Ciel Arkwright stood proudly next to his sister, acting as her escort for the night. It was the celebration of his sister's seventeenth birthday, an event he was almost certain would not occur, just like the past years he could remember. The girl preferred to lock herself inside her room on this particular day, just like any other day. The only difference was that she was more sensitive to any interaction that did not involve the crown prince or Heir Harrington.

Ciel looked at Avy, who sported a mask of indifference on her face, although occasionally trying to put the dangling piece of hair that somewhat made its way in front of her eyes, disrupting her vision, with a furrowed brow. Unlike her usual self, who moved comfortably, she was poised and prim in her silver ballgown that shimmered as the stones attached to the skirt reflected the light from the chandelier above. Ciel had become so accustomed to her actions that it was almost strange to see his sister actually behaving to please the noble society, and it looked like she was not having a hard time fitting in. It was not a surprise, however, as she was taught by the most talented mentors that the House of Arkwright could provide. She still showed her utmost elegance, even after not being able to attend social gatherings for years.

His sister, Avy, never liked celebrations in the first place. Hence, it was a surprise when she agreed that the family would host a party to celebrate her birth. Their grandfather was ready to open the Arkwright Castle, their ancestral home, for Avy to have the most luxurious ball in honor of her name. Ciel wanted it for his sister as well. Although he had only ever stepped foot inside the said house a couple of times, as it was too grand to his father's liking for them to actually stay in, he knew it would be the only place befitting of the celebration. That is, if the imperial family offered to hold the ball in the imperial palace, which, in his opinion, still paled in comparison to their ancestral home.

Avy had, of course, refused to make her celebration grand and was not happy that it even sparked a debate. She only agreed on terms that only a handful of people would be invited to attend for formalities. She was keen on making her point that she did not want to feel like an accessory to be ogled at on her day.

In the end, they decided to throw the party in one of their manors in the capital, which became their Uncle Alistair's primary residence as it was closer to the headquarters of the imperial knights. It was the place that was formally passed down in his name when he gained the title of marquis. It was bigger than the manor they lived in, as the duke valued simplicity more than anything; however, it was quite empty due to the fact that Alistair did not spend a lot of his days living there, being a knight commander who worked mainly for the imperial family.

It was in favor of all of them, although Ciel still entertained the idea of celebrating in the ancestral home. Avy did not want the mansion that they stayed in everyday—her personal space, as she worded it—to be crowded by people she barely knew. Both the duke and the lord shared her sentiment, agreeing for the celebration to be held at Alistair's residence.

Nevertheless, Ciel was delighted that his sister finally yielded to a celebration. Perhaps, he had Her Grace, Duchess Valentina, to extend his thanks to. The duchess, or Grandmother Ruby, as she liked to be addressed by him and his siblings, was the one who convinced Avy to hold even a small party to commemorate the date of her birth. Ciel knew it was not an easy task given that Avy was not too familiar with the older woman as she did not attend formal events, just like her brothers, where the duchess often used to catch up with the Arkwright children.

"It is an honor to be invited to your celebration, my lady," came the familiar refrain for the first time that night.

Ciel noticed how his sister's eyes quickly regained life upon hearing the statement as if knowing who exactly the voice belonged to. Lady Mallory Arden stood elegantly before her, her strawberry-blonde hair tied into a neat bun decorated with pink jewels. She pinched the hem of her lilac-colored ballgown, lifting it a little as she bowed with grace in front of the celebrant.

"Lady Mallory. I am thankful that you were able to come," Avy grinned. Lady Mallory was the first guest to receive it after greeting the celebrant that night. Ciel was surprised, to say the least. He did not know that his sister was acquainted with another lady. He watched as his sister exchanged pleasantries with the other girl without the usual forced smile that did not reach her eyes. She was delighted.

The lady shifted her eyes promptly to Ciel, slightly curtsying to display politeness, which Ciel returned with an acknowledging bow.

"Celebrating with my lady would be much more of an event than reading books at home," Lady Mallory playfully remarked, her eyes trained on the celebrant once again, the same elegant grin plastered on her face. This made Avy laugh, like a long-time friend who frequently jested with each other.

