Chapter 112: Wine Spilled

"Karl!"

Emi's shrill resounded throughout the hall, echoed by baby Zachary's wails. She quickly ran towards Karl, but her arms were still steady as she was careful not to hurt baby Zachary.

Her adventurer friends, who were nearer to where Karl landed, got to him first. As soon as they saw that Karl was unconscious and bleeding profusely, the female adventurer quickly rubbed her hands until it was shining a bright yellow light. She then pointed it at Karl's head, which was currently bleeding like a waterfall.

The wines that spilled on his body from the table he hit did not make his situation any better, as it looked like his whole body was drenched in his own blood.

"H-how is he!?", Emi's panicked voice could not be hidden as she saw her husband. Like a puppet that was thrown to a wasteyard, bloodied and unmoving. Antoinette also arrived at the scene at the same time, and she quickly but gently took baby Zachary from Emi's trembling hands.

The female adventurer tried her best to heal Karl, as is shown from Karl's wounds squirming like a worm until it completely closed, only a scar to remember it by. But still, even with the wound in his head visibly healed, he did not regain consciousness.

One of the other adventurers gently placed his shaking hand near Karl's nose. And, after a long sigh of relief, he nodded towards Emi.

Seeing his friend's reassuring face, Emi could finally breathe as she tried her best to push back the tears that were falling from her eyes. And instead of tears, it was fire that started to grow in her eyes as she turned her back, glancing at the table of the Golden Pavilion.

And without even a word, she ripped the bottoms of her dress, and like a vulture leaving only the sharp bones of its food, countless knives could be seen wrapped around her legs as the fabric flew away.

Like a cat that extended its claws, Emi grabbed 8 knives and placed it in between her fingers. With her eyes still full of flare, she threw all 8 knives towards the two Elders of the New Golden Pavilion.

Hans, Karl's old friend, immediately ducked down below the table, only to see that Handsome Face was already hiding there.

"I thought you told me no one will get hurt!", he screamed under the table.

The two elders, Bu Fang and Cao Man, however, just stood there calmly as they swatted the knives that came at them.

The other guests, afraid that they would get involved in the fight with the New Golden Pavilion, started to run, but most of them stood still as they watched the fiasco unfold. As soon as their arrival was announced, the other guests knew that the New Golden Pavilion would not be leaving this party until they created trouble. And to satisfy their expectations, here they were.

Emi continued to let out a flurry of knives towards the 2 Elders, seemingly not running out of knives to throw.

The two Elders clicked their tongues as the woman in front of them was starting to get on their nerves, how many knives does this woman have, they thought.

"Enough!", the tall elder, Bu Fang, finally could not take it anymore as he rushed towards Emi. He was much faster than Emi, but still, she was able to dodge his first strike. The second, however, she could not even see where it came from.

She felt like a hammer was slammed on her stomach as she coughed up blood. She then felt a grip on her neck, Elder Bu Fang lifted her off the ground. "At least the wife put up a fight. The leaders of this world are really wea-!"

Before Elder Bu Fang could finish his words, he felt a sting on his right shoulder, causing her to drop Emi on the ground. He quickly turned his head to see what it was, only to find a knife lodged on his shoulder. It was a knife that Emi threw up in the air after he rushed towards her.

"And resourceful too, you should be the-"

"Bu Fang!"

Once again, Elder Bu Fang was interrupted in his words as the long-bearded Elder Cao Man appeared like a wind in front of him, his beard flailing like a tail of a horse.

"Brother Cao?", Bu Fang furrowed his eyebrows.

"You should not underestimate them too much", Cao Man said as he stomped his foot on the ground, causing a disgusting sound of a bone breaking.

A shrill scream instantly filled the room once again. Bu Fang looked down, only to see a knife almost threatening to cut off his ankles. "How many knives do you have, woman?", Bu Fang could no longer resist the urge to ask Emi, who was currently writhing in pain as Cao Man was stepping on her hand.

"Emi!"

The two Elders then jumped back to their table, as a group of adventurers rushed over their position with their weapons drawn.

"Emi! Are you alright!?", one of the adventurers helps Emi get up, "your hand...".

was mangled, with bones protruding out of it.

Once again, the female adventurer rubbed her hands. This time pointing the yellow glow towards Emi's injured hand.

"Halt!"

Finally, Lord Karl's guards arrived at the scene. With their weapons already drawn, they quickly surrounded the visitors from the New Golden Pavilion. They formed two circles, with the ones on the back holding crossbows.

"Tch. I told you not to cause too much of a scene", the long-bearded Elder groaned.

"I do not appreciate it when people that are weaker than me keep on blabbering on", Bu Fang scornfully replied as he looked at the unconscious Lord.

The two Elders talked casually, as if the countless weapons and aggressive gazes that were pointed at them meant nothing.

