The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 186: Water and oil

After the King and his family had taken their seats, the royal servant, who had opened the grand door, started calling out the names of the guests. The first name that was howled in the now quiet hall was the name of the guest that would sit near the high table where the King and his family were seated.

Another servant would then show the guests their way to where they were supposed to sit, as seating positions were very strictly arranged in order of social rank. Taking the wrong seat had to be avoided.

Because General Canillas von Rodega, the soldier that those ladies insulted, was invited as an honored guest, and because of that as well, King Ordoba de Montella pushed forward the birthday banquet of the Crown Prince so that the General could attend the banquet while he was still in Terra, his name and his wife were called out first among the guests by the assigned royal servant.

Canillas and Joanna were then escorted to be seated on the lower table on the left side of the high table of the King.

It was actually not a new thing for Joanna to be seated near the dais of the King, as her father, the Duke of Barasca, had always been seated not far from the position where the King was with his family.

However, it was the first time for her to be seated right after the King’s dais and separated from her father, who would be called out after a few names, because she, who was now a married lady, had to accompany her husband, the honored guest of the banquet.

As a result, with her husband, Joanna was now surrounded by the King’s relatives, who bore a higher social rank than her father. Fortunately, although her father was seated at the other long table across from the table where she sat, she had him, her husband, by her side.

Although many eyes were on them, she wanted to learn to be composed like the man who was seated unperturbedly on her right side.

He was a commoner, but the way he brought himself was still impressive to Joanna, just like when she saw him walk, cutting through the crowds with a haughty air of royalty. He was very confident, as if he bore a higher social rank than all the eyes of the royal relatives who were now fixated on him.

Joanna knew very well that she was not as good as her husband at reading people’s expressions. Further than that, he was even able to grasp what they were thinking about, just like he was always good at reading not only her mind but also her soul.

However, this time, Joanna somehow felt that she was as good as her husband at those competencies. She had no difficulty capturing the meaning of the way they looked at her husband, which was definitely not a welcoming gesture.

The social rank that divided people into classes was undiluted in the land of Terra. Perhaps it was also the same in other lands on the Maldava continent. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

What Joanna had learned in her life until now was that no matter how much prestige achievement someone obtained that made their social standing ascended, the origin of their blood was something that could not be altered.

Nobility and royalty. They were like water and oil with the so-called commoner. It was what most of the upper class of society believed—that water and oil should not be blended.

It was also what happened now with the man who was sitting calmly next to her. He was a commoner but a prominent general. Yet that achievement and title were seen as nothing to be appreciated by those who bore haughty blood and were sitting at one table with him, because in their eyes, what was clearly seen was his humble blood as a commoner.

There were only a few numbers that could be called miracles for those who could accept the diversity. But for those who could not accept that, who dared to argue with the sovereign of the land, who had his favor on him, that put him on the same table as them?

The sovereign of the land had also pushed forward the schedule of the birthday banquet of the heir of the crown on his behalf. Perhaps that was something that they could not accept. Why did the King have favor for a commoner of another land?

It was just an irony, as no one could see what would happen if this commoner were not willing to join forces in protecting the land where they could enjoy their privileges as nobility or royalty. All they preferred to do was shut down their logic and senses just to satisfy their arrogance.

Having her gaze pinned on the hand that was intertwined with hers under the table on top of his thigh, Joanna could not describe her feelings clearly, but comfort and gratitude for him to still care for her despite all the insults and contempt that had been thrown at him.

Looking up, Joanna found Canillas staring at her with a genuinely tender smile on his tranquil face, not affected in the slightest by the suffocating atmosphere that engulfed them.

Leaning over toward him, which caused Canillas to lower his head so that he could hear what she said to him, Joanna whispered, "I am sorry. Thank you."

Joanna could not voice her mind for too long this time, making it clear for him to know about, but at least she had said what could ease her mind.

She was sorry for all that happened because of her actions, and she thanked him for still being willing to provide her solace despite all she had done to him.

Staring at each other after she finished conveying those words, Joanna could not find a smile on his face. But a few seconds later, that smile returned before he shook his head and mouthed, "I am fine."

He refused her to say sorry because, for him, she was not wrong, and he did not want her to say thank you because it was his duty to provide her solace.

No guilt or compassion. But how could she be void of those feelings for him, who had never wronged her but was treated unfairly because of her?

Feeling her eyes burn, Joanna quickly returned the smile to him before turning her head away to blink fast so that the burning eyes would not cause the dam in her eyes to leak.