The pink-haired lady was, of course, accompanied by her cousin. Standing next to her was the heir to the Arden Dukedom and one of the few close acquaintances to Ciel and Avy's elder brother, Ashton. Young Master Grey Arden wore the same smile he used to greet everyone. Lady Mallory's right arm was hooked with his left comfortably.

"Happy birthday, my lady. You look even lovelier tonight," the young master held out his hand, asking for Avy's own, which she reluctantly gave. Her expression was almost sour as the man's lips made contact with the back of her hand.

"Thank you. You are the first person to tell me that." Ciel bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling after hearing his sister's biting humor. It seemed like he was not alone at the thought, given how the young master freely chortled at Avy's statement.

"I have heard a lot about the lady. Although words of the charming humor certainly did not grace my ears," the man confessed, amusement clearly mirrored in his emerald-colored eyes. "I believe we have never formally met before. I am the heir to the House of Arden, my lady. Grey Arden."

Ciel did not miss the subtle look of mischief on the young master's pair of greens. He knew it. It was unusual for an heir to be introduced to a lady of his sister's standing without the heir's head of house. Formally, they have to be accompanied by their predecessor.

He almost scoffed at the cunningness of the House of Arden for using Lady Mallory as a bridge to get to the Arkwright Lady. They must have noticed the girl's indifference to everyone and had already caught on to her relationship with Mallory Arden. It was already a huge success that Young Master Arden was received with such enthusiasm due to his connection to Avy's acquaintance.

"Ah, yes. I've heard about you as well." Avy acknowledged the juniper-haired heir's introduction, her eyes slightly brightening in recognition. Ciel did not think too much of this. In fact, it would be less likely that she had not heard of the man before. After all, Grey Arden is one of the most popular young mages, not only because of his house's standing, given that the Ardens are considered the most powerful air mages in the empire, but also because he was deemed attractive by the noble ladies' standards.

This did not settle nicely with Ciel, but he was comforted by the fact that Avy was too smitten with the prince, undeservingly so, for her to have her eyes on another man.

"Only good things, I hope." Grey raised his brows, and his lips quirked into an upward arch that was described by the population of women in the academy as one of his most alluring traits. His graceful smile. Ciel would say it was exaggerated. There was nothing special about it aside from the blatant fact that the shameless scoundrel was using it to try and gain the favor of his sister.

Avy scoffed, her lips gracing a small laugh. "Barely," she said. "What did they call you again?" She furrowed her brows with her eyes narrowed, looking as if she were in deep thought. The question did not sound like it was meant to be answered by any of them. Instead, it was more of a question for herself.

After a few seconds of pretending to think, her eyes focused once again on the young heir in front of her. "Kriseon's gentle hurricane."

The silence was broken by Lady Mallory's suppressed laugh. She had her mouth covered with her right hand, her shoulders shaking slightly as she giggled into her palm.

"Apologies, m'lady. How rude of me." The lady pursed her lips tightly to stop another laugh.

Ciel was also inclined to draw a grin from himself, but only the mask of politeness that he was forced to wear prevented him from doing so. He was familiar with the nickname that the noble ladies bestowed upon Grey Arden as he studied at the same academy, and in his opinion, they were horrible at best. The ladies really loved giving titles to every reputable person they laid their eyes on. Even his brother had one.

"It is hilarious, alright? You have to thank the noble ladies for that." Avy sniffed, her eyes brightening in amusement. Well, that is not so bad of a reaction. Ciel approved of Heir Arden's presence after all. He was a great entertainer.

"Hilarity matters least, my lady. I am thankful to be recognized by ladies such as yourself."

He takes it back. Grey Arden is nothing but a shameless flirt, and he should not be in close proximity with women, especially Avy.

"You would make an excellent jester, Young Master Arden," Ciel taunted, not hiding the fact that he was not pleased with the other's words of choice.

"Only if I do not have a dukedom to run in the future, young master, I would very much consider the suggestion." The juniper-haired mage grinned slyly, not even slightly bothered by the behavior.

