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Chapter 74: 74:Slamming Away
Kael ignored him.
Ariana swallowed her discomfort and reached for a piece of bread.
Hela’s voice cut through the air, smooth but laced with venom. "Ariana, dear, do you always eat like a street rat? Such unrefined manners... no wonder you look so out of place."
Ariana stiffened.
Kael’s fingers twitched on his knife.
Hela chuckled, sipping from his goblet and looked at Kael. "Forgive her My Lord. She was raised among commoners. It’s a miracle she even knows how to hold a spoon properly."
Albert laughed, shaking his head. "It’s truly unfortunate, isn’t it? A noble in name only. Like a bird with clipped wings—pretty useless, don’t you think?"
Ariana’s grip tightened on her bread, her nails digging into the crust.
Baron Altross tilted her head, feigning concern. "It’s quite a shame, really. If only someone had taken responsibility for her education. Then again, some people are simply born... lesser."
Ariana clenched her jaw, swallowing her rage.
Kael, however, let out a low chuckle, his first reaction since the meal began. The sound was dry, mocking.
Albert scowled. "What’s so funny?"
Kael lazily lifted his gaze. "Just wondering if you’d still be running your mouth if you didn’t have your father’s name to hide behind."
Albert’s face twisted in fury, but Baron Altross raised a hand, signaling for silence.
"Lord Kael," Altross said smoothly, "I don’t recall inviting you here for your opinions."
Kael leaned back, smirking. "Of course not. You invited me to watch this spectacle—a pack of well-dressed wolves tearing apart a wounded lamb."
Altross’s eyes darkened, but Hela only smiled. "You speak so boldly for a man of no consequence."
"Men of no consequence tend to live longer than fools who think they’re untouchable," Kael replied smoothly, taking a sip of wine.
The table fell silent.
Hela recovered first, brushing her hair back as if dismissing his words. "Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. After all, we’ll soon have a solution for Ariana’s... situation."
Ariana looked up sharply. "Solution?"
Hela smiled, the kind of smile a viper gives before striking. "Your marriage, dear."
Ariana’s blood ran cold.
Kael’s expression didn’t change, but his fingers curled slightly against the table as he controlled his smile.
’This is really some high-class opera-level drama shit.’
Baron Altross smirked. "It’s already being arranged. You should be grateful. A girl like you—useless, untrained, with nothing to her name you should be begging for this chance."
Ariana’s breath came short. She knew she had no power here, no choice.
But before she could speak, Kael’s voice cut through the air.
"Who’s the groom?"
Silence fell over the table.
Altross’s smirk faltered slightly.
Hela narrowed her eyes. "Why do you care?"
Kael swirled the wine in his goblet, his expression unreadable. "Just curious. I like to keep track of men. I too want to see the fine gentleman."
Hela’s smile widened as she pulled out a finely decorated envelope, sliding it across the table toward Ariana.
"Here it is," she purred, "your future."
Ariana hesitated, her fingers trembling as she reached for it. Before she could take it, Baron Altross snatched the envelope and pulled out a portrait, placing it on the table for all to see.
The man in the image was a bloated, aging noble, his face lined with indulgence and cruelty. His clothes, though embroidered with gold, barely concealed his sagging form. A thin mustache curled above his lips, and his beady eyes held a hungry glint. The name below the portrait read:
Lord Marcellus Vorn, City Lord of Bragstone.
Kael’s breath hitched, his blood running cold.
His fingers clenched into fists as he stared at the image.
’Fucking Hell...Can he even be called groom...It clearly Grandpa...Even my old coot looked better.’
Hela smiled, sneering inwardly.
The man was well-known as a gluttonous tyrant with five wives, each one a miserable prisoner in his estate.
And now, Ariana was to be the sixth.
Kael exhaled slowly, his expression turning to stone. He lifted his gaze, scanning the table, meeting the satisfied looks of Altross, Hela, and Albert.
They were smiling.
A pack of monsters.
Ariana opened her mouth, but before she could protest, Kael shot her a warning look. His eyes, sharp as daggers, told her to remain silent. She swallowed her words, gripping the edge of her dress so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Baron Altross leaned back in his chair, grinning. "You don’t seem pleased, Lord Kael. Shouldn’t you be congratulating Ariana on her fortune?"
Kael remained silent. His jaw tightened.
"Lord Vorn is a powerful ally," Hela added sweetly. "His wealth is vast, his lands are prosperous. Ariana should be honored."
Albert chuckled. "And let’s be honest—who else would want her? This is the best she could hope for."
Kael closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Just as Altross was about to speak again, the doors to the dining hall swung open.
A man in a gray cloak hurried inside, his boots clicking against the marble floor. He stopped at Kael’s side, lowering his head respectfully before whispering into his ear.
Kael’s expression shifted instantly. His tense posture relaxed, his lips curling into a slow, knowing smile.
’Seeing the servant’s panicked expression, I hope they have found something so that I can tear this son of a bitch right now.’
He didn’t like this way of playing with words and using evidence but he was helpless. If he starts causing trouble and kills without any proof, he will find himself in an ugly situation.
Sadly, he wasn’t in the position to act on free will as he desired.
"It seems," he murmured, rising from his seat and looking at the servant who walked in hurriedly," We have found something interesting."
Baron Altross’s face stiffened at the sudden shift in atmosphere. The tension in the room grew heavier as his butler, Ron, rushed in, his face pale with panic. He leaned down and whispered something into Altross’s ear.
The more Baron Altross hear, the uglier his expression became.
The Baron’s hand trembled before he slammed his cup onto the table, spilling wine across the polished wood.
"Lord Kael, what is this?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger.
