Chapter 292
Chapter 292
Today is the big day for the whole kingdom. Kara Grand, the first princess, is marrying the future king of the Iron Throne!
More than a thousand noble guests had gathered in the ceremonial hall of the palace: the patriarchs and elders, the pure-blood descendants, noble families from other kingdoms, and even a couple of visitors from Dantes, the imperial capital.
Director Nulan arrived with his gorgeous red-haired wife and daughter. Marina and Franz were sitting next to each other. In the corner, patriarch Bai was saying something to his charming daughter Diana, who was holding his hand. One of the most honorable places was taken by Vladimir, the head of the investigation department, dressed in a tailored black suit with a bow tie. He was sitting alone, engrossed in his thoughts, a puzzled frown creased his forehead.
Everyone wanted to know why the wedding had been announced only a week in advance, not six months, as was customary. Who was the groom? And why was all the information about him kept a closely guarded secret? The whole situation had created an atmosphere of exciting mystery, which made this event even more intriguing.
The fan club members looked concerned. Ten young Grands resembled strict fathers who were going to meet their beloved daughter’s boyfriend. Heaven forbid they find a single flaw in him! His manners, looks, talent, cultivation, everything should be god-level, no less!
The welcome song started playing. The guests rose from their seats all at once. The superior servants opened the main gate, and the queen walked the red carpet in the ceremonial hall. Vlada could outshine even the moon goddess with her charm and sensuality. Her dignity inspired instinctive respect. The queen’s eyes seemed to shine with a mysterious light.
Anyway, all the eyes were on the princess, walking next to her mother. Kara resembled the images of the ancient sun goddess. Her sultry beauty captivated the hearts of all the ladies and gentlemen in the hall. The first princess was wearing an incredible white and burgundy wedding dress. Smooth as silk, it emphasized the delightful curves of her slender body. The bride walked gracefully like a gentle, barely perceptible spring breeze. The confident gaze of her crimson eyes could enchant even the most picky man! Kara had no doubt in her irresistibility. Even the gods themselves would kneel before her. She had to charm and outwit the cheeky goddess’s son, and her success was inevitable!
The fan club members moaned involuntarily as if they had been stabbed in the heart. Some of them burst into tears yet again. They could not believe that their goddess was going to become someone’s wife, giving him her innocence and her heart! It was too cruel!
Following Kyon’s instructions, Vlada led her daughter to the center of the hall, opened the envelope and read the letter to everyone present: «Ladies and gentlemen, do you believe in fate? Do you believe that it’s inevitable and has all of us in its absolute power? I don’t. Being princess Kara��s groom, I prefer to create my destiny, and I suggest you do, too.»
While Vlada was reading the contents of the letter, the guests exchanged intrigued glances with each new phrase. It was not every day that they heard such confident statements. This person had an extraordinary mindset and no fear of taking responsibility. Therefore, he would make a good king!
Kara’s husband-to-be had already left an indelible impression on all the guests. The fan club members, who had been too tense up to this point, relaxed a bit, trying to convince themselves that the groom of their beloved princess was really worthy of her.
The queen went on reading: «We knew from the moment we first met that we were meant to be together. We have a strong spiritual connection. I am an open person and expressed my feelings clearly and confidently as befits a real man, while my beloved bride treated me with enviable coldness, being true to her delightfully unapproachable nature. She didn’t let me anywhere near herself. We’re like ice and fire swirling in the endless wedding dance of true love.»
Suddenly, all Cernos students invited to the wedding had a bad feeling.
Kara felt the earth disappear beneath her feet as if someone invisible had grabbed and squeezed her throat. The confident, proud demoness looked confused now.
«Finally, the day has come when I, Dick Baker, will become her husband. Meet the great me!» – Vlada finished reading the letter and took on a silent and impenetrable expression, glaring at the entrance door.
The greeting hymn began. The servants opened the main gate, and inside, like a superstar, a fat guy in a sleazy classic black tuxedo rolled in with a sweeping step and headed towards his lover. His disgusting smile revealed crooked yellow teeth to all the guests.
The welcome song played again, the servants opened the gates, and a sleazy fat guy strolled inside in a classic black tuxedo. He headed to the bride, flashing a repulsive smile with crooked yellow teeth.
If a bloodthirsty manticore had burst into the wedding hall, the guests would have stayed calmer. This monster was petrifying! Bai, Diana, Vladimir, and all the other guests, who had seen Kara’s groom for the first time were outraged. It was to their eyes and minds. They had never seen anyone uglier than him. And his pathetic cultivation… It was terrible! Was he really the first princess’s groom? How was it even possible?
The Cernos students refused to believe it was happening for real. The fan club members stared at Dick with glassy eyes as if he were a ghost.
Only Prince Charles, who had come to the wedding out of idle curiosity, grinned like crazy, feeling delighted with this turn of events. He had to cover his face with his hands to smother the urge to laugh out loud.
When the princess saw the familiar ugly face, her heart seemed to have forgotten to beat. Confusion in her wide-open eyes gave way to shock and even horror: {No-no-no! It can’t be! NO! Why him? I don’t want to believe it! I refuse!}
She felt like a stupid child as her mother often called her. She had been claiming in front of all students that Dick Baker was a pathetic nobody who had no chance to touch her, and now it turned out that she had lied! Even if it concerned only the sorry-ass Cernos students, the princess wanted to evaporate into oblivion! They would say that she had given in to the persistent freak and agreed to be his wife of her own will! All her inflated pride, vanity and self-esteem had received a tremendous blow in the gut. Kara could barely catch her breath.
