Chapter 109: Ninety-Nine Sakuya

"He looks so relaxed even while surrounded by so many people, how amazing!" The chestnut-haired girl looked at Yechen with stars in her eyes, full of admiration. Her father, Shozo Yuki, nodded; though he was the CEO of a large electronics manufacturing firm, he was merely one of the most ordinary guests here, having barely met the standard for an invitation.

Understanding this, he simply warned his daughter to stay quiet and not speak out of turn. He had been observing the room and conversing with various people, hoping it might benefit his future development. He wasn't surprised by his daughter's infatuation; Yechen’s exceptionally brilliant performance made him sigh, thinking that it was only fitting for someone raised by one of the world's top three conglomerates.

After Yechen’s brief handling of the earlier incident, the banquet had returned to its original state. Such occurrences were common for these people, and they were long accustomed to them, even if the group involved was quite significant. Yechen had not gone back on his word, transferring their share of the funds in a single lump sum; how they chose to divide it was their own business.

"Young Master Yechen, isn't this letting them off too easily?" Butler Fan whispered as he leaned in, his creed always being that those who dared to cross Yechen must be dealt with permanently.

"That won't be necessary." Yechen’s refusal made Fan reflect with a touch of melancholy. Having watched Yechen grow up, he knew the boy always maintained a harmless, gentle facade, and he often worried that such a temperament might lead to him being taken advantage of. Just as he was about to offer advice, Yechen continued.

"I transferred the funds in a single lump sum. Faced with such a massive fortune, anyone would be tempted, especially those who came here to act against me. People are inherently selfish; brothers have been known to turn against one another over unequal distributions of wealth. No matter how they divide it, it will cause dissatisfaction. We don't need to worry about them; they will tear each other apart, and they will never amount to anything."

Most of this had been instilled in Yechen by C.C. He had initially thought it useless, but it had come in handy now. Fan felt a cold sweat break out; was this really a ten-year-old child? He realized he didn't truly know Yechen at all, or he would have recognized this calculating side sooner.

"In that case, that is truly excellent." Although it was chilling to hear such words from a ten-year-old, Fan was pleased that Yechen possessed the ability to stand on his own, ensuring he wouldn't be passive in this environment filled with schemes and deceit.

"You are quite impressive!" A girl in a black gothic dress, who appeared to be around ten years old—the same age as Yechen—approached them. She had moved so stealthily that almost no one noticed her, save for Yechen and Shiro. Saeko Busujima had only become alert when the girl was right next to them, realizing her presence only after she spoke.

Even though her appearance was deceptive, Saeko had to take her seriously. She stood between Yechen, Shiro, and Sakuya Tsukumo. The girl showed no annoyance at being intercepted, her gaze fixed on Yechen with undisguised interest.

Butler Fan, initially on guard at the sudden voice, relaxed upon seeing Sakuya. He patted Saeko’s shoulder, signaling her to stand down. There were few people he trusted, and Sakuya was one of them.

"Director Tsukumo, it has been a long time. I am very grateful you could come," Fan said, bowing respectfully to her. He knew that her presence signaled her support for Yechen, and as one of the Seven Luminaries, her influence was immense.

"While I would like to accept your gratitude, the fact is that you handled everything yourselves, and I did nothing at all," Sakuya said, tilting her head with blunt honesty.

"It is no matter; your presence alone is a great help to us," Fan continued. Sakuya did not refuse or express dislike for the pleasantries this time, instead staring at Yechen. "I think my trip was well worth it. My intuition tells me that you will achieve the Absolute Blade."

Fan knew exactly what this statement meant coming from Sakuya. She had once declared that she was "born only to reach the goal of the Absolute Blade," revealing how obsessed she was with the concept.

Seeing Yechen remain silent, she extended an invitation: "Yechen, right? Come to Koryo Academy with me!"

Her reaction made Fan worry that she might take Yechen away to be studied. Just as he was about to intervene, Yechen refused: "I apologize, but I do not wish to go yet. However, I am certain I will go in the future!"

Yechen had little interest in Koryo Academy initially; he had yet to find Kanade Tachibana and had many other things to attend to after arriving in this world. But the moment Sakuya issued the invitation, the system issued a mission.

"Triggered Mission: Enroll in Koryo Academy. No time limit. Reward: Virtual Manifestation Scroll x1." This task changed his mind. Though Yechen didn't fully understand what the scroll was, he had no reason to ignore the system's request.

After Yechen spoke, Fan added, "The Young Master is right; it is too early for him to go now. In a few years, when he meets the requirements, I will certainly send him there. After all, he must go there to learn and become a Transcendent."

A faint disappointment flickered across her doll-like face. Sakuya did not press the issue, realizing she had been too impatient. She knew Yechen would go to Koryo eventually. "Then, when you come, you must let me know. I will personally implant the 'Star of Dawn' for you."

She spoke with genuine care before bidding them farewell and departing. Yechen and his companions waited until the banquet concluded, and as the guests slowly dispersed, Shiro and Yechen collapsed onto the sofa, too exhausted to move.

After several hours of the banquet, standing and conversing, even with their physical stamina, they were mentally drained. Strictly speaking, this was their first banquet, and they had performed exceptionally well.

As the event ended, Yechen finally saw Shiina. She still wore her long scarf, and as soon as she saw Yechen, she remarked, "How shallow."