Ciel wanted to wipe the despicable smile off of the man's lips, perhaps with a single swipe of his flames to burn his face and send him into a screaming fit. Yes, that would do.

~~~

Avy watched the exchange with a very entertained demeanor. She knew Ciel was protective of his sister, and it was not a secret among those who read the novel, especially when the boy even died for her sake. However, she was unprepared for how entertaining it would be. It was the first time she really saw him in action, doing his bodyguard duties.

"Ah, yes. Happy birthday to me! You can take it outside if you want to duke it out. As much as I want to cut the party short, I still want to talk to Lady Mallory," she stated, breaking the tension between the two. She had enough of their trades, thank you.

"I'm sorry, sister. I did not mean to be rude." Ciel dipped his head in shame, recoiling from possibly wanting to grill Grey Arden's face into a burnt patty. As much as it would have been an entertaining watch, Avy did not feel like witnessing something disgusting on her birthday.

"I apologize as well, Lady Avy," he said politely. Avy looked at the green-haired man in front of her, whose smile did not even falter one bit. His eyes were permanently narrowed, giving him the look of innocence above everything else. However, Avy knew not to be deceived by mere appearances.

She did not hate him as a character. He was a fan favorite even though he was not one of the leading guys who were involved with the protagonist. Still, he gathered quite a number of supporters due to his cunning and eccentric personality. He was described as a man who only saw other people as opportunities or, perhaps, strategy pawns, but he was not terrible. In all honesty, the readers loved his slyness and his wit, as well as the fact that he was a neutral figure in the story.

Grey Arden, although known for being a charmer, did not actually get together with ladies, even though he could spend every night with a woman and not run out of options for months. He simply used his advantage to gain favors and connections. He was even theorized to be in a secret relationship with one of the other heirs, Casper Helion, due to the ungodly amount of times they were mentioned together. It was never confirmed, though, and it may have been only because they grew up together closer than the other heirs because they are the ones with the least complicated personalities.

Avy knew Grey was just testing the waters and did not really want to propose a marriage to her; he was just like that. He knew better than to mess with the Arkwrights, and he was smart enough to weigh what he would lose and what he could gain.

"I do hope my son did not upset the beautiful flower for a lady." She turned to the voice that arrived, not noticing that there were a couple of people who approached where they stood.

She restrained herself from reacting, seeing how identical the person who spoke was to Grey Arden. He was older—the same age as her father, she was sure—and calling Grey his son meant that he was the current head of the Arden Dukedom, Graiard Arden. It was insane because, holy shit, they looked like they could pass as twins. She wondered if Grey's mother was even present in the bedroom when he was conceived.

"Duke Arden," she greeted, curtseying as she practiced with Andras nights before the party. She did not have a hard time picking up etiquette, as her body moved naturally as if it were programmed to move like that. Perhaps, the original Avy took etiquette lessons seriously, even though she did not attend social gatherings at all.

"I wish you a happy birthday, dear princess. You have grown so much like your father," Duke Graiard praised, his eyes twinkling the same way his son's did. He looked like a work of art; perhaps, having decades of experience at wooing noble ladies made him like that.

"I was told that I took after my mother more in that regard," Avy answered perfectly. Hell yeah, how's that, Andras? The older curse would be proud.

"As much as I wanted to entertain the thought, the nobility is not yet ready for a woman of your mother's caliber, my lady. Darling Sabrina was a terrifying occurrence that shook Kriseon to its core." The juniper-haired duke chuckled, his voice carefree yet elegant.

"You might want to watch what you say, Graiard. Alton does not appreciate such endearment pertaining to his wife," another voice commented. This time, it was another man with golden hair that almost made Avy want to yank it off his head. Dang, it looked like it was melted gold styled into strands. He stood proudly with a younger man with a slightly smaller build than him. And if it were not a fantasy novel, Avy would think she was seeing it twice. Why the heck do these kids look exactly like carbon copies of their male parents? Was their mother's presence during childbirth only a formality? She would not doubt it even a millisecond if she were told that these men created their children on their own with the help of magic.

