I was squeezed in between my mother and father as we entered the hall.
A greater part of the aristocrats had already arrived, save for the royal family. Gilbert sat at a table in the corner, glaring at me as if he was waiting to shred me to pieces. From the moment I entered the hall, I realized there was a definite difference in his fuming attitude in comparison to earlier.
Though he was able to go against the Elaine or Morgoz family, it was far too soon for him to go against the Morgana family. The reason for that was because I was the one guarding this family.
"Maevia!"
When I stepped away from my parents to grab a glass of champagne, Monica Elaine approached me.
"Do you see how the Imperial family hasn't arrived yet? It's truly astonishing. To think they are still the ones ruling over this empire."
Right now, the influence of the Imperial family was at rock bottom. While they didn't carelessly gossip like Monica, the other nobles still disliked the royal family. But it didn't matter who started it first.
As displayed in the novel, the current Emperor's reign didn't last long.
The sole reason why such an incompetent royal family existed in the first place was in order for them to perish.
I took a small sip of my champagne. It tasted bitter.
"The wine is exquisite."
Ah, I want to drink chocolate milk. Monica agreed with my lies.
"I see that they wasted quite a bit of money on this."
Now that I'd successfully taken my victory drink in advance, it was time for me to make my move. I settled my glass down before seizing the wine bottle. With a pok sound, the cork came off.
Monica followed me as I marched with light steps.
"Maevia? Where are you going?"
"I need to empty my glass of wine."
It was only to be expected that she didn't understand.
Without further explanation, I crossed over to the other side of the hall and stood before Gilbert Kallakis.
Gilbert's flat ass was sat down by a table. We made eye contact. His eyes were as dim and violent as the night.
Hey, don't look at me with such eyes. I was the one who had to apply medicine to my body all night long.
"Oh my gosh, I've finally found what I was looking for."
With a radiant smile, I poured my wine on his head.
Glug, the blood-red wine made a sound as it fell. It caused his hair to become wet, tinted his nose red, and rendered his clothes a complete mess.
Of course, I corrected the angle in which I poured the wine so that none would splash onto me.
If Sarah had been here, she would've wasted no time complimenting me on my skills. It was such a shame she wasn't.
Following behind me, Monica was horrified.
"M-Maevia?! What the hell are you doing?"
We were in a corner, but since her shriek was quite loud, it promptly drew the attention of everyone in the hall.
Murmurs of pity broke the few seconds of silence, and they echoed throughout the hall.
"What a defective glass. It can't even contain a bit of wine."
Kallen came racing through the crowd.
"What are you doing?!"
Instead of Gilbert, who was frozen because of the current situation, Kallen was the one who was enraged. He looked over to my parent's direction, eyes telling them to swiftly solve the problem.
However, my mother and father continued to chat without looking over here. They didn't look like they were going to scold or even stop me.
It was the same for the others.
Charlie Morgoz snorted and turned her head. Everyone was acting like they didn't notice Gilbert.
Kallen looked distraught.
"Ho..."
"Y-Young master. I'll wipe it for you."
Monica Elaine was the only one who bothered to bring out her handkerchief. However, Gilbert slapped her hand away and stood up.
He attempted to walk past me, but my mocking tone caught him.
"Are you running away?"
Seeing those red drops of wine dripping down his collar was worth it.
"Oh my, how disappointing."
"Lady Maevia."
Kallen gritted his teeth.
I smiled with my eyes.
"Act wisely, Baron. If you try to insult me by bringing up my family here, it won't end nicely for you."
My family, I gestured over to my parents, asking them to come over. Kallen was able to quickly read the room, and noticed my parents had no intention of scolding me.
"...Let's go."
Monica glanced at me before following the two of them.
I don't believe this is over yet.
"Lady Maevia."
Hearing someone call out to me, I turned my head. The imperial family were adorned in neat and tidy ceremonial outfits.
The Emperor entered and his aide made a polite bow.
"His Majesty requests to meet you in private."
I had no business with the emperor.
That was the same for the emperor too.
Then, he said.
"I've been waiting for this moment."
It wasn't because of Gilbert, so there was only one other reason.
"Lead the way."
I followed his aide out of the hall. As we left the building, a cool wind breeze past my hair.
"....Are you annoyed?"
All of a sudden, I heard Monica's voice; she was hidden in the dim shadow of a building. The distance between us was but a short walk.
