The Mind-Reading Mate Why Is the Lycan King So Obsessed With Me novel Chapter 429

Chapter 429: Auction House (II)

"Lady Nina!" Primrose released Edmund’s hand and rushed toward Nina, afraid that if she didn’t hurry, the woman might disappear into the crowd again.

Lady Nina Varellian flinched slightly when someone suddenly shouted her name inside the auction house, the sound echoing through the hallway.

She turned around, looking at Primrose with a confused expression since she had never seen the Queen of Noctvaris in person before. But the moment she noticed Edmund walking right behind Primrose, Nina immediately straightened her posture and bowed politely.

"Greetings, Your Majesties," she said with perfect grace.

[I didn’t expect them to actually come and find me here.] Nina spoke in her mind, clicking her tongue in annoyance even though not a single trace of displeasure showed on her face.

[I tried so hard to avoid the Queen of Noctvaris, and yet she just kept sending me letters.]

[Why does my father insist on making me her lady-in-waiting? It’s not like I’m good at serving anyone!]

Primrose stopped in front of her and stayed silent for a moment, quietly listening to Nina’s thoughts. From what she heard, Nina’s feelings were all over the place, and Primrose couldn’t tell if she disliked her or was simply overwhelmed.

[What if I accidentally kill the Queen because I pull her corset too tight?!] Nina panicked inwardly. [Did my father ever think about that possibility?!]

Oh.

So the reason she tried so hard to avoid Primrose was because she was afraid of accidentally hurting the queen. But it seemed that wasn’t the only reason.

[Besides, if I stay in the palace, how could I possibly search for all those artifacts in auctions or other places?]

Artifacts? Why did Nina want to look for artifacts?

Primrose had always thought the reason Nina was addicted to going to auctions was because she loved buying luxurious things like dresses and jewelry.

"Lady Nina, we finally met," Primrose said with a warm smile. Since she couldn’t sense any ill intentions from Nina’s thoughts, she decided to trust her for now.

Nina still kept her head lowered, looking as if she wanted to avoid Primrose’s gaze, or maybe that was exactly her intention. It seemed she still didn’t want to get attached to the queen or truly serve her.

Nina wanted to keep her distance, to remain free from the palace’s affairs and the heavy expectations that came with serving royalty.

She wasn’t the kind of woman who enjoyed court politics or flattery; instead, she preferred wandering around, chasing something that only she seemed to understand.

However, if Primrose let her roam freely like that, the only thing waiting for her in the future would be death.

It wasn’t that Primrose wanted to save everyone from dying, but for someone as talented as Nina to suddenly lose her life, it would be a real waste.

Besides, Primrose had other plans for Nina, something that could bring her great benefit in the future.

"Your Majesty, it’s such a pleasure to meet you," Nina said politely. "I honestly didn’t expect that you would really come to Illvaris in the middle of winter."

In other words, Nina never really expected that she would actually have to become the queen’s lady-in-waiting just because they happened to meet in person.

"I figured I might not have the chance to visit my homeland if I didn’t come now," Primrose said with a soft smile. "And I’m glad I got to see you here, Lady Nina."

The two of them then began talking about what Primrose had mentioned in her letters, the outfits she and Edmund would wear for the King of Azmeria’s upcoming banquet.

"I’ll stop by the Duke’s manor this night to check the clothes you brought," Nina said thoughtfully. "And if anything’s missing, we can always buy it from the boutiques in Azmeria’s city."

Primrose nodded gently. "That sounds perfect. I trust your taste, Lady Nina."

Nina then spoke in her mind. [Why does she trust me this much? It’s not like I’ve ever styled her dress directly.]

It was true, she had never done that. But Primrose had seen several gowns in the palace, and the maids told her they were all designed by Nina.

"They’d start arguing, shouting prices they couldn’t afford, and sometimes even accusing each other of cheating," Primrose said with a soft laugh. "Honestly, it was more entertaining than the auction itself."

She leaned closer to Edmund and subtly pointed at a woman below. "Do you see that lady in the red gown, sitting closest to the stage?"

Edmund only nodded in response, but that was enough to show he had heard her clearly.

"That’s the Marchioness of Lambert," Primrose explained. "She’s a noble from the neighboring kingdom. She might look calm and polite now, but the moment the auction starts, she turns into a lioness ready to bite."

Edmund raised a brow, amused. "That bad?"

Primrose nodded with a chuckle. "She once threw a glass of wine at someone sitting on the balcony just because they outbid her. After that, her balcony privileges were revoked for a whole year. But since she’s one of the auction house’s favorite patrons, they still let her sit near the stage."

Edmund smiled faintly. "I suppose money really does buy forgiveness."

Primrose giggled softly. "Exactly. In places like this, power and gold matter more than manners."

"If I remember correctly... back then, when I came here, there was quite a big commotion too," Edmund said.

"That’s true, and that wasn’t even the biggest one," Primrose replied with a small smile. "And it seems today will be no different. Mr. Lennox told me my father prepared a special rum for the event, something he’s been aging in the basement for ten years."

Unlike the usual dark and damp dungeons found in other manors, the Duke of Illvaris’ basement was bright and carefully maintained. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Rows of wooden barrels lined the walls, each marked with the year it was sealed. The air was thick with the scent of aged alcohol and oak. It wasn’t just a storage room, it was practically a treasury of spirits collected over decades.

Edmund, "A ten-year-old rum? I can already imagine the chaos once people start drinking it."

Primrose smiled knowingly. "Exactly. That’s why I said there will be a commotion. With strong liquor and greedy nobles in one room, something always happens."