Free Web NovelChapter 205: Chapter 205: The Blood Race Duke’s Wrath: The Honored Guest from the Orphanage
Mr. Sino took two steps forward, shielding all the children behind him.
He was genuinely afraid Elaine would make Kuku cry, or worse, provoke that monster.
"What business is it of yours?"
"Don’t go looking for trouble. Be careful not to anger an existence you can’t afford to provoke."
Hearing such a warning from his nemesis, Elaine hesitated for a moment.
He glanced at the children.
He saw only a group of unfamiliar faces. They all looked incredibly weak and had absolutely nothing to do with some so-called "existence you can’t afford to provoke." ’He must be bluffing,’ Elaine thought.
So, he let out a cold, soft laugh.
"I highly doubt this little menagerie of yours poses any threat to me."
"What, are these all your illegitimate children?"
"You’ve hidden them well, I see. I’m only just now finding out. But why are these little darlings like commoner rats? How could you have the gall to bring them out in public?"
Yun Zhenyue and the children heard his completely unfiltered words.
’Who is this guy?’
’We were just eating peacefully and not causing any trouble!’
’He just comes over and starts running his mouth.’
’It’s so annoying just listening to him.’
"Who is this idiot!" Meimei couldn’t hold back and retorted. "Can someone make him leave? He’s ruining my appetite!"
"I was just about to paint a picture of the banquet. Could you please step aside? I don’t like to paint trash," said Shoushou.
Pangpang chimed in defiantly, "It’s not like you say! Beef jerky is the best thing in the world!"
Seeing that the children were all upset, Yun Zhenyue’s brow furrowed. She walked up to Elaine and warned, "Sir, we don’t want to cause trouble at the banquet. Please apologize to the children!"
At first, Elaine was dismissive of the children’s words.
’Their words have such little impact!’
’Compared to the insults Mr. Sino usually throws at me, this is like being tickled.’
But facing Yun Zhenyue, he suddenly had the illusion of glimpsing a great personage.
This human girl seemed accustomed to a high station. Her simple words carried an indisputable nobility.
A sense of foreboding welled up in Elaine’s heart.
He knew his premonitions were often accurate.
It was how he had escaped death many times.
But his nemesis was right here.
He couldn’t possibly apologize to a bunch of brats!
’Otherwise, how could I ever show my face again?’
Not only that!
’I have to crush them completely!’
’Besides, this is the Duke’s banquet.’
’I don’t believe they’d dare to cause a scene!’
Elaine swirled the crystal glass in his hand, even as Mr. Sino once again demanded that he apologize or face dire consequences.
But he maintained his arrogant attitude.
Pangpang even tore off a small piece of beef jerky and handed it to him, insisting that beef jerky was not inferior food and that Elaine had to know its wonderfulness!
But Elaine only pretended to accept it.
Then he gave it a light sniff!
Indeed!
The piece of jerky was appealing to him.
But Elaine instead put on a disgusted look.
Then, under Pangpang’s disbelieving gaze, he casually tossed the beef jerky—the boy’s treasure—onto the floor.
"Garbage!"
"I said it’s garbage, so it’s garbage. How dare you present something that doesn’t even belong on a dinner table."
"It’s clear to me you’re just being disrespectful to the Duke."
Finally, he ground it with his heel.
He crushed it into a pile of crumbs!
It was clearly inedible now.
"You—"
Pangpang was furious, his face, round like a steamed bun, flushing red with anger!
This was his prized beef jerky!
He had a limited supply!
He just wanted to prove that beef jerky was the best in the world!
But this person, he actually, he actually...
"You’ve gone too far," Mr. Sino said, frowning.
Loli had been watching silently. She knew that Elaine and her father did not get along. The two of them were always at each other’s throats and would often come to blows, but the children were innocent.
’They shouldn’t become sacrifices in a fight between two adults.’
"Mr. Elaine, apologize immediately!" Loli said coldly.
"Apologize?"
"Why should I apologize to you?" Elaine said nonchalantly, convinced that no one would dare cause a scene at the banquet. Otherwise, the Duke was not to be trifled with.
