Debut Ball
Camille's Debut Ball was scheduled a week after her mana capacity test.
Since her test, Camille's nervousness was gone, it replace by absence of calm.
Several guests also sent congratulatory gift to celebrate her fortunate test results. Even Will's employees and city administrators sent Camille lavish gifts. However to Will's chagrin Elizabeth also received several gifts from her hormonal male classmates.
On the other hand, to Will and Elizabeth's surprise Mage Academy Headmaster Wang brought his gift of high quality Aether-infused herbs and pills in person.
Camille was very excited to be personally welcomed to the Mage Academy by the Headmaster.
And Headmaster Wang was excited to find a red wrapped gift box filled with 100,000 gold donation to the Mage Academy laying on the nightstand next to his bed.
There was no doubt Camille's Debut Ball or rather her classes Debut Ball would be the most prominent debut ball of the season.
In Will's Gadreel château he had the king, queen, queen mother, and Headmaster Wang staying as his guest.
By now most of the family had built their own manors in Gadreel except for Jason, Rebecca, Emilia and Emma.
Leading up to the ball, Elizabeth bought Camille an expensive couture gown and shoes from Savile Row, and matching Dwarven jewelry and a tiara.
Will gave Elizabeth a monthly clothing budget of 100 gold, which she rarely used. However this time, Camille coming-out ensemble, exceeded Elizabeth entire monthly credit.
***
The night of the ball thousands of nobles walked into to Will's ballroom. Elizabeth had the ballroom decorated with white flowers, white table clothes, and white banners.
While the 8th grade class of men and women debuted individually, and then danced collectively.
When the second choreographed dance ended to a patter of well-bred applause. Camille and her friends and classmates milled about the floor, greeting friends, changing partners.
The orchestra left time for everyone to settle into the new configurations, then struck up again for a third dance song.
Several nobles told Elizabeth, Will, and Camille how beautiful, lovely, and fashionable she looked in her ballgown.
Camille wore white satin gown with off the shoulder neckline and diamond crusted bodice which tapered at the waist into slight pleats. When Camille danced, it looked like her ballgown floated across the ballroom.
Will and Elizabeth looked at Camille dancing with her friends. It warmed their hearts to see Camille having so much fun.
Elizabeth and Will stood on opposite sides of the ballroom. Elizabeth was surround by women in her fraction. She was playing her hostess role to a tee, and seemed to be having fun herself.
Will stood alone on the opposite end.
Samuel was assigned to Camille, as a body guard of sorts, and Micheal stood a meter away from Will at all times. Both men were ready to serve their master at a moments notice.
"You have a beautiful daughter," Earl Christopher von Mueller said to Will, walking up to him.
"I did not think you come. Thank you for your compliment your lordship. Also, please give your father my greeting," Will replied.
"How could I miss my business associate's daughter's debut. This also presents a good opportunity to bring your dividend ends, and introduce my oldest son. He is currently, in his third year in the Imperial Knight Academy. But, I'd like him to spend time in the kingdomI" Earl von Mueller said transferring hundreds of thousands of Imperial currency to Will's dragon storage ring.
Examining the piles of coin in his ring, Will was impressed to see the total exceed half a million.
Will whisper to Micheal to bring Camille over.
Everyone watched as Camille joined her father.
"Camille this is Earl von Muller from the Great Eastern Empire, and his eldest son. His eldest son is in his third year at the Imperial Knight Academy," Will introduced the young man.
"Greetings Earl vont Muller and—" