Cian was never fond of crowd… much less, parties and balls. Many people, wearing masks, socializing with fraud characters…making him sick and disgusted. As a Modern man, he had never participated in those ballrooms and parties of royalties and nobles seen in television.

A novel experience… especially for a modern man like him.

In the distance, the palace was glimmering with golden lights, while the fires brightened up the palace as if it were daytime. Horse carriages were gathered at the door of the palace. It looks like the Demon Empress not only invited major retainers to celebrate but also influential figures of this society.

Castle lights spread from the opened windows flooded on to the terrace where couples idly wandered, or leaned against the stone balustrades, while others sought the shadowed intimacy of the shrubberies and rose gardens.

Sibylla Vandlehouse simply didn’t put any thoughts on the ball. After she made her greetings, she pasted a smile on her face. She emptied her mind and was only waiting for the ball to end. As a result, when the servant made his announcement, she simply didn’t notice it. Only when she sharply perceived those prying and measuring gazes on her, all of a sudden, withdraw with a crashing sound, did she suddenly feel somewhat surprised. Recollecting her thoughts, she carelessly followed everyone’s gazes and saw——

A person like a snow lotus on a mountain stepping down from its summit, with an unsurpassable cold and clear aura.

Like an aloof celestial being that always stood alone, leaving behind worldly life, his pitch black gown adorned with beautiful silver linings floated and turned over, drawing arc after arc in mid-air.

That firm and humble look, showing his noble and unyielding character;

That straight and tall stature that would rather break than bend!

The pair of eyes was bright like morning stars. A good, fresh and tender handsome embryo; bewitching like the mist between a sea of clouds, it added onto his mysteriousness, but also alienated him from the crowd.

The most infamous brutal Demon Prince; His Highness Aanuel Heretarium Vorn Stormfury walked on the aisle, with an indifferent but aloof expression. The moment he had appeared, the buzzing crowd instantly turned solemn, their gazes turned towards him… staring.

Even Sibylla can’t help but stared at the walking figure, charmed. She sat with her back to the light and watched the person who walked forward into the light. Due to the light somewhat blinding in her direction (since she chooses the very corner, fearing her appearance would be found by her fiancée) she couldn’t see his face clearly, but the soft rays of light illuminated a blurry halo around him. Rays of light bounced off his gown and hair in a mischievous manner.

Sibylla, for a split second, suddenly felt that this person was even more dazzling than the sun in the distant horizon.

“Paying one’s respect to His Highness Prince Aanuel.”

When the person stood firmly in the middle of the Hall, everyone returned to their senses one after another and immediately kneeled down to make one’s salutations. The ‘plop’ sounds that came in succession were so loud that Sibylla’s heart trembled in fear. Was there a need to kneel so devoutly?

… much more, to a good-for-nothing prince…?

However, seeing the upper-class ladies that were joking together in front of her from before, now kneeling with pale complexions and lips trembling, Sibylla suddenly remembered something that she had tossed to the back of her mind.

Her fiancé was known infamously outside as a true cruel demon!

His infamy spread through thousand miles, scaring the entire kingdom with just his name alone!

The most hated man in her life…!

Sibylla considered herself as one of those tragic women in stories and myths—without love and affection, only a tool for the family. She was never that naïve and can even be said to be a bit wiser than those with her own age. Thus, when her family suddenly announced her marriage, she immediately knows the reason why. More so, when she had heard who her fiancée was!

Second Prince of the Demon Empire—Prince Aanuel Heretarium Vorn Stormfury.

The most infamous prince in the Demon Empire; brutal, cruel, a tyrant, selfish and good-for-nothing man. She makes a very long list of insult towards him, that was how scum of a person he was. Even the entire empire knows of it, no one just had the guts to say it out loud.

The first time she had heard about it, she had despaired. She locked herself in her room, cried for who knows how many days for her tragic destiny. However, her family was hell-bent on this decision and thus, no matter what she wanted to do, she could never change her fate.

She had thoughts of running away or even worst, giving her body to anyone so that the marriage she had would be broken due to her chastity being taken away. Who cares about her reputation and purity, as long as she would be spared to her future suffering—I know, it was stupidity, but she had no choice at that time. She despaired.

However, unfortunately for her, her family was very serious about their engagement. The moment she goes out and left the house, she would be crowded by guards, dozens of guards. Even men who came on to her, wanting to talk would be chased away as if fearing of even a slight rumor to appear.

Thus, Sibylla could only grit her teeth in frustrations.

