Chapter 76: Chapter 73: Night of the Chimera’s Cry – Banquet (4)

“Lady Isla, yes?” Yulia was quick to start the conversation.

"Are you and the Duke very close?" She continued her charade of a kind and noble young lady. 

Aurora blinked her eyes. "Not very..."

"Oh? Then did you know that he tends to put his hand on his chin while thinking deeply? He also enjoys eating salty flavored foods. I remember him saying so before."

Aurora didn't say anything.

"Really?" Helen played along with Yulia. "Do tell!" She peeked at Aurora's expression while she hid hers behind that fan of hers.

"I do not want to divulge too much, but the look on his face when he sleeps is so adorable!" Yulia lowered her voice this time, but she spoke loud enough for Aurora and the other ladies there to hear her.

Molly didn't care much, but Helen hid her blushing face behind her fan. She knew if Yulia saw her that way, she would be suspicious.

Unfortunately, the reaction Yulia was expecting from Aurora was nowhere to be found. The girl in front of her just quietly listened to them talk without an ounce of jealousy showing. Was she that confident?

Disappointed, she could only change the subject. “I am sure all the Ladies here tonight are curious about your relationship with the Duke.” When Yulia directly asked this, the ladies sitting at the surrounding tables perked their ears to listen.

“…?” Aurora blankly looked at the person in front of her.

“Do you mind telling us??”

“Ah? Oh. I’m his distant cousin.”

“Yes?”

“Cousin,” Aurora repeated.

“Cousin?”

Aurora nodded her head.

“Is that…all?” Bewildered, Yulia asked again for clarification.

“…Distant cousin…”

“____” Yulia felt like fainting.

What? Distant cousin? And that was all? Because of their misleading actions earlier, she has completely misunderstood! She wasted all that time being angry and nervous when she could have become close with this person in front of her to get on the Duke’s good side.

Seeing Yulia’s regretful and relieved expression, Helen’s brows scrunched.

Why was she pleased with that slut’s words? Cousins, especially distant cousins marrying was not rare.

It can’t be that…she doesn’t know?

Before Helen could whisper and tell Yulia about this, a servant appeared with their teas. He picked up the empty rose-colored teacups from the cart and set the table. Just as he prepared to pour the tea, Griselda stepped forward and stopped him.

“I will p-pour the tea. You may leave now.” Griselda warned the servant. Of course, he didn’t bother rejecting her since she was one of their Lady’s friend.

After bowing his head, the servant quickly just as quickly as he came.

Griselda glanced at Yulia to see if she changed her mind. Unfortunately, she was left disappointed. 

Yulia sneered.

So, what if she’s the Duke’s distant cousin? ‘I will not forgive you for getting in my way from talking with the Duke and humiliating me.’

Griselda's hands shook as he poured tea for Yulia, Helen, and Molly. While they all noticed this, no one said anything. To distract Aurora from noticing, Yulia pulled her into idle chatter about the banquet.

Aurora, however, was very clear about what was going on.

The moment she saw Griselda standing at the side, her trembling as she stood there, sending away the servant before he completed his duties, and her nervous appearance as she poured their tea…

It was a desperate, childish action.

One that she has seen so many times as the former Crown Princess of this Empire. Envy, hatred, resentment, disdain, there were no lack of schemes and dark emotions she came across during the 15 years she lived in the imperial palace.

As she thought, Griselda, who was now pouring tea for her, ‘accidentally’ bumped against the table, causing her to lose balance and the tea in the pot to spill out. Aurora nonchalantly watched as the scene played out, and the sizzling hot tea poured over her arm as she heard the voice of the one sitting next to her, whisper in her ears.

"A slut who only knows how to seduce men should know when to disappear. His Grace is only enamored with your appearance. Once he has had his fill, he will surely throw you away like the trash that you are. You should do well to remember your status. This small lesson of mine is my gift to you."

Seeing the tea turn Aurora’s arm a bright red, Griselda trembled and dropped the teapot on the ground.

