After the dance, Leon led Eli back to her seat with great care. His manner of treating Eli made the women around feel giddy and envious as they never saw the Third Prince treat any lady like that.
Leon could have stayed with Eli on her table. But he knew that monopolizing her would gather more watchful eyes. With a reluctant look, he bowed, thanked Eli and moved to go to where Olivier and Blaze were.
Meanwhile as soon as Eli reached her seat, a glass of wine slowly appeared in front of her. Startled, she looked towards the owner of the hand who handed her the wine, it was Alicia.
Alicia, dressed in a navy blue ball gown with silver accents smiled at Eli with a hint of teasing. With her now black hair, she looked like an alluring lady who was brimming with confidence and sophistication.
Standing beside Eli only made the two girls look like they were a pair of women whom men would have to feel intimidated. Two scholarly women, with beauty, brains and background!
"Having a great time I see…" Alicia softly said as Eli took the wine and initiated a toast to her.
"Well, yes but I am not really sure if I have been doing well." Eli responded with a hint of uncertainty.
Overtime, Alicia and her became comfortable with each other, so Eli was actually relieved to see her in the banquet where almost everyone who strikes up a conversation with her were unfamiliar people.
Alicia let out a light chuckle and replied,"I think you asked the wrong person, everyone knows that I am not really good at socializing in this circle!"
"Then that makes it the two of us." Eli smiled.
"But at least you've been a good flower! You even managed to attract a great bee~" Alicia retaliated with a teasing tone.
Eli immediately blushed at Alicia's teasing. Although she and Leon had already confirmed their feelings with each other, she still feels shy when being teased by other people that way.
"Erm.." She ran out of words to say. "I-it's just a dance!" Eli blurted out with great difficulty.
Alicia was fascinated by Eli's blushing and panicking face, she never expected that the stern and sharp inventor would act like a little bashful girl. She let out an unrestrained laugh, greatly amused.
Her laugh made Eli blush even more, however, she couldn't stop this lady infront of her. Helpless, she just sighed and looked as she continued to sip her wine in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
The other lady had such a good time that her eyes moistened from laughing too much. After that, she took a deep breath and decided to stop teasing the main girl of the night, "Alright alright."
"Kidding aside, you really looked wonderful today! I mean, I always see you in our black scholar gowns and I never realized that you would be so stunning in this attire!" Alicia now tried to appease Eli after teasing her so much.
"Well, thank you for that. You look amazing too! How are you enjoying the night by the way?" Eli replied sincerely.
"I thought that this banquet would be boring, you know.. But because of that surprise you gave earlier, I suddenly felt like going here was not a waste of time after all! Say, you are so good at keeping everyone in the dark!" Alicia replied energetically, upon remembering Eli's entrance earlier she couldn't help but recount it in a lively manner.
"Who would have known that the winter banquet was organized for you in the first place!" She said looking at Eli slightly accusingly but in a way that was how friends bicker.
"Well.. of course I can't spoil anyone you know. It's grandpa's orders." Eli immediately used the Grandpas as an escape goat.
True enough, after hearing their names, Alicia didn't complain anymore.
However, she still looked at Eli with a trace of regret in her eyes, "You would have looked even better if you went with me to blacken your hair!"
"Really?" Eli's reaction came out naturally. But in truth she was actually looking for a good time to 'dye' her hair black.
Before Alicia could reply, a delicate and seemingly feeble voice interrupted their conversation, "I also think the great inventor would look even better with black hair!"
The two women were startled by the sudden interjection. Curious as to who the owner of the voice was, Eli and Alicia slowly turned their heads towards the direction of the voice.
The owner of the voice had brilliant purple hair and amethyst eyes. She had a smile that gave off a vibe of a young magnanimous lady that would make any gentleman feel the urge to protect her unconditionally.
ραпdα nᴏνa| сom "Cousin.." Alicia immediately recognized the lady. It was none other than Arabella Vesala.
"Cousin.." Arabella greeted Alicia while apologetically saying, "Pardon me for intruding, but I was really drawn by your conversation. My name is Arabella Liv Vesala, it's my pleasure to meet you, Lady Elise."
Arabella, Eli's heart thumped wildly upon hearing the name. The mastermind for Elise's murder!
The person who caused the separation of Elise and Little Han. Would she recognize that the person she was greeting right now was the same body as the person whom she ordered to be killed?
There was a part of Eli that wanted to stand and confront the seemingly weak lady in front of her, but her mind was very clear to know that this is not yet the time for this.
Anger, Rage, Wrath! Her heart was screaming for justice for Elise who had her fate stolen!
She tried hard to contain the burning emotions that had been brewing in her heart by clenching her fists as hard as she could. 'Relax, she had no way of knowing who I am... This is just the first time we have met…'
Heaven knows how unwilling she was to let out even a little smile for this person in front of her, but she pushed herself to do it.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Arabella. I don't mind you joining.." She finally replied after calming her heart down. But her throat feels as if she just drank the most bitter wine in the world after saying those words.
When Arabella saw Eli's polite smile and kind reception, she immediately beamed and joined Eli's table. She then continued on to the topic. She repeatedly complimented Eli's looks and how she will look better in black hair.
Eli didn't know how she managed to navigate the conversation as she was filled with the thought of keeping her emotions from spilling.
Fortunately, seeing how lively her table was, the other young ladies also went near and engaged in a conversation with Eli.
"Lady Eli, I really think that having black hair would be nice."
"Yes~I think so too, Lady Eli, do you think it will look good on me too?" The ladies kept blabbering about the black hair trend.
This somehow pulled Eli to the light, it perfectly distracted her from her negative feelings. "I'll have my hair dyed soon actually." She replied.
"Really?"
"Then I'll have to set a date to dye my hair too!"
"Me too!"
Eli's table was filled with giggles and lady laughs. It was quite a pleasing sight to see as there was no hint of scheming or tension in their circle.
As the night deepened, the winter banquet also reached its end. Every guest went home with marvel and excitement in their hearts. Clearly, they did not manage to get over the things that had transpired in the banquet.
The events that happened continued to be a hot topic for a few weeks around the Capital. This also brought Eli further to the limelight with another companion in tow - the Third Prince.
After showcasing his eloquence in keeping up with Devondre and Eli's conversation, as well as his manliness when he danced with Eli during the winter banquet, Leon's popularity improved significantly.
Many ladies changed their opinions about him being the mad dog and cold-blooded prince. They also started to think that he wasn't as incapable as the rumors turned him to be.
In just one night, Leon became every young lady's fantasy in life - a Prince who is good-looking, intelligent, gentle, brave, and most of all… Single!
In contrast, the nobles were immediately alerted upon witnessing the sudden change in opinions from the public. The development of the people's perception of Leon became an immediate threat to the factions of the First and Second Princes.
Just like what was happening right now in the Vesala Estate. A group of noblemen sat in Duke Vesala's presence, engaging in a discussion about how to immediately kill the fire that Leon started.
"We cannot let the Third Prince have his own source of support!"
"What can we do?! If he was that close with the Faraulds, then there would be a high chance that he would be supported by the two clans."
"That's not really guaranteed, it has been years since the Grandmasters kept mum about which of the three princes they would support!" Some skeptics calmly pointed out.
"That's where you are wrong! Have you seen the way the Prince easily managed to get close to the great inventor at the winter banquet? With all the protective cousins and brothers around the lady, only he was the successful gentleman to do that! That meant that there was a tacit acceptance from the two clans!"
"Then what do we do?"
Duke Vesala who was just silently listening to their conversation suddenly ordered, "Gather the rest of the nobles! Let's figure out how to control the situation with the Great Inventor!"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter