Chapter 826

Tonight, everyone finally gathered for dinner at Hell Monarch Estate. Carissa was surprised Kyle hadn't returned to Meadow Ridge.

“Kyle, you haven’t gone back yet? I thought you left already! I was wondering why you didn’t even say goodbye!”

Kyle shot her an exasperated look and bumped her head with his knuckles. “You ungrateful brat! I called out to you several times, and you completely ignored me. I wondered if I’d offended you somehow. Turns out you just didn’t see me.”

Feeling sorry for Carissa, Rafael gently rubbed her head and explained, “She’s been really busy lately; she was probably deep in thought and didn’t hear you. A few words would have sufficed. You didn’t need to get physical.”

Rafael spoke respectfully. After all, Kyle was still a Sensor Guild member, but there was a hint of grievance in his tone.

Kyle chuckled. “It wasn’t like I hit her hard. Besides, she’s used to it. If anyone’s roughed her up the most, it’s still your mentor, Sage Everett.”

Rafael paused. “Sometimes, Sage Everett doesn’t hold back either. I’ll talk to him about it later.”

Kyle sat down, looking comfortable. His junior guild members truly made the best pair. Rafael cared deeply for Carissa, even if she seemed oblivious to it. But that was alright. Carissa was slowly learning to repay the kindness of others.

Jacob brought out some wine, and the group settled down to eat. Lately, the people at Hell Monarch Estate had been busy behind the scenes, though it hadn't been publicly acknowledged.

As toasts flowed and laughter filled the air, the recent gloom of their cases seemed to dissipate.

Jacob, excelling in both martial and scholarly pursuits, wanted to impress Kyle. Cheerfully, he suggested, “Since we have wine, why not play a game of Poetry Order?”

As soon as he said this, Travis and Violet stood up and spoke in unison, “I’m full!”

Jacob furrowed his brow. “Full? Travis, you eat more than anyone else! You always fight it out at the dining table until the end, and you haven’t even cleared your plate yet.”

“I’m just not hungry today!” Travis said.

Eyeing the dishes, he swallowed hard. The moment the game was mentioned, he felt he could no longer afford to eat.

Carissa laughed. “Jacob, we’re fine with drinking, but let’s skip the games. Otherwise, Rod will be up in the middle of the night searching for snacks in the kitchen.”

Jacob finally caught on and laughed. “So, if Travis doesn’t want to play drinking games, why has Ms. Spencer also decided she’s full?”

As a mentor, Violet didn’t want to show weakness. “I’ve been eating a bit too much lately and got a little tired of it. I’m just not that hungry right now.”

Jacob poured her wine, smiling. “Alright then, we’ll skip the games and just enjoy the wine.”

With a grin, Travis settled back down. “I may be tired of it, but I can still eat more.”

Violet shot Jacob an exasperated look. “We were having a perfectly good meal. Why make it so exhausting? I’ve returned all the literature knowledge I’ve learned to the teacher, so I’m done with the brain work for now.”

Jacob raised his glass. “It’s my fault. I’ll take three drinks as punishment.”

Rafael shot him a warning glance. “Drink less. Your dad is in the capital now, and your family is finally reunited, so you should hold back a bit.”

“Of course, I’ll drink less,” Jacob replied cheerfully. “Ever since I returned, my grandfather and mother have been feeling much better. With my dad back in the capital and the family together, I’ve been well-behaved and have spent every day with them. Everyone is always smiling, which really puts my mind at ease.”

Jacob had never been a heavy drinker, but he enjoyed his share, especially in the evenings, when he would often have a couple of drinks to help him sleep. The worries that had hung over him for so long had made it hard to rest, but now that the family was together, he figured it was time to drink a little less.

As they neared the end of the meal, Rafael asked Travis, “Any news from the surveillance on Hartstone Estate?”

Travis, who had people keeping an eye on Hartstone Estate, responded quickly, “There hasn’t been much movement. They’re basically staying indoors.”

Kyle added, “Harvey is shrewd and cunning, probably far more so than Yuvan. He knows how to bide his time, while Yuvan is the restless one. Yuvan has the advantage of having someone like Wayne around to keep him in check. Otherwise, he would have already messed up.”

“That’s true. By the way, how is Liam doing these days?” Rafael inquired.