310 Family Dinner [1]
Before descending the stairs, I took a moment to complete a very important task….
Changing my watch.
The watch I currently had on me was rather cheap and didn't really look good on me.
After putting on an expensive piece of watch, I slipped out of my clothes, as most of it was stained red from my own blood.
By now, the blood had dried and a sharp metal stench was coming off from me.
So after stripping down, I washed up, paying particular attention to the eye I had stabbed, as blood patches were still visible around where the gaping wound had been.
After washing up, I put on a luxurious yet simple attire – a black silk shirt, matching trousers, and various golden jewelry pieces like chains and rings that complemented the earrings of the Phoenix's Embrace.
Only after I was satisfied with my graceful appearance did I step out of my room.
Sera jumped on my shoulder and used me as her personal vehicle. Her feathers were still dyed black, so I didn't have to worry about anyone discovering her identity.
However, my concern at this point wasn't about her disguise, but rather her size and weight.
Sera had grown so much, and just one wrong move on her part could easily dislocate my shoulder.
Yes, she was that strong now.
Fortunately, she was also aware of this issue so when I extended my forearm, she shifted to perch on it instead.
With Sera sitting on my extended arm, akin to a hawk, I descended the stairs and arrived at the entrance of a magnificent dining hall.
Without hesitation, the guards pulled open the gates, granting me entry to the grand room hidden behind.
Upon entering, the first thing that I saw was a long dining table set at the center of the hall.
The dining table easily had the capacity to host at least thirty people, yet it appeared dwarfed in comparison to the giant dining hall.
Crafted from luxurious wood that matched the table's material, numerous seats were positioned in front of it.
The ceiling was adorned with majestic chandeliers made of pure gold and real diamonds, while opulent artworks adorned the walls.
Several alcoves were embedded in the walls all around. In each one of them, a single guard clad in lustrous metal armor stood like a statue of steel.
Damn, those knights look menacing! – I commented in my head.
Finally, my gaze traveled along the length of the long dining table and settled at the end of it, locking onto three figures sitting there.
There they were – The revered Family ofWolves.
Sitting at the head of the table was, obviously, my father — General Reynold Morningstar, known as the CrimsonWolf or the Wolf Black.
He was a man in his forties with a head full of short, curly golden locks that fell down to his neck and a matching thick beard.
His striking bright red eyes, often called the symbol of the Morningstar bloodline, reflected the ceiling light, resembling an exquisite pair of shiny, most clear rubies.
Reynold had a tall, robust physique that would undoubtedly give anyone doubts about approaching him carelessly, and he exuded a commanding presence that could compel even kings from ancient times to kneel before him.
Even if I hadn't known who he was, I could've still been able to tell that this man was a monster.
Taking the rightful position on his right was my mother — Yennefer Morningstar, commonly referred to as the Ice Monarch.
She, an elven woman in her late thirties, appeared as if time had stopped affecting her, with all signs of aging stopped on her body.
Her porcelain white skin, along with her overall fair complexion made her look as if she was frozen in place, unaffected by the impure, mundane world.
Her ageless beauty was evident in every aspect of her appearance.
She possessed long, silvery hair that flowed gracefully down to her waist, framing her slender yet graceful figure.
Her long ears perked up the moment I entered the hall, and her gray eyes, reminiscent of a deep, frozen lake, shifted to find me, shimmering in the ambient light of the hall.
If not for gray eyes instead of red, she would look like a slightly older, more mature version of Yelena.
Damn, even I had to admit, Elves were beautiful. Like, believe it or not, but I had never met an ugly elf in this world. Even Kent is drop-dead handsome.
Anyway, sitting on Reynold's left was Adel. He looked… the same as before, I guess.
The only noticeable difference was that there was a mischievous smile adorning his sharp face now, making him look even more insufferable.
His gaze met mine, a glint of mischief appearing in his wild eyes, as he announced, "Oh! Look, Father and Mother, your prodigal son returns!"
I spared Adel a brief glance before sensing the twin pairs of eyes belonging to Reynold and Yennefer locking onto me.
Without bothering to utter a response, I moved to the end of the table nearest to me, pulled out a chair, and took my seat.
Sera jumped from my arm and comfortably sat on top of the table, leisurely enjoying the gazes she received from the people present in the dining hall.
"What are you doing?" Reynold was the first to break the silence after Adel's snarky comment. His gaze held a hint of curiosity as he leaned back in his chair.
"Sitting," I replied casually. "Surely you didn't call me here just to stand and watch you all eat. I mean, even you can't be that petty, right?"
To be honest, I was well aware of the underlying meaning in his words and my actions here.
In noble families, the established seating etiquette dictated that sitting opposite to the head of the table signified an equally important authority.
But in my case, it could be seen as me trying to challenge Reynold's authority.
Well, this was merely an informal family dinner, so there was no need to look into it too deeply, but I was certain that my Father understood my message.
Adel shot me a sidelong glance and spat, his words dripping with venom, "Don't lecture on pettiness when you weren't even invited to step inside this house!"
Once more, I spared Adel a brief glance before turning my eyes away from him. My indifference seemed to irk him as a nerve popped on his forehead.
"Are you trying to ignore me now? You've certainly grown, haven't you, brother?" Adel exclaimed, a crazy grin stretching across his lips.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Wurf! Wurf!"
As if to mirror his hostility, his two wolves, who were sitting beside him on the floor, started growling and barking.
I turned my attention to the fairer of the two wolves, Solis. A pang of regret struck me as I saw him baring his fangs at me.
"Kriek~!!"
Sera stood up, unfurling her enormous wings as if she was about to pounce on the two wolves before I quickly grabbed her and whispered, "Not here."
I couldn't allow her to reveal her powers here.
Fortunately, just at that moment, Yennefer chipped in with her icy voice, which seemed to sweep through the dining hall like a chilling blizzard.
"Cease this, you two! Let's eat first and then discuss... the other matters."
