At her side walked another woman, strikingly beautiful, dressed in a bold crimson gown that clung to her figure. The neckline was cut generously, revealing a long, pale neck, a graceful collarbone, and a hint of snowy skin beneath. Her steps were unhurried yet alluring, swaying between elegance and seduction.
Wherever she passed, n’s gazes followed involuntarily, eyes glued to her figure as though each step landed squarely on their hearts.
"Master, that one doesn’t look friendly," Black warned in a low voice, instantly alert.
Scarlet had always been an enemy. For her to take the initiative now, there was only one explanation: trying to cause trouble.
Zora’s lips lifted into a faint, playful smile. She was curious to see exactly what Scarlet was planning this ti.
Scarlet raised her wine cup and stopped in front of the table, her gaze briefly brushing over Zora with open provocation. Yet she did not address her. Instead, she turned to Kael, her smile softening into sothing seemingly sincere.
"Prince Kael... My future brother-in-law," Scarlet said warmly, "congratulations on your recovery. For your legs to be healed is truly a blessing worth celebrating. I toast to you."
With that, she tipped her head back and drained the cup in one go.
Prince Kael remained seated, his expression calm and unreadable as he looked at her. He rembered Scarlet all too well. This woman had caused his wife no small amount of trouble. He did not believe for a mont that her congratulations were sincere.
Still, he said nothing. He wanted to see what she was really after.
Scarlet’s smile stiffened for the briefest instant at his indifference, but she quickly recovered. Turning slightly, she gestured to the woman beside her.
"Brother-in-law," Scarlet said smoothly as if it were the most natural thing to call him, "this is my distant cousin, Lyssandra. She has admired you for a long ti. I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce her to you."
Lyssandra stepped forward, her eyes shimring as she looked at Prince Kael, her expression shy yet bold. Every movent, every glance, was steeped in carefully crafted charm.
Scarlet watched closely, a glint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. She had noticed how many n at the banquet were already captivated by Lyssandra’s presence. Prince Kael was a man, too. She refused to believe he would be immune.
Even if Zora and Prince Kael were deeply in love, Scarlet was determined to stir up discomfort. For a woman, nothing was more unsettling than seeing another woman openly trying to charm her man.
She wanted to see how Zora would react.
anwhile, around them, several n’s expressions dimd with regret. Such a captivating beauty was clearly soone they would have eagerly pursued, yet now she had been deliberately presented to the Prince. Their chances vanished before they even began.
"I can’t believe it," White muttered angrily. "Scarlet is absolutely shaless."
The tension at the table grew quietly, like a thread pulled tight, threatening to snap at any mont.
Shihtzu in Zora’s arms began thrashing its little paws in agitation, eyes blazing as if it wanted nothing more than to leap out and twist Scarlet’s neck on the spot.
"Calm down," Zora murmured softly, stroking Shihtzu’s fur to soothe it.
Her eyes, usually bright and lively, now carried a sharp, icy gleam. Scarlet’s actions had succeeded in stirring her anger. She might look relaxed on the surface, but the chill in her gaze made it clear that she was anything but amused.
If it were before, Zora wouldn’t care much. Now that she had given her heart to Kael, she felt like soone was daring to enter her territory and challenging her.
Scarlet noticed it imdiately and felt secretly pleased. She lifted her chin slightly, her eyes brimming with smug satisfaction. This was exactly what she wanted to see. She wanted Zora to feel uncomfortable, to feel pain and anxiety.
Shihtzu glared viciously at Scarlet. Although its little paws finally settled down, the fury in its heart did not diminish in the slightest.
Lyssandra, standing nearby, felt a quiet surge of excitent.
She was not truly Scarlet’s cousin, but that detail did not matter. As Scarlet had said, she had admired Prince Kael for a long ti. When Scarlet first approached her, she had not dared to hope for anything. Now, however, knowing that the man before her was Prince Kael himself, her heart burned with anticipation.
Such a flawless man was soone she had never even dread of approaching before. And now, there was a chance that she might beco his woman.
The thought alone made Lyssandra’s eyes sparkle with excitent. How many won would envy her if that happened?
"Prince Kael," Lyssandra said softly, stepping forward and lowering her head in a graceful salute. "I have indeed admired you for a long ti."
Her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with shy affection, every movent carefully crafted to tug at a man’s heart.
Even Zora had to admit, reluctantly, that this kind of charm was indeed striking. It was the sort of beauty that could easily make n lose themselves. Yet such won often ended up as nothing more than ornants in soone else’s life.
Scarlet’s smile widened as she watched the scene unfold. "Brother-in-law, how do you feel?" she asked lightly.
Prince Kael’s lips curved faintly. He did not answer her directly. Instead, he turned his gaze to Zora, a trace of amusent flickering in his eyes.
Zora shrugged calmly, putting up an expression that said plainly that she had no intention of interfering.
Scarlet misread the exchange entirely. In her eyes, Prince Kael’s glance ant hesitation, and Zora’s reaction looked like a silent compromise. Confidence blood in her chest at once.
"Princess Consort Zora, Prince Kael has only one consort," Scarlet further said pointedly, her tone laced with mock concern as she spoke to Zora. "There are far too few people to serve him. You wouldn’t object to adding one more, would you?"
Her words carried a subtle edge. In front of so many people, she was clearly trying to force Zora into an awkward position.
Around them, whispers imdiately rose.
"I’ve always heard that Prince Kael and his consort are deeply in love. I wonder how she’ll respond to this."
"What’s there to respond to? It’s normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. He’s a prince, after all."
"Exactly. Such a beauty, no man would refuse her."
Several n laughed knowingly, sharing the sa sentint.
Zora rely lifted her brows and smiled faintly. "Since you’re so concerned about the prince’s well-being, why don’t you ask him directly?"
Scarlet’s eyes lit up. To her, this sounded like surrender.
"Brother-in-law," Scarlet said eagerly, her smile brightening, "since your consort has no objections, my cousin can stay by your side and serve you."
Lyssandra’s heart leapt with joy, her face glowing with anticipation.
Then, Prince Kael’s voice rang out, calm yet cutting, instantly freezing the atmosphere.
"Miss Scarlet," he said with a lazy smile that did not reach his eyes, "it’s rare to see soone so thoughtful. I hope that after you marry the Crown Prince in the future, you’ll show him the sa concern."
His gaze was indifferent, his tone polite but distant.
"However," Prince Kael continued, his voice turning colder, "this prince has no need for such arrangents."
The smile on Scarlet’s face stiffened, while the color drained from Lyssandra’s cheeks in an instant.
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