"These two are..."
Carmela tried hard to maintain an air of elegance, but the tension in her voice had become obvious:
"Your... servants?"
"They are my family."
Ron introduced them simply, deliberately choosing a more intimate wording:
"Ailan assists with my research work, while Dale helps with some day-to-day matters."
"We are always ready to serve the master."
Ailan responded promptly, nodding gracefully to Carmela:
"After all, catering to the master’s needs is the entire meaning of our lives."
Dale naturally walked to Ron’s side and began to straighten nonexistent creases on his collar.
"The master worked hard last night, and indeed deserves a hearty breakfast."
Carmela’s sense of defeat reached its peak.
The charms and enticement she had so carefully prepared appeared so contrived and fake in the face of such familial warmth.
What frustrated her even more was that the man before her was evolving beyond the realm of humanity.
A mere ordinary human like herself might not even count as a toy to him.
"Well...then let’s head to the dining hall."
She barely maintained a smile, her voice trembling noticeably:
"My father and other family members are waiting for your presence."
.........
When Ron entered the dining hall, more than a dozen members of the Storm Clan were already waiting.
Their arrangement was quite deliberate, forming a subtle hierarchical structure based on family status and age.
Cassius sat in the main seat with a gentle smile on his face.
Eliot sat to his father’s right, his large ears twitching slightly, evidently listening to everyone’s emotional states.
"Lecturer Ralph, good morning."
Cassius rose to greet him:
"I hope last night’s rest was satisfactory. Although our guest suite is not top-tier, it is guaranteed for comfort."
"Professor Wandell, you are too kind."
Ron replied politely, simultaneously activating "Extraordinary Recognition" to observe everyone present.
In his special vision, the strength of these Storm Clan members was clear:
The majority in the dining hall were young apprentices, ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-five.
Their Spiritual Talent was similar to what he observed in the three sisters last night, mostly fluctuating between fourth and third rank.
Such a level is considered extremely excellent in the outside world, but in the elite circles of the Central Lands, it can only be considered middle or somewhat below.
Except for Eliot as the obvious exception, Ron did not find another young person with potential to break through the Moon Level.
Among the older clan members, apart from the head Cassius who was of Moon Level strength,
the other middle-aged Wizards had remained at the peak of Morning Star Level.
Judging from the Magic Power fluctuations on them, this stagnation had evidently lasted for a considerable period.
"Please sit, please sit."
Cassius warmly invited, signalling to the maids to start serving dishes:
"Today’s breakfast has been specially prepared with some specialties from the Central Lands. I hope you will like it."
The first dish was "Dawn Fruit Pudding," made from a magical plant called "Sunlight Fruit."
This fruit only matures at sunrise, with pulp containing pure Light Elemental Energy, consuming it can enhance one’s spirit for the entire day.
"This fruit is quite precious, isn’t it?"
Ron tasted the sweet pudding while chatting with Cassius:
"I rarely see such high-quality Light Element food at the observatory."
"It’s indeed not cheap."
Cassius admitted, eyes revealing a hint of pride:
"Sunlight Fruit can only be cultivated in specific magical environments and must be harvested at the very moment of sunrise; any delay will lead to a loss of Light Elements. Our family spent a great deal to establish a stable supply channel."
This style of boastful introduction made the young clansmen present show expressions of pride.
Yet Ron noticed that the faces of those older Wizards showed not much joy, but rather a certain subtle concern.
Evidently, maintaining such a luxurious lifestyle required huge expenditure, while the family’s sources of income were not stable.
"I heard you have made significant achievements in Abyss research?"
A woman Wizard looking to be around forty spoke up, Cassius’s cousin named Dali:
"We, as...traditional researchers, always have qualms about such dangerous environments."
Her words carried a marked probing meaning, clearly wanting to understand Ron’s specific strength.
"The Abyss is indeed dangerous, but it also holds irreplaceable research value."
Ron responded simply, without revealing too many details:
"The key is to prepare thoroughly and carry out risk assessments."
As he enjoyed the exquisite breakfast, he observed the internal ecology of this ancient clan.
The Storm Clan, though outwardly glamorous, had evident internal issues:
The younger generation lacked genuine talent, while the older generation was troubled by strength bottlenecks.
The family’s prospects were grim, which also explained why Cassius was so eager to establish a cooperative relationship with him.
As the meal approached its end, Cassius proactively suggested:
"Lecturer Ralph, if you have time now, I would like to show you the residence prepared for you. The environment there should be quite suitable for academic research."
"Then I must trouble Professor Wandell."
Ron nodded in agreement, signaling Ailan and Dale to prepare to leave.