NOVEL WEB chapter 7
Chapter 7: The Banquet Begins!
In the room, Mu En lay on his luxuriously comfortable bed, one that could bring tears to anyone’s eyes, as he meticulously went over the schedule for tomorrow in his mind.
“First, grooming.”
As the son of a duke, and with this being the only coming-of-age ceremony in Mu En’s life, his entrance must naturally dazzle the entire audience, to the extent that simply standing there would draw all eyes like the center of a storm.
Thus, before dawn tomorrow, more than ten experienced maids would be dedicated to managing his appearance, ensuring that every strand of hair was perfectly in place.
To be honest, when Mu En saw the extravagant formal suit adorned with various precious metals in the afternoon, nearly blinding him with its brilliance, he already felt a deep sense of suffocation.
His greatest crisis tomorrow might not be Celicia, but rather that splendid suit weighing twenty kilograms.
“Next, he would greet the guests alongside his father.”
The so-called coming-of-age ceremony was a declaration to the entire noble class that Mu En Campbell was officially stepping into the social circle, able to participate in and host various events as the heir to the duke, and even express his admiration and affection to a suitable noble lady, forging a sacred engagement between them.
Of course, this last point was automatically overlooked since Mu En was already betrothed to the third princess of the empire, but tomorrow, all the nobles of the royal capital would don their most splendid attire and bring their most promising sons and daughters to attend this grand event.
This was not merely a banquet; it was a staircase leading upward.
All the nobles would wield their fine garments as shields and smiles as swords, aiming to climb even higher.
“Then, dealing with those nobles.”
This was the least of his worries; the instincts still lingering in this body, remnants of the original owner, should help Mu En navigate through the challenges.
Tomorrow, he only needed to smile.
“And finally… that.”
Mu En’s hand unconsciously reached for the two vials of medicine hidden beneath his pillow.
This was the main event for tomorrow.
“First, I need to gain Celicia’s trust and spend time alone with her.”
This part was not difficult, as Celicia could never fathom that Mu En Campbell would have the audacity to drug her.
Moreover, with the identity of her fiancé, asking her to share a drink alone should be quite simple.
“Next, I need to drug her.”
This was the most challenging step.
If discovered in advance, all efforts would likely go to waste.
“But it should be fine.”
Because this was the natural progression expected in this world, heaven should assist him in achieving his goal.
He only needed to take advantage of her inattention and secretly add the drug to her drink.
“Is this the end of waiting for destruction?”
Mu En chuckled self-deprecatingly:
“I suppose I’m the first traverser to actively seek a destructive ending.”
“I just hope nothing unexpected happens.”
The candlelight extinguished.
The bright moonlight outside filtered through the branches, casting mottled shadows on Mu En’s handsome face, as inscrutable as fate itself.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing the shadows to sway, as if praying for everything to go smoothly tomorrow.
……
The next day.
After enduring three hours of torment from the maids, Mu En finally stood at the entrance of the banquet hall in a luxurious gown weighing twenty kilograms, ready to greet the arriving guests alongside the imposing Duke, who resembled a lion.
His golden hair was meticulously styled, and his slightly made-up handsome face held a touch more maturity and a hint less youthfulness. Although the outfit was absurdly heavy, it exuded an undeniable air of nobility. Mu En resembled a newly risen sun, radiating a dazzling brilliance that irresistibly drew attention.
Today, when Mu En looked in the mirror, he was once again struck by his own handsomeness.
Unfortunately, even with his extraordinary looks, the noble young ladies who approached to pay their respects still lowered their heads and avoided his gaze, seemingly afraid of attracting his attention.
“Sigh, the original owner’s reputation is still too poor.”
Mu En sighed helplessly to himself.
The name Mu En Campbell was equated by many noble young ladies with terms like unscrupulous bully and human-shaped horse.
The fact that his name could overshadow the golden title of “son of the duke” gives a clear picture of how absurdly bad Mu En’s reputation was.
“Hey, kid, look over there!”
Just as Mu En was sighing, Duke Campbell, his adoptive father, suddenly slapped him on the back, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
“Look who’s here.”
Without needing any guidance, Mu En naturally turned his gaze.
The nobles beside him, who had come to pay their respects and offer a few compliments, also turned their eyes in that direction, even the noble young ladies who dared not meet Mu En’s gaze from a distance turned their eyes over as well.
Everyone’s gaze converged, as if a brilliant spotlight had suddenly illuminated the darkened stage.
Under the spotlight stood a young lady.
She had long, silver-white hair that flowed like moonlight, and her exquisite features seemed to be carved from ice, perfect and without flaw. Her delicate eyelashes appeared to be adorned with frost, also silver-white, and beneath those lashes were blue eyes, cool like a lake yet deep enough to seem capable of drawing in one’s soul.
The young lady wore a simple yet elegant white gown, and the moment she appeared, she became the eye of a new storm, capturing everyone’s attention.
“This is… Celicia.”
The third princess of the Olipote Empire, the pure white child blessed by the snow goddess, the Ice Witch Celicia Leopold.
She was also the source of Mu En Campbell’s destructive ending, and at this moment—finally made her appearance!
“Indeed, words and memories cannot fully capture a person’s beauty.”
Even though she had mentally prepared herself, the moment Mu En saw her, she was still inevitably shocked.
In her previous life, as a loyal fan of Celicia, Mu En often frequented various forums and had seen numerous fan art pieces of Celicia, many of which were of exceptionally high quality, enough to make Mu En save the original image immediately and excitedly admire it for three days and nights.
But seeing the real person made her realize that even the best works failed to capture even a tenth of Celicia’s captivating charm.
“It’s been a long time, Young Master Mu En.”
While Mu En was lost in thought, Celicia had gracefully walked up to him.
“It’s been a long time, Princess Celicia.”
Mu En quickly snapped back to reality and performed a gentlemanly bow:
“You look exceptionally enchanting today.”
“Is that so? Thank you for the compliment.”
Celicia elegantly lifted the hem of her skirt in return.
Her etiquette was flawless, leaving no room for criticism, yet it carried an air of coldness that kept others at a distance.
“However, hearing such words from Young Master Mu En is truly rare.”
“Haha, Princess Celicia, you really jest. It seems you imply that I am the kind of rude person who can’t even control his tongue.”
Isn’t it true?
A flicker of confusion passed through Celicia’s cold eyes.