My Soul card is a Reaper

Four days later;

Garcia Palace, Death Clan Village;

The banquet hall was alive with flickering lanterns, the scent of roasted meats and exotic spices filling the air.

Long tables groaned under platters of delicacies from the Death Clan and beyond.

Friends and relatives gathered, murmurs and laughter blending into a lively get-together.

Azzy stood at the head of the room, his presence was quite commanding. No one could ignore his presence at all. And when they gazed at him, they were either filled with admiration or fear.

This is not the family dinner that Azzy invited others though. This is more like the celebratory banquet that the clan threw for him on his return. So, it wasn't just Azzy's family that were attending, but other clan lords and important officials were also at the banquet.

Leah Pendragon entered with her son, Zion Pendragon. His sharp eyes scanned the room as soon as he entered. Their collective looks obviously gathered the attention of many.

Leiza, standing beside Azzy, stiffened subtly. Her jaw tightened, spotting them. She shot Azzy a pointed look, barely hiding her displeasure.

Nearby, Fiona appeared with Affea, maintaining her calm demeanor. Izora's eyes narrowed when she saw them, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Her eyes wandered all over the room, but Izora didn't find her husband there.

Vesyrn didn't attend this banquet as he was currently exiled from the clan and had yet to take up his new position as the guardian.

Then Gideon arrived, arm in arm with Estella Moon and their young daughter, the elder of the twins. The room brightened slightly at their presence.

Orion's gaze immediately locked onto the girl, and a rare, mischievous grin spread across his face.

The girl could sense his gaze but didn't look at him, quietly ignoring him instead. Her attention was on the main host of the banquet, the Monarch of the Clan.

Finding that the important guests had all arrived, Azzy cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the room.

"Thank you all for coming," he began, voice steady. "It means a lot to have everyone here."

He gestured towards Leiza and their son. "This beautiful lady over here is my wife, Leiza, and our son, Orion."

Leiza gave a polite smile to the audience as their gaze fell upon her. Some chuckled, and some murmured.

Azzy then turned to Fiona. "And this is my youngest sister Fiona, who has come to join us as well."

Fiona gave a small nod of greeting, staying beside Affea. Izora shifted uncomfortably, barely masking her resentment.

While Azzy was giving introductions to the new addition to the Garcia family to the guests, Zion Pendragon, Leah's son, stood a little apart, watching Orion being introduced and fawned over by many guests. His jaw clenched quietly, a flicker of jealousy crossing his sharp features.

Leah noticed and nudged him with an elbow. "Zion, what are you doing?"

Zion muttered. "I am also the son of Azrael Garcia. Don't I deserve any introduction? Or does he not want to acknowledge our relationship at all?"

To which Leah quietly replied. "You are indeed the son of Azrael Garcia, but the man over here right now is the Monarch of the Death Clan, not Azrael, and neither of us is part of the Garcia family, and we never will be. The outside world will never know our true connection, just like always. Just get used to it, Zion. And I warn you. Don't you dare make any mess here."

Zion nodded, swallowing his frustration.

After a while;

The banquet was in full swing now. Crystal chandeliers bathed the room in golden light. The clinking of glasses, bursts of laughter, and aroma of warm dishes created an ambience of celebration.

While the adults gathered in animated clusters, drinking, eating, and exchanging stories, Orion slipped away from his mother's side. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Estella's elder daughter, Selene.

She was alone by the food counter, carefully piling her plate with only chicken wings.

Orion walked over with a relaxed grin. "You, uh… really like chicken wings, huh?"

She looked up at him, blinked once, then nodded. "Yeah. Chicken wings are elite. What's your point?"

"No point," he said, chuckling. "Just… that it isn't ladylike. I didn't expect there would be someone like me who cares more about being comfortable, rather than just following the etiquette."

She shrugged, "If I act lady-like, those men would swarm around me like flies."

Orion leaned on the table casually beside her. "So… you in high school or college?"

Selene replied plainly. "Avarndor Academy of Arcana, Class 1B."

Orion tilted his head. "Eh? That's where my aunt studies."

"Aunt?" Selene furrowed her brows, finally turning her head to look at him.

Orion hurriedly clarified. "Not Aunt Affea. I mean Fiona. Actually, I plan on joining in…"

While he was speaking, Selene suddenly shifted her attention, her gaze went past him and fell upon the lone fellow. "Hey, Zion!"

She called out aloud, waving her hand and walking right past Orion, her plate still in hand, heading toward the corner of the room where a tall, reserved young man stood sipping wine in a bit of brooding.

Orion turned, frowning slightly as he watched her approach Zion, who cracked a rare smile at the sight of her. "Hey, Lu…"

"It's Selene. We have been friends since childhood, and you still cannot recognize me?" She puffed her cheeks, raising the chicken wing as if she was about to slap him with that.

Zion playfully acted like he feared her and chuckled. "Sorry… I saw chicken on your plate and I assume…"

Selene didn't finish him and casually scolded him. "Hey, these are chicken wings. I like wings, and Luna likes legs…"

"Ah, is that so…"

"Unbelievable," Orion muttered under his breath, watching them acting all buddy-buddy.

He hadn't even gotten to ask her name. Before he even finds the chance, she has already ditched him and is now chatting animatedly with Zion, full of energy and smiles that were completely absent moments ago.

Before he could dwell on it, a small group of ladies drifted toward him, giggling softly. One of them touched his arm. "You're Orion, right? Lord Garcia's son? You look just like him."

Another chimed in, "Are you single? You look way too young to be taken."

"But, hey, isn't he quite a handsome figure?"

"Yeah, unlike that brooding Pendragon, he seemed quite approachable, isn't it?"

"So, young master Orion, how's your training going?" "Hmpf, do you even have to ask? He is Lord Garcia's son."

"I wonder what your Arcana spirit is, Young Master Orion."

"Young Master Orion, this is my sister, Margherita. She is the same age as you. Perhaps, you could be acquaintances."

The ladies giggled along, conversing with him, and Orion continued to answer them as diplomatically as possible until he found it too suffocating for some reason and tried to run away from there instead.

Meanwhile, across the hall, Fiona stood near a circle of Death Clan's ladies, Affea, Avia, and a few others, listening half-heartedly as they gossiped about their latest crushes and dating woes. She sipped her drink and leaned against the pillar, although her eyes constantly shifted to Zion, every now and then.