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“My lady, that is what happened.
Lord Pendragon asked me to inform you and Madame Delacour that House Lancelot almost certainly came with ill intent, and that you should be prepared.”
In a side drawing room, Catherine stood respectfully before Elaine and Madame Delacour, recounting everything that had happened in the banquet hall.
“I understand.
Catherine, return to Master Aurelian for now.”
Elaine thought for a moment, then sent Catherine back to Aurelian’s side.
“Elaine, what exactly is Hall Lancelot trying to do by arriving uninvited at a time like this?”
After Catherine left, Madame Delacour frowned and asked the question.
“Without question, he does not want our families joined smoothly by marriage.
He came to make trouble.”
Elaine gave a sharp, humorless breath.
If Hall dared disrupt the banquet, she would make him regret it.
“Your two families have been fighting since the age of King Arthur, have they not?
More than a thousand years now?”
“Only because House Lancelot refuses to leave us alone.
We have always been forced to strike back.”
The thought made Elaine’s teeth itch with anger.
House Pendragon held great prestige in both the Muggle world and the wizarding world, but because of ancestral teachings, the family had always acted with restraint and rarely made enemies.
House Lancelot was the exception.
Ever since King Arthur and Sir Lancelot passed into history, the two houses had struggled against each other in the open and the dark.
Even now, there had been no true resolution.
“Still, Aurelian is quite a remarkable child,” Madame Delacour said, smiling helplessly at Elaine’s anger and changing the subject.
“At such a young age, he can already think through a problem so carefully.”
“He conducts himself with unusual maturity as well.
House Pendragon should have nothing to worry about for the next few decades.
Elaine, you and Miles are fortunate.”
“He is not as wonderful as you make him sound.”
Hearing Madame Delacour praise Aurelian made Elaine bloom with pride despite the words.
“That little brat is only eight, yet he spends every day acting like a grown man.
He gives me endless headaches.”
“I suspect Aurelian is the one with headaches,” Madame Delacour said, shaking her head with a laugh.
“Do you think I do not know you and Miles?
Nearly thirty, both of you, and still never serious for long.
That child must have had a difficult time keeping up with you over the years.”
Elaine gave an embarrassed laugh when her friend exposed her so mercilessly.
“According to Catherine, though, the two children are getting along rather well.”
To avoid being teased further, Elaine smoothly brought the topic back to Aurelian and Fleur.
“When Aurelian heard today that we had arranged an engagement for him, he objected fiercely.
“Our Fleur was no different,” Madame Delacour said.
“She has had a temper since she was little and has never been good at dealing with other people.
When she heard we had found her a fiance, she argued with us terribly.
And now, has she not obediently accepted it?”
Elaine and Madame Delacour looked at each other, then both broke into wicked little laughs.
…
Elsewhere, Aurelian and Fleur knew nothing about the way Elaine and Madame Delacour had maneuvered them.
They were chatting happily in the banquet hall.
“Why do I suddenly feel as if someone is talking about me behind my back?”
Aurelian shivered without warning, sensing that he had somehow been set up.
“You feel it too?” Fleur asked.
“So do I.”
Aurelian found that even more puzzling.
“Hey.
You are Fleur Delacour, are you not?”
An arrogant voice sounded behind them.
Aurelian and Fleur turned at the same time and saw Joyce Lancelot standing there.
“Joyce…”
“Shut up.
I was not speaking to you.
You have no right to address me by name.”
Joyce Lancelot cut Aurelian off.
Aurelian only shrugged and stopped talking.
Fleur disliked Joyce at once for treating Aurelian that way.
She did not want to answer him at all, but out of basic courtesy, she replied in a stiff voice.
“I am.
What do you want?”
“Cancel your engagement with House Pendragon and become engaged to House Lancelot instead.”
Joyce spoke in a high-handed tone, as if he had not heard the impatience in Fleur’s voice.
“I refuse.”
Fleur froze for a heartbeat at his words, then rejected him without hesitation.
“What did you say?”
Joyce clearly had not expected her to refuse, and disbelief spread across his face.
“I said I refuse.
First, this is something your father should discuss with mine.
Second, compared with Aurelian, you are not even close.
Third, I dislike you.”
Fleur looked at him with open distaste, then turned away and ignored him.
Joyce’s embarrassment turned instantly into anger.
“You dare insult me?”
“Easy there.
I suggest you calm down.”
Before Joyce could grab Fleur, Aurelian caught his wrist and stopped him.
Joyce struggled twice, but he could not break free.
“Bastard, let go of me!”
The guests nearby saw the conflict and moved away, clearing space around them.
“Joyce, what happened?”
At that moment, Hall walked over.
Seeing him approach, a nearby footman hurried away to find Miles.
Aurelian released Joyce, and the Lancelot boy retreated angrily to his father’s side.
“Father, that inferior creature dared refuse House Lancelot’s marriage offer!”
Joyce pointed at Fleur as he spoke.
Fury flashed across her face at the insult, and she was about to respond when someone moved faster.
“Apologize.”
Aurelian looked at Joyce without expression.
He was angry now as well.
“Hmph.
I am the noble heir of House Lancelot.
An inferior creature like her is not qualified to receive my apology.”
“Mr.
Lancelot, is that your view as well?”
When Joyce refused to apologize, Aurelian turned his gaze to Hall Lancelot.
“Ha, Joyce misspoke, that is all.
A slip of the tongue.
Let us leave it there.”
Hall had not expected Joyce to say such a thing, but he had no intention of making his son apologize to Fleur.
Instead, he tried to muddy the matter and brush it aside.
“Mr.
Lancelot, I do not believe that was a slip of the tongue.”
At that moment, Miles and Mr.
Delacour arrived.
Miles looked furious, and even the usually gentle Mr.
Delacour showed rare anger.
Embarrassment crossed Hall’s face when he saw them.
Privately, he cursed Joyce for being too reckless.
Then Aurelian took one step forward.
“Mr.
Lancelot, I can tolerate disrespect directed at me.
I will not tolerate anyone calling my fiancee an inferior creature.
Therefore, I challenge Mr.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.