Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 31: The Banquet

Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, scattering light across the polished marble floors. Exquisite paintings lined the walls, and tables draped in crimson velvet gleamed with silver cutlery and crystal goblets.

Delicate floral arrangements filled the air with a subtle fragrance, mingling with the scent of roasted meats and sweet pastries.

A string quartet played softly in the corner, their music weaving through the low hum of the crowd’s conversation.

Everything here screamed wealth and power—but to Severine, it also felt like a battlefield. One wrong step, one careless word, and bloodless wars would be waged behind polite smiles.

To protect herself, Severine had used a new kind of armor. The midnight black gown clung to her figure.

The off-shoulder design bared her pale collarbones, the dark fabric cascading downward in smooth, ruthless lines that swallowed the light instead of reflecting it.

Against the darkness, her gray eyes stood out—cool, distant, and sharp, like mist hiding a blade. Her long black hair fell freely down her back, untouched by excessive ornaments, framing the delicate face.

This small thrill of rebellion gave her a new, dangerous kind of confidence.

Severine straightened her back as she stepped inside the grand doors with her family.

Almost immediately, voices descended upon her.

"Oh my, I didn’t expect to see you here," Lady Nira exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with pleasant surprise as she stepped closer.

"Truly," another lady chimed in, examining Severine from head to toe. "You’ve grown into such a pretty young lady."

"Hi, Severine. How are you, darling?" A third voice followed smoothly. "I heard you’re living in a dorm now. My son lives nearby—you can ask him for help if you need anything."

She was immediately swarmed from all directions, hemmed in by perfumes and polite smiles. It was as if these women had encountered a long-lost friend.

Or rather, a promising daughter-in-law.

When words were driven by greed, they carried no substance. Such were these conversations.

Severine gave a polite nod to Nira before greeting the other guests one by one.

Pleasantries and social reputation often became one’s backbone during hard times.

Considering the feud between her and the male leads, she had no intention of creating another enemy for herself.

"Yes, yes," another lady added eagerly. "My child is there as well. He’s your senior."

"Hmm. I see," Severine replied, showing mild interest that wouldn’t cause any issue later.

The banquet wasn’t a masquerade ball, yet everyone was wearing a facade.

They looked fake, cold, frigid, still the smiling faces continued to swim in her vision.

From the corner of her eye, she also noticed Emmett D’Arden along with his family.

When Emmett flashed her a wide grin, she also mirrored the people around her, put on a frigid facade, and offered a small, distant smile.

Just like that, the suffocating feeling inside her grew.

I hate this place... She had always avoided such extravagant occasions, only attending when there was no other option.

Unlike others who used such places to forge connections, she preferred doing so through her company’s channels.

That way, Samuel had to do most of the talking, saving her the trouble. But she couldn’t possibly bring him there.

"You guys talk. My father is looking for me," Severine politely exited the group of ladies.

Her high heels clicked on the floor as she approached her family.

Her gaze swept over the teenager.

Nineteen years old Austin calmly stood beside her father. Both had light blue eyes like ice. The only difference was in their hair color. One had silver while the other had brown.

If Isabella stood beside them, they would look like the perfect family of Awakeners. Austin even had Isabella’s hair.

From head to toe, Severine resembled neither of them. She felt like a misplaced piece in a puzzle that had never been meant for her.

Perhaps that was why whispers had followed her for years, calling her a fake heiress and outsider.

If not for Austin’s sudden arrival into the family, she suspected people might have gone further and labeled her an illegitimate child outright.

"It’s time to greet them."

Victor Lockwood’s words brought her back from those dusty memories.

His tone was cold, clipped, carrying the same edge he used when addressing subordinates. One might have mistaken it for an order rather than words directed at his children.

It wasn’t just Severine who received that treatment. Austin did as well.

Much to her chagrin, that realization brought her comfort.

Unlike her mother, Victor had always treated both of his children equally.

As long as they delivered results, Victor would support them. To him, the title of Awakener carried little inherent meaning.

That was also why Isabella had warned her about Austin’s recent acts.

How is Austin doing in that project?

Her attention was soon taken by the aged voice coming from the speakers.

Two staircases looped upward, meeting at the upper floor where Mr. Rhodes stood with a glass of champagne.

"I welcome all of you to this small gathering..."

The welcoming speech began, explaining the root and cause of the gathering, which wasn’t small by any means.

The number of guests had easily filled the grand hall. Almost all the upper echelon was present.

Severine noticed Emily in a frilly dress standing beside her mother. Both were waiting for Mr. Rhodes to finish the speech and come down so they could personally greet the guests as family.

Severine felt a twinge of envy seep into her chest when Mrs. Rhodes dotingly patted Emily’s head.

She averted her gaze back toward the speaker.

Unlike her father, Mr. Rhodes looked old. The wrinkles on his face were deep. His heavy blue eyes were sharp, holding the weight of experience and knowledge.

He looks like a kindly elder, she mused as she finally forced herself to look at Mr. Rhodes’ right side.

There stood a young man in a gray suit, taller than his father.

His messy brown hair was neatly combed this time, while a silver earring still dangled from his left ear.

Severine’s gray eyes narrowed.

I should have used more force when I pinched him. Maybe then, he would have stayed in the hospital for a few more days.

For now, she had to deal with this nuisance by herself, along with those terrible flashes from her prophetic dreams.

Since she had entered the banquet hall, something had been stirring inside her chest... almost like an intuition.

She wanted nothing more than to run back home, yet she had to stay.

It’s okay. Calm down. You can handle it, Severine...

She started observing people around her, mentally noting if they had any involvement in the novel plot.

Just like her, Damien was also staring at the people. His almost bored gaze swept over the guests one by one. When he noticed Severine, his eyes widened slightly.

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds...

In his astonishment, he nearly forgot to follow his father down the stairs after the speech ended.

As soon as his feet touched the ground floor, they were surrounded by the guests, congratulating him on his speedy recovery.

Soon it was Severine’s turn to greet them.

She kept her eyes vacant, not looking at anyone as her father did all the talking. Austin’s joking words were enough to completely shield her from the attention.

All she did was nod at the two elders of the family, agreeing to whatever they were saying.

Emily didn’t dare to act when her parents were around. And the young master Damien seemed to be lost somewhere.

Although his piercing gaze made Severine uncomfortable, she didn’t give him any extra look.

All of a sudden, Emily closed the distance between them, leaning closer to Severine’s ear.

With a cute smile, she hissed, "Who are you trying to seduce dressed like a whore?"

Severine’s jaw clenched. She really wanted to slap that smile away.

She stared at her father from the corner of her eye. Victor was busy flattering Mr. Rhodes, unaware of the conflict.

Surprisingly, Austin was looking toward her with a frown.

Two hypocrites. Severine almost sneered.

Mimicking Emily, she curled the corner of her lips in a tiny smirk. "I have no experience in stripping and clinging to others, unlike you... Whore."

Anger flared in Emily’s eyes, her cheeks puffed up.

Before she could lose her composure, Mr. Rhodes patted Emily’s head, signalling her to follow along.

"Enjoy your time, children," Mrs. Rhodes said with a beautiful smile. "Emily will return soon after the greetings."

In Mrs. Rhodes’s eyes, they were from the same class, and that made them friends.

What else could Severine do other than agree?

The moment the Rhodes family passed them, her nerves relaxed. One step was over.

The second was to find a corner and wait for the banquet to end. She wasn’t stupid to stay there and wait for Emily.

Not to mention Damien’s bizarre behavior. All he did was stare, or maybe glare at her without a word.

"It’s going to be a terribly long night again."