Beastmen Kings At My Feet [Reverse Harem] - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Ever since Joshua announced he had an S-level female, rumors and inquiries had been flooding in nonstop.
Joshua turned to Veronica and said, "You wanted to experience a party, right? I've arranged everything, and it'll be a good chance to officially introduce you to everyone."
Veronica nodded, but then, with a sudden realization, thought, 'Wait, when did I say I wanted to experience a party? Did I accidentally give Joshua the wrong idea when I mentioned it the first time I came here?'
Joshua took her hand, gently ran his thumb over it, and spoke softly, "I'll have the tailor come to take your measurements. I'll take care of everything. You just need to enjoy the party, my m-mistress."
Veronica's face turned red again. Although Joshua often made flirtatious little gestures, she still couldn't quite handle the attention from a handsome guy like him.
Joshua then added, "Oh, as for the guest list, guess you don't know these people, so I'll just go with my family's usual list of invites. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, I'll leave it to you. I don't really know the rules." Veronica flashed a smile and squeezed his hand lightly. "Thanks, Joshua."
Joshua appeared calm, but internally, his other hand clenched so tightly that his palm was starting to hurt.
He gazed at Veronica's beautiful face and vowed to himself, 'No matter where you come from, I will protect you with my life. But I don't need to say that to you. You just need to stay happy and safe by my side.'
The Holland family hadn't held such a lively party for a long time. Joshua disliked noisy events, so ever since he took over, the family's parties had always been simple.
But now, he didn't want anyone to underestimate Veronica. He wanted to give her everything she deserved, so this upcoming party was going to be the most extravagant one yet.
Meanwhile, Veronica was trying on dresses in her bedroom. After Joshua had someone take her measurements, they delivered a variety of gowns that left her a little overwhelmed.
She was currently trying them on one by one. Some of them felt a bit too flashy for her. She wasn't used to wearing such eye-catching outfits.
Suddenly, a soft knock came from the door, and Joshua's voice reached her ears. "Are you ready, Mistress?"
Veronica didn't even need to ask and knew it was him. After all, Chase wouldn't knock so gently—he'd either burst in or knock like he was trying to break the door down, while Leonardo wouldn't dare knock unless she told him to.
"Just a minute, please." Veronica quickly pulled at the hem of one dress, thinking, 'Maybe this one will do. It's a bit more understated.'
It was a golden gown, simple in design but perfectly tailored to fit her body. The elegant lines highlighted Veronica's graceful figure, and the shiny surface shimmered like the ripples of a flowing river. The material seemed to catch the light in a subtle, mesmerizing way.
She glanced at herself in the mirror, casually pulled her hair up, and called out, "Joshua, you can come in."
Joshua gently opened the door and saw Veronica standing in front of the mirror, adjusting the gown. She seemed a bit dissatisfied, her brows furrowed in concentration. He couldn't help but think, 'Geeze, her expression is so captivating even when she's upset.'
Joshua stood there, mesmerized, until Veronica's voice snapped him out of his trance.
"Joshua. Hello?" Veronica pushed him lightly. "What are you thinking?"
She urged, "Hey, check if this looks good on me. I feel like something's off with it."
'Yeah, it's definitely not right,' Joshua thought to himself, but he couldn't say that. The dress was too stunning, and the idea of her wearing it in front of everyone stirred up feelings inside him he didn't quite understand.
'I just want to hide her away somewhere, where no one else can see her, and have her stay in the castle I built for her,' Joshua mused.
His golden eyes flickered with a dark gleam before he quickly masked it with his usual polite demeanor. "No, you look perfect."
He gently brushed a lock of hair from her face, his voice low and sincere. "It suits you incredibly well. I've never seen a female so stunning."
Veronica felt a tingling sensation spread from the tips of his fingers all the way down to her toes. "O-Oh, good to hear that."
Joshua flashed a smile. "But there's one more thing missing."
He reached into the pocket of his clothes and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he held it up in front of Veronica. "Take a look. Do you like it?"
Inside the box was a necklace adorned with radiant gemstones. Under the light, it sparkled with a rainbow of colors, shimmering like the large, colorful chandelier downstairs.
Veronica thought to herself, 'I bet even the biggest diamond back on Earth can't shine as brightly as this.'
"I love it," she exclaimed, looking delighted. She then picked up the necklace, thinking, 'No wonder something felt off. I just missed a piece. The dress is simple, and a more intricate necklace is just what it needs to balance it out.'
She said, "Joshua, could you put it on for me?"
Joshua replied, "I would love to do that, Mistress."
He carefully fastened the necklace around Veronica's neck. He couldn't help but feel pleased with his choice. He'd known from the moment he saw the necklace that it would be perfect for her. All the effort he'd put into bidding for it was worth it.
The necklace made her neck appear even fairer, and Joshua couldn't resist kissing the back of her neck.
The cool touch sent a shiver down Veronica's spine, and she blurted out, "Oh, Joshua."
"Sorry, I got carried away." Joshua pulled back. He then extended his hand, silently telling her to take it. "Let's go. Everyone is looking forward to your appearance."
Veronica felt nervous. Cold sweat formed in her palm as she placed her hand in his.
Joshua must've noticed her anxiety. He whispered reassuringly, "Relax, I'll always stay by your side and watch over you. You don't need to worry about anything. If you're really too nervous, you can just show up for a bit and leave."
His gentle words comforted her, and Veronica nodded. "Okay."
As Veronica descended the grand staircase, the guests below started whispering amongst themselves.
No one had ever heard of Joshua having a female, especially one with such high psychic power. They didn't believe the Holland family had the ability to protect her so thoroughly for twenty years without a single leak of information.
Many were still skeptical, and Matthew Fraser was one of them.
He thought inwardly, 'An S-level female? After all these years of dealing with the Holland family, how could we not know? Unless Joshua's just lying. To boost their family's status, Joshua is really desperate.'
Matthew snorted in disdain. 'Let's see what's so special about this so-called S-level female. Because of her, I was sent by my family all the way from the Central District to test her psychic power.
He rubbed his arm, feeling a sharp sting. He swore to himself, 'The Fraser family... Females... Just wait, I'll make them all pay someday.'
When Veronica stood in front of the crowd, there was a brief silence.
This so-called S-level female was unbelievably beautiful. All people's focus was on her face, and no one noticed the necklace glowing at her neck—nothing seemed able to outshine her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's a pleasure to have you here at my party." Joshua's voice was calm and smooth. "However, I'm not the star of tonight's event. As you've probably heard, the real guest of honor is the beautiful female standing beside me.
"She's not just an S-level female, but also my mistress. The Holland family has protected her for twenty years, and it's time for everyone to meet this distinguished female.
"I'm sure you all know that the highest psychic power currently in the Central District is only A+ Level, but my mistress has S-level psychic power."
Joshua maintained his composed expression as he continued, "I know some of you aren't here out of genuine goodwill."
Then, his face turned grim, and his voice grew cold. "If anyone dares to entertain any ill thoughts, I'll do whatever it takes to have you killed. You'll experience what it feels like to stay in a living hell."