Cassie led Eliron and his group into the ball room, hand in hand, catching the eyes of the nobles inside.
And then after leading them deep into the ball room, she finally let go of his arm and smiled.
"Alright, I’ll see you later, I have to get dressed and all. Don’t get bored and start another fight, please..." Cassie pleaded in a humorous tone.
"I’ll try my best. It’s not like I’m in a room full of snobby nobles."
Cassie’s face fell. "Ehehehehe~" she laughed nervously.
Eliron joined her, both of them laughing together. Then she stopped and gave him a serious look.
"No, seriously. If you destroy this building, my dad is going to disown ."
"Yeah, yeah..." Eliron waved his hands dismissively. "I’ll behave."
Cassie smiled, before her expression beca a little more solemn. "And about the other matter..."
Eliron nodded. "You’ve done your part, I’ll keep my end of the deal."
"Alright then." She turned to Ash, Yen and Artie. "Please, enjoy the ball to the fullest."
Before they could reply to her sentint, a loud voice reached their ears.
"Ladie Cassandra!" Ca a panicked voice.
They all turned around to see a middle aged woman dressed up in maid clothing. Around her were a group of maids who all wore worried looks.
Cassie sighed as the woman approached her, then waved at them as the maids practically abducted her.
’There she goes...’ Eliron laughed internally.
He ttook one glance at the ball room and nodded in silent appreciation.
"They really put a lot of effort into this..."
Soft, calming music filled the air, warming up the atmosphere, the sound coming from a band that stood on a podium by the side of the room.
Nobles dressed in lavish clothing and wearing expensive perfu were going about, having light discussions.
At a glance, anyone could see that they were brimming with wealth. They all carried themselves with an air of dignity, and occasionally they would steal glances at Eliron.
There was no doubt that his fresh encounter was the hottest topic of discourse.
But that was not even the most annoying part...
From the mont he stepped into the room, Eliron had noticed that practically all eyes had been locked on Artie and Yennefer.
So more daring nobles had even approached them, most likely planning to reserve a dance.
But one glare from Eliron was enough to ’encourage’ them keep their distance.
’Young n these days, not an ounce of self control!’
So won had also approached Ash, but the aloof knight politely turned them down.
As for Eliron, they all avoided him like a plague, most of them even avoiding eye contact with him, and instead stealing glimpses when he turend.
He sighed. ’What did I do to deserve such treatnt?’
"Woah..." Yennefer breathed out, her eyes locked on a large table that was placed at the edge of the room.
On that table was the largest assortnt of snacks and drinks Eliron had ever seen.
There were pies of various types, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, and a lot of other snacks Eliron did not even know of.
She tugged on Eliron’s sleeve and he smiled. "Sure, let’s go..."
Then he turned to Artie and Ash. "I’m going to explore the place a bit. You guys are free to do as you please, we won’t be eting the Baron till after the ball..."
"Try to make a few connections, they might be pretty useful to us in the future."
"I’ll see to it my lord." Ash replied.
Artie on the other hand nodded. "Don’t forget the dance..."
"I wouldn’t miss it for the world..."
Yen practically dragged Eliron towards the table where the snacks stacked up like towers of gold.
Without wasting any ti, she grabbed a at filled pie and took a bite off it, letting out a soft, satisfied sigh.
"Delicious! Try this one Eliron."
She offered him the half eaten at pie and Eliron ate it in one bite.
"Mmmm. It’s actually pretty good."
"It is right?" She smiled, already grabbing another snack, this ti, it was a doughnut with a golden liquid filling.
Eliron stared at it intently. "Is that... honey?"
"I think so..." Yen replied, taking a bite off the snack, a sparkles lighting up in her golden eyes a second later.
"It’s good?" Eliron chuckled.
Yen nodded vehently before offering the remaining half to him. "W-we showld go tcho parties more often..." she muttered between mouthfuls.
They continued this way, Yen acting as his personal taste tester and feeding him up until his stomach had doubled in size.
It was about one hour after they arrived that the music suddenly halted, and then loud trumpets began to boom, pulling the attention of all the nobles.
— Gather around everyone!
A man spoke, his voice being amplified by a magic tool that was wrapped around his ear, the reviver ending next to his lips.
He was dressed in official uniform, and had a golden crest of the Kingsbridge barony etched on his chest.
Behind him were five knights, and from what Eliron could sense, one of them was a minor commander.
— I am Cornelius Hendrick, loyal servant of the Kingsbridge Barony. And it is with great honour, that I announce the arrival...
He paused, and smiled.
— it is great honour, that I announce the arrival of our Lord, Pieter Kingsbridge and our lady, Diana Kingsbridge!
The crowd beca imdiately unsettled, the nobles confused by what they had heard.
— I thought the baroness was sick??
— I heard she was in quarantine, were the rumours wrong?
— What about the highly contagious disease?
From they had heard, the baroness was not ant to be capable of walking, talk less of appearing at the ball...
But as the door opened—
The baroness walked right through, hand in hand with her husband, her expression calm.
Her blonde hair was packed up in a formal bun and adored with dozens of golden jewelry, along with a hair pin bearing the crest of the barony.
Her garnts went down to the floor, the fabric so long that it brushed the gleaming tiles.
She walked up to the center of the podium, then she glanced at the crowd, her red eyes taking in the nobles who had been frozen by her immaculate gaze.
Then she smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth.
"Good evening fellow nobles, ladies and gentlen. Surprised to see ?"
A deathly silence perated the hall as she stared at them, the lights reflecting in her eyes like wisps of fire.
Eliron raised a brow, a small smirk on his lips.
’Baron Pieter, so this is how you’ve decided to play it?’
anwhile, at the other side of the room, Marcus had a wide grin on his face.
’Perfect, absolutely perfect!’
Underneath his sleeves, his bracelet was flashing violently, buzzing with the charge of mana...
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