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Hours later, all the candidates headed to the grand dining hall of the Hyacinth Palace. The table was long, with a chandelier sparkling on the top. There were a few small chandeliers to add more elegance to the place, and windows opened for ventilation, filling the air with a mild breeze and the scent of flowers from the garden.

Since there were no proper arrangements of the seats, those who came first sat nearest the head seat where the emperor would surely sit. Aries and her group came last. Hence, they sat on the farthest seat away from the emperor.

Silence dominated the dining hall as everyone sat down, waiting for the emperor. Aries could not help but study the ladies sitting around the same table.

\'We haven\'t talked yet, but I\'m already tired.\' Aries moved her shoulders in a circular motion, which no one noticed. \'Seriously. Can\'t he have any other methods? Why is he making our lives more complicated than it already has?\'

Aries let out a shallow breath, only to arch a brow when she heard a lady snicker. She turned her attention to her left, eyes landing on the lady sitting beside the other lady who sat closest to Abel\'s seat.

"Those poor ladies were bawling their eyes out. It\'s a good thing they hadn\'t even unloaded their luggage. At the very least, they save time and can travel back to their homes." The lady laughed heartily and then smirked at the rest of the ladies. "We should thank Lady Ivory."

"And why must we feel grateful towards her?" another lady sitting across from Lady Ivory and her lackey inquired with an arched brow.

The lackey, Lady Julienne Storme, a daughter of a Duke in another land, eyed the other lady with mockery. "Of course. Have you forgotten the reason His Majesty sent those ladies away?" She leaned forward and stressed her next words. "They look unpleasant in the eyes. Ugly was the term used."

"Lady Ivory stood in the front. Hence, she saved us all with just her beauty alone," she added in a knowing tone.

"Lady Storme, you speak as though Lady Norwood is the only person who stood in the front," the other person, Fatima Wendell, spat back with a smirk. She then cast the rest of the ladies a look. "There were four other ladies who stood in the front, including Princess Agnes. Shouldn\'t we thank them as well?"

Princess Agnes, who sat beside Lady Fatima, joined in the conversation solemnly. "From what I see it, what saved us was luck. We simply stood on the side that is far from the emperor\'s pointing finger."

As their conversation continued, Aries pressed her lips into a thin line. She sat on the farthest, but she could already feel the tension building up in the air. She looked to her left where Suzanne was sitting, and then at Sybil, across from her.

\'This was what a harem will look like,\' she commented inwardly, keeping her silent since she didn\'t want to get involved with the noble ladies\' elegant banter. Aries just wanted to finish her meal and rest for the rest of the day.

Minutes had passed and after what seemed to be an eternity, a man outside announced the emperor\'s arrival. The chattering in the dining hall instantly subsided with ladies sitting with poise. When the door opened, every single one of them stood from their chairs and curtsied towards the entrance.

As the doors were opened from the outside, Abel halted by the door. His eyes glossed over the ladies, who were curtsying right beside their chairs.

He frowned, noticing that Aries sat far from his seat. He remained silent, seeing the vacant seats on Aries\'s right. When he snapped his eyes ever so tenderly, he sauntered towards the head seat opposite of where she should be sitting.

Once he plopped his butt down, he arched a brow at the ladies. "Sit down."

\'Pfft —!\' Aries cast Suzanne a look as the latter pressed her lips to stop herself from laughing out loud. The ladies had hurried here to sit on the spot closest to where the emperor would sit, but the emperor sat on the opposite head seat.

Now, the dining table was Abel on the head seat, then several vacant seats on both sides before Aries and Sybil.

The ladies, who were bantering just moments ago, looked appalled and embarrassed at the same time. However, those who opposed the proud Lady Ivory and Julienne smirked in satisfaction. No one argued or raised any complaints as they sat down on the seats gracefully. When they did, the servants came inside the dining hall to serve the bountiful dishes the empire prepared for everyone.

"The empire is preparing for the drought and, as respect those on the hem of the empire, I proposed we share a humble meal," Abel explained as the ladies stared at the different dishes of potatoes. "An empress shan\'t only live in luxury, but also be compassionate enough to share the nation\'s good and bad days."

The side of his lips curled up into a friendly smile, eyes lingering on Aries\'s side profile. Aries was staring at her plate blankly.

"Please, dig in." Abel raised a hand, encouraging them to eat. "Potatoes might be a humbling staple, but they can sustain a man. Even so, the empire had prepared them into dishes that might suit your expensive tastes."

The ladies forced a smile on their faces and thanked the emperor for his compassion and consideration. But most of them had to secretly grit their teeth to eat the food served to them. Only a few, such as Aries, Sybil, and Veronika, didn\'t have a problem eating the food on their plates.

Noticing that Suzanne was struggling, Aries felt sorry for her. The latter was chewing carefully, almost cringing when Suzanne took a small bite as if she was eating something disgusting.

\'She\'s not a bad person, but I can see she was raised pampered,\' Aries commented inwardly, only to catch Veronika sneer at Suzanne. \'I don\'t think our group will be that peaceful with these two pressing each other\'s nerves at every opportunity.\'

Another shallow breath slipped past Aries\'s mouth and then glanced in Abel\'s direction when she felt his gaze. Aries held her breath in horror when he raised a baby potato to his lips, eating it with his eyes fixed on her.

\'Potato now, you later…\' was what his eyes were telling her.