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The spacious villa was surrounded by a high wall, and the black bars made up the gate at the edge, which was guarded by two soldiers in silver hauberks. They were opening the gate for a splendidly-decorated wagon.

“They’re holding some sort of ball?” Lucien was not one of the crazy sorcerers that did not understand the life of nobles. Considering the exuberant lights inside the villa, he realized what was going on inside immediately.

After briefly hesitating if he should come later, Lucien made up his mind. He was already at the door. What’s there to worry about?

Magic waves shimmered on his body, and Lucien walked towards the gate unhurriedly.

Because nobles cared about dignity and manners, they would come on wagon no matter how close the ball was to their house. Therefore, Lucien, who approached like a civilian, was obviously not an invited guest. The two soldiers looked at each other and intended to stop him.

But all of a sudden, they felt that Lucien was full of gravitas and grace, with the badge of the Hoffenberg on his chest. So, they lowered their heads and welcomed the honorable guest.

“A simple spell is enough to pass the guards...” Lucien shook his head as he passed the gate. Those guards could only resist ordinary people. Thankfully, the knights of the intelligence department should be in the dark, but they obviously knew him. “I need to set up some traps in case the Church attacks Uncle Joel.”

Although the Church wouldn’t be as blatant as Argent Horn, it was better to be safe than sorry. The night watchers did not lack lunatics.

It was scorching in July, but Rentato, only several hours away from the ocean, was rather cool at night. Lucien walked on the road in the evening wind as if he had melted into the window. None of the wagons before and behind him noticed the roamer.

The garden was not huge. Lucien soon reached the villa, in which the magic lamps had all been lit, making the building look splendid.

The common night view on Earth looked particularly eye-catching in this place.

Above the stairs, Alisa, as strong as before, welcomed the guests with a few maids in her choking dress.

“The noble ladies are more than usual...” Lucien spoke to himself in confusion. Then, he took a breath and walked to Alisa.

Alisa was observing the ladies who had come to the ball in delight and greeting them warmly.

After years of noble life, she was no longer as clumsy as before. Her son, John, was a grand knight that Her Majesty brought from Aalto, and had been given important tasks. Naturally, the nobles showed her enough respect and felt honored to be invited to her ball.

“Viscount and Viscountess Trenna, Lady Kalie, welcome to the ball.” Alisa greeted the new guests with a smile, with exceptional warmth towards the tall, gentle girl who had blond hair and blue eyes that were different from the natives of Holm.

Viscount Trenna knew why Alisa held the ball as well. He nodded with a smile, “It’s an honor to be at your ball, my lady.”

Kalie also responded with the courtesy of nobles.

“It’s going to take a while before the ball begins. Bring Viscount Trenna to the guest room so that they can take a rest.” Alisa asked her servant.

After Trenna’s family got in, Alisa put on a smile again, ready to welcome new guests, but the familiar black-haired and black-eyed man on the stairs stunned her. She rubbed her eyes, feeling that she was in a dream.

She had never seen him wearing a double-breasted suit before, but it fit his body and his vibe perfectly. Her emotions surging and her eyes reddening, Alisa mumbled, “Little Evans?”

“Aunt Alisa.” Lucien stabilized his mind and walked to Alisa with a smile.

Alisa shook her head in disbelief again, mired in the ecstasy of reunion and the shame of the previous betrayal. “Little Evans?”

“What’s up, Aunt Alisa? You don’t recognize me?” Lucien smiled.

His friendly attitude made all of Alisa’s feelings except for excitement and joy go away. She forgot the demeanor of nobles that she tried hard to pick up and cried in the same way as when she was in the slums.

Rubbing her eyes, she spoke quickly, “Little Evans, are you really back to see us? I thought you hated me for betraying you.”

“I asked you to do it, didn’t I?” Lucien hugged Aunt Alisa with a smile. “For me, you are my family.”

“Oh, this... this is fabulous.” Alisa observed Lucien in excitement, “Little Evans, you are taller, much taller!”

She measured Lucien’s previous height with her shivering right hand. Now that years of depression and guilt were released, she dragged him into the house, “I... I need to tell Joel and John that Evans is back!”

The servants looked at their hostess weeping with curiosity and dared not remind her to welcome the guests. They had to find the butler to replace her.

On her way, Alisa wept and chattered, believing that Lucien was taller but slimmer and less healthy. Many guests were distracted by them, wondering what had happened.

When they were about to reach the guest room, Alisa finally held back her tears. Then, she patted her forehead, “I... I forgot that John had duty in the Nekso Palace and Joel was invited to the Musicians’ Association!”

