The maid had received professional training. No matter how shocking the scene before her might be, she could remain perfectly composed. And this? This only counted as ordinary horse-girl roughhousing. Her heart did not stir in the slightest. Her mind was occupied entirely with one thing: how to carry out her mistress's wishes flawlessly.
For the time being, she might only be a messenger, but as a servant, it was only natural for her to shoulder her lord's burdens. Even if her help ultimately proved unnecessary.
"A noble's invitation?" Xingyun Liuge plucked the calling card out of Chihaya Yui's hands and flipped it open with casual ease.
Chihaya Yui's face was already turning red. She wanted to tell Xingyun Liuge not to be so careless. What if their attitude was taken as disrespect toward some ancient and prestigious bloodline?
Anyone capable of raising a maid with such exceptional bearing could not possibly be some ordinary aristocrat. There might even be ties to the royal family. If they accidentally caused some kind of diplomatic incident, things would become a nightmare.
But just as Chihaya Yui gave a deliberate cough, the maid addressed the question directly to Xingyun Liuge.
"My lady wishes to invite Lady Xingyun and her companions to visit her estate. Might Lady Xingyun be willing to honor us with her presence?"
"Today?"
"Yes. At once," the maid replied without the slightest hesitation.
She had already anticipated the other questions Xingyun Liuge might ask, so she continued smoothly, "Lady Xingyun's friends are all welcome to accompany her. My lady has already instructed the chefs to prepare a banquet, solely in the hope of making Lady Xingyun feel as though she were among family."
Then she added, as if this were particularly important, "Please rest assured. It is not English cuisine."
At that, Chihaya Yui instinctively pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushing scarlet as she fought not to laugh.
Even when extending an invitation, they had to specifically reassure guests that they would not be served British food?
Did even British aristocrats accept that their country was a culinary wasteland? Wasn't that a little too brutal?
But her amusement vanished quickly. The moment Xingyun Liuge agreed, three Rolls-Royces glided up to the front entrance. Judging by the maid's manner, if Xingyun Liuge wanted to bring along even more people, she could summon additional cars on the spot.
Chihaya Yui could not help thinking, Are British grandees really this rich?
But this was only the beginning.
The convoy drove toward the suburbs.
As far as the eye could see stretched rolling landscaped grounds, spilling from the hills all the way down to the mountain's base. And their destination was the stately old castle nestled in a hollow between those hills, carrying the solemn weight of history on its shoulders.
Even from a distance, the mountain estate looked magnificent and exquisitely crafted, like a jewel box brought to life, beautiful enough to move even seasoned art collectors.
The road passed through a pair of grand double gates. Beyond them began a horseshoe-shaped drive that curved elegantly around a beautifully maintained lawn before leading straight to the main entrance.
On either side stood ornate pillars, each topped with a vividly sculpted lion, one paw raised as though to welcome guests—or perhaps to issue a silent warning: think carefully before you act.
It took another ten minutes of driving along the private road before they finally reached the front of the castle.
By that point, Chihaya Yui's legs had gone weak. Beads of sweat stood out on her forehead, and she was overcome by suffocating tension. She had assumed this was an invitation from some powerful noble family, but now...
This really might be the royal family.
After all, what ordinary noble could own an estate of this scale, with such a vast castle, so close to London?
Before leaving Japan, Chihaya Yui had known nothing at all about British history. Even after cramming during this trip, she still could not distinguish one architectural style from another. She had no idea which era this castle belonged to, so she could not infer the identity of its owner from the building alone.
Agnes Tachyon, for all her strange and wonderful store of knowledge, had no interest in anything that was not related to speed or racing. As a result, she was equally clueless about what the host was actually after.
Unexpectedly, it was Winter Lady who began speaking in a calm, measured tone, hands folded at her waist with impeccable poise.
"This looks like Georgian Classicism."
Georgian architecture had flourished in English-speaking countries between 1714 and 1830, during the reigns of George I through George IV of the Hanoverian dynasty. It encompassed architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts, evolving over time into several branches, one of which was the classical style.
The castle itself was white and beautifully squared-off, its layout a perfect example of symmetry. Not only the windows and main entrance, but even the trees planted in the garden and the fountains in the grounds all conformed to that principle.
Led onward by the maid, the girls passed through a broad corridor. The sculptures and vases placed along it were clearly works by famous masters. The paintings hanging on the walls looked like they could fetch astronomical sums. Even the staircases and railings were impossibly luxurious and imposing.
Only then did Daiwa Scarlet, who had previously seemed unconcerned, finally grasp the situation and shrink in on herself a little.
If someone accidentally knocked over anything in here...
They would probably need to race for the rest of their lives to pay off the debt.
Then the maid opened the doors to the banquet hall, and an entirely new world unfolded before them.
Hundreds upon hundreds of candles had been arranged in giant Bohemian crystal chandeliers, wall sconces, and gilded candelabras. Reflected and multiplied in mirrors, those flames filled the entire hall with light as bright as day.
The air was warm and rich, layered with the scents of beeswax, fresh flowers, perfume, and the deep, mouthwatering aroma of the dishes being brought in. Yet somehow every fragrance remained distinct, almost impossibly so, making one want to sink into the atmosphere and never leave.
At the center of the room stood a breathtakingly long mahogany dining table that immediately drew everyone's gaze.
Spread across the white Irish linen cloth, gleaming silverware shone with extravagant luster. The massive centerpiece had been shaped into a mythological tableau and was overflowing with seasonal fruit and sweets.
Around it were arrayed dozens upon dozens of dishes in lavish tiers:
A whole roast peacock, its feathers painstakingly restored until it looked almost alive.
A giant Somerset ham glazed with honey, shining so temptingly that it made mouths water at once.
Cured game, French aspic, salmon from the North Sea, Rhine turbot...
An astonishing variety of dishes had all gathered in one place, their mingled fragrance almost dense enough to take on physical form.
How could any of the girls possibly stay calm in the face of that?
Even Sirius Symbol, coming from the Symbol family herself, could not stop herself from swallowing hard. Faced with such a feast, she felt as if she might drop to one knee on the spot.
More importantly, every single detail—the heavy candlesticks, the covered soup tureens, the racks of condiments, the finely wrought forks and spoons—spoke of staggering wealth and impeccable taste.
Compared with this, even the banquet jointly hosted by the American Triple Crown winners seemed shabby. Sirius Symbol felt the pressure rising immediately.
She fully realized now that what they were facing was not merely some aristocratic family, nor even another Triple Crown winner.
They were facing an entire nation.
She swallowed with difficulty and thought, No matter how you look at it, this is insane. Are the British really willing to go this far for Xingyun Liuge? This is practically a state banquet...
Of course, that was an exaggeration. A true state banquet would have been arranged in advance. What if Xingyun Liuge had declined? Would they really have prepared all this for nothing?
Besides, if they had truly reached that level, they would surely have assembled a whole crowd of horse girls to surround her—and perhaps even arranged the "horseplay" portion as part of the evening.
As the girls stood there with various expressions on their faces, the maid remained unruffled. Lowering her eyes, she bowed toward Xingyun Liuge.
"Lady Xingyun, welcome to Britain."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
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TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter250)
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Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
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The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
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Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
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The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
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My Harem Is Indescribable 100
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Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
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Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
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A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
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The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I'm Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
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No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 20
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