Chapter 110
Before I could even process what was happening, Ardion lifted me and sat me on the desk. He stood between my slightly parted legs, looking straight at me.
“Ardion?”
“Laila, I always feel like I’m second in your life.”
Surprised by his words, I waved my hands frantically. “No, that’s not true. I only went to see Serina earlier to check if the drug was real. You’re my top priority.”
The moment those words left my mouth, I felt my face flush. I never thought about things like this while acting, but saying something I’d kept buried for so long was much harder than I expected. Ardion had been hurt over things I had dismissed as insignificant.
Still, my words seemed to ease him a little. He stared at me for a while before letting out a small laugh. “Then I guess I can smack Rowell upside the head without holding back.”
I figured he must’ve liked what I said. Watching Ardion closely, I nodded. “But… you’re not going to kill Rowell right away, are you?”
“Why not? Wouldn’t it be better to get it over with?” he replied like it was no big deal.
I shook my head. “He should still be judged for what he’s done. He should be punished properly, through a fair trial.”
Rowell had always found a way to wriggle out of the trials we’d prepared so thoroughly for. But this time, he needed to be judged and punished for his crimes.
Ardion considered my words in silence, then nodded.
❋ ❋ ❋
Morning dawned on the day of the ball. I’d been up early, hurrying to get ready. I had already picked out my dress and accessories, so that was out of the way, but getting myself dressed from head to toe still took quite a bit of time. A group of attendants buzzed around me.
I looked at myself in the mirror. My face gradually came to life with color. I got bored in the meantime and started playing a little finger game with Derol, who was sitting on the table. It was a simple game where I’d poke at him and he’d try to catch my finger.
This time, Derol caught my finger. I laughed and petted him.
He looked up at me with a knowing glint in his eyes and said, “Master, I believe you may finally bring Rowell to justice this time.”
“Right. Now that we’ve taken the drug from him, there’s no more reason to hesitate.”
Still, I felt a small twinge of unease deep down. Maybe it was just that things weren’t quite over yet, leaving my emotions unsteady.
I suppressed it and said lightly with a smile, “I wonder how much it hurts to be hit upside the head the day before your coronation.”
Derol squeaked in agreement. “Looks like justice is finally on its way.”
I nodded and looked back in the mirror. Then I tilted my head, puzzled. Was I seeing things…?
“Your Highness! You look absolutely stunning!” exclaimed one of the attendants.
I blinked. Is this really me?
The dress and pearl necklace were the ones I’d picked out myself, but the attendants had clearly worked hard. White floral ornaments stood out beautifully in my hair, and the lip color was particularly striking. Even I had to admit the face in the mirror was beautiful.
Just then, Derol examined my face and asked with concern, “Master, is something wrong?”
Feeling embarrassed, I quickly shook my head. “No, I’m fine.”
The attendants, on the other hand, kept complimenting me as they tidied up. I checked the time. The ball would begin soon.
“Derol, are you staying here or coming with me?”
“I’ll accompany you, of course.”
I nodded and slipped him into my dress pocket, also tucking in the dagger I had prepared.
Derol wriggled slightly in the pocket.
Concerned, I reminded, “Derol, if you feel uncomfortable, just let me know. I’ll take you out right away.”
“Understood. Don’t worry, Master.”
Right as Derol finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. I hurried over to open it. Standing there was Ardion.
He was wearing a sharp black suit that suited him incredibly well. The clean, structured cut accentuated his broad shoulders and lean figure perfectly. He looked stunning from head to toe.
“Laila…” Ardion stared at me at a loss for words.
Seeing such a reaction from someone who looked so perfect himself made me blink in surprise.
I smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
Even after I spoke, he just stood there, dazed and staring like a statue.
“Ardion?” I gently touched his arm.
He finally flinched and nodded. Then, without a word, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek and offered his arm. Still, his expression wasn’t as bright as before.
“Laila, I’m worried.”
“Worried about what?” I asked, puzzled.
He furrowed his brows and shook his head. “It’s nothing. If anyone tries to get close to you, I’ll take care of them.”
“Take care of them…?”
The way he said it didn’t sound very reassuring. But Ardion just smiled faintly and extended his arm again. With no choice, I placed my hand in his and we left the room.
❋ ❋ ❋
Several carriages were already lined up in front of Duchess Heverun’s mansion. Ours stopped at a rather prominent spot. Clearly the duchess had reserved the space for us.
