Chapter 8: Traps

Despite Duke Zerlin’s introduction, the group, already aware of certain things, could sense the coldness and disdain behind them. Almost no one wanted to talk to them, and even polite greetings were brief and hurried. This made the representatives feel extremely humiliated and embarrassed. Komer, however, seemed unbothered by all this. Fortunately, he still held the title of baron and was a lord. Occasionally, a few nobles showed interest in this somewhat notorious land of the Caucasus and asked a few questions. As for the representatives, they were like rotten cabbages discarded in a market, ignored even by the glances cast their way.

The appearance of a silver-haired girl in a snow-white dress at the party caused a sensation. The young men surrounding her were all distinguished-looking, clearly sons of noble families with titles. Knight Sart was among them, and another tall, lean young man also caught Komer’s attention.

Seeing Komer’s gaze fixed on the silver-haired girl, the knight who had been watching Komer’s movements began to plan how to avenge the arrow attack from noon. The plan had failed; these people held no value in the grand duke’s eyes, and this guy was just a lowly noble. Yet, he was said to have some magical skills, so he couldn’t be underestimated. A sinister smile appeared on Knight Sart’s lips.

“Lord Baron, everyone, you’ve come to this birthday party too? Hehe, Princess Vero must be very happy to see you all. Come, this way. Princess Vero is over there. We Galicians are always welcoming guests from afar.” Knight Sart, with his bright smile, wore a snow-white knight’s outfit tonight. His gold-embroidered tight armor made him look imposing, and a decorative sword hung diagonally on his wide black leather belt. His deep blue eyes sparkled with joy, as if he were delighted by something.

Seeing the other party approaching, Komer felt a badpremonition. Especially since their seemingly cheerful smiles hid something sinister, which made him even more cautious. His harsh words earlier had embarrassed him, and this guy might take the chance to retaliate. Fortunately, it was a public party, so he couldn’t resort to any despicable tactics. A knight’s honor and dignity had to be respected at least on the surface. In this regard, Komer, being of noble birth, understood these people better than anyone else.

Birthday? Princess Vero’s birthday? Several people, including Komer, froze. No wonder so many nobles were attending tonight—it turned out to be the birthday of Princess Vero, the youngest daughter of Duke Zelin, the silver-haired angel they had seen that morning. Komer was filled with surprise and concern, while those behind him felt a mix of helplessness, shame, and humiliation. As expected by the lord, inviting them was merely an offhand remark by Duke Zelin. These Gallic nobles had never even considered them worthy of attention. But this was the birthday party of his youngest daughter, and they had shown up unprepared. What if…?

As everyone was lost in their thoughts, everything proceeded according to the young knight’s plan. “Come this way. You met Princess Vero this morning. She’s not in a good mood today. I hope your gifts can bring her some joy. Look, Princess Vero has already seen you.”

Upon hearing his words, the others froze momentarily. Though the country bumpkin in front of them remained composed, the men behind him turned pale and looked panicked, revealing their true feelings.

“Princess Vero’s birthday? Is it really her birthday today?” Melbourne, who was timid, was shocked. Although he had bought a trivial lordship with money, it was enough for him to understand the nature of such parties in high society. At events like these, especially a girl’s birthday party, guests were expected to give gifts as a sign of blessing. For someone as important as Duke Zelin’s beloved youngest daughter, the gifts from guests naturally had to be valuable; otherwise, they would be despised by the nobles.

“Yes. How could you not know this is Princess Vero’s birthday party?” Knight Sart showed extreme surprise. His disbelief was so convincing that even an acting expert like Komer had to admit his deception was flawless—trapping them all in an instant. They had rushed here thinking it was just an ordinary party, with no plans to bring gifts. Now, with the host right in front of them, where could they find suitable gifts in such a short time?

