Sharon Shows Her Courage

"Young Master Avaron, let me introduce myself! I am the first son of the Viscount Valevort family. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Young Master Avaron, my name is..."

In the center of the vast and luxurious hall, Arthur found himself surrounded by the sons and daughters of various noble families.

Eagerly, they introduced themselves, boasting of their family status in hopes of securing a business relationship with the Maple Leaf Trading House.

As the largest trading house on the continent, its reputation was beyond question.

Any family that managed to cooperate with it would undoubtedly reap great benefits.

However, the Maple Leaf Trading House was known for its arrogance and strict standards, making collaboration extremely difficult to obtain.

Even a duke's family would struggle to secure a deal unless they possessed something truly valuable enough to pique the trading house's interest.

Thus, these nobles saw Arthur as their golden opportunity.

'They're so annoying and troublesome.'

Arthur was well aware of their intentions, but he had no interest in business dealings or alliances.

His only reason for attending this party as Vanessa's representative was to accompany Sharon and meet Rudy Everhart, the head of the Everhart Ducal Family.

Nonetheless, he didn't act rudely or outright reject the enthusiasm of the noble sons and daughters.

Despite his dislike for the situation, he was currently representing Vanessa, which meant he was, in effect, representing the Maple Leaf Trading House. Any misconduct on his part, no matter how small, could slightly tarnish the trading house's reputation.

While Arthur handled the eager nobles, Sharon stood a few meters away, lost in thought.

'Who exactly is Aron? How did he become Young Lady Vanessa's representative for the Maple Leaf Trading House?' she wondered in confusion.

Even though she had never stepped outside the palace, she was well aware of the major powers on the continent—one of them being the Maple Leaf Trading House.

They might not possess military strength, but in terms of wealth, they were unmatched. No other trading house or even kingdom could rival them financially.

Well, considering their business network spanned the entire continent like a spider's web, it wasn't too surprising.

But the real question was—how did Aron come into contact with them? And more importantly, with Young Lady Vanessa, the main heiress of the trading house?

"How did you end up with that Avaron?"

A voice suddenly came from behind Sharon, making her flinch slightly.

She turned to see Cassius approaching. His expression was calm, even gentle, but his eyes betrayed his disgust.

Sharon frowned but didn't back down. "Aron—I mean, Young Master Avaron—and I are friends. Celine invited me to her party, so we came together."

Earlier, Aron had mentioned that his second brother, Cassius, would be attending Celine's birthday party. Anticipating his questions, she had already prepared an answer.

Cassius stopped about a meter and a half away, raising an eyebrow.

"You and Avaron are friends?" he asked skeptically. "Why have I never heard of something this significant?"

Despite his wariness and resentment toward Arthur for stealing attention at the party, Cassius couldn't deny Arthur's importance—at least to the royal family.

After all, as Vanessa's representative, Arthur must have a close relationship with her. If not for his hostility and caution, Cassius might have already tried to befriend him.

Sharon felt a twinge of nervousness—not because of the question itself, but because of the pressure Cassius exuded.

As an outcast and neglected princess, she had grown accustomed to the scorn and resentment of her siblings, which had gradually shaped her into a timid and fearful person.

Furthermore, Cassius was no ordinary prince—he was the Queen's son, making his status far above that of the Third Princess or any of the other princes and princesses.

Still, Sharon quickly recalled Arthur's words in the carriage earlier:

"Don't be a coward. You have to stand firm and strong so others won't dare to pressure you. Besides, I'll always be here to protect you. Trust me."

Remembering those words, a sense of calm and courage returned to her.

Meeting Cassius's gaze with an indifferent expression, she replied, "My choice of friends has nothing to do with you, does it, Second Brother?"

"You…" Cassius was momentarily stunned by her bold response.

In truth, he had barely interacted with Sharon before. All he knew was that she was the result of their father's drunken mistake.

As a prince of high status, he naturally looked down on her and had never cared to acknowledge her existence.

Yet now, the supposedly timid and insignificant girl was speaking to him with such sharp defiance. It was completely unexpected.

His surprise quickly faded, replaced by anger.

"How dare you speak to me like that? Do you not understand the difference in our status?" He said, narrowing his eyes, fury clearly reflected on his handsome face.

Sharon felt a flicker of fear but quickly suppressed it, forcing a stubborn expression.

"I understand that," she said firmly. "But what I said is true. You and I aren't close, so why should I explain my relationship with Young Master Avaron to you?"

Cassius gritted his teeth, his eyes darkening with hatred.

"Alright…" He let out a cold grin. "Just because Avaron is backing you, you dare to speak to me like this. Don't forget—you're just a princess without status, while I am the Second Prince, standing far above you. If I wanted to pressure you, it would be effortless."

He refrained from acting now only because Avaron was involved. Moreover, he had yet to determine the exact nature of Avaron's relationship with Vanessa.

Once he confirmed Avaron's true identity, only then would he devise a plan to deal with that insolent girl—and Avaron as well.

With a cold snort, Cassius turned and walked away, leaving Sharon alone.

Watching his retreating figure, Sharon clutched her chest and let out a deep breath.

'That was nerve-wracking,' she murmured, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.

It was the first time she had ever stood her ground against someone—let alone her second brother, who was infamous for being both a playboy and ruthless.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid. But she had to admit—there was something exhilarating about it.

"Are you alright?"

A gentle voice interrupted her thoughts.

Turning her head, she saw Arthur approaching with a warm smile, holding two glasses of orange juice in his hands.

Arthur handed her a glass, and Sharon quickly gulped it down.

"Hah..." She exhaled deeply, a relieved smile spreading across her lips.

Arthur chuckled. She looked surprisingly cute when she made that expression.

"Aron, that's..." Sharon turned to him, about to say something, but Arthur cut her off.

"Don't worry, I saw everything."

His gaze flickered toward Cassius, who was now chatting and laughing with the noble daughters. Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly.

"As I told you before, I'll look after you. So you don't have to fear anyone—not even your brothers and sisters," he said in a reassuring tone.

Sharon's heart warmed at his words.

Lowering her head, she murmured softly, "Thank you, Aron."

"[Ding! Sharon Valura's affection increased by +4 points.]"

"[Ding! Mission progress 'Help the main character (Sharon Valura) experience the warmth and care she longs for' increased by 5%.]"

Seeing her growing affection and the progress of his mission, Arthur maintained a calm expression, though the faint smile on his lips was impossible to hide.

Just then, a delicate, soft voice echoed through the hall, drawing everyone's attention.

"Thank you all for attending my birthday party, my friends."