CH 84

“My lady, the butler has arrived.”

The closest maid immediately opened the door.

The butler bowed and reported:

“The preparations are completed, the gates are open, and the Duke is already waiting.”

Looking out the window, I saw the darkened sky and a whole procession of carriages entering our lands.

The time has come.

“Good job. I tell you all.”

Since it was a special day, I gave the servants a gold coin and went to the foyer.

“Lady Croft, how are you?”

“I’m okay. How are you, Count Arent?”

“Lady Croft, you are more beautiful today than ever.”

“I have never seen such a necklace with blue diamonds before.”

“My God, the lady is of rare beauty. It’s been a long time since you called for an event.”

“What a beautiful chandelier!”

They began, as a rule, with a tribute to me and the Duke.

“In fact, I wanted to see Ellie even after the trial was over. But that would probably be impolite.”

“I was thinking of sending a letter too, but one thought kept me in check: Lady Croft must have had a mouth full of worries after all.”

Among the usual phrases and courtesies for show, one can firmly assert: their exclamations in the direction of our reception weren’t deceitful.

Chandeliers made by the best craftsmen and walls painted with masterpieces of ancient gods.

The decorations were also sculptures by prominent artists.

Even if you are blue blood, such things aren’t easy to get.

And my dress was the cherry on top of the cake, completing the picture of luxury.

The nobles who greeted me dropped a few lines and walked towards my father.

I glanced at the Duke, drowning in a crowd of aristocrats.

Fortunately, his health didn’t run dry, and he looked befitting a high title.

He was the right hand of the Emperor and by his appearance represented the whole Empire.

“Milady, Lady Celine is arriving.”

Rosaleen came up to me, her eyes wide around the banquet hall.

“Wow… It’s just wow! In an instant I imagined that I had arrived at a symposium in the palace!”

It was a celebration held by the imperial family once a year.

It could be said that this was the standard of techniques conducted in the Empire.

And our reception was also good.

If only the banquet hall was a little wider, they could have gagged the palace.

“Come on, Rosaleen.”

I smiled and took her hand. Rosaleen leaned over to me and whispered.

“Thanks for the dress. And you are really beautiful today.”

“Thank you, Rosaleen.”

“This is not idle chatter, but from the bottom of my heart. You are more beautiful than the painted goddess there on the wall.”

The goddess Rosaleen mentioned was just the goddess of beauty.

So I’m more beautiful than the goddess of beauty herself?

I felt ashamed for a moment, but I smiled, because her eyes were as clear as melt water.

“And Rosaleen is more beautiful than any goddesses.”

As Rosaleen’s cheeks turned a little pink, the doorkeeper’s voice came, announcing the arrival of another guest.

“His Highness the First Prince and Lady Sios is arriving.”

A moment later, silence fell on the hall.

First prince?

Did I misheard it? But when I looked away, I saw the prince on the arm with Lisa.

Why are you here?

However, I need to keep my mark in front of such a crowd of nobles.

I approached the guests with a tense expression on my face.

And I greeted the crown prince, who was holding hands with Lisa Sios.

“Greetings to His Highness the First Prince, Star of the Empire.”

The nobles, still overwhelmed by his appearance, knelt down one by one.

“All stand up.”

I raised my head, and Lisa’s malicious smile hung in front of my eyes.

“Thank you for the invitation, lady, to your grand party. Should I have admonished in advance that I would appear with His Highness? I’m sorry if I’m out of place.”

No matter how important person was, this was always reputed to be harsh – to bring an intruder.

Besides, today’s event was nothing more than a celebration of my return home.

The upper class knew very well that I was filing for divorce because of Lisa and Edmund, who is now their crown prince.

Of course, the child in front of me had nothing to do with the breakup. And what’s more, I was prompted by a much more compelling reason.

I filed for divorce because I was exhausted from unrequited love. And more than anything else, I wanted to keep Carlisle safe.

Be that as it may, rumors insisted that Raymond and I had divorced precisely because of the prince. Therefore, it spoiled the picture that the first prince came to the party.

When Lisa lowered her eyes, as if she was genuinely sorry, the prince spoke to me:

“Oh, my mother has nothing to do with it. I received word that you would arrange a party, and I wanted to come.”

The prince looked at me with his deep black eyes. Contrary to his formal tone, his gaze showed him as a spoiled child.

The first prince’s visit was unwelcome, but the prince, who is only thirteen years old, is unlikely to be a major inconvenience to us.

So be it. If there was some malicious intent here, then it was the product of Lisa.

I smiled at the prince.

“No, what are you talking about Rather, it is an honor to host the prince on this estate. I heard you got hurt… Are you okay?”

“Ah, I’m okay. The palace doctors and my father took good care of me.”

“That’s a relief.”

The prince spoke with an expressionless face, as if without a second thought, but the consequences of his words were strong.

The hall became as quiet as in a crypt.

Care? Raymond’s side?

These words in an instant seduced the nobility, eager to gossip.

There was a whisper from everywhere about the Emperor’s unprecedented number.

And then I turned to Lisa.

From the moment she stepped on my doorstep, the whole atmosphere changed completely.

She must have screwed the prince here on purpose to turn the whole game over to me.

I had no doubt that she had brought the prince on purpose.

The only surprising thing is that she dragged the prince to the place where the nobles came to scratch with their tongues. And is it just to ruin our evening?

In their slander, Edmund and I were tightly tied up with the theme of my divorce, and now there was no way to separate us.

If possible, we’d better not meet at all.

Lisa didn’t think about it?

The moment we met her eyes, the doorkeeper’s trembling voice rang out.

“His Majesty is coming!”

The Emperor himself came for the first prince, so that the ardor of the nobles multiplied again.

Lisa’s smile turned to stone at that moment.

I didn’t know Raymond would be here too.

I told him to leave the past in the past.

I was embarrassed, but as the hostess of this house, I approached Raymond with a smile and made an appropriate greeting.

“Hail His Majesty the Emperor, Empire Sun.”

“Rise your head now.”

Raymond held out his hand to me.

I was momentarily dumbfounded as I watched his hand gesture. I wish I could pull back, but there were too many glances at me.

The Emperor not so long ago sent a huge tribute to our house and personally attended our party.

It was impolite for me to refuse.

I hesitated for a moment, and then took his hand.

“Thank you, sire.”

“Father!”

As I stood up, holding Raymond’s hand, the prince’s voice rang out under my ear.

Seeing the prince approaching him, Raymond narrowed his eyes slightly, instead of giving him a warm smile like a father.

As if his eyes were wondering, Why are you here at all?

Yes, it was a predictable reaction.

Nobles have always been drawn to wash bones about the dramas of the imperial family.

Lisa’s trick was no different from throwing the prince to be eaten by the dogs.

“Edmund. What are you…”

Raymond turned, his words cut short.

And he saw Lisa.

I could feel how the two made contact, but I didn’t want to see what glances they were exchanging.

“Father… I only wanted to visit the Duke,” said the prince, frightened by Raymond’s frozen face.

The prince’s face quickly darkened.

Raymond bared his teeth, and the young prince was even more frightened, because even adults were afraid of this invisible pressure around.

I didn’t want to hide behind the trembling prince any longer, so I finally opened my mouth.

“Sire. There are too many eyes here.”