Seeing a group of people frantically searching everywhere, Sart suppressed his joy. These country bumpkins would finally be humiliated in front of the nobles in the hall, giving this talkative guy a good lesson and ruining the reputation of the nobles from Homer region in Calais. Another representative from the city-state of Main, Zip, was already sweating profusely and pale, stammering, “No, Sir Knight, that’s not what we meant; it’s just…” Before he could finish, he was rudely interrupted. “Enough, everyone. Come on, Princess Vero is waiting for you over there. Let’s not waste time—there are many guests who want to present gifts to Princess Vero!” Without waiting for Komer and his group to react, Sart, unable to contain his excitement, turned away, forcing a smile as he walked toward the group of girls in the center of the hall. Clearing his throat, he announced loudly, “Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet. Allow me to introduce to you some guests from afar. Upon hearing that today is the birthday of Calais’ most beautiful and lovely Princess Vero, they prepared a precious and unique gift. Now, let’s welcome Baron Komer from the Caucasus and his friends—Messieurs Hozer, Zip, Melbourne, Rese, and Lafayette.” As he raised his voice to showcase himself to the Calais nobles, Komer realized they might not be able to get away easily. Knight Sart was truly meticulous, waiting until the last moment to play such a trick—clearly intent on burning them to a cinder in front of the Calais nobles, who valued status and etiquette above all. It seemed that his words earlier that morning, which had embarrassed Princess Vero, had deeply hurt her, prompting her to go to great lengths to ruin his reputation. Just as Komer was thinking about how to solve this urgent problem, Hozer’s deep voice came from behind him, “Sir, it seems we’ve fallen into a trap. There’s no other way now. I have a necklace, an ancient artifact passed down in my family. It’s not particularly valuable, but it’s worth something. Let’s use this as a gift. Sir, please represent us from the Caucasus—it shows some effort, better than coming empty-handed.”

Comer felt a stir in his heart. It seemed Mr. Hozel was quite resourceful and thoughtful. Yet, anything hastily chosen in such a situation would hardly be suitable, and it might even be used by the other party to humiliate him. But coming up empty-handed would only make things worse. As if suddenly remembering something, Comer hesitated for a moment before finally gritting his teeth and deciding to get through this difficulty first. If they all lost face here and the incident spread, and someone took it further to exaggerate it, he and the others would likely become laughingstocks wherever they went from then on.

“Mr. Hozel, I appreciate your kindness. Since they’ve set a trap for us, at this point, we have no choice but to press on bravely. Comer happens to have a ring on him, not very valuable, but quite unique. Let’s use it as a gift.” Without turning around, he simply waved his hand slightly, his tone still indifferent.

Hearing Comer say this, the few who had been nervous and worried all heaved a sigh of relief. Though this lord was young, he acted and spoke with deep wisdom. Throughout their journey, they had witnessed the reputation of this nobleman from the Homer region, but his behavior had far exceeded their expectations.

Her silken dress made the silver-haired girl resemble a fairy from the Menggola Forest, her silver eyes like the sacred flames of the heavens dancing in the air. Her delicate nose was slightly upturned, her cherry-like lips strikingly beautiful, and a blush of excitement covered her cheeks. Her pink, lotus-like limbs could inspire affection in anyone. Even Comer, who had long been hardened and held icy hostility toward women, was completely melted by her gentle gaze. Her full skirt was supported by whalebone, and her small, firm breasts, though not large, looked like pairs of doves ready to take flight beneath the white lining, with the translucent fabric adding a mysterious allure to them.

The silver-haired girl examined with curious eyes these guests whose attire did not match that of the nobles in the hall. The first young man wore a purple-black robe with no decorations or insignias to indicate his status, making it difficult to even determine whether he was noble or not; his outfit appeared extremely simple. He seemed to be under twenty years old, with bright gray eyes. His lips were slightly curled downward beneath his high nose bridge, and his moderately shiny black hair fell slightly over them. His fair complexion lacked the arrogance typical of his age, instead showing a sense of experience and maturity. The others behind him also wore plain civilian clothes; though clean and tidy, they gave off a worn-out appearance. Compared to the first man, they lacked confidence, and although they tried hard to appear calm, it was clear from everyone except one that they were nervous and uneasy.