As soon as Maggie stepped into the venue, countless eyes were cast upon her. Not all nobles were in the palace on the day the necromancy teleportation array was activated, but most of them were present at tonight's banquet.
Almost everyone was curious about the youngest daughter of the duke's mansion, who was rumored to be a good-for-nothing.
After becoming the Holy Maiden of Light, she was not only spared execution but also remained in her position as Holy Maiden, and even turned the tide to save the Kingdom of Saint Na.
It sounds like...a fairy tale.
Maggie returned their polite smiles one by one, but instead of continuing forward, she turned a corner.
From the moment she heard that vampires would attack her that night, a risky plan had already formed in her mind.
All that could be seen was Maggie walking straight toward Duke Zefner and bowing her head before him.
The atmosphere at the banquet suddenly became strange, with whispers constantly breaking out, but they were nothing more than the same old things.
Some people envy Maggie for having such a considerate father who allowed her to become the Holy Maiden of Light.
Some people envied Maggie for being so respectful to the Duke even after becoming a saint, which was a great thing for her family.
The Duke was also pleased by these envious or jealous glances, and his gaze toward Maggie even carried a hint of kindness, completely different from his attitude toward Maggie when she first returned to the Kingdom of Saint Na.
"Father, I've figured it out."
Maggie appeared docile and gentle, taking the initiative to refer to herself as her daughter, suppressing all her resentment, anger, and sharpness, and behaving as if she wanted to return to the family's wing.
She even made her attitude clear.
To show such a friendly attitude in front of so many people is the epitome of sincerity.
The Holy Maiden of Light should be upright and holy, and should not have any bias or prejudice.
By doing this, she was practically saying that she was still a member of the Zefnia family no matter what, even though she had become a saint.
Because of the blood ties between her and the Duke, which could never be avoided.
Maggie lowered her head, respectful and submissive, like an obedient doll.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Maggie's face held a completely different expression than her usual demeanor—a playful, amused look, and even an excitement that seemed to anticipate the start of a good show.
The Duke could never doubt the daughter he had raised from childhood. She was a cowardly good-for-nothing who mostly escaped reality. Even when she was angry, she was no different from a rabbit biting someone. After her anger subsided, she was filled with fear and dependence, and could never escape his control.
“Very good, my daughter.”
He nodded in satisfaction. After he finished speaking, Maggie slowly raised her head, but her expression was somewhat unnatural, as if she was forcing a smile, with a hint of fear mixed in.
The Duke knew Maggie well; her current expression probably meant she was facing an insurmountable danger and difficulty.
His gaze swept over Maggie, as if he were weighing something, perhaps judging her worth, but it was definitely not out of concern for Maggie's feelings.
After a long pause, he cleared his throat and spoke.
"The Duke's mansion is your support; you can tell your father if you have any problems."
The Duke spoke in a condescending tone, as if he were bestowing charity upon a servant, rather than addressing his daughter.
Maggie inwardly scoffed, but outwardly she forced a smile, her body trembling slightly with fear.
"Father, because I saved the kingdom, the vampires want to kill me, and it's happening today."
Her voice was barely audible, barely audible to those around her, and naturally, she wouldn't let them hear it either.
This both shows her timidity and fear, and saves her a lot of trouble.
The Duke frowned, his face instantly turning cold.
What was initially thought to be a discarded pawn has now proven invaluable, and given the Duke's personality, he certainly won't abandon her easily.
Upon hearing that someone intended to harm her, the Duke would do everything in his power to protect her.
Maggie had accurately predicted the Duke's mindset before staging this whole thing.
The paladin is not at the banquet now, and she can't guarantee her survival when the vampires attack later. But she has Old Deng by her side who she can use, so why not make use of him one last time?
Anyway, after tonight, she and the Duke will completely break off their relationship.
When she first returned to the Kingdom of Saint Na, the Duke's attitude towards her wasn't as irritable and defensive as Maggie had imagined, which made her a little disappointed, but who knows what might happen later.
What will the Duke's expression be when his daughter, whom he has gone through so much trouble to protect, doesn't seem to have any intention of listening to him?
“As a father, how could I allow those undead monsters to ruin my daughter’s victory celebration? No one can kill you.”
Perhaps because Maggie was compliant enough, and the attention from those around him greatly satisfied his ego, he did not hesitate and immediately agreed to protect Maggie, even saying some nice things.
Maggie also showed a touched expression, her eyes reddening, as if she were moved by her father's love and affection.
Inside the banquet hall, a heartwarming scene unfolded, depicting the disappearance of the estrangement between father and daughter and the end of their cold war, drawing frequent glances from onlookers.
The emperor, who was not far away, also saw this scene. He looked at Maggie with a thoughtful expression, which was completely different from the reaction shown by the other nobles.
...
Halfway through the banquet, the vampire Perkin had mentioned still hadn't appeared, and Maggie remained on high alert the entire time. Such a patient vampire must be plotting to kill her.
It would be a foolish choice to simply relax blindly.
However, for some reason, the emperor, who had promised to reward her, did not call her forward. Instead, he sat in the main seat, watching the ball with great interest, his gaze frequently sweeping over her, seemingly lost in thought.
This is exactly what Maggie wanted; if they discuss the reward now, it won't be good to betray Old Deng.
Thinking of this, Maggie gave the emperor a look that said, "You're a good person."
The next second, the emperor shifted his gaze away, as if he hadn't seen Maggie at all.
"..."
Maggie didn't seem to care too much, just a little embarrassed; it seemed she had been presumptuous.
When the ball began, Eve, who was not originally at the banquet, arrived late. However, the princess, who was dressed up in a beautiful outfit, still attracted a lot of attention when she appeared.
A nobleman reached out to invite Eve to dance, but Eve completely ignored him, lifted her skirt, and 'flew' over to Maggie's side.
"Your Highness, you are so beautiful today that it's impossible to look away."
Eve gave Maggie a graceful bow, showering her with compliments and looking at her with sparkling eyes.
"Your Highness is the same."
Maggie's praise this time was absolutely genuine. Just the fact that Eve was willing to carry her unconscious body out to seek help completely erased any ill feelings Maggie had towards her.
Although her arrogance and haughtiness remained unchanged, she was still the princess with a terrible personality.
It's just that she's become like an idol in Eve's eyes, so she won't treat her that way anymore.
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