The Royal Attendant was like a cannonball fired from its barrel, crashing through the crowd that was still cheering for the Queen.
The attendant rushed in front of Sylvia and squeezed out a few words into her ear.
*Buzz—*
The world went silent.
The applause that had been hot enough to sear one’s eardrums just a second ago was suddenly stripped away, becoming a muffled hum behind frosted glass.
The faint color on Sylvia’s face vanished instantly, as if a faucet had been tightened to the limit, leaving not a single drop behind. Those eyes, which had been as bright as amethysts only moments ago, lost all their light.
Shen Luolin sensed something was wrong immediately.
The warm, fragrant, and slightly prideful body in his arms suddenly went cold and stiff. Like a beautiful doll that had its soul snatched away, she even began to tremble minutely. The chill was so sharp that it made his fingertips go numb even through three layers of expensive formal wear.
‘Tch. Trouble.’
‘Who is the one lacking eyes, insisting on creating a mess right when I’m about to clock out?’
Shen Luolin lowered his voice and leaned into her ear, expertly switching back to his “employee” mode.
“Hey, new trouble?”
“Just so you know, a crisis of this level costs extra.”
However, his all-purpose opening line failed completely this time.
Sylvia turned her head sharply. In her unfocused eyes, she saw Shen Luolin’s probing face. Only a few minutes ago, this face had made her heart skip a beat. Just moments ago, this face had shielded her from the cold arrows of the world.
But now, the faint trace of concern hidden beneath those words “costs extra” felt like the sharpest blade, threatening to slice open her final shred of dignity.
She couldn’t let him see. She absolutely could not.
*Slap!*
A crisp sound rang out.
Sylvia threw off his hand with such force that she actually swayed. The last bit of light in her purple eyes extinguished, leaving only hollow terror and… wariness. “…This is my business. It has nothing to do with you.”
Whispers had already begun to rise from the surroundings.
She couldn’t lose her composure. She was the Queen.
Sylvia took a deep breath, using every ounce of her strength to stick that mask of noble coldness back onto her face. She straightened her spine, which felt as though it was about to be crushed, and forced a perfect smile toward the aristocrats who were casting inquisitive glances.
Then, she turned.
She didn’t look at Shen Luolin again.
Lifting her skirt, she rushed toward the exit of the Banquet Hall.
That was not the departure of a Queen. It was a panicked, undignified escape. As if fleeing for her life, she ruthlessly discarded the mountain of glory behind her, along with the only man who might have been able to catch her.
Shen Luolin stood where he was, watching as Sylvia’s figure was swallowed by the massive shadow of a pillar. His brow furrowed.
Inside the Banquet Hall, the applause that had been as hot as fire just moments ago had now gone completely cold. After the dead silence came a tide of uncontrollable, repressed whispers.
The gazes of those around him landed on him like needles, mixed with curiosity and sympathy, but mostly with schadenfreude.
The Queen had lost her composure in public, and her fiancé had been abandoned on the spot. This drama was far more exciting than the dance they had just performed.
Shen Luolin’s dead-fish eyes scanned the room.
He saw Rosa Rhodes being helped up from the floor. On her face, where her makeup was ruined, a look of vengeful ecstasy was blooming. He saw the group of calculating elders wordlessly exchanging glances, their eyes filled with the shrewdness of those who had seen through everything.
‘Tch. What a pain.’
Shen Luolin cursed under his breath.
According to the contract, he should turn around and leave right now. Her Majesty’s emotional breakdown was not within his scope of service.
However…
He looked down at his formal wear, which was worth more than he was.
Tonight, he had debated those elders and accompanied her through a high-difficulty dance. Now, he had to endure being pointed at by everyone on behalf of his employer…
‘What a joke.’
‘If I just walk away now, where’s my money? Where is my hard-earned overtime pay?’
Given Sylvia’s current state, she would probably forget her own name, let alone remember to settle the bill with him.
‘No. Absolutely not.’
At that thought, Shen Luolin took a deep breath. When he looked up again, the last trace of bewilderment in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a professional, business-ready smile.
He slowly picked up a glass of champagne that no one had touched and walked gracefully into the midst of the whispering nobles.
“Everyone, I apologize for that display.”
Everyone froze, turning their heads to look at him in unison.
Shen Luolin swirled his glass elegantly. The expression on his face was a perfect blend of doting affection and helplessness.
“Our Queen,” he began, his voice carrying a hint of a smile, “has never been able to tolerate a single grain of sand in her eyes.”
He spoke casually, but his words made many people’s hearts skip a beat. They subconsciously thought of Rosa Rhodes, who had been sprawled disgracefully on the floor moments earlier.
As if he hadn’t noticed their subtle expressions, Shen Luolin shrugged. His tone was outrageously indulgent.
“She likely saw someone or something that didn’t follow the rules just now, which ruined her mood. She went to handle it personally. Whenever it comes to official business, she gets like this. Please, everyone, carry on.”
Silence fell over the room once he finished speaking.
Was this an explanation? This was clearly a warning!
Furthermore, he, Shen Luolin, was not some pathetic man who had been dumped. He was the only man who could tolerate and even appreciate the Queen’s thunderous methods. That phrase “she gets like this” showcased his indulgence and protectiveness to the extreme.
Several noblewomen who had been waiting to laugh at him now had eyes shining with excitement. The topic of their whispers shifted from “the Queen’s breakdown” to “Oh my, the Frostwolf Duke is so doting.”
“As for Her Majesty’s departure…” Shen Luolin shifted his tone and looked toward the elders whose eyes were flickering. “The matter is of great importance, and she must handle it personally. Before she left, she specifically asked me to apologize to everyone on her behalf for the lack of hospitality.”
Now, even those old foxes had nothing to say.
Could you really criticize a Queen who temporarily left for the sake of national affairs? No. That would only make you look narrow-minded.
In his mind, Shen Luolin silently opened his ledger:
**[Crisis Management: Basic Service, 5,000 Gold Coins]**
**[Soothing Nobles: Fifty Gold Coins per person. Roughly twenty people: 1,000 Gold Coins]**
As his mental abacus clicked away, he maintained a proper smile, moving effortlessly through the crowd to clean up the mess left behind by his runaway employer.
He even took the time to walk up to Rosa Rhodes, casting a look of pity upon her venomous face.
“Miss Rhodes, the floor is cold. Do be careful with your health.”
Then, amidst her nearly explosive glare, he turned and walked away.
**[Insulting someone: Complimentary service, no charge. Purely a personal hobby.]**
***
Half an hour later, the guests in the Banquet Hall had been thoroughly appeased. Some even began to praise the Frostwolf Duke for his composure and sense of responsibility.
Shen Luolin stood at the entrance and saw off the last guest, letting out a long sigh of relief.
Alright, overtime was over.
He massaged his face, which was stiff from smiling, and was about to find a corner to sneak away when a low-profile, luxurious royal carriage pulled up silently in front of him.
The driver jumped down and gave him a respectful bow.
“Master Luolin, Her Majesty has ordered me to take you home.”
Shen Luolin was somewhat surprised. Considering the state Sylvia was in, he hadn’t expected her to remember to have someone send him home. It seemed she hadn’t lost her conscience entirely.
He leaned lazily against the carriage door and asked casually, “Where did your boss run off to?”
“The High Priest has ended his seclusion. Her Majesty… has gone to the Saint Temple alone.”
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