'These are the moments when you really act like a monster. How could you do that to Phloria?' Solus felt bad for her.

'If I met him in the wilds, I would have killed him. If I were in the middle of the street, I would have challenged him. Here I could only take the sugar out of his venom to reveal the snake he is. A pretty face and pretty words mean nothing.

'Phloria needs to learn her lesson and a burned hand teaches best.' Lith replied.

The moment people noticed Phloria's distress, all whispers disappeared. Quylla and Friya were glaring at Kallion like they could murder him without a second thought, and so did their brothers, their relatives, and even the members of their staff.

Kallion's plan fell into shambles as the ancient n.o.ble households left his side the moment they understood who the Ernas were siding with. There was no point in backing a dead horse and no sense in beating it.

Kallion had managed to embarra.s.s his date, his hosts, and his entire household in one fell swoop. It was a social blunder juicy enough to liven up the evening but not enough to last more than one day. Unless of course, things escalated.

"Phloria, would you like to take a little stroll around the park? We could use some air." Kallion had played his cards well by avoiding being rude and using Kamila's low social status to justify his words.

'It didn't go as well as I hoped, but everything is still fine. I only need to make sure that Phloria isn't upset and blames the little wench for the mishap.' He thought.

"You've taken the words right out of my mouth." She finally raised her eyes from the floor. A warm smile appeared on her face, yet her eyes were cold.

"We need to talk."

Chuckles and whispers spread throughout the Main Hall as soon as the couple walked through the gla.s.s doors leading outside.

"Do you think she will kick him out?" Kamila whispered to Lith's ear.

"That's unlikely. He was subtle and I couldn't make a scene. The Ernas will lose a lot of face if she ends up without a date right off the bat." He replied while listening to the other guests betting about the possible outcomes.

Kallion being kicked out was given 100-1, just like their relations.h.i.+p lasting more than a week.

"She treated you like c.r.a.p! Someone had to say something. Why are you mad at me?" Kallion said after all of his attempts at sweet talk were met with Phloria's cold shoulder.

"If I thought she did, I would have put her in her place myself. You didn't do it to defend me, you did it to embarra.s.s Lith. Or do you think I'm that stupid? Scratch that, I am that stupid, otherwise I would've never dated you." She was walking double time, clenching and releasing her hands to suppress her most violent urges.

"How can you say that? I'm not completely at fault here. You could have told me you wanted to speak with him privately. You took me by surprise, asking your ex to talk, what was I supposed to do?" Kallion tried to s.h.i.+ft the blame again, hoping a bit of guilt would make his reasons more believable.

"Are you saying that I am supposed to ask for your permission before talking to a friend?" His move resulted in throwing jet fuel on the flames of her outrage.

"No, I…"

"To answer your other question, you could have taken it out on Lith, like she did with me. Or, if you were that insecure about us, you could have asked me to talk about it in private before embarra.s.sing me in front of the entire Verhen family.

"You took it out on the most vulnerable link of the chain, instead. It seems deliberate, if not planned to me."

"How can you say that?" He managed to sound aggrieved, even though only his pride was hurt because she seemed to see through his scheme too easily.

"How could you do that if you ever cared even one bit about me?" Phloria rebuked.

"We're done. You can remain for the gala, but I don't want to see you ever again."

Kallion tried to object, before Phloria's right hand closed on his throat lifting him off from the ground and reminding him that she was even stronger than she looked.

"That's not up to debate. You can either say yes and act like a true gentleman for the rest of the evening or get escorted out of my house. Your choice."

Kallion nodded like a parrot, his lungs screaming for air.

'This is not over, you b.i.t.c.h. There is more than one way I can use you against that peasant. Bringing down the Ernas and the Verhen is like killing a flock of birds with just one stone.'

Meanwhile, inside the Main Hall, the butler announced the Ernas couple and then the Royal couple right after them.

"King Meron Griffon and Queen Sylpha Griffon." Despite the cosmetic magic treatment, the Royals couldn't compare with the Ernas. Despite her character, Jirni had an oval face with delicate features and big eyes, whereas the Queen had sharp features and a square jaw.

After both of them had their impurities removed, the best comparison that could be drawn between them was that they respectively looked like a newlywed maiden and a drill sergeant.

"I'm so sorry, dear." Jirni said to both Kamila and Lith.

"I didn't expect Phloria to take you away. You handled things well, Kamila."

"There's no need to apologize, Lady Ernas. I should have been more careful." Kamila was embarra.s.sed by all the attention from the lords of the house. Too many eyes were staring at her in envy.

"No matter how careful you were, he would have struck at the first opportunity. It's not your fault."

"I apologize on behalf of my daughters." Orion gave Kamila a small bow, making her and the Ernas girls blush in embarra.s.sment.

"I'm disappointed in you. Kamila is your mother's apprentice and your friend's betrothed. You should have been more considerate toward her."

At those words, Lith, his relatives, and Jirni almost chocked on their wine.

"We're not betrothed." Kamila managed to say with a squeaky voice.

"You're not?" Orion looked flabbergasted.

"I mean, he crafted the Camellia for you, which is the most romantic forgemastered piece I've ever seen. He even made you a tiara like those Elina and his sisters are wearing. I thought you were already part of the Verhen family."

"I'm a one trick pony, okay?" Lith was beet red in embarra.s.sment.

"Circlets are the most elaborate pieces I can make. I'm a Forgemaster, not a goldsmith. I practiced hard to make Jirni's present and I thought it would be a waste to only use that knowledge to create a single piece."

"But you made Camellias for the rest of your family too!" Orion objected.

"How many times do you want me to say that I'm a one trick pony? There's no hidden meaning behind them, they are not some kind of family trademark!"

"What's a Camellia?" Queen Sylpha asked. After finis.h.i.+ng her rounds among the most important n.o.bles, she had gotten curious about the fuss between the Ernas and the Verhen.