About three more days had passed since the completion of the Vanguard’s Dawn, and the workshop had undergone a transformation.

Gone were the scattered tools, the welding stations, and the half-assembled prototypes.

In their place were neatly arranged rows of seats, and the industrial lighting cast a glow that made the space feel all the more inviting.

At one end, a raised platform served as a stage, facing the seats and massive screens displaying the Stark Industries logo in glowing blue letters.

At the center of the entire setup was an enormous white silk, which acted as a cover to the aircraft while also outlining its size.

The Spotlights positioned at strategic angles around the covered aircraft, created dramatic shadows that only heightened the anticipation.

This was the Unveiling Event for The Vanguard, Stark Industries’ first public showcase of revolutionary aerospace technology.

The guests in attendance were some of Gritnia’s most powerful figures.

CEOs of the largest transport companies in the country and across the continent, many of whom had purchased Stark Industries airships for their fleets, occupied much of the front rows.

Behind them were a few family heads, some of whom had longstanding ties to the Stark name, like Marvin Arcorys, and some elven leaders.

On the opposite side of the seating arrangement, in a section cordoned off with velvet ropes, was Ophelia Tudor.

The King’s sister had been invited both as a representative of the royal family and due to her close business relationship with Ethan. She wore a purple gown that accentuated her status, and her expression carried a sort of amusement.

Seated beside her was Princess Isabella, who maintained a calm, composed presence befitting her station. She glanced across the room occasionally, her eyes finding Ethan on the other side.

When their gazes met, she smiled. Ethan caught the look and, after a moment, gave her a subtle wink.

On Ophelia’s other side was Rayleigh, the princess’s younger brother who at this time looked distant. Frankly, he was only here cause he wanted to see Ethan right after.

Valerie Hemilton stood at the podium, and her voice carried smoothly through the space as she welcomed the guests and outlined the evening’s proceedings.

She wore a sharp navy-blue suit that hugged her figure perfectly, accentuated by a gold belt at her waist. Her hair was styled in a neat bun, and her round glasses caught the light as she gestured toward the screens.

Percival, seated beside Ethan in the section reserved for Clustervayne Guild members, leaned closer and whispered, "It’s not fair, man. You get to keep all the hot-looking women around you. I mean, look at her."

He nodded toward Valerie. "Just look at that fine ass woman."

Ethan smiled, turning slightly toward his friend. He leaned in and kept his voice low. "What about Aliyah? You two seem pretty.. uhm, whats the word... mushed up"

Percival’s eyes widened, though he didn’t exclaim or overreact. "What? No, please," he said quickly, but in low tones.

Ethan’s grin widened. "You spend the most time together. In fact, you spend all the time together. And don’t pretend like you don’t show up at the guild a bit early every day just because you know Aliyah’s always the first to arrive."

Percival opened his mouth to protest. "That’s a lie, and I can explain—"

Before he could continue, Wilson, seated across, leaned forward and whispered, "You both know half of us here can hear you, right?"

He was referring to the enhanced hearing of some of the supernatural creatures here.

Percival turned his head slightly, with an irritated expression, and shot back, "Man, get that ugly face away from here."

Wilson took offense. "What? Ugly? I’m way better-looking than you."

"Not a chance," Percival muttered.

Ethan sighed. "Shh, both of you. People are looking."

Sure enough, a few heads had turned in their direction. Percival and Wilson both straightened in their seats, attempting to look composed as they realized the attention they drew

Aliyah was not with them today. She decided to take the day off and spend with family since there wasn’t any guild activities today.

Throughout the event hall, several figures moved gracefully between the seated guests, offering drinks and hors d’oeuvres on silver trays.

They were a mix of hired servers and Ethan’s summons. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Nina Dragonheart was on a fitted black blazer, and the white shirt she wore beneath did almost nothing to cover the pair of her jiggling plump cleavage. Her black pencil skirt ended just above her knees, and was complemented by heels.

Arael, was on similar clothing, although her skirt was a tad shorter. Coupled with the tattoos on her legs, she drew the most attention and stared at herself.

Most of the awakened individuals in the room could sense that these women were summons, though no one knew who had summoned them.

And to be fair, sheer presence they exuded, combined with their undeniable beauty, made it difficult not to look twice.

But the summons weren’t just there to serve drinks. They also acted as security.

Finn was standing at one of the side entrances, dressed in a black suit with a red tie. He looked almost like a child playing dress-up, but the twin revolvers holstered at his sides told a different story.

As for Albedo, who was supposed to be part of the security detail, that wily demon had gone off doing her own thing.

In fact, at this very moment, she had just entered one of the restrooms on the far side of the building.

Behind her followed two men in suits, both of whom looked sheepish as they stared at her with lovesick expressions.

These men were drivers for one of the nobles in attendance, and the way they stumbled after her, their gazes glued to the sway of her ass, made it obvious they had fallen under the effect of her Charm skill.

Albedo paused just inside the restroom and glanced back at them with a sly grin. "Shut the door."

Both men turned toward the door at once, nearly bumping into each other as they argued in hushed tones about who should be the one to close it.

She raised a single finger to her lips, silencing them with a look. Then she stepped closer, her eyes glinting with mischief as she whispered, "Now, which one of you would like to have mommy first?"

-

Back in the main hall, Ethan sighed and severed the bond connection he had with Albedo.

He wasn’t about to watch whatever sick shit that demon and those men were about to get into in the restroom.

He shook his head and turned his attention back to the stage, where Valerie was wrapping up her introduction.

"And now," she said, her voice carrying a note of anticipation, "it is my honor to introduce the Lead Research and Development Engineer of Stark Industries. Please welcome Lucy Hargreeves."

-

A/N: Make sure to check the pictures attached to the paragraphs.

If you can’t see any, head over to discord. I have them there as well