It seems that the villain is targeting me.

There was obvious disappointment in her eyes.

Lucas noticed the change in Gwen's expression and rolled his eyes slightly, feeling a little embarrassed.

Too many people are paying attention to Gwyneth. She is now the absolute focus of the scene. Everyone is secretly paying attention to Gwyneth's movements. Perhaps there are many people waiting to compete for the first dance of Tudor's eldest daughter.

Those nobles would soon come over to greet and chat. Butcher had already entered the banquet hall, but he had probably gone somewhere else - but my sister couldn't leave the table rashly, otherwise she would definitely be noticed by the people around her.

I have to think of a way out, the mature Lucas thought anxiously.

Chapter 74 Please dance with me

In fact, the solution to the problem is very simple. As long as the music of the dance party starts, others will start looking for dance partners to enjoy the party. After the initial excitement has passed, even if they leave, it will not attract too much attention.

Traditional court balls generally follow this process: the first dance is a classical court dance. If it is a banquet for young people, there may be a waltz or tango first, followed by a polka, a Scottish waltz, etc.

According to the convention of the ball, there will be a small competition for the lead of the first dance. The person who can lead the dance is either the most dazzling girl on the scene, or the host or the most distinguished guest.

But the problem is that now everyone assumes Gwyneth will dance the first dance.

She was already very beautiful, and the awe-inspiring aura she possessed from giving orders in the military for so long made everyone else present feel ashamed of themselves.

Many people who saw Gwen for the first time today secretly sighed in their hearts: The roses in Highgarden are really worthy of their reputation.

She was undoubtedly the most dazzling girl present and the emperor's most distinguished guest, which made the girls who were originally eager to try back off in their hearts.

They wisely gave up the competition and planned to wait until Gwen finished the first dance before asking out their favorite dance partners.

The only suspense now is who Gwen's dance partner will be - I wonder which warrior will be the first to muster up the courage and take the initiative to invite the incomparably beautiful Tudor Rose.

Gwyneth had just finished her third search without making a sound. She lowered her head pitifully, looking like a bullied puppy, and looked extremely aggrieved.

Lucas saw it all and was furious. He gave Butcher a severe remark with an expressionless face.

This kid already had a mental list of grudges about ten meters long... But if he knew what was going to happen next, he would probably go to Xiaoniao's house with supplements in both hands, bowing and apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, my sister really went too far. I'm sorry—take care of yourself, take care."

Ahem, let’s get down to business.

Lucas solemnly adjusted the black bow on his collar, tried to show a little dignity, and extended his hand to his sister like a dutiful guardian knight.

"Well, dear sister," said Lucas, imitating the solemn tone of the Duke of Tudor, "it seems that I shall have to dance with you for the first dance."

Gwyneth was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

It is also common for unengaged girls to have their first dance with their father or immediate male relative at a social dance. For children who are just entering the social scene, people present can quickly recognize which family she belongs to.

If it is at a wedding banquet, the first dance is always performed by the bride's father accompanying his daughter. After the slow and elegant dance, the bride's hand will be handed to her partner.

This is an ancient etiquette, and similar procedures have been passed down to later generations.

Gwyneth knew that her brother had made the invitation because he saw that she didn't want to dance with anyone else.

She looked at her brother with gratitude, who had a serious expression like a little adult, and whispered, "Thank you, Luca."

Lucas received his sister's grateful gaze and immediately became more motivated. He declared seriously, "I only dance the men's steps."

Gwyneth glanced awkwardly at her brother, who was two heads shorter than her, and said, "But you can't reach my shoulders."

Lucas straightened his back and reiterated majestically: "Men's steps, absolutely men's steps!"

At this time, a minister of the inner court wearing white gloves walked to the edge of the dance floor and shook the small brass bell in his hand. The people around him then spontaneously dispersed and gave up their place in the center of the dance floor.

Lucas saw this and knew it was the signal for the dance to begin.

The youngest son of the Tudor family rushed straight to the center of the dance floor with an overwhelming momentum. Gwyneth had no choice but to follow behind her brother helplessly.

------

-

After the soothing and elegant court tunes, the royal band played a more cheerful waltz.

Men and women in the banquet hall slid onto the dance floor and invited their favorite dance partners to dance together.

