"So, should we go out?"
Heyer, also dressed in her finest attire, looked like an elf straight out of a fairy tale. She glanced at the time and couldn't help but ask Saya, who was pacing back and forth, "There are only ten minutes left until the banquet starts. Have you decided?"
Saya stopped, forcing a bitter smile. "I don't know."
He truly didn't know. Looking out through the large French windows of the room, he could see an enormous floating island perched in the clouds above a lush, verdant mountain valley.
This was planet Mildona, the place where the legend of the Lyresas family began. He had finally arrived here, but he lacked the courage to step out of the room. Until now, the family didn't know that their young master was still alive. For the time being, he was safe. But if he entered the banquet hall and appeared in their sight... Saya was absolutely certain that Wells and his faction within the family would ruthlessly erase him from the world. Because he was the true first heir of the family. Wells needed to eliminate this unstable factor to officially take over the family.
"But what good will hiding here do?" Saya asked himself softly.
The Lyresas family's influence spanned several star regions. To completely evade their pursuit, he would have to drift to a place more than ten star regions away, living a life of anonymity, never to return. Or perhaps establishing an even larger power base than his family beyond ten Star Regions, making a powerful comeback, and avenging his humiliation.
The former was not what he wanted. The latter only existed in those fantasy novels on the StarNet. How could he possibly bring down the enormous business empire built by the Lyresas family over hundreds of generations?
"Then only one option remains: to leave." Saya murmured, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his tuxedo pocket.
'Go back to where it all started, reclaim what is rightfully yours.'
Saya had come here following the guidance on the paper.
"But how can I reclaim everything that is rightfully mine?" Saya stared at the last line of the paper, lost in thought.
'The one reigning upon the stars has prepared everything for you.'
He understood the rest of the paper, and it had all come true, but this last sentence—Saya couldn't fathom its meaning. His intuition told him that this sentence was the key to how to 'reclaim everything that is rightfully his.'
But so far, he hadn't seen a single sign.
"Click-clack—" The sound of an old-fashioned timepiece's pointer turning could be heard.
Heyer stood up from her seat and said to Saya, "There's no time for you to hesitate or consider anymore. Go, or don't go. You must give me an answer now. Otherwise..."
Heyer shrugged slightly and added, "I'll go first. If you come later, I can't guarantee you won't be attacked on your way to the banquet."
Tang Dun was also looking at Saya.
"Ffff. 'The one reigning upon the stars has prepared everything,' let me see who this person reigning upon the stars is, and how they prepared everything."
Saya let out a long breath, finally making a decision. "I'll go."
Heyer and Tang Dun both breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Saya hesitate and struggle like that had really made them want to punch him a couple of times.
"Then let's go."
Heyer walked out of the room and began to call for the flying vehicle. Tang Dun patted Saya on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Brother, your decision was right!"
"Really?" Saya's eyes lit up, looking at Tang Dun expectantly, "Do you know something? Tell me quickly, Tang Dun!"
Tang Dun grinned, revealing a mouthful of quartz teeth, and chuckled, "I just really want to try the food at the banquet. If you don't go, I'll miss out."
As a super-family with influence spanning several star regions, the Lyresas family's every move can cause a huge sensation and impact within those regions. Half a cosmic year ago, the death of the family patriarch had already caused a major upheaval in several star regions. If the news of the Lyresas family's new heir finally being decided were to spread, it would undoubtedly cause another series of shocks.
It's no exaggeration to say that the future commercial landscape of several star regions may be changed because of today's banquet. Those invited to this banquet were naturally prominent figures from several star regions, possessing immense wealth and influence. Being a Star Earl was the bare minimum; marquises were plentiful. In addition, there were major figures from the business and political spheres of various star regions, including four Star Region Speakers. One can imagine how grand this event was. The Lyresas family's wealth and influence were on full display today.
Wells, dressed in a moon-white tuxedo, was handsome, elegant, and charming. He moved effortlessly among the nobles, council chairmen, and tycoons, chatting and laughing with ease, appearing every inch the protagonist of the banquet. In fact, he was indeed the protagonist of the day. Once today's banquet concluded, he would become the new patriarch of the Lyresas family. This so-called ancestral star banquet was, in effect, the ceremony to crown Wells.
"Let me introduce you."
Wells, arm in arm with Rose, walked to a smiling, ruddy-skinned middle-aged man and introduced him with a smile: "Esteemed speaker Hobert. Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Polo star region, and also the best friend and partner of our Lyresas family…"
"This is my fiancée, Rose."
"Greetings, Esteemed Speaker Hobert."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose. Your beauty eclipses even the starlight."
"Thank you."
Hobert politely kissed Rose's hand, and the three began to chat casually.
"Congratulations, Wells." Hobert raised his glass to Wells. "I must admit, you are the most outstanding young man I have ever met, without exception."
"You flatter me, Lord Hobert." Wells chuckled. "Without your support, I wouldn't have been able to achieve such success."
Hobert's eyes flickered, and he chuckled, saying, "I will always support the energetic and promising young people."
"Ha, the Speaker of the Obsidian star region is there. I need to talk to him for a while." With that, Hobert excused himself and left.
Rose watched his departing figure, frowning slightly. "Speaker Hobert's attitude seemed rather ambiguous."
"He's always been like that." Wells said calmly. "He's an astute old fox, never leaving any leverage over anyone. He supports me only because I'm now the heir to the Lyresas family patriarch. If it were someone else, he would have supported that person without hesitation."
Rose nodded thoughtfully. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she frowned. "Last time, it seems Saya really did escape. I just received news that he seems to have been taken away by the Whitemoon'ro family. Do you think this family's intervention might be to help him...?"
"Whitemoon'ro?"
Wells frowned slightly upon hearing that surname, but quickly relaxed. He shook his head. "Impossible. The Whitemoon'ro family would never help him; there's absolutely no chance."
"Why?" Rose asked seriously. "Saya has half Whitemoon'ro blood in his veins. With that connection, the family has every reason to help him. Also, they can use his status as the first heir to interfere with the Lyresas family and pursue the interests they desire."
"It makes sense." Wells smiled slightly and said calmly, "But I still have to say, the situation you described is completely impossible."
"Why?" Rose asked, puzzled.
"Because." Wells gently swirled his wine glass and said casually, "The Whitemoon'ro family is like us. They are all businessmen. For a qualified businessman, before choosing to invest, besides calculating the rate of return, the most important thing is the success rate of the investment!"
Wells looked at Rose, a slightly mocking smile playing on his lips, and asked her, "Honestly, what are the chances of Saya successfully becoming the new patriarch of the Lyresas family?"
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Translation notes by dhoo
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Planet Mildona
米爾多納 星球, mǐ'ěr duō nà xīngqiú - ch. 588
Mieduona... should we call it Mierda, the planet of the Liar-sass family?
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Rose aka Maeve aka Meifu aka Mayfair
玫芙, ch. 582
I could have called her Maifu since she's determined to become Wells' waifu, after killing his brother who happens to be her ex partner—Saya.
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Wells
威爾斯
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Speaker Hobert
霍伯特議長星球, ch. 581
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The Whitemoon'ro family aka White Moon Arrow family
白月矢, bái yuè shǐ / 白月矢家族, bái yuè shǐ jiāzú: 白 white bright 月 moon month 矢 arrow 家族 family
White Moon Arrow felt a bit long for a name, and also I was looking for an exotic sounding name that might come from another galaxy, I felt lke trying Whitemoon'ro. Feel free to tell me that you prefer White Moon Arrow :)