Reincarnated as the Lady Prodigy

Twenty-three

Intro of the Banquet

ZAIRE LEVI'S POINT OF VIEW

"It was nice talking to you, Hunters Association Head," I slightly bow my head and turned on my head to leave. Blake and Eufema did the same, once outside of the Hunters Association, I heaved a deep sigh.

Now, I've achieved one of my goals, we should start with the next, and boy, I feel as pumped up as ever be.

The talk with the Hunters Association was a huge success, no, in actuality, it was the best negotiation I've ever had. Not only did the Hunters Association Griselda branch promised that the hunters will only sell the spoils of their battle in the auction house, they also gave us a discount if ever we want their services as hunters, in return, I, no, Faceless Auction House will provide them the best magic items, weapons and armors in a much lower price than the market price and with the expiration of the treaty between Konseho and the Hunters Association, I wonder how those idiots from Konseho will act once they know of this. Ah, gosh, just thinking about it is giving me goosebumps from excitement!

I look around the room that I'm suddenly in but there is nothing but white, too white it's almost painful to the eyes. What happened? As far as my brain cells remembers I was sleeping peacefully because I was exhausted. Where am I?

"Zaire." My eyes widen. I turned behind me and I was right. The familiar soft voice does belong to Jozine! She's sitting on the white ground while sipping a cup of tea.

Still shocked, I walked to her unable to take my eyes off her because she's too pretty, I'm not saying this because we look the same, no. Wearing a white dress with her black hair on lose, Jozine looks enchanting. The way she sips her tea is very elegant that I couldn't imagine how she does it, her pinky finger raised while holding the cup and even the way she placed it on the saucer, it's enchanting in a way that I couldn't explain. It's like I'm looking at myself but in a more sophisticated and classy way, which by the way, I know I can't.

"I am delighted to have you here with me, Zaire," she greeted while smiling at me. For a ghost, I mean spirit, she looks more alive than I am. "Please have a seat," I followed without question. "Would you like to have some tea?"

"No, thanks."

Jozine chuckles at my quick response before she sips her tea again while I just keep on staring at her. I have so many questions, I have so much to tell her but seeing her carefree smile, I don't have the heart to ask her anymore. I feel peaceful just watching her.

"I know you have a lot of questions, Zaire and I, too, have questions running on my head since I awoke." She said all of a sudden. Jozine smiled at me before she heaved a deep sigh, "I know I am supposed to disappear once you've taken over my body yet... I did not. After our first meeting, I heard a voice telling me to rest within her, her voice was soft like the wind's lullaby, I couldn't help but succumb. I lost my consciousness but I was peaceful, then I heard your voice. I heard your confusion, I felt your fear and your guilt. I awoke and spent my time thinking what to tell you, how to say it and how to make you feel better but..." Jozine looked up to me and smiled, "All those thinking and formulations, this right now is better in my perspective. You need not bear the burden of your guilt, Zaire because even if you think we are two different individuals, that has changed. I have found my peace within you and I hope that you find your happiness with me within you. You are me, and I am you, Zaire, that is but the truth."

I am her and she is me?

Ah, I see... All this time I kept telling myself that I will live this life for the both of us, I haven't fully accepted that Jozine entrusted this body to me, for us. I was doing fine on the outside but I was filled with questions on the inside.

"I..." I stuttered before I chuckle to myself, Jozine is watching me. "I was thinking that I took over your body, I took your life and I was guilty. I wasn't sure if you even wanted this, me to take over your body in the first place. I felt that I stole what was yours."

Jozine fell silent for a few seconds before she laughs lightheartedly. "Impossible. You stole nothing from me, Zaire. You simply helped me from that meaningless life."

I did? How sad has she become to think her life was meaningless?

"I'm sure you missed some of them," I tell her

Jozine smiled with a faraway look on her face. "I do, of course, I do. I miss Elise and her family but I've never had friends other than her. You see, other nobles might flock around me but none of them wanted to be genuinely friends with me, Zaire. They wanted the fame that my name carries and believe it or not, some nobles despise me for my actions."

My forehead creases. Despise? Who? Jozine?

"Why...?" The question flew out of my mouth without me knowing.

Jozine sighed, "because I was willing to do anything for Mother's attention, for her affection. Everything, Zaire, for her I was willing to do anything, everything."

Felicia... Just what did she do to her?

