The moment Lortell stepped into the hall, a wave of silence spread through the crowd.
Everyone who was sitting stood up at once. Only her older brother and sister stayed seated, calm and still. Everyone else bowed their heads slightly in respect, even if they didn't want to. It wasn't fear—it was pure recognition. Lortell wasn't just anyone.
Even though she was the middle child in her family, she was the strongest of them all. As a squad leader in the powerful Third Division, she had already done countless heroic things. Defeating S-rank monsters? That was just another normal day for her.
Unlike Her big sister that had married Prince Richard, the king's second son. Her big brother now lived in the "Kingdom of Awakeneds," only recently returning for a short vacation. And her younger brother and sister? Just teenagers—one of them was supposed to enter the academy next year. When it came to power, fame, and influence, none of them could match Lortell.
The moment she walked in, all eyes were locked on her. The whole room changed.
She didn't rush. She took slow, confident steps toward the stage at the front of the hall. Her presence pulled everyone along like a strong wind. Most people followed her without thinking, forming a crowd around the stage. Only a few, like her older sister, stayed in their seats—sipping a cold drink and watching quietly.
Once Lortell reached the stage, she turned around to face the large group of people. Her red-tinted sunglasses hid her eyes, but her voice was clear and steady.
"You might be wondering… why I'm holding a party so soon, especially after such a terrible disaster recently," she said, her voice calm but strong.
The guests lowered their eyes. She had guessed exactly what they were all thinking.
"But here's the truth…" she continued, a wide smile spreading across her face, filled with pride and excitement. "The news I'm about to share is so big, I had no choice but to celebrate!"
She clapped her hands once, and a butler appeared right away, walking up to her with a golden plate in his hands. On the plate lay a scroll, neatly tied with a red ribbon. The butler bowed politely and held the plate up.
Lortell reached out, took the scroll, and carefully untied the ribbon.
"So you already know, I have officially resigned from my position as Third Division Commander," she announced, making everyone go silent again. "And I've accepted a new role… as the Vice Principal of the Royal Academy!"
She held up the scroll and showed the family seal stamped at the bottom—a red symbol proving it was real.
"But that's not all," she said, her voice rising a little with excitement. "My father, the Honorable Arthur Mariette—the Archduke himself—has chosen me as his successor!"
More whispers filled the room. People looked at each other in shock.
"He has stepped down from his position," Lortell said. "He couldn't be here tonight… because of the serious injuries he got during that terrible night. But this official document shows everything. He signed it himself."
Lortell's words left everyone completely stunned. Not a single sound could be heard in the hall. Even Nyx and Charlotte were caught off guard. Both of them had been expecting the announcement to be about Esdeath and Lortell's marriage… but instead, it was about something totally different.
Even Lortell's older sister, who usually stayed calm and collected, showed a small reaction. Her eyes widened for a second before going back to normal. She took another slow sip of her cold drink and leaned back, thinking to herself.
"Hmph… I kind of saw this coming," she thought silently. "I'm already married to Prince Richard, and our eldest brother chose to live in the Kingdom of Awakeneds. That only leaves her... and the two younger ones are still kids."
She placed her glass down gently and crossed her legs with elegance.
"The only reason she might not have been chosen was because she's a vampire," she continued in her mind. "But I guess Father doesn't care about that anymore."
She let out a soft sigh and narrowed her eyes with a smirk.
"Whatever. I should just focus on making my husband the next king. The moment I become queen, my status will shoot ten times higher than hers," she thought, her lips curling into a sly grin.
Back on the stage, Lortell was surrounded. Everyone rushed forward, eager to be the first to congratulate her and get on her good side.
"Congratulations, Ms. Archduke! I'm Countess Shia—I hope we can work together!" a noblewoman said with a wide smile.
"Congratulations, Lady Mariette!"
"Congratulations!"
One after another, people kept showering her with sweet words and compliments. They all saw a golden chance to build a relationship with the next Archduke and didn't want to miss it.
But Lortell raised her hand and waved them all back.
"Wait… wait," she said with a small laugh. "This isn't the reason I invited you all tonight! The real announcement hasn't even been made yet!"
The guests blinked in confusion.
"Real announcement?"
"Wait, there's more? What could possibly be more important than this?"
Whispers started flying through the crowd. Even her siblings looked at each other, puzzled. What else could Lortell possibly reveal?
Lortell's sharp eyes scanned the hall. It only took her a second to spot the person she was looking for.
Esdeath stood out easily—her black hair and pale skin made her impossible to miss in the bright, glowing hall.
Without hesitating, Lortell stepped down from the stage and walked straight toward her. She reached out, grabbed Esdeath's hand, and pulled her along without a word.
Everyone turned to look.
It was like time had stopped.
The nobles, the guests, even the staff—they all stared with wide eyes. Gasps echoed through the crowd as Lortell brought Esdeath up to the stage.
Then, in front of everyone, Lortell wrapped her arm tightly around Esdeath's waist and pulled her close—so close their bodies almost touched.
