After AFK for five years, I returned to be number one in the entire server.

Chapter 104 Her Highness the Princess Invites You

The moment the magnetic field came into contact with the area within a meter of the short sword, his previously composed expression changed, and his brows furrowed slightly.

The sword energy swirling around the surface of the short sword seemed to sense the intrusion of an external force and instantly became frenzied.

The sharp edge was like countless planers, cutting through the powerful magnetic field he poured out.

Austin increased his output, attempting to seize it by force. A vibration echoed in the air, but the short sword suspended by the silver thread remained motionless.

Ten seconds later, the Marquis of Austin's violent aura dissipated, and he turned to Princess Elizabeth on the platform, placing his right hand on his chest again in a slightly apologetic gesture.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, it seems I am not qualified to take this sword."

Princess Elizabeth maintained perfect royal composure, smiling reassuringly as she said, "Your Excellency is too kind. It's just a small detail to enhance the enjoyment of the banquet; please don't take it to heart."

She knew better than anyone else how special that short sword was; to this day, no player had been able to break through that layer of sword energy and take it away.

Despite her dignified and graceful demeanor, a hint of disappointment lingered in the depths of the princess's sapphire-clear eyes.

Just as Princess Elizabeth was about to continue speaking, the short sword hanging in mid-air suddenly snapped its silver wire with a crisp sound and plummeted downwards.

This sudden turn of events silenced the entire room. Princess Elizabeth looked on in surprise, her eyes immediately falling on the Marquis of Austin below.

He succeeded?

But she soon noticed that the Marquis of Austin also looked surprised, which proved that he had nothing to do with the matter.

The princess immediately shifted her gaze to Pei Xiao, another player in the hall who possessed the strength of a Yao-level player.

The short sword fell a certain height and flew towards Pei Xiao's location.

Princess Elizabeth knew in her heart that the one who would ultimately reap the rewards was this man from Xia Shang Tian Shu.

At the same time, Marquis Austin also turned his head and looked at Pei Xiao.

The marquis remained calm, showing no sign of joy, anger, or hostility.

The short sword went straight for Pei Xiao, but at the moment of arrival, its trajectory changed slightly, and it ended up in the hand of the young man in a black suit next to Pei Xiao.

All the eyes of celebrities and gamers were drawn to that figure at the same moment.

Lin also gripped the short sword, looking down at it, the cold touch traveling along his fingertips.

He sensed a familiar aura emanating from the short sword, as if he had once fought a life-or-death battle with someone possessing the same aura somewhere.

Lin also looked up. Everyone around him was looking at him. His attention had been entirely focused on the short sword, and he hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings. This kind of attention made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Princess Elizabeth stood on the stage, quickly locating Lin Ye's information in her mind: "Mr. Lin Ye of Tian Shu, is that right?"

An elegant smile graced her face, displaying the poise expected of a member of the royal family.

"Now that Mr. Lin has taken that short sword, according to our agreement, I wonder if I might have the honor of dancing with Mr. Lin?"

The wealthy young men and aristocrats standing on the periphery looked at Lin Ye with eyes that seemed to spit fire.

To be able to dance with Princess Elizabeth at such a grand banquet is undoubtedly an unparalleled honor in this city, enough to make one the talk of the town in the bustling high society.

Lin simply shook his head gently and said in the Fog Language, "I'm just a little curious about this short sword, but I'll pass on dancing."

With a slight flick of his wrist, he tossed the dagger forward, and just as it was about to hit the platform, Princess Elizabeth lifted it up to her side.

She extended her hand, clad in a long white silk glove, and sheathed the short sword, prompting whispers and murmurs in the banquet hall.

"Who exactly is this person?" A young nobleman with a family crest hanging on his chest frowned as he sized up Lin Ye's back.

"To be able to remove the short sword, he must have reached at least the Yao level, or possess some kind of special ability, like royal blood," one player analyzed.

Those celebrities who usually consider themselves superior are more focused on Lin Ye's attitude.

"Even if he is exceptionally capable, directly refusing the princess's invitation is an unforgivable breach of etiquette in our Wulie, and shows absolutely no gentlemanly manners."

A man next to him laughed and said, "That's called having self-awareness. If he really went along with it and danced with the princess, he would become the target of everyone's criticism after tonight."

Various speculations and discussions spread throughout the hall, but Lin Ye, at the center of the storm, paid no attention to the envious or inquisitive gazes around him.

He strode through the elegantly dressed crowd and headed towards a corner of the banquet hall.

Princess Elizabeth stood gracefully on the high platform, handing the dagger to a servant, her gaze involuntarily following Lin Ye's retreating figure.

She saw that Lin did not stay where he was, but went straight to a less crowded spot.

There was a girl wearing a dark blue dress. She had a cool and aloof demeanor, like a piece of untouched ice and snow.

Princess Elizabeth knew the girl; she was Su Nian, a student at the Royal Academy, and was exceptionally talented.

She didn't dwell too much on their relationship. She looked away and gestured with her hands to quiet the hall.

"Mr. Lin is a pure man." Princess Elizabeth's face regained its graceful smile, effortlessly dispelling the awkwardness from before. "Now that the dagger has been removed, let the melodious music continue to accompany us through this beautiful night."

As time passed and the night deepened, the grand banquet at the St. George Hotel came to an end.

Su Nian left the hotel first.

Lin Ye and Pei Xiao still needed to keep an eye on the fugitives, and only after everyone had left did they walk out of the banquet hall.

As soon as the two came out, a waiter in an elegant uniform walked over quickly and respectfully blocked their way.

"Mr. Lin, Mr. Pei, please wait a moment. Her Highness Princess Elizabeth invites you both to enter."

A waiter led the way, taking the two around the lobby and up to the top floor of the hotel via a private elevator.

The elevator doors slid open to the sides, and a waiter led them to a room and opened the door.

This is the living room of an extremely luxurious presidential suite. A huge crystal chandelier casts a warm light, illuminating the ancient oil paintings on the walls in exquisite detail.

Two figures stood in the center of the living room.

Princess Elizabeth was still wearing the striking white velvet gown with a train that she wore to the dinner party.

Not far from her, the Marquis of Austin, dressed in a dark red suit, was holding a wine glass and swirling the liquid inside.

His eyes, which held a hint of violence, looked over the moment Lin Ye and Pei Xiao entered the room.