Heimarian Odyssey

Chapter 160: Party

After five continuous days of cultural classes, Locke was in a muddled state of mind. He suddenly missed the times when he was at war. He would rather fight for his life on the battlefield than sit in the classroom and read the textbooks which he didn't understand. Fortunately, all of this slowed down during the weekend, allowing him to adapt to this new change.

Since the establishment of the academy, students were given two days of break every week and five days of rest at the end of the month. Although it wasn't the end of the month yet, it was Saturday today, so Locke could finally take a good rest. Angelina sat next to Locke in the carriage in a long dress. Both of them were going to a party today.

"Go to Justin Street to pick Daenie up first!" Angelina gave the coachman the address.

Locke was dozing in the carriage. He could finally take a break after a busy week. If he hadn't been provoked by Joaquin that day, he would definitely be hugging Suzanne to sleep now. Sleeping was the best way to rest well.

The carriage travelled slowly along the streets. The gravel roads in Princeton were not only practical, they were ornamental as well.

Angelina lifted up the drapes. A ray of sunlight shone on Locke's face, and he rolled over comfortably.

"Daenie will be coming in later. Sit properly, don't scare her off." Angelina caressed his grey hair.

"Okay." Locke adjusted his body posture. He laid on Angelina's lap and wrapped his arm around her waist. She didn't mind his little antics and she lifted his arm that was around her waist higher. She'd always liked this type of warm and cosy feeling.

A while later, the voice of the guard who was outside the carriage was heard. "Miss, we're here!"

Ever since Angelina started school, she'd ordered her guards to address her as Miss and they could only address her as the princess in private. This was so that nobody in school would know that she was a princess of a small kingdom, except for her close friends.

Angelina immediately sat up straight and tidied Locke's crumpled shirt. Locke sat upright as well and sat at the side of the carriage. When they were ready, Angelina patted her dress and got out of the carriage to pick Daenie up. Locke followed her.

It was mostly wealthy businessmen and nobles who lived on Justin Street. Every pedestrian there was richly dressed and bejewelled.

Daenie's house was at the front of the street. She was standing in front of a luxurious house in a light blue dress with a yellow hairpin on her head.

"Hi, Daenie!" Angelina waved her hand.

"Angelina!" When Daenie saw Angelina, she lifted her dress and trotted towards them. An old man who seemed to be her butler followed behind her while carrying her luggage.

"Tsk tsk, it seems like Daenie's family is quite wealthy." Locke smacked his lips. Her house was as luxurious as their mansion, but it wasn't as big as theirs.

"Well, her uncle is a count!" Daenie was Angelina's best friend, so she obviously knew a lot about her.

A count in Aomar could already be regarded as an elite. As a princess, Angelina was only an honorary count in Aomar, which meant that her actual status was akin to a viscount's. Her status was much lower than Daenie's uncle.

Those who knew Daenie well knew that she was a soft-tempered person and she would do everything slowly and unhurriedly. Seeing how she ran towards Angelina excitedly, they must be rather close.

"Let's go, Daenie." Angelina held Daenie's hand and walked towards the carriage.

"Okay." Daenie greeted Locke who was at the side, "Hello, Locke!"

"Hello!" Locke nodded and didn't say anything else. He then got back into the carriage. Thankfully, the carriage was wide enough to fit three people inside.

After Daenie got in, she opened the curtain and said to her butler, "Grandpa Bieber, you can just pass me my things and go home. Tell mom and dad that I won't be coming home tonight."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss. Master and Madam have told me to follow you," said Bieber as he grimaced.

"Oh, you're already old, it'll be very tiring for you to follow me. Just go back, you can tell them that this is an order from me." Daenie put on a solemn face.

"Well... alright then." Upon seeing this, Bieber had no choice but to pass the luggage to the guard who drove the carriage.

He had seen Angelina and her carriage several times when he picked Daenie up from school and sent her off to school. He knew that Angelina was Daenie's classmate, so he wasn't worried that they would kidnap her.

Social interaction played a huge role in the lives of students in Princeton. Daenie had a timid personality since young, so she'd always only had a few friends. As such, her parents would always encourage her whenever she had the chance to hang out with others.

"You can go back then!" Daenie waved at Bieber.

The coachman then spurred the horse, and the carriage started moving slowly.

"Miss, remember to be careful and stay safe!" reminded Bieber worriedly as he watched the carriage leave.

Their destination was in Princeton's west district. The residents there had higher status than those of the south district, for having a certain social status was a prerequisite to live there.

Joaquin was the host of the party. Her father was a noble who was in charge of public safety in an area of Princeton and a count with high authority.

The heavy traffic on the road didn't attract much of Locke's attention. After being in the capital for quite some time, he was already used to seeing it.

"This place is even merrier now compared to last year. When I passed by here on the way to my uncle's house last time, the gouache store wasn't there," said Daenie as she pointed at a classy-looking store.

On the way to Joaquin's house, only Angelina and Daenie spoke in the carriage. Locke was like an outsider; he didn't even have the chance to interrupt their conversation.

He initially didn't believe that Daenie was very introverted until he realised that she hadn't said a single word to him in the carriage for the whole morning after she'd greeted him before getting into the carriage. Was she really that shy? Locke was speechless.

Fortunately, Angelina was concerned about his feelings and flirted with him from time to time. Daenie blushed as she hadn't been in a relationship yet, and this was her first time seeing a couple flirting in front of her.

They finally arrived at their destination before noon. The three of them secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

"Angelina! Daenie! We're all just waiting for both of you!" said Joaquin. It seemed like she had a close relationship with Angelina and Daenie as she actually waited for both of them outside.

But Locke was a little unhappy. He got off the carriage with Angelina and Daenie at the same time, but Joaquin only greeted both of them and didn't even bother looking at him.

Since she didn't give him face, Locke didn't bother going up to her as she would just give him the cold shoulder. He just followed Angelina quietly, making it seem like he was a guard.

"Britney, Jenny and the others are already inside. There are also a few outstanding gentlemen inside, I'll introduce them to you all later!" Joaquin walked in front and brought them into a mansion that looked more like a mansion than a residential house.

A mansion in the city? Locke felt that rich people really knew how to live it up.

Those who attended the party didn't have the appetite to eat a proper meal as they'd been sitting in the carriage for the whole morning, so Joaquin's servants constantly served various fruits and refreshments to the guests.

In an open-air garden in the mansion, a row of long tables was placed in the centre of the garden in a meandering manner.

There were dozens of young gentlemen and elegant ladies standing and sitting around the garden, all Joaquin's guests and mostly female. She seemed to be well connected.

"Ladies and gentlemen, since everyone is here, let's get this party started! Enjoy yourselves and let's all make friends with each other!" Joaquin stood in the centre of the garden and she'd seemed to use some type of spell to transmit her words accurately to each and everyone's ears.

"Alright!"

"No worries, Joaquin."

"Joaquin, why don't you dance for us?"

"Yeah, I love your dance moves!"

The guests all tried to butter her up. Such parties were often held among the nobles in turns. It just so happened to be Joaquin's turn this time, and she wanted to take this opportunity to introduce her new classmates to her friends.

There weren't any constraints and the guests could do anything they liked, which made for a rather relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere.