My esoteric uncle Jules

Chapter 172 The Cassano Family

Jules could feel the piercing gazes of those noblemen, which carried obvious hostility.

He couldn't help but frown.

He didn't care about the hostility of these people, but this made him the focus of almost half of the dance, which was quite troublesome.

How should I leave later...?

Elena, however, seemed completely oblivious, still smiling gently as she gracefully guided him to spin and take steps.

She gently held Jules' hand, her steps light, as if the entire dance floor was spinning for her.

“Mr. Jules, you seem a little distracted?” Elena chuckled softly, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.

"Is it because you care about those looks, or is there something else bothering you?"

Jules responded calmly:

"No, I'm just hungry."

Elena chuckled softly, as if amused by his bluntness.

"You have such a sense of humor."

Jules didn't reply, his gaze sweeping in Uriel's direction.

The other person was still by the side of the hall, holding a wine glass, talking quietly with several nobles, occasionally glancing towards the dance floor.

For some reason, he always felt that the other person was expecting something.

As the song finally ended and the music slowed down, the crowd on the dance floor stopped in their tracks.

Jules released Elena's hand and said briefly:

"All right."

He turned to leave, but found that the gazes around him were even more intense.

Several young noblemen stood not far away, whispering among themselves, their eyes filled with undisguised jealousy.

Some noble ladies whispered among themselves, their eyes darting back and forth between him and Elena, their eyes burning with gossip.

It's worth noting that the Cassano family, to which Elena comes from, is a very famous family throughout England.

Although they have declined somewhat, their special relationship with the royal family still makes their status very special.

In addition, Elena of this generation is a shining star among the younger generation and is the object of many people's pursuit.

It could even be said that many people came here because they heard that Elena would be participating in this ball.

Jules frowned, feeling as if he were being treated as some kind of exhibit.

Elena, however, had no intention of letting him leave. Smiling gently, she took his arm and said:

“Mr. Jules, are you leaving so soon? Dance with me one more time, you dance much better than you say.”

"No, I'm hungry." Jules said coldly, gently pulling his arm away and walking quickly toward the long table, as if fleeing trouble.

The surrounding chatter grew louder, and someone whispered:

"Miss Elena of the Casano family personally invited him to dance, why has he kept refusing?"

"Even after being rejected like that, Miss Elena didn't show the slightest bit of anger... Just who is this person?"

Jules ignored the gossip of outsiders, went straight to the long table, picked up a freshly baked bread roll, and took a bite.

The bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a subtle milky aroma.

He took another slice of ham, chewed it slowly, but secretly scanned the hall, noticing the guards' positions and Uriel's movements.

The side corridor was much dimmer than before; it seemed to be the best way to leave the hall.

However, there were several guards standing there, so his attempt to sneak away was doomed to fail.

"We need to find a legitimate and aboveboard way to leave..."

The key question is, how do I find it? Jules was starting to worry.

Not long after, Elena caught up with him, holding a glass of champagne and standing beside him with a smile.

“Mr. Jules, you are truly a unique individual. Others come to the ball to socialize, but you only care about eating.”

Jules swallowed the ham and said calmly:

"Eating is simple, but socializing is troublesome."

Elena chuckled at his words, a sly glint in her eyes:
“What you say makes some sense. However, by keeping your head down and eating like this, you are making the most of tonight’s grand occasion.”

She paused, her tone becoming lighter:
"How about this, I have a suggestion—would you be interested in coming with me to my family's residence in the manor?"

Upon hearing this, Jules paused, the bread in his hand stopping at his mouth.

Did I hear that right? The other person wants to invite me to spend time alone at the dance?
His first thought was of the ambiguous interactions between men and women at the ball, and he frowned slightly, instinctively wanting to refuse.

Seeing Jules frown, Elena knew he was somewhat reluctant, and said with a grin:

"Don't worry, our Casano family's ancestor was a famous chef overseas, invited to cook for the King of England. His skills were unparalleled. Our desserts are far superior to those here."

The Cassano family, were they chefs who cooked for the King of England...?

Jules' eyes flickered, and he suddenly had a new idea—this might be a good opportunity to escape.

