Storm of Gods

Chapter 152 Old Friends of the Secret Fortress
The carriage traveled along the coast, and through the windows, one could see the beautiful scenery of Ivory Bay, truly like a painting. This was completely different from the port, surrounded by wealthy areas. Many nouveau riche liked this place, while established nobles would buy vacation estates here. There were also many restaurants and entertainment venues. Heldan was a place where money was not a problem, and it also put a lot of effort into aesthetics. Its aesthetic sense was also on point, so it was no wonder that it attracted nobles and wealthy merchants from all over Daoyuan to gather here.

The sea is a deep, clear blue. It's still light outside, but as night falls, wouldn't it be heavenly to enjoy a cool sea breeze and a beer?

Oh, what a pity, there's no beer here. They do have a refreshing Kelly, but it's on the sweeter side. Everything here is on the sweeter side.

Lancer chattered on and on about all sorts of little stories, making everyone laugh. Li Xin also thought of his former roommate, Hua Hua, nicknamed "Flower Butterfly," a social butterfly who could make even a meal feel like a stand-up comedy routine. She was incredibly popular. Lancer was just that kind of person.

The carriage stopped in front of a magnificent castle-like building on the bay. This was the Blue Agate Ivory Bay Restaurant. The castle originally belonged to a duke of Heldan, who later gave it to the chef, and that's how the restaurant came to be.

The people who got off the bus immediately noticed that something was off. There was a squad of royal knights at the entrance. Their attire was completely different from the city guards. They had a golden tree emblem on their chests, which was the symbol of the Royal Knights. ...A member of the royal family was here?
The middle-aged knight at the head of the group looked at them with a slightly serious expression. "Who are you people?"

"Sir, I am Simmons George, and I have made a reservation at this restaurant today," Simmons said with a slight smile, neither humble nor arrogant.

The middle-aged knight glanced at Simmons, then swept his gaze over the crowd, and nodded. "Please come in."

The group exchanged glances, and even the usually boisterous Locke behaved himself. The door opened, and a row of waiters in black suits and white gloves were already bowing and waiting. Upon seeing Simmons and his party, the manager immediately approached them, "Your Excellency Simmons, Miss Celia, and all guests, the rooms are ready. Welcome to our esteemed presence."

As he bowed, the other waiters also bowed in unison.

Simmons nodded, and the manager led the way, explaining the situation to Simmons: "Since this is your first time here, please allow me to introduce the place. Dinner is a private dinner prepared by the head chef; there is no à la carte service. There will be no magic, dance, or music performances during the meal, and self-entertainment is also prohibited."

This unique and pretentious style can only be found in Blue Agate Ivory Bay. Chefs from other places would be beaten to death for it. But all the customers say it's good, and the queues are always packed. Being good enough is enough to be pretentious. Even nobles accept this style. Lancer kept looking around. After eating today, he could go back and show off for a long time. His friends around him had been craving it for a while, but no one could match him. The boss is the boss.

"Why is no one here today? Has everyone not arrived yet?" Celia asked curiously.

"There are two tables of guests today. It was originally reserved by His Highness Prince Akris, but when he heard that Your Excellency was coming, he gave up one of them," the manager said with utmost respect. Everyone then realized that it wasn't because of George's influence. Here, even dukes and marquesses have to wait in line for an earl, let alone someone like George who came temporarily.

The one who truly acted on a whim was Prince Aklis, who was quite peculiar. When he first returned, he wandered around aimlessly, making anonymous challenges, showing no signs of being a prince and not caring much about formalities. It seems the rumors were true.

After sending his sister to the Abbey of the Deadwood, Aklis was imprisoned. His mother made him learn royal etiquette, as he had been living a wild life in the sanctuary for years and needed to relearn it. This had been driving Aklis crazy, and when he finally had some free time, he came to this restaurant.

Aklis had eaten there several times and it was indeed excellent. He had a good relationship with the chef, and when Aklis wanted to dine with friends, the place was always cleared out. All the original reservations were postponed, and of course, those whose reservations were postponed didn't dare to complain. Just then, Simmons sent someone to make a reservation as well. The manager had already politely declined, but when he heard it was Simmons, Aklis agreed.

This also greatly enhanced Simmons's status in the manager's eyes. He had received far too many dignitaries, and even Earl George's visit was nothing special, let alone Simmons's. But the prince's approval was no small matter.

Manager Ansel's patient explanation subtly elevated Simmons's standing in the team's eyes. Even Celia was surprised, "Simmons, when did you become so close to His Highness?" Simmons smiled but didn't answer. He had no real connection with His Highness. To be honest, they had only met a few times in the Secret Castle, exchanged greetings, and hadn't had any further interaction. Everyone said that Prince Aklis was generous, cheerful, and loved making friends, and that was probably true. He could be like that, but he couldn't be unaware of his own boundaries.

“Our prince is known for his kindness, we are extremely grateful.”

The manager led everyone to a room with a direct view of the beautiful bay. There were only two such rooms in total. The Blue Agate Ivory Bay Restaurant is only open from Monday to Friday, and only in the evenings. There are only six rooms available at any one time: two by the sea and six inside. So Simmons and his group really benefited from His Highness's favor this time.

The room was decorated very luxuriously, as it was the Duke's vacation property. It was clear that the chef had carefully decorated it, with exquisite murals and a spacious and grand room. The golden candlesticks did not look tacky; in this environment and with such status, they were just appropriate embellishments, which seemed ordinary to them. What mattered was the food itself.

They used a long table, and Simmons insisted that Li Xin sit in the head seat, but Li Xin firmly refused. That was the guest seat, and he would rather die than sit there. Damn it, Simmons still owed him money for breakfast. And that guy, Qi Ba Dao, too. These people just like to take advantage of poor people. Li Xin has learned his lesson.

Seeing Li Xin's determination, Simmons didn't refuse. Everyone took their seats, with Celia sitting next to Li Xin. Lancer and the others were all eager to get there. On the way, they had all been told how amazing this restaurant was.

I was originally going to start by complaining, but since even the famous Prince Akris came to book the whole place, there was no need to complain. He must be awesome. But the conversation all turned to the prince.

"Boss, you're too cautious and low-key. I've heard that our Second Prince is a genius, one of the best in the Holy Temple. There are only a handful of people who can catch his eye, yet he's giving you so much face," Locke said excitedly.

"Nonsense, our captain is entrusted with the important task of revitalizing the Order of the Church. He was appointed by the royal family and is now just waiting to soar to the top!" Barakley's hearty voice rang out. The crowd was not just flattering him; they genuinely thought Simmons was amazing. However, Simmons couldn't take it anymore and quickly waved his hand.

"Brothers, we're all on the same side, stop bragging, let's eat, let's eat," Simmons said with a wry smile.

The waiter opened the door and came in. "Mr. Simmons, tonight we offer three kinds of wine and two kinds of beverages for your selection. Which would you like?"

"What time will the food be served?" Sarana asked.

The waiter smiled slightly. "First, we'll have the aperitif, then the appetizers, the main course, and dessert. The entire meal is expected to take two to three hours. The appetizers will arrive in about five minutes. Please wait a moment."

While everyone was choosing their drinks, Simmons beckoned a waiter, "Has His Highness arrived? Please ask him if it would be convenient for you to go and say hello."

"Please wait a moment, I'll go report to the manager," the waiter said respectfully, bowing his head.

Simmons nodded. He should have gone over to greet him, but he didn't know if Aklis had anything important to say, so he should at least ask.

(End of this chapter)