"Did I say anything wrong? If so, please have the Duke himself punish me."
Silence!
As the conflict grew more intense, quite a few members of the Blood Race had noticed the commotion.
But upon seeing two Marquises arguing, not one of them dared to intervene. Instead, they chose to move away from the area, their voices dropping to a hush.
Before long, a large, empty space had formed around the group. freёwebnovel.com
It was as if some invisible barrier separated them from everyone else.
「Just then.」
TAP... TAP...
The sound of soft, deliberate footsteps approached.
The Blood Race Duke, dressed in a dark-patterned formal suit, approached. The faint glimmer of candlelight was visible in his scarlet pupils. His powerful and noble aura was like that of an alpha wolf in its pack, compelling all who saw him to instinctively lower their heads.
As he drew near, the entire banquet hall fell silent.
"What’s going on?"
The Blood Race Duke’s voice was extremely deep, yet it carried a weight that made it impossible to ignore.
His gaze swept over the two Marquises with a scrutinizing air.
Then he looked at Yun Zhenyue and the children with some indifference.
Finally, his gaze turned to Loli.
He lingered on her for a few extra, peculiar moments.
"Your Grace!"
Elaine stepped forward, respectfully beating everyone to it.
"It’s nothing serious. I simply saw that this group of children was behaving impolitely, so I came to stop them."
"You see, for the exquisite banquet you so carefully prepared, they weren’t even invited. They aren’t of the Blood Race. It was already a great courtesy to let them in, but what did they do?"
"Eating something like beef jerky at such an elegant banquet is completely improper. I merely said a few words, and they got angry..."
After saying this, Elaine deliberately put on an aggrieved expression.
"I understand."
The Blood Race Duke nodded, his expression still indifferent.
He couldn’t be bothered with such trivial matters.
It was just that this group of children reminded him of a certain place.
A place called the Terminal Orphanage.
He almost thought these were the children from the orphanage.
’But on second thought... absolutely not!’
’That orphanage would never let its children sneak out.’
’I must be overthinking things from all the anxiety today.’
He was, in fact, just about to welcome a distinguished guest who had traveled a long way from that very orphanage.
A guest he had been anticipating for a long time...
A guest he had met by chance and had specially invited.
He knew that this guest’s status was countless times more noble than his own!
He had only extended the invitation on a whim, just to try his luck.
He never expected it would actually be a success!
’If I can earn that person’s favor... perhaps I truly have a hope of taking that forbidden step...’
’...and becoming a terrifying existence known as a Great Evil!’
The thought alone made him so nervous his heart was pounding.
"If a child is unruly, the father should be more disciplined in their upbringing."
The Blood Race Duke said in a cold, chilling tone.
The intense pressure made it difficult for everyone present to breathe.
Then, his gaze shifted slightly.
He looked at Loli and her father and said, "Mr. Sino, I am now going to welcome a distinguished guest. I hope you can keep them in line."
"I don’t care who it is!"
"If anyone dares to disrespect that guest, don’t blame me for being merciless."
Elaine was stunned to hear this.
He hadn’t known the Duke was expecting a distinguished guest!
’For a top-tier Evil Star like the Duke to personally welcome them, and even issue a warning... it’s clear how lofty that guest’s status must be. Could it be...’
’—A Great Evil?!!’
At this thought, Elaine swallowed hard.
’Good thing I was only targeting these children. Otherwise, if I had angered the Duke’s distinguished guest, I’d probably be chopped up and fed to the bats!’
"Your Grace, in that case, we should be even more careful."
"Why don’t you let me watch over these children?" Elaine offered.
"Mm."
The Blood Race Duke said faintly.
It seemed he approved of Elaine’s suggestion.
With that, he turned and left.
He quickly vanished from sight.
Elaine, for his part, let out a sigh of relief.
A sardonic expression then appeared on his face.
It seemed as if he had been displeased with the children the whole time, but in reality, he was humiliating Mr. Sino.
In front of everyone, he faced the defiant children and sneered, "Do I need to personally ask you to leave?"
"Get lost, you pack of commoners!"
"This place doesn’t belong to you!"
