Yarra's Adventure Notes-Chapter 1281 - 67 Greeting Guests

"Nellie Adventure Team, Miss Catherine K. Field, Mr. Pannis Wood have arrived." The young doorman in front of the Marquis Mansion’s villa announced the names of the new group of visitors with a crisp and penetrating voice.

In theory, visiting guests should alight from their carriages outside the courtyard of the residence to show respect to their host, handing over their invitations to the welcoming servants at the entrance, who would then lead them into the Marquis’s mansion. However, the reality was that when Catherine and Pannis arrived at the Snape Marquis Villa in their carriage, the gatekeeper opened the mansion’s gates directly, and the coachman naturally drove the carriage straight in, leaving a crowd of astounded guests behind. Within the etiquette of high society, only a handful of exceptionally prestigious guests could receive such special treatment. For Marquis Snape, it was likely only a formal leader of a certain power or a highly esteemed scholar or celebrity who could enjoy such treatment, like the acting speaker of the Neville Federation Rotating Assembly. Apart from them, even if the dukes of the Neville Federation came together to attend a banquet, they would have to alight at the entrance and walk into the courtyard. freewebnσvel.cѳm

Guesses about the identities of the passengers in the carriage spread among the guests who witnessed this scene, despite no one being certain of their speculations. Everyone spoke with confidence, leaving those who disagreed momentarily unable to refute. However, some well-informed guests did not join in the speculation, recognizing hints from the carriage material to the pedigree of the horses. They surmised the owner of the carriage; as it belonged to the Marquis Mansion, the passengers inside were naturally guests personally invited by the Mansion. With this status, receiving special treatment was not surprising at all.

The carriage wheels rolled on, and well-trained servants steered the carriage to a stop on the flagstone path in the center of the lawn in front of the villa. Several black-clad welcoming servants quickly surrounded the vehicle, placing the descending steps beside the carriage door and opening the carriage door from the outside. They then lined up on both sides, bending over neatly, revealing attentive but not obsequious smiles to the passengers inside. In the middle of the corridor formed by the two rows of servants, an elderly man dressed as a butler with white beard and hair stood erect, his face breaking into a sincere smile as he saw the passengers in the carriage, speaking in just the right volume, "Good evening, Miss Field, Mr. Wood. It’s an honor that you could fulfill the master’s wish and spare the time to join this dinner amidst your busy schedules."

"It’s our honor, Grandpa Butler." Catherine, holding Pannis’s hand as she stepped out of the carriage, revealed a radiant smile to the old man. She quickly stepped forward to support the bowing butler, taking the old man’s arm and saying, "We haven’t met in years, and to our surprise, you seem to have gotten younger, Grandpa Butler, haven’t you, Pannis?"

"Indeed, the last time we met was also here, sir." Standing beside Catherine, Pannis changed his usual demeanor, greeting with an impeccable posture. Such etiquette was not about status or position, but rather a pure sign of respect for an intimate elder. In well-educated families, the younger generation often showed similar courtesies to the old servants who had served the family for many years. To complement Catherine’s noble elegance, Pannis also chose this sort of etiquette, smiling as he supported the other arm of the old man, saying, "Last time we saw you, your left leg was troubling you, but now your movements seem steadier than both of us, which is truly admirable."

"Miss Field, Mr. Wood, you are too kind." The old butler let them support him as he walked seven or eight steps forward, indicating that he gratefully accepted their respect. After seven or eight steps, he gracefully withdrew from their support and strode a few paces to the side of the path, inviting them with a gesture, "This way, please. The master is currently chatting with some esteemed guests in the small reception room. I’ll lead the way for both of you."

"No need, Grandpa Butler," Catherine said gently. "We can go by ourselves. Aren’t there other guests you should be welcoming?"

"Not at all, not at all," the old butler said with a beaming smile. "No guests with the credentials to be received by me will be arriving shortly, and leading the way for Miss Field is also my duty."

"You should stay here, sir. Even if there are no guests to welcome, it’s always best for you to get some rest. Tonight, you’re probably the hardest-working person here. Take every opportunity to fully recuperate," Pannis motioned to Catherine and said, "Besides, visiting Marquis Snape is like Catherine returning to her own home, isn’t it? Who needs to be shown around their own home, right?"

"That’s true, ha ha, Mr. Wood you are correct," the old butler was momentarily taken aback but seeing no objection from Catherine, he broke into a full smile, his wrinkles all gathering together, joyfully saying, "It was my oversight. Fortunately, Mr. Wood reminded me. Ha ha ha, the master would be delighted to hear this if he did. Well then, Miss Field and Mr. Wood, please make yourselves at home. I’ll excuse myself for now. Fano, take good care of Miss Field and Mr. Wood."

"Yes," a servant from among those lined up stepped forward to replace the position of the old butler, bowing and leading the way, "This way, please, both of you."

"Cough cough, if you pinch my arm any harder, it’ll break," Following the guiding servant, Pannis spoke with a serious expression, but a barely perceptible voice leaked from his trembling lips, "Be careful, or I might start rolling on the ground in pain right now."

"That’s for talking about ’your own home,’" Catherine, with a proper smile and graceful steps while arm in arm with Pannis, her upturned lip corners hiding her tightly clenched teeth, "Damn Pannis, since when did I ever imply that coming here was like returning to my own house?"

"Really not forthright, are you, young lady? Despite regarding Snape like family, you still put on an air of distance. Tsk, tsk, I’m tired just watching," Pannis’s serious face couldn’t hide his grin as he spoke softly, "Just like now, you’re clearly happy, yet you pretend to be angry, and moreover, you take it out on my arm. Hey, hey, my flesh is about to be pinched off. Since when did pinching require the use of Aggression? Calm down, calm down, alright, I’ll stop talking."

"Hmph, that’ll teach you to talk nonsense," The girl finally spared Pannis’s arm, leaning back against his shoulder, her eyes filled with joy and happiness.