Chapter 156: Unexpected

Kai was naturally nervous as he stepped into the venue, Jean walking beside him while he carried Elara in his arms.

The moment they crossed the entrance, he became acutely aware of the attention gathering around them, elevating his nervousness even further.

Thankfully, unlike him, Elara didn’t seem particularly bothered by the unfamiliar surroundings. At least, not yet.

"Don’t worry. I’ll call you out if someone takes more than ten minutes of your time," Jean whispered, noticing his uneasiness.

Her words finally allowed his shoulders to relax.

Having a partner who understood his weaknesses and knew exactly how to deal with them was quite wonderful.

For now, all Kai wanted was to find someone familiar and spend a little time getting accustomed to the atmosphere. Approaching strangers and making small talk with influential figures wasn’t exactly his idea of a pleasant evening.

However, before he could even look around for a familiar face...

"Hunter Kai, thank you for accepting the invitation."

The man approaching him, accompanied by several others, was someone Kai had previously seen only on television.

"Mister President..." Kai greeted him, his nervousness returning almost immediately. "I... I’m glad you invited me."

God damn it. He wasn’t even the one who invited me.

Kai couldn’t help but scolded himself inwardly.

The President offered him a faint smile before turning his attention towards the two people accompanying him.

"Is this your family? I heard that you were trying to protect them back then and ended up taking down the Void Monarch in the process."

He delivered the remark with a hint of amusement, seemingly attempting to ease the atmosphere.

Regardless, Kai quickly introduced them.

"This is Jean, my fiancée, and Elara, my daughter."

Jean briefly glanced at Kai upon hearing his introduction, though she soon turned towards the President with a pleasant smile.

"It’s an honor to meet you, Mister President. I’m glad to see you in good health."

Kai was rather impressed.

She certainly had a much better way of greeting the President than he did. Meanwhile, he was still struggling to get through a simple exchange without stumbling over his words.

"Miss Jean, this isn’t the first time we’ve met. Though it is the first time you’ve come without your father."

Jean smiled faintly at his remark. In fact, Kai appeared considerably more uncomfortable at the mention of her father than she did.

The President then shifted his attention towards the little girl in Kai’s arms.

"Oh my, isn’t she adorable?"

He reached out and gently tickled Elara’s cheek, only for the little girl to respond by delivering a sharp slap to his hand.

The security personnel standing behind the President immediately stiffened, their attention snapping towards the child. However, a brief glance from the man himself was enough to make them settle down.

"..."

Jean stared at her daughter in disbelief before turning towards Kai, who appeared remarkably unconcerned by what had just happened.

"It takes her some time to warm up to people, Mister President. My daughter is rather particular about these things, you see."

Jean could only sigh.

Just look at this man.

When it came to his daughter, Kai could suddenly speak with remarkable fluency. He sounded as though he were having an ordinary conversation with Mark rather than explaining his daughter’s behaviour to the President of an entire country.

"It certainly appears so." The President chuckled before adding, "But I must say, seeing a young man building a family at this age, especially in this era, is rather precious to me."

He then gave Kai a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"I wish you a good life ahead, Hunter."

Kai returned a faint smile, though this time it was a genuine one.

The President didn’t keep them occupied for long. After a few more pleasantries, he encouraged the family to enjoy the gathering before moving on to greet the other guests.

Not long after, a server approached them with a tray of drinks.

"Sir, is there anything the baby might like to drink?" he asked with a courteous smile.

Kai shook his head. "Thank you for asking, but she’s fine."

He said this while gently pulling the glass of champagne away from Elara’s increasingly curious hands.

The server nodded and took his leave.

"Seriously, Elli. You’re putting your father in a difficult position," Jean remarked, shaking her head at the little girl.

Kai offered a sheepish smile. "She’s so well-behaved, though."

"Is that so? What about that rather enthusiastic slap earlier?"

Kai simply shrugged.

"She was making it clear that she didn’t want to be touched by someone she didn’t know."

Jean gave up, as she so often did when it came to this particular subject. There was little point arguing with him. No matter what Elara did, Kai could always find a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.

Just then, a familiar man approached them.

"Mister Kai, Miss Jean. I’m glad you could honor us with your presence."

Adam greeted them with a sincere smile.

Kai nodded in response.

"Well, it’s not every day you insist on something quite so firmly. And if my presence can help our country establish an alliance with Arden, then this is the least I can do."

Adam was relieved to hear that the Hunter still held some regard for his nation. It was reassuring to know that, despite everything Kai had been through, he was willing to lend his support when the country’s interests were at stake.

"Well, then, allow me to introduce you to..."

Adam began, but his words trailed off as he noticed several people entering the venue.

His attention shifted towards the entrance, and his expression changed almost immediately.

However, he wasn’t the only one.

Kai and Jean, who had been standing beside him, also fell silent upon recognizing the newcomers.

The Scarlette patriarch had arrived, accompanied by his family.

°°°

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

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