Chapter 115. Debut
A silence descended as though all of space-time had frozen. The murmurs that had filled the ballroom vanished in an instant.
As though captivated by something, the nobles found themselves unable to utter a word.
Amid the silence—
Seraphia, a fresh and radiant girl with silver hair, lightly stepped forward.
Every time the tips of her feet touched the floor, her dress descended in an elegant curve.
It was a sweetheart-neckline dress that emphasized her collarbones and neckline.
Once it naturally drew their eyes, their hearts were captivated by the soft, feminine silhouette created by its fitted empire waistline.
A jeweled belt provided an accent and increased the outfit’s overall splendor.
Flowing drapery had been added to the back, maximizing its elegance.
The vivid cream color blended with Seraphia’s silver hair, accentuating her ethereal yet innocent appearance.
“How can a person possibly be so beautiful...?”
“Th-This is insane….”
Every noble attending the Ball had their gaze fixed upon Seraphia.
Seraphia monopolized everyone’s attention.
Every step and movement she made drew the gazes of the male nobles.
The young noblewomen dressed in beautiful gowns looked at her with envy.
“....Hmph! Why is she showing off like that?”
“Look at the atmosphere. She’s completely taken over as the star of the event.”
“She’s seriously irritating.”
The young noblewomen whispered among themselves and began searching for flaws.
“Oh my, did you see the way she tilted her head just now? It was obviously rehearsed.”
“Does she think she’s some kind of princess?”
“It’s all because of that dress.”
“....But seriously, what is that dress? Why is it so beautiful?”
“We need to find out which artisan made it immediately.”
Perhaps beauty was overwhelming in and of itself.
Seraphia merely stood there, yet her appearance was already perfect.
“....Tsk. She is beautiful.”
“Exactly. Standing beside her would only make me look shabby.”
“Ugh…. This is so annoying.”
Whispers and piercing gazes poured toward Seraphia from behind.
To be honest, she could hear and see everything.
However, Seraphia pretended not to notice and continued walking elegantly.
She felt as though she had become the star of the Ball.
Her self-esteem soared.
More importantly, even Seraphia thought the dress Adrian had altered for her was incredibly beautiful.
Naturally, it fit her figure perfectly.
Every deficiency had been delicately compensated for.
That would have been impossible without knowing Seraphia intimately. He had to know Seraphia’s strengths and weaknesses.
He needed to understand her charms and precisely how to maximize them.
In other words—
‘Brother has been paying attention to me….’
That was what she secretly thought.
Although he was usually cold and blunt and looked at her with disgust as though she were an insect.
Although he rarely even glanced at her and always spoke curtly.
Although his expression was perpetually cold and he glared at her sharply whenever she made even the smallest mistake.
Although whenever he spoke to her, his dry tone made it sound as if he were only doing so out of obligation.
Although expecting even a single warm word from him was an unattainable luxury.
Although whenever she asked him for help, he scolded her by asking, ‘You can’t even do that?’
Although he was always cold and never smiled.
Although Adrian would retreat ten steps whenever she took a single step toward him, preventing her from ever approaching him!
Without her realizing it, he had still been watching over Seraphia and caring for her attentively.
‘Hehe.’
A smile escaped her involuntarily.
And that wasn’t all.
Adrian had personally taught her how to dance for the Ball.
Whenever she remembered that experience, it truly felt—
“It was so much fun.”
Her heart was still pounding.
Of course—
“How many more times do you intend to step on my feet before you’re satisfied?”
“I’m sorry....”
“Move your left foot forward during the preceding step.”
“L-Like this?”
“....Sigh.”
The children of renowned noble families competed to request a dance with Seraphia.
This was where she represented White Wolf as the family’s eldest daughter.
She had to become a wonderful younger sister worthy of Adrian.
‘I have to do my best!’
Seraphia tightly clenched both fists.
The process of learning how to dance had been difficult, but regardless—
“If it would not be an imposition, would you grant me, Austin, eldest son of the House of Count Roen, the honor of dancing with you, my lady?”
“My apologies, but I, Richard, the second son of the House of Duke Claude, will be claiming that honor.”
“Please wait a moment. Can’t you see that the lady is troubled? As the future Marquis of House Estelle, I cannot simply stand by and watch.”
….They were making an absolutely ridiculous fuss.
“They say it is not the night sky that is beautiful, but the stars illuminating it. Lady White Wolf, the star that is you illuminates my night sky.”
“In the beginning, the sun loved the moon, but their union was forbidden. Only now have they finally met—the moon goddess, Lady White Wolf, and me.”
* * *
Their nauseating behavior was intense enough to make even the translucent system messages look restrained.
Berserk Cringefest [?].
It completely filled the ballroom….
“Let us settle this with a duel!”
….Oh, for crying out loud.
“The victor will dance with Lady White Wolf.”
“Very well! Follow me outside.”
What the hell were those idiots doing?