"She's always been like this. When we were young, Maevia did so many absurd things that I wondered if she had brain damage. To be honest, I don't really think I'm all that fond of her either. I wished she was less successful than me; I also wished that she was less happy than me."
...I don't know whether or not I should ignore this.
In the novel, Monica Elaine had an affair with Gilbert Kallakis. But now, they weren't as wicked as they were in the novel.
Just maybe, they'll live like a pair of love birds in a sunny world now.
'Monica Elaine and Gilbert Kallakis lived happily ever after.' Something like that could happen....
Would it really happen?
"But the worst thing she did wasn't mocking you. No matter how much I loathe Maevia, I know she isn't an unhinged bitch who goes out of her way to harass innocent people. Therefore, I request that you please take back your words about her", Monica said in a way that would be difficult to make anyone passing by believe her. Her argument was half-baked and inadequate.
I wonder what Gilbert told Monica.
No, that doesn't exactly mean I couldn't guess what he said.
Sighing softly, I halted.
I was considerably moved by her attempt to defend me, but things weren't going very well right now.
Gilbert wasn't smart enough to not get angry at her.
"Wait."
"Yes?"
I stopped the aide and showed him a cunning smile.
I made my way towards the gloomy Monica. Having been distracted by Gilbert, her eyes widened when she ultimately realized I was next to her.
"Mae..., Maevia?"
"I'll give you my final piece of advice, Monica. Stay away from that fucker. Don't meet with him ever again."
I pointed over to Gilbert Kallakis' direction.
His fury was frightening and he began to badmouth us.
"You shouldn't have come out here."
He was seriously bloodthirsty. Though it wasn't exactly directed at Monica, she quickly sat down. Her face exposed a pale complexion.
Standing in front of us, Gilbert cackled.
"You should've just submissively remained on the sidelines and hid."
"What am I supposed to be frightened of if there's nothing but trash here?"
As soon as I replied in a soft tone, Kallen instantly turned his head away, already knowing a disaster would follow after.
Gilbert lost his cool and charged at me like a brute.
His hand that was reaching for me got closer and closer. I watched his movements, not even blinking.
In the end, he never reached me.
A pitch black drape descended from the sky. The drape looked dangerously dark and bottomless, almost like it would be able to cover the entire world. It aimed for Gilbert's back with precision.
The unexpected attack made him fall flat on his ugly face. He frantically struggled but the heavy object pressed against his back made his legs quake.
"Keug...… who did that?!"
The man was dressed in all black. However, his eyes glowed an icy yet deep blue.
The man clicked his tongue.
"You should've acted appropriately. Appropriately."
In a flash, the temperature of our surroundings dropped piercingly. When Gilbert attempted to get up, the man gently pressed his foot against his head.
Then, he said in a considerate tone that did not suit his aggressive actions.
"It's time for you to go back home, son."
How should I explain this?
In the novel, Maevia and Aedis had only met once.
Their conversation didn't last long, and that was because she ran away due to the pressure she felt when she was with Aedis.
Though the villain of the novel was Gilbert, people were more scared of Aedis.
Anyhow, both Maevia and Aedis were supporting characters, but his role was even more insignificant. Even his title, 'Lord of the Northern Sky', wasn't of much importance.
No, he didn't even glance at the option to leave his room in the first place.
Only when Rehan almost got his arm hacked off and got poisoned did Aedis slowly crawl out of his room. Even then, the look on his face seemed to say 'why did you get hurt? It's just irritating.'
However, Rehan was so moved by his actions that he cried.
Clearly, that proved how much of an idle person Aedis was.
He even found breathing bothersome. Though no one really believed it, Aedis had a soft spot for Rehan.
That was because Rehan felt like a new experience. He knew of Rehan's struggles to get to where he was now. Something else that also bothered him was Rehan's request to not intervene in Gilbert's business.
Even though Gilbert was human trash, he and Rehan were still blood related. And Rehan felt happy because of that. When Gilbert left the north, Rehan believed with all of his being that Gilbert would return as a hero with a jackpot.
That pure and innocent belief was what ultimately stopped Aedis from moving up to the capital, even if it meant for just a little bit. That way, he wouldn't interfere with what Gilbert was doing.
So in the novel, Aedis completely disregarded the capital. Unlike now.
He was too late when he acknowledged Maevia's existence, since she had already been locked away... though, it was not rational to blame a child that was only eight.
After that, Rehan shed many tears of pity for Maevia.
"...…F-Father?"
Gilbert paled. There was a hint of fear in his eyes.