The moment Ardion and I stepped out, I could feel all eyes on us. It was the first time we’d attended such a formal event since our wedding, so I felt a little nervous, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
It felt like stepping onto a new stage, which made it kind of exciting.
While I soaked in the attention, Ardion spoke beside me. “Rowell’s greeting all the nobles and talking about the coronation tomorrow. Now that the drug’s out of the way, I’ll handle the rest.”
I trusted Ardion and nodded. If things continued like this, we’d take care of Rowell easily.
Meanwhile, Derol peeked his head out of my dress pocket to look around curiously.
He didn’t seem so scared of people anymore. It probably started after the wedding, when people began showing him attention and affection.
As Ardion and I entered the ballroom, glances followed us everywhere. A crowd quickly formed around Ardion.
I walked with him, greeting noble after noble. Most of them gave me warm smiles, though a few stared at me with cold eyes.
But with Ardion by my side, they didn’t dare make it obvious. I simply smiled and stuck close to him. That was when Duchess Heverun approached.
“Your Highness, there you are. Come this way, everyone’s been looking for you. And that dress is absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” I smiled brightly and gave Ardion a look.
He frowned slightly. “Laila, just stay by my side. It’s better if—”
The duchess cut him off quickly. “Wouldn’t it be boring for Her Highness to stick to Your Highness’s side all night?”
I nodded. Honestly, the conversations around Ardion were getting a bit dull. I also wanted to mingle with the other noble ladies.
Ardion clearly didn’t like the idea as his expression soured further. But when I signaled him again, he reluctantly let go of my arm.
I followed the duchess to where the noble ladies were gathered. They all greeted me with cheerful smiles, and we had pleasant conversations.
We chatted for a while, and just as the topics began to run dry, I looked around. When is Rowell going to show up?
I was dying to see him get what was coming. While I was scanning the room…
“Your Highness, where did you get that dress? I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!”
I’d already received a lot of compliments on it.
“I’ll ask my maid and let you know later,” I answered.
The ladies around me started offering their addresses and handed me bits of paper. Soon, I had a stack in front of me.
“I’ve never seen a dress this elegant and fashionable at the same time, and it pairs so well with your pearl necklace.”
Their open praise made me blush a little, but I couldn’t help smiling. Being admired so openly felt amazing.
And to think I just picked it randomly…
A subtle sense of satisfaction bubbled up inside me.
“Oh, look, there’s Setina.”
I turned my head and saw a familiar face. That woman…
She was the one who had accidentally spilled wine on my dress at the ball where I first met Ardion. Her name, too similar to Serina’s, had caught my attention.
Setina looked startled when our eyes met and quickly turned away.
Duchess Heverun, watching closely, whispered to me, “How rude. Just walking past Her Highness without a word?”
“It’s fine,” I replied.
The duchess shook her head. “That won’t do. At my ball, everyone must greet the princess consort properly.”
With that, she approached Setina. Her face flushed, Setina reluctantly walked over and stiffly bowed with a slight frown. “Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you.”
Hearing those words gave me a strange feeling. It felt like just yesterday I was treated like a lowly maid.
“Yes, it’s nice to see you,” I replied gently.
Setina looked at me in shock. Her face flushed again, and her hands began to tremble. Her lips parted as if to say something, but she stayed silent.
Instead, she exhaled sharply and scowled.
“Setina, relax a little. You shouldn’t make that face in front of Her Highness,” someone gently scolded her.
Setina snapped, “What does my face matter?”
“You’re clearly jealous you didn’t get to marry His Highness.”
That comment drew a few snickers. It seemed Setina had long been a thorn in their side.
Now, her face was red as a beet. She exhaled loudly, then shouted, “You all act so friendly in front of her, but behind her back you criticize her for being a commoner!”
After that outburst, some nobles cleared their throats awkwardly and looked at me. They probably assumed I’d be upset by the mention of my commoner background, but it didn’t bother me much.
As I stayed silent, the nobles began watching me even more closely.
Eventually, the duchess spoke up. “Setina, how could you say something like that in front of Her Highness? Even if someone did say that, it’s improper to bring it up here.”
Another noble agreed. “Exactly. You make it sound like you’re leading the charge.”
Setina’s face twisted further. She let out another sharp breath and turned abruptly.
At that moment, she collided with a servant carrying a tray of wine. The tray tipped, and red wine spilled all over her dress.
T/N: I guess Ardion will forever be second?
