let them in."

"They are... my friend’s children."

"Kids will be kids, it’s normal for them to be a bit mischievous. I’ll pay for the damage to the castle."

The lead Blood Race guard was relieved to hear this.

He’d thought for a moment that a Great Evil was attacking.

Besides, anyone who could casually bring a group of children to run amok in the Ghost World...

...was surely not to be trifled with.

’Who knows, one of those kids might have an incredible background.’

’Maybe they’re backed by a Crimson-robed Ghost or an Evil Star.’

"Very well, then." He nodded and immediately had the Blood Race guards stand down and resume their patrols elsewhere.

Some of the onlooking Blood Race stared curiously at the trolley, scratching their heads.

They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what kind of vehicle it was.

’How does it feel even faster than transforming into a bat?’ one wondered.

...

In a castle in the deepest part of the estate,

Yun Zhenyue and the children didn’t have to wait long.

The banquet began.

Inside the grand hall, crystal chandeliers cast a dappled dance of light and shadow across the Gothic vaulted ceiling.

Deep red curtains swayed silently in the candlelight, stretching the guests’ shadows into long, thin silhouettes.

A long table was laden with exquisite and rare delicacies.

Crystal goblets were filled with a scarlet liquid—whether it was wine or blood was anyone’s guess.

The Blood Race specters mingling about were all dressed in elegant formalwear. This was a feast for the Blood Race, and each one of them was the picture of restraint, wearing a polite smile.

How to put it?

It was all very high-class!

Yun Zhenyue didn’t even dare to take out the lemon tea she had stored in her ghost painting.

As for the Duke?

Yun Zhenyue didn’t see him, but she didn’t give it much thought.

But something that was both surprising and yet entirely expected happened.

The children were actually being polite.

None of the boorishness from the last feast; they handled everything gently.

It was clear...

...that the orphanage had done a good job of teaching them manners.

They were merely whispering amongst themselves.

"HISS~ This piece of meat is raw. There’s so much blood."

"Duh, they’re the Blood Race. Of course they like it bloody."

"BLECH~ I thought this was red wine in the cup, but it’s actually blood!"

"I can’t really get used to this stuff. Pangpang, you still got any jerky? Spot me some?"

"I’ve only got five pieces left... Fine, I’ll give you one."

Since all the guests at the banquet were of the Blood Race,

the menu was naturally catered to their tastes.

Even Pangpang couldn’t get used to it.

Besides, he’d already eaten his fill at the feast earlier that day.

He alone had eaten enough for nearly ten tables!

So he wasn’t particularly interested in raw meat and blood.

The nervous Blood Race Marquis, watching from the side, breathed a sigh of relief.

’Thank goodness!’

’There was no scene of them pigging out!’

It was a pleasant surprise.

Otherwise, he really wouldn’t have known how to explain things to the Duke.

But just then,

a member of the Blood Race in a black tuxedo approached. His pale, slender fingers caressed the rim of his crystal glass, and the corners of his long, narrow eyes were tilted up in a provocative arch.

When he saw the children eating jerky,

his eyes filled with disdain, as if he were looking at common insects.

"Well, look who it is."

"Mr. Sino, are these the brutish little ghouls you brought in?"

"Bringing their own inferior food to a banquet... Surely you don’t mean to look down on the delicacies the Duke so carefully prepared?"

The Blood Race Marquis’s heart sank.

This member of the Blood Race was also a Marquis.

His name was Elaine.

He and Mr. Sino had never gotten along.

’A few taunts and jibes are one thing...’

’But why are you provoking these little tyrants?!’

’Don’t you know any one of them could beat you into a dried-up bat?!’