Chapter 14: Plans for an Engagement Ceremony?
Allen and Irina strolled together into the opulent dining room.
As they entered, their eyes fell upon Julius, seated at the dining table with his eyes closed.
Sensing their arrival, Julius opened his eyes and directed his gaze towards Allen and Irina.
"Oh, have you arrived, Allen?" Julius asked with a detached tone and an expression devoid of emotion.
He briefly glanced at Irina before quickly averting his gaze, as if her presence held no significance to him.
Upon hearing Julius' words, Allen merely nodded in acknowledgment and calmly took his seat at the opposite end of the table.
"Come, Irina," Allen said, shifting his facial expression into a warm smile as he patted the dining chair next to him.
Initially hesitant, Irina cast a brief glance at Julius, who observed their interaction.
However, with Allen by her side, she found solace and a deep sense of security.
With a gentle nod, Irina politely took her seat beside Allen.
Right from the start, Allen refrained from initiating conversation with Julius and focused on light-hearted banter with Irina, which seemed to irritate Julius to some extent.
"Cough!"
"Allen, may I ask you something?" Julius cleared his throat and called out to Allen.
Upon hearing this, Allen and Irina momentarily ceased their conversation.
Allen shifted his attention to Julius, sporting an indifferent expression.
"What's the matter?" Allen's voice remained flat, and his red eyes exuded an icy aura.
Observing Allen's reaction, Julius noticed a slight furrow forming on his brows.
Though a tinge of anger flickered within him, Julius composed himself, took a deep breath, and casually inquired, "Regarding the Wizard who appeared to you, has there been any additional information?"
The tone, filled with anticipation and hope, inadvertently gave Allen a hint of irritation.
While Allen had anticipated Julius inquiring about this matter, he hadn't expected such a direct approach.
Nonetheless, his mastery over controlling his facial expressions and emotions allowed him to merely shake his head lightly.
"There is nothing. I have no knowledge of her whereabouts," he said with a feigned sigh, showing no intention to elaborate further.
After all, it was all a fabrication, and he had no inclination to indulge Julius with detailed explanations.
Upon hearing Allen's response, Julius nodded, his gaze filled with appreciation as he looked at Allen.
"If there are any further developments, inform me, Allen," he stated, exuding an authoritative and eager demeanor.
Allen simply nodded and cleared his throat, offering a noncommittal "Hmm," before resuming his conversation with Irina, who had been silently observing their exchange.
Before long, the doors to the dining room swung open, revealing the entrance of two female figures—a mature woman adorned in an elegant dress, holding a folding fan in her hand, and a young girl with black hair and captivating green eyes.
The woman possessed a remarkably beautiful and refined countenance, yet a hint of a sharp and sinister glint lurked within her eyes, exerting an air of pressure on those around her.
Meanwhile, the young girl displayed an extraordinary beauty akin to that of her mother.
However, her innocent expression conveyed a sense of vulnerability and fragility.
As Allen beheld this sight, his expression instantly turned cold, and a name sprung to his mind: "Larina Cedric, Julius' second wife!"
Then his gaze shifted towards the young girl, unmistakably his younger sister, Lecia Frey.
The two approached Julius, gracefully lifting the hems of their dresses as they bowed before him.
"Greetings, Lord Duke," Larina greeted, her head respectfully lowered as a subtle smile graced her lips.
Beside her, Lecia mirrored her mother's gesture, demonstrating the same respectful bow.
"Greetings, Father!" Lecia's innocent and childlike expression melted the hearts of the servants standing guard in the dining room.
Discreetly, Allen shook his head, perceiving that Lecia's actions were likely a mere facade.
Having known Lecia's true nature from their previous lives, which he had previously overlooked, Allen remained skeptical.
Observing this, Julius nodded, a faint smile adorning his lips.
"Rise, both of you," Julius uttered in a gentle tone.
Subsequently, they both stood up, and the woman's gaze immediately fell upon Allen, who had yet to notice their presence.
