The two girls stared at each other, and although no words were exchanged, the tension between them was so thick it could've been sliced with a butter knife. Or better yet, a spiritual blade. Honestly, it felt like they'd just finished fighting in the shadow realm and were now pretending to be civil in public.
Luna, not a noble but a mere maid with surprisingly sharp social instincts, was the first to defuse the tension. She gave Silvia a polite smile. A smile that, if you looked close enough, was only polite in shape. The temperature in the room dropped slightly. That smile was cold enough to refrigerate leftovers.
I sighed, already feeling the headache build behind my temples. Why were these two suddenly glaring at each other as if they were rival in past life.
Then, out of nowhere, Luna grabbed my arm and leaned in close, flashing a real smile this time—one that warmed me up a bit too much if I'm being honest.
"Hmm, Young Master loves delicacies, right?" she said sweetly, pointing toward the mountain of food laid out for the banquet. It was less a meal and more a national feast.
Before I could answer or get distracted by the roast duck, Silvia's eyes twitched. She stormed over and yanked my other arm.
Great. For one glorious, shameful moment, I became a human tug-of-war rope. Or worse—a plushie being fought over in a toy store by two overly determined toddlers.
I groaned and squirmed my way free, straightening my clothes with what little dignity I had left. All around us, guests began whispering and chuckling. Again. We'd become the center of attention, like reality TV stars who didn't sign the release form.
Even my father, the Queen, and my dear sisters paused to look in our direction. Not out of concern, no. They were just thoroughly entertained.
But high above us, on the balcony of the mansion, stood Silvia's father—Tatsumi. A powerful figure, calm and composed… usually.
Right now? He looked like someone had just spoiled the ending of his favorite drama.
His amber eyes blinked slowly, and he scratched his pristine white hair in confusion. After all, his daughter, who had spent the last month passionately declaring how much she despised me, was now fighting over me like a rare artifact.
From a certain angle, I think I saw his soul leave his body for a moment.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Alright, alright, there's no need to fight. I can feed myself just fine. Can we not cause another scene? Pretty please?"
And just when I thought the storm was passing...
"Look, everyone!" Edward shouted, rising from his seat like an overly dramatic peacock. "Sen is a womanizer and a total scum!"
His voice echoed across the banquet hall like he was auditioning for Hamlet.
My eye twitched.i had lived in countless hardship and even Fighted every Sects in my past life.
But this idiot? He was starting to feel like a annoying Pest this is the second time we had seen each other and he just keeps mocking me
I pondered… and then smiled. A slow, mischievous smile that made everyone around me raise their eyebrows. It was the look of someone who had just figured out a deliciously evil idea.
"Time for a little illusion technique," I muttered to myself. Ah, memories. I once fought a cultivator who specialized in illusions—absolute nightmare. But I learned his tricks well.
I locked eyes with Edward, and in that moment, my irises turned crimson. At least, from his perspective.
Edward shivered. Then blinked. Then… drooled?
Because now, in his mind, he was surrounded by beautiful women, all wearing clothing that could barely qualify as fabric. Their voices were sweet, their poses scandalous, and Edward's brain—never the strongest muscle—imploded with desire.
He forgot he was in a banquet.
He forgot he was being watched.
He started dancing.
Then… stripping.
Everyone stared in horror. Then disbelief. Then barely contained laughter.
I nearly died holding in my laugh when I saw the palpable bulge in his absurdly tight banquet shorts. The poor shorts were not built for this level of betrayal.
Silvia covered her mouth, her face twisted as she struggled not to laugh. But I could see the joy in her eyes. Earlier, Edward had tried to get uncomfortably handsy with her. Now he was self-destructing in public like a firework show gone wrong.
His hand reached for his waistband.
Silvia and Luna both instinctively stepped back.
The room held its breath.
And then his butler sighed helplessly then muttered Teleport! Suddenly they vanished to thin Air as if they had never been there.
The silence held for one more second.
Then chaos.
Laughter broke out like fireworks. I was clutching my sides, wiping away tears.
Even the Queen raised a brow, though her expression quickly turned suspicious. Her gaze locked onto me from across the hall. She was a peak 8-star Mage She felt something strange. And when she noticed that Edward went insane right after making eye contact with me, she narrowed her eyes.
But my cultivation core was shattered—publicly, at least. She knew it. So how?.
She concluded something else. A rare familiar. That's the only explanation she could accept. Her smile was beautiful… and terrifying.
As the hall settled, Luna giggled softly and leaned toward me. "I don't know how you did that, Young Master, but let's just call it payback. He had it coming."
I grinned. "I call it… the art of public karma."
Meanwhile, Silvia was unusually quiet. Her arms were crossed, and her gaze kept drifting toward me and Luna. Her emotions flickered like a broken lantern—irritation, confusion, and something else she didn't want to name.
She turned and walked away, clearly annoyed.
"Silvia?" I called, stepping toward her—but she was already gone. Vanished into the crowd like a ninja maid with emotional problems.
I let out a long sigh.
I could comprehend the most complicated cultivation techniques in existence. I'd mastered soul refinement, spiritual manipulation, and even time-weaving talismans in my past life.
But right now?
I couldn't comprehend Girls or even romance.
I scratched my head and gave a bitter smile.