After hearing Draco's thoughts, everyone couldn't sit still.

Today is a very significant day for Vincent.

Because today, he will officially take over the throne of Count Phantomhive and start a new chapter in his life.

To celebrate this important moment, a grand and luxurious banquet was held in the Phantomhive mansion.

The banquet hall is magnificent, with dazzling crystal chandeliers, exquisite tableware and flowers complementing each other.

The nobles who were invited were dressed in gorgeous clothes and each of them had elegant manners.

Although they may have their own thoughts in their hearts, they all greeted the Queen's favorites with smiles and laughter.

At the banquet, cups were clinked and laughter was heard everywhere.

As the protagonist, Vincent naturally became the focus of everyone's attention, and there was an endless stream of people toasting him.

Before he knew it, he had drunk countless bottles of fine wine, but his signature warm smile was still on his face, and he chatted and laughed with the nobles who came to talk to him.

Whether dealing with tough issues or maneuvering skillfully in complex relationships, he always performs flawlessly and demonstrates his demeanor as a great man.

In a corner of the banquet hall, Rachel was silently watching everything happening in front of her.

Her clear eyes were fixed on Vincent, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of respect and admiration as she watched him move freely among the crowd.

At the same time, she also keenly caught the subtle fatigue behind Vincent's smile.

After hesitating for a long time, Rachel finally plucked up the courage to walk towards Vincent.

When she appeared beside Vincent, the nobles who had surrounded him smiled at each other, understanding each other.

Afterwards, they were very "considerate" and found various excuses to leave quietly, leaving the engaged couple with a warm space to be alone.

And how could Vincent be absent from the funeral home on this auspicious day which was extremely important to him?

However, unlike others, he still maintained his death-like appearance, quietly hiding beside Vincent, watching him silently.

Although Vincent had invited him warmly, deep down, the funeral house preferred to get close to Vincent in this secret way, as if only in this way could it truly feel his presence.

Rachel's face was filled with concern, and she asked Vincent softly, "Brother Vincent, are you okay?"

Vincent was slightly startled when he heard this, then a warm smile appeared on his lips and he answered softly.

"I'm fine, dear Rachel, thank you for helping me out, otherwise I would have had a headache." Vincent's words were humorous and witty.

He treated Rachel with the same gentleness and care he always had, just as he would anyone else.

Rachel was keenly aware of this, and a slight sense of loss welled up in her heart.

But she quickly adjusted her mood and responded with a smile, "That's good."

She knew what Vincent meant, so she chose not to say anything more.

Just like that, the two of them stood quietly side by side, like a beautiful painting, and looked very well matched in the eyes of others.

They all turned their gaze towards the banquet venue, admiring the lively and cheerful scene before them.

"Rachel, you know? I'm really happy today." Vincent suddenly said. He wanted to share this joy with someone, but it was not clear who he was talking to.

"Although I understand that these people only gathered here for profit, I am still very happy."

There was a bright smile in Vincent's eyes, as dazzling as the stars in the night sky.

In those deep eyes, there is a burning fire of ambition, hot and strong, as if it can burn all obstacles to ashes.

At this moment, Vincent, who had just become an adult, seemed particularly high-spirited.

He was full of ambition and confidence, believing that as long as he worked hard, the Phantomhive family would shine even brighter in his hands and reach an unprecedented peak of glory.

But he still didn't understand the principle that the moon waxes and wanes.

Rachel, standing aside, smiled faintly and stared quietly at the man in front of her who was so outstanding that he made everyone else pale in comparison.

There was a hint of obvious admiration in her eyes, but other than that, there was no other emotion.

However, the funeral home next door was completely unaware of this subtle difference.

The funeral home's attention was completely drawn to Vincent.

He looked at Vincent, who was never one to open up to others and reveal his true self, and actually spoke his innermost thoughts to Rachel so frankly.

Moreover, looking at the two figures standing side by side, the man is handsome and the woman is beautiful, just like a perfect match made in heaven. The people around them whispered to each other and praised how well they matched each other...

The funeral home was a little dazed, and he couldn't describe the feeling in his heart.

At this moment, Rachel suddenly said, "Brother Vincent, are you really going to marry me?"

This sentence not only startled the funeral home, who was immersed in his own thoughts, but also made Vincent himself slightly stunned.

"Huh? Why do you ask this suddenly? Honey, you are my fiancée, aren't you?" A look of surprise appeared on Vincent's face.

But there was calmness in his eyes.

Rachel, who was standing opposite, pouted her pink lips like a grumpy child.

Her beautiful big eyes flickered, revealing a hint of anger, showing the girl's cute and innocent look.

"Huh, Brother Vincent has always treated me as his sister, hasn't he? I can still sense that."

In fact, from the moment she first met Vincent, Rachel certainly had some feelings of admiration for him.

After all, who wouldn't be moved by such an outstanding man?

However, as their contacts increased, the sensitive Rachel gradually discovered that although Vincent cared for her on the surface, that kind of emotion was not love between a man and a woman.

On the contrary, he mostly just regarded her as a little sister who needed care.

However, compared to her innocent sister Angelina, who is completely immersed in the fantasy of love, Rachel appears to be much more rational and mature.

After only meeting Vincent a few times, she had already seen through the man's true needs deep in his heart.

——What he longed for was not just a wife who loved him deeply; but a woman who was qualified to be the wife of the head of the Phantomhive family.