However, is this really Prince Aanuel…? Although Sibylla had only seen a few times before but she had always observed him from head to toe and had a bit of understanding of his character and makings. Although not as good as those close to him, she was still confident about her judgment. Prince Aanuel is already a lost cause—making her feel despaired even more.

Lascivious and selfish to the extreme…

However, what is this…?

Prince Aanuel seemed to be stranger to her at this very moment. Attitude, presence, gaze, expression, and every movement and action she made… what is this? What the heck is this?!

Sibylla's hand trembled, even causing the golden goblet in her hand to fall. This is not Prince Aanuel! This is not him! She screamed inside her mind.

She has always been good at observing people… whether it was an ability or not but she had always been good at looking through people—she even knows that the first prince, the idol and worshipped of all the people within the Empire wasn’t what it seems to the surface. He was a scary creature she would never want to meet.

She glanced at the supposed to be the Second Prince of the Demon Empire while knitting her eyebrows.

Driads are natural born from nature, thus, granting them strong perception, and she could feel the change within the prince instinctively.

Previously, she felt that the prince was no more than a good-for-nothing scumbag and a waste of a man, but now, he seemed to be a warrior who had fought countless battles and was baptized by countless of blood of his enemies—the calm yet deadly atmosphere he radiated was on par with that of the elite soldiers she had seen before.

Those elites were either soldiers or people who had fought many battles, but the prince should be nothing of the sort. He was a coward who would even run after seeing a battle and was only relying on his status to bully others!

Just what did the prince experience in these past days for him to undergo such a change?

She could not understand.

Sibylla then realized she actually cannot see through Prince Aanuel completely at this very moment. She had known about his good appearance, however, he was lacking charisma and that domineering presence that overwhelm people, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. With his smelly reputation that stinks like the worst latrine pit in the Empire, it overshadowed his handsomeness, making him ‘just a face’ prince.

But now… with just his appearance, all of them immediately felt their hearts beating, like some sort of criminals standing in the execution platform. They felt as if one mistake and their heads will roll.

Prince Aanuel was slightly closing his eyes. Yet, this alone made him feel more threatening.

How is this possible?

Is this the Second Prince that the Empire, no, the entire world knows…?

What heralded this change?

What does he had experienced…?

Sybilla’s mind shook… for reasons, she couldn’t understand!

*** ***

Cian stood, surrounded by the faint romantic lilt of a string orchestra.

The great hall of the Throne room was filled with the scent of freesia and carnations.

The torches used to light the hall were covered with a crystal cover, illuminating the entire hall. The floor was floored with luxurious marble tiles. Treasured works of art were hung on the walls. From what he could guess, Cian thinks they could have several hundred people dancing in here all at once—that was how large the hall was used for the ball.

All sorts of foods were placed on the two long tables along the two sides.

Cian frowned from the attention he was getting and couldn’t help but feel annoyed from discomfort; “There’s no need for everyone to be so polite. This is not a formal meeting, one need not kneel or it would be seen as me being a mood killer,”

A cold and cheerless tone that was like the ice at the edge of a pond in winter. Everyone gave a shiver, slowly returning to their senses after half a beat, before hurriedly getting up.

“The party is meant to be a joyous one, authority and status can be forgotten for this one night… my mother would like that as well… well then, please excuse me,” After saying that, Cian ignored the surrounding and went on his way towards the open balcony to get some fresh air.

After seeing him coming, those people near place immediately trembled and as if avoiding a plague, especially the women, they all hurriedly left, like rabbits escaping from a wolf.

However, Cian remained indifferent. This is better… Cian didn’t know yet who can be a potential ally or hidden enemy. Risking anything to socialize would just bring detrimental results.

Cian sat on the corner, unperturbed by anything. Only, the atmosphere within the hall had already changed, it wasn’t as unrestrainedly clamorous as before. After all, a little demon king was currently sitting there, making everybody somewhat fidgety.

Sibylla sensed everyone’s mood and couldn’t help but to look at that person who sat on the side, uninvolved after giving that ridiculous speech. The kind of feeling was like disturbing the water in the pond, then absent-mindedly watching from the side with hands behind his back.

What is this little demon king planning?

After seeing Cian’s indifference and calm expression, slowly, the glow in the ball started to reappear as the music orchestra reverberated as if trying to lighten up the tense mood.

“Ha ha ha, indeed…”

“His Highness still charming… though it’s really hard to approach him…”

“Right he has this kind of overwhelming aura befitting of a king,”

“Indeed, ha ha ha…”

Liars… hearing the sudden whispers and discussions which were quite loud, as if wanting a certain someone to hear, Sibylla couldn’t help but sneer in contempt.

These bootlickers… this hall is full of shameless people!