The-Chrysanthemum-Codex：Ash's-Ascension

Chapter 11: Shadows in the Banquet

Princess Johanna was quite warm and inviting, and Ash, not wanting to cause trouble for his older brother, responded to her politely but distantly. Suddenly, his butt began to itch again!

The Chrysanthemum Codex was sending a signal—there was a good deed to be done!

Ash was filled with excitement, quickly scanning the grand hall. Hundreds of young nobles were grouped together, some in pairs, all absorbed in the lively atmosphere of the banquet. In such a setting, how could there possibly be an opportunity for a good deed?

He swept the room with his gaze but found nothing unusual. Yet, he knew the Chrysanthemum Codex didn’t lie; there was definitely an opportunity here! He activated the inner energy of the codex, focusing it in his eyes, and began scanning the room with a scrutinizing, almost sneaky look.

Princess Johanna was puzzled. A moment ago, Paru had been all smiles and sunshine, but now, why did he suddenly look so… shifty? He resembled a lecherous man on the hunt for a target.

She couldn’t help but ask, "Paru, what are you looking for?"

"Nothing, just looking around. Hey! Chris, what are you up to!?" Ash suddenly shouted, quickly heading toward a dimly lit corner.

In the corner stood Chris, the eldest son of the Minister of Finance, who had previously been humiliated by Ash. He was walking with a young lady, arm in arm, leading her toward a side door.

Though the young lady appeared to be friendly with Chris, her steps were unsteady, and the smile on her face seemed unnatural—almost forced. From Ash’s previous life experiences on the darker side of society, he could instantly tell that something was wrong!

Following Ash’s lead, everyone’s eyes turned toward Chris and the young lady.

Ash rushed over, and with a swift move, checked Chris’s pockets. He quickly discovered something hidden there.

“Chris, what’s this!?” Ash demanded, pulling a small packet from Chris’s pocket and tossing it on the ground. White powder spilled out.

Several young nobles present were well-acquainted with such things and immediately understood the situation.

Suddenly, the itch on Ash’s butt felt immensely satisfying, as if his entire body was at ease. Clearly, the young lady was likely a reserved and modest person, and Chris had planned to use this vile means to take advantage of her. Ash, by saving the young lady's dignity and thwarting Chris’s despicable scheme, had performed a great deed!

At this moment, the second chrysanthemum on Ash’s butt had begun to bloom, now about a tenth open. The inner energy of the codex was already twice as strong as when it first appeared.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Chris stood there, embarrassed and not knowing what to do.

Ash stepped forward, speaking with a tone of regret, "Chris, even though you’re not a descendant of a titled Dou Saint, I, as a descendant of one, must tell you—if you want to win a lady's heart, you should display your finest qualities and use your sincerity to move her. But you... this is shameful. Tonight, hundreds of people witnessed your disgrace!"

"You!!" Chris was furious and humiliated, with no way to vent his anger except to direct it all at Ash.

He yanked the necklace from around his neck, preparing to activate his artifact, but at that moment, Lumian’s cold voice echoed from the dance floor, “Franklin, my dear brother, it seems someone is challenging the honor of the Rudolf family!”

Franklin had no desire to involve himself in Ash’s matters, but tonight, the three brothers collectively represented the Rudolf family—one prospers, all prosper; one falters, all suffer. Reluctantly, he sneered, “Chris, a first-level Magic Dou Fighter! If you wish to duel, I, Franklin, fourth-level Martial Dou Fighter and a son of the Rudolf family, will oblige!”

Chris hesitated, then begrudgingly hung his artifact back around his neck. At this moment, Princess Johanna shouted, "Guards, throw this despicable man out! From now on, he’s banned from all my banquets!"

The crescent door swung open, and a group of fierce-looking guards stormed in, beating Chris before dragging him out.

Ash grinned—tonight hadn’t been a waste after all. He had accomplished another perfect good deed!

Princess Johanna approached Ash, smiling, "Thank you. If something like that had happened at my banquet, it would have been a disgrace."

“Your Highness, it was my duty. I apologize, I’m feeling a bit unwell and would like to rest.” Ash, not wanting to engage further with Johanna, sought out a quiet corner to enjoy his drink alone.

The banquet continued, and not long after, the young lady who had narrowly escaped Chris’s scheme regained her senses. Chris’s drug was indeed potent; when she came to, she had no recollection of the incident. Upon being informed of what happened, she gracefully approached Ash, lifting the hem of her dress as she bowed slightly, "Paru, I sincerely thank you!" Her blue eyes glowed with warmth, her cheeks flushed as she looked down and asked shyly, "May I have the honor of a dance?"

Ash’s heart skipped a beat, and looking across the room, he saw Lumian winking and grinning at him.

Oh no! This damn girl, is she trying to seduce me?

The young lady’s gaze lingered on Ash’s handsome face, waiting bashfully for his response.

Ash felt incredibly awkward but maintained a bright smile, "I’m sorry, I ate a lot of garlic today. It’s really not a good time to be close to someone."

The girl lowered her head even further, her voice soft, “That’s okay!”

It’s okay for you, but not for me! Ash nearly cursed out loud. Damn it, this girl, is she trying to turn me into a eunuch!?

