My Child Is A Villain - Chapter 56
Coming from the darkness outside into the bright interior, it was dazzling to the eyes. The palace was adorned with expensive luminescent stones scattered throughout, making the interior as bright as daylight even in the dim evening.
As Lucas and Adele reappeared, the gazes immediately fixated on them again.
Curiosity and malice mingled in the glances around. Despite being mentally prepared, a tightness gripped Adele’s chest.
I have to stay strong for Ronschka.
The moment she straightened her posture, Lucas momentarily released Adele’s hand.
In that moment of surprise, Lucas turned toward Adele, courteously bowing his head before her. Then, he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
“Would you care to dance with me?”
As he smiled, Lucas’ face gleamed. It seemed he was trying to ease Adele’s tension, but…
“Well, umm….”
Though Kish had drilled her relentlessly, Adele still lacked confidence. So, as she hesitated momentarily, Lucas, tugging gently at her hand, placed his hand on her waist.
“Just trust me.”
How could she refuse when he put it like that? Adele replied with a smile, “Of course, gladly.”
As a new piece of music began, they moved toward the center of the hall.
Listening to the soft waltz, Adele naturally rested her arm on Lucas’ as they moved. Her voluminous dress swayed like a flower in time with the music. Lucas’ body coming closer naturally led Adele, and thanks to him, she gradually felt her tension easing.
The malicious glances began to dwindle. Those who had only heard rumors about Adele and regarded her with disdain found themselves nodding involuntarily at the sight of the two.
“I’ve never seen Sir Lucas smile so gently before.”
“Could it be love?”
It began with the elderly nobles, with Count Montpel adding his voice.
“It’s truly a sight to behold.”
Of course, there were still more negative voices than positive ones.
“A commoner, how vulgar.”
“I’m sure His Majesty wouldn’t approve.”
“A commoner with Frederick. It’s inappropriate. And to think she even has a child?”
Their opinions were unanimous.
“It’s not right to taint noble blood.”
Amidst such conversation, the music came to an end. The pair who had displayed a beautiful dance moved back to a corner, and just then, the herald of the palace signaled the approach of the imperial family.
With that, the somewhat chaotic hall quickly quieted down.
“I heard that Princess Amanda, who went to study abroad, has returned this time?”
“I wonder how she is now, she was always so dignified from a young age.”
Eventually, a woman revealed herself. It was Amanda. With her dazzling golden hair and beautiful face, Amanda stood alone in her light green dress, wearing a self-assured expression.
“Oh my? Wasn’t the dress she planned to wear today sky blue?”
Some of the noble ladies looked perplexed. Usually, when a member of the imperial family chose a dress, it was customary to avoid similar colors or designs as much as possible.
That’s why most were informed beforehand, but today she appeared in a dress different from what was expected.
Adele was equally taken aback.
Wow, an unexpected turn of events.
She deliberately avoided wearing a dress similar to that of the princess, but she changed her dress on the day itself? That’s undoubtedly intentional.
Was it because a commoner daring to aim for nobility was displeasing, or were there other reasons? Adele stared intently at Lucas, who could be speculated as the other reason.
What’s their relationship?
She grew curious, but there was no way to find out.
Like any novel, the details of supporting characters’ lives aren’t usually elaborated upon. Thus, Adele could only speculate about what might have happened between Lucas and Leon until she died.
“Your dresses overlap,” Lucas, slightly bowing his head, whispered into Adele’s ear.
“Yes.”
“She’s not someone who’s capricious, so I wonder why the sudden change of dress.”
Maybe you’re the only one who doesn’t know? Adele held back the urge to ask. “Should I retreat to the balcony then?”
“No, there’s no need for that. Just in case, I asked Kish to prepare another dress. Since we brought along some maids, go to the lounge and change there.”
“Yes.”
With Lucas’ assistance, Adele secretly slipped out of the hall and called for the maids. The maids who followed weren’t many, but both were experienced, skillfully aiding in the change of attire.
The new dress had a unique design, starting from a light yellow and transitioning downward into a crimson hue.
Yeah, I remember buying something like this.
With the help of her maids, Adele swiftly changed her clothes and hair accessories before stepping out into the lounge. Unlike the hall, the corridors were somewhat dim without the luminescent stones embedded in them.
