Chapter 243: Chapter 243 - Invitation
Delmar was overlooking many things on the huge screen in front of him that showed the many rooms under the villa's underground secret cave that has now been turned into what anyone would say an illegal research and weapons creation factory and also a place which holds something much more ancient than pretty much everything on this place.
As he was looking at the women outside secretly the door to the villa rang and Delmar opened it to see a green envelope on the floor. Taking it he looked at it once before his eyes widened and he quickly came to the training room and said.
"Boss... We've received our invitation."
"For what?" William asked, clearly puzzled.
"Why don't you take a guess?" Delmar replied with a mischievous grin.
"At least give me a hint," William insisted, still unsure of what Delmar was referring to.
"Hmm... a hint," Delmar mused, pausing for a moment before continuing. "It's something we've been anticipating for quite some time. It's something we're eager to receive but also a bit apprehensive about."
William's confusion deepened as he attempted to decipher Delmar's cryptic clue. Something they'd been awaiting, something that stirred both excitement and trepidation? What kind of invitation could provoke such mixed emotions? An invitation to an or*y, perhaps?
William was skeptical, but he decided to humor Delmar. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Don't tell me— it's an invitation to that ultra-exclusive restaurant, Potato Craze, isn't it?"
Adam, who had been quietly observing the exchange, widened his eyes slightly and joined the conversation. "Oh, that place. Yeah, it's quite good."
"Have you eaten their before?" William asked, turning to Adam.
Adam nodded, adopting an air of culinary expertise. "Indeed, I have. The experience was sublime. You absolutely must try their bœuf à la Bourguignonne. The dish is exquisite, and the wine they serve there is exceptional. It might set you back thousands of dollars for a single bottle, but I assure you, it's worth every penny."
William nodded in agreement, though his expression didn't fully convey his enthusiasm. "Alright, I'll give it a try and see if it lives up to the hype. But I won't hold my breath," he added with a touch of arrogance that seemed somewhat forced.
As William and Adam continued their banter, Delmar watched them with growing impatience. His expression darkened, but the two men were too engrossed in their conversation to notice.
Finally, William sensed something was amiss and glanced over at Delmar, whose face had turned as dark as a thundercloud. "Ahh... judging by your expression, I gather my guess was off the mark," William said with an innocent smile.
Delmar sighed deeply before speaking. "Forget the restaurant. Take a look at this," he said, handing William an ornate-looking envelope.
William inspected the green envelope, noting the emblem of the Heaven Defying Auction House. "Is this from them?" he asked.
Delmar nodded. "It seems the media has finally quieted down after all the times we dodged their interviews, so they've decided it's time for us to visit and have that 'Talk.'"
William examined the envelope more closely, intending to comment on its elegance when he noticed how unusually rigid it felt. "What's with this envelope? Why is it so hard?"
"It's made of jade," Delmar replied.
"What?" William asked, incredulous.
"The envelope is hard because it's crafted from jade," Delmar repeated.
"Not just any jade," Adam interjected, moving closer to scrutinize the envelope. "This is high-quality jade, worth a considerable amount."
William felt uneasy holding something so valuable yet so extravagant. "Why the excessive theatrics?" he wondered aloud.
"It seems like they're trying to convey a message," Adam speculated. "But I can't quite say what it is."
"If I had to guess," Delmar interjected, "I'd say they want us to treat this invitation with utmost seriousness. Whatever they intend to discuss must be of great significance."
"But what?" William asked, still perplexed.
"We won't know unless you open the envelope," Delmar replied.
William carefully opened the heavy, jade envelope. Inside, he found another jade artifact— this time, a letter, crafted from the same high-quality material.
As William unfolded the letter, the words on it seemed to glow with an ethereal green light, each character shimmering as his eyes passed over them. The grandiose presentation was almost overwhelming, but he forced himself to focus and read the letter.
---
'Mr. Trust,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.
First and foremost, I, the Owner of the Heaven Defying Auction House, wish to extend my sincerest apologies for the unfortunate events that transpired on that fateful day at the auction.
A day that was meant to be filled with joy and excitement over the discovery of such a rare and magnificent historical artifact was marred by one man's reckless arrogance.
Had such an incident not occurred, the ensuing chaos could have been avoided. The media would not have hounded us relentlessly, and we could have shared a peaceful cup of tea together. But alas…
Let us move past that ill-fated day and focus on the future. Despite the calamity, none of us— nor any innocent bystanders— were harmed, thankfully.
The reason for this letter is that I wish to speak with you personally about what happened and to offer my apologies face to face.
Therefore, I hope you will accept my invitation to visit me at your earliest convenience so we can resolve this matter and discuss something of great importance.
Oh! And I would be delighted if you could bring your son along, should he wish to accompany you. The next generation is our future, and nothing would please me more than to meet him as well.
I eagerly await your response and hope you will accept my invitation.
With regards,
Edward."
---
"Woah," William murmured, feeling as though his mind had been swept clean by the letter's eloquence and sophisticated presentation.
"Woah indeed, Boss," Delmar concurred, struggling to find the right words. "Who would have thought the letter would be so... elegant."
"Yeah, whoever composed this letter must be a poet or something," Adam chimed in, though he looked slightly queasy. "The way he expressed his apology and desire for friendship made me feel like I was going to be sick."
But William wasn't paying attention to Adam's reaction. "What do you mean, 'Whoever composed this letter must be a poet'? The letter clearly states that Edward wrote it," he pointed out
Adam shook his head, trying to clarify. "Boss, no rich guy writes letters themselves anymore. They have professionals for that— wordsmiths who specialize in this sort of thing," Adam explained, holding up the letter with its glowing text. "This kind of special effect isn't something a busy person like Edward would bother with."
William nodded thoughtfully before turning to Delmar. "Delmar, I want my own personal writer."
"For what?" Delmar asked, puzzled.
"To compose letters," William replied.
"To whom?"
"I don't know... just find me someone who can add special effects like this. Who knows when I'll need to send an elegant letter?"
William said this with a mix of seriousness and discomfort, still unsettled by the overly grandiose style of the letter. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "So does that mean no bœuf à la Bourguignonne?"