Lord of Mysteries: Return of the Stars!

To learn how to exploit the law for personal gain, and later, to change the law itself, this, perhaps, was Professor Wayne's greatest hope for him.

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If in today's conversation, Professor Wayne hadn't spoken frankly but instead tried to fool him the same way he did Lecturer Fron, then he would surely have harbored resentment.

In the future, he would have only studied Wayne's knowledge and ignored his so-called grand ambitions.

But Professor Wayne truly lived up to his reputation as an old lawyer who could see into people's hearts. He knew what kind of words and actions were appropriate for different people.

It was likely that Professor Wayne had set his sights on him ever since he went to Backlund University to study law, which was why he took the initiative to become his law teacher.

Otherwise, not even the president of Backlund University could have arranged such a thing.

Having dealt with the old butler, possessing the Campbell family's land deed, and being his law teacher, these were all plus points for him.

He was still young and had not truly integrated into the circle of nobles, and Greg Negan, the duke's heir, was still his close friend.

A promising talent like him was also a plus point in Professor Wayne's eyes.

Why is it that when the warm surface is peeled away, all that's left is cold, calculated scheming?

Was this yet another lesson Professor Wayne intended to teach him?

Hastur was thoughtful, and across from him, Professor Wayne smiled and said, "Not bad, you really do learn quickly."

One answer, as if answering two questions.

"Learning quickly has always been my strength."

Hastur also smiled. No matter what Professor Wayne's motives were, he had never wronged him.

The two of them sat and chatted for a long time. Lecturer Fron, who had gone home for a short rest, also came to Professor Wayne's house.

As the three of them chatted, the topic returned to that Almshouse.

"Is Director Darn truly the source of all evil?"

The one who raised the question was Hastur. He wanted to remind Professor Wayne subtly that Director Darn wasn't a good person, but Vice Director Bard, who had always opposed him, might not be one either.

Professor Wayne said with emotion, "Whether he's the source or not, who can say? As long as the children in the Almshouse can live better lives, then what we've done has meaning."

Seeing this, Hastur didn't say anything more. In any case, he probably wouldn't be going back to that Almshouse again.

The three of them talked until after four in the afternoon, then Hastur left. He needed to go rest and prepare for Greg's banquet tonight.

Attending a banquet held by such a high-ranking noble required a lot of preparation in advance.

Appropriate attire, suitable cologne, a light pre-banquet meal, he also needed to check which nobles would be attending tonight to avoid awkward encounters.

Even the exact time to depart and arrive at the banquet had its own etiquette.

Generally speaking, the higher the status of the noble, the later they would arrive.

Arriving after them would surely draw ridicule and displeasure.

Arriving at the same time would make your entrance appear bland and even provoke their disapproval.

What status do you have, arriving at the banquet with me?

That's the kind of mindset they had.

Only by arriving slightly earlier than the great nobles would you have the chance to make an impression.

Noble ladies were especially familiar with and concerned about this.

Many noblewomen would begin preparing days in advance for such a banquet.

New dresses, new jewels, new diamond rings, new perfume…

They always aimed to show their best side.

If lucky enough to be invited to a royal banquet, the preparation would be even more extreme.

Sometimes, just to fit into a perfectly tailored corseted dress, they would diet in advance, even tighten their belts or take laxatives to make their waists appear slimmer.

This banquet held by Greg was not quite so extravagant, after all, he wasn't the Duke of Negan.

True great nobles would typically only send their younger generation.

It deserved attention, but wasn't overly intimidating.

Neil was a very reliable butler, well-versed in handling such matters.

He believed that while the Campbell family had declined, they still couldn't be compared to ordinary nobles. At the very least, they should be on par with a regular earl.

After all, it was a hereditary title. If not for Voltaire Campbell's outrageous behavior, Hastur would have inherited the title of earl.

There was a big difference between an earl and a baron.

Therefore, Neil refitted Voltaire Campbell's old personal carriage to serve as Hastur's ride for tonight.

As for these meticulous and cumbersome arrangements, Hastur didn't bother to question them, all was entrusted to Neil.

As Neil himself had said, "If a noble has to worry about these things, then their butler isn't competent."

