CHAPTER 102 - Grand Entrance

Time flew swiftly, and in no time, the guests in the reception hall had nearly all arrived.

The Kiramman family had extended invitations to almost every notable family in the northern district of Piltover.

However, due to space constraints, there was a limited number of participants for the Council's heiress debut ceremony from each family.

Mostly, family heads brought one to three outstanding youngsters to showcase or entrusted them to build relations with other influential families.

In the spacious guest hall of the Kiramman residence, capable of comfortably accommodating hundreds, around two hundred guests had gathered.

With the bustling servants attending to the guests, the total count reached over five hundred, making the atmosphere somewhat crowded.

Nevertheless, even so, the entire hall was divided into two main sections.

On one side, groups of young successors gathered, chatting and mingling with each other, positioned on one side of the hall.

On the other side were the heads of various families, complimenting each other, toasting, and fostering connections.

Caitlyn's father, Tobias, was among them, entertaining a few council members.

Mel and Jayce stood together, positioned on the more peripheral side. They smiled, occasionally exchanging greetings with the heads of smaller families who wanted to get acquainted, raising their glasses for a sip of champagne.

As the appointed time had not yet arrived, Lady Cassandra and Caitlyn had not made their entrance.

Li Lin sat idly on a chair against the wall, reserved for guests to rest. He casually dealt with the approaches of girls from other families who seemed to have some "designs" on him.

Before long, as the clock in the corner of the reception hall struck for the first time, the noisy crowd instantly quieted down.

By the eighth resonating chime of the clock, the curtains on the central platform opposite the luxurious entrance doors, located at the end of the hall, were raised.

Wearing a custom-made evening gown fashioned for the Kiramman family in Piltover, Lady Cassandra, with a smile on her face, calmly and elegantly walked to the center of the platform, where the Hextech microphone was placed.

She tested the microphone, then waved to the servants in the control room manipulating the Hextech spotlights.

As the alchemical chandeliers on the ceiling gradually dimmed, all spotlights focused on Lady Cassandra on the stage, capturing the attention of everyone present.

She cleared her throat, revealing a characteristic smile before beginning her speech.

"May the gears turn smoothly, esteemed guests, friends and family. Tonight, we gather to celebrate my daughter, Caitlyn Kiramman's eighteenth birthday, her coming of age ceremony."

"Firstly, on behalf of the entire Kiramman family, I express sincere gratitude to everyone for gracing us with your presence..."

Lady Cassandra recited her pre-prepared speech with a powerful voice, resonating through the entire hall via Hextech speakers.

"Once again, thank you all for being here. I hope everyone can enjoy themselves tonight."

As the last sentence concluded, she gestured towards the control room.

With the dimming of the spotlights, the mechanical gears on the ceiling rotated, redirecting all spotlights towards a side double door.

That side was a corridor leading from the main residence to this area, with two maids standing on each side of the door, lowly bowed, showing respectful demeanor.

The hall fell into silence, and all eyes were fixed on that side.

As the dim lights moved toward the entrance, the two maids simultaneously took a step forward, each holding one side of the door handle, slowly opening it.

With the crisp sound of high heels meeting the smooth marble floor, a beautiful figure stepped out from the corridor into the spotlight.

Caitlyn, adorned with delicate yet exquisite makeup, subtly raised the corners of her mouth, wearing a polite smile. Her usually freely flowing purple hair was elegantly pinned behind her head with hairpins.

Tonight, she wore a custom-designed evening gown dominated by ancient blue tones, accented with deep purple. The strapless, backless gown showcased a white pleated trim on the chest and hem, highlighting her perfectly athletic S-shaped figure.

A noble-style purple velvet bowtie was tied around her swan-like, slender neck. A pair of lace-edged, semi-transparent white gloves extended to her forearms, and her dainty feet were in specially tailored brown-gray high-heeled evening shoes.

Paired with her inherently flawless appearance, she gave off an aura of a goddess descended from the stars, one not to be profaned.

