Seven days had passed in the blink of an eye. As dusk settled, Joiy’s estate glowed with myriad lights.
The road before the manor was now lined with luxurious carriages, each bearing a distinct family crest. Only a narrow path remained for passersby.
From the roadside, one could frequently observe elegantly dressed noblemen descending from their carriages. They would enter the estate, accompanied by their wives or other family members, amidst the welcoming bows of the manor’s servants.
These were the influential aristocrats of Saint Saer, including the Governor himself. They had been invited to the noble banquet, partly to discuss various collaborations and partly to expand their private networks.
Even nobles who typically had disagreements with Joiy would readily accept the invitation, recognizing such an opportunity as rare. Everyone hoped to forge new aristocratic friendships at the banquet.
However, heroes, not being part of Saint Saer’s nobility, were excluded from this grand affair.
As a distant relative of the Viscount, Lilith was naturally expected to make an appearance. Therefore, with the assistance of Lena and Aelin, she had spent a considerable amount of time adorning herself.
Her usual dress had been replaced by an evening gown adorned with lace, subtly revealing her alluring collarbones. Paired with exquisite black earrings and captivating eyes, every movement she made promised to draw all attention at the banquet.
“When those nobles at the banquet see you, they’ll likely be so enchanted they won’t know which way is up, won’t they?”
Lena couldn’t help but cover her mouth, praising the alluring young woman before her, while Aelin, standing beside her, nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Lilith possessed an inherently beautiful face, especially her eyes, which always seemed to hint at a subtle charm. Yet, a maiden’s purity also clung to her, and the fusion of these conflicting temperaments made her appear both innocent and seductive.
“You two should also dress up properly, shouldn’t you? Lena, you’re Joiy’s elder; is it really appropriate to go out in such a simple dress?”
Compared to Lilith’s elaborate attire, Lena’s outfit showed little deviation from her usual style. She had merely exchanged her everyday dress for a white evening gown, subtly revealing her graceful figure.
This simple elegance, however, made her appear more mature, exuding an air of dignified grandeur.
Lena waved a hand, a smile gracing her lips. “I’m not a young girl anymore; what’s the point of dressing so lavishly? You are the star of the banquet.”
“I don’t want to be the star. It’s too much trouble…”
Brushing a strand of long hair from her shoulder, Lilith muttered dismissively. Just then, a knock echoed from the door.
“Come in.”
The visitor was a servant from the mansion. Upon seeing Lilith and Lena, they bowed respectfully before addressing Lilith. “Miss, the Viscount wishes to see you.”
“See me? Now?”
“Yes.”
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Lilith realized there wasn’t much time left before the banquet began. What could be so urgent that Joiy needed to see her immediately?
“Is he in the first-floor hall?”
“No, the Viscount is currently in his study.”
‘His study?’
Lilith murmured, turning to Lena as if seeking her opinion. Lena nodded. “Go, you should still have time.”
Even if she missed the start of the banquet because of this, no one would dare fault her.
Seeing this, Lilith rose and followed the servant to Joiy’s study on the second floor.
Upon entering, she saw Joiy standing before his desk.
Unlike his usual attire, Joiy was dressed in a black banquet suit, his expression hurried. It seemed he had rushed to the study after receiving some sudden news. Seeing Lilith arrive, his face grew even more awkward.
‘Could it be that the Adventurers’ Guild has employed some tactic Joiy can’t handle?’
This thought flashed through her mind, but in the next second, Lilith heard unexpected news from Joiy’s lips.
“Your Highness, my people have contacted Lady Meli…”
“Is that so?”
A surge of joy filled Lilith’s heart. She now understood why Joiy had summoned her.
Many days ago, she had asked Joiy to contact Meli, hoping to obtain Lena’s personal information to understand her past experiences. Now, this matter finally had an update.
A veil of impenetrable mystery had always shrouded Lena, intensifying Lilith’s innate curiosity with each passing day they spent together. At last, this curiosity could be satisfied.
“What did Meli say?”
“…I don’t know if she was afraid of leaking information, but she said she didn’t know Lady Lena’s personal details. She only mentioned that you had encountered her before.”
Joiy spoke hesitantly. Although he had contacted Meli, he felt as though he hadn’t, as his subordinates had gained no useful information from the Vice-Commander. He fully expected to be chastised by the Princess for delivering such a vague report.
“What? I encountered her before?”
To his surprise, the young woman before him tilted her head, her mind completely absorbed by the latter half of his statement.
“Are you sure you contacted Meli?”
“…Yes, Your Highness. Lady Meli’s mark cannot be faked.”
Seeing that Joiy didn’t seem to be lying, Lilith pinched her soft chin with one hand, her long eyelashes fluttering.
As a Vice-Commander, Meli wouldn’t recommend Lena to deal with a demonic traitor without knowing Lena’s identity. This implied that Lena’s identity was likely extremely special, so much so that Meli wasn’t willing to risk even a hint of it being exposed.
‘But isn’t Lena Meli’s subordinate…’
The image of the silver-haired woman’s smile appeared in her mind, and Lilith suddenly realized something. If her guess was correct, then this mysterious woman’s identity was probably even higher than Meli’s.
‘And I even encountered Lena before? That’s what’s most important.’
This truly vexed Lilith. As a demon princess, her movements were secretive, yet she had met quite a few people, many of whom she had forgotten, leaving only a few palace maids in her memory…
Suddenly, her delicate body trembled, her charming eyes widening in shock.
‘Why was Meli so certain I had encountered Lena before? After all, Meli and I haven’t seen each other much over the past decade or so.’
Unless… Lena was her mother.
This conjecture instantly consumed Lilith’s mind. Recalling their recent interactions, her eyes widened in disbelief.
‘No wonder… No wonder Lena felt so gentle. No wonder she was so familiar with the Silverbloom Sword Princess. No wonder she so sternly urged me to sleep that night…’
‘The reason she was kind to humans was because she herself was human—she was the Silverbloom Sword Princess!’
Everything suddenly made sense.
Her mouth grew dry. Lilith swallowed, her heart pounding wildly, and a flush spread across her fair cheeks.
Lena was her mother.
Despite having found a definitive answer in her heart, she still stared at Joiy, slowly asking, “Meli, where is she now?”
Her voice was filled with excitement and tension, and fine beads of sweat even formed on her forehead as she awaited his reply. Joiy couldn’t fathom why the Princess before him appeared this way, but he still recounted the information he had received in full.
“According to my subordinate, the location where she was contacted is Rune Academy in Hunterston.”