As the two n indulged in the conversation, to be exact, a one-direction conversation that was dominated by the older man, the only lady in the room seed to be unfazed to join in.
Joanna chose to be silent, digging her plate instead, where the roast beef, baked potato, and raw vegetable drizzled with vinegar and herbs rested. She stuffed a piece of baked potato in her mouth, and the baked potato that just entered her mouth stayed still as her sight was suddenly filled with a gold envelope.
Lifting her head to look at the person who made the view of the food on her plate be blocked with the gold envelope, Joanna found him leaning over with his hand stretched out across the dining table to show the letter to her while holding her gaze with a sly smile on his face.
With her eyes narrowed and her mouth filled with the baked potato that had not been chewed and swallowed yet, she wondered what the aning of the beaming face of the cunning man was this ti.
anwhile, Canillas did not utter any words to answer her questioning yet suspecting gaze, shaking the letter as if telling her to take it instead.
Chewing and swallowing the potato, Joanna placed the cutlery she was holding on the plate and took the letter from the suspicious, smiling man.
With her back straightened, Joanna first read the front part of the letter that had not been opened yet, where the address on the letter was written.
The glow of the candles that were lit on the candlesticks that were placed on the dining table illuminated the gold envelope, adding a sense of elegance to the already refined royal invitation letter.
’General Canillas von Rodega and Lady Joanna von Rodega’.
The puzzled expression soon disappeared from Joanna’s countenance once she gained knowledge of why he gave the letter to her.
Staring up at the bright expression that was softened by the soft, warm glow illuminated by the flickering candlelight laying between them, Joanna could tell that General Canillas von Rodega was pleased to show her that she was now undoubtedly the family of von Rodega, his wife.
Joanna sighed inwardly. It ant that she had to co to the banquet as well, not with her father this ti but with him, her husband.
Joanna was calm before she read the invitation letter that was given to her. She actually listened to what her father talked about with the General. But she paid no attention to it, as she thought the invitation letter was solely directed to her father and the General.
There were so many tis she did not attend the banquets where the invitations were solely addressed to her father. It was just on certain occasions that she would give her father company, and it was if her father convinced her for unavoidable reasons, especially if it was a royal invitation.
However, this ti, even though it was the royal invitation, Joanna had intended not to attend the banquet. She would make an excuse to convince her father that the Tres was wandering out there. Aside from that, she did not need to worry if her father would attend the banquet without company, as the General was invited as well.
Joanna was typical of a quiet young lady who tended to avoid crowds. She preferred to spend her ti doing activities in a calm and quiet place rather than attending tea parties or any social gatherings that were regularly held by noble won in Barasca.
However, avoiding every invitation was impossible as she had an important role as the daughter of the Duke of Barasca, who was mostly invited to the social events, as her presence was regarded as necessary. What she tended to do was select the invitation.
Moreover, for Joanna, attending a small event with a smaller number of people was better than attending a big one, like the birthday event of the Crown Prince, where a large number of invitees from all around Terra would undoubtedly attend the banquet.
But this ti, her na was clearly inscribed on the letter, and it would definitely be regarded as presumptuous if she did not attend it, especially when the General was the reason why the King pushed forward the date of the banquet.
It made her realize that, no matter how much she wanted to deny that she was married and had status as a wife, it was ultimately a fact that could not be denied. Her na would be inscribed next to her husband’s na in every invitation letter for events since she held the status of the General’s wife.
Bringing up the Tres as an excuse to avoid attending the banquet was actually invalid, as the presence of the Tres in Terra should have been heard by all the noble circles. Additionally, just like what her father just inford her, the security all around Terra, particularly the capital, where the castle was located, should have been tightened.
As a royal grand event was to be held, there was no doubt that security would be tightened more, particularly where nurous noble ladies would be attending.
With that realization, Joanna felt that she had lost her appetite. All of the foods that were spread on the table were not mouth-watering anymore. But she had to finish the als that were left on her plate.
Shifting her gaze from the letter back to her als, Joanna set aside the invitation letter, took the cutlery, and continued to eat what was left on her plate.
"The banquet is held on Saturday, which is within five more days. Do you think that you need to invite Madam Grenada to make a dress for you to wear, Ann?" The Duke asked Joanna.
At the question given to her, the dispirited Joanna looked up at her father and shook her head. "No, Father. I still have a dress that I haven’t had the chance to wear in the wardrobe," Joanna replied, taking one last piece of roast beef into her mouth before setting aside the empty plate and wiping her lips with a napkin.
Apart from the fact that she had an unworn dress in her wardrobe, she felt like there was no need to make a dress for a banquet that she had no spirit to attend. There were many dresses in her wardrobe that were feasible to wear, although she had worn them before.
"And what about Sir Canillas?" The Duke asked Joanna in concern for his son-in-law.
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