As Ethan Gray, he naturally took a seat in the main hall. The others at his table seemed visibly tense.
Yuna hid in Ethan's arms, secretly laughing. The Dark Lord truly lived up to his reputation—he was intimidating wherever he went. Glancing at Ethan's expressionless face, Yuna nuzzled against his chest. Why did she always feel like the Dark Lord was up to no good? Someone was bound to have bad luck tonight.
Ethan was indifferent to all the pleasantries, completely ignoring their attempts to curry favor. He leisurely peeled shrimp, his slender fingers moving with elegant precision.
Yuna's big eyes darted around, sizing up the various guests. Ethan reached out and tapped her on the head, a hint of displeasure in his voice. "What are you looking at? Am I not good enough to look at?"
Beside them, Lynn Yee's mouth twitched. The prince was... increasingly impossible to deal with.
Normally, the master and his servants would never share a table in this setting, but Lynn Yee was different. He belonged to the Dark Lord, and he himself was not someone to be underestimated. No one dared treat him as a mere servant, even if he held no official position in the Ghost Guild.
As long as the Dark Lord didn't object, who would dare refuse him a seat?
Yuna shrank her neck and glared at Ethan. She was just looking around, and he actually knocked her—so violent!
She opened her mouth and bit into the shrimp Ethan fed her, catching his fingers along with it. Her sharp little teeth grazed his skin, as if ready to bite through at any moment.
Ethan raised an eyebrow and scratched her chin with his free hand, smiling. "What is it? Do my fingers taste better?"
Yuna squinted and swallowed, the shrimp in her mouth tempting her. She hesitated—should she satisfy her appetite, or take this chance to teach the Dark Lord a lesson?
Her tongue flicked over the shrimp, and Yuna snorted. Her shrimp was still the tastiest! She didn't want to admit she couldn't bite down—truthfully, the Dark Lord treated her well. So she decided to let bygones be bygones, not minding that he wouldn't let her devour him, especially since he seemed intent on devouring her instead. Either way, it was almost the same.
Yuna released Ethan's fingers, chewing the shrimp contentedly. She didn't forget to say, "I want more."
Ethan lowered his gaze to her, eyes deep and slightly heated. Rubbing the finger marked by her teeth, he smiled and leaned in to whisper in Yuna's ear, "Once you're full, remember to feed me too."
Yuna's lips paused mid-chew as she caught sight of Ethan's wickedly curved smile. She pouted, "Pervert!" Mother was right—men are all wolves. She'd said Father was the worst of them, but now Yuna felt the Dark Lord was even worse, and she was still just a cat!
The man and the cat flirted openly, their intimacy obvious. Most people found it strange, but no one really believed the Dark Lord would have an affair with a cat. After all, they were different species—such rumors would be too shocking.
Finally, Cynthia Qi made her appearance, drawing everyone's attention away from Ethan. It seemed that, aside from being humbled before Ethan, the kingdom's greatest beauty still captivated everyone else.
Yuna chewed her shrimp while watching the unreadable look in Ethan's eyes, unable to resist whispering, "What are you planning?" The Dark Lord looked so scary right now, like a sly fox.
Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Ethan kissed her furry little face, then said meaningfully, "Naturally, I'm here to fulfill her wish."
Amidst the chorus of praise, Ethan suddenly spoke up: "Miss Qi is truly stunning. His Majesty intends for her to enter the palace. What does Miss Qi think of this?"
The hall fell silent at his words.
If His Majesty had made up his mind, what chance did anyone else have? Who would dare compete with the emperor for a woman?
Cynthia Qi bit her lip, her face pale. She hadn't expected Ethan to say such a thing at this moment. Did he truly feel nothing for her?
How could she answer? If the emperor had chosen her, could she refuse? That would be disrespectful. No matter how wealthy Paradise Pavilion was, they wouldn't dare defy the emperor. Besides, if she refused, Ethan would surely question her motives—if he thought she was just playing hard to get, that was one thing, but if he sensed anything else and ruined her brother's plans, she couldn't bear the consequences.
But to agree so easily left her unsatisfied. If she accepted in front of everyone, there would be no turning back. Otherwise, she would not only be ridiculed by all, but also guilty of deceiving the emperor.
Cynthia looked at Ethan, unable to read his thoughts. Were they truly not meant to be?
Sebastian Qi, Master of Paradise Pavilion, though aging, remained handsome and sharp-eyed. He was the other middle-aged man who'd observed Ethan at the restaurant before.
Sebastian knew about Cynthia and Ethan. Seeing Cynthia silent, his eyes flashed, and he laughed heartily. "His Majesty favors my daughter—that is her good fortune!"
Ethan curled his lips in satisfaction and nodded slightly. "Excellent. I shall return to the palace tomorrow, and Miss Qi will come along!"
So soon? Though uneasy, Sebastian could only nod in agreement, already planning to consult with Sterling Qi later. Seeing the curve of Ethan's lips, he felt even more anxious. The Dark Lord's smile was never a good sign.
Ethan may have been just a teenager, but he was no novice. As a junior, Sebastian dared not underestimate him—he was even more cautious than with the old foxes. Facing Ethan's inscrutable gaze, Sebastian felt as though nothing he thought could escape him, and that was deeply unsettling.
Cynthia's face was pale; she wanted to speak but couldn't. She knew her father had made his decision, and her brother's choice would be the same. They wouldn't abandon their plans just because she was unwilling.
The lively atmosphere now felt oppressive. The young men who'd hoped for Cynthia could only regret that fate had denied them the beauty.
Only Ethan seemed pleased. Emperor Augustus wanted to leave everything to him, but it depended on whether he was willing. This time, with Cynthia brought to the palace, let's see if he can stay uninvolved!
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