Chapter 7: The Banquet Begins!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 7: The Banquet Begins!
Inside his room, Muen lay upon a luxury bed so comfortable it could bring a man to tears, carefully mentally rehearsing tomorrow’s itinerary.
"First, grooming."
As the son of a Duke, and with this being the once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony for Muen, his entrance naturally had to be spectacular. He needed to be the eye of the storm, commanding every gaze simply by standing there.
To that end, before the sun even rose tomorrow, over ten senior maids would be dedicated solely to his appearance. From head to toe, every single strand of hair had to be exactly where it belonged.
To be honest, when Muen had seen that extravagant formal suit earlier that afternoon—encrusted with so many precious metals it nearly blinded him—he had felt a profound sense of suffocation.
His greatest crisis tomorrow might not be Celicia, but that twenty-kilogram masterpiece of opulence.
"Next, greeting the guests alongside Father."
A coming-of-age ceremony was essentially a declaration to the entire aristocracy that he, Muen Campbell, had officially entered the social circle. As the heir to the Dukedom, he could now participate in and host various events. More importantly, he could express his affections to noble ladies of equal status and enter into sacred engagements.
Of course, since Muen was already betrothed to the Empire’s Third Princess, that last part was technically moot. However, tomorrow, every noble in the Royal Capital would don their finest attire and bring their most promising children to attend this grand event.
This wasn't just a banquet; it was a staircase leading upward.
Every noble would use their finery as a shield and their smiles as swords, intent on climbing higher.
"Then, dealing with the nobles."
This was the part he worried about least. The instincts of the original host still lingering in this body should be enough to help Muen navigate the social minefield.
Tomorrow, he just needed to keep smiling.
"And finally... that."
Muen’s hand instinctively reached under his pillow, touching the two vials hidden there.
This was the main event.
"First, I need to gain Celicia’s trust and get her alone."
This shouldn't be difficult. Even if Celicia racked her brain, she would never imagine that Muen Campbell would have the sheer audacity to drug her.
Besides, with his status as her fiancé, inviting her for a private drink should be simple enough.
"Second, actually drugging her."
This was the hardest step.
If he were caught beforehand, all his efforts would vanish like mist.
"But it should be fine."
Because this was the intended development of this world’s timeline. Heaven itself should be helping him reach his goal.
He only needed to wait for her to look away, then slip the drug into her wine.
"And finally, I just wait for destruction?"
Muen let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
"I’m probably the first transmigrator in history to actively seek out a Destruction Ending.
"I just hope no accidents happen."
The candle flame flickered out.
Outside the window, the bright moonlight filtered through the branches, casting mottled shadows across Muen’s handsome face—as unpredictable as fate itself.
A breeze stirred, and the shadows swayed as if they, too, were praying for everything to go smoothly tomorrow.
*
The next day.
After enduring three hours of torture at the hands of the maids, Muen finally stood before the doors of the grand banquet hall, clad in that twenty-kilogram suit of splendor. He stood beside the Duke, who was as majestic as a lion, greeting the arriving guests.
His blond hair was groomed to perfection. His handsome face, lightly touched up, looked a little less boyish and a little more mature. Paired with the absurdly heavy yet undeniably regal suit, Muen looked like a rising sun—radiating a brilliance that, while piercing, forced everyone to look his way.
When Muen looked in the mirror today, he had actually managed to startle himself with his own good looks.
Unfortunately, even if he was handsome enough to seem otherworldly, the noble girls who came to pay their respects still kept their heads bowed and their eyes averted, as if terrified of catching his attention.
Sigh, the original host’s reputation is just too abysmal, Muen thought helplessly.
In the eyes of the noble daughters, the name "Muen Campbell" was synonymous with "unscrupulous bully" and "humanoid stallion."
The fact that his personal infamy could overshadow the golden brand of being the "Duke’s Son" was a testament to just how wretched Muen’s reputation truly was.
"Hey, kid, look over there!"
Just as Muen was wallowing in his sighs, Duke Campbell—his "convenient father"—suddenly slapped him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
"Look who’s here."
Without needing guidance, Muen’s gaze shifted naturally.
The nobles around Muen who had been offering flatteries followed suit, as did the noble girls who had been too afraid to meet his eyes.
Everyone’s gaze converged on a single point, as if a brilliant spotlight had suddenly cut through a dark stage.
Bathed in that light was a young woman.
She had flowing, moonlight-silver hair and a face so exquisite it seemed carved from perennial ice—perfect and flawless. Her thick eyelashes looked as though they were dusted with frost, sharing that same silver hue. Beneath them, her blue eyes were as cold as a mountain lake, yet deep enough to swallow one's soul.
The girl wore a white gown that wasn't overly complex—simple, yet radiating nobility. The moment she appeared, she became the new eye of the storm, drawing every eye in the room.
"So that is... Celicia."
The Third Princess of the Leopold Empire, the Child of Pure White blessed by the Goddess of Ice and Snow, the Ice Witch—Celicia Leopold.
And the source of Muen Campbell’s Destruction Ending had, at this moment—finally appeared!
As expected, words and memories can’t fully capture a person’s beauty.
Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Muen was still inevitably stunned the moment he saw her.
In his past life, as a loyal fan of Celicia, Muen had often frequented various forums. He had seen countless fan art pieces of her, many of which were of such high quality that he’d save them instantly and stare at them for days.
But seeing the real person, he realized that even the finest artwork failed to capture even a tenth of Celicia’s true allure.
"It has been a long time, Master Muen."
While Muen was dazed, Celicia had already glided gracefully to a stop in front of him.
"It has been a long time, Princess Celicia," Muen replied, snapping back to his senses and offering a perfectly gentlemanly bow. "You look exceptionally moving today."
"Is that so? I am honored by the compliment."
Celicia pinched the corners of her skirt, returning the gesture with elegance.
Her etiquette was so perfect it was beyond reproach, yet it carried a chill that kept everyone at a distance.
"Though, it is quite rare to hear such words from Master Muen’s mouth."
"Haha, Your Highness must be joking. You make it sound as if I’m some sort of rude boor who can’t even control his own tongue."
Are you not?
A flicker of doubt crossed Celicia’s cold, clear eyes.