CRASH!!

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When it shattered into pieces, the music stopped playing, and the party halted. The eyes of all the ladies and men in the hall turned to their table.

At the sound of the glass shattering, the party had turned dead silent, but now murmuring voices began to fill the air.

For some reason, Yulia looked even more frightened than the person who had hot tea poured over her. While everyone else was wondering what was going, only she noticed Aurora’s calm demeanor.

‘How was she so composed? Did the tea not burn her??!’

She thought something was strange. But her doubts cleared the moment she saw Aurora’s arm turn very red as though it was bleeding from the inside.

Ruben wanted to rush to see if Yulia was okay, but before she could get far, a familiar person blocked her path.

Lucius Rizar, the Duke of Rizar, stepped in front of her.

“We still have business to discuss,” he said with a domineering tone.

The Earl's expression hardened.

If she knew it was going to end up this way, she would have rather he did not come at all.

She recalled what her son told her the other day.

‘The Duke is a ruthless man to those who cross him. You should give up on Yulia marrying him if you want her to keep her life. Just give her away to a normal man who will make her happy.’

Ruben did not want her precious daughter to be with that madman anymore than he did. But after losing her father at a young age, the Earl spoiled her only daughter, wanting to give her the world. She could not help but feel reluctant at giving Yulia to him. Was this really the best for her?

The commotion at the head table spread, causing the guests to look forward to spreading gossip about what took place at the banquet today.

Aurora causally stood up from her chair.

Earlier, even though she could have used her mana shield to block the tea from touching her and even push it back to the girl who deliberately spilled it, she decided not to use her precious mana on such a silly farce. Instead, her superior affinity for fire naturally protected her from the heat of the beverage.

CLICK.

CLICK.

CLICK.

The sound of Aurora’s heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked towards Griselda step by step. With each step Aurora took forward, Griselda stepped back.

The other three ladies watched on with glee, especially Yulia. ‘She's an idiot.’ The Earl’s daughter was disappointed that she had her guard up towards this girl. She was confident that this Aurora person was nothing but a one-night stand partner for the Duke.

'She was going to bury this wench here.'

Still, as the host, she could not let such a thing continue lest the guest blame her. “Lady Isla, please wait.” Yulia folded her hands in front of her and respectfully bowed. “It is only right that I take full responsibility for my friend’s mistake. Please let me call a Priest over to heal your wound. Afterward, should we have another cup of tea together?”

Hearing Yulia’s words, the others praised her for being so mature at a young age. They commended her conduct, saying ‘this is how a noble’s daughter should act’.

The corner of Yulia’s mouth lifted up.

But what happened next was something no one expected.

Aurora did not stop in front of her Griselda as everyone thought. She picked up the filled teacup. You could tell it was still hot from the small steam billowing in the air. A stream of cold air touched the tip of the cup. Feeling the slight chill that surrounded the air, Aurora glanced at Lucius, who met her eyes.

Everyone watched the beauty who came with the Duke approached the Earl’s daughter. Thinking she was about to offer the tea to make amends with her, everyone nodded their heads in approval.

“I would like to thank the Young Lady for teaching me a lesson,” Aurora said gently. Her voice was soft but carried over the hall to reach the other’s ears.

Yulia kept smiling, pretending she did not know anything. “I’m sorry?”

“I'm glad you reminded me of my current status and how devious people can be.” The 15 years she lived in the palace showed her that aristocrats were all people with scheming minds and black hearts. They have not changed at all. She knew all too well that people’s words could be more frightening than the fire that burned her alive.

“W-what…?” Yulia asked nervously. Before she could ask again, Aurora took her final step towards her.

That is why she refused to go back to being that vulnerable princess who let others walk all over her. And the 15 years she lived outside those castle walls, as she ran for dear life, taught her only one thing.

'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If you don't bother me, I won't bother you.'

Aurora lifted the teacup over Yulia and spilled the steaming beverage all on her head.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the reception hall.

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