The Duke of Wales's superficial attempt at testing him failed to stir even a decent ripple before sinking into complete silence.
His spoiled son, Croft, saw that Lin Gui was still sleeping peacefully.
With Elvia still nowhere to be seen, anxiety and anger nearly breached the dam of his sanity.
“Father! Are we just going to let this go? That pariah...”
Croft's eyes were bloodshot, his voice sharp with urgency.
“Slap!”
A crisp, loud slap cut him off.
The Duke of Wales's face was as dark as water, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment and anger at his son's failure to measure up.
“Fool! This has only just begun. What are you panicking for?!”
He lowered his voice, his tone cold as iron.
“As long as Elvia wants to survive in the Royal Capital, as long as she wants to keep her life and what little power she has, she must submit!”
“In the end, she will definitely become your wife and the Eldest Princess's most capable helper! Keep your composure!”
Croft clutched his face, not daring to utter another word.
Yet, the twisted obsession and possessiveness in his eyes only grew more intense.
After that minor disturbance, the banquet gradually resumed its superficial warmth and gaiety.
Exquisite silver platters held golden-roasted lamb chops.
Pastries were delicately dotted with caviar.
There were also all kinds of exquisite desserts that looked like works of art.
Waiters carrying crystal glasses filled with amber wine shuttled back and forth endlessly.
The band played an elegant waltz as the well-dressed guests mingled, clinking their glasses in celebration.
At their parents' behest, the young noble sons and daughters invited their partners and stepped onto the dance floor in pairs, dancing around Charles and Emily at the center of the floor.
They were undoubtedly the focus of the entire room at this moment.
Surrounded by enthusiastic nobles, they received a torrent of compliments and blessings.
Emily's face was bright with a smile that blended triumph and happiness as she held the future King of Carter, stepping to the elegant rhythm of the dance.
Reserved yet smug, she thoroughly enjoyed being the center of everyone's attention.
Ironically, this was supposed to be Lin Gui and Elvia's wedding banquet.
Yet at this moment, it had completely devolved into a stage for the Third Prince to announce his engagement.
Those of the Third Prince's faction were immersed in early celebrations and sycophancy for the future king and queen.
As for the 'real groom' snoring in the corner and his 'bride' who had yet to show up, they had long been forgotten on the margins of the laughter and joy.
Until...
A wave of involuntary, low gasps rippled outward from the entrance.
The music gradually faded, and the chatter ground to a sudden halt.
Countless eyes were locked onto the stunning figure at the entrance.
It was Elvia.
She had arrived.
She wore a pure white wedding dress, tailored to absolute perfection.
Layers of silk and lace draped elegantly, tracing her breathtakingly slender curves.
Her long golden hair, like flowing sunlight, was styled in an elegant updo.
A few loose strands fell against her fair, slender neck, adding a touch of effortless grace.
Her face was adorned with just the right amount of light makeup.
Her molten-gold eyes shone brilliantly under the lights.
With her red lips curved slightly, she possessed both the innocence of a young girl and the distinct allure of a mature woman.
She looked like an angel who had accidentally fallen into the mortal realm, instantly stealing all the splendor in the room.
The men's eyes were filled with undisguised amazement and obsession.
The women, meanwhile, felt a mix of uncontrollable jealousy and self-deprecation.
Emily, the Third Prince's fiancée, was hit the hardest; the smile on her face froze completely.
Staring at Elvia, who was countless times more radiant than herself and possessed a face more beautiful than an elf's, Emily was so consumed by jealousy that she nearly crushed the wine glass in her hand.
Elvia seemed completely oblivious to the various stares directed at her.
With a faint, trace of a smile on her lips, she gracefully made her way into the venue.
Her gaze drifted across the dance floor and searched near the dining tables, carrying a hint of anticipation that even she hadn't realized.
She was looking forward to seeing what kind of expression that guy would make when he saw her like this.
Would he... also lose himself and stare in fascination for a moment, just like those other men?
She searched around but couldn't find Lin Gui anywhere.
Finally, a minor noble who was staring blankly at her subconsciously pointed toward the darkest corner of the hall when her gaze swept past.
Elvia followed his gesture and looked over.
And then, the perfect smile on her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Lin Gui was slouched against a pillar, fast asleep, with soft snores even escaping his nose.
Meanwhile, the 'notice' posted on the pillar beside him stood out with glaring clarity under the illumination of the 【Glimmer】 spell.
Elvia facepalmed internally. This bastard... I spent ages dressing up, and he's actually using such a lame excuse to sleep here?!
And why are there so many people here who shouldn't have come?
Instead, I barely see any of the minor figures I actually invited!
Is this my wedding banquet or Charles's?
Though she was screaming in frustration on the inside, Elvia still maintained her flawless elegance on the outside.
She gave a soft cough and walked over to Lin Gui with poised, measured steps.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, she leaned down slightly.
Reaching out a delicate hand clad in a white lace glove, she gently poked Lin Gui's cheek with her fingertip.
Her voice was sweet enough to melt ice.
“Husband? Wake up, the banquet isn't over yet.”
This affectionate and intimate gesture instantly triggered the jealousy of almost every young noble in the room.
Seeing Elvia display such unprecedented tenderness, and toward a shabby mage sleeping with zero decorum at that, they felt their hearts shatter into pieces.
Emily took all of this in.
Seeing the dazed, love-struck looks on the faces of the young men around her, she could no longer contain herself and took her anger out on the people who had stopped dancing, shrieking loudly.
“Are you here to attend that bitch's engagement banquet or mine?!”
Her interrogation was like a bucket of cold water, snapping the infatuated 'green leaves' out of their daze.
They hurriedly withdrew their gazes, wrapping their arms around their displeased partners and resuming their dance to the music.
Yet, their eyes still uncontrollably drifted toward that stunning white figure from time to time.
Gently poked awake by Elvia, Lin Gui opened his eyes groggily.
Through his hazy vision, Elvia's breathtakingly beautiful form in her wedding dress came into focus.
He did indeed lose himself for a split second.
However, in the very next second, he actually closed his eyes again and mumbled incoherently.
“Don't bother me... let me sleep a bit longer... I still have to look for graves tomorrow...”
Saying that, he seemed to feel a bit hungry.
Without chanting a spell, he merely twitched his finger.
A small, exquisite-looking cake on a distant dining table floated over, wobbling slightly, before landing precisely in his mouth.
Elvia: “...”
Everyone: “...”
Immediately after, something even more jaw-dropping occurred.
Lin Gui chewed twice, and his brow instantly knit into a tight knot.
The expression on his face turned from blankness to extreme disgust and pain.
“Pfft—!”
He spat everything out in a sudden burst, completely disregarding his image as he cursed:
“Holy shit! Is this fucking pig feed?!”
The cake looked gorgeous on the outside, but the inside was a mixture of an indescribable, sickly-sweet, bizarre taste—like expired artificial flavoring mixed with cheap honey and some strange plant root.
Its texture was even worse, sticky and tasting like wax.
In comparison, the roasted insects sprinkled with coarse salt that he had shared with Theia back on Gray Street were practically a gourmet delicacy!
The banquet hall fell into a dead silence once more.
Only the sound of Lin Gui spitting out the remaining crumbs echoed with absolute clarity.
Rate on N.U.
