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At this moment, George, cradled in a maid's arms, had already formed a few suspicions regarding why his parents had been invited by the Duke.
He surmised that because two high-ranking Church officials had bypassed standard procedures to arrange a job via the Royal Family, it had alerted Duke Negan. The Duke likely assumed Jack possessed significant connections within both Churches. This was the only logical reason a low-level municipal official's name would appear on the guest list for such an exclusive ball.
"We have arrived."
The carriage slowed to a halt before the opulent entrance of the Duke's mansion. Guided by liveried servants, the Barton family entered the grand hall.
"The wealth gap here is truly staggering," George thought, opening his eyes to scan the interior decorations. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Over the past few nights, he had taken the time to wander through Backlund. While it was hailed as the most prosperous city in the world, the reality was that most of those at the bottom lived lives no better than livestock. While the wealthy districts enjoyed endless songs and dances, many in the slums starved to death in the streets.
A single cup in Duke Negan's mansion was worth more than what hundreds of poor laborers could earn through months of relentless toil. However, George wasn't particularly shocked; even in the modern society of his previous life, where systems were far more refined, a massive wealth gap had persisted. Ordinary people at the bottom simply could not fathom the lives the elite led or the pleasures they enjoyed.
"Madam, you may leave the child in our care. Please, go and enjoy the ball to your heart's content."
Upon entering the hall, a middle-aged maid of refined temperament led a group of servants toward them. She took George from Kris's arms to escort him to a specialized nursery.
The maid felt a flicker of surprise as she looked at Kris and Jack. Normally, only the great nobles of the Kingdom or top-tier officials were permitted to bring their children to such a ball. Minor nobles and mid-level officials were typically restricted to attending alone or, at most, with a spouse.
To her eyes, Kris and Jack's attire and bearing did not suggest high nobility or elite status, and their faces were entirely unfamiliar. Yet, the head butler had specifically instructed her to receive them warmly and ensure their child was well-attended to.
Just as the maid took hold of George, a portly figure emerged through a chorus of flattering voices. He was none other than the host of the evening: the greatest land-owning noble aside from the King himself, leader of the Conservative Party, and elder brother to the current Prime Minister—Duke Negan.
"Jack Barton, are you settling into your new position? Is there anything you find unsatisfactory?"
"I... I am settling in well. Nothing is unsatisfactory; everything is excellent," Jack stammered, his nerves nearly getting the better of him as he realized the Duke had approached him personally.
"Thank you for the promotion, Your Grace!" Jack added quickly, realizing that his favorable treatment at the City Hall was likely linked to the man standing before him. He decided to offer a small probe of gratitude.
Duke Negan nodded with a smile, clearly satisfied with Jack's quick wit. "Work hard. The Kingdom needs talent like yours."
Indeed, Jack's promotion and current privileges were partly due to the Duke. Both the Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms and the Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight Goddess had approached the Royal Family and the Duke, requesting special care for this minor clerk transferred from Tingen.
For two Archbishops to intervene simultaneously suggested Jack's background was far from simple. However, the Duke's subsequent investigation had revealed a man who was utterly ordinary. From his birth to his career, Jack Barton was the definition of mundane. The only notable detail was that his father had once worked for the Hall family, but that was hardly significant.
The Duke had included the invitation simply because he wanted to see the man for himself. Finding nothing extraordinary after a brief exchange, he lost interest.
However, the interaction looked very different to the surrounding nobles and officials. To be singled out for attention by Duke Negan implied a future of limitless potential. Originally, someone of Jack's status would have been an invisible wallflower at such an event. Now, thanks to the Duke's gesture, the couple instantly became the center of attention for mid-level nobles and officials eager to make their acquaintance.
From the maid's arms, George watched this play out and nodded inwardly. He had to admit the two Churches had handled this well, which earned them a few points in his book. While he felt no deep emotional bond with the Bartons, they were the biological parents of this body, and he wished for them to live well. Once he no longer needed this identity as a disguise, he planned to extract their genetic material and soul essence to craft a substitute child to take his place.
"Eh? Is that Miss Justice?"
As the maid carried him toward the nursery, passing a staircase of white marble, a beautiful young woman descending the stairs caught George's eye. She had blonde hair, emerald eyes, and an exceptionally pure, elegant temperament. Even in this elite circle, she stood out like a brilliant pearl.
George recognized her instantly as Miss Justice from the Tarot Club. While the gray fog obscured physical appearances, it could not hide the aura of the soul. He had long since memorized the soul signatures of Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Sun.
"So, she really is the daughter of a high noble in the Loen Kingdom."
George listened intently for a moment and confirmed her identity. Audrey Hall, daughter of Earl Hall, one of the most powerful and wealthy nobles in the Kingdom. She was known as the "Brightest Jewel of Backlund."
Amusingly, his current identity even had a loose connection to her. His grandfather had served the Hall family, and his father's closest contact in Backlund, Uncle Hyde, was one of the Hall family's butlers.
Once settled in the nursery, George closed his eyes to resume his research. Having acquired a vast amount of occult knowledge, he was on the verge of finalizing the conversion of his sealing magic. Once he mastered these sealing techniques, he could return to Tingen to seal the evil god fetus within his "cousin's" womb—and perhaps siphon some knowledge from the deity behind it in the process.
However, amidst his concentration, he suddenly received a message from Klein via the gray fog.
"I have encountered someone suspected to be Qilangos at Duke Negan's ball."
"He is disguised as Baron Gramir. His motives are unknown. I noticed discrepancies in the Baron's behavior that remind me of the shapeshifting abilities associated with Qilangos's mystical artifact."
(End of Chapter)