"Forget about Alton. Valentina will slit your throat if she hears you speaking about Sabrina. She adored her like her own," the old man who stood a few steps behind the golden-haired duke commented. Avy wanted to gape at them for looking like they simply performed mitosis to reproduce and continue the next generation. It was Lord Zelgius Helion and his son, Duke Octavio Helion, with their heir, Casper.

Avy was so close to getting the heck out of there, lest she go crazy. They looked like they came from a single apple sliced into parts. What's up with that?

"Happy birthday, little Alton." Lord Zelgius smiled at her warmly.

"The darling has a name, you old bat."

Finally, a familiar voice. Avy jolted in recognition, hearing Duchess Ruebia's familiar, condescending tone grace her ears. She strode confidently in her velvet green ballgown decorated with rhinestones, her fiery red hair flowing freely, cascading past her shoulders. Her heir followed closely behind.

She walked past all the men who were in her path, making her way toward Avy with a soft, loving smile.

"You look ethereal, my dear heart," the older woman whispered sweetly, planting a kiss on each of Avy's cheeks with her hand resting on her arms. Avy was able to discern the hues of silver dancing in the woman's irises. They were cold steel, yet they still managed to exude warmth that was directed towards her. Honest, caring, and protective. It reminded her too much of her own mother.

The newcomers exchanged pleasantries with each other while Mallory excused herself politely, seemingly noticing where the conversation would lead and where her presence would not be preferred. She gave Avy a small apologetic glance, to which the latter replied with a nod, wordlessly promising to talk some other time.

Avy also did not like where the situation was going. Having half the empire's dukedom head more likely meant that the other half would arrive as well. It also meant Avy would be formally introduced to the heirs. Perhaps, it was an opportunity for her to decide if she still wanted to be married to the crown prince or not after being presented with choices. She viewed it as a burden. She was very content to have Lucifer—Ridge, as her fiancé, and she did not have plans to replace him any sooner.

"I see everyone has gathered for Lady Avana's celebration." The emperor arrived at last, along with the two remaining ducal families, the Arkwright and the Harrington. Duke Harrington walked with Zach and Lord Verard, while the emperor had his two sons with him. Duke Arkwright, the lord, and their heir went straight to their girl, of course, each giving her an acknowledging look, with the exception of Lord Alcasser, who affectionately kissed Avy's left temple as a greeting before settling on the place next to her.

"Your attendance is a great honor, Your Majesty," Avy greeted politely, which the leader of their nation dismissed with a smile. He appeared too friendly—too approachable for a member of the imperial family. However, with the way he was introduced in the novel, Avy knew that he was a dangerous wolf in sheep's clothing. There was no way a big empire like Kriseon would be so peaceful and thriving if it was being led by a pushover. Emperor Lucian is not evil, but he is capable of making sacrifices if he needs to.

"Lady Avana has been a delight ever since you were born. I see you as my own daughter," the emperor said softly as if Avy's own father were not present with them.

Avy felt the atmosphere shift with how the other families subtly reacted to the statement. The emperor was trying to establish a line that he could not draw too directly with powerful influences listening. She is not ignorant of the fact that her standing in society is like a trophy coveted by the empire. Having her meant having the prestige of her family, and even the other pillars, who are already in possession of immeasurable power, would still want to snatch her if they had the chance to.

The Arkwright Family is composed of highly trained individuals who understand the need to be guarded and closed off. They know the value of their words and presence, which they do not give away so easily. Everyone knows that Avana Arkwright, the daughter with no notable skill whatsoever, is the easiest way to infiltrate the said noble family with ease. After all, how hard could it be to charm the girl who does not even have magic of her own?

Out of all the family heads present, Duke Harrington was by far the least interested in trying to marry off his son to Avy. He looked like a gloomy version of his son. His expression was too passive, uncaring, lifeless, and plain. He looked like he did not even want to be present at that moment. Avy could relate.

She caught Zach's gaze, who was standing next to his father, his posture perfect like the heir he was. His eyes harbored unfriendliness without its usual biting malice. He had grown out of his loathing towards Avy and was, instead, replaced by a familiar irritation. It made Avy less uncomfortable that she was given a slight tinge of familiarity that did not include anything connected to being married to her. She gave him a rough smile, a playful one. Zach returned the gesture with his eyes rolling but not a hint of hate in his features.