Going with Elena would allow him to leave the ballroom legitimately, avoid Uriel's gaze, and perhaps even uncover some clues.

Afterwards, they wanted to investigate themselves but couldn't.

After all, it was perfectly reasonable to be invited by Miss Elena of the Cassano family to enjoy her family's cuisine.

He looked up at Elena, saw her sly smile but no malice in her eyes, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said:

"Okay, let's go try it."

A look of surprise flashed in Elena's eyes, as if she hadn't expected him to agree so readily.

She smiled and took his arm:

"Let's go then, I promise I won't let you down!"

The surrounding nobles looked at him with even more complicated expressions.

The young masters' faces darkened, and they muttered curses under their breath, while the young ladies covered their mouths and chuckled, their voices rising and falling in whispers.

Jules ignored the stares and followed Elena out of the hall.

Seeing the two leave, Uriel looked up and glanced in their direction, but when he saw that Jules had left with Elena, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

He stepped forward and asked:
"Is there something you need?"

Elena glanced at Uriel and chuckled:

“I had a very pleasant conversation with Mr. Jules and would like to invite him to our family’s residence on the estate for a visit.”

Jules nodded sullenly.

Uriel's gaze lingered between the two for a moment before he pondered, "..."

"Alright, then you can go."

Having said that, he gave Jules a meaningful look:
"Kid, you're lucky."

Jules felt a chill run down his spine from Uriel's gaze, but he had a feeling that there was something more to Uriel's words than met the eye.

But Elena didn't think too much about it and happily left with Jules.

The two walked through the ballroom and into a dimly lit corridor.

Elena walked ahead, her steps light and quick, her skirt swaying slightly.

She glanced back at Jules and smiled:

"Let me say this in advance, please don't misunderstand, I just find you interesting and want to chat more. People like you are rare in aristocratic circles."

She could tell that Jules wasn't the kind of superficial person who was fixated on romantic relationships.

Jules said calmly:
"Don't worry, I'm not interested in those boring things."

Elena chuckled:
“You’re quite direct, but you might change your mind once we get to my family’s place. Our chefs there are highly praised even by His Highness the Prince.”

……

Elena's family residence was not far from the ballroom, but it was enough to completely isolate them from the noise coming from the ballroom.

Along the way, Jules secretly memorized the route, plotting how to find an opportunity to escape Elena and continue his investigation.

At the end of the corridor, there was a carved wooden door. Elena pushed it open, revealing an elegantly decorated small hall.

The room was softly lit, and several plates of delicate pastries and a pot of steaming black tea were laid out on the table.

The air was filled with the aroma of toasted bread and jam, which was certainly more tempting than the food in the ballroom.

A servant in a neat uniform stood to one side and bowed respectfully upon seeing Elena arrive.

"Miss, who is this?" the servant asked Jules cautiously.

“My dance partner, Mr. Jules,” Elena introduced with a smile, “go prepare some of his signature snacks and brew a pot of the finest black tea.”

The servant nodded and withdrew, and Elena invited Jules to sit down, while she herself gracefully sat opposite him.

She picked up a piece of almond shortbread, took a bite, and said with a smile:

"Try this, it's a specialty of the Casano family, you can't get it anywhere else."

Jules picked up a pastry and took a bite.

It has a crispy texture and a subtle almond flavor, and it's definitely better than the desserts at the ball.

He nodded:
"It tastes good, it's really delicious."

He couldn't taste anything other than sweetness in the desserts at the ball; they were so sweet that he even found them somewhat bitter.

This almond shortbread finally brought back a long-lost taste of his hometown from his past life.

Seeing that he finally gave some response, Elena smiled even more broadly:

"I knew it! Our chef is no joke. If you like it, I'll have someone prepare more so you can take it home and enjoy it at your leisure."

Jules did not answer, his gaze sweeping across the small hall.

The room was small, but exquisitely decorated, with several family portraits hanging on the walls and a door in the corner leading to the outer courtyard.

A thought flashed through his mind: perhaps that door led to the deeper parts of the manor.

"What are you looking at?"

