Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening

The nobles began arriving one at a time, each one arriving in grand style. With every arrival, the master of ceremonies would announce them to the people already around, gathering stares of various kinds.

However, as much as everything seemed elegant and proper on the outside, there was a silent pressure on the shoulders of the people gathered in the ceremonial and grand halls of the king. Everyone knew something was going to happen, just not how.

The grand hall shimmered under the soft glow of the enchanted chandeliers, their crystal facets scattering light across the vaulted ceiling. Tall, arched windows framed the night sky, and moonlight poured in to mingle with the warm golden hue of the chandeliers.

Banners bearing royal insignias swayed gently above, and a crimson carpet stretched from the towering double doors to the thrones at the far end. The atmosphere was rich with the scent of polished wood, blooming night roses, and the subtle spice of a royal feast waiting beyond.

Music emanated from the royal bards, their tunes and rhythm reaching everyone present. They recounted tales of the past glories of the Luntheria Kingdom, recognising the names and places of historical significance.

Inside, the ceremonial knights took their positions in the guard gallery, silently bearing witness to the history in the making. Those on the ground mingled quietly and had brief conversations with the nearby guests. Beside every noble family was their commander, who accompanied them wherever they went.

Most of the guests had already arrived, with the exception of a few. Among those yet to have arrived was Silvia Erindor, Duchess of the Therindor Duchy. This was a woman well-known among her circle, a woman who kept to herself and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place.

Arriving in style, the duchess grabbed everyone's attention, as both the men and women could not help but turn her way. Dressed in an elegant silver-white evening gown that highlighted her assets.

Everywhere she passed, she drew gazes in her direction. Whispers and murmurs went around as people wondered what had changed about the duchess. More than looking worried or alert, the duchess looked relaxed.

A few among the noble class had already identified her source of confidence. But in Duchess Erindor's defence, she had made no attempts to hide her new relationship. It was simply a matter of the people she interacted with.

"Ah, Duchess Erindor. It's been a while." Silvia directed her gaze to the noble who called out to her.

'Duke Darelle...' The duchess's eyes narrowed for a split second and then disappeared, replaced by a charming smile. 'Even in a place like this, he refuses to tone down his arrogance.'

Silvia silently watched as the duke approached her with confident strides. With a well-built frame standing at 1.82 metres, short, flowy golden locks with an equally neat full beard, Duke Darelle was as impressive as they came.

Within a few seconds, the Duke was before Silvia, unashamedly taking in the duchess's seductive but modest appeal. Silvia was an expert when it came to blending seductive appeal with modesty, achieving a level of attention that served her purposes.

"Duke Darelle..." Silvia offered a brief courtesy greeting. "It has indeed been a while."

"Haha... Indeed, indeed."

The duke let out a hearty laugh that was neither too loud nor too low. Regardless, their interaction had drawn many imperceptible gazes their way. The majority of the nobles who knew they were in trouble were desperate to fish for any information that might grant them a semblance of relief.

"Duchess Erindor, I must say…" The duke's laughter slowly died down as he took in Silvia's appeal a second time. "Time has been kind to you. What's your secret?"

To his words, the duchess flashed a small smile. "Time has been kind to us all, Duke Darelle. Our duties often cause us to miss the passage of time."

"Haha, you don't say… But I would have to say the passing of time affects everyone differently. Some have it better while others are rather unfortunate." The duke added in a rather contemplative tone, prompting an attentive nod from the duchess. "Well, that's just by the way…"

Duke Darelle let out a slight sigh, casting his gaze around the grand halls. "His Majesty has really outdone himself, don't you think?"

Silvia equally looked around, noticing how many had their ears perked up while pretending to mind their own business. Naturally, everyone knew the duke was fishing for information. Duke Darelle was one of the few people who had intel on the duchess's relationship with Caleb.

However, he couldn't simply bring it up. Though a common topic could be brought up that would eventually lead to the reveal of a bit of information. While a gamble, anything was better than nothing.

"That's to be expected, Duke Darelle." Silvia replied with an assuring smile. "As the sovereign of the land, His Majesty must ensure only the best for his loyal retainers. This event is, after all, to acknowledge those who have contributed to the protection of the Crown and its rule in recent times."

