"Yes! Brilliant move, Grandpa!"
Over by The Portico, Bianca was practically bouncing on her toes, clapping and cheering.
Theron stared in shock at the absolute ruins of his position on the chessboard. Smiling, he stood up and conceded. "You're incredible, sir."
Under the shaded corridor, a group of young men brewing tea heard the commotion and rose to their feet.
Theron took the opportunity to greet the young masters of the Ravenshire family one by one.
Cedric and Marissa oversaw the dining arrangements. Once the feast was fully prepared, Cedric smiled and stepped into the corridor. "Sir, dinner is served."
Caspian swept his gaze down the length of the corridor, finally landing on Vivienne. "Vivi, aren't you going to invite everyone to take their seats?"
Vivienne was feeling incredibly lazy, but she never ignored Caspian's requests. She immediately darted out of the gazebo and waved at the crowd. "Hurry up and come celebrate me!" she declared, before rushing into the corridor to loop her arm through Caspian's. "Grandpa, let me escort you."
"Perfect timing!" Talia's voice rang out as she stepped into the Main Hall, looking stunning in a pigeon-blood ruby fur coat. "Tessa, bring out the vintage wines I won at auction a few years back."
"Mom!" Bianca trotted over and threw her arms around Talia. "Is it all sorted out?"
The smile in Talia's eyes hitched for a fraction of a second, but she quickly masked it. "Let's eat first."
For the meal, Marissa had thoughtfully arranged a slightly smaller round table, packing the dozen or so guests tightly together, creating an incredibly warm and festive atmosphere.
Catching the rich aroma of the wine, Vivienne snuck a sip, her eyes lighting up instantly.
Seeing this, Bianca immediately demanded a glass and downed it in one gulp. She started coughing wildly, tears streaming down her face, while Vivienne calmly reached for a glass of strawberry juice to cleanse her palate. The entire table erupted into laughter.
Noticing the commotion, Mina stealthily swiped half of Theron's drink. She took a tentative sip, looking pleasantly surprised, and then—when no one was looking—tossed the rest back.
Terrified that Jasper was going to flip the entire table, Marissa quickly used a serving fork to drop a fresh Fish Ball onto his plate.
Jasper frowned deeply. After a long, tense silence, he grunted two vicious syllables. "Thank. You."
"Boom—"
At that moment, a deafening crack shattered the quiet night. Brilliant streaks of crimson and violet bloomed across the sky. Instantly, an unending barrage of explosions tore through the clouds, lighting up half the starry sky with thousands of cascading fireworks.
Everyone tilted their heads up in awe, their faces painted in shifting, kaleidoscopic light.
*
The birthday fireworks display lasted all the way until midnight, captivating the entirety of Stormhollow Deepwater Port. In that precise moment in time, millions of souls gazed upward, sharing in A Mortal Feast of the Aurora.

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