Mystery: But the Witch's Path

After the servants finished dressing, the two returned to the banquet hall together.

As soon as Altair entered the hall, he saw Lady Anna gesturing for him to come over. After saying goodbye to Audrey, Altair went straight to his teacher's seat.

Seeing Altair moving towards her, Lady Anna turned around and began looking for a place to talk. Once they found a secluded corner, Lady Anna asked suspiciously, "Has your family been cooperating with the Earl of Hall lately?"

Altair thought for a moment and, not wanting to hide anything, said frankly, "There is a collaboration. I invested in a project of Count Rafe's two months ago, and Count Hall joined in a month ago through a deal."

"You should have heard about it; it's the incident that caused the biggest uproar in the industrial zone a while ago."

"Is something wrong?"

Lady Anna patted Altair's hand reassuringly, then said, "I knew it. How could someone as unknown as you be known?"

"After you left, Caitlin... that is, Countess Hall, Audrey's mother, has been inquiring about your marital status. You are most likely being targeted by their family."

"Alter, you are the most obedient and studious student I have ever met, so I am willing to say some things that I shouldn't be saying. I have some personal advice for you: I don't recommend choosing the Earl of Hall's family for a marriage alliance."

"Although the current Earl of Hall has earned a very high social status and wealth through his early investments in industry and infrastructure."

"But his eldest son, Lord Hilbert, is a typical aristocratic young master, while his second son, Alfred, is more composed. However, since he is the second son, he cannot inherit the Hall family fortune, and we can only hope that Hilbert will give him more wealth when the family divides its assets."

"So none of his family members are worth your marriage alliance. I'll try my best to help you avoid it later, so be careful."

After listening to Mrs. Anna's advice, Altair smiled and said, "I understand, teacher. You've told me their purpose so plainly. Aren't you afraid of offending them?"

These words did not affect Mrs. Anna's mood. She merely glared at Altair and said calmly, "You don't need to worry about my affairs. I'm not afraid of his family."

"As for you, inheriting the family business is already enough, and now you've invested in such a big project. You'll be busy after your social coming-of-age ceremony."

.......

After Earl Hall, the host of the banquet, went up to the second floor of his house, stood in the prominent head seat, and, holding a glass of deep ruby-red Olmir wine, addressed the guests below:

"Distinguished guests, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to grace my humble abode. Tonight, the lights shine even brighter because of your presence, and the hall is made even more glorious by your presence."

"On behalf of my family, I extend my warmest welcome to everyone. I hope that tonight's gathering will allow us to share joy and strengthen our friendships. I also hope that you can forget your worries in this warm atmosphere and enjoy the music, delicious food, and wonderful time."

.......

"Let us drink the first glass of wine, for friendship, for health, and for the wonderful time tonight."

When Count Hall finished his speech, Altair took a small sip of the drink he had casually picked up. It tasted sweet and smooth at first, but the aftertaste wasn't very pleasant; it was somewhat like a high-proof spirit.

Seeing Altair's rosy complexion, Lady Anna explained, "Sunia Blood Wine is brewed from the sweet wood sap that is a specialty of the area around Golden Spring. It is golden red in color and has a slightly viscous feel when swirled, like thin honey mixed with blood. It tastes sweet and smooth, but it is very easy to get drunk on it."

"If you drink this whole glass, you'll most likely pass out. Looks like you should probably get a wine and spirits expert to teach you. After all, it'll be a real problem if you drink something you don't recognize at parties in the future."

Altair looked down at the cup in his hand and asked directly, "Indeed, Mrs. Anna, do you have any teachers you would recommend?"

Before Lady Anna could reply, Caitlin approached Altair's side, gave an elegant bow, and then gestured for the young man beside her to step forward, saying, "Earl Altair, please allow me to introduce you to my eldest son, Lord Hilbert Hall."

"He has now joined the Cabinet and the National Air Pollution Committee; he is an exceptionally outstanding and ambitious young man..."

After introducing Hilbert, she continued, "This is Earl Altair, heir to the Sheffield family."

After introducing the two to each other, Caitlin quietly left. Hibbert, however, did not choose to leave with his mother. Instead, he stayed behind to begin his conversation with Altair.

As the music began and the Earl and Countess Holmes started their first dance, Hilbert wanted to invite Altair to dance with him.

When Altair turned to look at Lady Anna, she simply nodded slightly in agreement, and had no choice but to dance with him.

When the music ended, the two bowed to each other, and Altair refused to dance the next song, citing exhaustion. He then left the dance area and found Lady Anna not far away.

As Altair approached, Lady Anna asked, "Your movements were too stiff just now, which made your dance performance less than ideal. I suggest you bring your dance teacher back and continue your lessons."

Meanwhile, Altair, the person in question, was inwardly grumbling, "I'm already doing a good job by suppressing my inner turmoil and finishing the dance; expecting me to perform even better is impossible!" But outwardly, she said, "I understand, Mrs. Anna."

"Didn't you say you'd do your best to stop the Hall family? Why did you agree to let me dance with Hilbert?"

Instead of replying to Altair, Mrs. Anna took a sip of her champagne and asked, "Have you forgotten the etiquette and dance lessons you received? After the ball is opened by the important figures, it is a sign of respect and decorum for you to dance with the host's son as the host's representative. It is also an important part of the social aspect of the banquet."

"It seems you've forgotten most of what you learned back then. I feel you need to relearn it."

Altair could only offer an awkward smile in response to Lady Anna's words, trying to brush it off. While he had indeed learned the techniques, he didn't use them often, so it was normal for him to gradually forget them.

As the second piece of music ended, Lord Hilbert, just as Lady Anna had predicted, arrived to invite Altair to dance again. But this time, he was directly intercepted and refused by Lady Anna.

Lady Anna, as Altair's "supervisor," has this right. Even if things escalate and others find out, only Hilbert will be reprimanded. The reason is simple: Altair currently doesn't have the right to attend banquets independently; he needs his supervisor's approval to do anything.

Simply put, the original body was a minor.