Chapter 518: The Grand Banquet

Inside the ballroom at the royal palace, nobles and aristocrats engaged in conversation. This event was a rare opportunity to become acquainted with peers from other nations and to forge beneficial relationships.

The nobles of this kingdom could not afford to miss such an occasion. It was not merely a banquet celebrating the successful expedition to the Forest of Never Return; it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity orchestrated by King Richard to elevate the kingdom's reputation and influence across other nations.

Suddenly, a blonde-haired woman entered the ballroom, accompanied by two guards wearing golden armor emblazoned with the insignia of a lion's head, a spear, and a sword crossed behind it.

The woman's flawless beauty immediately captured the attention of the assembled nobles and aristocrats, particularly the younger generation, who found it difficult to resist her charm.

The woman's slightly seductive and arrogant expression was offset by the grace with which she approached King Richard, who was occupied with greeting other guests. This woman was none other than Crown Princess Elara Lionheart, the only daughter of the current Empress of the Lionheart Empire.

She was one of the leading candidates, alongside Crown Prince Daniel Lionheart, to succeed to the throne of the Lionheart Empire.

Princess Elara was renowned throughout the continent as a genius mage, capable of wielding both Fire and Ice—two opposing elements—making her a formidable adversary.

Even more impressive was her status as a peak Master Rank mage; she was the youngest mage to reach this level of power, at the tender age of twenty-one. As a result, the Holy Light Empire regarded her with considerable wariness, aware of her potential to grow even stronger.

All eyes in the ballroom were fixed on her as she approached King Richard, captivated by her striking beauty and the aura of elegance that surrounded her.

"Ah, Crown Princess Elara, I am honored by your magnificent presence at this grand banquet. I trust your journey here was uneventful?" King Richard greeted her with utmost politeness, keen not to keep her waiting.

"No trouble at all, Your Majesty. Please rest assured, the journey was quite smooth," Crown Princess Elara replied with a polite smile, maintaining the calm and proud demeanor befitting a princess.

"I am relieved to hear that, Princess Elara," King Richard sighed in relief at her words.

The king then engaged in conversation with Princess Elara for a few moments, ensuring she was well entertained. Shortly after, Lord Ivan approached King Richard and whispered something into his ear.

King Richard's expression immediately became serious, and a hint of concern flashed across his face, as though someone very powerful and influential had arrived at the banquet.

Noticing the king's change in demeanor, Princess Elara raised an eyebrow, curious about what Lord Ivan had said to provoke such a reaction.

"They're finally here... I was beginning to think they wouldn't attend the banquet at all," King Richard murmured to himself, a wide grin spreading across his face.

'I'd like to see how the aristocrats from other nations will react to their presence... things are about to get interesting,' King Richard thought to himself.

Soon after, Yuan, his wives, Miss Zara, and Little Zoe entered the ballroom. Their arrival instantly drew the attention of everyone present, regardless of gender.

"Wow! Incredible... who could they be? They're so beautiful and handsome."

"I've never seen so many beautiful women together before... just where did they come from?"

"Why, thank you. You also look gorgeous, Mireya. And Sylvia, you look so sexy in that black dress," Lady Natasha responded with a smile, covering her mouth with her fan.

"Thank you for your compliment, Lady Natasha," Sylvia replied with a smile, leaning close to Yuan.

Then Lady Natasha's eyes landed on Yuan, and a wide, seductive grin appeared on her face. She moved closer to him before saying, "Yuan, you look so handsome and charming in that black outfit. Would you mind having a dance with me later?"

"Why not? It would be my pleasure to dance with such a beautiful woman as yourself, Lady Natasha," Yuan replied with a smile, not wanting to embarrass her by refusing. Besides, he was grateful to her.

"Fufu~ You've got quite the sweet tongue, Yuan," Lady Natasha giggled before turning her head toward Mireya and sighing. "Mireya is such a lucky woman to have you as her husband. I'm quite envious..."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find a wonderful husband too, Lady Natasha."

"As if I could ever find someone as handsome as you. It's impossible to find someone like you."

Meanwhile, Duchess Evelina and her son, Alistair, were quite curious about Yuan and his wives, especially since War General Valeria Lionheart was personally accompanying them.

Alistair, in particular, seemed to have fallen in love with one of the women—a beautiful figure with crimson hair and crimson crystal-like horns on her head, an innocent look gracing her face.

'Incredible... I've never seen such a beautiful woman before. Not even Princess Elara could match her beauty. Who is that girl anyway? She appears to be a demi-human,' Alistair thought, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at Xi Meili from a distance, completely mesmerized by her enchanting beauty.

'Alistair, oh Alistair... You have no idea what kind of risk you're taking by looking at her with that filthy gaze... You're playing with your life—not that it concerns me,' Crown Prince Daniel mused with a smug expression.

Duchess Evelina noticed the look on her son's face and smiled before turning to Daniel. "Your Highness, do you perhaps know them? Since your aunt is with them, you must know something about them, right?" she asked.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know much about them, except that the young man is my aunt's husband. That's all I know," Daniel replied with a calm expression.

"What?!"

"..."

Both mother and son stared at Daniel with dumbfounded looks, as if they'd just seen a cow climb a tall tree.

"A-Are you being serious, Your Highness? You know your aunt will hang you at the entrance of the Imperial City if you spread false rumors about her!" Duchess Evelina nearly cried out, panic and disbelief mingling in her voice.

"That's right, Your Highness! You shouldn't lie about something so serious—it could get us all killed!" Alistair nodded repeatedly in agreement with his mother.

"I'm not joking, Duchess Evelina. I'm being serious. My aunt did marry Yuan, and he is extremely strong," Daniel said firmly.

"So his name is Yuan... it has a nice ring to it," Duchess Evelina murmured, looking at Yuan with growing curiosity.