A soft warmth spread from her lips, carrying with it Ophelia’s crisp yet assertive fragrance.
Lilian’s mind shut down in that instant.
In Ophelia’s blue eyes reflected Lilian’s own confused and astonished expression, while around them rose the gasps and cries of the crowd ignited by the scene.
Instinctively, Lilian tried to push Ophelia away.
Ophelia didn’t resist—she just smiled gently at Lilian’s movements.
Lilian glanced around, belatedly realizing she was still in the center of the hall, under the bright lights.
Rationality began to return.
What was going on?
Was her brother’s first kiss in over forty years just taken away like that?
And it was a forced kiss?
No, none of that mattered.
Where was Elenora?
What about Elenora?
Lilian scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of Elenora.
Her sense of direction returned as well.
Finally, pushing through the crowd, Lilian saw Elenora.
Elenora was glaring fiercely at Ophelia, her eyes burning with murderous intent.
She saw it all.
She saw Lilian’s confused and helpless look.
She saw Lilian searching for her.
The false accusations no longer mattered—they were mostly settled anyway.
What mattered now was taking Lilian back.
Elenora moved.
Her repressed fury overriding all decorum and etiquette, she strode quickly between Lilian and Ophelia, grabbed Lilian’s wrist, and snatched her back, pulling her tightly behind herself.
“Miss Elenora, what do you think you’re doing?” Ophelia said reproachfully, though with a smile on her lips.
“I’d rather ask Your Highness what you’ve done to mine!” Elenora snapped through gritted teeth, the words “mine” spoken with biting possessiveness.
A cheating cat.
Taking advantage of her distraction with Lilian to make a move on her?
“Oh—”
The nobles nearby murmured in shock.
At some unknown point, the music in the corner of the hall had stopped, leaving only a deathly silence.
A noblewoman’s cup slipped from her hand, clattering heavily onto the carpet.
The princess’s kiss to a girl was scandalous enough—but now there was apparently more to the story?
What did she mean “mine”?
At her own birthday banquet, the princess invited the Miss Kohen’s… person to dance, and even kissed her?
Almost instantly, the nobles, well-versed in complex social webs, began piecing together the tangled relationships.
“That’s the Miss Kohen, isn’t it?”
“Who exactly is that girl? To be loved both by the princess and the Miss Kohen? I’ve never even seen her before.”
They exchanged knowing looks and nodded in agreement.
It seemed the capital’s gossip columns were about to gain a new juicy story.
Derrick watched this scene with great delight.
His royal sister had a grudge with the Kohen family?
Perfect!
With his sister’s help, his plan’s chances of success had just skyrocketed!
He strode forward to the group.
He was about to announce to all the nobles present that Elenora was a thief.
“Ophelia, Miss Elenora stole your gift and refuses to return it. What do you suggest we do?”
Derrick’s voice rang out loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Gift? What gift?” Ophelia’s smile deepened; she was genuinely amused.
Laugh at a clown putting on a show.
“The Eye of Sis?” Derrick quickly named the item, as if it truly existed. “The Eye of Sis is a temptation to those unworthy of holding it—only the royal family is fit…”
“There is no such gift,” Ophelia cut him off sharply, leaving no room for argument. “You must have made a mistake, dear brother.”
Derrick’s smile stiffened.
He hadn’t expected Ophelia to undermine him.
Indeed, the gift list didn’t contain such an item.
Wait—
Derrick suddenly realized that although Ophelia and Elenora seemed at odds, they were actually on the same side.
His plan had failed.
The truth hit him hard.
He took a deep breath, forced a smile. “Ophelia, you’re right. It was my oversight.”
“Well, it seems it truly was an oversight,” Ophelia said with a hint of mockery. “To be fooled by such a fictional item and tricked by villains—Brother, you really need to be more careful in judging people from now on.”
Derrick clenched his fists but kept his smile as he waved his hand and hurried away.
“Oh, and one more thing, dear brother. Remember to arrest those villains who insult Miss Elenora, so she can demand justice…”
His steps faltered.
“Thank you for the reminder, sister.”
Then he quickly left.
Feeling Derrick’s mood shift, Ophelia struggled hard not to laugh.
What a pathetic clown.
Ophelia bowed gracefully to the crowd, her voice regaining the composure befitting a princess.
“My apologies for the spectacle, everyone. Let the banquet continue.”
“Lilian, Miss Elenora, please come with me…” Ophelia invited the two to a more private place; this wasn’t the setting to discuss such matters.
The three walked in silence toward a guest room.
Once inside, Ophelia was suddenly hit by a crushing oppressive aura.
She had never felt such pure murderous intent before.
The pressure was overwhelming.
She struggled to resist it, dropping to one knee to barely keep herself upright.
After all, though a prodigy in swordsmanship, her practical combat experience was limited—let alone facing this level of killing intent head-on.
Summoning her willpower, Ophelia forced her gaze up and saw the source of the murderous glare—Elenora.
Her crimson eyes locked onto Ophelia’s.
A monster…
She had underestimated Elenora.
She had underestimated Elenora’s devotion to Lilian.
Judging by both her methods and this murderous intent, Elenora was no ordinary countess’s daughter.
With a thud, Ophelia sank completely to her knees.
Upon entering, Lilian felt inexplicably uneasy and chilled.
And now Ophelia was kneeling suddenly?
She turned and saw Elenora’s icy expression as she glared fiercely at Ophelia.
Had Elenora attacked Ophelia?
Elenora’s magical power was strong—it wouldn’t be impossible to strike Ophelia silently.
But Ophelia had just helped them.
What if Elenora’s attack was too harsh?
Ophelia was already on the floor.
Lilian hurried over, gently soothing Elenora like calming a frightened cat.
“All right, all right. Ophelia just helped us…”
Lilian didn’t dare call her “Lilia” in front of Elenora.
That might be fatal…
“But she treated you like that!” Elenora’s voice sounded wounded.
Lilian looked at Elenora and noticed her eyes brimming with tears.
Ophelia seemed on the verge of collapse, her breathing rapid.
Lilian felt like her head was about to explode.
Enough!
Thinking quickly, she closed her eyes and lightly pecked Elenora’s cheek.
“Smooch—”
The world fell silent.
Elenora stood dazed, one hand touching where Lilian had kissed.
Ophelia lay on the ground, gasping loudly, her face a mixture of relief and survival.