“It’s alright. I can wait for them...” Before Lucien finished, Alisa already said in excitement, “I need to tell them that you are back. I’m going to tell them right now! Little Evans, take a rest in the guest room. I’ll give them a call!”

As she spoke, she rusted to the library, completely forgetting to direct Lucien to the guest room first.

Looking at how overwhelmed Aunt Alisa was, Lucien didn’t mind being ‘forgotten’ by her at all. He shook his head with a smile and thought that he should’ve come back sooner.

As if it were his own house, Lucien walked into the guest room without getting lost. He saw Viscount Trenna’s family and a few other noble guests, who were bonding with each other until the stranger came in.

At the center of the guest room, a weirdly delicate machine was spinning a round plate and playing clear, pleasant music, filling the room with an enjoyable atmosphere.

Nodding at them as a greeting, Lucien walked to the wall and opened the hidden refrigerator. The lights inside immediately illuminated the drinks.

Lucien opened a bottle of champaign unhurriedly and put a piece of ice into his cup. When he was about to close the refrigerator, a male voice in the period of change echoed from his back. “That is a magic refrigerator, alchemical item invented by the great Lucien Evans, who makes coolness readily enjoyable in the hot summer.”

Huh? Lucien felt strange that his name was being used in such a way and did not know what to reply.

The boy behind him had the typical look of Holm. His eyes were black and his eyes were blue. Seeing that Lucien did not reply, he thought that Lucien did not know the origins of the refrigerator and therefore introduced warmly, “The productivity of such items is very low. Only the great nobles have the privilege to use them. I only saw them before at other parties.”

“Well, the popularization of alchemical items is the idea proposed by the great alchemist Lucien Evans. It has fundamentally improved our life, hasn’t it?”

The boy seemed to be Lucien’s great fan. He was rather amiable, too.

“Of course, I like such a life.” Lucien looked at the boy with a smile.

The little boy was very happy after being approved. “Viscount Wesley is one of the queen’s most appreciated knights. So, he has plenty of cutting-edge alchemical items. My cousin, for one, loves the magic gramophone. It allows us to enjoy wonderful music without a band and even to go to sleep in the company of music.”

He pointed at Kalie when he talked. The cousin he mentioned seemed to be referring to her. Wesley, on the other hand, was John’s last name.

Noticing that Lucien was looking at her after the boy pointed at her, Kalie smiled courteously, “The magic gramophone has only just been invented. This is the first time I’ve seen it. I like it very much.”

The boy added delightedly, “That is also a design proposed by Mr. Evans.”

Lucien nodded. He knew about it much better than the boy did. He introduced the idea of magic gramophone to the Will of Elements a few years ago, but it never worked out due to the lack of excellent storage materials, until a few months ago when Gaston’s laboratory accidentally discovered a natural resin that they could use. Then, magic gramophones finally appeared in this world.

“As a matter of fact, Viscount Wesley has another unique alchemical item.” Kalie seemed to be fond of the magical life, too. Suddenly in the mood of talking, she pointed at the silver box hanging high in the room and said, “I saw this at Duke James’ house before. It’s called magic air conditioner. It can make summers cool and drive away coldness together with the furnace during the winter.”

“Really?” The boy had never noticed the ‘magic air conditioner’ before. Bulging eyes, he observed it with great interest.

Kalie smiled and said, “You can feel the cool breeze from it. It is also a masterpiece of Grand Arcanist Lucien Evans.”

“Oh, really? That’s so awesome!” The boy ran in the room in excitement. “Cousin Kalie, I’m going to study magic in the future. I will be a great sorcerer and a great alchemist!”

Viscount Trenna made fun of his nephew. “Holk, try to win a Holm Crown Prize.”

“Well.” The little boy shook his fingers smartly. “The Holm Crown Prize is not my target; Lucien Evans Prize is! When we join parties later and people ask who I am, you will have the honor to introduce Mr. Holk, the laureate of Evans Prize in Arcana. Uncle, let me tell you something. Cousin Kalie wants to win a Lucien Evans Prize, too, except that her goal is Evans Prize in Medicine.”

“If we have two laureates of Evans Prizes in our family, we will be able to strut around proudly.” Amused, Trenna looked at his daughter.

Kalie was more or less embarrassed now that Holk revealed her goal in front of a stranger. Changing the subject, she ask Lucien, “Mister, how should we call you?”

Lucien scratched his chin with his right hand. “You may call me Lucien Evans.”