When Hugo drew his energy back, a sound of deep inhalation filled the banquet hall as the nobles, who had been holding their breath under the oppressive aura, exhaled heavily.
‘That kid, he hasn’t lost his temper.’
A strangely satisfying grin appeared on the emperor’s face. As he waved one hand towards the orchestra, a warm melody that didn’t fit the atmosphere spread throughout the banquet hall.
As soon as the Artina family took their designated seats, the nobles who hadn’t had a chance to present their gifts and greetings due to the emperor’s arrival swarmed in like a swarm of bees.
“Duke, it is an honor to meet you this way. On my recent visit to the Harbenta Empire, I came across a precious bracelet…!”
“But it’s too precious to wear even on special occasions! Duke, I have this tiara made of gemstones said to contain magic…!”
Being the Duke of Artina, who was known not to accept gifts from other nobles, this birthday party was a great opportunity for those who wanted to leave their mark on the higher nobility.
At least at the Princess’s birthday party, he wouldn’t refuse gifts presented under the pretext of a birthday gift for the princess.
But regardless of what rare item was thrust upon him, Hugo’s expression was gloomy.
Being quite wealthy himself, the most noticeable method in his eyes was decidedly not wealth.
As Hugo continued to appear indifferent, the nobles began to glance at each other. Then, one count approached and said,
“Your Highness, the princess is indeed beautiful. She looks just like the Duchess.”
Hugo, who had been silently looking at the growing pile of gifts, reacted for the first time to the person who said what he most wanted to hear.
“Ah, you… Count Cherny, was it? Thank you.”
When Hugo addressed the count for the first time since sitting at the table, the nobles who had been unnecessarily emphasizing the value of their gifts had a realization and rushed in like a pack of hungry dogs.
“No wonder! If she only changes her hair color, she would look just like the Duchess!”
“Now that I think about it, she has blue eyes unlike the sons! Anyone would know she’s the Duchess’s daughter!”
As the nobles rushed to praise Evelia and the Duchess,
“You’re making a fuss over obvious things.”
Hugo, who was trying to maintain decorum, struggled to keep his lips from curving into a smile.
The people who approached with hidden claws made the glamorous banquet hall seem like a kingdom of animals in a bloody battle.
Evelia opened her eyes wide and identified the friend or foe of the approaching person. She made quite a fierce expression herself.
‘Dare to touch my family! I will eat you first.’
She narrowed her eyes menacingly whenever her parents’ faces didn’t look good when someone approached.
‘Roar!’
Evelia, who was rolling her shiny blue eyes to distinguish between allies and enemies, immediately put one noble who was approaching on the top of the danger list as their eyes met.
“It’s been a while, Duke. I regret not knowing about the birth of such a beautiful princess until now. If I had known earlier, I would have given a birth gift.”
His face was pale without a hint of color, and his smiling lips were grotesque.
In contrast to the bright smile that seemed to tear his face, his grey eyes, writhing like a snake, didn’t contain a shred of amusement.
Instead, the hostility was clear.
“…Especially, her eyes are truly beautiful.”
That’s not true. Right now, I’m glaring with all my might. In fact, it should be a bit scary.
It would be creepy if a baby who knows nothing looks at you with such sharp eyes.
“Our baby, why are you opening your eyes so cutely?”
Cedric, without any sense of the situation, stroked around Evelia’s eyes and poked her cheek. This brother has no sense.
“I should have visited the duke’s residence to pay my respects first… I’m sorry about this.”
“I’m glad you didn’t waste your time, Viscount Defont. I’m not receiving guests these days.”
Hugo said as he drained his vodka, not showing any change in his expression.
“Ah, I was about to make a big mistake. I heard that Viscount Cassis had visited, but you can’t trust the rumors of the capital after all.”
“Let me correct that. I meant that I’m not receiving unwelcome guests.”
Hugo gave a roundabout way of saying, ‘I welcome everyone but you.’
He should be angry, but the cold eyes of Viscount Defont held no emotion.
Soon, the gray eyes of Viscount Defont and the golden eyes of Hugo met, and their gazes entwined.
They did not converse, but their exchanged glances held a clear meaning.
Hostility.
“Eve, let’s go over there.”
Arkhan took Evelia from Hugo’s arms and sat her down a little distance away.
To Cedric, who asked why his father was behaving in such a way, Arkhan simply explained in a quiet voice.
The likely owner of the throne of the future Arcadia Empire is the current Crown Prince.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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