Chapter 155: Anticipation

The venue held no more than fifty people. It was, after all, a private gathering, attended only by those who were strictly invited by the association.

And not even every official was asked to be here considering the purpose of the gathering was kept rather discreet except from those who truly mattered.

Among the guests were representatives from the Arden side, alongside several high-ranking officials from Balendhall. Despite the relatively small number of attendees, the gathering carried an air of importance that was difficult to overlook.

"This looks more like a recruitment camp to me," Dave commented, standing beside his senior.

Adam hummed in response. "Except no one would be hiring anyone here."

Dave tilted his head, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "Are you sure about that? Hunter Kai has seen days that would make anyone eager to live a life of luxury."

Adam shook his head. "I’m aware of that, but his priorities have always been different. Strange, if I had to put it into words."

"His family, I suppose?" Dave asked. "And his car."

A faint smile tugged at Adam’s lips. "It’s better that way. A man who knows what he wants is always preferable to someone who wants to acquire everything within his reach."

"Are you perhaps talking about me?"

A third voice interrupted their conversation from the side.

Adam let out a quiet sigh before turning to face the newcomer, his expression settling into a polite smile. "Hunter Daryl. It’s a pleasant evening."

"Oh, it certainly is." The silver-haired man approached them, a grin already spreading across his face. "Though I’m rather impatient to truly enjoy it."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "For the leader of our strike squad, I thought patience was supposed to be one of your virtues."

Daryl raised his index finger and wagged it from side to side. "No, no, no, Junior. You don’t get to judge me every time based on my work. Besides, I’m hardly the only one growing impatient here."

As he spoke, all three men turned their attention towards the rest of the venue.

Sure enough, the diplomats and soldiers from Arden could be seen stealing frequent glances towards the entrance. Some tried to disguise their anticipation by engaging in conversations, while others made little effort to hide where their attention lay.

It wasn’t difficult to understand why.

The people gathered here hadn’t come merely to exchange pleasantries or congratulate one another. They were here to meet a particular individual, and that much was apparent even to someone unfamiliar with the circumstances surrounding the gathering.

"Hello, Sir Adam, Sir Daryl, and Dave."

A feminine voice drew their attention away from the entrance.

A pretty blonde girl approached the trio, her appearance immediately bringing a smile to Daryl’s face.

"Hey, Hannah. Words can’t describe how pretty you look today."

Daryl stepped forward and greeted her with a brief hug. As the captain of her squad, he was naturally quite familiar with Hannah, leaving barely any formality between them.

"Though I suppose all that effort will go to waste on your savior. I’ve heard he’s quite the family man. A loving partner and all."

Daryl delivered the remark with a mischievous grin, earning an immediate blush from Hannah.

"Captain... Don’t say something foolish. Hunter Hannah clearly just wants to leave a good impression," Dave interjected.

However, judging by his expression, it was difficult to tell whether he was genuinely coming to her defense or simply joining Daryl in teasing her.

Adam could only shake his head as he watched the exchange.

This bunch.

Hannah eventually turned towards him, her expression returning to a more composed state.

"Sir Adam, is the Chairman not going to be here?"

It was a reasonable question. After all, the gathering had attracted not only several prominent members of the guild but also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Military Chief, and numerous other officials. Given the significance of the occasion, the Chairman’s absence was certainly noticeable.

"He would have been here if our President hadn’t decided to make an appearance himself," Adam explained, his gaze shifting towards the bald man standing a short distance away, surrounded by several officials and dignitaries.

Daryl followed his gaze before letting out a knowing hum.

"So the old man got an easy way out because our side is being represented by the President, eh? Quite slick."

His casual remark earned him a disapproving frown from Dave, who clearly wasn’t fond of hearing anyone speak ill of the Chairman, even in jest.

"Well, I hope nothing goes wrong today. The two countries have always had a difficult relationship, and despite repeated attempts to establish an alliance, certain circumstances have always managed to get in the way," Hannah commented.

There was a note of genuine hope in her voice. The rivalry between the two countries had persisted for far too long, and the prospect of finally putting an end to it was something she found difficult not to welcome.

Adam, however, took her words as a reminder of something he had nearly overlooked.

He needed to go over the security arrangements one more time.

He wasn’t someone who believed in jinxes or took unnecessary precautions out of superstition, but given the importance of the occasion, there was little harm in being thorough. A gathering involving so many influential figures was hardly the place to leave anything to chance.

However, just as he reached for his phone, a sudden commotion near the entrance caught his attention.

The conversations throughout the venue gradually died down. People who had been pretending not to pay attention finally abandoned the act, turning towards the entrance as anticipation spread through the gathering.

Adam and the other three fell silent as well.

Their attention settled on the family of three stepping into the venue.

The main attraction of the gathering was finally here.

°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far please drop a comment or a review.

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