* * *
“Wow, this is my first time attending Grand Duke Felix’s banquet.”
“I’ve been to one of his formal banquets before, but it was more of a passing event. I don’t even know if it qualifies as a banquet.”
The invited guests all shared a similar sentiment.
The main topic of conversation was why the Grand Duke had suddenly decided to hold a banquet.
Among them, a young man who had just come of age, Pierre, sat stiffly.
‘I don’t care why the banquet is being held today. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.’
Three years ago, he had attended Felix’s victory ball and fallen in love.
‘People say black is an ominous color, but I never thought so. I had never seen anyone so breathtakingly handsome before. And the way he spoke—so gentle and refined.’
Felix had only spoken in his usual, straightforward manner, but to Pierre, who was already smitten, it had sounded like the epitome of grace.
“Could it be because of that person? I heard the Omega carrying the Grand Duke’s child followed him all the way to Nix.”
Pierre pretended not to be interested, but his ears perked up.
He had already heard the rumor, but he hadn’t paid much attention to it.
‘If they really had a child together but still aren’t married, then it’s obviously a lie! The Grand Duke doesn’t even care, but that person is clinging to him, so he has no choice but to keep them around.’
He was completely unaware that he was distorting the truth to fit his own wishes.
The newly decorated ducal castle, now bright and welcoming, didn’t catch his attention at all.
“Oh, but I heard that person was brought here against their will.”
For a moment, Pierre forgot he was eavesdropping and nearly snapped in anger.
‘That rumor was already debunked ages ago! How are there still people who believe that? There’s no way Grand Duke Felix would do something like that!’
He fumed. But the next words made his emotions waver even more.
“No, you’re behind on the gossip. It turns out that the new Omega has completely captivated His Highness. And when they’re together, they’re so head over heels for each other that all those ‘forced abduction’ rumors have completely disappeared.”
“What? Is that really true?”
Just as Pierre abruptly inserted himself into the conversation, an announcement echoed through the banquet hall, signaling the entrance of the evening’s main guests.
The people who had been eyeing Pierre curiously turned their attention toward the entrance.
‘They say he looks like a fairy? Let’s see just how handsome he really is. That rumor has to be exaggerated.’
Hearing that the two were deeply affectionate only fueled Pierre’s determination.
He was burning with the desire to find any flaw, any hint that the rumor was false.
At the entrance, the two appeared, practically stuck together.
More specifically, a tall, broad-shouldered man was holding the other so closely that it was hard to tell if he was supporting him or just embracing him.
He looked like a large dog guarding its master.
The matching, albeit differently colored, outfits made them seem even more like a pair.
“Wow…”
The murmurs of admiration that spread through the crowd carried multiple meanings.
First, everyone was surprised by Felix’s behavior, acting as though he was guarding Lowell like a sentinel.
Second, the rumors about Lowell’s beauty were not an exaggeration.
‘My… my looks are at least…’
No, not even close.
Pierre couldn’t even pretend that he and Lowell were on the same level.
Even though he had always been praised as the most handsome person in his territory, regardless of gender or status, standing next to Lowell would instantly render him plain.
‘Well… looks don’t matter that much, right? Inner qualities are what truly count. His Highness must think that way too.’
Quickly conceding defeat in terms of appearance, Pierre widened his eyes, determined to find another flaw in Lowell.
Just then, Felix finished his brief greeting, and Lowell opened his mouth to speak.
‘He’s probably going to say something foolish. That’ll ruin the atmosphere, right?’
Unaware that his thoughts had shifted from predictions to wishful thinking, Pierre clenched his fists.
“Thank you all for taking the time to attend despite your busy schedules.”
Hearing Lowell’s greeting, Pierre scoffed quietly.
He hated the way Lowell was already acting like the Grand Duchess despite not even being married yet.
Of course, anything Lowell did would have rubbed him the wrong way, but Pierre found ways to justify his irritation.
“I assume many of you are curious about the rumors surrounding the ducal castle.”
At Lowell’s words, not just Pierre but the entire hall tensed.
Even the musicians faltered for a moment.
No one had expected him to address the rumors so directly.
In high society, openly bringing up gossip was akin to exposing a weakness.
Everyone held their breath, waiting to see what he would say.
“After tonight, I believe those rumors will be put to rest.”
The way he spoke, almost like a declaration, had a commanding presence.
Even Pierre, who had been glaring at him, found himself momentarily captivated before anger surged again.
‘How can he say something so bluntly? He has no sense of refinement at all.’
Pierre knew that Lowell’s confidence wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
But somehow, it felt like he was losing, so he stubbornly judged him harshly.
“The castle’s greenhouse has indeed been beautifully renovated, just as the rumors say. Even when it housed medicinal plants, it was well-maintained, but now it’s a breathtaking garden. For those who were curious, I highly recommend taking a look today. It’s the result of everyone at the castle working hard together.”
At first, people seemed confused, but as Lowell continued speaking, laughter broke out.
He had cleverly played with the word “rumors” to make a lighthearted joke.
It wasn’t a particularly difficult trick, but since no one had expected Lowell to take this approach, several people were impressed.
Among them was Pierre.
‘Wait… he actually has a sense of humor?’
By joking about the rumors in such a casual manner, Lowell subtly dismissed their credibility without directly addressing them.
There had been whispers that he was just a greedy Omega, but this proved otherwise.
‘And he seems to have a good relationship with the staff, too! I thought there’d be tension after he fired so many people, but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all.’
Whether Lowell had intended this outcome or not, his greeting left a strong impression.
“Well, I don’t want to bore you with a long speech, so I’ll keep it brief.”
Although some of his words and gestures were slightly informal, his relaxed demeanor only made them more charming.
In the end, Pierre couldn’t find a single flaw and felt utterly defeated.
As Lowell finished speaking, he inwardly sighed in relief and took a seat beside Felix.
The Grand Duke immediately turned toward him, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Not that Felix himself seemed aware of it.
“We’ll have to dance soon.”
This banquet wasn’t a formal ball, but there was a moment set aside for dancing.
Naturally, the first dance would go to the host—Felix.
“I guess I’ll finally get to use what I learned.”
It had been a while since he last practiced, so he wasn’t entirely confident in his steps.
But in this hall, there was no one who knew him well enough to notice if he made mistakes.
‘Even if I mess up, Felix will lead me through it just fine.’
* * *