"Jozine, I have a question." This question has been on my mind ever since I took over her body.

"You may ask me anything, Zaire," she sweetly smiled at me.

"How... How did you die? Did you die or—"

"—Yes." She cut me off and looked at me straight in the eye, "I died, Zaire."

She died. Jozine indeed died. "... why? How...?"

Jozine's head tilted to the side, "uh, I guess it was because I failed my breakthrough. The recoil was too much and... huh... I forgot..."

This... She forgot something important. It reminds me of the lapses between her memories, too many lapses. It was like whenever I recall something from her memory I'm watching a movie with a lot of cuts between clips. The actors and actresses may not notice but the viewers do, and I, as someone who doesn't possess the memory but simply reviewing it, can tell something is wrong.

"Hey, Jozine... are you always forgetting something?"

Jozine stilled before she stared at me blankly. "Forget?" I nodded my head. "Hm, now that you said that, I feel like I forgot something important I just don't remember what."

Could this be... if my assumptions are correct then... what is going on? Why her?

I better ask Aya for help.

"Shush, don't force yourself, let's talk about something else," I tell her diverting the topic. I'd rather Jozine enjoy happy memories as much as possible, her burden, I will carry it for her, her problems, I will solve it for her. Jozine is like a sister to me, someone I know for a very long time.

That night or whatever time it was, I spent all my time listening to Jozine's story as if I was there. We laughed and teased each other like we're best friends for decades and I've never felt better, so much better and I know that Jozine does too.

The messenger of Duke Franklin sent a letter to the Vesaurius mansion of the rescheduled date of the banquet, it's two days from now. Felicia and Clarence hurried to left for the seamstress, AGAIN. She hasn't even worn the dress she was supposed to wear at the banquet and now they left for another dress. What the heck, I'm stressed out just thinking of those two.

I sent Blake to Duke Franklin's mansion to fetch our VVIP invitation card because the Duke doesn't know where to send it to. The auction house's construction is still on-going and protected with a concealment barrier, my familiars and Rou are helping with the construction. It's mostly done by magic, Aya's magic.

I left the mansion with Eufema and Elise to meet up with Blake. I have to perform the ritual of the contract between Elise and Suzi, then Blake and Ymar. The two came back to Summoning Planes after the ogre incident.

Because the former pub where we meet up with the future employees of Faceless is destroyed in the recent attack by ogres, Blake found a new and secluded place and rented a private room.

"Welcome, Master," Blake slightly bowed. I nodded my head at him and removed my mask.

Without further ado, I called forth Suzi first. Since the two spent time together back in the incident, I guess I should consider it their bonding time. Suzi seems to like Elise, they're the complete opposite of each other. While Elise is the kind-hearted master, Suzi is the savage and violent beast, they match perfectly.

Elise and Suzi are facing each other, "you both ready?"

Elise glances at me with a nod, "yes, my lady,"

Well then, let's get this started.

I chanted the spell for contract, beneath them formed a glowing magic circle, it then rose to their body as if scanning them, once the magic circle disappeared, a mark appeared on both their foreheads then disappeared gradually. I did the same with Blake and Ymar.

"Now that the three of you have your own contracted beast, let me give you a few warnings. You must not use your contracted beast as Elise and Blake unless it's necessary. Your contracted beast is your identity as Dos and Tres of Faceless Auction House." I turned to Fema, "you are Cuatro, here are your badges. That is made of special material and imbued with blood and magic recognition rune so once you implant your blood and a bit of your magic inside it will be only used by you. That is the proof of your identity as Dos, Tres, and Cuatro of Faceless."

The three of them locked their eyes on the black and gold badge made from mixing all my familiars magic crystals. I had to learn forging and item creation for this but it was a good choice. I've made specific item for my workers and my executives deserve even better.

Oh my, I feel a little embarrassed! I guess I shouldn't make it too obvious that I'm biased.

"I understand, my lady." Elise smiled at me with a beaming smile her face shining.

Blake suddenly bowed, "I swear to obey only you, Master!" He's as enthusiastic as ever. I should get him a lover soon. Oh no, Blake is still young, no one deserves my little Blake. Not yet. No, no, no.

"To show my gratitude, I will forever serve under only one master, Lady." That's Eufema. She still has the aura of arrogance but she's getting better at being humble. "You shall be honored," or not.

