Ch.180Chapter 180 – One Never Holds Back for a Guest

The banquet hall of the Yellow Dragon Palace was normally a venue for various events for the people of the Yellow Dragon Fortress, making it accessible to any resident of the fortress.

However, today the banquet hall had transformed into a place reserved only for special individuals.

Literally, only those who had received prior permission or an invitation could enter the Yellow Dragon Palace banquet hall today.

“The guest of honor is quite late, isn’t he?”

However, Pathos, who could be considered the main character of today’s banquet, had not yet appeared in the hall.

This was because he was delayed meeting with Baek Dan-hyeop, the head of the Han Dongbaek family, but that information had not been conveyed to the other family heads.

After all, the meeting between Baek Dan-hyeop and Pathos had taken place in secret.

“Ho ho, isn’t it customary for the main character to arrive late?”

Baek Dan-hyeop maintained complete ignorance despite knowing that Pathos’s tardiness was due to their meeting.

He knew all too well that if he mentioned that Pathos was late because of their meeting, he would be subjected to a barrage of questions from the other family heads.

“Hmm. Well, he’s a foreigner, so it’s understandable. Isn’t it easy to get lost when visiting a place for the first time?”

“Hahaha! That’s certainly true!”

One family head’s speculation was met with hearty laughter from another, seemingly agreeing with his assessment.

“What problem could there be with a slight delay? We’ve rented this place for the entire day anyway.”

“Who would dare complain when we’re using it? We’re entertaining an important guest of the nation—why should we care about the grumbling of underlings?”

The family heads revealed their arrogance with every word, but that was the reality.

Those gathered here possessed power that could easily make a person disappear with just a gesture.

That’s why the people busily preparing food and arranging the banquet were moving frantically, trying their best to avoid catching the attention of the family heads.

At the very least, the heads of the great families knew how to strictly separate public and private matters.

If this were a private gathering, court ladies and servants would not be allowed to enter the banquet hall.

However, the banquet being held here now was for the great family heads to lavishly entertain an esteemed guest from the Western Continent.

Therefore, court ladies and servants were stationed throughout to attend to the requests of the precious guest from the Western Continent.

“Announcing the entry of the distinguished guest from the Western Continent, Count Pathos Severio!”

As people were engaged in conversation, the doors of the banquet hall opened with the doorkeeper’s announcement, and Pathos entered.

All eyes turned to Pathos as he stepped into the banquet hall, dressed in attire that seemed to blend the styles of the Western and Eastern Continents.

At his side stood Seon Yu-hwa and Baek Yu-wol.

One was an official working for the imperial court, the other a scion of a great family.

It was a perfectly balanced situation.

“Is that really him?”

“He certainly looks like one of us, but… it’s not unheard of for people to cross over and live on the other side, so it’s not that strange.”

The family heads began to whisper as they observed Pathos.

They had been told he was from the Western Continent, yet the person who appeared before them had features similar to their own.

But that wasn’t a problem.

What the family heads wanted from Pathos was to ensure his abilities didn’t flow to lesser families.

Therefore, the heads of the great families needed to present only their best side here and now.

“Welcome! I am Baek Dan-hyeop, head of the Han Dongbaek family and father of Baek Yu-wol who accompanies you.”

Baek Dan-hyeop approached Pathos and extended his hand, pretending not to know him.

While the traditional greeting in the Eastern Continent was to cup one’s hands, he was greeting him in the Western style to show his respect.

“Count Pathos Severio of the Gelebrio Empire.”

Pathos accepted his greeting, wondering why Baek Dan-hyeop was deliberately treating him as if they were meeting for the first time.

‘He’s pretending not to know me. He must think that if he acknowledges knowing me, he’ll face scrutiny from the other family heads.’

After Pathos and Baek Dan-hyeop exchanged greetings, the other family heads approached to introduce themselves.

“So you’re the master repairman! Pleased to meet you. I am Geum Tae-yang, head of the Pa Seonggeum family.”

“I am Song Cheol-hyeon, head of the Ja Wolsong family.”

“Go Deung-seong of the Han Seogo family.”