Would they only come to their senses after their entire bodies were frozen?
Perhaps after every blood vessel and cell in their bodies was shredded—
“Ah, even if I were to die beneath Lady White Wolf’s feet, I would consider it an honor!”
....Somehow, I felt like those bastards would enjoy even that.
I couldn’t begin to understand them, but regardless—
‘Completing the quest shouldn’t be a problem.’
The Relationship Quest [Tonight, I’m the Star!].
Since the penalty for failure was marked as ???, I had put a reasonable amount of effort into it.
Altering the dress was part of that effort.
My incredible dexterity, supported by an Agility stat of 110.4, had made it possible.
Of course, creating a beautiful dress required more than manual dexterity.
Talents such as artistic sensibility and creativity were essential.
It also required an understanding of color, knowledge of fabrics, and countless other talents and areas of expertise.
However, merely altering an already beautiful dress wasn’t particularly difficult.
In that regard, Seraphia’s artistic sensibility was outstanding.
It was no wonder the achievements of the people in her territory continued improving day by day.
In any case—
I didn’t care who Seraphia danced with.
However, I needed to determine whether any of those men were attempting a scheme.
I stared until my eyes nearly fell out while using Predatory Instinct [S] on every idiot making a fuss around her.
‘....I still don’t see anyone unusual.’
That was when it happened.
“Her Majesty the Queen is entering!!”
The announcement thundered throughout the ballroom.
The noisy commotion immediately ceased.
Queen Marceline then appeared.
Wearing a dress decorated with dazzling golden thread, she resembled a golden rose in full bloom.
Queen Marceline radiated an overwhelming presence.
I maintained Predatory Instinct [S] and examined the area around her.
‘The king isn’t attending.’
The Ball was the most important event of the Royal Social Season.
It was customary for both the king and queen to attend.
However, perhaps because he was bedridden by illness, the king was absent.
‘Leon isn’t here either.’
The First Prince, Leon, was also absent.
I had searched for Leon throughout the previous events of the Royal Social Season, but he had never appeared.
‘I thought he would attend the Ball.’
And Leon wasn’t the only one. None of the other princes were present either.
Their absence couldn’t be a mere coincidence.
‘So they really are planning to make their move here.’
Certain of that, I sharpened all my senses.
‘Now, how are you going to proceed?’
* * *
With Queen Marceline’s arrival, the Ball began in earnest.
The children of numerous noble families flaunted their respective status and lineage while pairing up to dance.
Seraphia also received countless invitations.
However, she didn’t choose a single noble.
Dancing together at the Ball—
It implied an intention to promote relations between their families. It could even be interpreted as an expression of interest in marriage.
‘I should only dance with someone Brother approves of.’
It had to be a family that could benefit Adrian.
Therefore, Seraphia cautiously observed Adrian’s expression.
However—
Adrian glared fiercely whenever a noble approached Seraphia. His expression twisted into the most menacing scowl imaginable.
....Anyone could tell that he was signaling his absolute disapproval.
Adrian’s expression placed tremendous pressure on the nobles.
The Mad Predator had even beaten up a prince. There wasn’t a single noble unaware of that rumor.
He had already beaten royalty.
What would he do to an ordinary noble?
“I-I might lose my life if I accidentally make eye contact with him.”
“It would be better to find another partner.”
“Ah! Is my lady destined to remain an unattainable flower upon a cliff...?!”
Eventually, the nobles cautiously retreated.
They were too terrified of Adrian to display even the slightest interest in Seraphia and became completely overwhelmed.
As a result, Seraphia couldn’t dance to even a single song.
If this was going to happen, she couldn’t understand why Adrian had taught her how to dance.
Strangely, however, she didn’t dislike it. She felt as though Adrian was protecting her.
Beneath the Ball’s brilliant lights, Seraphia might have been alone—
‘Hehe.’
Yet an irrepressible smile continued escaping her.
The Ball continued—
Until only its final highlight remained.
The audience with the queen.
The noblewomen of each family stepped forward with their daughters and received an audience with Queen Marceline.
“Your Majesty, my youngest daughter, Luciel, possesses exceptional talent in music and poetry. She has participated in several events throughout the Kingdom….”
“Adeline excels in both academics and art. In particular, she possesses the eloquence and wisdom required for diplomacy. I am certain she will become someone who makes great contributions to the Kingdom.”
The noblewomen emphasized their daughters’ strengths.
They introduced them to Queen Marceline and the numerous noble families attending the Ball.
Seraphia, on the other hand, was alone.
Nevertheless, she walked onto the stage confidently and elegantly.
“I am Seraphia White Wolf of the House of Count White Wolf. I present myself before Your Majesty the Queen.”
Her graceful posture didn’t falter in the slightest.
‘That was absolutely perfect!’
Her night of relentless practice was bearing fruit.
