“This is Princess Stella Run Obelit’s seat.”
The attendant pointed to an empty chair, indicating where Stella was to sit. As she took her place, Stella observed the other attendees. In front of the princesses, similar-sized boxes to the one Stella had brought were placed.
‘Is the bloodline document inside those boxes?’
Stella tried to smile naturally, but her lips kept twitching involuntarily.
Better not to force a smile. Stella stopped trying to smile and scanned the room with a neutral expression.
The other princesses, who had arrived before her, had already started their intense observations. The princess sitting opposite Stella was the same one who had pushed past her earlier. Stella recognized her by the butterfly decoration on top of her head.
The butterfly, crafted from jewels, fluttered its wings, capturing attention with the slightest movement of the princess’s head. Some princesses, seemingly familiar with each other, were whispering closely.
Stella’s desire to return to Verduura, feeling like being a hostage was her true calling, grew.
“The Emperor enters!”
A voice announced, and the murmurs abruptly ceased. The princesses, who were whispering face-to-face, stood up in unison, adopting elegant postures to welcome the Emperor. Each looked as if they truly believed they were the main character of the event.
Quietly, invisibly, without presence, just be there and leave.
Fortunately, Stella’s seat was the farthest from where the Emperor sat, making it hard to see his face clearly.
Throughout the banquet, Stella remained at the edge of the table, as if Verduura lay at its end.
With the Emperor’s arrival, the princesses’ faces bloomed like roses, each trying their hardest to catch his eye with their most charming expressions.
To Stella, all the princesses seemed exceptionally beautiful, any of whom could be the Empress. They stared fixedly at the Emperor’s seat, as if their necks were broken wooden dolls.
Whenever the Emperor spoke, they laughed heartily. When he lifted his glass, they delicately raised theirs, showing off their elegant hands. Every second was torturous, but Stella followed their lead without standing out.
Her forced laughter seemed so absurd that she laughed for real.
Meaningless laughs and words were exchanged, but Stella remained silent. Thus, her first official event in the Credeon Empire was coming to an end.
Meanwhile, watching the women dressed up like flowers from head to toe, Kai felt a mix of accomplishment and fatigue.
The sense of achievement from finally having a hundred countries under his feet and the exhaustion from the dignified competition of women trying to catch his attention.
Of course, all of this was his doing. But thinking of the many kings groveling before him, even this annoyance seemed sweet.
Watching their daughters potentially die unknown to the world reminded them to stay in line. For Kai, the princesses were merely a tool to manipulate the kings of their countries effortlessly.
Initially, he hadn’t planned to keep so many hostages, nor to fill his ranks solely with princesses.
However, after encountering several assassins disguised as princes, Kai questioned the need to accept princes and involve himself in such troublesome matters. Of course, none of the assassins sent by those countries could harm even a hair on Kai’s head.
Initially, the princesses taken as hostages acted haughtily, but after meeting Kai, they became anxious about not catching his eye.
He was not only the enemy who had conquered their nations but also the most eligible bachelor in existence. The princesses firmly believed they had the power to turn this formidable foe into an ally.
Kai, receiving the overtly eager gazes of the princesses, swirled his half-empty wine glass, simply waiting for time to pass.
Soon, the time came for the princesses to present their bloodline documents and gifts to the Emperor.
“A gift of friendship from Calcutta,” announced the attendant, and a princess in a blue dress, sitting in the front row, gracefully walked forward.
Stella’s face stiffened as she watched, feeling as if the princess herself was part of the gift.
The princess carried the small box containing the bloodline document, while two knights brought out a larger box, adorned with Calcutta’s symbol of a blue dove, containing the treasure sent by Calcutta.
The Emperor first checked the bloodline document in the small box. After inspecting it with an indifferent look, he casually passed it to a man standing beside him.
The man, draped in a black robe, took the document and spread his palm over it. For a moment, a white light seeped between his palm and the scroll.
The princesses watching were astonished, Stella included, as she was unaware of such power in the bloodline document.
“The princess of Calcutta is verified,” the man announced, seemingly a process to authenticate the document. Stella involuntarily inhaled sharply, feeling tense.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
