Chapter 21
Lesche examined Seria from head to toe and said,
"Not bad."
"Different perspectives and opinions are maintained. Your eyes show more than you assume. Sometimes, words can't express it," said Begonia.
After ensuring that Begonia would attend the banquet, Seria quickly left the room with Lesche.
"Your cheek is still red."
"I was just at the glacier, and the cold made my face turn red."
This was the excuse she chose to give.
"That's bold."
Lesche smiled. Outside the door, Linon, Elliot, and the other Berg knights were already waiting. They were all dressed more splendidly and respectfully than usual.
"Your Highness, please wait a moment..."
Elliot approached Lesche as if he had some business to discuss. Meanwhile, Linon stepped forward to Seria, looking at her face.
"Lady Seria! You look very beautiful today as always."
"Thank you very much. But, Linon."
"Yes, my lady?"
She gestured for Linon to come closer. He stood next to her obediently with a puzzled look on his face. She didn't say anything to Linon but opened her palm.
"Huh? You want my hand? Am I a dog?"
He asked back and placed his hand just above hers. But they didn't touch, as Linon's hand stopped before his hand touched hers. However, Seria grabbed his hand, and he blinked in surprise.
"Lady Seria?"
"Linon, you look good today as well."
"Yes. Thank you?"
Linon was noticeably perplexed. Seria let go of his hand and smiled.
Linon has germophobia, but he didn't avoid my hand.
But did he sweep and clean the garden and her building every day because her wing was dirty? Why did he clean it? She thought she would ask him later when she had the chance.
"Let's go, miss."
"Yes, Your Highness."
It seemed Elliot had given Lesche everything he needed in a brief moment. Together with Lesche, they headed toward the banquet hall.
Linon, Elliot, and the other knights followed behind at a reasonable distance.
"What did you do to Linon?"
Lesche asked suddenly. Seria looked behind her to make sure the people behind them were still at a distance. Then, she stretched her neck and whispered in Lesche's ear.
"I heard Linon has germophobia. I just did an experiment to see if he would avoid my hands."
"I don't think he avoids your hands."
"Why?"
"Well, you'll have to ask him later."
Lesche's answer piqued her curiosity. Would Linon answer if she asked? Anyway, she nodded.
There was already a large crowd in the grand banquet hall when she entered with Lesche as her escort. She admired it, looking around the grand hall with satisfaction.
The original Seria's aesthetic sense. It was wonderful. Indeed, it was magnificent.
Seria's taste was one of those memories that still lingered in this body. The fact that she was in and out of social circles daily meant that the likelihood of her having a good eye was high. Villains are almost always clean and sophisticated. Seria was lucky to have that.
It was very satisfying to select the decorations she liked and hang them harmoniously to decorate the grand banquet hall because creating as much space as she wanted with other people's money was more interesting than she could imagine. Especially that large and rich rose flower sculpture made of pink marble.
She was surprised to see such a beautiful and delicate sculpture covered with a thick layer of dust in the main Berg warehouse.
Shouldn't this incredible work of art deserve people's admiration?
She had the pleasure of exploring the spacious warehouse, which inspired her to do more.
"I don't think I've seen half of it yet."
Berg was incredible, as expected. It didn't take long before the first dance began.
"Lady Seria Stern."
Seria turned to the sudden voice, and a knight with a solid build bowed stiffly.
"Sir Johannes."
Johannes. The Commander of Duke Davu's Knights.
More than thirty percent of the guests attending this grand banquet hall were knights. They were all elegantly dressed in formal suits and well-groomed hair, but they were all knights anyway.
Considering that the participation rate of professionals at a ball usually hovers around 10%, the figure was three times higher. The reason for this strange participation rate was due to Seria's family, the Marquis of Kellyden.
Originally, Kalis and Seria had two weddings planned. One was a Stern wedding to be held here in the Berg territory.
The other was a grand noble wedding at the Haneton estate. Nobles from all over the empire would attend the wedding, according to the position and power of the Marquis of Haneton.
The problem was the Stern wedding. It was difficult for her family members to attend the wedding, especially for Marquis Kellyden, her father. Because everyone knew that Seria had lost contact with the Kellyden family a long time ago.
She left the Kellyden estate and went to the temple, where she became Stern.
She might want to reconnect and hasten down.
Of course, Seria wasn't going to find him just for that reason.
Among those numerous knights, Sir Johannes was the only chief knight. He was sent by Duke Davu, who seemed to have paid much attention to her.
The rest were people whose names she didn't even know.
Some families had sent their squires to attend. It seemed they didn't want to go against the mood of the Marquis of Kellyden.
Well, she knew and wasn't picky. She didn't want to take revenge on him, even though he sent squires and commoners to attend her wedding. That meant she didn't have to worry about his irritation.
She quickly looked away.
The noble knights, who were wary of her, showed their disappointment, but it didn't matter.
Some of the knights who stopped clinging to her had changed their behavior. They knew it was impossible to buy her pleasures, so they decided to be the wallflowers.
It was fortunate that Berg's vassals participated tremendously, even though it must have been like performing a ritual to ensure the ball's downfall when everyone stayed there with gloomy faces.
"Let's go to the dance floor."
"Yes."
It was time for the hosts to have their first dance. When the nobles gathered at the edge, they stepped onto the crowded dance floor, and there was a sudden commotion at the entrance. Lina had entered.
"How crazy! She came to the ball."
"I know, right. Won't Marquis Haneton come?"
"No way."
The whispering voices of the noblewomen resonated in her ears. They were right, Lina hadn't come with Kalis. However, she was still accompanied by her master, Baron Aison, as her partner.
Moreover, Lina boldly approached Seria.
"Ah...!"
When their eyes met, Lina's mouth opened a little as if she wanted to say something.
Lesche asked in a passing tone.
"Didn't you steal their invitations?"
"What do you mean?"
"There must be many reasons."
Lesche raised his chin.
"Then you wouldn't have to see something like this."
There were some brave knights around Lina who stopped going to Seria before. It was impossible to win her favor, so they changed their strategy to covet Lina, the Saint.
If Kalis came, he and Lina would dance together. It was an obvious fact.
"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm not the main character."
"And what if you're not the main character?"
Maybe it was because Lesche asked in a calm voice, she responded with an honest heart.
"I feel like a foreign object caught between the two of them."
"Do you enjoy degrading yourself that much?"
"I don't know what else to think about myself."
"Seria."
Her heart pounded for a moment. Lesche. This was the first time in her life that this man called her by her name. Lesche approached her and continued.
"Today's party is for you."
"....."
"Not for the other two."
Seria's lips trembled, not knowing how to react. Lesche's eyelashes fell as he looked at her. At that moment, the elegant music began to play.
Contrary to the cheerful atmosphere, Seria felt strangely emotional.
One of Lesche's hands firmly held her waist.
