Chapter 16: North State
"Henry, perhaps my parents are right. I should reconsider. I've waited for you for seven years, it's time to put an end to it."
She murmured to herself in her heart, but the sorrow in her eyes grew stronger, making her less inclined to interact with the people at the banquet.
Turning her head, she looked desolately out of the window, and through it, she happened to catch sight of a car stopping at the gate.
"This car..." Laura, well-versed in knowledge, recognized it. This car was a limited-edition handcrafted masterpiece launched by a renowned car company.
Not to mention in Diony Country, even in the whole world, there were probably not more than ten of them. The price of just this car exceeded the net worth of many wealthy aristocrats present.
"Whose car is this?"
With a flicker of curiosity in her mind, Laura wanted to see who the owner of the car was, but in the dark night, she couldn't see anything.
"General, I am sorry for the rush. This car that was urgently airlifted here might seem a bit shabby" Stefano said guiltily as he drove.
The general, who had fought on the battlefield and was recognized as General King Henry, could only ride in this ordinary vehicle that ten other people in the world owned when attending the future mistress's family banquet for the first time.
It didn't match the general's status at all.
Thinking of this, Stefano couldn't help but say, "General, why don't you let the North State send their top-notch battleships? Even if they have to cover thousands of miles, the battleships can arrive in time."
Henry responded calmly, "Being low-key is not a bad thing."
"Yes," Stefano replied with a serious expression.
"Excuse me, could you please stop and present your invitation?"
After passing the security booth, security personnel approached politely and casually inspected the car.
The grandness of a top luxury car was impossible to hide, the color, streamline, design, and unique charm!
A single glance made one feel as if witnessing a piece of history. Compared to this car, a Rolls-Royce Phantom would be nothing more than a car for grocery shopping!
Even if the security personnel didn't recognize the car brand, the mere loss of a single screw on the car would probably be too much for them to afford.
"Invitation?" Stefano rolled down the car window with a chilling smile in his eyes.
When it came to the North State Legion, they would simply go wherever they wished without the need for an invitation.
The security personnel realized that the driver's expression was strange and that he seemed to lack an invitation. Gathering courage, they said again, "Sir, please show us your invitation."
The Costa family firmly emphasized that no one, regardless of who they were, no one would be allowed into the banquet without an invitation.
After receiving this order, the security personnel were also extremely puzzled, thinking, even if the emperor came, would he not be allowed in?
However, they truly didn't know that the Costa family had never sent an invitation to the royal family, and of course, members of the royal family would not come to such a remote provincial capital.
"Alright, let me show you, our invitation." Stefano smiled and reached down.
The security personnel let out a sigh of relief. If they hadn't known how strict the Costa family's rules were, they wouldn't have wanted to stop this car.
As their smiles returned, their faces stiffened upon seeing Stefano's invitation.
It was a dark barrel of a gun, pressed directly against their heads.
"This is the North State's invitation. May I ask, can we go in now?"
"Please, come in! Hurry, let them through!" The security personnel's voice changed, and they dared not move their heads, only calling out frantically to their companions.
The barrier slowly lifted, Stefano smiled, put away his gun, and started the car.
Henry remained silent, just gazing at the Costa family mansion not far away, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
Seven years ago, I came here many times while I was deeply in love with Laura.
Back then, the Costa family looked down upon the Miller family and even had plans for Henry to become an unwanted son-in-law. If it weren't for Henry's insistence, perhaps he would be the one in charge of the Costa family instead of Freton.
More likely, he would have become a prisoner of an enemy country. If it hadn't been for the fortunate coincidence of going to North State, North State would have surely fallen, and the entire Diony Country might have perished. There wouldn't have been any harmonious family matters either.
Henry sighed, "It's all fate."
The car stopped in front of the Costa family's entrance, where a servant with a respectful countenance approached to open the car door.
At that moment, Anna, the mistress of the Costa family, was chatting with the old butler nearby.
"Most of the guests have arrived, so I'll go back now. You stay here and notify me if any important figures come," Anna instructed, intending to leave. As she turned around, she happened to see a car parked in the courtyard.
Given her esteemed status, she naturally knew how prestigious this car was. It was unlikely that there were many such cars in the entire Diony Country.
"Could it be a royal highness who has come?" Anna was greatly surprised. She couldn't afford to be neglectful, so she hurriedly went to welcome the guest.
The Costa family might not have the means to obtain such a car, and the owner of the car, regardless of who it was, must be a person who couldn't be offended!
With a smile on her face, she walked briskly toward the car. When the servant opened the door, a black leather shoe emerged first. Anna only glanced at it but could tell that the money spent on buying shoes could easily afford a luxury car.
Her smile grew even more pronounced, and at this moment, she couldn't help but inwardly curse, "Only someone who can drive this kind of car is a true top-tier person. If only he were a bit younger, that would be even better. Only such a hero is qualified to marry our Laura."
"What does Henry have that allows him to compete with such an exceptional person?"
Henry looked at the car next to him and felt unsure of what to do for a moment. Previously, if she had seen Henry, she would have given an order to the security guard without hesitation to kick this person out. Now, Henry came in this car. What does this mean? Could it be possible that Henry has succeeded in his endeavors during those seven years outside?
Pausing for a moment, Anna softened her tone and asked, "Henry, is this your car?"
Henry honestly replied, "No, I rarely drive. I suppose you could say it belongs to a friend."
In North State, they usually traveled by helicopter, and they only used armored vehicles for short distances. So, he had no concept of the value of this car. No matter how expensive, it would only cost as much as a single fired bullet.
"A friend's?" Anna murmured, repeating Henry's words. Her attitude suddenly turned cold. "Fine then, since you're here, let's go inside and sit."
At this moment, she somewhat understood Henry's intentions. He must have heard about this banquet and reported it under Laura's name, which took quite some effort. He borrowed a car just to show off. Young people these days are so elaborate!
Anna sneered, but she didn't reveal anything. In her eyes, the Miller family meant nothing, and Henry was even less significant. However, Henry having a friend who could drive such a car was quite impressive. She saw an opportunity to establish a connection with the true owner of the car through him.
"Henry, if your friend is willing to lend you the car, it means they value you. Be careful not to damage it, or you won't be able to afford it with your life," Anna said with a final remark before she turned and left. She couldn't be bothered to say more to Henry.