A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 20: Family Banquet
Chapter 20: Family Banquet

The next day, when Arix woke up, her mind was filled with dreams of her parents. She knew that things were as good as they could be, but she still couldn’t help feeling a bit down.

”Owwo...” Cassian, who had just woken up, let out a puzzled sound when he saw Arix’s low spirits.

He slowly walked over to Arix’s head and buried himself in, trying to comfort her with his fluffy body.

Feeling the fuzziness against her cheek, Arix couldn’t help smiling. She turned over and buried her face in Cassian’s belly, rubbing against it.

”Croissant, thank you,” Arix said, feeling healed and warmly thinking to herself that fuzziness really was a cure-all.

”Ding ding.”

The doorbell suddenly rang, and Arix, curious, looked up at the door. She got up to open it.

”Hey cousin, good morning.” Varden, standing outside, pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and greeted her with a warm smile.

”Good morning. What brings you here? I thought it might be Drexel or our big brother Kellan, or other family members coming over,” Arix said, letting Varden in and asking with curiosity.

”Come on, don’t you like me? A cousin is still considered family,” Varden joked as he entered.

”Of course. I was just curious,” Arix hurried to appease him, not daring to offend this sly fox.

Varden chuckled before continuing, ”There’s a family banquet at home today. It was supposed to be just relatives and friends of the Kering family, but somehow members from the other four major families also showed up. Except for Drexel, who is sick and couldn’t come, everyone is busy hosting the guests, so Aunt Fleur sent me to pick you up.”

Arix thought it was just a simple family meal but was surprised to hear about the banquet. Remembering the dramatic holiday mishaps from her family in her past life, she felt a shiver run through her.

Swallowing hard, Arix looked away and said, ”Um... Cousin Varden, I think I might have something else tonight. Can I skip that banquet, maybe?”

Varden raised an eyebrow and coldly countered, ”What are you thinking? You’re the reason why they told the banquet! Besides, Grandpa will also be there.”

Their grandfather was one of the five great admirals of the Alliance, a man not even the President of the Alliance could easily meet.

Arix felt both honored and nervous. She struggled for a moment then firmly said, ”I’ll go!”

Varden smiled and stayed silent. The truth was, there were other important people coming tonight, but he dared not scare Arix away with that information. If Arix ran off, he and Fleur would have a huge problem.

...

At the Kering’s back door, Varden stood inside, watching Arix who was hiding nearby. ”Stop hiding, they are all at the front door.”

Arix coughed awkwardly. She came out from her hiding spot and entered, not forgetting to act tough, ”I wanted to surprise them, it’s no fun if they see me too early, right?”

”You’d say that even to Drexel, and he wouldn’t believe you,” Varden said with a cold laugh.

Arix clamped her mouth shut and obediently followed Varden up to a room on the third floor, watching quietly as he knocked on the door. ”Aunt Fleur, Arix is here.”

Arix had been missing Fleur too. She quickly stood at the door, but as soon as it opened, her expression froze.

Inside the spacious room, Fleur was standing and chatting with a dozen ladies. As soon as they heard the door open, they all turned towards Arix and warmly crowded around her.

”Oh my, is this Arix? You look as beautiful as your mother. Don’t worry, we will dress you up beautifully today, to dazzle all those boys outside.”

”And these eyes, so big and bright, like a deer’s, I’m so jealous.”

”This skin is so tender and smooth, just like a peeled egg.”

”And such a well-proportioned body, this bum could definitely bear healthy, chubby babies.”

Arix internally screamed for help. She felt like a maiden surrounded by rogues; one lady touched her here, another miss pinched her there.

In desperation, she looked to Varden for help, but he simply threw her a helpless look and quickly slipped out, even shutting the door behind him.

’Varden! I hate you!’ Arix watched incredulously as Varden escaped with ease, cursing him silently.

Afterward, she went numb. She closed her eyes in despair, letting the ladies apply makeup and jewelry on her as they pleased.

Varden, having escaped the chaotic scene, made his way down to the first floor. He looked sympathetically at the third floor for a moment before resuming his dashing young master demeanor and heading towards the main hall.

It didn’t take long for Varden to enter the grand banquet hall. Before him, it was a luxuriously styled hall, with exquisite Rococo tables and chairs.

Even the buffet table, laden with delicate food, was decorated with seashells and crystals, exuding luxury everywhere.

The hall was bustling with guests, the atmosphere cheerful and harmonious as conversations flowed easily among them.

In the corner of the banquet, Elio spotted Varden and called out, ”Varden, over here.”

Varden raised an eyebrow in surprise and approached Elio and a few others, asking, ”How come you guys are here too?”

Elio, along with Zephyr and Cirilla, were idly sitting on chairs. Seeing Varden perked them up a bit.

”Family obligation. We had to come, like it or not,” Elio said with a helpless shrug.

Cirilla and Zephyr echoed the sentiment.

After all, the host of the banquet was the only well-known Supergiant+ level of the Alliance, and it was also the Kering family’s celebration for finding their missing lady. All heirs from various families were required to attend unless there were special circumstances.

Varden’s question was casual, and after nodding in response to the answers, he casually picked a spot next to the three and sat down.

”So, has Drexel recovered?” Elio asked, a bit awkwardly.

”He’s not too bad. With some more rest, he should be almost back to normal,” Varden responded. He was actually surprised that Elio would even care about Drexel, and he smiled slightly at the thought.

Relieved, Elio then began to gossip gleefully, ”I couldn’t believe it when I heard that Arix is Supergiant+ level. At first, I thought someone was spreading rumors.”

”Supergiant+, huh? Wonder if there’ll be a chance to spar,” Cirilla said, her expression tinged with excitement.

Thinking of Arix still getting ready in the room, Varden replied, ”Not likely today.”

”Then we’ll just have to wait for another time,” Cirilla said, sounding disappointed.

After chatting for a while, the banquet officially began.

Matis, the head of the Kering family, stood on the stage with Arix, who was dressed in fine attire.

Matis then spoke into the microphone, ”First of all, thank you all for being here. I have a happy announcement to make—my granddaughter Arix Kering has been found and returned to us today. I thank everyone for your blessings and assistance. I hope you all have a joyful time here and leave with great memories. Thank you.”

”Mr. Kering, congratulations.”

After Matis finished speaking, the crowd gave him the respect of robust applause. The whole hall was filled with a thunderous clapping.

Arix did not revert to her original name, Raya Kering, as she had grown accustomed to the name Arix.

Thaddeus and Fleur, out of respect for Arix, didn’t ask her to use the name Raya anymore. Thus, she only changed her surname to Kering.

Standing on the stage, Arix realized that from today onwards, there would be no Arix Thalis in the world anymore.

Once again, Arix said goodbye to her former self and her past life. She bowed in gratitude to the guests.

Then she began to reluctantly follow her grandfather, greeting and toasting the elders until late into the night, when the family reunion banquet finally concluded.