Chapter 127: Is There Still Any Point? (55 — Seeking First Subscription)

The handsome youth stood at the grand entrance, his eyes holding no anger or hatred—only a calm so cold it had reached its absolute extreme.

The beautiful Princess stood at one side of the dance floor, her gaze equally calm, but deep within her eyes lay an extra trace of wonder.

And just as the two stood in quiet opposition, the others present also noticed the situation, and the vast banquet hall gradually fell silent.

Everyone was waiting for these two to speak.

Even those noble young masters who bore hostility toward Herbert wanted to know—after the storm of that incident, how exactly would these two face each other?

What would their relationship become, in the end?

But before they could wait for an answer… their waiting was interrupted.

"Are you going in or not? If you're not going in, then stop blocking the way up front!"

Valentina's anxious, impatient voice shattered the stillness, utterly destroying that special atmosphere.

"I'm really in a hurry, don't hold me back!"

Truth be told, Miss Hungry Dragon wasn't being rude, nor was she unaware that the occasion seemed a little special.

But she really could not hold on any longer.

She truly could not take it anymore…

It smells so good!

So good, so good, so good!

The smell is amazing ahhhhhh—

Ever since she had arrived here, she had caught that food aroma rushing straight to the crown of her head!

All kinds of scents were like one slap after another, smacking her hard across the face, demanding to know why she hadn't come over to devour them yet.

As a giant dragon who had been starving for a long time, how could she possibly withstand such a test?

She had long been ravenous beyond endurance!

She truly could not hold back.

And Herbert, whose mood had been broken, smiled helplessly and waved his hand: "Alright, alright, go eat then. Just be careful not to choke."

Whoosh—

Once she had permission, Valentina didn't need Herbert to guide her at all—she shot toward the banquet table in a flash, her astonishing speed nearly causing the noble lady beside her to topple backward on the spot.

But Valentina paid no heed to anyone else's reactions; she completely ignored the astonishment and avoidance around her, and swiftly grabbed at the food on the table.

(munch munch munch munch munch munch)

Though that entire roasted pig didn't take just three bites, it didn't last ten seconds either, transforming into a bare skeleton at a terrifying pace.

As for why she didn't eat the bones too, like she did at the Third Commandment… if there's meat, who eats bones!!?

She's not stupid!

(munch munch munch munch munch munch)

Valentina was over there inhaling like a whirlwind, shocking the crowd with the manner of a starving ghost pouncing on food, and at that moment Herbert's gaze swept across the entire hall, taking in every reaction of every person.

Shock, doubt, curiosity, hostility, jealousy… and fear.

His calm gaze lingered especially on those uneasy, fearful figures, swept over them once, and then withdrew.

The other looks he could all understand… but fear, well, heh.

What on earth are you all afraid of?

Herbert smiled pleasantly, paid those people no mind, passed through the crowd that automatically parted before him, and walked straight up to Felia.

He lowered his head to look at the girl as beautiful as in his memories, and with an easy expression chuckled softly: "It's been a long time, Felia. I'm a bit late, but I still have to congratulate you on coming of age."

Felia, who apparently hadn't expected his manner to be so calm, was briefly stunned, then nodded: "Herbert… it really has been a long time. I'm truly glad to see you safe and sound."

"Heh, thank you."

She gazed hesitantly at the youth who should have been familiar to her, yet found herself completely unable to connect the person before her with the figure in her memories.

His looks hadn't changed, but the air about him had undergone an earth-shattering transformation.

The elegant melancholy he once carried was gone, replaced by a sharp, striking confidence so intense it drew the eye.

In the past, he had already drawn others' attention by looks and bearing alone.

But now, Herbert seemed even more captivating than before, his entire being radiating a strange, fascinating charm.

What on earth had happened to him?

As Felia stood slightly dazed, Herbert extended his hand toward her and smiled:

"As the star of this ball, how can you just stand here watching instead of going in to dance yourself?"