Chapter 110
Before I could even process what was happening, Ardion lifted me and sat me on the desk. He stood between my slightly parted legs, looking straight at me.
“Ardion?”
“Laila, I always feel like I’m second in your life.”
Surprised by his words, I waved my hands frantically. “No, that’s not true. I only went to see Serina earlier to check if the drug was real. You’re my top priority.”
The moment those words left my mouth, I felt my face flush. I never thought about things like this while acting, but saying something I’d kept buried for so long was much harder than I expected. Ardion had been hurt over things I had dismissed as insignificant.
Still, my words seemed to ease him a little. He stared at me for a while before letting out a small laugh. “Then I guess I can smack Rowell upside the head without holding back.”
I figured he must’ve liked what I said. Watching Ardion closely, I nodded. “But… you’re not going to kill Rowell right away, are you?”
“Why not? Wouldn’t it be better to get it over with?” he replied like it was no big deal.
I shook my head. “He should still be judged for what he’s done. He should be punished properly, through a fair trial.”
Rowell had always found a way to wriggle out of the trials we’d prepared so thoroughly for. But this time, he needed to be judged and punished for his crimes.
Ardion considered my words in silence, then nodded.
❋ ❋ ❋
Morning dawned on the day of the ball. I’d been up early, hurrying to get ready. I had already picked out my dress and accessories, so that was out of the way, but getting myself dressed from head to toe still took quite a bit of time. A group of attendants buzzed around me.
I looked at myself in the mirror. My face gradually came to life with color. I got bored in the meantime and started playing a little finger game with Derol, who was sitting on the table. It was a simple game where I’d poke at him and he’d try to catch my finger.
This time, Derol caught my finger. I laughed and petted him.
He looked up at me with a knowing glint in his eyes and said, “Master, I believe you may finally bring Rowell to justice this time.”
“Right. Now that we’ve taken the drug from him, there’s no more reason to hesitate.”
Still, I felt a small twinge of unease deep down. Maybe it was just that things weren’t quite over yet, leaving my emotions unsteady.
I suppressed it and said lightly with a smile, “I wonder how much it hurts to be hit upside the head the day before your coronation.”
Derol squeaked in agreement. “Looks like justice is finally on its way.”
I nodded and looked back in the mirror. Then I tilted my head, puzzled. Was I seeing things…?
“Your Highness! You look absolutely stunning!” exclaimed one of the attendants.
I blinked. Is this really me?
The dress and pearl necklace were the ones I’d picked out myself, but the attendants had clearly worked hard. White floral ornaments stood out beautifully in my hair, and the lip color was particularly striking. Even I had to admit the face in the mirror was beautiful.
Just then, Derol examined my face and asked with concern, “Master, is something wrong?”
Feeling embarrassed, I quickly shook my head. “No, I’m fine.”
The attendants, on the other hand, kept complimenting me as they tidied up. I checked the time. The ball would begin soon.
“Derol, are you staying here or coming with me?”
“I’ll accompany you, of course.”
I nodded and slipped him into my dress pocket, also tucking in the dagger I had prepared.
Derol wriggled slightly in the pocket.
Concerned, I reminded, “Derol, if you feel uncomfortable, just let me know. I’ll take you out right away.”
“Understood. Don’t worry, Master.”
Right as Derol finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. I hurried over to open it. Standing there was Ardion.
He was wearing a sharp black suit that suited him incredibly well. The clean, structured cut accentuated his broad shoulders and lean figure perfectly. He looked stunning from head to toe.
“Laila…” Ardion stared at me at a loss for words.
Seeing such a reaction from someone who looked so perfect himself made me blink in surprise.
I smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
Even after I spoke, he just stood there, dazed and staring like a statue.
“Ardion?” I gently touched his arm.
He finally flinched and nodded. Then, without a word, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek and offered his arm. Still, his expression wasn’t as bright as before.
“Laila, I’m worried.”
“Worried about what?” I asked, puzzled.
He furrowed his brows and shook his head. “It’s nothing. If anyone tries to get close to you, I’ll take care of them.”
“Take care of them…?”
The way he said it didn’t sound very reassuring. But Ardion just smiled faintly and extended his arm again. With no choice, I placed my hand in his and we left the room.
❋ ❋ ❋
Several carriages were already lined up in front of Duchess Heverun’s mansion. Ours stopped at a rather prominent spot. Clearly the duchess had reserved the space for us.
