Chapter 66: The Mask

"I think this dark navy color suits you very well, Especially matching your blue eyes," Ganea said while adjusting my dress as she sat naked in my lap."Hmm, is that so? I thought you preferred me in my naked form" I replied, playfully poking her nose with my finger.

Ganea blushed, lowering her head as she continued buttoning up my dress. I had thought she would be more relaxed after our three passionate sessions. I glanced at the dress Ganea was helping me put on.

The clothes in this world were a bit different from those in my previous world. Specifically, the men's clothing was somewhat of a hybrid between medieval European attire and traditional Indian garments. Women's clothing, on the other hand, was a mix of ancient Far Eastern (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) styles and Victorian-era European women's clothing.

Of course, this fashion was more typical of the nobility and varied slightly from country to country.

The outfit I wore was adorned with numerous jewels, carefully chosen to indicate my royal lineage. Additionally, I had to wear two rings, also meant to signify my connection to the royal family. Of course, dressing this way wasn't mandatory—at least not officially—but rejecting this style, which was a norm in this society, would be unwise. Besides, I didn't look too bad when I glanced in the mirror.

As Ganea carefully fastened the buttons, I noticed her hands trembling. Watching her shy demeanor gave me a strange sense of peace. Despite having been so close during our three sessions, her continued shyness was a kind of intimacy I wasn't used to in this world.

"Thank you," I said, tilting her chin up and leaning in to kiss her on the lips.

As my tongue began to invade her mouth, she opened up and started to wrestle with her tongue against mine. Interestingly, whenever we kissed, all her shyness disappeared, replaced by an aggressive desire. So much so that when I tried to pull back, she wrapped her arms around my neck, preventing me from moving away. When she was finally satisfied, she let go and looked at me with hazy eyes.

"I have to go now, but remember, from now on, you belong to me. Even if my father, King Richard wants you, you'll refuse. Understood?" I asked.

"Y-yes..." she stammered, blushing at my words.

Without wasting more time, I rushed outside and headed to the dining room for lunch. Since there were many dining rooms in the palace, queens or concubines would eat in different rooms. But my mother and Isabella had chosen to dine together whenever they had the time. When I entered, besides my mother and Isabella, Kayle, Violet, and my little sister were also looking at me.

I quickly sat down in the empty seat between my mother and my little sister and started eating my meal.

After I sat down, the others resumed their conversation. Other than the occasional sharp looks Kayle threw at me, I ate my meal peacefully.

•••

A few hours later, as night began to fall, the evening celebrations before the engagement finally started. Nobles from both the Kingdom of Asina and the Tamerid Empire began to flock to the palace, and the palace exuded a lively atmosphere like never before.

As the night continued in the grand ballroom of the palace, the rhythm of the music gradually picked up. Nobles from both kingdoms, dressed in dazzling attire, glided across the dance floor. The golden and jewel-encrusted, sparkling outfits created a magical atmosphere, twirling around the room with the lights.

I stood in a corner of the palace, sipping red wine from a delicate crystal glass, watching the guests.

I noticed Avanne enter and exchanged glances with her. She approached me and grabbed a fruit juice from the table. Normally, this girl loved alcohol, so I wondered why she wasn't drinking, but she likely didn't want to get drunk on such an important day. After all, in the numerous drinking contests we had before, she was always the first to get drunk.

"You look stunning as always, my lady," I said, taking Avanne's hand and gently kissing it.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. I must say, you're one of the most handsome men at this party," she said with a teasing smile on her lips.

Fortunately, there was no one nearby to hear us. "Well, you're right, there are quite a few handsome men at this party and women of a beauty I've never seen before in my life... Now that I think about it, as a gentleman, I should don't leave the most beautiful women alone" I said, giving her an equally teasing smile as I looked at Avanne's now furrowed face.

Just as I was about to leave, she grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"Hmm? Is there something you need, my lady?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. Can we talk normally now?" she said.

I turned back to her and refilled my glass. Thanks to my dark element ability to resist intoxication, getting drunk was highly unlikely.

"I'm already speaking normally—to strangers" I replied sarcastically.

"You're saying this because I've been distancing myself from you, aren't you? But I swear, after your sister's marriage, you'll understand why I acted this way. I can't explain it now because there are too many eyes on us," Avanne whispered, her last sentence barely audible.

I raised my glass slightly toward Avanne, with a gleam of curiosity and mild sarcasm in my eyes. "Of course, I can't wait to uncover the secrets you keep hidden, my lady," I said quietly. However, a sense of unease had begun to settle within me. Avanne's mysterious behavior and the distance she put between us were starting to shake the comfort I had felt when I knew her better.

Avanne narrowed her eyes and looked around before turning back to me. "Tonight, if you'd like to dance, I would be happy to accompany you" she said, but her tone was serious. This wasn't just an offer; it felt more like a warning.

"Thank you for the offer. However, as tempting as it is, I think I'll prefer to lose myself in the crowd tonight"I replied, bowing slightly. I didn't want her to understand my actual intentions, but I would wait for the right time to learn the reason behind this distance.

The sorrowful expression that appeared on Avanne's face triggered something in my heart. "Then... let me know when you decide to dance" she said, forcing a smile.

Just as I was about to respond, I noticed the crowd growing, and I saw a man approaching me. I immediately recognized him by his golden-blonde hair. His eyes were brown, and he stood about 190 cm(6'2") tall. As he approached, he wore a radiant smile and, without saying anything, hugged me tightly.

"My brother Ethan! I'm so glad to finally see you! Look at you; you're even taller than me" he said as he hugged me. This person was none other than Liam, Fiona's eldest son.

When I noticed that we were surrounded by many nobles, I realized this man was as popular as the rumors said. But, of course, I immediately noticed the mask he was wearing. Honestly, I could see what kind of mask people were wearing from their subtle facial expressions. And Liam, despite trying to hide his expression of disgust as he hugged me—though he was good at fooling others—couldn't fool me.

"I'm glad to see you too, brother! The rumors I heard about you occupied my childhood quite a bit! I heard you made it into the top hundred at the Dragon Academy. That's truly an impressive achievement!" I said, putting on my own mask. But my mask was flawless. Even Liam looked at me with surprise for a moment, but then his face soured when I mentioned the Dragon Academy.

"Hahaha, thank you, brother. The last time I saw you was probably at the Fate Water ceremony. I was very worried when darkness and blood appeared in the Fate Water that day, but it seems you're perfectly fine now, huh? That's very reassuring," he said, smiling.

And subtly began to attack me. Just as I suspected, he sees me as an obstacle. After all, I had predicted this before. The royal family, behind its grand facade, was nothing more than a group of cunning people wearing masks, trying to cut each other's throats. Liam's next cunning words already revealed his true intentions. Searᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I heard you attacked our little brother. But don't worry, I forgive you. Brothers should know when it's time to forgive each other, right?"

As Liam's sly words echoed in my ears, no wave of emotion rose within me. Without breaking the mask on my face, I knew the best way to counter him was to remain calm and confident. I slowly smiled and raised my glass toward him with a slight tilt. I started to speak, careful of my next words.

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