Caitlyn turned her slightly angled face, her sapphire-like beautiful eyes quickly scanning the crowd, as if searching for something.

"Cait," Lady Cassandra called her from the stage.

Caitlyn quickly returned to the present, offering a faint smile to her mother on the stage. Then, she gently lifted the sides of her dress with both hands.

Under the spotlight, she walked to the stage with an elegant stride. The two maids who opened the door stood with hands joined in front of them, bowing their heads, following behind her.

Standing beside her mother, her gaze still quickly swept through the crowd.

When Lady Cassandra announced the beginning of the second phase of the banquet, Caitlyn, on the edge of the crowd, spotted a figure. Her eyes curved slightly, almost forming a crescent moon, a more profound smile appearing on her face.

Below, Li Lin, standing outside the crowd, kept his eyes focused on Caitlyn.

As their eyes met, a sparkle flickered in the girl's gaze, carrying a hint of playful irritation from the afternoon's teasing. She quickly averted her eyes.

Time swiftly passed, and as the elders presented gifts and blessings to Caitlyn, orchestrated by Cassandra, the older generation orderly exited to another hall prepared for them.

With the melodious tunes played by the musicians from the Kiramman estate and the meticulous arrangement by the steward, the younger generation began presenting carefully prepared gifts and wishes to the protagonist of today's coming-of-age ceremony.

Gifts from various family descendants varied widely.

Jayce offered a versatile key, Viktor presented a handcrafted small, fully automated mechanical pet dog made in collaboration with Li Lin's "Smart Chip," and Mel bestowed a valuable and exquisite bracelet.

In contrast to the gifts from other families, Jayce's versatile key surprisingly stood out as above-average...

Caitlyn graciously smiled and expressed her thanks one by one, instructing her servants to place the gifts properly.

Soon, a confident young man in his early twenties from the Medarda branch family, with a hairstyle similar to Jayce's, approached, holding an exquisitely wrapped gift box.

"To the elegant Caitlyn, may all happiness accompany you, Happy birthday!"

He gently opened the gift box, revealing a necklace crafted from gold and flawless multicolored gemstones. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the gemstones subtly emitted strange colors, as if embedded with smooth fringes, creating a stunning effect under the dim light of the alchemical chandelier.

"This is an enchanted necklace, crafted by the finest artisans from the Medarda family. I went the extra mile to commission a reclusive mage to enchant it with the 'Charisma' magic.

"I believe it suits you perfectly. Wearing it will not only enhance your charm, but also highlight your unique and unparalleled temperament."

As the Medarda youth's words fell, a wave of astonishment swept through the previously quiet hall.

"It's actually a magical item..."

"Oh my, it must have a hefty price tag."

"He really went all out."

"It seems like the Medarda family wants to form a strong alliance with the Kiramman family."

...

Listening to the astonishment of the onlookers, Caitlyn glanced in a certain direction, a subtle trace of concern flashing in her eyes.

"May I put it on for you?" The Medarda youth slightly bowed, observing the standard noble etiquette.

"I'm sorry, there's still someone else who will be presenting a gift." She declined with a polite smile.

"Huh?" The youth looked puzzled.

Clearly, all the familiar young members of various families had already presented their gifts, and he had intentionally delayed to be the last. Who else could be positioned after him?

After a brief contemplation, he gracefully bowed to Caitlyn. "My apologies for the oversight."

Subsequently, he descended the stage.

It was at this moment that a young man, dressed in a custom-tailored swallow-tailed suit from the Kiramman estate, holding an equally exquisite gift box, brushed past him.

The Medarda youth raised an eyebrow, halted his steps, and turned to look at Li Lin, who was leisurely making his way onto the stage.

Observing the familiar figure ascending the stage at a leisurely pace, Caitlyn's beautiful eyes swirled with contemplation, and the polite smile on her face gradually transformed into delight and anticipation.

"Sorry for the delay in my entrance." Li Lin wore a faint smile as he spoke softly.

"Perfect timing for a grand entrance, don't you think?"

...

(End of this chapter)

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