Chapter 24 Banquet of Shadows
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A few days after the concept for the “theater-style restaurant” was set—
I headed toward the “Banquet of Shadows,” a secret auction deep beneath the Royal Capital, with Balthazar Zaitz and my butler, Gregor.
The dull sound of carriage wheels on cobblestones was swallowed by the silent night. From somewhere, a faint, foul smell—like rotting garbage—drifted on the wind.
The entrance was hidden in the crypt of an abandoned chapel on the edge of the Royal Capital’s slums. Vines covered the ancient stone walls, and the darkness in the windows lent an eerie air.
After a strict identity check and the presentation of the magic crest reserved for invited guests, the hidden door creaked open with a heavy, metallic groan. A stench of rotten earth and dampness struck my nose.
Rough guards stood in silence as we descended the spiral stairs into the depths. The stone walls were wet with moisture, gritty and cold to the touch.
Cool, damp air brushed against my skin.
The smell of earth and mold—that particular scent of underground places—tickled my nose.
How far had we gone down? Cold air began to rise steadily from below.
Then our view opened up, and we gasped.
It was a vast, ancient ruin, sleeping deep beneath the Royal Capital. Looking up, giant stone pillars—reaching toward the heavens—rose into the darkness. Their surfaces were covered in worn murals and unreadable old writing; they looked as though they would crumble to sand at a touch.
And above it all, stretching far into the distance, was a grand dome that spoke of a lost age of wealth. It was as if we had stepped into a temple buried under the earth.
A strange contrast arose between the solemn air of these ancient relics and the gaudy gold, silver decorations, and red carpets laid out for the auction.
Countless magic lamps gave off an eerie glow, casting long, twisted shadows of the stone pillars.
”Th-this is the ‘Banquet of Shadows’… I heard rumors, but I never thought it would be this big…” Balthazar muttered.
Greasy sweat beaded on Balthazar’s forehead, his voice high and strained. His eyes darted around the cavernous space, frightened like a small animal before a vast predator.
Gregor, however, betrayed no change in expression. He simply surveyed the air around him in silence. A trace of caution lingered in his gaze, but he showed no sign of worry.
Our goal was the pair of sisters—a “dancer” and a “songstress”—who would be sold on the last day of this three-day event.
Even after accounting for the costs of the theater, I still had over 800,000 gold coins in my military funds.
From my research, the highest price ever paid for a “human slave” at an auction like this, even for one with special skills, was around 20,000 gold coins.
(Even as a set, twenty thousand—thirty thousand at most—should be the limit. This is easy.)
At this point, I was completely overconfident.
The heavy, foul atmosphere of this place had not yet broken my hope.
We decided to walk around the venue until the auction started.
In the hall, people hid their faces behind masks, pulled hoods low, or made no effort to conceal their own power and influence, chatting casually with champagne glasses in hand.
The clear clink of glasses, low murmurs, and the occasional dry, hollow laugh formed a strangely unsettling harmony. Now and then, a high-pitched woman’s laugh rang out, only to fade into the darkness at once.
In the corner of my eye, I saw jewelry and goldwork glittering in the dim light, flashing suspiciously like animal eyes.
”…Xenos-sama, look over there,” Gregor said.
His voice was so low it blended with the crowd. In the direction of his gaze stood a thin man with slicked-back white hair. His black formal wear accentuated his slender frame, and his eyes—the color of fresh blood—swept over the venue like a snake hunting prey.
(That is… the great merchant called the “White Snake,” Ignazio Wallachia, isn’t it?)
On the surface, he pretends to run an honest business, but he is said to be the true leader of the powerful information network [Whispering Ear] that controls the underground. His gaze is as cold as if he were judging prey, and he looks ready to strike the moment he selects a target.
Elsewhere, a refined nobleman with silver hair flowing in the wind and a flawless smile was surrounded by followers. In his hand, a glass of amber-colored liquor swayed.
Its rich scent drifted faintly toward us.
(And that silver-haired man… that would be Margrave Albion de Blanchefort, who holds the land bordering the Elven Forest.)
I had crossed paths with him once before. He was someone one could never let one’s guard down against.
Behind that elegant smile lurked a deep, bottomless pride.
He was exactly the type to become troublesome if you made an enemy of him—his thin smile worn like a carefully crafted mask.
There were others: well-known corrupt nobles, the leaders of dangerous mercenary bands, and even a few students from my own Academy—the children of the Rebellion forces.
Were they here as their parents’ representatives, or just for the thrill? Their faces held a mix of tension and excitement.
Surprisingly, there were also a few children of the Royalist nobles. Perhaps they had come out of dark curiosity alone.
Their gazes held not only curiosity but also faint confusion, and an undeniable interest in this world of darkness.
It was truly an event that had swallowed both the pure and the rotten—a festival of vice where monsters and goblins ran wild.
But this dangerous atmosphere stirred something in me. A chill ran down my spine, and my blood quickened. This was a more primal excitement than the creative thrill I felt when picturing the theater.
After walking the venue, we stepped into the circular hall set up in the center of the ruins—the main stage for the auction.
