“Please look at my gift, Your Highness Qing,” Xueli continued.
Flora slowly opened the gift box, and a faint red light shimmered within. Inside sat a pair of earrings.
“These are earrings made of blood moon stone, which can assist in enhancing the body’s mana,” Xueli explained, sounding like a textbook as usual.
Flora looked at the earrings. They were simple in design, featuring two extremely thin silver wires holding teardrop-shaped, blood-red crystals.
The crystals contained natural veins that seemed to flow slowly like blood under the light. Flora could feel a weak but stable fluctuation of mana radiating from them.
The gift was ordinary. It was the kind of normal that felt deliberate and cautious.
“Thank you, Princess Xueli. I like them very much,” Flora said with a smile, the corners of her mouth curving slightly as she gave a small nod. Her movements were subtle, and her smile appeared sincere.
Finally, the two bowed to each other and stepped down from the platform. Other nobles also began to leave their seats to exchange gifts.
Those present from both clans received gifts, and the atmosphere in the Banquet Hall instantly became lively.
The crowd gathered in a bustle of activity, with laughter, conversation, and happy voices intertwining. At this moment, the noise in the Banquet Hall was at its peak, bordering on rowdy.
Nothing particularly special happened after that; it was simply the end of the banquet. Everyone was free to walk around as they pleased. Xueli and Lias also temporarily took their leave.
Due to the noisy environment, Flora left the main hall with Ilya. The corridor outside was much quieter.
As they chatted about what had just happened at the banquet while walking down the hall, Ilya suddenly asked out of curiosity, “Little Lola, what exactly was the gift you gave to Xueli? Even your mother had to be kept in the dark.”
Ilya was smiling, her tone slightly teasing.
“Why ask?” Flora said with a bitter smile. “Mother, you already know I won’t say, so why even ask?”
“I thought that since you’ve already given it away, maybe you would be willing to talk about it.”
“Then I suggest you go and ask her yourself. If she wants to tell you, you’ll naturally find out.”
“How could I possibly go and ask her that, Little Lola?” Ilya shook her head with a laugh.
She certainly would not personally ask Xueli what Flora had given her, which was why her tone carried a hint of jest. Of course, she was not blaming Flora either.
“Then let’s drop it. I want to walk alone for a while.”
“Wait a moment. Lias and I still have some matters to discuss. We will stay here for one night and leave tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, alright.”
Flora did not think much of it. She smoothed her slightly messy long hair and walked away on her own.
She eventually returned to the terrace where she had sat with Ilya earlier.
The night had grown deeper, and the night wind carried a slight chill that nipped at her skin. Flora looked out the window. Because of the cool breeze, her thoughts became exceptionally clear and calm.
She actually enjoyed this quiet and cool atmosphere; it prevented irritability and brought peace to her heart.
As she looked outside, she suddenly noticed a Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly in the garden below the terrace.
Flora was not surprised. It was normal to see them in the Vampire court. Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterflies were rare magic creatures, so it made sense for a few to be kept here.
However, Flora had not seen one since that encounter in White Stone City, and the butterfly back then had been very frantic.
Flora’s gaze remained fixed on the Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly. She wanted to see what a butterfly living comfortably in Vampire territory actually looked like.
The Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly rested in the grass, its wings spread wide but still.
Suddenly, it seemed to sense Flora watching it from the terrace. It lightly fluttered its wings and flew toward her.
Flora watched as the butterfly approached. Its flight was light and slow.
The Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly landed on Flora’s hand.
Flora’s right hand, which rested on the stone railing of the terrace, froze.
‘Why did the Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly land on my hand?’
‘Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterflies aren’t usually close to people, and I’m not of the blood clan. My mana aura shouldn’t have any affinity for it.’
‘Then why did it notice me so quickly and fly to my hand on its own?’
But the butterfly did more than just rest on her hand.
It took flight again, circling Flora over and over as if it were confirming something.
Finally, it stopped right in front of her.
It faced Flora, and she faced it.
Beneath its fluttering wings, Flora saw it —
There was a very faint mark, yet it was prominent on its slightly transparent wing.
That mark was very familiar.
It was the same Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly she had encountered in White Stone City!
The butterfly that the demon race boy had released had actually flown all the way here and was resting peacefully in the garden of the Vampire Royal Court.
“It seems this little fellow likes you very much.” Lias’s voice came from behind her.
Startled, Flora quickly turned around and saw Lias standing in the back.
“Your Majesty Lias,” Flora said, quickly performing a bow.
“It is alright. I didn’t expect you to be here at this hour.”
“My mother brought me here to rest before the banquet started. I thought the environment here was very nice, quiet, and cozy. If I am intruding, I sincerely apologize.” Flora had assumed Lias might not want her there.
“Not at all, I like it here too. I find this place very ethereal, so it’s fine for you to stay. I just wanted to come here to relax and happened to run into you.”
Lias spoke casually, without a hint of sternness.
“Also, I am very fond of this Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly. I didn’t expect the little creature to like you so much, flying to your side the very first time you met. But this also means that some quality or characteristic of yours must be very attractive to it.”
Lias spoke calmly, as if she were analyzing a very ordinary matter.
“Is there something about me that attracts it… Could it be because of what happened that time…?”
“Hmm, I see. By the way, how did Your Majesty find this Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly? I see… its wing seems to have been injured.”
Flora did not say that she knew what had happened, but she was very curious about how the butterfly had ended up here after being released.
“Well… I found this Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly in a deep forest. I saw that it was quite badly injured and felt a very special energy reaction from it, one well-suited for collecting the essence of moonlight.”
“So, I brought it back and have been keeping it here.”
“I see.”
Flora said nothing more, only responding with a low murmur.
Lias looked at Flora, who seemed lost in thought. She guessed that Flora probably knew something about this Moonlight Ghostshadow Butterfly.
However, she could also tell that Flora did not want to speak of it, so she did not press further.