"Hahaha, I wholeheartedly agree with you, Duchess Erindor." The duke agreed with a lively nod. He was glad Silvia was open to sharing her thoughts without fear. "That fella has indeed brought along a number of surprises to the kingdom. Without him, things would have been very different.

"Speaking of the people His Majesty will be acknowledging…" Duke Darelle's lively tone decreased by a few octaves as a serious look replaced his cheery one. "I hear the only Black ranked adventurer, Caleb Zane, contributed the most to His Majesty's fight against the Growian forces."

The duke's words made it sound as if he were not familiar with Caleb. However, that was just a ploy on his part. Not long ago, the prince had paid a visit to most of the nobles gathered here with Caleb by his side.

Another thing that the duchess found amusing was the mention of Caleb's adventurer's rank, a rank she created for Caleb a little over a month ago. Honestly, that rank wasn't something anyone could achieve, as Caleb's feats couldn't be replicated by anyone.

'He wants me to acknowledge what most of them already know.' Silvia thought in silence, maintaining her graceful smile. 'While I have no problem admitting my relationship with Caleb, what does he hope to achieve by trying to get me to admit it?'

"That is true, Lord Darelle." Silvia finally replied, her smile not receding. "I have been fortunate enough to make Mr. Caleb Zane's acquaintance, as most of us have. Mr. Zane is one of a kind… I'm sure you'll be thrilled to meet him as well, Lord Darelle.

"I believe he should be here…" The duchess looked around, as if in search of Caleb, prompting the other nobles to do the same.

Caleb was the one most of them were wary of. They had never seen or heard anyone as powerful as that one man, and the sooner they had their eyes on him, the better it was for their plans and hidden fears.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon." The duke smiled back. However, his smile did not quite reach his eyes. "Speaking of him, what do you make of his abilities and rumours that have been circulating?"

"What can I say, Lord Darelle. Mr. Zane seems to have a knack for drawing people's attention with his actions." The duchess replied smugly. "If I'm not mistaken, a bounty was put on his head not too long ago by some of our colleagues, no?"

Silvia pushed with her enquiry. She wasn't about to stand here while the Duke tried to fish as much intel as possible while pretending to have no clue what was happening. If the duke's intent was to find out what would be happening, then he was in for a disappointment.

Silvia was as clueless as the next person.

"His Majesty had rightfully corrected that error, so there's no point raising the issue, hehe." The duke tried to play it off. "And Mr. Zane's actions recently more than proved that. People make mistakes when misunderstandings arise from unforeseen circumstances."

"Hmm… that is indeed the case." Silvia scoffed inwardly, staring at the duke with a look the duke did not appreciate. Unfortunately for him, he could not say a word. "You are free to ask Mr. Zane when he arrives."

The duchess was not willing to speak any further. The duke could go somewhere else for the intel he desired.

As she attempted to turn away from the duke and head deeper into the grand hall, her attention and the attention of everyone else was drawn towards the entrance, where the master of ceremonies ushered in the man everyone had been keeping an eye out for.

The moment Caleb stepped into everyone's view, silence pervaded the entire hall, save for the tune played by the Royal Bards. Dressed in a black suit with an equally black shirt with an open button at the top, Caleb cut a dashing figure and presence.

While his choice of clothing was not too unique, the design wasn't something they were familiar with. He exuded such confidence that many of the ladies found themselves gulping. The duchess was not left behind as a smile blossomed on her face.

"Why the sudden silence?" Caleb's voice snapped the nobles and knights out of their stupor. His eyes roamed the grand, quickly spotting the duchess. "Ah, Duchess Erindor. Just the person I wanted to see."

Caleb took confident strides towards the beaming duchess, ignoring the looks of envy, fear, and caution directed his way. Every step he took prompted the nobles to make room for him. Many had even begun slowly creating distance between Caleb and themselves.

"My Lady…" Caleb took the duchess's hand in his and placed a courtesy kiss, prompting the duchess's smile to widen. "How goes the evening?"