"It is a shame that Lady Avana was not introduced officially to the noble society sooner," Duke Octavio Helion commented. His face was bright, although he exuded an air of intelligence with his experienced cobalt-blue eyes, a darker shade of color than the Harrington ones.

"It does not matter. Nobility should be the one to adjust when the darling has yet to feel comfortable being in the spotlight," Duchess Ruebia then claimed. Her successor was with her, as quiet as he was described in the novel. He looked similar to the older woman, his hair wild and red, complimenting the steel color of his eyes. It was said that he was adopted at birth; his origins are unknown. However, rumors floated around that he was a relative of the duchess or a secret child from a man she was ashamed to introduce to everyone. After all, she had vowed to never marry after her close friend, former Duchess Marzana Arkwright, died in the war.

"It is no wonder His Grace refused to introduce his daughter to everyone. Lady Avana, indeed, has the power to make noble gentlemen cry for her attention," Lord Garyous, Grey's grandfather, jested. Avy almost snorted to herself. She would rather fight another bear.

"You flatter me so, my lord, but I really am not one for publicity," she replied with an amused smile, which made the old lord's brow raise in interest.

"I see now that you really take care of your mother. Smart girl. Why don't you enter our family instead?" He boldly offered. It was just then that the ravens circling the vicinity moved after being quiet for the whole ordeal.

"That is quite enough, Arden. My granddaughter is too young to be speaking of marriage," Avy's own grandfather interrupted, stepping up intimidatingly. Duke Alton made a subtle movement of his hand, gently pulling Avy away from the men and closer to him and Ciel.

That was a load of crap. Noble ladies are talked into entering marriage as young as three years old before they even know how to put on their own shoes. Avy is already seventeen, and while it is, indeed, young by modern standards, it is fairly acceptable in their world for a girl of her age to even conceive an heir. Not that she would agree to have one just because it's the norm.

Amidst the tension, she caught a glimpse of molten gold imbued with crystals caged in a pair of pupils that was all too familiar to her. Crown Prince Lucifer was looking at her with the same familiarity. And as if an uncontrolled child, Avy's own pair of garnet-colored eyes glowed in recognition.

Emperor Lucian, the oh-so-observant father of the nation, had, of course, caught the abrupt change in Avy's features for a split second and decided to speak.

"Why don't we leave the younger ones to their own accord? It would be more comfortable for the lady to be around those her age instead of us old timers, no?"

Avy inwardly scoffed with amusement. He's good. His own son would not bother to engage with people older than him around, and he knew that. Leaving them to themselves would give Lucifer a better chance than the others due to his connection with Avy.

The older heads as well as the heroes did not object to this, seemingly having faith in their own heirs to carry out their expectations. The older Arkwrights were also not as fierce as they usually were. Perhaps, it was because Ashton, who was capable enough to mediate, was present and was more than enough of a force to keep the others at bay. They left with casual strides, speaking to one another with the emperor in the center of the talk, leaving the teenagers on their own.

"Sister! Happy Birthday!" Light was the one who broke the ice that was starting to thicken amongst them. Springing on his feet and jumping towards Avy without thinking of social etiquette, he was met with a small laugh coming from the lady.

"Mind your manners, Your Highness," Ciel snapped next to his sister, but, instead, he got a smug look in return.

"Why don't you mind your business, Arkwright? "The white-haired boy retorted back with the same ferocity he was given.

"You're going to stop doing that or I will tie your hands together so you will have to hold hands the whole evening. Pick one," Avy threatened, making the two young boys stop throwing daggers at each other with their eyes.

Well, that was one way to make the two shut up. Avy collected herself and looked around her, studying the faces that were left. Not to her surprise, Helion's heir, Casper Helion, was the first one to approach her with a smile.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Avana. My name is Casper Helion," the golden-haired boy stated, his eyes empty of malice and want. A pure ball of sunshine, as he was called by the readers.

"The pleasure is all mine, Heir Helion. Your presence is a gift."

Avy smugly watched as the lion's heir's eyes widen in surprise.