"My lady, might I have this dance?"

Felia came back to herself, looked at him, put on her most perfect smile, and let her slender hand fall into his broad palm.

"…Of course."

So, without another word between them, the two walked hand in hand toward the center of the dance floor.

The crowd, seeing this scene, wore all manner of expressions, their heads full of question marks, unable to fathom what had transpired between the two.

This…

They just started dancing, just like that?

Are you two really just making up like nothing happened?

They didn't understand, but they were immensely shaken.

The court musicians didn't know what had happened, nor did they understand the tangled affairs involved—they only knew the Princess had stepped onto the floor, so they began to play once more.

As the music rose, the others in the hall also began to come back to themselves, murmuring to those beside them.

This is big news!

Never expected to encounter something like this today.

【White Dove】 has returned!

And from the look of it, he doesn't seem to have been hit at all — nothing like the rumors said, that he was utterly defeated and unable to recover.

Not only did he attend the Princess's ball, he even brought back a very, very gluttonous nun!

Just at the instant they were about to begin dancing, Feiliya's movements suddenly showed a trace of stiffness.

!!?

She stared fixedly at the chest of that bizarrely gluttonous nun — there, on her chest, was a brooch she knew very well.

The dance music began, and she naturally followed the melody, led by Herbert through one rotation.

But even while spinning, her gaze kept following Valentina.

Staring deathly hard!

Herbert noticed her reaction and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Is there some problem with her?"

"She… is she from the Albert family?"

"She isn't."

She isn't.

"Then… then that brooch?"

"Oh, it's mine. I gave it to her."

Feiliya spun, leaped… with her eyes wide open, following Valentina like a lock that had been picked, watching her finish one table and move on to the next.

She noticed even more details — the Ring of Ascetic Restraint was also on that nun!

Feiliya was very familiar with this magical artifact, because she had been the one to personally select it and then hand it to the Duke of Silver Wings.

Feiliya narrowed her eyes, a very peculiar feeling stirring in her heart.

What was this feeling?

This sourness, this awkwardness… this annoyance?

Why am I angry?

She knit her brows, savoring these feelings she had never experienced before, and was just about to look away when she suddenly froze completely.

And…

Why is that nun wearing a wedding ring!!?

She instinctively turned her head to look at Herbert's hand, and after confirming there was no ring on his finger, she let out a breath of relief — then froze on the spot.

Why did I let out a breath of relief?

I clearly…

Feiliya suddenly fell silent.

Lowering her head in thought for a long while, she finally asked softly, "You… aren't you going to ask anything?"

And Herbert, after watching her every reaction, smiled meaningfully and said softly, "At this point, does that question still have any meaning?"

Herbert wrapped his arm around her waist, and with the dance steps pulled her into his embrace, the two of them chest to chest.

Physically, the two of them were extremely close.

But spiritually, they were immeasurably far apart.

Herbert lowered his head, leaned close to Feiliya's ear, and whispered:

"You clearly know…"

"It's long since lost its meaning."

Begging for first subscriptions!!! Begging for automatic subscriptions!

Five updates today. I'm planning to keep up ten-thousand characters a day for the long haul — let's take it slow and steady; if I blow it all in one day, I'll likely fail to update the next day, and that would be terrible.

But I feel that an eleven-thousand-character update is still a bit thin for a launch, and I feel guilty about it.

So, as compensation, today's extra updates won't be counted toward the owed bonus updates — the repayment of bonus updates will be counted starting tomorrow.

The bonus updates currently owed before launch are (18 owed to the Alliance Leader + 20 for monthly tickets, 5 for Sanjiang) — enough for eleven days of ten-thousand-character updates.

Tomorrow will still be ten thousand characters a day. I hope everyone will keep supporting me, ahhhh!!!

Thank you!!!

By the way, the new book is currently 7th in monthly tickets, and the gap to the top 5 really isn't far. If it makes it into the top 5 in the end, I'll add 20 more updates…

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(End of chapter)