"Oh, Allen! It's wonderful to see you've truly recovered!" Larina exclaimed, opening her folding fan and smiling warmly from behind it.
However, Allen merely cast a fleeting glance at her, his blood-red eyes fixating on Larina with a chilling gaze.
"Hmm," was Allen's terse response, as he disregarded her completely.
Witnessing Allen's indifference, Larina clenched her teeth, suppressing her anger.
She took a deep breath and forced a faint smile in response.
"By the way, Allen, how did you manage to recover?" Larina inquired, feigning curiosity as she took her place beside Duke Frey.
Meanwhile, Lecia, catching sight of Irina beside Allen, seethed with hatred.
Her green eyes bore a hostile glare towards Irina, yet she dared not act out of line due to Allen's presence.
Reluctantly, Lecia settled into her seat next to Larina, grumbling in frustration at the sight of Irina, who innocently gazed at Allen.
Upon hearing Larina's question once more, Allen's expression shifted abruptly, his smile taking on a mischievous quality.
"Well... It's quite interesting, really. You see, I had a dream where a Wizard visited me and proclaimed me the chosen one," Allen replied with an air of mystery.
"According to the Wizard, I was healed effortlessly by their intervention."
Sporting a playful gaze, Allen cupped his hands over his chest and directed his eyes towards Larina.
Upon hearing Allen's statement, Larina's expression froze, and she responded with a stammer.
"A Wizard?!" she exclaimed, her voice rigid as she looked at Allen, hoping to discern the truth from his expression.
However, Allen merely smiled indifferently and nodded slightly.
Witnessing his demeanor, Larina's complexion immediately turned sour.
She covered her mouth with her folded fan, forcing herself to respond.
"Well... you are indeed fortunate, Allen," she forced a laugh, her tone strained.
Meanwhile, Lecia, upon hearing this, couldn't contain her excitement, and she asked eagerly.
"Big brother, is it really true?" Her gaze was fixed on Allen with anticipation and a profound sense of awe.
However, much to her dismay, Allen didn't even spare her a glance, completely ignoring her presence.
As a consequence, she lowered her head slowly, overcome by a wave of sadness.
If it weren't for Julius and Larina's presence, she might have burst into tears right then and there, overwhelmed by Allen's indifferent attitude.
She bit her lip, her green eyes reflecting a hidden sorrow unbeknownst to Allen.
Witnessing Allen's disregard for Lecia, Larina was taken aback. Lecia's sorrowful expression ignited anger within Larina towards Allen.
Yet, confronted with Allen's indifferent demeanor, Larina felt a twinge of fear and could not express her anger openly, particularly considering the vast disparity in their social statuses.
"Damn it!" Larina inwardly cursed with annoyance.
Julius, who had been observing their interaction, remained silent, as he didn't particularly care.
Shortly after, the dining room doors swung open, revealing the servants with the food trolley lined up behind them.
Irina, filled with excitement, clutched her small stomach as hunger gnawed at her.
Allen smiled warmly and gently rubbed her small stomach, comforting her, until the servants began serving the food onto the table.
"Very well, you may all begin." Julius granted permission, and everyone at the table began their dinner.
A hushed atmosphere enveloped the dining room, with little to no interaction transpiring aside from Allen tending to Irina's needs.
Observing this, Lecia clenched the knife in her right hand, consuming her meal with deep-seated resentment.
Lecia's eyes remained fixated on Irina, who reveled in the devoted affection Allen showered upon her.
"That was meant to be my place!" Lecia gritted her teeth, her anger simmering within.
However, all she could do was harbor her intense resentment towards Irina in her heart.
Suddenly, the serene atmosphere shattered when Julius abruptly halted his meal, fixing his gaze upon Allen as he spoke, "By the way, in three days, your engagement ceremony is scheduled."
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Yes, I kept my promise, okay?
By the way, why Greta didn't show up at dinner will be discussed in the next chapter because I deliberately placed it in the next chapter.
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