"Why are you causing problems here!?", Emi, whose hand was partially healed, shouted, "We have never sought trouble with your group!"

With Emi's shout, baby Zachary once again wailed, Antoinette tried her best to calm baby Zachary, but it was to no avail, his cries only got louder. Some of the maidservants approached Antoinette, wanting to guide her out of the ball and to baby Zachary's room.

Antoinette was hesitant to leave at first, as Karl was still lying unconscious on the ground, but seeing baby Zachary's swollen face, she had no choice but to do so.

"Emi! We'll take baby Zachary to his room!", and with an affirming nod from Emi, Antoinette gently carried baby Zachary out of the ball.

"Explain yourself, why are you causing trouble with us!?", with baby Zachary gone, Emi once again shouted, "Hans!? Where are you!? Why did you do this to your friend!?"

Emi was hysterical. If she were to lose Karl, when they have only started their life together, she swears that she will hunt anyone that dares to join the New Golden Pavilion from their city.

"Hans!"

"Eeek!"

Elder Bu Fang, surprisingly, picked up Hans like a rat from under the table and threw him out. Seeing the guards with their weapons and bows pointed at him, he quickled ducked and grovel on the ground.

"P-please!", he pleaded, "I did not know they were going to hurt Karl!"

And like a bird singing its tune, he did not stop talking.

"T-they only told me they just wanted me to introduce them to Karl!"

"They are from the New Golden Pavilion!", Emi waved her uninjured hand, "Were you trying to get us killed!?"

"No!", Hans continued to grovel on the ground as he pleaded, "I swear on my mother's life! That is not my-"

"Enough, Hans"

Before the blabbering Hans could finish his words, Elder Cao Man interrupted him, "Tell her our true purpose here"

Hearing this, the already sweating Hans almost drowned in his own sweat. But alas, in front of him were steel, and at his back were tigers. No sides were safe anymore.

"They were here to recruit Karl to be a follower of the New Golden Pavilion!", Hans screamed, "I was also going to become a member if I persuaded Karl to join!"

"!!!"

The whole ball became quiet. Persuading the Lord of Burgerstatter to join the New Golden Pavilion? That was treason!

"You really are trying to get us killed!"

And not only Lord Karl, but almost all the citizens of Burgerstatter will be under suspicion of treason. This time, even the adventurers and some of the guests from the city also shouted.

"All of you should leave!", Emi shouted, "The New Golden Pavilion is not welcome in this city!"

"That's right!", some of the guests chimed in, "Go away! You don't belong here!"

But a single sentence from the tall Elder instantly shut them down.

"If I threatened to kill everyone here, will you be willing to submit?"

All the guests felt their tongues slid down as a hulking pressure came crawling throughout their whole body. Karl's guards also tightened their stance as they readied to rush over the two Elders.

Emi and her adventurer friends also readied their stance, preparing for the two Elders to make their move.

But after a few seconds, all they got was a chuckle.

"Well, we're not the only ones who don't belong here", Bu Fang said as he looked in a certain direction. All the people looked as well, only to see a group of young ladies hiding behind a golden-haired boy… who was still eating, watching as the chaos unfolds with a cake in his mouth.

Seeing all the attention over him, Viel could not help but sigh as he stood up, still holding his plate.

"They are right, you know. The two of you should probably leave", Viel casually said as he ate another bite, "Please, don't force me to kill you"

Hearing Viel's words, the tall Elder cackled.

"Why are you so cold towards your guardian's friends, boy?", Bu Fang continued. Cao Man wanted to stop him from talking, but still, he insisted as he shrugged off Cao Man's hand.

"If we think about it… aren't you already part of our family as well?", Bu Fang smiled, "Part of the New Golden Pavilion? Can you really kill us, boy!?"

"!!!"

Once again, the people looked at Viel. Mr. Voice… was he really a part of the New Golden Pavilion!? What is the meaning of this!? They all thought.

If Antoinette was here, she would know the answer. As Golden Pavilion is indeed written on Viel's adventurer info sheet, written as his guardian's address.

Seeing the attention of the people over him again, Viel sighed. He then placed his plate on the table, leaving only the fork on his hand.

"You are my sister's friends", Viel said as he waved the fork that was on his hand, causing a high pitched wind to ring through the people's ears.

"Then-"

"Bu Fang…"

Before Bu Fang could speak, Cao Man once again grabbed his arm. "What now!?"

It took two glances before Bu Fang noticed it, but right at the moment he did, a heavy feeling instantly filled his throat.

He could not even see it, or even feel it graze pass him.

But Bu Fang almost choked when he saw Cao Man's long beard scattered on the ground.

"You are my sister's friends…", and now, the casual words they heard from the golden-haired boy sounded ominous as he repeated it.

"...if you weren't. The two of you would be dead by now"