Chapter 35.1

Seira’s smiling face froze for the first time the moment she heard Baron’s request.

“Is that man crazy…?” she gasped.

However, Aven didn’t seem to understand her embarrassment at all.

“You didn’t know that was going to happen?” he asked in curiosity.

Seira’s eyes turned to Aven without even realizing it, “Then you guessed he was going to do that?”

“He obviously can’t stay still, can he? I’ve been following you around for years, so I know. Plus…” he tilted his head and whispered so that only Seira could hear, “After spending the night, I’m sure he couldn’t give you up.”

Any Alpha who hugged a pure-blooded Omega at least once would understand what Aven meant. There was nothing more addictive scent than drugs, nor was there anything to take its place.

If Baron gave up on something like that, it would’ve been similar to losing one’s only companion whom he imprinted. However, Seira was still confused even after hearing Aven’s words.

‘Baron isn’t particularly special because he is pure-blooded,’ she thought at the back of her mind.

Of course, she wouldn’t deny that she enjoyed it. Baron had a formidable weapon that shook her world that night, his strength overwhelming to the point she almost collapsed. It had been intense and dizzying that she both felt dead and alive.

But her relationship with Aven was no less than that.

‘Am I only thinking this because Aven is special to me in a different manner?’

He was a very precious person. A man who wanted to protect her at all costs, an Alpha who really wanted to be tied by the boundaries of her family. Seira always felt great joy with her relationship with Aven.

Perhaps she gave them too many meanings that was why she felt that way.

Although, it may as well have been a burden to him.

“But,” Aven paused, “if you don’t want to, then just reject him. You don’t have to consider every situation. Isn’t he to blame in the first place for burdening you?”

Aven’s words revealed his disapproval of Baron. It didn’t even need much explanation, but Seira’s heart felt warm whenever she looked at Aven’s handsome profile.

“Yes, thank you, Aven.”

How can she not feel sorry for him? The only thing he didn’t give her was a love affair that was worthless. Everything else was laid out neatly at her feet.

‘My greed was just excessive, and my wish for vanity.’

Seira turned sideways to look at his gloomy and dark eyes for the last time. She was curious how things had progressed on the other side, and she needed someone to be her human shield.

Although his face might have turned rigid, Calrad granted Baron’s request, while Louis took a step back. Anyway, the main characters for tonight’s banquet were those that took part in the subjugation war, including Baron Jeff and Seira Askan.

Baron’s request was only reasonable.

With the consent of his competitors, Baron walked with pride towards Seira. He then proceeded to stand tall in front of her and said, “This is how it should be done – to dance with you once.”

Seira glanced at his bright yellow eyes, which were blazing fiercely, “I don’t like it. I’m really not in the mood to dance right now.”

No matter how much he paid for Calrad’s permission, she wasn’t obliged to do anything. As Aven said, there was no need to do anything if she didn’t want to.

But despite her refusal, Baron didn’t show signs of backing down as he held out his hand towards her.

“You can’t fix Pommel on your own,” he said. “It would take a whole box of gold to fix it.”

Seira’s expression was greatly perturbed with his words.

“Does it really cost that much?” she whispered.

It was only after she knew the specific amount that Seira realized. Aven’s words were true after all – Baron won’t give up easily on her.

Seira emptied the champagne glass in one drink, and then lowered her voice as she said, “Well… There’s nothing to eat anyway.”

“Of course.”

Baron took the empty glass, handed it over to the servant, and then reached out to her again.

The music naturally changed as they walked out onto the dancefloor. The song that played was in the form of a rondo that wasn’t very fast.

Seira heaved a heavy sigh as she felt the pressure of eyes pouring from the crowd.

“Don’t worry about the eyes around you. It would be a shame for you not to dance when you are this pretty,” Baron slipped her a compliment.

She instantly felt better with Baron’s words.

This was her first time dancing in a formal event, but she moved leisurely. Baron matched her pace, and then quickly narrowed their distance as if they were hugging. His feet were light as if he was a flower petal in the wind, like a butterfly circling and flapping its pretty wings.”You dance much better than I imagined.”

‘Why did he do that when it attracted so much attention?’ Seira asked herself as they continued to dance with the music, ‘What’s so big of a deal about a dance like this anyway?’

“Our commander-in-chief is not bad at this,” she commented after a couple of minutes into the dance.

He smiled back at her nonchalant praise.

“I’m good at everything I do with my body,” he said with a smug grin.