Chapter 7: The Banquet Begins!
In the room, Muen lay on his luxuriously comfortable bed, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. He began meticulously going through tomorrow’s itinerary in his mind.
“First, grooming.”
As the son of a duke and with tomorrow marking the only adult ceremony in Muen’s life, his entrance naturally had to dazzle everyone present. He aimed to command attention effortlessly, standing there like the eye of a storm, drawing every gaze towards him.
Hence, even before dawn broke, more than ten senior maids would be dedicatedly attending to his appearance. From the inside out, every strand of hair must be meticulously in place.
To be honest, when Muen laid eyes on that extravagant men’s formal attire, adorned with various precious metals and nearly blinding him with its opulence, he already felt a profound sense of suffocation by the afternoon.
Tomorrow, his greatest crisis might not be with Selicia, but rather with that twenty-kilogram magnificent suit.
“Then, it’s following His Lordship to greet the guests.”
The so-called coming-of-age ceremony was a declaration to the entire noble class that Muen Campbell was officially stepping into the social circle. He could participate in and host various events as the heir to the dukedom.
Furthermore, he could express admiration and affection towards a noble girl of suitable status, ultimately binding themselves in sacred matrimony.
Of course, the fact that Muen is already married to the Third Princess of the Empire has automatically been disregarded.
However, tomorrow, the nobles of the entire capital city will don their most extravagant attire and bring along their most promising children to attend this grand event.
This is not just a banquet; it’s also a staircase leading upwards. All the nobles will use their splendid attire as shields and their smiles as swords, intending to ascend even higher.
“Next is dealing with those nobles.”
This is the least of his worries. With the instincts of the original owner still lingering in this body, Muen should be able to navigate through this challenge.
Tomorrow, all he needs to do is smile.
“Lastly… that.”
Muen’s hand involuntarily reached for the two bottles of medicine hidden under his pillow.
This is the main event for tomorrow.
“First, I need to gain Selicia’s trust and spend some time alone with her.”
This shouldn’t be too difficult because even if Selicia wracks her brain, she would never imagine Muen Campbell would have the audacity to drug her.
Moreover, with the identity of her fiancé, it should be simple to invite her for a private drink.
“Next is administering the drug to her.”
This is indeed the most difficult step.
If discovered beforehand, all his efforts would likely go down the drain.
“But there shouldn’t be any problem.”
Because this is the expected development in this timeline, the heavens should assist him in achieving his goal. He just needs to discreetly add the medicine to her drink when she’s not paying attention.
“Finally, is it just waiting for everything to fall apart?”
Muen chuckled self-deprecatingly.
“I guess I might be the first transmigrator actively seeking a tragic ending like this.”
“I just hope nothing unexpected happens.”
The candle flame flickered out.
Outside the window, the moonlight filtered through the branches, casting mottled shadows on Muen’s handsome face, as enigmatic as fate itself.
A breeze stirred, causing the shadows to sway, as if also praying for a smooth tomorrow.
…
The next day.
After enduring three hours of torment from the maids, Muen finally donned the opulent suit weighing twenty kilograms. He stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, alongside the Duke, resembling a majestic lion, to welcome the arrival of guests.
His meticulously groomed golden hair exuded an air of sophistication, while his slightly embellished handsome face lost a hint of childishness and gained a touch of maturity.
Despite the excessive weight of his attire, Muen’s tailored men’s formal suit exuded an aristocratic aura. He resembled a newly risen sun, emitting a dazzling yet irresistibly captivating brilliance that naturally drew people’s attention towards him.
As Muen admired himself in the mirror today, he couldn’t help but feel handsome once again.
However, even if he were as handsome as a deity, when the noble girls came to greet him, they still lowered their heads and avoided his gaze, as if afraid of being noticed by him.
“Sigh, the reputation of the original owner is still too poor.”
Muen sighed helplessly under his breath.
In the eyes of the noble girls, the name Muen Campbell was synonymous with terms like “unscrupulous bully” and “womanizing playboy.”
The fact that his name overshadowed the prestigious title of “Duke’s son” above his head spoke volumes about how dismal Muen’s reputation truly was.
“Hey, kid, look over there!”
As Muen was lost in his thoughts, the Duke of Campbell, his adoptive father, suddenly slapped him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
“Look who’s here.”
No need for directions, Muen naturally turned his gaze in the direction indicated.
Beside Muen, the nobles who came to pay their respects and flatter him also turned their gazes in the same direction. Even the noble girls who dared not make eye contact with Muen glanced over as well.
All eyes converged on one figure, as if a radiant spotlight had suddenly illuminated the darkness between them.
Under the spotlight stood a girl.
She had silky, flawless, moonlight-white hair that cascaded down in gentle waves. Her delicate facial features resembled exquisite ice carvings, perfect to the point of flawlessness.
Her fine eyelashes appeared as if dusted with frost, also displaying a silvery-white hue. Beneath those lashes, her blue eyes were as cold as a lake, yet so deep that they seemed capable of capturing one’s soul.
The girl wore a simple yet elegant white gown, devoid of intricate embellishments, yet exuding an air of nobility.
In the moment she appeared, she became the center of attention, drawing the gaze of everyone present.
“So, this is… Selicia.”
Selicia Leopold, the Third Princess of the Olypote Empire, blessed by the Goddess of Ice and Snow, and known as the White Daughter of Ice.
She was also the origin of Muen Campbell’s tragic ending, and at this moment—she finally made her appearance!
“Indeed, words and memories can never fully capture a person’s beauty.”
Even though he was mentally prepared, Muen couldn’t help but be shaken the moment he laid eyes on her.
In his past life as a devoted fan of Selicia, Muen often frequented various forums and had seen many fan artworks of her. Among them were some exceptionally high-quality works that made Muen immediately save the original image and then excitedly admire them for three days and three nights.
But upon seeing the real person, Muen realized that even the most outstanding artworks failed to capture even a tenth of Selicia’s charm.
“Long time no see, Master Muen.”
While Muen was lost in thought, Selicia had already gracefully approached him.
“Long time no see, Princess Selicia.”
Muen immediately snapped out of his reverie and performed a gentlemanly bow. “You look exceptionally charming today.”
“Is that so? Thank you for the compliment,” Selicia replied, gracefully lifting the hem of her gown in return.
Her manners were impeccable, with no flaws to be found, yet there was a hint of icy aloofness that kept others at arm’s length.
“However, it’s rare to hear such words from Master Muen.”
“Haha, Your Highness Selicia is really joking. Your words make it seem like I’m some kind of rude fellow who can’t control his mouth.”
Isn’t that the case?
A hint of confusion flickered in Selicia’s cold gaze.
