Chapter 261 The Taker and the Narcissist

The great dragon is dead.

The carriage stopped, and a servant helped a noble lady in an elaborate gown step down. She wore a fashionable lady's hat with a colorful bird feather standing tall, drawing much attention.

What was once the standard hat for sky knight ladies has now become the favorite of ordinary nobles.

However, Liszt did not recognize this noble lady.

"Liszt, why are you hiding here? I've been looking for you for ages," his cousin Meopo's voice came from behind him. "What are you looking at by the window?"

He walked straight to Liszt's side and looked outside, getting a clear view of the carriages in front of Longtaro Castle: "Hmm, you wouldn't be scouting ahead to see which beautiful lady is worth pursuing, would you? From this angle, indeed, the 'height' is very clear."

By 'height,' he meant the height that looks like a mountain ridge when viewed from the side.

"No, just found the hall too stuffy."

"I understand."

"Understand what?"

Meopo clinked his wine glass against Liszt's champagne flute: "You're waiting for the beautiful Athena Salmon, aren't you?"

"No." He answered insincerely and then suddenly asked, "Is she coming this time?"

"You said you weren't expecting her, Liszt. Why do you care about Athena now when you rejected her before?"

Liszt didn't beat around the bush and replied directly: "Maybe it's because it feels significant. On Coral Island, I rarely attend such balls, and no female noble of my age has ever invited me to her home. At the ball on Red Crab Island, Athena was the first to recognize my excellence."

"That makes sense."

It seemed as if a nerve had been touched.

Meopo, lost in thought, didn't continue teasing but instead sighed wistfully: "A man should find a woman who understands him... If she doesn't understand him, what chaos will their future life be? I can't even imagine."

Liszt probed, "Are you talking about Princess Angela?"

"Yes, Angela Sapphire, the brightest pearl on the Grand Duke's crown. If nothing goes wrong, she will be the future mistress of Red Crab Island."

Grand Duke Andrew has two sons and two daughters, with Angela being the youngest daughter.

"Have you and she confirmed your relationship?"

"It's not between us, but between my grandfather and the Grand Duke that our relationship is confirmed." He drained his wine glass in one gulp, threw it back onto the tray held by the servant, and barked, "Leave."

The servant hurriedly bowed and left.

Meopo braced his hands on the windowsill: "Do you know why I never received any response despite my persistent pursuit, but now we can confirm our relationship?"

Liszt looked at him, waiting for more.

"Grimanadan Truth, I naively believed he came with the Grand Duke's blessing, but it turned out..." He suddenly turned around and patted Liszt's shoulder, "My grandfather says your future is boundless. We share the same blood, so I have nothing to hide from you."

"Please go on, cousin." Liszt had already guessed the gist.

Sure enough, what Meopo said matched his guess—he was the one who had to take the fall.

Of course, Princess Angela wouldn't bring a child, even if she were the Grand Duke's beloved daughter. It would not only violate the moral code under the knight system but also greatly disgrace the Marquis family.

Therefore, the pregnant Princess Angela was forced to have an abortion.

"Her reputation is terrible, and I knew it all along. As long as there's no major scandal, past events can be forgotten. But what's unforgivable is that the child in her womb, his... his... father, was just a street performer!"

Given her poor reputation, it wasn't surprising who the father might be.

But as a noble, part of the ruling class, Liszt could understand Meopo's feelings. Nobles could indulge with other nobles, but never with commoners, especially someone as highborn as a duke's daughter. A street performer, equivalent to a serf, naturally enraged Meopo.

Swirling his champagne, Liszt carefully examined Meopo and suddenly thought:

Perhaps Meopo wasn't angry because the princess had an affair with a street performer, but because the news had leaked—informing the Longtaro family that the princess had a child with a street performer meant the matter was no longer a secret on Blue Dragon Island.

"Perhaps in Meopo's eyes, Longtaro Castle has already turned green, lush and verdant."

Suppressing the urge to gloat, he thought for a moment.

Deciding to comfort Meopo, he said, "Life isn't always smooth sailing. Although Princess Angela doesn't meet the moral standards of a noble lady, she is at least the most needed mistress for Longtaro Castle. Compared to a harmonious married life, pre-marriage affairs are trivial."

As he spoke, Liszt suddenly recalled his own views on love.

In his youth, he hoped to save his first time for the right girl. In his young adulthood, he didn't mind whether it was his first time or not. In his early adulthood, he believed the past didn't matter. In his prime, he thought mutual love was what mattered. By the time he was nearly thirty and still single, he just wanted to find someone to settle down with.

The struggle between humans and life is always about taking a step back, and life takes a step forward.

Perhaps it was just venting.

Meopo quickly recovered from his anger at being the fall guy, as he had long prepared himself for this role: "Let's go to the hall and chat. All the young nobles from Red Crab Island are here today. Maybe you'll find someone suitable."

Then he remembered, "I was so focused on my own issues that I forgot to tell you: don't expect Athena. She won't be attending this ball. At the social dance during the Sea Festival, she fell in love with a baron and will likely become a baroness next year."

"Is that so."

Liszt responded indifferently, though inside he felt a sudden tightness, a discomfort he couldn't describe. The urge to mock Meopo, which he had suppressed, burst like a balloon.

While it was laughable that Meopo had to take the fall, wasn't his own narcissism equally laughable?

"I was being naive. Among nobles... there's no such thing as love at first sight, especially after a brief encounter at a ball. Perhaps she has already forgotten about me after the ball."

Suddenly.

Interest waned.

The ball, and the anticipation of Athena, had once sparked a slight passion. But now, the thought of the so-called ball being nothing more than a union of interests among the nobility, where each displayed their assets and selected suitable partners to continue their family lines, made him calm his restless heart and put on the standard noble smile.

( = )