Chapter 106 : Chapter 106
Chapter 106. Attending the Banquet by Appointment
At night, the sky was a dark crimson.
A cold wind still blew through the air. On the streets south of the Imperial Capital, rows of oil lamps cast dim light over the road. There were few pedestrians, with only a handful of Imperial Capital guards still standing watch.
At the Elfreid residence in the northern part of the city, the interior was brightly lit. Servants hurried back and forth, busy with preparations. Some were arranging flowers along the road leading to the mansion, while others carried trays of food, working without pause.
Tonight was the day the Duke of Daylight was hosting a banquet. As one of the Twin Stars of the Aarlan Empire, he was a figure of immense merit and prestige. Naturally, those invited were all prominent members of the imperial nobility.
Several luxurious noble carriages were already parked at the entrance, with guards stationed beside them. This banquet had effectively sealed off a large portion of the surrounding streets.
A gentle breeze stirred her gray-white hair as Erika took small steps forward, arriving alone at the mansion’s gate.
Most of the guests arrived in groups of three or five, stepping down from ornate carriages. Erika, however, had come on foot—and she was just a single young girl. The guards inevitably assumed she was a lost child and immediately stopped her.
“Little miss, you can’t wander around here tonight. Go home quickly.”
“I’m here to attend the banquet.”
“You? Attend the banquet?”
The guard clearly did not believe her. He did not move aside, merely smiling faintly. “That kind of joke shouldn’t be made lightly. Everyone attending tonight is a member of the imperial nobility. Little miss, which family are you from? Where are your parents?”
“I’m alone.”
“Is that so? Then please show me your invitation.”
An invitation?
Otilia had never given her anything like that.
Blinking, Erika answered honestly, “I don’t have an invitation.”
“Then please leave.”
The guard showed no flexibility at all. He did not believe Erika had truly been invited to the banquet.
Everyone attending was part of the imperial nobility. Even if there were nobles he did not personally recognize, the Duke of Daylight had issued invitations to all guests. Without one, Erika could not possibly be allowed inside.
“Uncle, I’ve been here before. I’m Isana’s friend, and Otilia asked me to come this time. Could you help call her for me?”
“I’m very sorry, little miss.”
The guard shook his head. “Standing guard here is my duty. I’m not responsible for relaying messages. If you were truly invited, you would definitely have an invitation.”
Being blocked like this, Erika felt a little frustrated.
Otilia had insisted that she come, yet this was how things turned out?
Unable to help herself, Erika stood on tiptoe and craned her small head forward, peering past the guard into the mansion.
If only she could see Isana—maybe Isana could take her inside.
“Let her in.”
At that moment, an elderly man wearing a black formal suit appeared from inside the mansion. His posture was straight, his bearing dignified, and Erika had seen him before.
This man was the butler of the Elfreid residence—Cooper Gale.
“Butler, this is—”
“Let her enter. This is Miss Otilia’s order.”
Butler Cooper’s voice was calm. He stepped past the guard and gave Erika a formal bow. “Miss Erika, please forgive this guard’s discourtesy. It was my oversight not to come and receive you in advance.”
Hearing even the butler apologize to the young girl, the guard who had stopped Erika immediately felt embarrassed.
Still, it was not truly his fault—he had only been following orders.
“Please forgive me, beautiful young lady,” the guard said as well, understanding the situation and offering an apology.
“It’s fine.”
“Please, come inside.”
Butler Cooper gestured to lead the way. “Miss Otilia has been waiting for you for a long time.”
…
Passing through the corridors, Erika was led by Butler Cooper to a familiar room. Along the way, she noticed just how lively the mansion was—no less bustling than when she had previously been at No. 300 on Bradley Street.
At the door, Butler Cooper stopped. He gave Erika a kindly smile, then turned and took his leave.
The room lights were already on. With a nervous heart, Erika blinked and gently knocked on the door with her small hand.
“Vivi, is that you?”
It was Otilia’s voice, and there was a hint of excitement in it.
“I’m… Erika…”
The moment her words fell, Otilia immediately opened the door and quickly pulled Erika inside.
The luxurious room was dimly lit, and a rich fragrance lingered in the air.
Otilia was wearing a loose robe, and aside from that, she wore nothing else. Most of her fair skin was exposed, and her flawless figure was enough to drive any man mad.
Seeing Otilia like this, Erika felt a little embarrassed, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
This woman really did not treat her like an outsider at all…
“Did you… just wake up?”
“I was waiting for you, Vivi,” Otilia said softly.
“I told you, my name is Erika, not Vivianna.”
“I know. It’s just that tonight… Can you allow me to call you that?”
As she spoke, Otilia came to Erika’s side, gently lifting her small hand and caressing it tenderly.
“W-What are you doing, Otilia… That tickles…”
“Sorry. I was just so eager for you to come. Being able to see you keep your appointment made me too excited.”
Although Otilia apologized, her hand did not leave Erika’s. She continued to softly stroke her palm, almost as if she were handling a cherished toy.
“Thank you, Erika. Actually, I made a decision for myself tonight.”
“What decision?”
“If you came to keep this appointment tonight, I would walk out of this room together with you.”
Staring straight at Erika, Otilia gave a bitter smile. “Do you know? Ever since my mother passed away two years ago, I haven’t left this room—not even once.”
“I know,” Erika nodded.
“Isana told you?”
“Yes.”
“Heh… did she say a lot of bad things about me in front of you?”
“No.”
Shaking her head, Erika explained, “Isana worries about you a lot. She really wants you to walk out of this room.”
“Is that so?” Otilia smiled bitterly. “That girl must hate me by now.”
“Let’s not talk about her.”
As she spoke, Otilia pulled Erika over to sit on the bed. “Do you know why I specifically invited you today, Erika?”
“You said before that you wanted me to pretend to be Vivianna, to give your father a surprise… and for those nobles…”
“That’s only part of it.”
Otilia shook her head. “The reason I told you all that was to get you to come first. Since you chose to come, I’ll tell you the truth…”
Erika remained silent, her brows knitting slightly.
“You really… really look like Vivi. Aside from being a little younger, there’s almost no difference.”
Suddenly, Otilia lightly flicked Erika’s nose—not hard at all, just a playful gesture.
“Otilia!” Erika protested, rubbing her nose.
“It’s just that… your temperament has changed a lot.”