I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 373  [Elizabeth\'s Engagement Party] [8] Amael And Elizabeth

It was obviously coming from the most hated man by the Elves.

Celeste resisted the urge to slap her forehead in frustration. \'Can\'t he just stay silent during important events? They\'re guests!\' she thought, exasperated.

Standing next to Celeste, Cylien struggled to process Amael\'s latest offense against her people. For her own peace of mind, she chose to ignore him, but she knew others wouldn\'t be as forgiving. Every Elf in the vicinity glared daggers at Amael, their collective hostility palpable.

Yet, the tension quickly dissipated when they noticed Amael was flanked by three stunning women. Curiosity and admiration replaced their anger as they shifted their focus.

The first to catch everyone\'s eye was Christina, the Princess of the Olphean House. She looked breathtaking in her blue dress. Spotting Aerinwyn, she approached her with a warm, friendly smile. Aerinwyn responded in kind, and they soon fell into animated conversation.

With Christina occupied, attention turned to the young blonde beauty by Amael\'s side. Clearly younger than him, she clung to Amael while taking in her surroundings with wide-eyed curiosity. Despite her youth, she was undeniably adorable, destined to grow into a great beauty in the years to come.

Then there was Samara. Her presence was as captivating as any princess, with long, dark hair and striking blue eyes. She exuded a cold demeanor, but her expression softened as she walked closely beside Amael, arms crossed.

"I knew about the dark-haired girl, but who is the blonde one?" Roda asked, her curiosity piqued.

She had seen Samara before when Amael had beaten up Allen but had never encountered Annabelle.

"Senior?" Roda looked to Celeste for answers.

Celeste was watching Amael and Samara, noting the rare smile Samara displayed in response to Amael\'s words. The sight of her smile left every man breathless, completely captivated by her unexpected warmth.

Celeste\'s gaze lingered on Amael, just as the eyes of many noblewomen from various races did. Amael looked incredibly handsome in his white suit, a word too weak to capture his stunning appearance. Even the Elves, known for their beauty, had to grudgingly acknowledge his superior looks, bowing their heads in frustration.

Cylien noticed Celeste\'s captivated stare and smiled slightly. \'So, it\'s him after all,\' she thought. If someone had told her at the beginning of the year that Celeste would fall for Amael, the notorious foreign student, she would have never believed it. Yet, Celeste now looked every bit the maiden in love, a sight Cylien had never witnessed before.

"He really has the guts to come accompanied by two girls at his engagement, doesn\'t he, Celes?" Amelia asked, turning around.

Celeste quickly erased her lovestruck expression. She knew her best friend would figure out her feelings in an instant if she saw her face.

"R—Right!" Celeste stammered, trying to appear composed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

***

"Stay close to me. Ninety-nine percent of the men here are scumbags," I warned Samara and Annabelle.

[<Such a possessive person!>]

\'Well, I\'m just protecting them from the bad men. They both deserve the best.\'

"Um," Samara acknowledged.

"No need to tell me, Edward!" Annabelle chimed in.

Neither Samara nor Annabelle seemed upset by my request. As I looked around, my eyes landed on Elizabeth. She was absolutely stunning, a beauty rivaled only by Layla in her finest gown. I was genuinely charmed by her.

Time to play my part. I walked toward her, feeling the weight of everyone\'s expectant gazes on us. It was awkward, but I pushed through.

"You look really beautiful, Elizabeth," I said with a smile.

"You look very handsome too, Amael," Elizabeth replied, matching my smile.

A brief silence followed, the crowd seemingly waiting for more. Sensing the need to move things along, I introduced my companions.

"These two are like family to me, Elizabeth. This is Samara and Annabelle," I said, gesturing to each in turn.

"You look amazing, sister!" Annabelle exclaimed, her eyes filled with admiration.

Elizabeth giggled softly, patting Annabelle\'s hair. "Thank you."

Samara simply nodded at her. Elizabeth\'s eyes widened slightly upon seeing Samara, realizing she was a half-vampire.

"I hope you\'re happy to be here, Samara," Elizabeth said with a somewhat solemn look.

"I am happy with Amael," Samara replied to the Vampire Princess.

"Should I feel jealous or upset right now, Amael?" Elizabeth asked in a joking tone.

"Both, I suppose," I laughed. Despite everything, I felt a twinge of reluctance at the thought of breaking off our engagement one day. We had shared many fun moments and a good relationship.

"How are you, son?" Suddenly, I felt a powerful grip on my shoulder.

It was Duncan Tepes. His grip was formidable, but I maintained my composure and turned to face him.

"Lord Tepes, it\'s a pleasure to see you," I said politely.

"Aha! It\'s strange to hear you speaking so formally. I heard you picked a fight with Lazarus?" he asked with a chuckle.

