The Useless Duke's Daughter Saves the World

♧ [V1 || Chapter 23] ♧

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The beautiful music coming from the orchestra, the sparkling lights and the sound of laughters across the ballroom. It was all too much for me to take in. I know this is my reality now but, if you told me a year ago that I would be experiencing something like this, I probably would have called you crazy. 

I bowed politely according to the etiquette lessons that my mother personally taught me, my mouth stuck in an eternal smile as I greeted each guest that came forward to wish me a happy birthday.

"May the blessings of the Moon Goddess brings you light and joy on your 18th birthday, Lady Evangeline," Baron Escha bowed.

"Thank you, Baron. I hope you enjoy the festivities," I smiled back. I turned towards the baroness who bowed and spoke behind her fan.

"Oh my! How you've grown, Lady Evangeline. Your beauty have blossomed so much since the last we've seen you. I'm sorry we couldn't visit you while you were ill. You know how busy it is being a noble. By the way, have you met our son yet? He's about your age and have become quite bla bla bla...."

I nodded and smiled as if I was paying attention but, I was already zoning out. After a while, it's all the same praise and talk. Since I had to greet the older guests before greeting the ones of my age, I had to deal with many parents trying to introduce their sons as a potential fiancé or their daughters as a potential part of my social circle. It's laughable how not a single noble visited Evangeline while she was sick but, once I was healthy, suddenly they're clamouring for my attention. Either way, I wasn't interested in meeting anybody's son or daughter so, I simply deflected by using the excuse that I've only just recovered from a fatal illness.

"O-oh! Of course! I'm sure you are in need of rest," the baroness replied. Her words were to assure me that she was alright with it but, I could see in her eyes that she was looking at me with disdain.

'A useless daughter of the duke who was spoon-fed from birth... daring to ignore a proposal from our house? Who does she think she is? You're nothing if not for your title.'

Her thoughts were as plain as day.

'How exhausting,' I sighed internally. This was probably the twentieth person I have greeted and almost every single one of them looked at me like sharks towards a dangling piece of meat. There's only two ducal houses in this country so, obviously everyone was looking to take advantage of us. It doesn't help that the original Evangeline was extremely naive and fell for every flattery thrown at her face.

"Shower her with a little bit of attention and she'll eat it up like a hungry stray dog."

"She's naive because she's been sheltered for far too long. Deceiving her is as easy as deceiving a child."

"She doesn't deserve to have the title of a duke's daughter anyways. Let us have it because we know how to utilise it better."

I remembered those words written in the novel as it was spoken behind Evangline's back throughout the story. I guess it was quite lucky that she fell in love with Malakai first since he's unlike the rest of the nobles. Of course, it wasn't like he was interested in her position anyways since he's an archduke.

'Maybe I should pretend to be in love with Malakai too. It might stop the number of proposals from coming,' I thought. Could Evangeline have thought of this to reject proposals? I shook my head quickly. There's no way she could have thought THAT strategically... right?

Just as Baron Escha and his wife moved away, I could already see another mob of old nobles eyeing me from the other side of the room. They were already making their way towards me. I braced myself as I prepared another fake smile. But before they could reach me, a shadow moved in between us and bowed. I looked up in surprise as a tall man stood in front of me. From the corner of my eye, the shocked and disgruntled look of the nobles almost made me giggle. It was rude to interrupt an ongoing conversation so, they could do nothing else but wait until I've finished. Not that I was planning to anytime soon...