Chen Nian rummaged through Chen Ci’s wardrobe and finally chose a dress that wasn’t too extravagant.

Most of Chen Ci’s clothes were in white and platinum tones, perfectly fitting for royalty—elegant and luxurious, but not to Chen Nian’s taste. He hated wearing anything with too much fabric—not just because it was troublesome to put on and take off, but also because it made moving around inconvenient.

After changing into the outfit, Chen Nian buckled an anti-bite collar around his neck. Accompanied by a maid, he stepped out of the White Tower.

The royal vehicle was already waiting at the entrance. His Highness Shavri Vitaljevich personally opened the door for him. Chen Nian murmured a polite “thank you” and slid into the backseat.

Shavri quickly got in from the other side, taking the seat next to Chen Nian.

Neither spoke as the vehicle started and made its way toward the palace where the banquet would be held.

Chen Nian turned to look out of the window. A gentle breeze rustled the greenery, which lazily swayed under the warm afternoon sun. Buildings in the distance seemed to stretch upward, competing to see which could touch the clouds first.

This silence was typical of Chen Ci. But to Shavri, something about it seemed unusual. He said softly, “No need to be nervous.”

Chen Nian responded with a simple “Mm.” He wasn’t nervous, though—he was pondering something.

Should I approach this banquet my own way?

He wanted to stand up for Chen Ci and also enjoy the banquet. But if he were to mimic Chen Ci’s reserved personality the entire time, he wouldn’t be able to do much of anything. Yet if he went too far, it might cause trouble for Chen Ci later.

Striking the right balance was key.

The royal car soon arrived in front of the palace. Chen Nian glanced outside and thought, Whoa, what a crowd.

Acquainted nobles were stepping out of their vehicles, exchanging greetings and laughing amidst the courtyard’s lively atmosphere. The arrival of the royal car immediately caught everyone’s attention.

His Highness Shavri Vitaljevich exited the car first. However, instead of heading straight into the courtyard, he walked around to the other side and opened the door.

All eyes turned to the rear passenger seat of the vehicle.

“Is that…?”

“It’s the Crown Princess!”

“No way. The Crown Princess is actually here? Isn’t he said to never show himself in public?”

These surprised murmurs reached Chen Nian’s ears. He raised an eyebrow slightly and saw Shavri standing outside, leaning down slightly and extending a hand to him.

Oh?

Chen Nian graciously placed his hand into Shavri’s palm. His fingers were gently held by the Alpha.

Using Shavri’s support, Chen Nian stepped out of the car as elegantly as possible. The warm afternoon sunlight caught in his amber eyes, making them appear even lighter and brighter.

The moment he lifted his head, the murmurs ceased.

The nobles hadn’t expected the Crown Princess to attend the banquet today. The sight of the young figure before them brought various rumors to mind.

—Disfigured by scars, hideous, and unfit to be seen?

The youth standing there wore a white and platinum outfit. His slender frame didn’t appear weak; his ebony hair skimmed just above his brows, accentuating his skin, which was as smooth as fine porcelain. His lips, naturally rosy, were pressed into a straight line, expressionless yet brimming with vitality in his clear gaze.

…He was utterly captivating.

Chen Nian keenly observed the mix of reactions. Though he scoffed inwardly, his expression remained as cold and delicate as a porcelain doll’s.

As if overwhelmed by the attention from all directions, he lowered his eyelashes. It wasn’t a haughty gesture but one that conveyed a hint of shyness.

Shavri, of course, noticed the surrounding reactions. He lightly squeezed Chen Nian’s hand, and as he let go, his fingertips brushed against Chen Nian’s finger pads. He felt a faint roughness—a callus.

What…?

Before he could dwell on it, the weight of so many gazes on them urged him to quickly escort Chen Ci inside the banquet hall.

Just then, Chen Nian stepped forward and naturally linked his arm through Shavri’s.

After all, they were engaged on paper; appearances had to be maintained.

However, Chen Nian’s gesture wasn’t a simple formal link. His hand slipped through the crook of Shavri’s elbow and lightly pinched the fabric of his upper sleeve, leaning even closer against the Alpha.

This posture was far too intimate, as though he were truly leaning on him. Shavri went rigid.

Chen Nian felt the reaction clearly and couldn’t suppress a smirk.

Oh, come on, why are you pretending to be so innocent?

Shavri glanced down, meeting Chen Nian’s gaze.

Their eyes locked, and Shavri could only read one thing in Chen Nian’s expression: What are you standing there for?

Shavri: …………

Calming his mind, Shavri led Chen Nian down the courtyard’s main path toward the banquet hall.

The two of them became the center of attention, and the murmurs grew louder. Everyone was marveling at how stunning the Crown Princess was.

Chen Nian was tired of hearing such praises. In the Underground City, which Alpha didn’t heap exaggerated flattery on him?

He was more interested in the reactions of the Omegas.

Hidden jealous stares fell on him, focusing on his hand linked with Shavri’s arm, as if wishing to burn a hole through it.

It seems His Highness is quite popular, Chen Nian mused.

Chen Nian hated petty rivalry with other Omegas. In his world, only others fought for him—never the other way around. He enjoyed watching Alphas battle for his attention and never hesitated to reward the victor.

Compete with other Omegas? Why bother? People willingly came to fawn over him.

