Chapter 190 A Surprise Guest

Chapter 190 A Surprise Guest


After her entrance, Winter led her directly to the host of the evening. Sebastian welcomed them with great enthusiasm—especially Blanche. No fewer than four kisses landed on her cheeks, much to the fury of her grandfather, who now knew that Dame Lili and Blanche were one and the same.

The vampire king, true to form, was dressed entirely in black, with the sole exception of a dark red silk shirt. Its collar was opened wide, adding an almost provocative touch to the ensemble.

The fabric caught the light with every movement, revealing fleeting garnet reflections reminiscent of the color of blood. His perfectly tailored black jacket emphasized the breadth of his shoulders and the slenderness of his figure, while a few discreet details—dark buttons, an elegant watch, a ring on one of his fingers—spoke of a level of luxury he had no need to flaunt.

He was handsome.

Terribly handsome.

And, above all, he knew it.

It showed in his posture, in the calmness of his gaze, in the almost insolent confidence with which he bore the attention directed his way. He did not need to seek attention; it came to him naturally.

Blanche watched him for a few seconds too long.

Then a thought occurred to her.

Kiyan.

She studied the king's features, involuntarily imagining that same face stripped of a few decades of experience, with the same eyes, the same jawline, the same effortless elegance...

Kiyan must have looked remarkably like him at twenty.

The thought nearly made her smile.

She already knew her professor well enough to know that he probably would not have been any more modest back then.

Quite the opposite.

She imagined him younger, insolent, arrogant, gorgeous, perfectly aware of the effect he had on everyone around him.

An absolute nightmare.

Blanche stifled a laugh.

And somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered whether adult Kiyan had actually lost that confidence with age...

Or whether he had simply learned to hide it better.

Argy did not wait to be introduced and immediately threw himself into her arms, giving her a tight hug.

"How are you?" he asked, while Kysten took advantage of the moment to push himself away from the wall and approach them.

"Good. And you?" she replied with a smile.

"Much better now that you're here."

Blanche looked at her son with fond amusement.

For once, Argy had actually made an effort.

He was wearing a lovely, slightly shimmering gray shirt, the fabric catching the light whenever he moved. The color perfectly complemented his silver hair, giving his face an additional glow. The shirt was elegant enough for the occasion, but Argy had obviously found a way to wear it in his own style.

His black tie was loosened, the knot slightly crooked, giving the whole outfit a roguish quality that seemed perfectly suited to him.

The black trousers, on the other hand, were perfectly conventional.

So far, so good.

Blanche's gaze then dropped lower.

And stopped.

His shoes clearly had no business being there.

She stared at the boots for a few seconds, incredulous.

Black, thick, sturdy, with an unmistakably military look that clashed spectacularly with the polished shoes, loafers, and elegant dress shoes worn by the other guests.

Blanche felt her lips twitch.

Then she burst out laughing.

"No..."

Argy looked down at his feet as though he were only noticing the problem now.

"What?"

She pointed at his shoes.

"You came to a gala wearing those?"

He shrugged, completely serious.

She recognized them then.

Military boots almost identical to the ones his alter ego wore.

She covered her mouth with one hand to muffle her laughter.

Of course.

He had somehow managed to turn an elegant outfit into something that looked far more like him.

"You could have worn normal shoes."

"They are normal."

"For going to war, maybe."

Argy gave her an innocent smile.

"They're comfortable."

Blanche shook her head.

So this was the compromise.

An elegant shirt, a vaguely presentable tie, sober trousers...

And military boots.

She had to admit that, deep down, it suited him perfectly.

And, strangely enough, she found it adorable.

"I want a pair too," she finally said.

"No problem. I'll get you some for your birthday."

"You're a sweetheart!" she replied with a smile.

Kysten cleared his throat, breaking up their little bubble.

"Can I say 'good evening' before I have to get back to my post?"

The player looked at the elf, who had left his hair loose for the occasion—the only bit of extravagance in his otherwise entirely black leather uniform.

"That depends... Are you going to keep your wandering hands away from me?" she teased.

"I make no promises," he replied, playing along.

Blanche allowed herself to be tempted, and contrary to what she had expected, he simply pressed his lips to her forehead before taking her by the arms.

"You look ravishing, my dear partner. Save me a dance," he said as he returned to his post, not without giving her a wink.

While Sebastian and Winter settled a few scores in low voices, discreetly enough that no one around them could make out the substance of their exchange, Argy took the opportunity to lead his mother a little farther away.

Blanche let him, casting one last amused glance at the two men before following her son.

They did not get very far.

Sean and Wiwi seemed to have had exactly the same idea. They approached them, accompanied by a third person.

Blanche initially gave her only a distracted glance.

Then she stopped.

Her eyes widened.

She stared at the young woman for several seconds, as though her brain refused to make the connection.

"Eva?!"

The girl in question looked up.

An embarrassed smile appeared on her lips.

"Hi..."

Blanche was speechless.

Her best friend had made a considerable effort for the occasion, that much was undeniable. Perhaps even a little too much.

She was wearing a long black dress, elegant on paper, but one that clearly had not been designed with her petite frame in mind. The cut fell far too low, practically swallowing her figure and making it look as though she had disappeared inside the garment.

Blanche had to suppress a smile.

Eva did have lovely curves, and a shorter, slightly flared dress would have highlighted her figure far better while still suiting her small stature. Something livelier, more playful too.

This dress, on the other hand, almost made her look as though she had borrowed someone else's.

Her makeup was the complete opposite of what she usually wore.

Very dark and carefully done, it emphasized her brown eyes and made her features appear even more refined. A deep lipstick completed the look, giving her a much more sophisticated appearance.

Her brown curls had disappeared too.

An immaculate blowout had tamed them, every strand carefully straightened into a perfectly orderly cascade.

Blanche studied her for a few more seconds.

She was pretty.

Very pretty, even.

But...

"You changed your hair."

Eva absentmindedly ran a hand over it.

"Yeah. They told me it would look more elegant."

Blanche grimaced.

"It does."

A silence.

"But?"

Blanche smiled.

"But you're much prettier naturally."

Eva burst out laughing.

"Thanks. That's nice to hear!"

"I'm serious."

Blanche stepped closer and gently tucked a perfectly straightened strand behind her friend's ear.

"Your curls suit you better. And this dress..."

She looked down.

"You're swimming in it."

Sean coughed to hide a laugh.

Wiwi did not even bother pretending.

Eva shot him a murderous glare.

"You're all insufferable."