Among them, those who approached Pathos most closely were the heads of the great families to which the Three Ministers belonged.

Having learned how Pathos’s abilities had been demonstrated to Song Bu-yeo, Go Gwan-cheol, and Geum Gun-ryeong, they all wanted Pathos to visit their families as well.

But if they revealed this desire, they might be checked by other family heads and lose their place in line, so all they could do was treat him more amicably than others.

“It is an honor to meet the esteemed heads of the great families.”

“Come, come, let’s not stand here. This way. We’ve prepared many things for you today.”

Pathos followed the guidance of the great family heads deeper into the banquet hall.

Baek Yu-wol and Seon Yu-hwa moved with him—one as his guard, the other as his assistant.

Where the family heads led Pathos, there was an enormously large table.

The delicacies and fine liquors placed upon it were things that ordinary people could never hope to see in their lifetime.

Baek Dan-hyeop filled cups with liquor from a bottle on the table and passed them around.

The cups were distributed to the fifteen family heads, with Pathos and Baek Dan-hyeop receiving theirs last.

“Today is a wonderful day! A precious guest has come from afar, and to welcome him, I, Baek Dan-hyeop, head of the Han Dongbaek family, shall pour a round of drinks for everyone!”

As Baek Dan-hyeop raised his cup, everyone else followed suit.

Pathos also raised his cup, responding to Baek Dan-hyeop’s gesture.

“Through this cup of wine, may the friendly relations between the Western and Eastern Continents continue forever.”

Baek Dan-hyeop, who had raised his cup first, downed it in one go, and the others emptied their cups as well.

Pathos also drank his, and surprisingly, despite the burning sensation in his throat, he felt his mind becoming clearer.

“What an interesting liquor. I feel my mind becoming clearer rather than clouded after drinking it.”

“Kekeke! That’s ‘Ryeomisae,’ a premium clear liquor produced by the brewery operated by our Han Dongbaek family. All the harsh elements have been removed, and it enhances one’s vital energy while clearing the mind. That’s why people who want to remain clear-headed while drinking seek out this liquor.”

Baek Yu-wol was startled when he heard that the liquor served to Pathos was Ryeomisae.

Ryeomisae was a renowned liquor among renowned liquors, served only to precious guests recognized by the family head.

While other liquors clouded the mind the more one drank, this one made the mind clearer and improved health with each sip.

That’s why it was a luxury item worth dozens of gold taels per bottle.

Hearing Baek Dan-hyeop’s words about bringing out this liquor for Pathos, Baek Yu-wol gained a new level of respect for him.

“This is remarkable liquor. I’d like to take some back to my country and introduce it widely to people there.”

“Hohoho! If you wish, I’ll make sure to provide you with plenty when you depart.”

Originally, this liquor was rarely sold except on very special occasions, but Baek Dan-hyeop offered to give it to Pathos to win his favor.

“Since I’ve been treated to such precious liquor, I should offer something in return. Could I perhaps get some of the lowest quality liquor available here?”

“Lowest quality liquor?”

When Pathos asked for low-quality liquor, questions began to fill the minds of Baek Dan-hyeop and the other family heads.

“I think it would be better to show you directly rather than explain with words.”

“We certainly have such liquor. There’s cloudy rice wine or clear rice wine that we brew to distribute to tenant farmers.”

“How many bottles would be needed for everyone here to have a generous share?”

“Three bottles should be sufficient. Hey, go and bring three bottles of cloudy rice wine. It doesn’t matter if the quality is poor.”

“Yes, master.”

At Baek Dan-hyeop’s command, a servant quickly moved.

Shortly after, he returned with three bottles of cloudy rice wine in plain-looking containers.

Pathos poured a little from the bottles and offered it to Baek Dan-hyeop.

Baek Dan-hyeop drank it and frowned.

It was very low-quality liquor that only burned and intoxicated without any pleasant qualities.

“How did you find the taste of the liquor you just drank?”

“Terrible. It’s just a tasteless liquor meant only to intoxicate people.”

Pathos smiled at his response.

“Then now it’s time to taste a truly delicious liquor.”