Ivina was in a panic. At that moment, her heart was beating so fast that she could hardly breathe.
"Look up," the man said, his tone clearly annoyed.
Ivina struggled to lift her head halfway, glanced at Niditera's eyes, but received no instructions, and then silently lowered her head again.
Noticing Ivina's obvious cowardice, a woman standing in the corner suddenly burst out of the crowd.
"You claim to be all-powerful—do you really think we're foolish enough to believe you? Speak! Where are you from? What race are you? Why are you using the elderly Niditera to approach the king? What is your true purpose?!"
After shouting all at once, the vampires in the hall erupted into chaos.
Only the composed Niditera noticed something amiss.
That vampire's eyes were merely lowly gray-brown. Therefore, she dared not shout at herself. The reason she directed her anger solely at Ivina was precisely Pujo's usual tactic.
Not only did it dampen their spirits, but it also暗示ed to all the vampires present that Ivina's identity would not be so easily acknowledged.
Ivina gasped in shock. Before she could react, her black hair was violently yanked backward by the woman.
"Imposter, lowly creature!"
The black strands of hair swept across her cheeks. This was the first time she had raised her face since the beginning, but it was in such a humiliating situation.
How envy-inducing her features and complexion were. The petite girl before her had delicate features, rosy cheeks, and a physique unlike the typical voluptuousness of vampires. And then there were her eyes, which she tried to avert... black! They were black!
No, it couldn't be. Even if Niditara were as foolish as she was, she would never rely on a foolish human to make a comeback. She knew it was a dead end.
"Step back, Mega." The blond man's hand flickered lightly, easing the pain in Ivina's scalp.
"How could you treat our guest like this? Even if she is about to die, out of respect for our shared vampire heritage, you shouldn't have done that."
Pu Jiao's elegance was impeccable, and his mood was as relaxed as his tone of voice.
Was it over already? He had assumed that this dinner would inevitably lead to a fight... He had overestimated Niditara's strength. Did he really think that bringing in a vampire from another race would intimidate anyone? What a joke.
"I... I survived the disaster in Segi and came here specifically to seek refuge with my only relative—Aunt Perde." As the blond man was about to sit down and begin the meal, Ivina panicked and blurted out the lines she had memorized long ago.
No, she didn't want to be executed.
Pu Jiao slowly straightened his half-bent body. His arms rested on the table, and he raised his eyebrows with interest.
"Oh? Then why don't you tell me what disaster befell Segi?"
Ivina was speechless. She could hear the contempt in the man's voice. This was a deliberate provocation. But she couldn't answer, let alone retaliate.
All eyes were on her again. However, her mind was blank. In front of her, the woman named "Mega" sneered with disdain, and everyone seemed to be watching a farce. And she was a pitiful clown.
Her hands clutched the thick fabric on both sides, unconsciously pulling the dress down slowly. Ivina gripped the hem of her skirt tightly; even the courage to lie had vanished.
However, under the dim yellow light, a strange white glow seeped out from the velvety red collar of Ivina's dress.
How long had it been silent? She could only hear the vibrations of her heartbeat.
Slowly, Pujo lowered his proud head, his left hand elegantly behind his back, in such submission…
"Welcome… Your Excellency, Miss Gra. Visata. Your noble status is beyond question; your journey here has left us deeply honored."