~~~

Although he preferred to be carefree, Casper Helion prided himself on his capability to handle his emotions in all sorts of situations given that he is still an heir to a noble house that contributes greatly to the empire. People do intend to take him lightly for not being as guarded as other heirs; however, he is Casimir Percival Helion, a pillar's successor through and through, and he is more than capable of controlling his reactions to sensitive matters.

"The pleasure is all mine, Heir Helion. Your presence is a gift."

However, Lady Avada Arkwright proved him to be lacking in the department. His eyes went wide, and his brows almost leaped in astonishment.

Lady Avana just used a phrase only named heirs were allowed to use.

'Your presence is a gift.'

Casper quickly shook himself to better assess what happened, and by the look that the lady displayed on her face, it was not a slip of ignorance. Instead, she looked like she was challenging all the heirs present to react to whatever she had stated.

'What are you going to do about it?' was plastered on her proudly without any ounce of regret.

If others were to be put in her shoes, they would be immediately criticized for not respecting social etiquette. The Kriseon Empire treasured the concept of naming their heirs seriously. No matter their standing, heirs are treated preciously by everyone, as they are viewed as the betterment of the upcoming generations. In extreme cases, there are families who produce children to serve the family heir with their lives.

The greeting that was strictly used by heirs was treated sacredly, and those who used it, knowing what it stood for, could only mean two things: they are challenging the authority of the current heir, or they are simply confident enough to tell the world that they are as equally important as the person holding an heirship.

Lady Avana did not look like she was challenging her brother, nor did she want to replace him; instead, she was establishing her own importance in front of the heirs of the families who are said to be the pillars of the empire.

"Surely the lady knows the weight of the words she has said?" Casper heard Grey question in mild amusement.

Ashton glanced at him, slightly looking him down. "Whatever does that imply, Heir Arden?"

It was as if the dark-haired heir was daring him to insult Lady Avana; of course, if he was brave enough to handle the consequences of doing so. It was widely known that the House of Arkwright, although not popular for being warm and loving, was fiercely protective of their own. It seems like they are, indeed, willing to battle with nobility if the need arises.

Oh, none of them would dare. Besides, it is not like Lady Avana was completely wrong about being on the same footing as other heirs. In actuality, she might be even more important than all of them, except, of course, Prince Lucifer, who is set to rule the empire once he's ascended the throne.

"Apologies, my lady. Grey did not mean for his statement to offend you," Casper tried to intervene. He has known Ashton enough to be certain that the dark-haired heir will not cause a scene that would tarnish his reputation. He is too stoic to consider doing something embarrassing. However, Casper does not know the full extent of the lengths he would go to for his sister.

He glanced at the other heirs, waiting for them to speak or make a move. To his disappointment, none of them seemed interested in saying anything. He knew that Lucifer is already acquainted with the lady and he is too withdrawn from everyone for him to muster a greeting. On the other hand, Zach's personality is too rash for polite gestures when it comes to Lady Avana. It is not like Casper is a stranger to the rumors that the lady harbored affection for the blue-haired heir.

Then there was Devin, Duchess Valentina's heir. Casper forgot when was the last time he heard him speak. Sure, he would see the redhead speaking with his mother; however, he only answered with nods, never bothering to open his mouth. Casper doubted he would introduce himself now.

"If you would allow me to lead the others' introduction, Lady Avana. They are on the quiet side, you see," Casper jested, trying to lighten up the mood even though he was an inch towards sweating profusely with how hard he was being stared at by the two younger boys on Lady Avana's either side.

"How kind of you." Lady Avana laughed lightly, and it was enough for Casper to feel relieved that the lady was trying to be courteous at the least.

"But there is no need for an introduction. If they so desire not to do so themselves, then there is no further need to. I am quite familiar with everyone already." Casper watched as the lady studied the faces of the men present.

He felt bad that she was the one accommodating to the heirs' personalities. He would not argue that they were always told that they have unique personalities, even before they entered the academy at twelve years old. He inwardly sighed. It was even Lady Avana's birthday and she was forced to receive such attitudes.

"If they did not have an ounce of shame to show a little bit of manners, I reckon they shall not introduce themselves properly."

Casper was startled by Ashton's remarks. He glanced at the fire mage who looked at the others with disapproval evident in his crimson-colored eyes. A small smile graced Casper's lips. Ashton has always been the most gutsy out of all of them even though he was the least confrontational—that title belonged to Zach—and was never afraid to voice out his thoughts even in Lucifer's presence. Well, the Arkwrights have enough power that they could be as disrespectful as they like and walk away with only a tap on their wrist at most. Still, their family valued manners and etiquette when dealing with everyone, even those so far beneath their status.

Lady Avana let out an amused laugh that she covered with a cough, her palm finding its way to cup her mouth as if hiding the fact that she thought her brother's statement hilarious.

"Come on, Brother, don't bully your friends," the lady remarked with a playful shove on the raven's arm, her tone teasing. Ashton's brows furrowed. However, he did not avoid his sister's touch and simply stood there as if it was an occurrence that happened often.

