The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Chapter 161: Eating Like a King

"Little brother, if you don't plan to make these two ladies your women tonight, then stop leading them on," Hanna said, raising an eyebrow at Klaus. He had his arms wrapped around Anna and Lily's waists, their faces flushed in embarrassment.

The two women were clearly flustered beyond repair, unable to meet Hanna's gaze as the tension between them all hung in the air.

Klaus glanced down at the two flustered beauties in his arms and tightened his grip around their waists. With a mischievous grin, he replied, "Don't worry, big sister. Let your little brother enjoy some quality time with these fairies."

Hanna sighed and shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. She wasn't surprised. Klaus's mother had made sure to tell her all about Klaus growing up, as a way to bond with her.

He learned about Klaus's childhood and the struggles he went through after his dad went missing. So Hanna knew he deserved all the joy in this world. Klaus's mother wanted to make sure she became comfortable around Klaus and It worked—Hanna had become comfortable around him, even a bit overprotective, despite not knowing him for long.

She wasn't jealous of Lily or Anna, but she didn't like the way some of the other women were eyeing Klaus either. With a teasing grin, Hanna called over her shoulder,

"Alright, ladies, put your backs into it. Don't let some hungry tigress come along and snatch him away from you two!" Her cheeks flushed red as she hurried off, clearly not wanting to be left alone with the awkwardness. She made her way toward Danny and the others.

Klaus watched her go, a silent thumbs-up forming in his heart. He knew Hanna didn't have feelings for him, but seeing her support made him want to shower her with affection. Her words had done the trick too—Lily and Anna stopped blushing and, instead, started claiming their territory with newfound confidence.

He chuckled, knowing the night was only going to get more interesting. After a while, they were led from the garden into a grand hall, where a large dinner table was set. It became clear this wasn't an open invitation for every youngster competing in the Regional Trial.

Looking around, Klaus quickly realized that less than 2 percent of the participants were there for the Reginal Trial were there. Only the best of the best had been invited. Of course, he wasn't concerned about that, his focus was on the food laid before them.

"Welcome, everyone, to Hiroshi Mansion. We are thrilled to host you," a voice rang out just as they settled into their seats.

Klaus turned his head to see a young man with short dark hair, perfect facial features, and a well-built, athletic body speaking. His presence was commanding, and the room fell silent.

"You might be wondering why we extended this invitation..." the man continued, his voice smooth and calculated. "The Hiroshi Family wishes to express our willingness to work with promising youngsters like yourselves in the years to come. We believe we can make this new world a safer place for our loved ones through togetherness and fostering bonds." He smiled gently, the sincerity almost convincing.

Klaus, standing off to the side, smirked silently to himself. 'They could've just said they want to suck up to rising stars and be done with it. What's with this fancy way of saying 'sucking up'?'

He saw through the charade. The Hiroshi family wasn't about fostering bonds or safety. They wanted to align themselves with the future powerhouses, hoping to cash in once these rising talents reached their peak. Klaus knew that as soon as someone fell out of favor or lost their potential, the Hiroshi family would cut ties without a second thought.

But Klaus wasn't bothered. He understood the game, and in some ways, he appreciated it. They weren't the first family trying to secure their future by banking on the youth, and they certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Enjoy your food and the hospitality of the Hiroshi Great Family," the young man said, looking at the smiling faces around the table. With a final nod, he turned and walked away.

Klaus watched him go, a slight frown forming. "Suddenly, I don't feel like being part of a great family," he muttered under his breath. The thought of all the political games and sucking up didn't sit well with him.

But then he glanced to his left and right, where Lily and Anna sat. A grin spread across his face. "But with two fairies by my side, I wouldn't mind joining your families."

Lily and Anna blushed at his words, their faces turning a delicate shade of pink as they shyly averted their eyes.

The night began as usual, with food being served. Klaus, who had just come to the realization that maybe he and Fruity weren't so different after all, wasted no time devouring the meal in front of him. He didn't care about the looks people were giving him.

He knew some of them were hungry but were too busy trying to maintain their ridiculous image, picking at their food to appear refined. 'Not this young master,' Klaus thought. 'I have no such image to uphold.'

His only concern was filling his stomach, and that's exactly what he was doing. Anna and Lily kept sneaking glances at him as he ate with no shame, but they didn't seem bothered. In fact, they looked more amused than anything.

It wasn't just Klaus, either. Danny, Daniel, Kay, and Mark were doing the same. None of them came from great families, so why should they care about keeping up appearances? They were hungry, and the food was there to be eaten.

"Tsk, as expected, the dogs reveal themselves at a table full of Unicorns," a voice suddenly cut through the room.

Klaus looked up to see a young man sitting across from him, his words dripping with condescension, clearly aimed at Klaus and his group. The others around the table went silent, waiting to see how Klaus would react to the not-so-subtle insult.

Klaus paused mid-bite, slowly lowering his fork. His gaze shifted toward the young man across the table, who was staring at him with a smug expression. The silence at the table thickened as everyone watched for Klaus's reaction.

For a moment, Klaus considered responding, but then a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He resumed eating, completely unfazed. "You know," he said casually between bites, "if being a dog means I get to eat without pretending to be something I'm not, then bark, bark."

Lily and Anna snorted, trying to hide their laughter, while Danny, Daniel, Kay, and Mark exchanged grins. The insult didn't hit as the young man had hoped, and the tension shifted back toward him.

The smug look on the young man's face faltered, clearly not expecting Klaus to brush him off so effortlessly. He clenched his jaw, trying to maintain his composure. "Typical response from someone without any class."

Klaus wiped his mouth with a napkin, his eyes locking onto the young man. "Class? Is that what you call pretending you're too good to eat? Looks to me like you're starving, but don't worry, there's plenty of food. Maybe one day you'll realize that pretending to be above everyone else doesn't make you better, it just makes you hungry."

The room fell silent again, but this time, it was the kind of silence that followed a blow that hit its mark. The young man flushed with embarrassment, unable to come up with a retort. Of course, the blow wasn't aimed only at him, but since he was the one who asked, he had to take it all.

Klaus grinned, leaning back in his chair, content. He turned to Anna and Lily, who were still stifling their laughter. "Now, where was I? Ah, right. Eating like a king."

"Klaus, do you dare have a duel with me?" a voice suddenly echoed from one side of the hall. Everybody turned only to meet the gaze of a young man storming through the doors, his eyes blazing with rage.