Elizabeth looked at me, dumbstruck.

"Fight might be a bit of a stretch. I just put him and the others in their rightful places," I replied with a small smile.

Duncan was speechless for a moment before he burst out laughing. "You\'re good, you\'re good. Take care of Elizabeth. You two should greet the others together and speak with them," he said.

I understood what he meant when his gaze wandered toward Annabelle and Samara. It would be disrespectful to linger with them behind me, considering Elizabeth was my fiancée. Although I knew Elizabeth wouldn\'t mind, her image was important, and I wouldn\'t do that to her.

"Stay with Christina," I instructed Samara and Annabelle, who nodded in response.

"Shall we?" I reached out my hand to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth chuckled before coiling her arm around mine. "Yes, my lord."

I hadn\'t anticipated this situation at all.

The sensation of my arm pressing against the sides of Elizabeth\'s breasts sent a jolt through my mind, bringing back vivid flashes of that night. I quickly shook my head to clear these thoughts, forcing myself to focus on the present.

Elizabeth and I walked together, our arms entwined, as we greeted the assembled nobles. She took the lead effortlessly, handling their conversations with grace and poise. I followed closely by her side, stepping in occasionally when needed.

My lessons in etiquette seemed like a distant memory, having been pushed aside for quite some time. In this moment, it became clear that letting Elizabeth take the reins was the best course of action. After all, she was a princess, and it was natural for her to excel in such situations. Still, it was remarkable to think that just a few years ago, she would have been too shy to engage in such dialogues.

"You\'re managing this exceptionally well," I remarked with a sigh of relief. "I\'m grateful that I don\'t have to put on an act of flattery."

Elizabeth\'s lips curled into a smile. "It\'s part of the role of royalty. And you\'re a prince too, Amael. As the last remaining member of the Olphean House, it\'s expected that you will eventually take on a governing role. You should start getting accustomed to it."

"I really have no intention of governing the Olphean House," I replied. "My sister is doing an excellent job, and I don\'t believe I could do any better. She has earned the love and trust of the people. I\'m merely a newcomer."

"That\'s not entirely true," Elizabeth said, shaking her head. "You are the youngest prince who was presumed dead. Everyone should be delighted and relieved to see you here."

I raised an eyebrow at her words. "If you keep trying to comfort me like this, I might start having second thoughts about our engagement. I might even fall for you."

Elizabeth giggled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I have no intentions of breaking off the engagement arranged by my grandfather. However, if you were to somehow convince him—which I doubt you will succeed in doing—I would be open to any outcome."

Her words struck me as oddly unsettling. "Instead of simply adhering to your grandfather\'s wishes, you should listen to your own desires. If there\'s someone you truly care about, I\'d be willing to help you. Just tell me, is there someone you have feelings for?"

Elizabeth shook her head in response to my question.

"Hmm? Not even Cain?" I asked, noticing how Cain seemed to be constantly in her vicinity, his eyes filled with a burning intensity. I could feel his dark gaze boring into me, making me irritated.

Elizabeth let out a soft, amused laugh. "Unfortunately, Cain is just a friend to me. I can\'t see him in any other way. I wish he could find someone who\'s a better match for him and move on from me. I even started keeping my distance to make this clear, but it seems that may have been a mistake."

It was clear now.

Cain\'s fixation on Elizabeth seemed to have only intensified. I had a strong suspicion that he might believe I was the one responsible for Elizabeth\'s decision to distance herself from him.

"It\'s a shame," I said with a sigh, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. "I really thought you\'d be happy with a yandere as a husband."

To my surprise, Elizabeth\'s reaction to my jest was a profound silence.

The silence was unsettling, and I found myself glancing over at Elizabeth, trying to gauge her mood.

"Are you unhappy with this situation?" She asked abruptly, halting her steps.

"Elizabeth?" I responded, confused by her sudden change in demeanor.

She lifted her face, her crimson eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

For a moment, goosebumps prickled my skin as I felt the weight of her gaze. I noticed my own arms had stiffened as I met her stare.

"Are you dissatisfied with me, Amael?" Elizabeth asked, her expression remaining eerily calm.

Her question, posed with such a blank face, left me with little choice but to respond carefully.

"Why would I be?" I replied, tightening my grip on her hand.

My instincts were screaming at me to say something reassuring, so I decided to act on them.

"I am actually quite satisfied," I said softly, my thumb gently brushing against her pale cheek. "I feel quite blessed to be with you."

Her skin was really really cold.

Elizabeth\'s lips curled into a sudden, radiant smile.

"I see. Thank you," she said warmly.

[<I think you just narrowly avoided a dangerous situation. Congratulations, Amael.>]

I was right to trust my instincts.

As much as I appreciated her, I shouldn\'t forget who she was.