Free Web NovelChapter 114: Chapter 114: The Banquet Is Not What I Thought
I followed Nora Nash back to his place and changed into a dress he had prepared for me.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you out front."
"Thank you."
"You’re suddenly so polite. I’m not quite used to it."
Faye Yardley: ...
After leaving the Crystal Palace, Nora Nash flew, taking Faye Yardley with him.
’They were really flying.’ Faye Yardley had no idea people could actually do that.
’Before, when I saw him jump down from the third floor so easily, I just thought his Martial Arts were exceptional. But now he’s holding my hand and flying me along, so steady and fast... What kind of power is this?’
’I’m such an idiot. I thought I was so strong, but I’m actually pathetically weak.’
While Faye Yardley was deep in self-reflection, Nora Nash had already brought her to the edge of the party venue.
"Alright, just hop over that low fence and you’ll be there."
"Okay, thank you."
Nora Nash’s lips curled into a smile as he reached out and pinched her cheek. "Thanking me again? Alright, then next time, you’re not allowed to give me Spring Celebration Wine as a gift."
"Huh?"
Faye Yardley felt an undeniable sense of awkwardness, then asked an even sillier question. "So... do you like fish?"
Before she could get a reply, Nora Nash was gone. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Faye Yardley pouted. ’The Mysterious Fish was right next to the Talent Stone, so it has to be good stuff. And he doesn’t even like fish.’
’It’s just that I’ve been saving them and have never tried one myself.’
’I brought two of them this time as a backup plan. Was that another bad choice?’
As she stepped over the low, flower-covered wall, a cacophony of voices instantly flooded her ears.
The place that had looked completely empty a moment ago was now teeming with people.
She was hidden behind a flowering tree, unnoticed.
"Hey~ Faye, what are you doing here?"
Faye Yardley turned, even more surprised than the other girl. "Bella Dillon."
"The one and only. Aren’t you happy to see me?"
"Oh, I’m just ecstatic."
’I really didn’t expect to see Bella Dillon here.’ Wearing a mask, she truly looked like a peerless beauty.
’But this is a party. There’s going to be eating and drinking. How can she eat with a mask on the whole time?’
Since Faye Yardley was curious, she asked directly.
Bella Dillon flipped up a pleat on her mask, revealing a small, cherry-red mouth painted onto the fabric. "Like this," she said.
Faye Yardley: ...
Feeling a little speechless, but figuring there was nothing more to be said about it, she asked, "Is the party about to start?"
"Soon. Follow me."
When Faye Yardley stepped out from behind the flowering tree and into the sunlight, Bella Dillon and everyone else nearby immediately fixed their eyes on her.
"Your dress is gorgeous! And the material is so unique, all shimmery and sparkling. It could give my scales a run for their money."
’Gee, thanks for the compliment.’
Faye Yardley was wearing a knee-length cocktail dress made of a material that looked just like the Crystal flowers and bubbles from the inner island.
’I fell in love with it at first sight anyway, but it seems this stuff is really rare.’
’The system hadn’t given any special notifications about it, though, so I hadn’t paid it much mind.’
As noon approached, everyone began to gather in the main hall.
Faye Yardley and Bella Dillon followed the crowd toward the hall.
The hall was truly massive; it didn’t feel crowded at all, even with so many people inside. The high, domed ceiling—at least five meters up—kept the space from feeling the least bit stuffy.
It wasn’t as luxurious as the hall in Nora Nash’s residence, but as soon as the clock struck twelve, countless Crystal bubbles materialized out of thin air, and Nora Nash appeared with them, floating in the air.
"Welcome, everyone, to my Exchange Party. Friends who have attended before know that every floating bubble contains an item. The value of that item, whether high or low, good or bad, will depend on your luck and your strength."
"The rules for getting a bubble are simple. You can offer one item of your own to trade for any bubble you can reach in this hall. Or, you can enter the ring and take on challengers. Successfully clear five rounds of challenges, and you’ll earn a random bubble. Clear ten rounds, and you can get one of those over there—"
Nora Nash snapped his fingers, and a second floor materialized out of thin air. On it was a large ring, along with many dark-colored bubbles contained within a transparent Barrier.
"The bubbles beside the second-floor ring... you can tell by their color that they definitely hold good things. Do you want them?"
Nora Nash floated over to the ring and landed. "If you want them, then come up and fight!"
WHOOOOA!
The crowd below erupted in ecstatic cheers.
Faye Yardley noticed Bella Dillon beside her was becoming incredibly excited.
Looking around, she saw that the only calm people were the ones like her—first-timers who had no idea what was going on.
’Speaking of which, I don’t see my brother, but I think I just saw Logan Langdon.’
The frenzied crowd quickly started surging toward the second floor.
Faye Yardley grabbed Bella Dillon, who was about to rush off. "Wait, wait, calm down! What’s so great up there that’s making everyone go this crazy? Can you tell me?"
Bella Dillon grabbed her wrist in turn and started pulling Faye Yardley toward the second floor. "Of course there’s good stuff! You can’t even imagine the things Island Master Nash has!"
"What do you want so badly? Can’t we just try trading for one down here?"
"Let’s go, let’s go! It gets harder the later you go. We need to rush through the first five rounds!"
Faye Yardley felt that Bella Dillon’s excitement was bordering on mania. She glanced back at Nora Nash, who seemed to be dodging a beautiful woman pestering him. This world had finally become something she no longer understood.
’I thought attending a party meant eating, drinking, and mingling with people you get along with.’
’But in reality, it’s trading bubbles and fighting in a tournament.’
’My Constitution is over 20 and my Strength is 16, but I still can’t break free from Bella Dillon’s grip.’
She was literally dragged all the way to the ring.
And here she’d thought the ring was for people to fight one-on-one while others watched.
But in reality, the ring was a free-for-all that anyone could jump into.
The moment she was pulled in, Faye Yardley realized Bella Dillon had vanished.
She found herself in an empty, pitch-black room.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
Pacing around the perimeter changed nothing. She tried placing a hand on the wall in front of her, and it vanished. In the room beyond stood a goofy-looking robot, which greeted her warmly. "Good afternoon, beautiful lady."
"Hello. Are we supposed to fight?"
The robot quickly shook its head. "You just need to answer my question."
Huh?
Faye Yardley asked, "In that case, do you have to answer one of my questions, too?"
"No, no. I’m the one asking the questions. The beautiful lady can only answer."
"Then ask your question."
The robot’s eyes lit up, and a multiple-choice question appeared on the wall opposite them.
[Which of the following is Islander 78: A mature, beautiful woman; a lively, energetic girl; an elegant, tall, handsome man; or a naturally cute little boy?]
The question was completely ridiculous. If she hadn’t met Chanming before, Faye Yardley would have lost her mind.
After she made the correct choice, the goofy robot vanished, and she was once again in an empty room with four black walls.
’The questions are this absurd... Can I really get through all the rounds?’