Only such a person can help him consolidate the family status and manage the huge family business.

Because of this, when she realized this, the smart Rachel decisively changed her attitude towards this relationship.

She no longer clings to the pursuit of so-called romantic love, but chooses to face this marriage in a more pragmatic way.

After all, for the Darles family, marrying into the Phantomhive family is undoubtedly a great opportunity.

With the help of the other party's powerful forces and resources, one's own development will surely be greatly enhanced.

As for what Rachel's personal expectations are for her future husband, to be honest, in the context of that era, women often did not have much right to make their own choices.

Most of their marriages are arranged by their parents or family elders, with the sole purpose of maximizing benefits.

Therefore, as long as the other person has good character, a prominent family background, and can give her a stable life and corresponding respect, Rachel will be satisfied.

It is a blessing to be with someone who has excellent looks, figure and family background.

What's more, it's someone as outstanding as Vincent?

Originally, Rachel was full of doubts.

If Vincent really had feelings for a woman, why didn't he marry her?

Even if the woman came from a commoner family, considering the power and status of the Phantomhive family, this did not seem to be a difficult thing to achieve.

However, all the mysteries gradually surfaced after Rachel got to know the people in Vincent's inner circle.

The man named Funeral Home caught Rachel's special attention.

Although she couldn't see his covered eyes clearly, the passionate and hidden emotional fluctuations emanating from him still allowed the perceptive Rachel to catch some clues.

Sometimes when she saw the two of them discussing intimately, Rachel wondered if Vincent was really unaware of this.

I'm afraid that may not be the case.

But even Rachel, who is always good at observing people's words and expressions, finds it difficult to understand what Vincent is thinking deep in his heart.

What's more, such feelings were absolutely not allowed to exist in the aristocratic society at that time, which generally believed in Christianity.

But then again, the so-called nobles appear to follow the teachings in a righteous manner, but in fact they do countless absurd things behind the scenes.

They indulge in sensual pleasures, wantonly indulge their desires, and throw morality and ethics behind their backs.

"But this does not affect our engagement, does it, dear Rachel?"

The corners of Vincent's mouth lifted slightly, and the smile became much more genuine than before.

He truly liked Rachel, but this liking did not come from the passionate love between men and women, but more from the sincere appreciation and admiration for smart people.

In fact, Vincent knew very well that Rachel's complaints just now were just a momentary emotional outburst.

She has always been a very easy-to-please woman with a gentle and understanding personality.

The relationship between the two of them is not so much a love driven by hormones as it is a deep, warm and lasting kinship like blood is thicker than water.

Vincent had already decided that as long as it was something within his ability, he would give Rachel everything without reservation.

Whether it is material wealth or spiritual support, or even the glory he has gained, he is willing to share it without hesitation.

However, the emotion of love is so subtle and complex that even a calm and rational person like Vincent finds it difficult to fully control its direction.

But then again, in life, it doesn't seem like a big deal to indulge your restless heart occasionally, right?

Vincent's amber eyes moved gently, sparkling, and the beauty that was revealed inadvertently attracted the attention of some nobles who were secretly paying attention to him.

The small teardrop mole under his eye seemed to be sparkling at this moment.

Vincent's eyes flickered towards the funeral home.

Then, he gracefully picked up the wine glass in front of him, raised his hand slightly, and cleverly used the cup to cover the barely perceptible smile on the corner of his mouth.

After hearing this, Rachel's mouth corners rose slightly and she revealed a smile.

She really doesn't care about these trivial matters, because she has greater wishes and pursuits in her heart.

She longed for her family to prosper and thrive; she hoped that her dear sister could live a happy and fulfilling life; at the same time, she also longed for those dazzling jewels and gorgeous and noble clothes.

Her heart is big and small.

However, the funeral director, who had been standing silently by, keenly caught a different meaning from those few short sentences.

In fact, the undertaker knew very well deep down in his heart that there was almost no possibility for him and Vincent to develop into a romantic relationship.

However, love is an emotion that is always hard to resist. Even though he knows that the road ahead is bumpy and difficult, he still cannot suppress his desire to get close to Vincent and long to possess him.

Love makes a death god who has no emotions and only knows how to plunder grow flesh and blood crazily, but it also makes him learn restraint and forbearance.

At this moment, he was staring at Vincent's funeral home, and suddenly found that Vincent's gaze seemed to pass by him inadvertently.

For a moment, the funeral home couldn't help but feel a little dazed, wondering if it was just an illusion.

However, his heart began to beat violently, and an unbelievable feeling instantly surged into his heart, and a faint feeling of joy also arose spontaneously.

That was definitely not his illusion!

In a split second, the undertaker clearly saw Vincent's eyes meet his.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and the surrounding noise suddenly disappeared from the ears of the funeral home.

He stared straight into Vincent's eyes and saw himself in them.

The reflection was so clear and real, and those amber eyes seemed to absorb him completely.

The undertaker wanted to ask Vincent, but his reason allowed him to understand the occasion and he could not show up in public.

That would cause trouble for Vincent.

Vincent...

The banquet was as long and boring as ever.

The candlelight in Phantomhive's mansion flickered and burned almost until midnight.

At first, the guests maintained a dignified and elegant demeanor, but as the night deepened, the alcohol began to take effect, and people gradually let go of their reserve and became more and more unscrupulous.