The situation soon turned awkward for everyone. Seeing the honorable commander bow his head for his foolish daughter was a scene worth seeing.
Rucia did not like seeing her once superior bowing his head in front of her. She respected that man too much to allow him to sully his head.
Her anger caused her pheromones to spiral out of control even more, making even the servants gasp for her breath.
"Do you realize what you are asking of me, general? That lady did not only insult me, but she also insulted my lord with her words. Do you still think I should take her with me?"
Rucia asked, but the general continued to bow his head.
In the end, the one who could not take this humiliation anymore was Meria.
The sudden rush of pheromones had also almost sent Meria to his knees. He had been wearing a scent patch, but these pheromones still managed to penetrate his defenses.
"L-Lady Rucia, you need to control yourself. I know you are angry, but think of where you are and the people you are impacting."
Meria tugged at the royal guard's sleeves, and the alpha finally turned her attention to him.
His voice trembled slightly, causing Lady Rucia to realize what she had been doing. She regained her temper, finally realizing that her pheromones made these people uncomfortable.
"Fine then! Since I respect you, I will take your daughter with me. You, Fiona, come inside. But you better keep yourself in check, or you will be in trouble. Did you understand what I said to you?"
Fiona nodded her head as she trembled. But she was relieved when she was not denied entry. She quietly sat in her seat, but she was trembling in rage on the inside.
'How dare this happen to me. Not only did father have to beg this bitch to take me with her, but she also insisted that I was not good enough for her? How dare she do that.'
'Rucia Espenia, the only grant duke of this kingdom, I swear that you will be the first one I get rid of once I seduce the emperor.'
Fiona did not even feel guilty for thinking of taking advantage of the young emperor. She only wanted more power to do what she wanted.
...
The royal palace was a sight to behold for most people. The scene of the white palace standing tall within the magical barrier was one hardly anyone could forget.
"Royal Guard Rucia, it is nice to see you back. But why do you have two-"
"It's a long story. But for now, I will allow Lady Fione Fluorite's entry into this castle on behalf of General Fluorite. Please apologize to our planning committee for this sudden delay and ask them to prepare a last-minute seat for Lady Fiona."
When Meria heard these words, he turned toward Fiona to check her reaction.
His step-sister was boiling with anger and humiliation at being considered as a 'last-minute' entry. But there was nothing anyone could do for her situation.
She should be thankful even to be allowed here.
This was what most people thought, but for Fiona, this was a matter of prestige and a loss.
A tea party held by the emperor was like a battleground for young socialists. Most of the invited people might look young on the inside, but they were all trained in the arts of etiquette to polish their manners.
This tea party had only one objective - to attract the emperor's attention and become vital to him. To do that, the first thing Fiona would have to do was find a way to move closer to the emperor.
'Tsk, I need a way to move closer to the emperor. Begging would not work, nor would seduction. This royal guard is too much of a jerk to pay me attention. The only way I can see out of here is-'
Fiona turned her attention toward Meria, and she decided to use him.
"Bother, you will not leave me here alone during the tea party, right? You must spend time with me and protect me. Miss Rucia, can you arrange my seat near my brother?"
Fiona asked with an innocent expression on her face. She was sure that her acting would be able to melt Lady Fiona's heart.
After all, the guard was already beginning to feel shy in the presence of Fiona's pheromones.
"Not, Lady Fiona. Since you were not invited and you forced your way into this tea party, we cannot move you any closer to the assigned seats. Now, please head to the common area. Commander Meria, you are being called by the emperor. He asked you to meet him before the tea party."
Rucia, the guard commander, was firm in her decision. Many alphas and betas who fell for Fiona's scent wanted to help her.
But one look from Lady Rucia's cold eyes combined with her ruthless aura was enough to make everyone back down.
"Now then, I will leave this place to you, guards. I would skin you alive if I heard even one complaint about your behavior. You all better take care of this place."
Lady Rucia was ruthless when she dealt with people. It caused the guards to be on alert and give Lady Fiona helpless looks.
Lady Fiona tried to show that she was understanding by maintaining her smile somehow. But she was boiling on the inside, letting her rage boil.
Meria noticed the mood on both sides, and he tactfully decided to remain neutral.
Lady Rucia had given him an excellent excuse to avoid confrontation with his sister, so he would take it.
"Meria, can you-"
"I am sorry, Fiona. But it looks like I cannot stay here and listen to what you say. The emperor asked for my presence, and I cannot disappoint him, right?"
Meria knew what Fiona wanted to ask him, so he quickly exited.
A lot of people looked at him and pointed him out. All this attention focused on himself made Meria feel self-conscious.
'Don't think much about it, Meria. Most of these guards do not know who you are. I am sure their attention would soon return to their duties.'
But the further Meria walked, the harder it became to ignore these people. The scent of familiar pheromones was getting thicker by the second.
'These pheromones…they smell like Kerin's. It is such a nostalgic scent, and I love it…. fuck, snap out of it, Meria. These pheromones smell angry. I need to check out what is wrong.'