The girls' white dancing shoes stepped on the spotless solid wood parquet floor, and the spinning skirts looked like blooming petals.

In addition to these people, there were also some people whose main purpose was to socialize. They chatted in groups of three or four outside the dance floor and casually ate snacks and drank drinks.

After Gwyneth finished her first dance, she left the dance floor to take a break and gave the space to others.

As expected, the surroundings had become lively. Everyone was either talking in low voices or dancing on the dance floor. Few people paid attention to Gwyneth's movements - that would be strange!

A large group of social weirdos stared at Gwen the moment she left the dance floor!

What a joke! Why not take advantage of the fact that she has just become successful and try to get acquainted with her? Do you have to wait until she is so successful that she can't even lift her pants to establish a relationship with her?

Jie Jie Jie Jie Jie Jie Jie!

Little Gwen, don't even think about running away!

A strange scene then appeared in the banquet hall - a large group of noble girls in gorgeous dresses and elegant manners surrounded Gwyneth like a hunting pack of wolves, constantly approaching her and trying to strike up a conversation, greet her, and introduce themselves.

Yes, you read that right, a girl.

The parents behind these people probably thought that it would be easier for girls of the same age to establish friendships, so they very specifically assigned the task of building good relationships to their daughters and granddaughters.

Besides, this is the legendary figure who defeated King Jialan with his own hands!

She is still such a beautiful sister who is so heroic and makes people unable to take their eyes off her.

It's normal to be curious, right? It's not strange to have a bit of a longing for her, right? It's only natural to be the dream girl of thousands of girls!!!

Gwyneth was horrified. She had not expected such an unexpected situation to happen. She had a very hard time dealing with these noble girls who were as fierce as wolves and tigers and had red eyes.

Lucas on the side was also dumbfounded.

He is still relatively young and has little experience. He has never seen such a scene!

These aristocratic girls who have been proficient in social rules since childhood are extremely difficult to deal with. They speak in a gentle and friendly tone, calling you "sister" one after another, which can make people lose their way. They are simply the ultimate hell version of the hero's tomb and the land of tenderness.

Gwyneth was surrounded by a wolf pack composed of these noble girls and had difficulty moving forward for a while.

Just when Gwen was about to be overwhelmed, a voice suddenly rang out clearly among the group of girls.

"Wow, look over there, a wild boar... His Majesty Lawrence is coming."

Everyone had to salute when His Majesty the Emperor came in person. The wolf-like girls stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the two curved staircases on the second floor of the banquet hall, looking for His Majesty.

Gwyneth also subconsciously wanted to look up, but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist by a familiar person.

Xiao Niao carefully pulled her out of the crowd and whispered, "Don't talk, run away quickly. If you delay any longer, you'll be forced to accept invitations and attend banquets one by one. Run!"

Gwyneth bent down a little embarrassedly, holding her slightly crooked hair, and followed Xiao Niao quietly out of the crowd.

Finally seeing the person she had been thinking about, the girl's eyes lit up, but when she thought of how embarrassed she was just now, she felt inexplicably discouraged.

She asked the bird, a little angry and a little confused: "Where did you go just now?"

Xiao Niao took the time to look back at her and said innocently, "It's on the second floor. I'm not going to dance. If I'm on the second floor, I can see the dance floor and have some snacks."

Xiao Niao smiled at the girl and said, "I saw you dancing. I didn't expect that you, Gwen, are also very skilled at dancing male steps."

As they were talking, the two of them had already arrived at a relatively secluded open-air balcony.

This place is very secluded, and you can see the night view and the lights of buildings in the distance. You can enter here by just opening an inconspicuous small door. Occasionally, drunk guests will come here to sober up.

"Not many people know about this place," Xiao Niao gently released the girl's hand, "Come and get some fresh air."

As he spoke, Xiao Niao took off the cloak he was wearing to protect himself and keep warm, and draped it over Gwyneth's shoulders naturally, like a considerate friend he had known for many years.

The night wind was still very cold, and it was quite unbearable for ladies wearing skirts.

Gwyneth was in a somewhat romantic mood as she wrapped herself tightly in the cloak which still carried the warmth of the bird's body. This scene was really familiar, reminding her of the day when the two of them first met.

Gwen originally wanted to ask Xiaoniao why he didn't go dancing, but when she saw him nonchalantly exposing his wings in front of him, she suddenly understood why.

