Chapter 208
Chapter 208
A deathly silence fell upon them.
The ladies stood perfectly still, holding their breaths.
Nobody dared to move an inch.
“No?” Janet chuckled icily, “That is what I think.”
The guards outside of the door heard Kalinda’s cry for help and came rushing in.
“Is there anything wrong, my lady? We heard screaming,” asked the guard.
Agnes swallowed, “We…”
Janet spoke up before she did, “I was simply doing a little show to entertain the ladies. Nothing to worry about. Right, Lady Agnes?”
She gave Agnes a warning look.
“Yes… Yes, that is right.” Agnes confirmed with a pale face. “We were just having fun.‘
The guards nodded and exited the room.
“Look”
Janet turned to face the horrified crowd, “I might be an ill–mannered person, but not an unreasonable one. I can keep things civil as long as you promise not to mess with me on purpose.
Can you at least give me that?”
“We didn’t mess with you on purpose…” Kalinda murmured in an indignant voice.
“Oh? Then it is my wooden stick on the floor?” Janet said icily.
The girls bit their lips in silence.
They exchanged looks of uneasiness with one another.
A faint voice came from the crowd at this very moment:
“…I…I think what you did is pretty cool.”
Janet looked over and found a petite girl standing at the back of the crowd.
She flinched when she met with Janet’s eyes but plucked her courage and continued
anyway:
“Y–You must be pretty good at darts and game of quoit.”
Janet smiled, “I wouldn’t say I am a pro, but not too bad either.”
A pink tinge appeared on that girl’s pale cheek as she stuttered, “My name is Annie, from the House of Light. And I…I want to be good at those games too. There is a Carnival each year in the village. But I can never get the first prize in darting and quoiting games…”
“Well.”
Janet shrugged, “If you like, I can teach you sometimes.”
“Really?” Annie gasped.
“Yeah, why not? I have ample time on my hands now.”
Annic beamed.
A couple of other girls‘ rigid faces unstiffened.
The tension caused by the crossbow cased.
“Can all the she–wolves in your herd shoot?” asked a ginger–haired girl curiously. “Some, not all.”
“I wish I could learn how to shoot,” the girl groaned. “I want my brother to teach me, but he said that it was a very un–lady thing to do-”
“Then your brother is right about that,” Agnes said in a sullen voice.
The whispering crowd quieted down at once.
All the girls looked at Agnes’s grim face, nervous.
“Lycan is the strongest species in the world.”
Agnes said in a loud, freezing voice, “Thanks to our noble bloodline, and the bravery
of our King and soldiers, ladies like us would never have to roughen our delicate hands.”
“Yes. Shame on you, Annie!” Kalinda snapped, glaring at Annie, “Leaning how to shoot? You are degrading yourself to a lowborn!”
Annie bit her lips with tears circling in her eyes.
Yet she didn’t dare to talk back.
“That is not fair.” Janet said sternly, “Shooting and fighting are not men’s privileges. A girl can learn about those stuff too.”
Agnes turned to her with a fake smile, “With all due respect, Janet, you know very little about the Lycans. Maybe keep your opinion to yourself?”
Janet looked at her.
She could tell that Agnes was pissed.
Probably because Agnes considered herself the leader of this small group, yet part of her thunder just got stolen by Janet.
“I am tired.” Janet said, raising an eyebrow, “How about we pick this up tomorrow?”
Agnes seemed relieved, “Alright. Tomorrow then, at the same time.”
Janet gave a simple nod to the crowd and walked outside.
Before the door closed behind her back, she heard Kalinda and Issa scolding the “traitors” within the group…
Janet showed up at the Drawing Room every day for the following 5 days. Agnes never crossed the line again.
So they managed to keep things civil.
A surprising benefit of the lady’s training was that Janet became friends with Annie.
When Agnes and her little gang were not looking, Annie would secretly share her snacks with Janet.
Janet also promised to teach her shooting when they had the chance.