But… Shavri was Chen Ci’s fiancé.

From his limited interactions and what he’d read in Chen Ci’s logs, Chen Nian understood his brother’s personality well.

Chen Ci only regarded Shavri as a friend and ignored all other nonsense, which left room for other Omegas to take advantage.

Like the one standing before him now.

“Your Highness.”

A young woman in a crimson dress greeted Shavri with a gentle smile, but her gaze lingered on Chen Nian. “Why didn’t you mention you were bringing Young Master Chen along?”

Young Master Chen?

Even without being familiar with noble etiquette, Chen Nian knew he was being slighted.

Chen Ci was the great marshal’s orphan, an imperial candidate, and Shavri’s Crown Princess.

None of these titles could be dismissed with a mere “Young Master Chen.”

This woman thinks she can step all over my brother?

Fine. Time to teach her a lesson.

Shavri noticed the slight but didn’t get a chance to respond before Chen Nian asked, “And this is…?”

“Beryl Merritt, eldest daughter of the Merritt family,” Shavri introduced.

Chen Nian frowned slightly, appearing to think for a few seconds. Then, he shook his head and said sincerely, “Never heard of her.”

Beryl’s smile almost cracked.

The Merritt family was a well-known noble household in Chensha. With many members holding high-ranking government positions and controlling the United Food Corporation, they were second only to the royal family in wealth.

Before Beryl could react, Chen Nian tilted his head toward Shavri and playfully complained, “It’s all your fault for not bringing me out more. Now I don’t know anyone, and they don’t know me either, so they just call me Young Master Chen.”

Chen Nian smoothly shifted the blame onto Shavri, leaving no room for Beryl to retort.

She couldn’t mock him for ignorance without indirectly insulting Shavri.

No matter what the Merritt family stood for, they weren’t bold enough to cross the royal family.

“The Crown Princess hasn’t been well and hasn’t attended public events before. But now that everyone’s meeting him, you should remember,” Shavri said coldly. “I don’t want this to happen again. Let’s go—it’s chilly outside.”

The last sentence was directed at Chen Nian, who responded with a soft “Mm” and continued walking toward the banquet hall with Shavri.

Beryl was left speechless. Shavri hadn’t raised his voice, but the title Crown Princess was enough to shut her down.

—That’s his Crown Princess. You don’t have the right to call him Young Master Chen.

Beryl bit her lip in frustration, her hand clenching at her side. She glanced around and saw other Omegas watching the exchange with gloating expressions.

What are you looking at? Don’t think you’ll have it any better.

She huffed, flicked her hair as if nothing had happened, and went to find her friends.

Chen Nian didn’t care. Petty squabbles like this weren’t worth his attention.

Beryl’s little test was nothing more than that. Still, many eyes had been on them during the brief confrontation.

Fortunately, Shavri’s attitude so far was satisfactory—at least he wasn’t siding with outsiders.

They ascended the steps and finally entered the banquet hall. The evening light behind them faded, replaced by the dazzling brilliance of crystal chandeliers illuminating every inch of the opulent space.

It was even more luxurious than in the movies. Chen Nian felt like his eyes weren’t big enough to take it all in. If it weren’t for the unexpected encounter with Chen Ci, he might never have had a chance to see this in person.

Their arrival drew the attention of everyone in the hall. Nobles quickly approached to make conversation.

The reclusive Crown Princess had shown up at a banquet—it was no surprise that Chen Nian became the center of discussion.

Chen Nian had no interest in entertaining strangers. He quietly clung to Shavri’s arm, standing beside the Alpha with a docile demeanor.

He tuned out the chatter of high-ranking officials and aristocrats, letting his gaze wander until it happened to meet someone else’s.

A tall Alpha with chestnut hair and emerald-green eyes stood by a nearby table, holding a wine glass. His gaze was fixed firmly on Chen Nian.

Caught in Chen Nian’s line of sight, the Alpha didn’t flinch. Instead, he nodded politely and offered a gentlemanly smile to the Crown Princess he was seeing for the first time.

The Alpha was tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp brows and bright eyes. His aura was cold and commanding, yet his emerald gaze held an unspoken admiration for beauty.

Chen Nian blinked. Years of surviving in the Underground City had honed his instincts, and he immediately chose the most appropriate response.

The Crown Princess pressed his lips together and quickly turned his head away, clutching Shavri’s sleeve even tighter. His fingers curled slightly at his side, every unconscious gesture conveying one clear message:

He’s shy.

Shavri, still deep in conversation with the Minister of Transportation, didn’t notice anything amiss.

Chen Nian, meanwhile, felt his previously calm heart stir with excitement.

There were so many Alphas here, weren’t there?

Alphas raised among the elite, with privileged backgrounds, were far superior to the ones in the Underground City.

Shavri was Chen Ci’s fiancé. Using some tricks to keep him in check was one thing, but he could never lay a hand on his brother’s betrothed.

As for the other Alphas? Well, there were no such constraints. This banquet, exclusive to nobles, was the perfect hunting ground for him.

“Chen Ci?”

Hearing Shavri call his name, Chen Nian looked up. His Highness, ever composed, was introducing him to the gray-haired Minister of Transportation.

The Crown Princess still seemed a little nervous. Nestled close to Shavri, he offered the minister a polite, harmless smile.