The Imperial Prime Minister only has one intact and healthy hand, so he cannot dance openly on the dance floor with others.

Xiao Niao was reluctant to attend the banquet for another reason: she didn't want others to see her clumsy and awkward side.

Although he always appears to be nonchalant, deep down, the bird is very sensitive about this.

In the past, Gwyneth might have felt some sympathy and pity for Xiao Niao, but after she realized her feelings and knew that Butcher was a girl, all that remained in her chest was pity that seemed to break her heart.

The girl's eyes were slightly misty.

He blinked hard, forcing himself to look elsewhere, and seemingly brought up another topic unintentionally.

"...Now you've seen how I look in my dress," Gwen said, her lips curled up into a smile as she pinched the hem of her dress to show off the pattern on the edge. "What do you think?"

Xiao Niao said softly, "Hmm?" and his eyes slowly fell on Gwen.

She seemed to have never looked at Gwyneth so carefully before. Her hair was a little messy because of the crowd just now, but this did not diminish her beauty at all. Instead, it made the girl look more lively.

It was difficult for Xiao Niao to describe in words the feeling Gwen gave her at that moment.

She just felt that she saw the most beautiful person in the world at that moment.

Xiao Niao's eyebrows twitched. This guy, who was usually sharp-tongued and loved to tell hellish jokes, suddenly became tongue-tied at this moment.

"...You, you look so beautiful today."

Her eyes were a little evasive, as if she was shy about what she said.

"You are absolutely beautiful, Your Highness... If I could attend the ball, I would just want to dance with you all night long."

This is really an exaggeration. If Xiaoniao said this deliberately to tease others, then even if he was kicked, he probably couldn't blame anyone else.

But this guy is really digging a hole for himself unknowingly - and then jumping into it.

Gwyneth's heart moved slightly. She stared at the pattern on the floor under her feet and suddenly smiled helplessly.

"Do you remember the request you promised me?" Gwyneth asked softly.

Xiao Niao thought for a moment and remembered the conversation between the two before Gwen went to battle.

Xiao Niao always kept her promises. She nodded and said to Gwen, "Yes, I said, as long as it's a reasonable request, I will definitely help you realize it."

Gwyneth had anticipated Xiaoniao's answer. During their time together, she had already gotten to know the other's temperament.

The corners of the girl's eyes flushed red, and she wanted to say countless things but couldn't, and her eyelashes fluttered slightly.

"Please dance with me, Butcher."

Gwyneth looked quietly and tenderly into the bird's eyes.

"You said you would help me with any reasonable request—so, please dance with me."

"It's okay to dance here," she said with a shy smile. "It's fine to dance here."

Gwyneth was actually very anxious at this moment, and she wanted to directly hold Xiaoniao's hand and let her feel her warm love.

But Gwen forced herself to suppress the surging emotions in her heart - Gwyneth was afraid that her overly intense and paranoid emotions would burn the other person, so she just stretched out her hand, looked at the bird hesitantly, and waited for her choice.

When it comes to beauty, ugliness, fatness and thinness, everyone actually has their own very subjective standards.

There is a saying that goes like this: a person's feelings can be seen through their eyes. Those who truly love something often have purer eyes and more peaceful hearts.

Emotion permeates them, surpassing any additional affectation.

The most beautiful thing in the world is a girl with affectionate eyes and spring in her eyes.

At that time, this stupid and slow-witted little bird did not understand this truth.

Xiao Niao was just stunned at the time.

As if bewitched by something, she subconsciously reached out and wanted to hold the girl's hand.

Her fingertips had already touched Gwyneth's palm, and their hands were about to be held together.

And that's when the accident happened.

An arrow shot into Gwen's back.

The angle was too tricky. Even if Xiao Niao warned Gwyneth immediately the moment he saw the arrow, there was no way she could avoid it.

Xiao Niao held her hand tightly and pulled her behind him in Gwyneth's surprised eyes.

She took the girl under her wing.

Chapter 75: The trajectory of fate is gradually reversed

Gwyneth only felt her vision go dark for a brief moment, and she was pulled by the force and hit Xiao Niao's shoulder, and a gust of wind blew on her face.

Then there was the sound of something being pierced by an arrow.

She heard the bird nearby let out a painful groan from its chest.