5 days passed and it was soon the date of the Spring Bell
At around 7 o’clock around duck, Janet stepped into the garden with all the ladies Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
Luminous fairy lights dangled from the branches of trees, making this whole place look like a fairyland
The blooming flowers were a sweet fragrance to the air, their vibrant colors painted
Drapes hallowed softly, catching, the best hues of the setting sun, creating an
“This is truly something” Janet murmured.
Annie gigged by her side, “I know, right? The Spring Ball is the most important social event of the you. All girls look forward to it!
Formally dressed guests were lined up by a winding pathway leading into the garden Servants were busy checking each of their coats before they entered. Janet waited with the group
When it was almost their turn, she heard Annie gasp.
Janet followed her gaze and looked over and saw a maid in the corner, trying to carry a barred of bee by herself.
The barred was too heavy for her. The maid tried a couple of times and couldn’t get it off the ground. A desperate look appeared on her face,
“What poor girl”
Annie whispered into Janet’s ear, “She will definitely get punished by the head maid later.”
Janet stared at that maid.
She took off her coat and banded it to Annie, “Can you check in my coat for me?” “WallWhere are you going? You are going to be late for the entrance…Janet!”
Janet picked up her skirt and walked up behind that maid.
“Do you need a hand?” she asked.
The maid jerked around, a fook of utter terror on her face,
“I saw you couldn’t lift the barrel. Where do you want this?” Janet asked again patiently
The maid bent her back abruptly, her voice shaking in fear, “Miss..Lady…I–I can’t bother you with this nonsense…”
“I honestly don’t mind.”
Janet put her arms around the barrel and carried it up easily, “Now. Where is this
The maid was astonished by her strength and gasped, “T–This way…Thank you so much, my lady!”
They took a narrow path and hurried into the garden.
In the heart of the garden, a grand gazebo decorated with cascading roses and ivy stood as the focal point.
Twinkling lights and delicate ribbons adorned the structure, dancing in the warm breeze and the soft melody of a distant orchestra.
Elegant tables rounded the gazebo, with candles and blooming centerpieces arranged on top.
The maid steered Janet across the garden.
On the way, she received many strange looks from all directions.
It was definitely odd for a lady in a fancy gown and high heels to carry a barrel of beer on her shoulder.
But Janet ignored all those gazes.
The maid asked her to set the barrel on one of the beverage bars and bowed to her again, “My Lady, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help…”
Janet wanted to tell her not to worry about it.
A deep, sexy voice came from her back at this moment:
“Is this what you do now? A porter?”
“M–My king!” the maid gasped.
Janet jerked around.
Westin stood a few steps away, with a casual smile on his gorgeous lips.
He was exceptionally handsome tonight.
His tailored black suit, adorned with subtle silver embroidery, accentuated his broad. shoulders and lean physique with an air of refined elegance.
His enchanting eyes caught the glimmer of fairy lights, reminding her of the starry night sky.
Janet felt a flutter in her chest despite her will.
Westin walked over. His eyes fixed on Janet’s face. The smile on his lips
deepened.
“Who put you up to this heavy labor?” he asked.
Janet took in a small breath, “…Nobody. I was simply helping out a maid.”
Westin chuckled, “Carrying a barrel on your shoulder…That was quite an entrance. You got everyone’s attention.”
Janet let out a short laugh, “Do you feel ashamed? That your mate is a graceless lowborn?”
“No…On the contrary.”
Westin leaned in and gently brushed a rose petal off her shoulder.
His smiling eyes were even brighter than the night sky.
I like that my Queen is different than the others,” he whispered into her ears in a hoarse voice.
Janet held her breath involuntarily.
Their last meeting from a couple of days before wasn’t exactly pleasant. She was being acrid and him mad.
But right now, this very moment, it made her feel that-
“Westin!”
Janet looked up abruptly.
Over Westin’s shoulders, she saw Agnes standing a few feet away.
There was an expression of malice