Kissing Hellfire: Marry Me, Evil Lord
Chapter 254: Royal Banquet

Chapter 254: Royal Banquet

"His Majesty, King Alec of Evardin!"

Everyone in the main hall of the castle looked up at Alec as he descended the curved staircase. In his dashing royal suit, he sported a serious expression with his hair combed back, his lips pursed in a line, and his eyes scanning the crowd.

That was the scene Lauren witnessed when she and her friends entered the hall. She walked behind Isabel and Jenny, but her footsteps halted when she gazed up at the vampire king whose eyes were fixed on her, staring straight into her eyes as if seeking a door to her soul.

Lauren couldn’t be sure if the king was staring at her because of the distance, but she had a strong feeling that he was. It intimidated her, making her feel something she couldn’t quite place. For a moment, she pondered the thought, but she couldn’t find any answers.

When Alec reached the last stair and Lauren’s view of him was blocked by the crowd, she realized she had stopped breathing. She took a deep breath and panted for a bit before looking around to find her friends, only to realize they were nowhere near her.

Lauren was about to search for them when, after taking one step, her view was blocked by a man’s chest adorned in aristocratic attire. Clothes that only high-ranked lords could wear. The man was tall and towering over her, so she had to look up to meet his gaze.

Rich brown eyes filled with curiosity and mischief.

That’s what she saw.

The man smiled, and the playful curl of his lips made Lauren think she had seen him before although she had no recollection of an encounter with him.

"Hello, milady," the man offered a curt bow.

No, it’s impossible, thought Lauren. She had never attended gatherings of wealthy people before, and if she had met him, he wouldn’t mistake her for a noblewoman. So she discarded the thought.

Lauren responded with a small bow.

"Good evening, milord. Please excuse myself. I have to look for my friends."

She was about to take a step to her right when the man blocked her path again.

"Fret not, milady. I’m sure your friends are somewhere where they want to be in this big crowd. You will see them later. How about we chat for a bit? I believe I have never seen you here before," he paused and tilted his head slightly, offering a friendly smile that seemed overly friendly for anything good, "may I know your name?"

Lauren’s response didn’t come quickly. She wondered if she should tell him that she was just a castle maid who was lucky enough to be invited to such an occasion, which she supposed would only happen once in her life.

"Milord, before you ask my name," there was weight in Lauren’s every word, but her voice was soft as feathers, "let me tell you that I am only a servant and not a noblewoman. You might not want to associate yourself with someone of my status."

There was no shock or disappointment on the man’s face, but his smile only widened, which confused Lauren.

"I am only asking for your name, not your status or anything, milady," his tone remained polite, contrary to what Lauren expected. "I only need someone to chat with, and you seem to be someone capable of worthy discussions."

"But I don’t think it is appropriate for me to do so. Please let me take my leave. Attending this occasion was merely luck, and I don’t intend to overstep my bounds, milord."

Most of the guests had settled down at the long tables surrounding the hall. In the center was the dance floor where young ladies and gentlemen were dancing to lively music.

Lauren glanced around and noticed some ladies near them glaring at her, and she knew it had something to do with the man in front of her. She wondered who he was because she had never seen him in the castle.

"You handle yourself pretty well, so I don’t think you would overstep your bounds. It is I who insists on talking to you, not the other way around," the man continued, showing no signs of backing down. "I am Vincent by the way."

Vincent. The name echoed in Lauren’s mind, and for a moment, she felt like it was familiar.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Vincent."

"And you are?" Vincent’s eyes sparkled with mirth, expecting the woman he hadn’t seen in five years to say a different name.

"Noelle, sire."

Sire. Vincent couldn’t help but smirk. A queen in her own right was bowing to someone of lower status. He thought it would be amusing if Lauren would remember how she talked so politely right now.

"I think we should have a drink first, Miss Noelle," he gestured with his hand to lead her to the table of refreshments a few steps away.

Lauren sighed. She didn’t want to offend anyone at the royal banquet, especially not someone who exuded wealth and power from head to toe. So she simply followed the man to the table of refreshments, hoping that after a little small talk, she could find a way to divert his attention.

"Are you from Evardin, milord?" she took the liberty to ask as Vincent handed her a glass of lemonade.

There was a spark of curiosity in Vincent’s eyes.

"No, why do you ask?"

Lauren shook her head slightly. "Just...curious."

She averted her gaze and looked at the dance floor when she heard the chatter and cheers of the people.

And there she saw the reason why.

The King of Evardin, Alec Everston, was dancing with Princess Seraphine, the eldest Bodeville princess.

"My, my...I think His Majesty has decided to marry again after all these years," Vincent spoke with a playful tone that made Lauren’s heart skip a beat for some reason she couldn’t fathom.

Lauren couldn’t tear her eyes away from the two, her expression grim and unreadable.