Casper, in his surprise, glanced at Grey, who coincidentally had his eyes searching for his gaze already. They looked at each other as if asking one another if the scene they witnessed was not a figment of their imagination.

Ashton Arkwright? That walking iceberg that never received a joke in his life? Incredible. Sweet Divine Goddess must be arriving tomorrow.

The silence was broken by Zach's snorting, who tried so little to suppress his voice. The blue-haired heir steered his gaze away from Ashton who looked at him with a not-so-amused pair of eyes.

"You seem to be too entertained, Zach," Ashton chided, not looking so pleased that he was being the center of the blue-haired boy's amusement.

Zach shrugged, his smile still not fading. "I was just not used to Avy being so ladylike. She seems to always run around like a thug whenever I see her," he claimed, earning yet another nasty look, but this time it came from the lady herself.

"Well, I'm trying hard to be nice tonight, young master," the lady attested slowly dropping the polite facade that she has been showing them the whole time.

The water mage smirked condescendingly, although Casper could see that it harbored no ill intent like usual. "You sure look like you're trying hard," he mockingly said. It sounded almost teasingly as if he was in a relationship with the lady intimate enough to joke around like they were friends.

Lady Avana narrowed her eyes at him before turning to her brother and speaking, "Ashton, did you know—"

"Alright! Alright! It was a joke!" Zach interrupted with panic, his voice rising. Lady Avana seemed satisfied by his reaction with a small smirk decorating her colored lips.

"And Valentina is gonna introduce himself. He's the only one you have yet to meet, is he not?" the water mage crossed his arms in front of his chest, gesturing at the redhead with his raised brow.

They waited for the Valentina heir to speak, but they were greeted by pure silence. The heir's face showed no emotions and no indication that he would open his mouth anytime soon. Figures. Casper respected that the redhead was too timid for things like self-introduction.

"...earlier..." came a soft whisper from the crown prince.

This made everyone swerve their necks in where he stood, curious about the statement that none of them heard clearly.

"What is it, Lucifer?" Zach questioned, inching closer to the white-haired mage in an attempt to catch all his words once he repeated his sentence.

"Devin has already introduced himself. Before Casimir," the prince answered, his voice quiet, drawing confused looks from everyone. He still calls Casper by his birth name and not the name that everyone has been addressing him ever since he was a child.

They looked at the said redhead to confirm the prince's claim. It is not that they did not believe the lightning mage's words, however, none of them could admit that they heard the other heir speak.

Devin nodded his head.

Oh!

"I'm really sorry, Devin. It was rude of me. I did not hear you. Perhaps, I was not paying enough attention," Casper sincerely apologized, feeling ashamed that he unintentionally ignored another heir. Much more, one that he had grown up with.

"It is a pleasure to finally be of your acquaintance, Heir Devin." Back to her polite demeanor, Lady Avana curtsied; perhaps, trying to erase the looming uncomfortable silence that might settle in the atmosphere due to what happened. She did not pressure the redhead to introduce himself once more, but instead filled the silence with her own greeting.

She turned to the crown prince with a smile. A familiar smile that she has yet to show any of them. Perhaps, Casper's eyes were simply playing tricks on him, but it was how it looked.

"Thank you, Your Highness," she said curtly. Casper glanced at the prince, waiting to get some kind of reaction although he was not able to see any. The white-haired prince simply inclined his head in acknowledgment. Too cold.

Casper expected a falter in the lady's polite expression. However, instead, the raven's lips quirked knowingly, as though she was able to get the reaction she wanted.

"Forgive my interruption, Young Masters, Your Imperial Highnesses." Their attention was called by a voice that belonged to a servant based on the uniform he was wearing. A butler of the Arkwright Family, if Casper guessed right. He was holding a black-colored medium-sized box decorated with a ribbon an even darker shade of black.

"An envoy from the country of Phrancia delivered this box. The queen instructed for the gift to be given to the lady during the party," the butler stated, his attention on the heir of the House of Arkwright.

With slightly furrowed brows, Ashton took the box from the servant, his eyes narrowing at the touch. Suspicion was clearly evident on his features as his lips were drawn in a small frown.