It was a bowl-shaped space, much like an arena, with numbered box seats arranged in rows around the central stage. The soft velvet felt pleasant beneath my fingertips.
We took the seats that had been reserved for us in advance.
I could feel the low murmuring of the crowd slowly building into a heat thick with expectation. A dense atmosphere, where the smells of sweat, perfume, and even a faint trace of blood seemed to mingle together.
”X-Xenos-sama… I feel as though we have come to a truly terrible place…” Balthazar said.
Balthazar had been completely swallowed by the atmosphere, the sweat on his forehead growing heavier. His hands were clenched tight, and I could see them trembling slightly.
”Calm down, Balthazar. You are here representing the Zaitz Merchant Guild, entrusted as my representative. You need only hold yourself with dignity. If you move carelessly, they will cut the ground out from under you.”
I warned him in a low voice.
My gaze swept the room slowly, staying alert for suspicious shadows.
”Y-yes, sir!”
Balthazar’s voice still trembled a little, but he seemed to have regained some composure at my words.
Before long, the venue lights dimmed, and the vast ruin sank into deep darkness. The murmurs that had filled the space died away as if they had never existed, and a moment of silence fell.
The taut tension pricked at my skin.
As if to shatter the silence, a dazzling spotlight hit the central stage like a flash of lightning.
An auctioneer appeared—masked, dressed in a jet-black tuxedo. His mask bore a somewhat lifeless, frozen smile.
”Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! We shall now begin the ‘Banquet of Shadows,’ the supreme feast that will satisfy your endless desires over these next three days!”
The auctioneer’s voice, carrying well yet somehow cold, echoed through the whole hall with a lingering resonance. As if stirred by his words, the tension of the crowd surged, and a heated roar filled the hall once more.
It was like the growls of starving beasts scenting their prey.
”Now, everyone, please enjoy this feast of darkness to your heart’s content! —Now then, here is our very first, special item!”
The sound of heavy metal creaking echoed through the underground space.
From the back of the stage, a cage covered in iron bars was carried out, slow and deliberate. The spotlight illuminated the interior.
Trapped inside was a huge magical beast—
With a major prize right from the start, the bidding shot up in an instant.
Good. Go ahead and spend your fortunes.
I watched the wild banquet about to begin, a faint smile on my lips. That smile held both expectation and cold calculation.
My target was the final day. Until then, I would watch and wait.
What would this festival of darkness bring me? Or perhaps, what would it take away?
—
Summary:
Xenos, accompanied by Balthazar and Gregor, enters the clandestine Banquet of Shadows hidden beneath the Royal Capital. The vast ancient ruins host a high-stakes auction where elite nobles and underworld figures gather. As the auction begins with the display of a magical beast, Xenos observes the proceedings with detached, calculated anticipation.
—
Trivia:
The Banquet of Shadows entrance is located in the crypt of an abandoned chapel in the slums.
Xenos is currently carrying 800,000 gold coins in his military funds.
Ignazio Wallachia, the “White Snake,” is the leader of the underworld intelligence network called [Whispering Ear].
The auction is scheduled to last for three full days.
Notes:
• Balthazar – A short, plump Zaitz Merchant Guild heir with greasy skin and a scent of pastries, he is the fawning, arrogant son of Lazarus Seitz. Serving as a proxy for the Grimlocks and Xenos, he is known for his questionable ethics and grotesque business proposals. Easily intimidated, this trembling merchant often sweats under pressure, masking his insecurity with childish arrogance and expensive, stained attire.
• Gregor – A butler who maintains a stoic and professional demeanor. He remains observant and composed even in dangerous, illicit settings. A companion to Xenos who is typically cool-headed but becomes pale with shock during the auction. A lean, sharp-eyed butler with a calm and professional demeanor, serving the merchant guild since the time of Balthazar’s father.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Xenos – Reincarnated as a hated, “Zero Mana” nobleman, the calm and calculating head of the Grimlock family masks his immense power behind a facade of incompetence. Using his deep knowledge of the game script, he manipulates the underworld and key figures like Mina to achieve his goals. He remains cold and strategic toward enemies while acting as a benefactor, currently forcing an annulment with his fiancée.
• Wallachia – The family name of the merchant Ignazio.
• Ignazio – A gaunt merchant with slicked-back white hair known as the ‘White Snake.’ He is the leader of an information organization and possesses a cold, predator-like gaze. A tycoon and merchant who possesses glinting red eyes and a deep obsession with victory.
• Yui – An Earth-born Sage alongside Sato, Ibuki’s wife is a composed yet sharp-witted woman who fiercely protects her husband and aids his Knight Order circle in info-war strategy. Vital for political legitimacy, she deeply resents humanity and Dole, assertively teasing Yamada and lecturing Senior. Excluded during the princesses’ visit, she later playfully interrogates Ibuki in their bedroom.
• Blanchefort – The family name of the nobleman Albion.
• Albion – A Margrave who carries himself with elegant, playful gestures and an air of chilling nonchalance. A nobleman with flowing silver hair who holds territory near the Elven Forest. He carries an elegant smile that masks deep arrogance and potential danger.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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