As she walked step by step into the darkness, she felt a slight shiver run through her. Then, she spotted someone approaching from the opposite direction. Judging from the slender silhouette, it seemed to be a man. Adele discreetly began to walk along the wall.
Then, at one moment, she realized the approaching figure from the opposite side had stopped.
“Adele.”
At the familiar voice, Adele’s brows involuntarily furrowed. “Sir Heirn.”
Having to address such a person respectfully was irritating and infuriating, but this was a society bound by class hierarchy. It was an unavoidable reality.
“Quite fearless of you to come here.”
“Is there something I should fear?”
“Plenty.” As Heirn approached, he leaned in toward Adele. The hand holding a fan tensed. “It’s not right to mix noble blue blood with dirty blood. Everyone thinks so. You’re just an outsider.”
Blue blood. In the past, the veins of nobles often appeared bluer due to their fair skin, compared to commoners who worked under the sun. The color of veins visible under fair skin appeared blue. That’s why people used to say that nobles had blue blood. In reality, when you cut them open, blood is all the same red, but they held superiority just by that. Heirn was no different in that regard.
She had a lot she wanted to say. But each word on the tip of her tongue was one that shouldn’t be uttered. So Adele struggled to bury her anger.
What is noble about this man?!
For now, she had to get out of here.
“If that’s all you have to say, then I’ll take my leave.”
Adele took a step to distance herself from Heirn. Fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to follow. As she re-entered the crowded hall, her tension eased.
Since Lucas had said he wouldn’t move, he would likely still be in the same place. Carefully, Adele moved back to her original spot.
Lucas was visible in the distance. With a heart filled with joy, Adele quickened her pace. However, as she got closer, her speed gradually slowed down again.
He wasn’t alone. The beautiful princess she had seen earlier was standing next to Lucas. Seeing them engaged in conversation made it seem like they knew each other well.
Well, he did work in the palace, so he might know her.
She knew that, but for some reason, it felt off.
Is this… anxiety?
It was the anxiety that stemmed from the fear of Lucas falling for the beautiful princess and abandoning their plans.
Adele pressed her chest lightly with her hand. Unable to move her feet, she stood still, feeling something brush against her. At first, she thought it might be someone passing by, so she didn’t pay much attention. But then, something forcefully grabbed her wrist.
“Ow!”
Startled by the pain, she turned around to find a man she didn’t recognize gripping her wrist. He was tall and muscular, but his face was scarred.
No matter how hard she looked, she didn’t recognize the man. What was she supposed to do in situations like this? Adele bit her lip lightly. After taking a deep breath, she spoke in a cold voice, “How rude of you!”
“How rude of you!” The man chuckled softly, echoing Adele’s words. Adele couldn’t understand this man. As soon as she realized that, she tried to break free from his grip on her wrist, but he was much stronger.
Moreover, before she knew it, strangers surrounded them.
There were only four of them, including the man holding her wrist, but they were all imposing figures.
The man holding her wrist spat out words with a drunken gaze, “So, this is the one Sir Lucas chose. I suppose curiosity got the best of me. But she’s not what I expected at all.”
He seemed to know Lucas, and not in a good way.
This is awkward.
She had only expected to be mocked at worst, but to have such a blatant confrontation in the midst of a party in the hall was unexpected.
And their location was strategic too; it was near the entrance to the hallway where the lounge was, potentially out of Lucas’ sight.
Meanwhile, Heirn, whom she had seen in the corridor, revealed himself. These men hadn’t noticed him yet.
Seeing Adele in distress, Heirn moved his lips.
Should I help you?
She didn’t want help from such a person, but she didn’t see anyone else stepping in. Like when she saw Heirn, she put strength into the hand holding the fan.
If things got worse, she planned to smack them and make a run for it. In the social realm, a fan used for expressing language could become a weapon.
“At best, she’s just a vulgar commoner.”
Once the man finished speaking, someone interrupted—
Storyteller Wook's Words
My Child Is A Villain is now included in my Wook's Ko-fi membership program. It's a cheaper alternative for advanced chapters, bundled together with other Wook's creations. Starting August 2024, this novel will update twice a week: [SUN] & [THURS] UTC+8. Advanced chapters price has also been adjusted just a tiny bit...
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