"Um, you might not mind, but I can't forgive myself. Once again, I apologize; I really did eat a lot of garlic today, and it would be quite rude to dance with you!" Ash said, giving a slight bow before retreating back into the corner.

The girl stood there, clearly disappointed, but still managed a forced smile. "I understand, Mr. Paru, you are truly a gentleman! My name is..."

"No, beautiful lady! Please don't tell me your name!" Ash backed away gracefully, bowing slightly as he smiled. "A true act of kindness expects nothing in return; otherwise, one is unworthy of being called a descendant of a titled Dou Saint!"

Ash didn’t dare ask for the girl’s name. It was obvious from the look in her eyes—dark and intense—that she was very interested in him after his heroic rescue.

Seeing that the girl didn’t press the matter further, Ash felt a wave of relief wash over him. He retreated to the corner, silently congratulating himself. Thankfully, he hadn't made a mistake tonight!

But then, out of nowhere!

A group of noble girls suddenly surrounded him, their enthusiasm and forwardness evident. "Paru, you're so interesting! Some say you're the shame of the Rudolf family, but more people say you're the virtue of St. Ironspire City. Today, you’ve shown everyone that you're a true gentleman! How fascinating!"

Grape! You cursed psychopath, I hate you!

Ash screamed inwardly, but there were just too many of them. Not wanting to be swarmed, he decided to put on a cold, aloof expression, ignoring everyone.

The banquet continued, and as the night wore on, Ash's demeanor around the women became increasingly cold and detached. Gradually, the number of women surrounding him decreased, and instead, more men began to gather around.

Ash employed the social skills from his previous life, mingling with the young noblemen, making quite a few friends. Of course, there were also those who didn’t like him. But that’s the way it was with nobles—friendships and rivalries often started young and carried into their political futures. Who knows, decades later, people might discover that the feud between the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister began at a youthful banquet like this one!

Time ticked away, and as the clock struck midnight, the hall's timekeeping bird announced the hour.

Princess Johanna seized the moment to officially end the banquet. Ash breathed a sigh of relief, and as the young couples paired off and departed, he found himself alone as he left the grand cathedral.

Johanna stood at the door, bidding farewell to each guest. She didn’t disturb the couples, instead saying goodbye to those who were leaving alone. When she came to Ash, she smiled, "Paru, thank you for your smile tonight!"

Ash was taken aback. "You’re thanking me for a smile?"

Johanna nodded, "Of course, because tonight you only smiled at two ladies—two of the most beautiful ladies at the banquet… That’s the highest compliment!"

It was true—Ash had only smiled at two women tonight: Johanna and the young lady he had rescued.

After saying goodbye, Johanna returned to the cathedral. At this point, Ash's two brothers arrived, though Lumian still had two glamorous ladies in his arms. He laughed heartily, "Ha, my dear brother, it looks like you’re going to spend the night alone with a cold bed! But your performance tonight was quite surprising—you only smiled at the two most beautiful women… Tsk tsk!"

He glanced at the two women beside him and said, "You know what the noble girls are saying about you now?"

The two women chimed in together, laughing sweetly, "If we don’t see Paru’s smile in this life, then our beauty would be wasted!"

Ash forced an awkward smile. Who could understand his suffering?

"My god, my brother smiled at you! Did you see that? He smiled at you!" Lumian exaggerated, pulling the two women closer. "So it turns out, the two of you are beauties on par with Princess Johanna!"

The women giggled, and Lumian escorted them to his carriage. Turning to Franklin, who was standing coldly beside him, he said, "Dear brother, you see, my carriage is already full of guests. I’m taking them on a wonderful journey, so could you take our dear little brother home?"

With that, he hopped into the carriage, and with a cackling laugh, ordered the driver to whip the horses. The direction they headed seemed to be toward an area in the northern part of the city known for its many inns.

Ash shrugged at Franklin, clearly displeased at the idea of speaking to his cold, aloof second brother. "Second brother, let’s go home."

Franklin's driver brought their carriage around, but Franklin pointed to the driver and said coldly, "Paru, this man is my guardian fighter. You, the shame of the Rudolf family, aren’t worthy of having a fighter drive you."

With that, he climbed into the carriage, leaving without looking back, abandoning Ash alone.

"Damn it, who cares about riding in your carriage!?" Ash muttered coldly as he watched the carriage disappear around the corner. He then felt the weight of the two small packets in his pocket and smiled warmly.

These were exquisite desserts he had stolen at the banquet, made by the royal chefs—something Alfred Pennyworth and Karn Bloodfury probably had never tasted!

One by one, the carriages departed, leaving Ash alone in the large cathedral square. He asked a nearby guard for directions and started walking home alone. But just as he was about to leave, a dark green carriage came to a sudden stop at the corner of the street. The carriage belonged to Chalman, the eldest son of the Creason family!

"Ancestor Aruba, could it be that Paru is walking home alone tonight? My dear father, I believe I no longer need your permission to eliminate him. Our dear Chris will surely help me!" Chalman quickly scribbled a note and handed it to the driver outside. "Go, find a beggar and give this to Chris! Just make sure you don’t say it’s from me!"