When the large golden retriever's calm, deep gaze from the shadows caught his eye, Klein's forehead twitched almost imperceptibly. He didn't bother hiding that he was startled.
He then naturally shifted his gaze toward Miss Justice's group.
"Scary... Why does this dog have to squat in a corner, hiding in the shadows... It just stared at everyone in the hall gloomily... Hmm, Miss Justice seems to have fed an animal a 'Spectator' potion and even consulted Mr. Hanged Man about it... Could this be that golden retriever? Two 'Spectators'—one in the open, one in the shadows—what 'Actor' could stand a chance! And in high society, Miss Justice isn't the only 'Spectator.' She joined the Psychology Alchemists under the guidance of other nobles, and wasn't she the sister of Duchess Nigen?" Klein muttered inwardly even as he walked toward the Machts and asked casually:
"The few who just came in seemed quite noble?"
Macht glanced at Dwayne Dantès and chuckled. "That's the family of the Earl of East Chester. You can just call him Earl Hall. You must have heard of him. That's his wife, Lady Caitlyn, and that's his eldest son, Lord Hibbert. You've already met before..."
Upon hearing Councilor Macht's introduction, Klein suddenly felt embarrassed because he had indeed met Hibbert Hall at a ball hosted by the Earl, yet he had completely failed to notice the lord just now, otherwise he wouldn't have wondered which noble family they were.
"Miss Justice's sudden appearance startled me..." Klein maintained a listening posture with a smile.
Councilor Macht continued, "That's his daughter, Miss Audrey Hall. In the past two years, she's been hailed as the most dazzling gem in Backlund's social scene. That's not an exaggeration, is it?"
Before Dwayne Dantès could respond, he tactfully added, "Her suitors include princes, heirs to dukes, and many honorable lords and gentlemen."
Macht's implication was clear: you, a man with eclectic tastes in women, should not set your sights on this young lady. She's a target you cannot and must not touch.
Meanwhile, different thoughts ran through Klein's mind: "So Miss Justice is Earl Hall's daughter. No wonder she's so wealthy, no wonder she never bargains... Earl Hall is one of the kingdom's top bankers, one of the most influential hereditary peers in the House of Lords. His wealth is at least as much as, or even more than, Baron Hindelas's... Even if Miss Justice can't inherit the title and estate, her share would be at least hundreds of thousands of pounds... Plus, with her appearance, background, and personality, she's indeed the perfect marriage candidate for the royal family and grand nobles... However, her repeated purchases of mystical items don't suggest she has only a few hundred thousand pounds... Is she getting reimbursed? I wish I could have a wealthy father too..."
Amid these fleeting thoughts, Klein smiled and responded to Macht's reminder, "I've heard various rumors about Miss Audrey before, but today I realize they weren't exaggerated. What a pity that I'm not a prince or the heir to a duke, marquess, earl, or viscount; otherwise, I could be a suitor too."
He was subtly indicating that he knew his own status and position.
Councilor Macht didn't pursue the topic further. Instead, he began introducing Dwayne Dantès to some of the other guests he knew, truly guiding him into high society. Of course, the greatest help came from the Church of the Goddess of the Night. Without their charity gala for the education fund, Macht wouldn't have been able to bring Dwayne Dantès directly before these nobles.
Marquis Rosente, Count Gross, Viscount Ravlan... one by one, the noble followers of the Goddess exchanged pleasantries with Dwayne Dantès, all quite gracious.
Before Macht finished his introductions, an elderly man entered through the door.
He wore a black robe with red trim, with five Dark Sacred Emblems pinned to his chest. His face was clean-shaven, his eyes profound, dark, and serene.
Including Earl Hall, everyone turned to face the old man and bowed respectfully. "Good evening, Saint Anthony."
This old man was Saint Anthony Stevenson, one of the thirteen archbishops of the Church of the Goddess of the Night!
He was in charge of the Backlund diocese, a truly high-ranking figure in the church.
As soon as Klein saw this archbishop, his body trembled involuntarily, unable to control it, unable to hide it, as if he were a child walking down a country path with no streetlights and the occasional grave.
He swept his gaze and noticed that the other guests didn't react as strongly. He immediately understood that the "fear" from Saint Anthony was felt more clearly by those with stronger spirituality. He quickly began to meditate, trying to suppress it.
When he had largely controlled the trembling, Saint Anthony had already smiled, looked around, and with a clockwise motion, marked four points on his chest, saying: