Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 515: A Sky for Her

Elowen's brows tightened slightly as she stepped back, placing herself behind Cassian.

The movement carried a quiet but unmistakable meaning. She was avoiding Alaric as if he were unstable, or something she didn't even want near her.

Alaric lifted his head, his eyes rimmed red. When he looked toward Elowen, his line of sight inevitably passed over Cassian first.

Cassian stood tall and immovable, his presence steady and imposing, like a stone keep that could not be breached.

Alaric clenched his jaw, his voice turning sharp. "Look at him. He keeps saying he loves you, says he's your husband, even got you carrying his child. But today is your birthday. Everyone here brought you something thoughtful. What did he give you? Does he even put in half the effort I do, half the heart..."

Bran stood behind Cassian, and as the crown prince's words grew harsher, more and more unpleasant to hear, he could no longer stay silent. He stepped forward.

"Your Highness, you should choose your words carefully. His Grace has naturally prepared—"

"Out of line!"

Alaric spun around abruptly, his voice cutting through the air. "Who do you think you are? A servant, and you think you get to speak here?"

He let out a cold laugh. "And stop calling him that. This is Hale Manor, not Duskmoor Manor. What? He's already been stripped of his title and rank. Didn't you receive the royal decree?"

His gaze slid past Cassian entirely, locking onto Elowen with a stubborn, almost obsessive intensity. "A gift? What could he possibly give you? Gold? Jewels? Rare curiosities? Even if he scrapes something together, what does that matter? How could it possibly compare to what I prepared for you, that bloodline—"

A heavy explosion cut him off.

The sound came without warning.

Alaric froze mid-sentence.

Everyone instinctively turned toward the source.

In the southeastern sky beyond Hale Manor, where the last traces of dusk still lingered, a massive firework burst open.

Light spread outward in layered petals, blooming like a radiant golden flower, its edges trailing streams of molten brightness.

Alaric's unfinished words caught in his throat. He stood there, mouth slightly open, stunned.

But it was only the beginning.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

A rapid succession of explosions followed, rhythmic and overwhelming, echoing from every direction.

From other courtyards within Hale Manor, from the ornamental rock gardens and lakeside, even from the surrounding streets, countless streaks of light shot upward, cutting through the darkening sky before exploding into brilliance.

Night deepened, yet the sky grew brighter.

Countless bursts spread across the heavens, nearly covering it entirely.

With Hale Manor at its center, all of Vanelle was illuminated like midday.

Fragments of light drifted downward in shimmering cascades, like a rain of glowing embers spilling from the sky itself.

Before they could fade, new streaks rose to replace them.

Layer upon layer, overlapping, intertwining. A sky ablaze, as if night itself had been replaced by light.

"My God... this... this is unbelievable..."

"I've lived in Vanelle my whole life, and I've never seen fireworks like this!"

"How long would something like this take to prepare? How much would it cost?"

The guests immediately forgot about the crown prince's earlier outburst. They moved toward the open courtyard, lifting their heads to watch, voices filled with astonishment. The younger children jumped and shouted, unable to contain their excitement.

The city had not yet gone to sleep, and now the entire capital was stirred awake.

Beyond Hale Manor, faint cries of surprise and delight could be heard from the streets.

At that moment, Bran finally straightened his posture, pride evident in his voice as he spoke loudly, "Honored guests, this display has been prepared by His Grace in celebration of the Duchess's birthday. It has been months in the making, set to be launched from thirty-six locations across the city tonight. It is meant to bring joy to the Duchess, and to share that joy with all of you. May the coming year bring prosperity and lasting blessings."

So this was the gift Cassian had prepared for Elowen.

In truth, even Elowen herself had not known what he had planned.

She had asked him before, out of curiosity, but Cassian had only smiled and told her she would find out in time.

She had never been able to guess.

But now, she finally understood.

Elowen lifted her face toward the sky, almost holding her breath as she watched.

Though Avenlor possessed the craftsmanship to create fireworks of extraordinary beauty, the process was complex beyond measure, and the cost was staggering. There were also unspoken boundaries tied to rank and status.

Ordinary officials and merchants did not dare set them off freely.

And even among the nobility, few could afford such extravagance.

So even in Vanelle, fireworks were a rare sight.

Elowen had only seen them once before, when she was younger.

Back then, only three or four bursts had lit up the night sky. They were beautiful, but fleeting.

At the time, she had been close friends with Daphne, along with another young lady.

The three of them had crowded by a high window, watching the display, each one exclaiming in delight.

When it ended, Elowen had felt a pang of regret. Tilting her head, she had said to Daphne, "Daphne, next year for my birthday, you should give me a display like that."

Daphne's eyes had widened in shock. "With what money? We couldn't afford that even if we sold everything we owned..."

Their other friend had laughed. "Ella, that's not exactly an ordinary gift. If anything, you'd be the one giving it. Honestly though, whoever set those off tonight must have gone all out. That's not just money, that's real thought behind it."