Now everything clicked for Seraphina.
So it was the Whiplash Demon giving instructions…
No wonder the Giantwing chieftain had tried to compete with the Bloodborn instead of directly confronting her.
And judging by the current situation, the Whiplash leader clearly hadn’t prepared any script for how to respond when Seraphina handed out benefits so easily.
“Marquis, is there anything else?” Seraphina’s voice remained gentle. “The extension order for the mining rights will be delivered to your mansion tomorrow.”
“N-no… thank you, thank you, Your Highness the Princess Regent!”
Watching that towering figure turn and leave, Seraphina suddenly felt an inexplicable… amusement?
Especially when the Giantwing chieftain returned to the corner and was furiously bonked on the head by the much shorter Whiplash leader who had to jump to reach it.
“No prospects at all!”
Seraphina clearly read those words from the Whiplash leader’s lips.
This little scene gave her valuable information: the relationship between these two clans was far closer than she had imagined.
That meant she could pull both of them in at an even lower cost.
Even though both were merely marquises…
From backstage, Dekrian had been closely watching Seraphina. Only after confirming she was fine did he return to the front of the hall. He stepped onto the raised platform and lightly tapped his wine glass.
The crisp ting instantly quieted the entire room.
Dekrian smiled perfectly, sweeping his gaze across the crowd before giving a slight bow. His voice carried clearly throughout the banquet hall.
“Honoured guests, thank you all for gracing us with your presence at my daughter Ailinuo’s coming-of-age ceremony. On behalf of the Bloodborn clan, I extend our sincerest welcome.”
He then turned his eyes toward Seraphina, who still lingered in the corner. “And special gratitude must go to the esteemed Princess Regent Seraphina—your presence is the greatest honour we could receive!”
His speech was smooth and brief, lasting less than a minute.
“…And now, allow me to declare—the banquet officially begins! May everyone enjoy the evening to the fullest!”
As Dekrian’s words fell, graceful music swelled. Servants carrying exquisite dishes began filing in.
Every gaze—including those of nobles who had been whispering among themselves—turned involuntarily toward the slowly opening oak doors at the rear of the main seating area.
From within, the figure of a young girl gradually emerged.
She wore a dark crimson gown deliberately styled similarly to Seraphina’s, differing only in its primary colour. The skirt bloomed like a night rose in full flower.
Her silver-white hair, usually tied neatly, now cascaded freely over her shoulders.
Unlike Seraphina’s cool aloofness, Ailinuo’s beauty was vivid and alive—brimming with a maiden’s vitality and… a trace of nervousness.
Her eyes completely ignored the fawning crowd before her. They cut straight through the sea of figures and locked precisely onto the black-dressed silhouette in the corner.
That shy gaze was naturally noticed by Seraphina. She responded only with a small, polite nod.
Nothing more—after all, this was not her stage. To avoid stealing the spotlight, Seraphina had deliberately kept herself in the shadows.
Yet even that tiny gesture, one that seemed utterly unnecessary to acknowledge, caused a faint blush to rise on Ailinuo’s cheeks before the eyes of everyone present.
She quickly composed herself, remembering her father’s warnings.
Lina, standing beside Seraphina, was also caught in Ailinuo’s sight.
So that must be the human girl Her Highness took in…
In a Demon Realm that universally despised humans, Her Highness was willing to shelter a poor human girl…
And even dressed her so beautifully—she didn’t look like a maid at all!
Her Highness is truly… so kind-hearted…
“That’s Lady Ailinuo…”
“She’s absolutely stunning…”
Whispers reached Seraphina’s ears. She merely shifted her gaze to the crystal goblet in her hand, which she had barely touched.
Such occasions had long since grown dull for her.
What she truly cared about was whether Dekrian had kept his promise and prepared some proper human cuisine…
As if in direct response to her thoughts, Dekrian personally led a line of servants forward from the back, each carrying covered silver trays.
For the duke himself to escort them—what could it be?
The act alone drew every eye in the hall.
Even Seraphina, who had been “hiding” in her corner, finally stepped forward. Seeing the curiosity on everyone’s faces, a faint smile curved her lips.
A team of servants, and Her Highness smiles—no one knows the delicacies have arrived.
When all the domes were lifted at once, the mingled aromas of baked grains and fresh fruits and vegetables instantly swept through the entire hall!
Many of the guests attending tonight were visiting Bloodborn territory for the first time—most had come solely for Seraphina.
Like her, they had worried: would a Bloodborn banquet consist entirely of blood?
Now it seemed those fears were unfounded.
Gasps of astonishment rose one after another. Upon the long tables appeared golden-crusted bread, perfectly seared steaks dripping with juices, and vibrant, colourful salads.
Food that might be utterly ordinary in the human world had, in the eyes of these demon nobles, become a dual feast for both nerves and senses.
The scene Seraphina had imagined countless times in her heart was now laid bare before her—visible, fragrant, edible!
She passed her crystal goblet to Lina behind her, then picked up a silver fork and knife. Carefully, she cut a small piece of steak and brought it to her lips.
Everyone tacitly stood silent, waiting for Seraphina’s reaction.
The familiar, perfectly balanced flavour burst across her tongue.
This—this was what food was supposed to taste like!
Dekrian watched her covertly from afar. When that final faint smile appeared, he finally let out the breath he had been holding. All those days rushing between the mansion, the Demon King’s Castle, and the kitchens had been worth it!
Yes—for this banquet, he had personally visited the kitchens again and again, instructing the chefs not to fear wasting ingredients. Even if a hundred portions were ruined to perfect one dish, it was worth it!
Seraphina ate with graceful restraint—though if this were a human banquet, many would still find faults in her etiquette.
But this was a demon banquet! How many demons ate with their hands straight from the platter?
Seraphina’s manners delivered an enormous shock: So… eating could be this beautiful?
The entire scene was witnessed by Ailinuo, whose eyes shone even brighter with near-obsessive worship.
Not only was Her Highness supremely wise—even the way she dined was flawlessly elegant!
The whole evening was transformed by these few dishes of foreign cuisine into something wondrous and novel.
As the wine flowed past the third round and the atmosphere grew ever more lively, the native demon delicacies sat almost untouched in stark contrast to the nearly emptied platters of human food.