Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 219: Chapter 219 — Dinner With the Graveborns

Chapter 219 — Dinner With the Graveborns

Victor followed the Graveborn family into the dining room.

Gravius took his place at the head of the table. His wife sat near him, a woman Victor had finally been introduced to as Berithea Graveborn.

She was still something of a mystery to him.

Victor couldn’t tell what the woman was thinking. Every now and then, her eyes drifted toward him, studying him for a few seconds before calmly moving away.

But she hadn’t said much.

The rest of the family spread out around the table. Victor and Zack sat closer to the other end, near Daniel.

Unfortunately, Victor quickly noticed who else was sitting beside him.

Alex.

Victor looked between Zack and Alex. He didn’t know if the seating arrangement was intentional, but he didn’t particularly appreciate being placed beside the person who’d once tried to have him killed.

Judging by the silence between them, Alex didn’t appreciate it either.

Still, there wasn’t much Victor could do about it.

Their house. Their rules.

So he simply ignored him.

Victor had also been properly introduced to Alex’s younger sister.

Lisa Graveborn.

She was only eight or nine years old, yet she’d already reached Rank Five Body Tempering.

Victor found that ridiculous for someone her age.

Then again, maybe he’d simply been incredibly slow before coming to the Tower.

Not long after everyone sat down, maids and butlers began entering the room, carrying dish after dish until the table slowly filled.

Large cuts of meat were placed before them. There were vegetables he’d never seen before, colorful fruits, and several other exotic dishes that certainly weren’t being sold anywhere he’d visited on the lower floors.

The amount alone showed just how extravagantly the Graveborn family lived.

Victor looked over everything.

He’d already decided he wasn’t going to hold back.

Just as he was about to reach for something, Daniel looked toward him.

”Don’t worry. Have as much as you like.”

Victor nodded.

”Thank you.”

With that, everyone began eating.

Victor immediately joined them.

For the next several minutes, the conversation remained relatively light. Nothing about the meal felt particularly unusual, and strangely enough, that made Victor even more aware of where he was.

He was sitting at a dinner table with one of the most powerful families in the Tower.

Beside a boy who had once tried to kill him.

Across from people whose family controlled most of the Tower’s visible slave trade.

And yet, for the moment, they were simply eating dinner.

Then Berithea looked across the table.

”Zack.”

Zack looked up.

”Yes, ma’am?”

”Tell me again. Why is it that you stopped coming by?”

Zack froze for a moment.

Victor glanced toward him. The question had come out of nowhere, and Zack clearly hadn’t expected it either.

After an awkward pause, he smiled.

”I’d actually prefer not to speak about it.”

Daniel looked over.

Even Victor could tell from his expression that Zack didn’t want to speak about it.

Berithea seemed to know it too, but she didn’t push him.

Instead, she smiled slightly.

”I miss when you used to come by all the time. You’d spend weeks at our estate.”

Zack returned his attention to his food.

Berithea continued.

”I always thought you’d marry Lisa one day. You two would’ve been perfect for each other.”

Zack nearly stopped chewing.

Victor glanced between him and the eight-or-nine-year-old girl.

Zack gave an awkward laugh.

”She’s a little too young for me. I’m sorry, ma’am.”

”Oh, nonsense. You’re only six years apart.”

Zack shook his head.

Victor hid his amusement behind another bite of food.

But beneath the humor, the conversation had caught his attention.

Just how close had Zack been to the Graveborn family?

He’d walked into their home without any discomfort whatsoever. Even sitting at their dining table, Zack seemed completely at ease, like he’d done this countless times before.

And apparently, he had.

Victor realized there was still quite a bit he didn’t know about Zack.

First, he’d learned his friend was the sole heir of the Brightshield family. Now he was finding out Zack had practically grown up alongside the Graveborns.

How well do I actually know him?

Victor glanced at Zack for a moment before returning to his food.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, everyone had mostly finished eating.

Daniel leaned back in his chair and laughed.

”Looks like it’s almost time to get serious.”

The easy atmosphere around the table shifted slightly.

Victor looked toward him.

Daniel turned to Gravius.

”Why don’t we head into the den and crack a couple cigars?”

Then he looked toward Victor.

”What do you think? You up for it?”

His eyes shifted toward Zack.

”Zacky?”

Zack looked at Victor.

Victor understood the question.

They had come here for a reason.

”Yeah. Let’s do it.”

Victor set down what he was holding.

”It’s about time we got some questions out of the way.”

Gravius nodded.

Berithea and Lisa stood, but before leaving, she turned toward Zack.

”Zack.”

He looked up.

”I’d really love to see you more often. Please come by more.”

For a moment, Zack didn’t answer.

Then he smiled.

”I’ll try.”

Berithea studied him briefly before nodding.

Then she turned toward Victor.

”Victor, it was a pleasure meeting you.”

Victor smiled politely.

”The pleasure was mine.”

Berithea hesitated. Her eyes lowered for a moment before returning to his.

”I really do hope we can let bygones be bygones.”

The words were gentle, but Victor immediately understood what she meant.

Alex.

Whatever had happened between them wasn’t exactly a secret to this family.

Victor kept the smile on his face, but he didn’t agree.

”It was a pleasure meeting you as well.”

A brief silence followed.

Berithea watched him for another second.

Victor had answered her without answering her at all.

If she noticed, she gave no sign beyond the faintest change in her expression. Then she smiled and walked away with Lisa.

Victor watched them leave.

Bygones be bygones...

That wasn’t something he was ready to promise.

Gravius stood, and Daniel followed.

Victor, Zack, and Alex rose as well.

Dinner was over.

The pleasantries were finished.

The five of them left the dining room and headed toward the den.

Now it was finally time to discuss why Victor had come here in the first place.