CHAPTER 497: PERFECTION AND POWDER KEG

"Master, are you ready yet? The guests are starting to come." Esme’s voice came before she entered the room after a knock.

"Little patience Esme, perfection takes time." Aina muttered, still busy fixing his appearance.

"Which one?" She asked, raising her hands holding two watches.

Rio and Esme, both aware of her obsession, just glanced at her hands, before pointing at the bracelet which they thought was perfect.

Only to notice Aina throw that out, and use the other one.

"Don’t feel bad. You know your taste isn’t _ well tasty." Aina laughed, while Esme just shook her head at this lame vampire joke.

Aina stepped back, placing her hand over Esme’s shoulder, while raising her chin and admiring her artwork in the mirror.

"So I’m good to go?" Rio asked, slowly turning to face them.

"Yupp. Perfect." Aina muttered with pride.

As if she could already see the scene of others burning in envy and admiration the moment Rio steps out in the open.

"Girls are gonna fall head over heels after seeing you, master." Aina joked, teasing the vampire who couldn’t help but blush.

Esme coughed and ignored Aina, who started laughing before turning around and just leaving.

"I’ll tell madam you’re ready." Her voice came from outside, along with the sound of rushing footsteps fading away.

"Go, help Amy." Rio said, shaking his head while Aina just laughed happily. "I’m doubtful she’s still waiting by her bed, pondering over which dress to wear."

"She’s the guest of honor, of course, she’ll need her limelight. Which is why, you should go earlier." Aina replied noddingly, before taking a final glance at him, before running away.

Rio looked at her back, wondering how things changed so much. Wasn’t Aina supposed to be Amy’s maid in the plot? Someone who’ll die during an event, which would later result in Amy feeling sad? Leon coming to ’comfort’ her and then....

What’s happening now?

Not only is there no Leon, but Aina is more close to him and Esme, then Amy herself. Despite spending 2 years around her while he was gone.

(Maybe it’s because she’s the next butler, and I’m still the next heir?) Rio thought wildly.

Getting nowhere, he simply ignored this change, before taking a deep breath and walking towards the hall, where the melodic music played beautifully. Unimpeded by the chatter of crowds and snapping sounds from various ’cameras’ or photo stones.

As he entered the venue, the entire crowd went into a few seconds of silence. All eyes just fixedly staring at him with awe and speechlessness.

Rio just stood at the top of the stairs, taking in everyone’s expression and envy. Ignoring it.

There seemed to be a halo glowing behind him, making him look like an angel stepping out of heavens, and gracing mortals with his presence. (Courtesy of Aphrodite’s appearance blessing buff.)

He stepped into the ballroom adorned in a pristine white ensemble that shimmered under divine chandeliers like snow kissed by moonlight. His coat—a long, high-collared garment—was embroidered with pearl-threaded patterns and lined with gold filigree along the cuffs and borders.

Jeweled buttons sparkled down the front, each etched with an ancient sigil that flickered faintly, as if alive. Telling the history of house Blake over the years.

Beneath the coat, a double-breasted vest clung to his form, sculpting his posture like a portrait of nobility. His white trousers, pressed sharp as blades, tucked into ivory boots embossed with celestial runes.

A silver watch, sleek and elegant, peeked out from his ruffled sleeve—its face matching the overall opulence.

His dark hair, brushed back in soft waves, caught the light like burnished copper. His abyssal eyes gleaming with a sense of calm that far surpassed his peers. Along with that gentle smile - that could simply eclipse the sun.

There were many who dressed beautifully for this party, as each guest here was backed by powers either ruling or controlling this realm – but somehow, all of that combined, couldn’t come close to the perfection he provided.

"Truly an angel."

Don’t know who, but someone muttered this sentence somewhere, and the crowd couldn’t help but nod their heads.

"What a show off." Rebecca dressed in her pearl princess attire pouted and sneered seeing him steal her thunder. While glaring at the girls who ’drooled’ at his sight, and dared to have certain ideas in their heart.

(Humph, see if you’re worthy first...) She thought, complaining to herself, while suppressing the urge to go up and grab his hand to show her sovereignty.

Unlike Becca, whose eyes were simply filled with love and longing, a step further, was someone, whose eyes gleamed in rage. As a faint trace of bloodlust leaked from his body despite his best of control.

"Calm down, Ken." Alfred muttered, holding his friend back from doing something stupid.

"We’ll deal with him later." He said blocking his sight, using the excuse of handing him a drink. "Not now."

Ken, or rather, Kendrick Belmont, the ’ex-heir’ to the duchy of Narva.

The hero, who fought bravely alongside prince Alfred to protect his classmates against Warzy terrorists two years ago. Even when it cost him everything. — At least that’s what the public thought anyway.

But what they didn’t know however was that this savior hero, the world praised on straddle, wasn’t hurt fighting villains, but was tortured by Rio for holding him back, while Alfred initiated Dahlia’s death plan.

Rio had personally destroyed his genius talent, ruined his body by flooding his veins with purple poison, and leaving nerve racking scars across his skin from the damnest flames of hell.

So much so that even after spending years and a mountain of medicines, he still had to use a crutch to walk around and wear masks to hide his face.

Sensing the malicious intent, Rio turned his eyes away from Becca, meeting Alfred’s eyes, and his hypocrite smile.

The two hated each other to the core, yet when facing the world, were forced to smile. An irony indeed.

Rio ignored this hateful duo, and walked over to his parents, who were busy entertaining the VIP’s of this event.

...

What followed was nothing but boring pleasantries, where people either praised the lavish party, or fawned over surrounding powers.

Everyone had relaxed their nerves after seeing the grand security, and the number of powerful figures present together. The rumors that someone might target this event, seemed nothing but a joke, as S to SSS rankers could be seen chatting in every corner.

The food, the drinks, the songs and the dance - it was all going very smoothly, without any hiccups or drama the media speculated or craved for.

There wasn’t a drunkard making a fool of himself, or some young master harassing hot girls, or arrogant idiots making groups and bullying bechara’s – there literally was nothing juicy going on.

Hell, even gods watching everything from the heavens, seemed to behave themselves, as none dared to jump out and disrupt this rhythm.

Making this whole thing which was so grand, look so plain.

But as they say, silence is the first sign of a storm.

And so it was.

Because when Amelia finally stepped away from her parents, walking towards the media reporters, presenting herself as the heir of chaos, and avatar of Gauri for the first time in the open - someone finally couldn’t sit still.

A stupid question ignited a spark which blasted this whole powder keg to the smithereens. Setting off stuff in a direction no one wanted, but hoped to see.

A bloody battlefield.