The princess could not understand why she had not guessed that Dick, who had fallen in love at first sight, was in fact Kyon, over whom she had cast an enchanting curse. It was obvious all along!
On second thought, it wasn’t. They were too different! And it wasn’t about how they looked. They were poles apart in personality! Dick’s words and deeds were nothing like Kyon’s! No girl in the world would associate the pathetic monster with the handsome genius!
Vlada unwillingly admired Kyon. She could hardly believe that it was the goddess’s in the guise of this mutant. His theatrical makeup was flawless! Not a single sect envoy would recognize him as Kyon! He had even procured a concealing item of the lord phase (5)! Now it was clear why he had demanded not to invite anyone whose cultivation was above the fifth phase.
Meanwhile, Dick approached the princess and secretly winked at her. The expression on her face was priceless. Finally, he could enjoy the sweet taste of the destroyed expectations of the hated and at the same time adorable bitch.
The noble guests whispered to each other, ignoring decorum: «Who is this ugly guy?» … «Why is marrying Princess Kara?» … «Is it a joke?»
The fan club members twitched in a fit of anger. They all wanted to shout: “What the hell is going on here?” But they didn’t dare – too afraid to draw attention to themselves.
Somewhere in the far corner, Alex Grand stared absently at the bridal couple and wondered how the miserable, insignificant freak could get all the best? How did he get to live in room number and marry the first beauty in the kingdom?
Pale as death, the head of the fan club was on the verge of insanity. When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he spoke in a trembling, breaking voice: «Your Highness, I beg to satisfy the curiosity of all present. What is it all about?»
All the guests turned their heads to Alex Grand. Deep inside, they were grateful to the brave boy who dared to ask the nagging question that had been on their mind since the groom appeared in the hall. However, his father, the respected elder of the Grand family, looked tense and uneasy.
Vlada gave the daredevil a haughty look: «What exactly are you asking, young man?»
Artie swallowed hard and summoned up the courage to continue: «Why is Dick Baker here? He is the most disgustful student in Cernos! Her Highness feels nothing but disdain and hatred for him. Is it a kind of joke?»
The rest of the students nodded like dummies in support of Arthie’s words.
The queen narrowed her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was ice cold and deadly: «Do you think that the future king of the Iron Throne is the most disgustful Cernos student? Is my beloved daughter’s wedding a joke for you?»
Vlada’s voice and overwhelming aura inspired horror. The guests stood there drenched in a cold sweat, feeling weak and miserable in front of this powerful, fragile-looking woman. She could kill everyone present with a wave of her hand!
Shaking all over, Arthie, babbled, barely moving his lips: «I didn’t mean it that way! Your daughter’s face… And the guests…» – His face turned ashen white.
Arcadius grabbed his son by the hair and pressed his head to the floor, forcing him to bend before the queen. Then he turned a pleading look to her: «Great Queen Vlada! My spoiled, ill-mannered child didn’t mean to insult you! I beg you to be merciful. Spare him! I will punish him myself so hard that he will forget his name! Your majesty, please take pity on my son!»
Vlada fixed her eyes on the two fools and nodded solemnly: «So be it, Elder Arcadius. Today is my dear daughter’s wedding, and I do not want to ruin it because someone is extremely stupid. I forgive you.»
«Much obliged, your majesty!» – Arcadius breathed a sigh of relief.
Artie kept lying with his forehead on the floor. For some reason, he was not so happy that he had escaped the execution. The Queen made him understand that the wedding was real. The low-life scum was going to marry the lady of his heart for whom he had created a fan club, who he had been trying to please every day. The mere thought of their imminent wedding night made him want to die, preferably taking Dick Baker with him!
The fan club leader and his henchmen were mostly concerned with the following questions. Why did the precious princess agree to marry Dick Baker if she claimed that he was a pathetic nobody? Was it true what they said: the most impregnable walls protecting a girl’s heart from a loving conqueror would sooner or later fall? Was unlimited arrogance and perseverance a secret way to any goddess’s heart, no matter how pathetic and wretched the candidate was? Well, it kind of fell into place! The princess didn’t kick Dick out of school. She didn’t get him punished for the fake result or executed for the insults. It must have been a grit test, even if at the subconscious level! When Dick proved that he was strong enough, she fell in love with him! It seemed pretty convincing if not for one thing: Kara didn’t look like a girl in love, not a little bit!
The incident with Queen Vlada and Artie Grand was a good lesson for those who were outraged with Dick Baker for his cheating. He enjoyed Her Majesty’s patronage. He was the future crown prince! From now on, no one would dare to oppose him no matter what.
Meanwhile, elder Grand approached the young couple and proceeded to the wedding ceremony. While he was reciting the standard speech, the bridal couple exchanged eloquent glances.
The princess looked at the groom with an expression: “How is it even possible?”
Kyon smirked like a cat that had cornered a mouse, enjoying the reaction of the beautiful girl, the dream of any man all over the world. His heart was about to burst in his chest because of his already habitual chronic love for Kara.
After the bride and the groom had made their vows, the elder asked them to exchange the rings. He glanced sympathetically over Kara, then jealously over the groom and announced:
«Seal your union with a kiss!»