The moment Ardion and I stepped out, I could feel all eyes on us. It was the first time we’d attended such a formal event since our wedding, so I felt a little nervous, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
It felt like stepping onto a new stage, which made it kind of exciting.
While I soaked in the attention, Ardion spoke beside me. “Rowell’s greeting all the nobles and talking about the coronation tomorrow. Now that the drug’s out of the way, I’ll handle the rest.”
I trusted Ardion and nodded. If things continued like this, we’d take care of Rowell easily.
Meanwhile, Derol peeked his head out of my dress pocket to look around curiously.
He didn’t seem so scared of people anymore. It probably started after the wedding, when people began showing him attention and affection.
As Ardion and I entered the ballroom, glances followed us everywhere. A crowd quickly formed around Ardion.
I walked with him, greeting noble after noble. Most of them gave me warm smiles, though a few stared at me with cold eyes.
But with Ardion by my side, they didn’t dare make it obvious. I simply smiled and stuck close to him. That was when Duchess Heverun approached.
“Your Highness, there you are. Come this way, everyone’s been looking for you. And that dress is absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” I smiled brightly and gave Ardion a look.
He frowned slightly. “Laila, just stay by my side. It’s better if—”
The duchess cut him off quickly. “Wouldn’t it be boring for Her Highness to stick to Your Highness’s side all night?”
I nodded. Honestly, the conversations around Ardion were getting a bit dull. I also wanted to mingle with the other noble ladies.
Ardion clearly didn’t like the idea as his expression soured further. But when I signaled him again, he reluctantly let go of my arm.
I followed the duchess to where the noble ladies were gathered. They all greeted me with cheerful smiles, and we had pleasant conversations.
We chatted for a while, and just as the topics began to run dry, I looked around. When is Rowell going to show up?
I was dying to see him get what was coming. While I was scanning the room…
“Your Highness, where did you get that dress? I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!”
I’d already received a lot of compliments on it.
“I’ll ask my maid and let you know later,” I answered.
The ladies around me started offering their addresses and handed me bits of paper. Soon, I had a stack in front of me.
“I’ve never seen a dress this elegant and fashionable at the same time, and it pairs so well with your pearl necklace.”
Their open praise made me blush a little, but I couldn’t help smiling. Being admired so openly felt amazing.
And to think I just picked it randomly…
A subtle sense of satisfaction bubbled up inside me.
“Oh, look, there’s Setina.”
I turned my head and saw a familiar face. That woman…
She was the one who had accidentally spilled wine on my dress at the ball where I first met Ardion. Her name, too similar to Serina’s, had caught my attention.
Setina looked startled when our eyes met and quickly turned away.
Duchess Heverun, watching closely, whispered to me, “How rude. Just walking past Her Highness without a word?”
“It’s fine,” I replied.
The duchess shook her head. “That won’t do. At my ball, everyone must greet the princess consort properly.”
With that, she approached Setina. Her face flushed, Setina reluctantly walked over and stiffly bowed with a slight frown. “Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you.”
Hearing those words gave me a strange feeling. It felt like just yesterday I was treated like a lowly maid.
“Yes, it’s nice to see you,” I replied gently.
Setina looked at me in shock. Her face flushed again, and her hands began to tremble. Her lips parted as if to say something, but she stayed silent.
Instead, she exhaled sharply and scowled.
“Setina, relax a little. You shouldn’t make that face in front of Her Highness,” someone gently scolded her.
Setina snapped, “What does my face matter?”
“You’re clearly jealous you didn’t get to marry His Highness.”
That comment drew a few snickers. It seemed Setina had long been a thorn in their side.
Now, her face was red as a beet. She exhaled loudly, then shouted, “You all act so friendly in front of her, but behind her back you criticize her for being a commoner!”
After that outburst, some nobles cleared their throats awkwardly and looked at me. They probably assumed I’d be upset by the mention of my commoner background, but it didn’t bother me much.
As I stayed silent, the nobles began watching me even more closely.
Eventually, the duchess spoke up. “Setina, how could you say something like that in front of Her Highness? Even if someone did say that, it’s improper to bring it up here.”
Another noble agreed. “Exactly. You make it sound like you’re leading the charge.”
Setina’s face twisted further. She let out another sharp breath and turned abruptly.
At that moment, she collided with a servant carrying a tray of wine. The tray tipped, and red wine spilled all over her dress.
T/N: I guess Ardion will forever be second?
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