"Arthur, is that you?" The soft voice of a little girl immediately reached Arthur's ears, causing him to freeze momentarily.
He turned and noticed a little girl wearing a beautiful red dress that hung down to her ankles.
The combination of the dress and her short hair tied in a ponytail added charm to the little girl's face—it was Lucia.
"L-Lucia?" Arthur replied, his voice stiff.
He immediately wanted to turn away, but Lucia's loud voice interrupted him.
"Arthur!"
"Why are you here?" Before he could turn around, Lucia ran up to him, grasping his right hand with both of her small hands, and looked at him curiously.
Her cute face displayed a mix of surprise, astonishment, and unbridled happiness, utterly evident in her expressions.
"Answer me!" Lucia demanded.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her face filled with curiosity and suspicion.
"This is Duke Asvold's family party, and only the nobles are supposed to attend, you know?" Lucia continued, questioning whether Arthur had snuck into the event.
"Well... I happened to know a low-level Luvic noble, and he brought me along," Arthur replied with a smile, crafting a lie for the little girl.
Arthur maintained a calm expression, devoid of any signs of panic, ensuring Lucia remained unaware of his deception.
"I see..." Lucia nodded, her eyes immediately lighting up with happiness.
"That's right! We've finally met again, woo~" she exclaimed.
"How have you been?" Lucia asked, her gaze filled with concern.
She scanned his body, looking for any signs of lingering wounds.
Arthur smiled and gently stroked her hair.
"Don't worry, I'm doing well," he reassured her.
"They can't hurt me at all," Arthur said in a cocky tone, expressing his confidence.
"Alright, I trust you." Lucia chuckled at his words and felt relieved.
She believed that all of Arthur's injuries were a result of saving her.
Moreover, she sensed that she had become a burden to Arthur because of it.
That's why her visit this time wasn't solely about the appointment of the new heir to Duke Asvold but also because she wanted to find Arthur.
However, he didn't expect his luck to defy the odds!
She stumbled upon Arthur at this party by chance, so she didn't have to go through the trouble of searching for him again!
"Hehehe, my hero! It's such a relief to finally reunite with you," Lucia said inwardly, beaming with delight as her eyes fixated on Arthur.
Witnessing this, Arthur felt a little peculiar but quickly adopted a playful grin in response.
"By the way, didn't you say you were an ordinary person?" Arthur feigned confusion and questioned Lucia with a doubtful tone.
Upon hearing this, Lucia's smile instantly froze, and she nervously glanced at Arthur.
"I-I, well, actually..." Lucia stammered, attempting to explain.
However, being genuinely bad at lying, she struggled to find the right words to clarify her situation to Arthur.
At the time she lied, it was obvious because Arthur had found her wearing a shabby dress, making it easy for her to deceive him.
However, the fact that she was now present at this extravagant party made it impossible to maintain the same lie.
"How can I explain this?" Lucia's confusion and panic grew.
Suddenly, Arthur's voice resonated in her ears, snapping her out of her reverie.
"Lucia? Why do you look so dazed?" Arthur continued to gaze at the bewildered Lucia and asked once more.
"I-I..." Lucia attempted to explain, but she truly had no idea how to deceive Arthur.
Just as Lucia was about to make another attempt to explain, the voice of an elderly man suddenly interrupted them, startling both of them.
"Princess Lucia?" The old man in servant's clothes suddenly appeared beside Lucia, causing her to startle in alarm.
"Why are you here?!" Lucia asked, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and surprise.
"The Emperor has been searching for you for quite some time, and he sent me to find you," the old man explained.
"Come inside quickly, as the party is about to commence."
Lucia's eyes shifted nervously towards Arthur, who was watching her with a startled expression on his face.
"Princess?" Arthur repeated, his voice filled with confusion, as he lowered his head.
Witnessing this, Lucia's panic intensified, and she desperately wanted to explain.
However, before she could utter a single word, Arthur raised his head, his gaze filled with sadness.
"So, you lied to me, huh?" Arthur's voice resonated with disappointment.
Without giving Lucia a chance to respond, he swiftly turned around and ran away.
