Chapter 371: [Elizabeth''s Engagement Party] [6] Celeste''s Change


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    "You look beautiful, Celeste," Evan Indi Este couldn''t help butpliment his younger sister. She wore a white and blue off-the-shoulder gown that entuated all her natural charm.


    As soon as she entered the party hall, she drew the attention of every man in the room. However, their gazes quickly shifted away under the fierce re of Evan. As a proud and overprotective brother, he couldn''t tolerate such looks directed at his beloved sister.


    Celeste, on the other hand, felt uneasy as usual with her brother''s behavior. "Yeah, just stay away from me for this party, big brother," she said, her voice tinged with irritation.


    Evan''s eyes widened in shock, as if her words had stabbed his heart. "Celes?" He uttered, his tone filled with hurt.


    "Stop doing that! It''s embarrassing!" Celeste eximed, covering her face in embarrassment before dashing away.


    "Wait, I just want you to know you look just like Mom, Celes!" Evan called out loudly.


    Celeste shook her head, exasperated, but couldn''t help a small smile from forming. Beingpared to their mother was the highest praise she could receive, but hearing it for the umpteenth time from her brother was starting to wear thin.


    "Celeste," came a familiar voice.


    Celeste turned around, her smile widening. "Cylien! Wow, as expected, you look stunning in a traditional dress!" she said with a grin.


    Cylien was dressed in traditional Elven attire, making her stand out alongside Aerinwyn and Sephira. She smiled warmly in return. "You look very beautiful too. It seems like you put more effort than usual?"


    Cylien was a close friend to Celeste now, though not as close as Amelia, so she wasn''t entirely sure. But her guess was correct.


    "Haha, I just thought it might be good to make an effort today," Celesteughed awkwardly, scratching her head.


    "Oh look, Victor is there as well!" Celeste quickly changed the subject, pointing at Victor who was dressed in a ssy suit.


    With a grin, she made her way towards him, and Cylien followed. But they soon noticed he wasn''t alone. Victor was chatting with Roda, and it was clear from their expressions that they were sharing some jokes. Since the Exam in Dolphis, where they ended up in the same group, the Senior and Junior had grown quite close.


    Seeing Celeste stop and watch the duo, Cylien decided to tease her friend a little. "Are you jealous, Celes?" She asked with a mischievous smile.


    "Eh? For what?"


    To her surprise, Celeste''s reaction was one ofplete disinterest.


    It was too disinterested, in fact.


    ''Strange...'' Cylien felt confused. At the beginning of the year, she could have sworn that Celeste and Victor would end up together. They were already close and had a rtionship that was a bit more than friendly. Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction, even with Selene around.


    But seeing Celeste''s nonchnt expression made Cylien doubt her previous assumptions. Had something changed?


    The face of a white-haired man suddenly came to mind.


    ''Certainly things have changed since he appeared...''


    "Hey! Victor!" Celeste called out, pinching the hem of her skirt to avoid tripping as she approached.


    "Oh? Celeste? Don''t you look beautiful?" Victor said with a yfulugh, smiling at her.


    Celeste rolled her eyes but couldn''t help grinning. "I see you''re already busy making connections?"


    "Ah... well?" Victor scratched his head, casting a pleading look at Roda for help.


    "Good morning, Senior Celeste, Senior Cylien," Roda greeted them with a smile, her yellow gown glowing in the light.


    "Roda? You''re not usually the one to wear such shy dresses?" Celeste asked, her expression thoughtful.


    "Indeed, but today is a historic day as two Great Houses will be allied through sacred vows. Many nobles are attending for this, and as such, Father wishes me to make acquaintances with them," Roda replied.


    Celeste somewhat understood where Roda was going with such a speech.


    ''Isn''t that too early for her?'' she thought at first, but then she remembered that Elizabeth, who was only a year older, was also getting engaged. So, she refrained from asking.


    "Well, good luck. A lot of them are just weirdos," Celeste said, grimacing at thescivious gazes directed at her, Roda, and Cylien from other nobles.


    All three of them were prime targets, being Princesses of Sancta Vedelia after all.


    "Thank you, I might need it," Roda chuckled.


    Victor, noticing the issue, spoke up. "What about Rodolf? And even Monarch Jefer? Shouldn''t they be first before Roda?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was a fair question since they were older than Roda. Moreover, Jefer, being a Monarch, was a perfect target for all noblewomen.


    "I don''t know about Monarch Jefer, but Rodolf is already promised to a certain Elven


    Princess," Celeste said with a teasing smile directed toward Cylien.


    "Ahem..." Cylien cleared her throat, though a faint blush colored her cheeks.


    "Huh?!" Victor, as dense as ever, was beyond shocked at this revtion.


    He knew Rodolf had a one-sided crush on Cylien, but since when had it be reciprocated?


    "I knew Senior Victor was dense, but this is something else..." Roda smiled a bit, finding Victor''s unawareness cute.


    "He is always like that. It took him ten years to understand Selene has a thing for him,"


    Celeste added, throwing a jab at Victor.


    "Ugh..." Victor couldn''t retort to that.


    "By the way, where are your siblings? I''m d Cyril isn''t here, but what about the other


    two?" Celeste asked, curiously inquiring about Alicia and Sirius.


    "Oh, they are over there... with Father," Victor pointed a little away.


    Celeste quickly spotted them standing with James Raven. She smiled a little, noticing Alicia. Though she still wore an aloof expression, Celeste knew her well enough to see the subtle


    signs.


    "She clearly is feeling better since her engagement ended, isn''t she?"


    Victor nodded with a smile. "I am grateful to Amael for that. She doesn''t have to feel oppressed at school anymore, but still, I didn''t wish that for Adrian..."


    When Victor mentioned Adrian''s recent critical condition, the mood turned somber. Despite their hatred for Adrian due to how he had treated Alicia, he was still a childhood acquaintance.


    As for Celeste, her thoughts shifted to her best friend, Amelia, and her condition.


    "I really feel a little bad for him..." Cylien suddenly said.


    "Bad for Adrian?" Roda asked.


    "No... about Cain, I mean," Cylien said, her gaze fixed on the brown-haired vampire speaking


    with Sirius.


    Cain Redgrave. Everyone knew he harbored feelings for Elizabeth, but she never reciprocated them. It had been worse in recent years when shepletely ignored him. At least this year, she treated him nicely, but she never gave him any hope, and before he knew it, his crush had been engaged to a foreigner.


    "I hope he can just turn the page though..." Victor said, not knowing what else to say. Cain''s expression was darker than usual. He was clearly against the engagement and firmly believed that Amael had tricked Elizabeth.