Celine's heart pounded when she saw the man stepping out of the carriage.
His face was breathtakingly handsome—flawless, as if sculpted by the gods. Deep green eyes, framed by slightly long jet-black hair, resembled a beautiful night sky.
He was tall, though he appeared somewhat lean at first glance.
However, a keen observer would notice the hidden strength beneath his robes—his slender frame concealed well-defined muscles.
Draped in a perfectly fitting black robe, he exuded an air of grace and composure, yet there was an undeniable sharpness to him.
Unlike Cassius, whose elegance and gentleness were mostly an act, this man possessed a natural and overwhelming charm—one that outshone Cassius by a wide margin.
Celine wasn't the only one captivated. The young noble ladies were equally spellbound, their gazes burning with undisguised desire, as if they wanted to drag him away to their chambers!
Noticing the shift in their fiancées' and partners' demeanor, the noble young men grew anxious.
Cassius had already been enough of a threat, but now, an even more dangerous rival had appeared at this gathering.
Inwardly, they cursed their decision to attend the party.
Unlike Celine and the enchanted noble ladies, Cassius' expression darkened.
'Who is that man? And why is he so damn handsome?' He muttered through clenched teeth, his voice laced with envy and resentment.
Among the princes—no, among all the men in the Magic Kingdom of Valdom—he was the most handsome.
If he claimed second place, no one would dare to take first.
But now, the confidence he had carried for years shattered in an instant with the arrival of a mysterious man—one even more handsome than him.
Sensing Celine's sparkling gaze, Cassius' hatred deepened. Ever since their engagement, she had never once looked at him like that.
Yet now, she was directing that gaze at a complete stranger. And that infuriated him.
He had never truly cared about Celine—she was merely a tool to secure the favor of Duke Everhart. But in the eyes of others, she was still his fiancée.
Seeing his own woman admire another man—how could he possibly endure that?
Narrowing his eyes, Cassius muttered coldly, 'Don't get in my way. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless.'
His gaze turned sharp, laced with barely concealed murderous intent as he stared at the man.
"Hmm?"
Noticing the hostility radiating from Cassius, the man—none other than Aron—raised an eyebrow.
He glanced at Cassius, a faint, amused smile curling his lips.
'Cassius, huh? He's showing up just like in the plot,' he murmured softly, nodding slightly.
Cassius, the Second Prince of the Magic Kingdom of Valdom, was the son of the King and Queen.
As the queen's direct son, Cassius was heavily pampered, and no one dared to challenge him.
His appearance was the most striking among the princes—calling him the handsomest man in the entire kingdom wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
Of course, compared to the real Aron, Cassius still fell slightly short.
Yet, beneath his flawless exterior, Cassius harbored a dark and twisted heart.
He was obsessed with beautiful women. It didn't matter if they were married or engaged—if he wanted them, he would take them.
Many despised him, but no one dared to voice their hatred. After all, he was the Queen's direct son, holding an exceptionally high status in the royal family.
At that moment, Celine withdrew her hand from Cassius and stepped gracefully toward Arthur.
Lifting the hem of her gown, she lowered her head slightly in a refined gesture.
"Good evening, Young Master," she greeted in a soft, delicate tone. "Forgive my rudeness, but may I ask which noble family you belong to?"
She raised her head, her gaze polite—yet beneath it, a flicker of desire emerged.
'This man is incredibly handsome,' she whispered to herself, gripping the fabric of her gown a little tighter.
All this time, she had believed Cassius was the most handsome man in the kingdom, but now, she realized someone had surpassed him.
Unfortunately, she knew that any thoughts of being with this man were nothing more than a fantasy.
After all, her engagement to Cassius had already been formalized, witnessed by both the King and her father.
Meanwhile, Cassius, watching Celine's respectful and gentle demeanor, felt his face grow hot as a flush of red crept over his skin.
'This bitch…' he growled, his voice laced with fury.
How dare she let go of his hand only to welcome another man right in front of him?
Cassius glanced around and noticed the veiled mockery in the eyes of the noble young masters.
His rage flared even more, and he had the urge to slap Celine hard. But, unfortunately, doing so in public was out of the question.
With hatred boiling inside him, he could only grit his teeth and clench his fists.
Meanwhile, Arthur smiled at Celine's question. His gaze swept over her, and he couldn't help but admire her beauty.
'She truly is stunning,' he thought. 'But she's also cunning, ruthless, and calculating.'
With a woman like Celine, there was no need for pretense. His expression remained indifferent.
"Thank you for your warm welcome, Young Lady Celine," Arthur said calmly. Placing his right hand over his chest, he gave a slight bow.
"Allow me to introduce myself—I am Avaron Claude, a friend and representative of Young Lady Vanessa. Due to pressing matters, Lady Vanessa was unable to attend, so I have come in her place."
At the mention of Vanessa's name, Celine's expression instantly stiffened.
"Young Lady Vanessa's representative?" She murmured, staring at Arthur in shock.
Vanessa was the eldest daughter of the most powerful and wealthiest trading house on the continent—the Maple Leaf Trading House.
As the main heiress, her status was second only to her father's.
Celine had only casually sent Vanessa an invitation, knowing she was in the capital. Given Vanessa's standing, even Celine would have struggled to persuade her to attend.
Yet, to her surprise, Vanessa not only acknowledged the invitation but even sent a representative to her party!
'If I can establish a good relationship with him, I might have a chance to work with Vanessa and the Maple Leaf Trading House!' Celine's eyes gleamed with excitement.
If before she had only seen Arthur as a handsome and charming man, now he was a treasure she had to claim.
And she wasn't the only one who thought so.
The noble young masters and ladies present quickly realized the significance of Arthur's status. As the representative of the Maple Leaf Trading House, he was a valuable connection—only a fool would let this opportunity slip by!
In an instant, many young masters and ladies eagerly approached Arthur, eager to introduce themselves and gain his favor.
Cassius, who had been the center of attention just moments ago, was now completely overlooked.
The realization sent a sharp pang of fury through his chest.
'Damn it…' he muttered through clenched teeth.