Villainess Loves

Part 44

I tried to rush into the castle but was stopped by the guards.

"Halt, please report your status and reason of entry." One of the guards said to us.

"Lady Annelise of Duke Thornweather. Permission to enter the royal castle to see attending Welcoming Ball guests." I said. They look at me and Henry and recognized Henry's uniform.

"Oh! Thornweathers! My apologies. Lady Annelise, you may pass." They finally recognized me and hurriedly opened the doors. One of them glances over.

"New guests are with King Drayden at the moment. You might not be able to see them yet." He informs me. I nod.

"Thanks for letting me know. Have a great day!" I smile at him. Both of the guards look away, flustered. Huh. What's up with that? I glance over at Henry, who smiles at me.

"Shall we enter?" He gestures towards the door. I nod and we enter the castle.

Unlike before, the hallways are decorated with flowers and there's a significant increase in servants scurrying here and there. Preparations for the welcoming ball have already started so that means that guests have also started to come in, besides the Vendia guests.

The castle feels a lot more welcoming and the natural noises coming from the workers cleaning and decorating increases the feeling of anticipation.

Everyone is excited and nervous about this ball. It has been almost five years since the kingdom of Elden has hosted any sort of grand event because of the war. It is a welcoming and nostalgic sight to see.

I haven't been inside the castle for a bit since Prince Orion has been rejecting my advances so some parts seem new and foreign, but others are familiar. I may be the daughter of the Thornweathers, but the royal castle was like a second home for me. My constant advances to see and meet with Prince Orion only solidified my presence here at the castle. Many familiar faces greet me and some even nod at my entrance.

Ah. It has been a while. I smile. Henry looks over at me.

"You excited about the welcoming ball?" He asks.

"Yes, very much so. After such a long period of grief and tension." I nod. I glance over at him.

"Have you ever gone to something like this before?" I ask him. Henry's been fighting in the war and was training as a soldier before it. I don't think he's ever been to something like this.

He thinks for a moment but shakes his head.

"No, never. I never had the time and opportunity." He says.

"Did you want to though?" I add.

"Not really. I wasn't interested." He recollects.

"Hmmm. Well, I enjoy parties and such. The ones that the royal family hosts are extremely fun! And with the inclusion of the horse riding competition, it will be extra extra fun!" I jump up and down excitedly.

"Will you be participating in the competition? There are beginner options." Henry asks.

"No thanks. I'd rather not." I shake my head.

"What about the couple's race?" Henry asks.

"Um. I guess it sounds fun. But I dunno." I think about it for a moment. Should I say yes? I feel like the couple's race is an invitation to a romance event. But who would I romance? Henry? My face heats up slightly. Should I take the initiative and go for it? I basically declared my feelings to him but he didn't show much of a reaction. Maybe I should take this chance to properly seduce Henry with this couple's race.

"Ah." An unknown but pleasant voice appears behind us.

We turn around to see a group of people walking toward us. As they get closer, I noticed that the two of them are much more nicely dressed and shared similar traits to Princess Echina. The iconic silver hair glimmering in the sunlight is a mesmerizing sight to see. Ooh, the Vendia Princes! We were able to catch them!