Free Web NovelChapter 160: Disrespect
Hajin tugged at the tight collar of his dark formal coat, frowning as they walked toward the massive palace gates.
’What a complete waste of gold,’ he thought, adjusting the stiff fabric of his sleeve.
He had spent over twenty gold coins just to get decent formal wear for himself and the girls. They looked incredibly good, though. Juna wore a long, dark grey gown that matched her silver hair, her fluffy tail swishing behind her in a slow motion.
Loccy was dressed in a soft blue dress, her long rabbit ears twitching as she carefully adjusted the hem to make sure she didn’t trip.
Vella had chosen a tight, deep cyan dress with gold embroidery, her gold-trimmed combat boots replaced by a pair of elegant heels.
He looked over at them, admitting to himself that they looked stunning despite the absurd price of the clothes.
They walked through the main gates of the palace, stopping when they saw the scene in front of them.
A long red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way down the steps. A dozen maids in neat uniforms stood lined up on both sides, bowing deeply the moment he stepped forward.
’What the hell is this?’ he stood frozen on the path.
The girls stopped beside him, looking equally confused by the grand welcome.
Juna bared her teeth slightly, her ears flattening against her head, "Master... is this an ambush?" she whispered, her claws extending slightly before she quickly forced them back.
Loccy tilted her head, her nose twitching as she stared at the maids, "They smell nice, but why are they bowing to us?" she asked, pulling on his sleeve.
Vella crossed her arms, a rare look of confusion crossing her face, "I did not expect the royal family to be this welcoming to a commoner," she muttered, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the surrounding walls.
A head maid stepped forward from the line, bowing elegantly, "Welcome to the royal palace, Lord Hajin. We have been instructed to guide you and your companions to the grand hall," she said, gesturing toward the red carpet.
Hajin figured all of this was probably required for royal protocol, so he went along with it anyway. He gave a quiet nod to the head maid, stepping onto the red carpet as the girls followed closely behind him.
They were led through a series of grand corridors before finally arriving at the double doors of the main hall. When the guards pushed the massive doors open, the lively atmosphere of the room hit him instantly.
The grand hall was packed with nobles dressed in their finest attire, talking in small groups under the glowing chandeliers.
Tables piled high with exotic food and expensive wine lined the sides of the room. A group of musicians sat on a raised platform near the back, playing a soft, upbeat melody that filled the air.
As they walked inside, the conversations in the room began to quiet down. Dozens of eyes turned toward him, the nobles staring in shock as they whispered to one another. He could hear the hushed voices spreading through the crowd, their judging eyes scanning his cheap formal coat before lingering on the girls.
’They sure love to stare,’ he thought, maintaining a completely blank expression as he walked down the center of the hall.
The whispers grew louder, mostly focused on Juna, Loccy, and Vella. Many of the young noblemen were staring at Vella with wide eyes, completely captivated by her stunning appearance. Others were looking at Juna and Loccy with expressions of disgust, clearly unhappy about beastkin being allowed into the royal palace.
Juna growled softly under her breath, her tail twitching with irritation but Hajin placed a hand on her head, gently patting her hair to calm her down.
"Just ignore them," he murmured, his voice low enough that only they could hear. "We are just here to get the reward and leave."
Loccy looked completely unfazed by the stares, her eyes locked onto a massive chocolate fountain near the corner of the room.
"Master, can I eat that?" she asked, pointing a finger directly at the dessert table.
"Later," he sighed, grabbing her hand before she could wander off.
He looked up toward the royal balcony, spotting Princess Didi standing near the gilded railing. She was wearing a beautiful silver dress that matched her frost magic perfectly, her eyes widening as she caught him looking. She quickly turned and headed toward the stairs to descend to the main floor.
Before Didi could reach them, a tall young nobleman stepped out from the crowd, blocking their path. He wore a heavily decorated silver coat, his face twisted in a sneer as he looked Hajin up and down.
"This is the royal palace, not the outer slums," the nobleman said, his voice loud enough to draw the attention of the surrounding crowd. "Who allowed a lowly commoner like you to bring these dirty beasts into our hall?"
He raised his right arm, and five glowing Shards materialized, orbiting his wrist as he released his mana pressure. He was trying to intimidate Hajin, hoping to make the commoner kneel in front of the entire court.
Hajin didn’t even blink, just staring back at him with a bored expression. ’Is this guy an idiot?’ he thought, not even bothering to shift his stance.
Before he could even speak, Juna stepped forward, her silver hair fluttering as her feral mana flared.
"You talk too much," she growled, her sharp wolf ears twitching.
Two glowing wings materialized behind her back, her heavy mana pressure slamming the young noble onto the floor. The noble gasped, his knees buckling immediately as he hit the floor with a heavy thud. His five Shards shattered instantly under the weight, his face turning red as he struggled to breathe.
All the surrounding nobles gasped in shock, quickly backing away to create a wide circle.
"How pathetic," Juna snorted, looking down at the groveling noble while her wings slowly faded. "You shouldn’t bark if you can’t even stand up," she added, her eyes flashing with a predatory glow.
Duke Vahn, a critical member of the royal council, pushed his way through the crowd. He looked down at the groveling noble before turning his cold gaze toward Hajin. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
"What exactly is going on here?" he asked, his voice dripping with typical noble arrogance. "I understand the King wishes to honor a guest, but allowing stray beasts to run rampant in the grand hall is a disgrace to the royal family’s image."
He gestured toward Juna and Loccy with a look of deep disgust. "Bringing half-human mongrels into a sacred place of court is an insult to every noble family present. Dressing them in expensive fabrics does not hide the smell of the gutter. A beast is a beast, no matter how much gold you waste on its clothes."
He turned his gaze toward Vella, his lips curling into a sneer. "And bringing a lowborn street girl to pose as a lady of the court. Allowing such trash to stand among high society degrades the very dignity of this palace."
Juna bared her fangs, her body tensing as she prepared to spring at the old man.
Before she could leap, a wave of cold, suffocating bloodlust began leaking from Hajin’s body. The oppressive aura spread silently through the air, and all three girls felt it instantly.
Juna froze in her tracks, her ears flattening as she looked at him in surprise. Vella and Loccy also stiffened, their eyes widening as they recognized the sheer intensity of the bloodlust.
His face remained completely blank, but his eyes were pitch black, the silent warning clear to everyone around them. He stood there, staring back at the duke without saying a single word.
[ CringeSlayer91:] that old fart just fucked up
