Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Karen didnt quite fancy Ian.

Because a stone that rolled in from somewhere captivated Princess Asterias heart.

Such talented. Its to the point where I want to somehow make it him my own, but Im grateful just to stand side by side with him.

She couldnt understand it.

Why someone as esteemed as Princess Asteria would desire someone of that caliber so much.

She never attached herself to anyone

Not even to Karen herself.

And he was her superior during the mission.

Annoying.

A corner of her heart felt stifled.

She knew it was off-topic, but she felt a slight dissatisfaction.

Of course, it was just a minor dissatisfaction.

Karen was a pro among pros.

She would follow Princess Asterias orders, but she couldnt help but notice his shortcomings.

His performance on the train was excellent, but he lacked composure.

For example, his somewhat rhythmless gait

It certainly wasnt the gait of someone who had danced.

Thinking about him having to perform the role of the princesss man splendidly at todays banquet was somewhat dreadful.

Ill have to teach him.

A little revenge, perhaps. She startled him slightly as the price of her teaching.

Then she took his hand.

One step, two steps.

?

Karen was taken aback.

.. She felt it.

His footsteps changed with each step he took.

As if absorbing her teachings as if rediscovering a long-lost memory.

A certain genius sculptor once said,

One does not carve the sculpture, one merely reveals the form buried within the marble.

Ian was clearly remembering, as if he had momentarily forgotten the dance he was just learning.

Karen realized.

Thats talent.

And she let her guard down for a moment in that realization.

Ian pulled her closer.

They were close enough to hear each others breaths.

His black pupils were staring at her.

How does it feel now?

Even in this darkness, his eyes shone brightly.

Just like his talent.

Its enough.

Karen could vaguely feel what Princess Asteria saw in him.

Escorts are not allowed into the banquet hall.

However, it seems the escorts also dress up in simple ceremonial attire to blend in with the atmosphere.

Its nice not to have to fit into the nobles expectations, being an escort makes me happy.

Karen headed towards the side road, saying that there would be a separate gathering for the escorts.

The representative attendee for the Third Princess, Ian Blackangers!

The banquet hall was luxurious and splendid.

Act as naturally as possible.

Of course, Ian, who was not accustomed to such noble gatherings, was there. But.

Originally, the princesss man is lenient no matter what he does. Shall we say hes a kind of clown?

According to Karens advice, as long as he doesnt get scared, its fine.

It means he just needs to act confidently and leisurely, so its not that difficult.

As he ate finger food and looked around, he noticed some notable figures.

Promising talents from the North, mid-level members of various guilds, a couple of people who seemed like journalists including Schwab, and others.

However, even among those people, Ian felt that the interest in him was not small.

Oh my. You look even more elegant when dressed up. Whats your relationship with the Third Princess?

The attention of the banquet hall was drawn to a sudden, loud sound of musical instruments, halting momentarily in the spotlight.

The abrupt silence caused people to look around for a moment.

Tick-tock

The dazzling lights that illuminated the banquet hall dimmed.

Then, the magic candles that had been softly glowing on the floor began to rise slowly towards the ceiling.

Oh, oh.

The gentle and moody rise of the candles, accompanied by the light murmurs of admiration from the attendees, added another layer to the atmosphere of the ball.

As the music resumed, signaling the beginning of the ball, it also marked its conclusion.

Ah, that was quite a spectacle.

Lord Herman Pierce indeed possesses not only a sharp wit but also versatile talents.

Herman Pierce looked satisfied as he surveyed the banquet hall.

Surely, the effort put into the production was worthwhile.

Although the expected princesss man turned out to be a disappointment and his true identity needed to be investigated, finishing the ball in this kind of atmosphere would be impeccably perfect.

Once rumors spread in the social circles, solidifying my succession will be much easier.

Herman Pierce nodded satisfactorily.

Meanwhile.

Hmm.

Ian was realizing his mistake.

I forgot to find a partner.

Its customary for men to find female partners at balls. While others were busy finding partners, he was outside enjoying the cool breeze Being the princesss man was no different from being incompetent from the start.

Ian let out a small sigh.

He had an inkling of where Hermans suspicion might have stemmed from.

My dance instructor never taught me the basics.

If Karen had heard, she would have given him an earful.

Of course, theres no rule that says he must dance from the first song. Its just that skeptical glances would be focused on him for passing on the first song as the princesss man.

It seems Ian Blackangers couldnt find a partner.

Wow, there wasnt a single lady here that caught his eye?

Is it because theyre not princesses that they dont interest him?

As he walked towards the outskirts, murmurs from the surroundings reached his ears.

At the other end, the conductor was about to wave his baton, and the strings of cellos and violins were trembling, about to start the first waltz for the ball

At that moment.

Creak!

The door of the banquet hall opened roughly.

A bright light suddenly flooded the softly lit banquet hall. The people standing in the ballroom squinted their eyes.

Amidst this, someone muttered.

Sh-Sharon, Lady Sharon?

All eyes turned towards the door.

With her blue hair tied up, the cold-faced girl, Sharon Pierce.

She bowed slightly, appearing somewhat embarrassed yet elegant in a way unseen before.

Sorry for being a little late to my brothers banquet.

Creak.

Herman Pierce gritted his teeth.

Why is that b*tch here.

Both the lighting and sound had been meticulously crafted to create a romantic and subtle atmosphere. And yet, that girl had completely ruined it just by opening the door. Was it intentional? No. It was definitely intentional.

A thin bead of sweat dripped from Hermans furrowed brow, but due to the attention gathered around him, he quickly regained his smile.

Wh-what can one say about a younger siblings visit. Especially when its her first step into society. Come on in. The ball was just about to begin.

Slick.

Sharon, who had been holding the hem of her dress and bowing her head, glanced around the ballroom.

The youngest lady of the Pierce family, making a shocking debut into high society at her brothers ball.

Where she would go was the subject of everyones attention.

Or rather.

In fact, her destination was already determined.

Because there was only one person without a partner on the ballroom floor.

Tick-tock.

In the silence, the sound of Sharons footsteps echoed.

And at the end, the third princesss man stood.