Chapter 4250: Side Story 2: A Banquet Tale

Side Story 2: A Banquet Tale

(This story takes place after Chapter 1299, when Xia De solved the murder case at Princess Angelina's birthday banquet and returned to Yodel Palace.)

10:00 PM. Tobesk City, Yodel Palace.

The lively birthday banquet would end in an hour, but this did not dampen the guests' spirits in the slightest. Although a cruel murder had occurred here, thanks to Detective Hamilton's swift investigation, the incident had merely become a topic of conversation for the guests during the banquet's lulls.

The ball was underway, but the host of the banquet, Princess Angelina, was not in the ballroom at this moment.

The little princess, accompanied by her personal maid, hurried back to the corridor where the lounge was located. As she walked, she looked at the maids guarding the last door:

"I need to see my sister. I have something to discuss, and it concerns Father."

She said this to the tall, brown-haired maid who appeared to be the leader. The latter hesitated for a moment before nodding gently:

"Please wait a moment."

The maid pursed her lips as she looked at the door, taking a deep breath before gathering the courage to knock. After a long while, the door opened from the inside, but there was no one there; only Lixia's voice, tinged with suppressed anger, drifted out:

"If you don't give me a proper reason for this knock, don't blame me for sending you all to Willendale to serve as spies!"

That angry voice made everyone who knew her shiver:

"Or is it that some other damned fellow has been murdered again?"

"Princess Angelina is here to see you!"

The maid said immediately. Then, Lixia's maids practically pushed Angelina, who was already having second thoughts, inside, and before she could panic and retreat, they shut the door firmly.

Angelina had chosen this lounge, so she naturally knew what it was like inside. At this moment, the gas lamps were bright, illuminating the empty sofa, the imposing desk, the red wine bottle on the coffee table, the bookshelves on the walls, and the oil portraits of the princesses' ancestors from some unknown generation.

This bright scene only made the little princess swallow hard before she looked toward the half-open bedroom door. This lounge, specifically for guests to rest during banquets, included a living room, a bedroom, and even a washroom, a cloakroom, and a smoking room. And Angelina certainly knew where her sister was.

"Angelina, come in."

Lixia's slightly low voice came from within, and the princess could only shuffle over. Upon reaching the doorway, she saw a man's coat lying on the carpet at the junction of the living room and bedroom. Looking further in, men's and women's clothing were scattered all over the wool red carpet. Sidling through the doorway and looking further inside, she saw the *Summer Night Collection* that should have been opened, now tossed casually on the nightstand, and that slightly oversized four-poster bed, now draped with expensive, thin gauze curtains on all four sides.

The curtains were drawn tight, and while the room was bright, it was still impossible to see clearly inside the canopy. But just seeing the clothes all over the floor, the overturned high-stemmed glass with a lipstick stain on the nightstand, and the blurred shadows behind the curtains was enough to make Angelina blush.

The shadows on the bed: the man sat upright in the center, facing the door, while two slightly slender shadows were there—one lying on his lap facing outward, and the other hugging him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder.

The little princess, who had very high intuition, felt at this moment that although the three figures looked perfectly normal, she was facing some kind of massive, blurred, and indescribable evil deity statue. The three figures should not have been stared at, but she instinctively wanted to look, to see clearly what was happening there.

Fortunately, she still remembered her sister's terrifying nature and that Lixia was currently angry. Therefore, although her face was flushed and she felt sour, angry, heartbroken, and slightly excited by the scene before her—reminding her of Hamilton's recent encounter—she still maintained the humility of a younger sister.

"One day, I... if Sister can do it, I can do it too..."

Although she thought this in her heart, her mouth asked respectfully:

"Sister."

"You had better be able to explain clearly why you are disturbing me for the second time."

Angelina had just been unable to distinguish which one was Lixia, but now she knew it was the one lying behind Xia De, resting her head on his shoulder.

"If there is no legitimate reason this time... there is an alchemical powder called 'Foot-Itch Powder.' Once sprinkled into shoes, it will make the soles of one's feet itch unbearably for an entire day."

Lixia's tone didn't sound like she was joking, but Angelina inexplicably felt that her sister wasn't as majestic as usual. This was probably because she didn't want to ruin her image in Xia De's heart.

"Oh, Lixia."

Xia De, sitting cross-legged, said with a hint of reproach. The girl behind him stretched her neck, wrapped one hand around Xia De's body, lifted his head, and kissed him from behind. This movement caused her long hair to slide down from her cheek, covering their mouths like a curtain.

But Angelina could imagine what was happening, and she pursed her lips, feeling a pang of heartache:

"I just came back from Father's study. Father knows all the details of the murder case, as well as... the matter of those three young gentlemen he favored."

"Very good, Angelina. Now you can rest easy for a while."

Xia De, finally released by Lixia, said. The little princess knew he was looking at her from behind the curtain, so she nodded with a flushed face, feeling that the room was getting a bit hot:

"Father praised Detective Hamilton and asked me to tell the detective that the draft for the detective fees and the contract for this commission will be sent to St. Deran Square shortly."

After all, on the surface, Xia De was not an agent of MI6.

"Lixia, your father is truly too polite."

"Yes, yes, you slept with his daughter, and he still has to pay you."