Hastur had only one thing to do: bathe, put on cologne, wear his formal attire, and calmly await the banquet's arrival.

...

Empress Borough, the Hall family estate.

The glow of the setting sun filtered through the brilliantly colored stained-glass windows, gently spilling over the golden hair of a noble and elegant girl sitting at a desk by the window.

The girl was seriously flipping through a book, and by her feet lay a large golden-furred dog.

It lounged lazily with eyes closed, wagging its tail as if dispelling the boredom in the room.

Knock knock knock!

The door to the study was suddenly knocked. The golden retriever, startled from its nap, shook its golden fur and quickly got up.

"Who is it?"

The girl pressed a finger to the page, assumed a graceful posture, and looked toward the door.

"Miss, may I come in? It's time to get ready," her personal maid asked from outside.

The girl placed a bookmark at her latest page, then gently closed the book and replied, "Come in."

"Miss, you've already agreed to attend Lord Greg's banquet tonight. It's time to start trying on dresses," the maid said as she entered.

"Mm, alright."

"What kind of gemstones would you like to wear tonight?"

"The blue teardrop one."

The girl's answers were all short. As she spoke, she bent down and reached out to scratch the golden retriever's chin.

After asking about the girl's preferences for the night, the maid turned and left to prepare the clothes, jewelry, perfume, and so on.

The girl clearly wasn't interested in such matters and left it to her maid to handle.

As for Greg, she had a bit of an impression, rumor had it that he had a good relationship with her older brother and was very capable in business.

Barring any surprises, this Lord Greg would be the next Duke of Negan.

Because of that, she hadn't declined the invitation to tonight's banquet.

"Susie, when do you think I'll find the gateway to the world of mystery?"

"Viscount Glaint has been recommending someone to me lately, someone named Hastur Campbell, a young baron. He said this man once performed a resurrection ritual and survived, with extensive knowledge of the occult."

"I'll look for a chance to observe this Baron Campbell tonight. If he makes a good impression, I'll accept Viscount Glaint's invitation to the next banquet."

The girl's gentle and soothing voice flowed into the golden retriever's ears, which only earned her two soft barks in return.

As night fell, factory workers returned home after a long day of labor to eat and rest.

But for the nobles, their golden time was just beginning.

Luxurious yet elegant carriages clattered along the King's Avenue in the Empress Borough, hooves ringing like music.

Greg Negan, the heir to the Duke of Negan, was hosting a banquet, one of the highest-caliber gatherings in the entire noble circle.

Tonight's banquet began at 7:30 PM, located in a private manor of the Negan family in the northern part of Empress Borough.

Around 7:00 PM, noble carriages began arriving one after another.

Noble ladies, dressed in splendid gowns and adorned with gemstone rings, stepped lightly down from the carriages, wearing confident and elegant smiles as they entered the manor.

They occasionally discussed the latest fashionable dress styles, sometimes which perfume was most subtle and elegant, and some bolder ones whispered about which gentlemen tonight were the most outstanding.

As for the male nobles invited, they naturally left the spotlight to the ladies and stood quietly on the sidelines, holding wine glasses, admiring the graceful figures deliberately displayed by the noble ladies.

They chatted about the latest national news and shared a few romantic tales from the noble circles.

The Hall family's carriage arrived almost exactly at the end of the 7:30 window.

When Audrey Hall, the most dazzling gem of Backlund, stepped out of the carriage, it was as if all the lights around dimmed in comparison.

Her golden hair shone like pure sunlight, smooth and glossy. Her emerald eyes were as deep as the ocean, like buried gems hidden beneath the earth.

She didn't need to compete with anyone, just by standing among the crowd, she became the brightest light of all.

Holding their breath to admire her beauty was the unanimous response from the male nobles present.

Very few ever saw the Hall family's precious jewel at such events, and each time was a feast for the eyes.

Greg, the host of the banquet, came out with Hilbert Hall to greet Audrey.

"Your arrival brings great radiance to my banquet."

Hilbert Hall, "You are my most cherished little sister, and the brightest gem tonight."

Not far away, Hastur raised his wine glass, looked at Audrey, smiled, and whispered, "Nice to meet you, Miss Justice."