Lahat ng Kabanata ng Provoking a Graceful Bloom: Kabanata 541 - Kabanata 550

At noon, Sebastian led a contingent from the Duke of Blackmoor's household, joining the other officials at the city gates to welcome Jeremy.Sally's curiosity was strong, so she had planned to sneak out quietly and see the commotion for herself. But to her surprise, there was someone else who was even more eager to watch."I thought you wouldn't be interested in such things, my lady, so I didn't ask you to come along," Sally said as they set out.She was surprised to see her mistress had changed into a lighter, more practical outfit, trailing quietly behind her. The way Selena looked like she could use her Lightfoot Skill to slip through the crowd at any moment nearly gave Sally a fright."My lady, if you want to go, then go. We're just ordinary folks going to have a look. But don't use any fancy skills to move through the crowd," Sally warned."I know. I'm just going to take a look. I don't plan on causing any trouble," Selena replied.Sally froze for a moment, puzzled. "Causing

Below, the townspeople were still murmuring in admiration."So, that's Lady Mira. She's beautiful. Not like the usual ladies of the capital at all. There's something foreign about her looks.""I heard her mother came from beyond the border, that's why she has that exotic air.""A beautiful lady returning to the capital... Who knows how many scholars she'll set dreaming tonight? I'd say she could even rival Lady Campbell, the capital's famed beauty.""Hardly. Lady Campbell's beauty is unrivaled. No one can truly compare to her.""But Lady Campbell was first involved with Prince Frederick, and now she's soon to become the Obsidian Monarch's princess consort. Who knows how many men she's had to serve, both before and after. She's hardly pure anymore. How could she compare to Lady Mira?""That's true. A woman about to marry can't be compared to a young maiden. Once Lady Campbell weds, the title of capital's most beautiful may well change hands.""Still, I find Lady Campbell far more

Even Selena could see that Harvey was utterly despondent. The king was his guiding faith, yet at this moment, that faith seemed to be crumbling piece by piece. Harvey suddenly felt that all his hard work might have been for nothing, and he wasn't even sure why he was doing it anymore."How's the investigation into the rebels in the city coming along?" Selena asked.Harvey's eyes brightened just slightly. "We've found and raided three strongholds outside the city and one inside, all of which contained Thundershells. Even if we haven't discovered the other locations yet, the rebels won't dare to act recklessly for the time being."After all, creating Thundershells required a lot of materials. It wasn't as simple as finding a remote, empty spot. One wrong move and the Thundershells could explode, so all the precautions had to be meticulous.Establishing a single stronghold was no easy feat. Now that several had been raided, any surviving rebels were unlikely to dare cause further trou

As night fell, the Royal Garden was instantly transformed into an impressive spectacle of brightly glowing lanterns and flowers in full bloom. The banquet was being held to welcome the Luminous Monarch back, attended by not only royalty and nobility, but also by the king, queen, and a host of concubines.Selena and Lilia had finished their preparations early. Selena wore a purple dress that was both elegant and eye-catching. From a distance, she looked graceful, while up close, she was striking and impossible to ignore.Even Sally was stunned by the sight. Her mistress was breathtaking tonight! That regal, confident beauty, combined with her striking presence, made it seem as if the world revolved around her alone.Even though Lilia couldn't see, she could almost feel the breathtaking presence around Selena. As a young lady herself, she felt no trace of jealousy, having long accepted the other woman's beauty. With her around, any other girl would simply fade into the background.Yu

The woman who spoke was not known to both Lilia and Sebastian, though she seemed vaguely familiar. However, they knew the man walking beside her all too well, and with no small measure of disdain."Greetings, Prince Theodore," Sebastian said as he bowed.Lilia only cast a brief glance at him before turning away. She was a princess of Dawnmere. No one decreed that a Dawnmerian princess must curtsy to a prince of Aurensia.The woman with Theodore was dressed in fine silks, her makeup striking. She was undeniably beautiful, but her look was more showy than refined, leaning toward gaudy.Sebastian finally placed her. This was Theodore's new princess consort, whom he had only recently married. Her name was Jillian, the daughter of a high-ranking minister. She had once been the subject of scandal when Theodore allegedly barged into her chambers late one night.Their wedding had been rushed, completed in just three days. Wilfred had clearly not been pleased, but had to grant the decree f