Elena followed his gaze, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes:
Are you interested in our family's decor? If you're curious, I can show you around.

"Just browsing." Jules looked away and continued eating his pastry, but his mind was already plotting how to escape.

Elena put down her pastry, rested her chin on her hand, and looked with interest at Jules, who was engrossed in eating.

"Mr. Jules, who exactly are you? You were invited to the Prince's ball, but you have no interest in socializing and always seem to be preoccupied."

Jules said calmly:
"Ordinary people, just trying to make a living."

Elena chuckled:
"No one will believe you for saying that. To be personally entertained by Lord Uriel and to find me interesting, you are anything but ordinary."

How could an ordinary person possibly be invited to a ball hosted by a prince?
She became increasingly curious about Jules' secrets.

Jules, too lazy to explain, picked up a cup of black tea and took a sip.

The tea had a rich aroma and a slightly sweet taste, which made him relax a little.

He decided to keep Elena calm for now before looking for an opportunity to leave.

When did your family chef arrive in England?

Elena was taken aback, not expecting him to initiate a conversation.

She answered with a smile:

"Several generations ago, I heard that they moved here from overseas to cook for the King of England. Although the Casano family is not a top-tier noble family, they are quite famous for their cuisine."

Jules nodded and asked casually:

"In recent months, the Prince has been hosting frequent balls, and your family has been a regular attendee?"

Elena thought for a moment:

"Yes, we've been coming more often lately. It seems the prince is entertaining some important figures, and we small families are just here to join in the fun."

"An important person?" Jules pressed, his expression remaining impassive.

Elena shrugged:

"I don't know either. How dare we ask too many questions about the prince's affairs? However, I heard that some of the guests are from out of town and have very mysterious identities."

Jules felt a slight stirring in his heart; perhaps this was related to Lolita and Matilda.

Just as he was about to ask another question, a servant came in carrying freshly baked pastries, interrupting his thoughts.

Elena grabbed a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth, asking indistinctly:

"Mr. Jules, why aren't you eating?"

Jules snapped out of his thoughts, smiled, and started eating.

But he glanced at the door leading to the outer courtyard and his brow furrowed subtly.

We can't delay any longer; if we do, we'll have even less of a chance.

“I’ve almost finished eating,” Jules said, putting down his teacup and getting up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

Elena was taken aback, then smiled and said:
"So soon? Let's sit a little longer, the snacks haven't all been served yet, let's chat a bit more."

“It’s alright,” Jules said calmly, walking toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

Without waiting for Elena's response, he pushed open the door and stepped into the outer courtyard.

The night breeze was cool, and only a few dim oil lamps illuminated the courtyard, casting shadows all around.

He took a deep breath, and after confirming that no one was following him, he quickened his pace and walked deeper into the manor.

To be honest, he had absolutely no clue as to where Matilda and Lolita were.

We can only try our best to find something within this limited time.

"Mr. Jules, wait for me!"

Suddenly, Elena's shout rang out, causing Jules' face to twitch.

Why did she follow me?! Surely she doesn't have to come with me even when I go to the bathroom?
"Miss Elena..."

He was about to speak when Elena interrupted him with a smile:

"Mr. Jules, judging from your appearance, you don't know where the restroom is, do you? Would you like me to show you there?"

Jules shook his head and said:
"I know, I was just thinking if I could visit an old friend on the way."

"Old friend?"

A hint of curiosity flashed in Elena's eyes, and she quickly asked:

"Did you come here because of your old friend?"

"...I guess you could count it."

Since it was just a casual stroll anyway, Jules decided not to hide it from Elena.

"After we go to the restroom, how about we take a walk together in the manor?" Elena said with a smile.

Jules' lips twitched. He wanted to refuse as before, but the words turned into a bitter smile:

"Let's go then."

Now that things have come to this point, if he refuses, it will only arouse suspicion.

Moreover, taking a walk together wasn't a bad idea—it would be a convenient excuse to cover up his wandering around the estate.

Seeing that Jules agreed, Elena smiled and nodded:
"Let's go to the restroom, and then take a walk around the manor."

(End of this chapter)