Chapter 519: A Pity

"Oh, he is very interesting... However, he is extremely dangerous. I'd advise both of you to stay away from him and his women," Crown Prince Daniel remarked with a smirk, recalling the power Yuan displayed during the 'one-sided' battle against the corrupted monsters.

"Dangerous, you say? Well, I have quite a lot of experience playing with danger... Your Highness need not be concerned about us; we can handle pretty much anything on our own," Duchess Evelina replied with a proud smile, her curiosity piqued as she studied Yuan and his wives.

"But there is something different about those women, including your aunt..." Duchess Evelina raised her brows, suspicion and intrigue flashing in her eyes.

"Oh? What's so strange about them?" Daniel inquired, raising his brows in interest, wondering what this sly woman had discovered.

"I don't sense anything unusual from them, except that they're all extraordinarily beautiful... I've never seen such beauty before, even my fiancée's looks pale in comparison to any of them," Alistair mumbled, glancing at his mother with a confused expression.

"Fufu~ You have much to learn, my son. There's still a lot of room for you to grow," Duchess Evelina smiled at him before continuing, "I'm referring to the aura around them; it feels very strange... It's far superior to anyone I've encountered thus far. Moreover, I can't seem to sense their mana levels, as if they don't possess any mana at all."

"A keen observation, Duchess Evelina. You seem to have grown stronger than before."

"Fufu~ I don't think I'm worthy of such praise, Your Highness. Besides, you seem to have become much stronger since you left the Imperial City a few months ago."

"It's thanks to all the near-death experiences that I've grown stronger... If not for that young man and his wives, I wouldn't be here talking to you," Daniel replied with a smile, stealing a glance at Yuan.

"Interesting... It seems I need to be cautious around him. Thank you for the advice, Your Highness," Duchess Evelina responded with a smile, her interest in Yuan and his wives deepening.

Alistair then looked at Daniel with curiosity and asked, "By the way, Your Highness, which of the women are his wives? They all seem quite close to him, and I can't quite tell from here."

"Are you interested in someone?" Daniel asked, raising his eyebrows.

"You could say that. Yes, I think I've fallen in love with one of them—the one with the horns. She looks absolutely gorgeous!" Alistair replied, his gaze fixed on Xi Meili with a slightly lustful look.

"Well, too bad for you, Young Master Alistair, but all the women with exceptional beauty are his wives, including the one with the horns," Daniel sighed, then continued, "I believe her name is Xi Meili, and Yuan dotes on her quite a lot. He deeply cares for her."

Young Master Alistair's expression turned sour upon hearing this, disappointment washing over him as he realized that the girl who had captured his attention was already someone else's wife.

"...A pity then," Duchess Evelina said, observing her son's downcast expression. She sighed, knowing that she couldn't do anything about it, especially since the other party was connected with War General Valeria.

If she acted recklessly, the consequences would be disastrous, beyond her ability to control. Moreover, Crown Prince Daniel didn't seem to be exaggerating when he spoke of Yuan's strength.

As Alistair's mother, she knew exactly what thoughts were running through his mind, but as a mother, she couldn't allow her son to make a decision that would bring harm to their family.

"Alistair, forget about that woman. There are countless others like her out there; you just need to find them..." Duchess Evelina commanded, hoping to steer her son away from any reckless actions concerning Xi Meili.

"I understand, Mother. Please don't worry about me..." Alistair replied with a smile, concealing his true feelings from her.

'How could I forget the face of the woman who instantly stirred my heart? It's impossible, Mother!' Alistair muttered inwardly.

As the introductions concluded, Alistair couldn't help but stare at Xi Meili, making her visibly uncomfortable.

'Why is this mortal staring at me like this? Has he never seen a dragon before?' Xi Meili wondered, thinking that Alistair might find her appearance strange because of the horns on her head.

Deciding to ignore him, Xi Meili slowly moved into Yuan's lap and leaned against his chest for comfort.

'Does she feel uncomfortable with so many strangers looking at her? I can't blame her,' Yuan thought as he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her gently before placing a soft kiss on her neck.

Witnessing this tender interaction, Alistair felt a surge of anger and humiliation. He clenched his fists, seething inwardly, but remembered his mother's warning and forced himself to swallow his rage.

'Damn it! I'm so pathetic...' Alistair muttered to himself, simmering in silent frustration.

Shortly after, Prince Tristan and Queen Matilda arrived, accompanied by Princess Fiona. The room's attention instantly shifted to the trio, their graceful movements and captivating beauty sparking murmurs among the guests.

"Look! Isn't that Queen Matilda and the beauty following her, Princess Fiona?"

"Yes, it's them! I've heard that Princess Fiona is renowned for her beauty across the empire, and she's a student at the Golden Mage Tower in the Imperial City!"

"So the rumors were true. It's a pity that the Mage Tower has such a difficult selection process, unlike the simpler exams of the Magic Academy."

"Well, that's to be expected. They only recruit the most exceptional talents."

"True. People can only dream of being accepted into such a prestigious institution..."

Ignoring the chatter, Queen Matilda and Princess Fiona approached Yuan and his wives with warm smiles.

"My, my, something interesting must be going on here with so many gathered around you," Queen Matilda said to Mireya, her tone both excited and curious.

"Well, Sister Valeria just introduced us to Duchess Evelina and her son. Come, join the chat," Mireya replied with a smile, speaking as if she and the Queen had been friends for a long time.

"Is that so..." Queen Matilda turned her attention to Duchess Evelina and Young Master Alistair, who seemed to be the same age as her son, Tristan.

'Is that the genius from the Hawthorne family? He appears to be as old as my Tristan... Perhaps they could become friends,' Matilda thought as she assessed Alistair, noting his calm and collected demeanor.

"Duchess Evelina, please forgive me for greeting you late. I was preoccupied with some important matters and couldn't attend the banquet earlier. It's an honor to have you here tonight," Matilda said, greeting the Duchess with a polite smile.

"Fufu~ It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen Matilda. There's no need to apologize. With such a grand banquet, it's understandable that there would be some challenges," Duchess Evelina replied warmly, making sure to show the proper respect to the Queen.

A few minutes later, King Richard took the stage with his wives, drawing everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am deeply honored by your presence at this grand banquet, which I have prepared to celebrate our victory against those vile corrupted creatures..."