Chapter 82

Puli disliked Orville Achiyoli.

The power held by this Grand Duke had seriously threatened his throne. Looking at Achiyoli's youthful appearance in contrast to his already faded golden hair and cloudy green eyes, it was a constant reminder that Puli Cavendish was old and it was uncertain how much longer he could remain on the throne.

This realization made Puli very apprehensive, and even unconsciously caused him to feel fear.

After all, he and the queen did not have a child.

Of course, he once possessed it... but lost it immediately. Oh, it was a mistake he made, something that Puli regretted and repented for before the Creator God, something he still doesn't want to mention.

As for the Queen... Puli hadn't seen this woman for a long time. She had shut herself off in the palace and completely ignored Puli's existence.

The queen would never have the chance to bear him a legitimate child again, Puli thought. Perhaps it was time for him to consider his mistresses and illegitimate children...

"The Queen's Birthday Dinner" -- this is just a nice-sounding excuse and reason; the name itself has no real meaning.

The king arrived at the banquet shortly after it began, enjoying the compliments of all the nobles, while the queen was nowhere to be seen and did not appear with the king.

They have always done it this way, and the members of the royal family and nobles are used to it.

As Cyrus followed Orville into the resplendent hall, King Puli approached them, swirling a wine glass in his hand. Cyrus immediately sensed that they were surrounded by all sorts of ambiguous gazes.

He noticed that Darnell was also looking in this direction. After their eyes met, he smiled and raised his glass in a gesture of acknowledgment.

Before Cyrus could respond, His Majesty the King, having finished exchanging pleasantries with Grand Duke Orville, steered the conversation toward him, saying, "Young and promising Desinia, I have always admired you. Would you like to visit the palace after the banquet? You will surely have a wonderful experience."

Will you imprison me?

Cyrus smiled politely, "I may disappoint you, but after the Queen's birthday banquet, I should also be heading back to my territory. Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty."

He casually took a glass of what looked like fine wine from a tray carried by a passing waiter and said to King Puli, "To you."

Puli also raised his glass to Cyrus, saying meaningfully, "Perhaps you'll change your mind before the dinner ends, and I welcome that."

After saying that, he smiled at Orville again, then turned and left.

Cyrus watched as he reunited with Joanna, who had been a widow for a long time. The two exchanged a kiss without any hesitation, while a noblewoman standing not far away rolled her eyes imperceptibly, clearly feeling uncomfortable and contemptuous.

Out of consideration for the king's dignity, she turned and walked further away.

Cyrus also heard Robert muttering behind her, "Look at His Majesty's mistresses, their faces are full of jealousy and rivalry, it's ridiculous."

"His Majesty the King showed the Queen absolutely no mercy..."

"He'll regret it," Cyrus whispered.

"Regret? Why?" Robert raised an eyebrow in confusion upon hearing this, then leaned closer and asked, "Does Your Lordship know something?"

Cyrus: "There's no point in telling you now. You can see for yourself in a bit... see for yourself who the most beautiful woman is at this birthday party."

Robert didn't quite understand what he was saying, so he looked up and around. "Who is the most beautiful woman?!"

"This is such a difficult choice. You have to understand that all the women at the banquet are dressed to the nines, and they spare no effort in using any means to dress themselves up in order to become the center of attention."

"Even Joanna Ann, despite her current age disadvantage, has been rewarded with an irresistible mature charm by time; otherwise, she wouldn't have become the king's most favored mistress..."

Most importantly, the fact that the king was willing to clash with the Holy See for her was hard for him to believe. After all, the king was too much of a womanizer and amorous; it was hard to imagine him risking offending the Holy See for a woman...

Just then, a series of shrill laughs suddenly erupted from not far away. "Don't say that, Penny. How could the Queen not attend this banquet? This is her birthday party; she is the hostess. It would be extremely impolite for her not to come."

Cyrus looked in the direction of the sound.

--It was obvious that the king's mistresses were gathered together discussing the queen, wondering why she hadn't appeared at the banquet so late--after the banquet had started and everyone had almost arrived.

Their words lacked any respect for the Queen, their voices were unrestrained, and their smiles were unrestrained...

Although they used feather fans to partially cover their faces, the indifferent expression between their brows still betrayed their true feelings. The king's disregard for the queen severely affected their stance, causing them to forget the differences in status and hierarchy, which over time led to contempt and offense.

"They have absolutely no manners!"

A noblewoman muttered a curse under her breath, "A bunch of worthless wretches, His Majesty is truly foolish..."

