As soon as Carl finished speaking, everyone immediately took their seats with the precision of a Navy unit.
The Figarland family had always been different from other Celestial Dragon families. Aside from a few attendants, almost everyone possessed a certain level of combat prowess.
Carl and Garling walked toward their seats. Garling sat directly next to the main seat, leaving the head position for Carl—his intention clear without a word.
Seeing this, the others were momentarily stunned. Only after Carl sat down did Garling finally speak.
"Before we begin the banquet, I have an important announcement to make."
Garling's gaze swept across everyone present before turning to Carl and saying,
"From this moment on, Figarland Carl shall be the head of the Figarland family!"
As soon as these words fell, despite having some prior expectations, the crowd still showed expressions of shock—this was happening rather abruptly.
After all, Garling still appeared to be in his prime, far from an age where stepping down would be expected. Yet, he chose to pass down the position at this moment.
Not just within the Figarland family—this news would send shockwaves through all of Mary Geoise.
However, when it came to Carl, he commanded deep respect. The Figarland family's rising influence in Mary Geoise over the years was undoubtedly tied to him.
Following a brief silence, the captain of the first guard division, Carlos, was the first to kneel and loudly proclaim,
"Greetings to the new head, Saint Carl!"
The others quickly regained their senses, scrambling from their seats to kneel as well.
Monet nudged Shalria with her elbow and whispered,
"Lady Shalria, stop spacing out! You're the young master's fiancée!"
Monet's reminder snapped Shalria back to reality. She shot Monet a grateful look before following suit, kneeling alongside Monet and the other women.
Amid the resounding calls of the gathered crowd, Carl stood, holding a glass of red wine. As he moved, the hall gradually fell silent.
With a gentle smile, Carl looked at the kneeling figures and spoke.
"Everyone here is part of the Figarland family. Since Uncle Garling has entrusted me with this position, I will not let him down. The Figarland family will stand at the pinnacle of the world!"
A deep, resonating hum filled the room as an overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Carl. Tables and chairs trembled under the pressure, yet instead of discomfort, the gathered figures felt nothing but exhilaration, their faces flushed with excitement.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Garling's eyes as he took a long, assessing look at Carl.
Carl downed his wine in one gulp before raising his glass.
"Rise, everyone! A toast to our family!"
At once, the room stirred into motion. Everyone stood, grabbed their drinks, and followed Carl's lead, downing their glasses in one go.
Even Shalria and the other women swapped their juice for red wine, draining full glasses in a single breath. The rush of alcohol quickly colored their cheeks a deep crimson.
Emboldened by the liquor, the women's gazes toward Carl became even more intense, filled with an almost overwhelming tenderness.
At this moment, Carl's commanding presence, his aura of absolute dominance, was more intoxicating than the finest of wines.
...
After the banquet, Carl left the main hall, heading toward his quarters, surrounded by Monet and the other women.
Having indulged in quite a bit of wine, their usual restraint had faded. Hancock, normally the most reserved among them, showed the most drastic shift.
The only one among them to have awakened Conqueror's Haki, she had now awakened something else—the spirit of a queen.
Before they had even walked halfway, she loosened her robes, baring her fair shoulders as she pressed against Carl, her gaze hazy with intoxication.
Shalria, whose combat ability was virtually nonexistent, repeatedly attempted to squeeze into Carl's embrace, only to be pushed aside by Hancock. In the end, she had no choice but to follow pitifully at his side.
Monet and Sugar, the sister duo, had decent alcohol tolerance. They clung to Carl's arms on either side, with Sugar even rubbing her cheek against him from time to time, giggling playfully.
Behind them, Olvia, Robin, and Pudding followed. Watching Carl encircled by Monet and the others, Pudding muttered under her breath,
"Oh my, with things like this, will there even be room for Carrot in the future?"
Olvia glanced at Pudding and asked, "Pudding, what are you mumbling about? What Carot?"
Pudding held Olvia in high regard, so she answered honestly, "I'm talking about Carrot."
"Carrot? You mean that 'Dessert Queen'?"
"That's right! Carrot was given that title by Saint Carl himself. She has feelings for him... hmm!"
Noticing Pudding's teasing expression, Olvia immediately understood—another woman had fallen for Carl.
Not that it was surprising. Any woman who came into contact with Carl seemed to fall for him. Olvia herself knew this feeling all too well.
At that thought, Olvia's face suddenly flushed red.
Robin, noticing her mother's expression, frowned in confusion and asked,
"Mom, your face is red. Did you drink too much?"
Olvia instinctively waved a hand, but then quickly nodded and replied,
"Mm-hmm, I might have overdone it. It's been a while since I last drank, so I got carried away..."
Robin tilted her head, looking even more doubtful. She distinctly remembered that her mother often drank beer while working in the library—her tolerance was among the best in the group.
Perhaps it was genetic, as Robin herself had a high alcohol tolerance. Despite drinking quite a bit tonight, she remained unaffected.
Under Robin's gaze, Olvia felt a pang of guilt. Clearing her throat, she quickly changed the topic.
"Robin, I heard you've been hiding a few books in your room?"
At those words, the guilty conscience shifted from Olvia to Robin. The younger woman's eyes widened in shock before she quickly denied it.
"All my books are on the shelves! I-I don't have any hidden books!"
At that moment, Sugar turned her head and whispered mischievously,
"Robin, just confess. Olvia already saw them..."
Robin's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned to Sugar, then scowled in frustration.
"Sugar!!"
Sugar giggled before snuggling closer to Carl, making Robin roll her eyes in exasperation.
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+180 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg