It was time for the dinner banquet at the palace. Nivea Del Castano looked so graceful and charming in a ruffle dress in shades of gray. She looked luxurious and elegant. Plus, a beautiful perched on her head.
Nivea, along with Duke Eduardo and Duchess Elvira, got off the horse-drawn carriage. Stepping into the palace area, they greeted each other and the other invited guests.
How impressed Prince Edmund was with Nivea's performance this evening. It makes him even more eager to make Nivea his consort in the future.
But before the prince could approach her, His Majesty made an announcement that all the guests were present and he invited the guests to start their dinner. There were provided many dining tables with a capacity of five seats, with each table marked with the name of a particular family name. And Prince Edmund wanted the dinner to end quickly, so that he could immediately approach Nivea.
Nivea, who was sitting at her table, looked like she was looking for someone presence. Her eyes roamed over the tables around her, until she finally caught sight of Matias at the table on the across the table. Two tables away from her own table. At the same time, Matias also caught sight of himself. The man wearing a gray tuxedo was smiling wholeheartedly at the girl he liked. And it made Nivea's heart flutter.
Until finally the dinner session was over, the invited guests began to disperse from the dining table. The palace also presented a performance of romantic harmony music.
Prince Edmund's steps to Nivea were halted because Matias had already preceded him. In his silence, Prince Edmund looked at the two people who were conversation from afar. Before long, he decided to move forward.
"Good evening Miss Nivea."
"Ah! Greetings, may blessings and happiness flow to you, your highness the prince." replied Nivea who bowed slightly at the same time as Matias who also paid his respects to the prince.
"Thank you. You are very charming tonight, miss."
"Thank you too, Your Highness, Prince. Ah, don't you know each other yet?" asked Nivea with her eyes flicking back and forth between the prince and Matias.
Neither of them answered. Immediately Matias introduced himself politely.
"May I introduce you, Your Highness the Prince. I am Matias Vander Lawrence. Son of count Antonio Lawrence."
"Ah, so you're the one working at the government-owned wine estate?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prince Edmund nodded and continued his sentence. "Are you friends?"
"Ah, that is of course your highness. Matias and I were brother and sister back in the third college."
"So that's how it is. And did you agree to wear clothes with matching colors?"
"Oh? What?" Nivea rounded her eyes. Then she looked at her own dress and Matias in front of her. "Ah. Hahaha. We didn't do it on purpose, Your Highness. Even I only realized it because Your Highness said so. Right, Matias?" Nivea glanced at Matias for him to answer.
"Ah, that's right, Your Highness. We had no intention of wearing the same color."
Prince Edmund worked hard to hide his displeasure at seeing this it. Again, his heart was on fire. But this time it was the fire of jealousy.
A man approached Prince Edmund and whispered something in his ear.
"It looks like I have to leave you guys first. There is something I have to take care of."
"Very well, Your Highness. Thank you for your hospitality, your highness." replied Matias followed by Nivea who bowed slightly to the prince as well.
One bully was gone from their midst, but unfortunately, there was another one.
"Mr. Matias, have you been here for a while?"
"Respectful greetings, may blessings and happiness flow to you, my noble princess." greeted Matias quite surprised to find Nicole's daughter had approached him.
Nivea also bowed before the princess. Expressing her respect.
"Ah, you are here too Miss Nivea?"
"Of course, Your Highness."
The princess's eyes roamed over the clothes worn by the two people before her. It seemed that she refrained from making any comments. She simply swallowed it herself, realizing the two people were wearing clothes of the same matching colors. It really made her jealous.
"Oh yes Mr. Matias, is your work at the plantation going well?"
"Of course, Your Highness. Everything is going well, as usual."
"Is what Mr. Carlos said true, that my arrival did not disturb your work?"
"Ah, of course what Mr. Carlos said is true, Your Highness. We all feel that we have your attention, your highness."
Nivea was starting to get hot, being in the middle of two people who were busy talking to alone. It was as if she wasn't there. Until she began to catch Nicole's daughter's strange behavior. Nivea could sense that Nicole's daughter liked Matias.
Martha's presence in their midst, then became a helper for Nivea who was who had been unable to make a sound.
"Is this necklace yours, brother? A servant said you were looking for your necklace that fell down." she added as she handed a white gold necklace to Matias.
"Ah, that's right Martha! It's mine." Matias immediately grabbed it from Martha's hand.
"But, why does the pendant have the initials N?"
Matias gasped, leaving him speechless.
Confidently, Nicole's daughter opened her voice, "Would you like to give it to me, Mr. Matias?"
"Ah, I beg your pardon princess, I must say that I bought this necklace for.... Miss Nivea."
Suddenly Martha covered her mouth with one hand, she did not expect her brother would speak that honestly.
"Ah, right! We have the same letter prefix. You have found the necklace, so give it to her now!"
Everyone fell silent. Matias and Nivea looked at each other strangely until Nivea opened her mouth.
"You want that necklace, Your Highness Princess Nicole?"
"Ah, not so miss. Mr. Matias wants to give it to you. So, please accept the necklace."
Without waiting for Matias to hand the necklace to her, one of Nivea's hands moved quickly to grab the necklace in Matias' hand.
She said, "Okay, I accept this necklace."
Nivea's gesture had taken them by surprise. It made the pair of eyes gape in disbelief.
"Thank you for your gift, Matias." she continued.
And Matias could only reply with a faint smile.
The situation had become very awkward now. Martha could only curse silently at her foolishness. She came with the necklace at the wrong moment. As for Nicole's daughter, the girl regretted that she had rashly overconfidently thought that Matias would give her a necklace. In the end, she had to bear the shame, especially in front of Nivea.