Casper was familiar with the country of Phrancia. In fact, it is difficult to find a person who has not heard of the territory before. It is a closed country that does not connect with other kingdoms, having no allies or direct disputes with neighboring territories. Just like the country of Auxiviel, it is not freely accepting of trade due to its abundance in resources and its location. While Auxiviel is surrounded by dangerous seas inhabited by magical sea beasts, making it impossible to cross, Phrancia is isolated and guarded by mountains and vast lands. Moreover, it is almost a country inside the beast realms where no sane person is brave enough to invade. There are also words that have been going around as old as Casper could remember, rumors whispered that the royals of the country are downright insane.

The fact that the Queen of Phrancia sent a gift for Lady Avana was more shocking information than the not-so-secret knowledge that everyone is privy to.

The said not-so-secret knowledge is that the former duchess, Sabrina Mevouissier, is a royal who came from the direct line to the throne. The current ruler of that country is Duchess Sabrina's sister.

~~~

Avy watched the emotion that was slowly brewing on Ashton's face. The mix of wariness and recognition danced across his usually emotionless face. It was as if he was contemplating if he would hand over the box to Avy or if he should command a servant to take it somewhere else to be dealt with after the party.

"Who is it from?" she asked, moving closer to inspect the box better.

It was black in color and did not look heavy by the way Ashton was holding it. Secured with a black ribbon tied neatly and perfectly, it looked simple and elegant and quite expensive. Having a better view of it, Avy was able to discern small hints of silver on the side of the lid.

Our Darling Ana.

"From the Royals of Phrancia, Queen Stella," Ashton answered, a hint of reluctance could be traced in his voice, although it was wonderfully concealed by his calm demeanor.

Avy's brows raised in mild surprise, recognizing the name of the country although the name of the queen sounded unfamiliar. Phrancia was always mentioned to make the novel's Avy sound crazier because that country's royals are rumored to be sick in the head. They are described as a family that had violent outbursts occasionally, not being a stranger to murder as they did it to people they found irritating. Sabrina's mother, being a former princess who was related directly to the royal family, made people speculate that she passed down the craziness to her daughter who became a mindless villainess who mercilessly inflicted pain on the heroine for being associated with Zach and her fiancé.

"Hand it over," she stated, gesturing for her elder brother to give the box.

Ashton did not seem like he liked the idea of letting her touch the gift, but Avy had no plans of arguing with him. She raised her right brow, urging him to hand it to her. Ashton was uncertain for a second, but eventually gave in, probably knowing that it would be unlikely that the gift would blow up on Avy's face.

Just like she expected, the box was not heavy. She did not try to shake it to guess what might be the content lest it turned out to be something fragile that could break. Quenching her curiosity, she held the bottom of the box in her left arm, her right intending to remove the ribbon that secured the lid.

She could feel the stares that bore on her while she untied the knot of the ribbon, letting it dangle in her arm when it came off. She glanced at Ashton for some unknown reason, feeling that she should look for him first before doing something. Ashton simply looked down at what she was holding without giving her any type of approval or the opposite.

Taking it as a go signal, Avy lifted the lid and it did not even take her a second to process before her hand instinctively let go of her hold on the box, immediately withdrawing from the repugnant smell of whatever was inside. She felt the need to vomit.

"Sister!" Ciel was quick to rush to her side in worry before the boy's eyes moved their attention from her to the box that lay on the marble floor.

He froze. Just like everybody else present who saw the contents of the box.

Avy understood, because what the fuck.

The contents of the box were a fucking pair of nearly decomposing hands.

*******

Avy's opinion on the man vs. bear thing

Man: Would you rather be stuck with a man or a bear in the woods?

Avy: Well, I've fought a bear before

Man: So you're gonna choose the man then?

Avy: And I won. What's your point bitch

(Avy would fight a bear again to avoid being stuck in the woods with a man. She's had enough of them, thanks)

********

HEEEYYYYY GUYSSS I've graduated y'alllll sorry for disappearing, I had to get that diploma.

Big thanks to my dearest editor who also thought of the amazing title for this chapter huehuehue she's so brainy.

ALSO, GUYS, ISN'T LUCIFER SUCH A SWEETHEART? I actually love him so much even though he's a constipated ball of touch-deprived anxiety. Leave your thoughts about this chapter and see you soon! Updates will be much more frequent since it's already my vacation.

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: @eliiskuuxen