Around 8:30 PM, Avena returned to the hotel.
Seeing Tara standing at the door, Avena knew Ciel was still inside. She looked at Tara and asked, “Did Ciel not go out today?”
“Lord Ciel has been resting in the room, Lord Avena.”
Tara slightly lowered her head. She still showed great respect for the spouse of the Mother Goddess’s real body.
Avena looked back at Nia and said, “Wait for me outside for a moment.”
Saying that, Avena gently opened the door and walked into Ciel’s room.
The sky had already darkened, but the oil lamps inside the room were not lit. Only a little moonlight from the hall window provided illumination.
Avena closed the door. After lighting a few lamps, she walked to the bedside using the dim light and looked at Ciel on the bed.
Ciel at this moment was lying on the bed, seemingly unaware of Avena’s arrival. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Her eyes were tightly closed and her brows furrowed, as if she was having a bad nightmare.
Avena took off her glasses and placed them on the bedside table. She took out her handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from Ciel’s forehead.
But this action seemed to startle the tense Ciel. Ciel, who had been sound asleep, suddenly raised her hand and directly grabbed Avena’s wrist.
Avena hadn’t wanted to show any expression, but Ciel’s strength made her unable to resist gasping.
Ciel, opening her eyes, gradually recognized Avena in the dim light. Only then did she slowly release her hand and say, “Sorry, Avena, I didn’t notice you came in…”
Avena put the handkerchief aside and rubbed her right wrist. The spot where Ciel had grabbed her was already slightly purple, just barely short of being sprained.
But Avena didn’t seem to care. This was just a minor physical injury. She knew that what Ciel was enduring now was a thousand times more painful than what she was.
“Is it very uncomfortable? Now.”
Avena looked at Ciel, who was sitting up, her eyes still a little unfocused, and asked.
“No, I’m just a little unfocused after waking up.” Ciel reached out and rubbed her temples. She said, “I’ll be fine with more rest tonight.”
“Let’s eat something first?” Avena asked softly.
Ciel hadn’t eaten lunch either, only symbolically having a little to fill her stomach. In her current state, she must be starving.
Avena stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and said to Tara, who was outside, “Tell the kitchen to send up dinner, Tara.”
Tara slightly bowed, then quickly walked towards the stairs. There were hotel attendants there, whom she could directly instruct.
When Avena returned to the room again, Ciel had already turned on the lights in the hotel room. She sat on the sofa, looked up at Avena, and asked, “Avena, do you still remember Isabella?”
“Isabella? I know her.” Avena sat down beside Ciel.
“What do you know about her father, Edward?” Ciel continued to ask.
“I haven’t met him formally, but I saw him at a banquet my father hosted when I was very young. He was a very ordinary middle-aged man, running a money-laundering business that didn’t involve the transcendent world.”
Avena recalled the man who had been meek to her father in her memory, and quickly summarized her impression of Edward.
“Is this also a question related to this incident?” After answering, Avena asked.
Ciel nodded. “I suspect he’s connected to the Society of Merriment.”
“Society of Merriment…”
Is this another new piece of intelligence?
Avena looked at Ciel, her expression somewhat confused.
How did Ciel gather so much information without leaving the room?
Most likely, when she left, people from Ciel’s organization came to deliver intelligence to her. Tara was also part of that organization, making it very convenient for her to receive intelligence at the door.
Ciel did not hide anything from Avena and said directly, “He is very likely the person that runaway Fred communicated with. He holds the information that Adele is the true author of the thesis.”
Avena’s eyes widened slightly, realizing the seriousness of the problem.
If this was true, it meant they had a weakness held by someone else, and whether it was exposed or not was entirely up to that person… This would put them in a passive position.
Looking at Ciel, who was deep in thought beside her, Avena’s mind raced. Soon, she asked tentatively, “Are you asking about Edward’s situation because you want to know his location?”
Ciel looked up at Avena. She was also very interested to see what solution Avena would have.
“I can prepare a housewarming banquet in advance to lure him to the banquet. He is someone who desperately wants to cling to power and influence… or rather, his public persona is that of someone who extremely likes to cling to power and influence.”
Avena continued, “If I send an invitation, he will definitely come.”
This method could indeed quickly draw Edward out, and then allow her simulated self to test the other party’s information, without having much impact on reality.
Anyway, many members of the Church of the God of Order would definitely come to the banquet that day. It wouldn’t matter if one more person from the Society of Merriment came.
“I also need to invite one more person… but I’ll tell you her name later.”
Ciel did not reveal the name directly.
She wanted to invite Eleanor. Before that, she would contact Eleanor in advance to make her accept the ideas of the Divine Advent Church.
Then Lucy would also be present at the banquet. She would have Lucy instruct some trusted confidants, and then have Tara invite some students of more noble status…
As more and more transcendents were invited, Ciel could very easily turn this evening banquet into a transcendent banquet—and it would be her home turf.
The Church of the God of Order wanted to use this banquet to do something, and Ciel also did.
Although this banquet couldn’t help Avena expand her connections among the nobility, it could allow Avena to showcase her connections in the transcendent world… which would also help Avena with her future plans.
A plan revolving around the banquet began to form in Ciel’s mind.