Someone pulled her aside, forcing her to shut her mouth.

Cyrus saw Joanna standing quietly beside the king, noble and elegant, with a proper smile and posture... as if she were the hostess of the banquet.

"They can only be so smug now." Darnell appeared beside Cyrus at some point and whispered, "Thank you for the gift you brought to my aunt; this will be a new beginning for her."

[This book-reading app was recommended to me by a book-loving friend of ten years! It's incredibly useful; I use it to read aloud and listen to books while driving or before bed to pass the time. You can download it here.]

Cyrus nodded and replied softly in return, "No need to be so polite."

It's simply a matter of each getting what they need.

The words had barely left his mouth when a loud crash echoed as the tray slammed to the ground at the banquet entrance. The servants stared blankly in one direction, stunned, while the others turned to look in the direction of the sound, their expressions filled with displeasure.

Then, the lively banquet suddenly fell silent, as if the air had been filled with something incredible, dulling their thoughts, choking their voices, and causing their eyes to widen involuntarily, their faces showing disbelief...

"Step, step, step."

The rhythmic sound of high heels echoed as they entered the banquet hall. Those near the entrance couldn't help but show a dazed, captivated expression, unconsciously making way for the newcomer, allowing her unparalleled elegance to shine under the bright lights—like Moses parting the sea.

A woman in a gold dress walked slowly towards them.

She had thick, wavy hair, and a golden hair accessory held it back, forming a ring of laurel branches and leaves. Her long hair cascaded down her back, making her look charming and beautiful. Gold powder glittered across her deep-set eyes, and two delicate diamonds dotted the corners of her eyes. With her fair skin and red lips, her beauty was flawless.

The long, golden dress completely covered her perfectly curvaceous body, making her look graceful and tall.

This gown is embroidered with gold thread and adorned with crystal gemstones. As she moves, the patterns shimmer between the blooming flowers of the skirt, making this luxurious gown sparkle almost at all times. It accentuates the woman's nobility and splendor, successfully making it impossible for anyone to take their eyes off her.

She is the queen, walking into the magnificent hall with a cold and aloof expression, and she will find her own throne.

A sudden gasp rippled through the crowd, like someone who had been holding their breath finally being allowed to breathe again, followed by a chorus of surprised discussions.

"My God! Praise be to the Creator God! Who is she?! I mean, she doesn't even have a male companion... By the Creator God! This is an opportunity we can't miss!"

"Such a beautiful and noble woman should have a name in the empire, so why have I never heard of her?"

"She must have been kissed on the cheek by the Creator God. Look at her beautiful long hair and her fiery red lips, I feel like I'm on fire!"

"Wait, why does she seem so familiar...?"

A questioning voice arose, followed by another piercing scream, as one of the king's mistresses stared wide-eyed and shouted in disbelief.

"The Queen! She is the Queen! How could she possibly...?!"

Nothing is impossible.

Minina stopped and glanced at the king.

Puli's face was a mixture of amazement, fascination, shock upon hearing the shout, and speechlessness... his expression was so complex it was hard to describe.

She then slowly looked at his mistresses.

Clearly, Joanna Ann's expression was just as unpleasant as Puli's.

Her nobility paled in comparison to Minina's.

"How could she be Minina ... This is impossible," Puli muttered to himself.

Everyone was stunned by the mistress's words. They stared at Minina, and when they finally looked at her with serious eyes, they found the familiar face of the Queen. It was just makeup and a long dress... The Queen was so beautiful after being carefully dressed up.

Compared to her, the king's mistresses were like stones compared to gold coins!

How could the king have neglected the queen for so many years?!

For a moment, the way the male nobles looked at the king changed.

The noble ladies and young women were discussing Minina's makeup and long dress, as well as the rich, fragrant rose scent that wafted towards her as the Queen approached.

Even they, being women themselves, had to admit—oh, the Queen is absolutely stunning tonight!

Cyrus poked Robert, who stood like a statue, with her finger. "Tell me, who is the most beautiful woman at the party?"

Robert, looking dazed, mumbled "uh-huh" and "oh-oh," before finally snapping out of it and clearing his throat. He then affirmed, "Of course, it's the Queen."

Orville calmly withdrew his gaze, leaned down and whispered in Cyrus's ear, "Your masterpiece?"

Cyrus nodded in agreement.

He was now somewhat puzzled, his eyes searching through the crowd. Had His Holiness the Pope not come?