Lixia teased. Angelina frowned slightly because Lixia's voice had actually come from the figure lying on Xia De's lap, facing outward.

"Hmm? Which one is Sister exactly?"

The little princess was confused for a moment, and Dorothy, who was lying behind Xia De, said reproachfully:

"Lixia, what are you saying... Xia De, you should discipline her too."

Following a crisp slapping sound, two gasps, less than half a second apart, reached Angelina's ears, making her face turn red instantly. The two cotton socks under her magnificent princess dress rubbed together; she lowered her head slightly, not wanting Xia De to see her expression at this moment.

Of course, she was happy that Knight Hamilton could "fight back," but she just felt the room was getting hotter and hotter.

"Lixia, don't say such things."

Xia De said.

"Understood, my knight. Really, such a sudden strike... Is that all, Angelina?"

This time, Lixia's voice came from behind Xia De again.

"Yes, the banquet is almost over. I wanted to know if you are leaving separately later, or..."

The little princess raised her head again, hesitating as she looked at the strange figures behind the light gauze curtains, like statues of gods. But she didn't get an answer; instead, she heard two laughs. Lixia's laughter was crisp but carried a faint hint of teasing, while Dorothy's was shy yet alluring.

Finally, it was Dorothy who spoke, her voice coming from the figure lying in front of Xia De:

"Princess Angelina, this fiery night has only just begun for us. Would you dismount and go home just when your interest in riding has peaked?"

"What kind of strange metaphor is that? Are you saying I am..."

Xia De protested immediately, but was kissed again by the figure behind him, who wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Young lady, I can give you some life experience."

The figure lying on her side let the two behind her, hidden by the hanging long hair:

"When you want to hold onto someone, you must hold on tight, and make them want to hold onto you as well."

The figure behind Xia De lifted her head, still in Dorothy's tone, though her breathing frequency had quickened:

"Otherwise, they will be snatched away by someone else sooner or later. In love and war, there is no need for reason."

Angelina thought the writer lady was right, so she remembered it firmly.

Lixia said lazily:

"We'll go to Great-Aunt Galina's manor in a while. Father is also happy to see my relationship with Great-Aunt Galina improve. As for her promise to lend us the room..."

Lixia's voice shifted from in front of Xia De to behind him:

"Sir Knight is truly useful; Great-Aunt Galina knows this too."

The girls behind the curtains laughed together again, and Angelina, standing there, could only sigh at Knight Hamilton's charm—it was clearly not something only she had noticed.

"Then I'll go help Great-Aunt Galina arrange the carriage convoy."

Angelina calmed her mind. Although she could only watch helplessly as Xia De was bullied by her sister, she knew she had to be patient for now. One day, she would help Knight Hamilton gain his freedom too, and then...

"Then, I'll leave first."

She said this and wanted to leave, but was called back by the figure behind Xia De. This time, she couldn't tell if the voice belonged to Lixia Cavendish or Dorothy Louisa.

"Angelina, my sister, happy seventeenth birthday."

The voice said softly.

Inexplicably, although it was just a blessing, Angelina felt like crying. In Xia De's view, the little princess was truly being held firmly in the palm of Lixia's hand.

"Thank you."

"Youth will fade sooner or later, and no matter how beautiful the appearance, it will eventually pass. Cherish your seventeenth year, Angelina, my sister. I often regret that I didn't meet the man I am embracing now when I was seventeen."

Because the outlander hadn't arrived yet at that time.

"I want to give you a birthday gift."

"But you have already..."

"That necklace cannot express this blessing for my sister."

The curtain revealed a slit, and a small glass bottle floated out, containing a transparent green potion that made one feel happy.

The figure lying on her side said in a lazy tone:

"Every morning, drip one drop into a basin of water and wash your face with it. It will greatly slow down your aging process, and you will be able to keep your seventeen-year-old appearance for many years. This is a magic potion formula learned from the *Secret of Eternal Youth*. It shouldn't be used by ordinary people without elemental resistance, but you are not far from awakening anyway."

"This is a gift for you. Happy birthday. Xia De put in a lot of effort to persuade me while on the bed before I agreed to give it to you."

The figure behind him said.

Angelina gripped the warm little glass bottle tightly, bowed slightly, and turned to leave. At this moment, the excitement, the sourness, and the tearing sensation like a knife in her heart made her feel as if her soul were trembling.

Lixia was right; she was not far from true awakening.

"Why say that? You wanted to give it to her yourself."

After the door closed, Xia De asked.

Inside the curtains, the girl sat up from in front of Xia De and hugged him, her emerald eyes making Xia De feel as if he were looking directly into her fiery soul:

"I want Angelina to know that I will always be her sister."

"You really are..."

"Domineering."

The blonde girl behind him said with a smile.

The two girls sang in harmony, their hearts connected; they were almost the exact same soul:

"Since Lixia wants all of this, I am willing to help her, because this is very interesting; this is the best material."

"I want all of this because it is destined to belong to me. When I was born, all of Darian was calling my name."

"You are me."

"I am you."

"And you, Xia De."

The two said together, hugging the same person:

"Please enjoy this night, enjoy our shared love." ===== CHAPTER 4251 =====