THIBV - Chapter 154

News of the banquet being held at the palace spread quickly.

The costume shop was bustling with ladies and young ladies who had no time to prepare for the sudden banquet.

Everyone knew that Chancellor Langston was trying to persuade Julian to make a Queen.

This banquet was an opportunity to present to Julian the noble young ladies who were candidates for Queen.

Everyone believed that.

So they were surprised when Bridget told them she was attending the banquet.

"There is no other place for it. How can the government attend a banquet where the Queen might be chosen?"

"Don't you want to stop it somehow?"

"It must be a desperate attempt to show off his favor."

"Wouldn't His Majesty find it uncomfortable? If you do that too much, it'll be a bit tiresome."

"Well, it's not like His Majesty would hold a banquet without knowing Prime Minister Langston's intentions. And it's not like that woman wouldn't know about it either."

People believed that no matter how much Bridget struggled, a Queen wouId be chosen and the government would soon be forgotten.

Even though she is favored now, isn't it natural that it will become that way after a little while?

From the moment Julian announced his intention to hold a banquet, the nobles believed that Bridget would soon be abandoned.

Even if that's not the case, what would Bridget do if the Queen took over the palace?

Even if they were to assume the extreme and weigh an unloved Queen against a favored mistress, there was no way the latter could compete with the former.

The power and prestige that Bridget enjoyed now would disappear overnight.

Whenever the nobles gathered together, they talked about the Queen.

Among the unmarried noble ladies, the hearts of those who were of marriageable age swelled.

'I might become Queen.'

Without even knowing Bridget, they naturally considered her a competitor.

'I have to be the one who stands out more than anyone else that day.'

The noble ladies who had such daughters agreed.

'I must make my daughter catch the King's eye.'

Although time was tight, the ladies kept the jewelers and dressmakers busy.

Somehow, they prepared everything to be the best it could be.

Finally, the day of the banquet arrived.

The nobles arrived at the banquet hall one after another.

Leticia laughed heartily at the sight of her friends dressed up more extravagantly and beautifully than at any other social party.

They were all so beautiful and lovely that it was like a whole new world.

"Why, why are you laughing?"

"Is there anything fun going on?"

The girls who had been confident among their friends who had set the same goal, even though their true intentions were obvious, blushed slightly at Leticia's smile.

It wasn't shameful to try to be chosen as Queen, but they felt awkward when Leticia laughed.

"You look a little different today."

"Because it's a palace party."

"Yeah, I don't know about you, but when will we ever get to come to the palace like this?"

"You pay attention, too."

Leticia usually dresses up much more stylishly and luxuriously than the other girls.

It couldn't be helped since she was the daughter of the Lunalock family.. which owned various jewelry stores and a famous clothing store.

But today, she was dressed in a particularly neat and unobtrusive attire.

"I don't know when Mrs. Spencer will call."

She said it was because of her duty as a maid, but in reality, she had no motivation.

Bridget, the reason Leticia lost her motivation was just entering the banquet hall...

"His Majesty the King and Lady Bridget Florence!"

The servant announced the arrival of Julian and Bridget.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the entrance to the banquet hall.

At first, they admired Julian's tall and well-built appearance and followed him with eyes of admiration.

Some people saw Julian at the last charity banquet, while others did not.

Especially for single women, it was mostly their first time seeing Julian.

This was the first banquet to which so many nobles had been invited since Julian became King.

'Oh my god.'

'I've never heard of someone so handsome!'

'He's been sick for a long time because of the curse, so what's his physique like...?'

The handsome King's appearance set the hearts of many women on fire.

How can a man like that not have a wife yet?

The women attending the banquet to select a Queen were all fired up.

They looked at Bridget, who appeared next to Julian, holding his hand, and flinched.

'More than I thought...'

What kind of atmosphere is that...

The pupils of those who had imagined the government as shallow and shabby wavered.

Bridget, who entered the banquet hall with a calm smile, did not look vulgar.

'They say she took bribes like that.'

'It doesn't look that luxurious.'

Even though she wasn't wearing any jewelry with large, jewel-studded details, Bridget had a subtle, pearl-like vibe that was still eye-catching.

Atmosphere. It was an aura that could not be embellished even with money.

Bridget never seemed frivolous, whether she smiled small or big.

She shines even brighter these days as Julian pours out all his love on her.

Even Leticia, who saw Bridget every day, was surprised at how, at some point, the shadows disappeared from Bridget, and she seemed to shine as a person.

The bright energy of a person who is showered with love is something that cannot be imitated.

"She's pretty."

"She's not just pretty."

"Wow... who designed that dress?"

Leticia snorted as she watched her friends snickering with expressions of defeat.

'Selection of a Queen? Funny.'

When Leticia learned of the Chancellor's intentions in proposing the banquet, she suspected that he knew nothing about Bridget.

The chancellor really thought Julian was looking at another woman.

Leaving behind such a lovely and pretty Bridget.

Leticia knew that they could walk around in diamonds the size of a bell from head to toe or dance around naked, and Julian would not notice them.

Even though she was always by Bridget's side, she never made eye contact with Julian.

Just air. Or maybe dust?

She was that kind of being..

And that's probably not just her story.

Knowing that there was someone else who was the main character of the day, Leticia didn't feel like busily making a dress and choosing jewelry to stand as an attendant.

She just wanted to enjoy the banquet in peace.

'There are many special guests today.'

Leticia saw a group of people so shabby that they looked shabby among the nobles.

They were commoner artists invited by Bridget.

Although they may have looked shabby, among them were famous novelists, philosophers, painters, and poets.

They were enjoying the banquet with their intelligent eyes shining, not feeling intimidated even among the splendid nobles.

They were Bridget's sponsors.

Contrary to the nobles' expectations that she was attending the banquet to keep an eye on potential Queen candidates, Bridget really only intended to enjoy the banquet.

***

At first, Julian was surrounded by people who wanted to greet him and say a few words to him.

But once Julian sat down on the throne on the platform, they couldn't speak to him carelessly anymore.

When the King sat on the throne at a banquet, it was customary for none to approach him except those who invited him.

The dance number was about to start.

The nobles still expected that since Julian was the host of the banquet, he would at least sing one song.

But Julian didn't budge.

Increasingly, the nobles wanted Julian to dance at least one song with Bridget.

Because they wanted to see him up close and have a chance to talk to him.

But Julian never danced.

"Your Majesty, will you not dance even a single song?"

"I guess you enjoy dancing."

"No matter what..."

The host of the banquet usually dances to the first song.

But no one protested that the King did not dance.

The noble ladies who had stayed up all night, excited at the thought of being able to dance with the King, were disappointed.

Far from dancing, Julian's gaze was focused solely on Bridget.

Even when he occasionally gestured to the servant and whispered something, his eyes were fixed on Bridget.

In fact, the conversation with the attendant was also quite spectacular.

"Who is that man?"

"That guy is a philosopher named Alex Marker. He's a proponent of the social contract theory..."

"Yes, come and listen to what story is going on that makes Bridget laugh so happily."

The servant went there, heard the joke between Alex Marker and Bridget, and came back and told Julian.

'You like a good joke.'

Julian nodded.

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