With a proud and happy smile, Lortell looked at the crowd and announced:
"I'm getting married!"
Her voice rang out clearly through the entire hall.
"This is Esdeath Crimson," she said, her hand holding Esdeath tightly. "She will be my wife!"
The hall exploded.
Lortell's big sister had just taken a small, elegant sip of her cold drink when she heard those shocking words. The moment "I'm getting married to Esdeath Crimson!" left Lortell's lips, all the cold drink in her mouth suddenly shot out in surprise.
"Pfff—!"
She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and turned toward Lortell with wide, frozen eyes.
"W-What!?" she muttered, completely stunned.
Not far from her, their older brother looked just as confused. His brows were furrowed, and his mouth hung open slightly.
"Is she even thinking straight…?" he whispered to himself, blinking in disbelief.
Meanwhile, at the dining area a little distance away—where large tables were surrounded by fancy dishes and golden cutlery—Maruti and Kaelith sat together.
Surprisingly, Maruti, who usually ate like she hadn't eaten for a week—stuffing her mouth and licking her fingers—was now sitting up straight, eating very slowly and carefully like a noble princess. She cut her meat into perfect slices and wiped her lips with a soft napkin, her every move graceful and polite.
Kaelith, on the other hand, wasn't even focused on her food. Her silver eyes were glued to the stage, and a wide grin stretched across her face.
"Hehehe…" she giggled softly, trying not to burst out laughing. "For some reason, I'm feeling so happy that they're getting married, hahaha!" she thought, her heart light with excitement.
She placed a hand on her chest and smiled sweetly, "My blessing is with you two. And don't even think about getting divorced!" she whispered.
Then her gaze slid over to Maruti, who was delicately chewing her meat.
"My, my… seems like a certain someone left your life!" Kaelith teased with a playful tone. "But don't worry, I'll never leave your side~!"
In Kaelith's eyes, Maruti often talked about her, mentioned her, and made little annoyed faces whenever Esdeath appeared. Kaelith had already made up her mind that Maruti either secretly admired Esdeath… or had a tiny crush on her, That always made her very jealous of Esdeath and see her as her enemy.
But what Kaelith didn't know… was that none of that was true.
"I kinda knew it…" Maruti said, her voice soft and oddly calm, still avoiding eye contact as she picked up another small bite of meat with her fork.
Kaelith suddenly blinked and tilted her head.
"Wait—don't you always eat like a wild animal? Why are you suddenly eating so properly?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"Huh? Oh…" Maruti paused, then smiled politely. "Well, it's a party, you know? You have to match the mood of the place."
Her voice sounded smoother than usual. She even took a napkin and gently patted her mouth like a proper noble lady.
But as she continued eating slowly, a small, suspicious thought appeared in her head.
"Wait a minute… I never ate with Kaelith before… So how does she know I eat like an animal?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "She's definitely stalking me…!"
------------------
Back on the stage, things were... complicated.
The whole crowd stood still, their faces a mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief.
Marriage?
With a girl?
And a black-haired girl at that?!
Black hair was known as a symbol of destruction in their world. It was rare, very few people had black hair and it was feared, and even avoided in noble circles. And yet, here stood Lortell Mariette—new Archduke, respected by all—declaring her love in front of everyone without hesitation.
But who among them had the courage to say anything?
Not a single soul dared to speak against her. She was the new Archduke, daughter of the legendary Arthur Mariette, and had more power than anyone else in the hall. They all swallowed their opinions, afraid of ruining their future by upsetting her.
"A-Ahaha… Congratulations on your marriage!" a noblewoman said nervously, her voice trembling a bit. "My blessings are with you both!"
Lortell turned her head and gave her a sweet, innocent smile.
"Oh, is that you, Lady Jiona? I heard your husband is having trouble in business these days. How about I invest… one lakh gold coins?" she said warmly.
Lady Jiona's eyes sparkled instantly. "W-What? Really? You're so generous, my lady!" she said with joy, bowing deeply.
Another nobleman stepped forward, still unsure. "Y-Yes, congratulations! I'm really happy for you…"
Lortell's eyes twinkled.
"My..My..... isn't that famous armoury merchant Mr. Dugerchaff! I've been meaning to place a big order for weapons, shields, and gear for the academy's students. How about I give the contract to you directly?"
Dugerchaff nearly dropped his wine glass. His round eyes turned into golden circles, and he gave a deep bow. "Y-You are too kind, Lady Mariette! Truly too kind!"
And just like that, the entire mood shifted.
In only a few minutes, everyone in the hall had gone from speechless to smiling, bowing, and clapping.
"Congratulations, Lady Mariette!"
"Our best wishes for your marriage!"
"We're so happy for you!"
Even Esdeath, who just stood there quietly beside Lortell, began receiving warm handshakes and polite smiles. The same people who had avoided looking at her only minutes ago were now treating her like royalty.
The change in atmosphere was so clear, it almost felt like magic.