New Gods of North America.

Chapter 552 Mayor
As a guest invited to the ball, it's considered "the proper thing to do" to tidy up one's appearance before leaving home.
After eating something to tide him over, Wayne took a shower, styled his hair for a while, and changed into the suit he thought looked the best.

Compared to Inessa and Lina, who gracefully walked downstairs holding up their skirts, Wayne felt like he hadn't prepared at all: "Are you two going to be the stars tonight?! Why are you dressed so extravagantly?"

No wonder we didn't see anyone all afternoon; even dinner had to be delivered to their room by Emma.

Exquisitely styled hair and makeup, shimmering jewelry, and an evening gown that still embodies a classic, elaborate aesthetic in this era—

Although it's still not very generous, compared to their usual attire, it's already considered "flaunting wealth" in a double sense.

This art style would be considered part of Olivia's "everyday life" outside of school, but it's something even Wayne hasn't seen much of in Inessa and Lina's lives.

It's absolutely stunning!

But I didn't see you guys putting in this much effort at the last dance...

"So you know why I don't want to go? If you don't want people to gossip about your financial situation, then the 'war' between ladies is actually very cruel, especially in the South."

Seeing Wayne's reaction, Lina, who was walking ahead, rolled her eyes. "If it weren't to prevent them from unjustly doubting the detective agency's 'strength,' would we have gone to all this trouble? Here's a chance for you to rephrase your statement."

Wayne's gaze swept over the two women, then landed on Inessa, who was holding a bouquet. Hearing this, he immediately took the lead in clapping, saying, "Very beautiful, like a star shining in the night sky."

Amid applause from several nearby agents, the two exchanged glances, and Inessa nodded slightly, responding to the compliment in accordance with the reserved manners permitted in that era.

"That's more like it." Lina, who was standing next to her, nodded in satisfaction.

Then she lifted her skirt and twirled around, her hair fluttering and a fragrant breeze wafting through the air. She then raised her chin and asked, "And what about me?"

Wayne's gaze was drawn back to the movement, then returned. "You too."

"Is that all you know?!"

Lina's carefully groomed brows furrowed, and Peter the Spider peeked out to watch the spectacle.

Wayne quickly added, entering the "praise mode" of ballroom socializing ahead of time: "Truly captivating beauty is always so hard to describe in words."

"Humph."

Lina snorted, barely accepting the situation, and took Inessa's arm. "Let's get in the car."

Wayne bowed like a waiter and gestured for them to pass. After the two women walked past, Emma, ​​a little girl, followed behind them, carrying a guitar case.

"Wait a minute. You're bringing this too?" Wayne remembered that he had given this thing to Inessa to store her big gun.

“I’m used to it.” Inessa turned around and explained briefly, “It’s not very convenient to wear a formal dress, but we can put it in the carriage later. If something unexpected happens, it’s at least better than using the ‘unsealed’ badge given by the Exorcist Association.”

Well……

Compared to a living "naval gun," a mere bolt-action rifle doesn't really seem like a "problem"...

Seeing that Emma seemed to be struggling a bit, Wayne reached out and took the guitar case from her. "I can help you carry it."

……

The mayor did not hold the ball in an "estate," but in a "mansion" within the city limits. Judging from the atmosphere, it felt more like a so-called "high-end club" or "private club," but it did not feel like "his own home."

The courtyard inside the wall was lined with various carriages, creating a lively yet not congested atmosphere. Under the guidance of the waiters, the event proceeded in an orderly and efficient manner, suggesting that this was not the first time such a ball had been held.

They were helped down from the carriage one by one, arm in arm, by Inessa and Lina. A waiter had already come to greet them, quickly verified the invitations, and then announced, "Mr. Wayne, Miss Inessa, and Miss Lina, partners of the Wayne National Detective Agency, are here."

Upon hearing the announcement, the mayor and his wife, who were waiting at the main gate of the mansion according to etiquette, quickly finished their greetings with the previous group of guests and resumed their proper posture.

"The most talked-about detective in the newspaper recently, a rising 'crime buster' from the academy."

Although the mayor, who was over forty, was meeting Wayne for the first time, he had obviously prepared some pleasantries for the invited guests in advance, as was customary.

After praising Wayne, his gaze then turned to Inessa and Lina, "I didn't expect the other two partners of the detective agency to be such beautiful young ladies. Your presence makes tonight's scene even more enchanting."

The mayor's wife played along perfectly, expressing admiration and praise from the sidelines.
Wayne's reaction was naturally modest and flattering. After a quick exchange of pleasantries, the three of them, like the other guests, separated by gender and went to their respective groups.

At one end of the ballroom, some of the earlier guests had already gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves.

At this point, the dance hadn't officially started yet. Compared to so-called "socializing," aside from those who would get to know each other through intermediaries, most interactions were still between acquaintances.

After scanning the room and not seeing anyone familiar, Wayne, who was in no hurry to socialize with others since the party was going to last all night, either found a place to stay by himself or did something to do, like the other casual guests.

Wayne chose the latter, wandering around for a bit, seemingly looking for acquaintances, passing by various groups of people, but actually eavesdropping on what others were talking about to pass the time.

The guests were currently chatting about nothing more than mundane family matters and mutual business flattery, mostly devoid of any substance. It wasn't until he passed by one of the trio that Wayne finally overheard a topic that piqued his interest. He casually grabbed a glass of wine from the tray carried by the waiter, stood a short distance away, and pretended to admire the scenery.

"I heard that Mr. Basque of the Beaton family has recently made a 'comeback' in social circles. Given his relationship with the mayor, I wonder if he will attend tonight?"

"Probably. The mayor's term is coming to an end soon, and I've heard that he might lower himself to run for a seat in the state legislature. The Beaton family is likely to express their support at that time."

This trio seemed to be "an experienced bird showing a newbie around to another experienced bird." Listening to the conversation between the two experienced birds, the newbie asked from the side, "Isn't a mayor running for state legislator considered a promotion? Why is it said to be lowering one's status?"

The experienced guide patiently answered, "If you're the mayor of a small city, then running for state legislator is the only way to get promoted. But if you're the mayor of a big city like Richmond, the usual practice is to seek re-election until retirement, or run for governor or federal legislator when you have enough seniority. Although executive power is theoretically subordinate to legislative power, mayors of big cities can directly mobilize much more resources than state legislators, and nobody wants to voluntarily step down."

Another veteran nodded in agreement. "From what I understand, the mayor's approval ratings are not optimistic. Moreover, during his term, there was the cathedral assassination, and a few days ago there seemed to be a series of murders. I guess he knows that it will be difficult for him to continue to rise, and the probability of him being re-elected doesn't seem very high at the moment."

The veteran bird expressed regret: "It's a bit of a pity... The Beaton family finally managed to push the mayor into office, which was the last glimmer of the Whig Party, but in the end, the sun still has to set."

"Be content. Right now, the power in the state legislature is in the hands of those slave owners' spokespeople. If things go wrong, the mayor might even have difficulty running for state legislator."

"Hmm... what if we redivided the electoral districts? I've heard that in the western mountain region of the state, there are also strong opinions about the current situation where plantation owners dominate state affairs."

"It's difficult. The delineation of electoral districts is the responsibility of the state legislature. Since they hold the dominant power, they are unlikely to pass a proposal that is unfavorable to them."

Wayne also learned a lot of new knowledge while standing nearby.

So there are so many ways to get promoted after a town mayor becomes a "mayor"...

Hopefully, he can work harder and become the governor of Kansas soon as possible. If the detective agency expands its business in the West then, things will be much more comfortable.

(End of this chapter)