“Furthermore, I believe I am able to stand here solely because of Your Majesty’s benevolence and the royal family’s grace. Although my abilities are modest, I sincerely hope I can contribute, however slightly, to bringing glory to the Kingdom.”
When Seraphia finished her introduction, murmurs spread throughout the ballroom.
“My goodness...!”
“How can she possess such dignity?!”
“Not only her appearance, but even her words overflow with refinement!”
“I will definitely dance with the lady at the next Royal Social Season!”
“Hey, be careful. Her brother is glaring at you rather dangerously.”
Countless nobles competitively voiced their admiration.
Seraphia remained calm despite all the surrounding murmurs, but....
‘Hehe.’
Strangely, an irrepressible smile continued escaping her.
* * *
Throughout the Ball, I used Predatory Instinct [S] to inspect every noble who approached Seraphia.
I also thoroughly examined every object placed inside the ballroom.
It felt as though my eyes might fall out, but….regardless—
I quietly dealt with every suspicious individual.
Any suspicious object was removed the moment I discovered it.
With Seraphia’s splendid debut as its final event, the Ball came to an end.
◆ You have completed the Relationship Quest [Tonight, I’m the Star!]!
◆ You have acquired 2,143,000 Quest Experience!
◆ Your level has increased!
◆ Your level has increased!
◆ Your level has increased!
◆ Your level has increased!
The Relationship Quest had been completed safely.
I gained four levels at once.
And that wasn’t the end.
◆ Seraphia’s Affinity <Bond Stage> has been unlocked.
◆ You have acquired the Bond Skill Mental Empathy [E]!
The Bond Skill Mental Empathy [E].
I could check what kind of skill it was later.
That wasn’t important right now.
Queen Marceline sat quietly. She didn’t make a single movement.
I continued watching Queen Marceline closely until the very end.
At that moment—
Grind!!
The harsh sound of grinding teeth rang out, and Queen Marceline left her seat.
‘It seems she ultimately gave up.’
That appeared to be the case.
I had blocked everything in advance, behaving as though I had already seen through all her plans.
As a result, the discord between Queen Marceline and Luseria had deepened.
It seemed their plan for the Ball had ultimately fallen apart.
‘Is the situation resolved?’
Only then could I release my tension.
However, not everything was over. The matter concerning the succession to the title of Count still remained.
With that in mind—
‘They might continue causing trouble over the succession.’
Therefore, I needed to prepare accordingly.
‘Let’s see....’
I organized my thoughts and headed toward the royal palace’s guest chamber.
As I returned to the royal palace’s guest chamber, I became lost in thought.
‘I’ve figured out the entire plan.’
Queen Marceline had been completely seen through by me.
She was now in the palm of my hand.
What remained was simple.
I would destroy her plan one step at a time and completely overturn her intended outcome.
Then—
‘He won’t be able to remain hidden in the darkness forever.’
The Monarch of Darkness would inevitably be forced to reveal himself.
When I returned to the royal palace’s guest chamber—
Seraphia was pacing in front of the door.
She wore a grave expression, as though something weighed heavily on her mind.
Then she suddenly recoiled in horror and shouted into empty space.
“No!”
“What isn’t allowed?”
“Eek!!”
Seraphia looked as though her heart had fallen out of her chest.
“Uwaaah...!!”
She had even lost the ability to speak.
However, the moment she recognized me—
“Brother!!”
Her fallen heart returned to its place, and her lost ability to speak recovered instantly.
“A-Are you all right?! You aren’t hurt anywhere, are you?!”
Seraphia’s eyes moved rapidly as she examined my condition.
I watched her for a moment before asking—
“Why did you do that?”
“...What? Oh, I was just... startled.”
“I’m asking why you fought the Royal Knights.”
“Ah, that....”
Seraphia hesitated and avoided my gaze.
“I just thought you might....”
Seraphia began speaking quietly but stopped.
“I was worried that you might be in danger…. So I just….”
Unable to continue, Seraphia lowered her head deeply.
I nearly reprimanded her but stopped myself.
Ultimately, Seraphia becoming involved alongside me had made everything proceed more smoothly.
The reason Queen Marceline hadn’t imposed even a minor punishment on me was entirely because of Seraphia.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Eh...?”
“What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing! It’s nothing!”
Seraphia hurriedly waved her hands.
At the same time, she firmly bit her lower lip.
“More importantly, it seems His Majesty’s illness is showing no signs of improvement.”
“....Ah.”
“The Royal Social Gathering will probably be held first, so prepare yourself in advance.”
“Yes! I’ll prepare diligently!”
“Then go inside. It’s late...?”
Something….was strange.
Everything felt far too familiar.
An overwhelmingly vivid sense of déjà vu. Yet it felt too unreal to be ordinary déjà vu.
I had truly experienced this before.
However, it was as though the experience had been erased from my memory—
At the same time, my violated memories returned—
And I immediately realized what had happened.
This—
The entire Royal Social Gathering, which had taken place over several days—
‘Was forgotten....?’
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