I smiled at them. "That badge may appear or disappear at will. I'm looking forward to your performance in the upcoming banquet, my executives." I said grinning from ear to ear.

Surely, I'm also looking forward to your performance, Clarence.

THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

Carriage after carriage is entering the gate of Duke Franklin's mansion.

"You may enter. May you have a wonderful evening, Lady Clarence and Mistress Felicia of House Vesaurius." The hostess that welcomes the guests of Duke Franklin's banquet slightly bowed to Felicia and Clarence Vesaurius.

Clarence sweetly smiled then walk to the ballroom hall. The knights guarding the closed hall of signaled the arrival of the guests by stomping their spears twice before one announced loudly, loud enough for the people inside the hall to hear. "LADY CLARENCE AND MISTRESS FELICIA OF HOUSE VESAURIUS!!!"

Chest out, jutted chin, sweet smile.

Clarence knows that she looks beautiful. When the door opens and revealed them, Clarence painted the perfect and sweet smile that can win anyone. She can feel their eyes on her followed by a series of whispers.

She heard it faintly but there was 'beautiful' and 'graceful' along with those murmurs. Hah! She is! Those nobles truly know how to appreciate beauty. They are looking at her! Not Jozine but her!

She grinned inside while keeping her sweet smile outside. Poor Jozine, her fame, and magic became just a small history while she, Clarence has become the center of attention!

"Go and mingle with your peers, sweety." Her mother said softly and gracefully pushing her to the table of ladies and gentlemen her age, like her, a noble and someone with magic.

She has magic! She belongs to this group!

"There you are, Clarence, have a seat," the brown-haired girl smiled at her and she returned the gesture but on the inside, she's wondering why a small-time noble like her is in the banquet. Pathetic. Must have used any means necessary just to attend. She feels disgusted sitting in the same table as hers but she has to endure. This table is guaranteed to be where Duke Franklin's son will sit.

"Indeed, such a magnificent magic item..."

"It can increase the..."

"Have you seen..."

"If you ask me, I think it'd be better to..."

Clarence grew bored of their nonsensical chatter and kept looking around. If the Duke's son isn't here better yet have her own fun.

"Oh my, is that the well-known Knight from the aristocratic family? Lothario Dexter?"

"That is indeed him!"

"His skills in using spear is on another level!"

Clarence glanced in the direction everyone is looking. There, she witnessed how Jozine's former lover, the one she had wrapped in her little finger before is praised by the nobles. Bah! If only these nobles know who the real Lothario Dexter is behind his gentleman act and sweet smile, they'd be surprised. 

Their eyes met then Lothario smiled at her, no, he smirked at her. Clarence saw the malicious and conceited glint on his eyes, she smirked back. 

They know each other too well. 

Lothario used Jozine to be acquainted with nobles and by doing so, he gained connections that helped him became a Knight, thus, with his skills and scheming gentleman tactics, the Lothario that is showered with praises was born. 

Clarence is scheming and so is Lothario, the two of them schemed so well behind Jozine's back while laughing at how naive she was. It was so amusing how Jozine would flock around Lothario willing to help him with all his troubles, help him achieve his dreams while Clarence and Lothario are enjoying each other's warmth waiting for Jozine to do her job.

Clarence shakes her head remembering her now-a-loser of a sister. Her time is over. Prodigy? What a joke. She is now nothing but a daughter of a noble, without any magic.

Now, Clarence must start her plan. 

Lothario Dexter, he's the third son of an aristocrat. As the third son, there are things that he couldn't get no matter how much he wants to. There are things that he can't have because he is not the first son and he hated it.

He's better than his good-for-nothing goody-two-shoes of a brother, that bastard who thinks he's all that just because he's the firstborn. He hated him for having the things he had to work hard to get. Lothario hated his brother, no, his brothers. So, to prove that he's better than anyone else he did everything. He used every means possible, dirty tactic, faking his self and manipulating the renowned prodigy, and finally, here he is. One of Geubert Bernard's friend, he is the friend of the Duke's son and because of his achievement, he proved just how pathetic his brothers were.

He is Lothario and he's better than anyone else!

"Perhaps you have time, can I ask you to accompany me to the upcoming ball?" One of the ladies asked. Lothario smiled and declined in a gentlemanly way.

Lothario's life has never been better, unknown to him, to them, their nightmare has started.