Lucia stood frozen, a mix of shock and anguish engulfing her.
No!" Lucia exclaimed desperately, her voice filled with urgency.
"Arthur! Please, just listen to my explanation!"
She longed to chase after him, but the old servant standing beside her intervened, attempting to hold her back.
"Princess, the Emperor is waiting for you," the old servant said in a dispassionate tone, trying to dissuade Lucia from pursuing Arthur.
eαglesnovel`c,om Hearing this, Lucia abandoned her attempt to chase after Arthur and bit her small lip, nodding in agreement.
The old servant let out a sigh of relief and spoke softly, "Once the event is over, you will have the chance to meet him again. Don't worry."
Lucia simply nodded in response, her expression still laden with sadness.
She walked back towards Duke Asvold's mansion alongside the old servant, the surroundings now bustling with people.
Observing this, the old servant shook his head while gazing in the direction Arthur had gone.
"This heir of the Duke can be quite mischievous, huh?" He chuckled with a lighthearted expression and continued walking alongside Lucia.
...
"Lucia?" Emperor Alex called out as he noticed her approaching with a saddened expression.
"You're finally back too," he added, acknowledging her presence.
"The show will begin shortly."
"Please remain here."
Lucia didn't respond verbally but simply nodded and took her seat next to her father.
Observing this, Emperor Alex furrowed his brow slightly and exchanged a questioning glance with the old servant beside him, silently asking, "What's wrong?"
The old servant nodded in understanding and whispered a brief explanation to Emperor Alex.
Upon hearing the explanation, Emperor Alex smiled faintly and shook his head.
"This child is truly intriguing," he murmured, opting not to press Lucia further about her demeanor.
Emperor Alex chose not to reveal Arthur's identity at that moment, as he wanted to witness his daughter's reaction to the surprise.
"This is quite amusing," he mused, leaning back in his throne chair, resting his head in his palms, and whispering with a sense of anticipation.
...
The atmosphere within the mansion was truly grand, particularly in the presence of Emperor Alex, the most prominent figure in the Balka Empire.
A special area had been designated for him to ensure that people maintained their distance and respected his position.
However, without this designated space, no one would dare approach the Emperor for a conversation!
Nobles from various ranks, ranging from high to low level, representing not only the southern region but also the other three regions, had gathered.
Duke Asvold had extended invitations to nobles from across the entire Balka Empire to witness his son's ascent as the heir, making the event all the more significant.
The nobles in attendance certainly wouldn't miss such an important ceremony, as it had the potential to significantly impact the dynamics of the southern region.
However, the absence of Duke Wilhem's family, without even a representative in attendance, raised suspicions among the attendees.
Speculations about a possible conflict between the two noble families started to circulate.
Amidst the buzz of conversations, a sudden surge of immense pressure startled everyone within the main hall, instantly capturing their attention and redirecting it towards the source.
"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence." A man clad in pure white robes, adorned with a pattern of blazing flames behind him, emerged before the gathering of nobles.
He possessed a striking countenance, with neatly arranged fiery red hair and a regal crown adorned with a red crystal atop his head.
This man was none other than David Asvold, the Duke of Asvold himself.
Upon his arrival, all the nobles instinctively lowered their heads in a show of respect and uttered in unison, "Greetings, Lord Duke!"
David nodded in acknowledgment and offered a gentle smile.
"I apologize for any inconvenience caused by my invitation," he humbly addressed the gathering of nobles.
"No, no, it is an honor that the Lord Duke has extended his invitation!" The nobles responded in unison, denying any notion of inconvenience and showering David with humble praise.
David smiled slightly, not paying much heed to their compliments.
He was well aware that his status and power gave him the ability to influence them with a mere word.
Suddenly, an elderly man appeared by Duke Asvold's side, causing a collective surprise among those present.
The man was none other than the butler of Duke Asvold's mansion.
He respectfully inclined his head towards Duke Asvold before announcing in a clear and commanding voice, "Very well, the wait is over!"
"Let us commence the ceremony!"
"Please welcome the heir to Duke Asvold's mansion, Arthur Asvold!"
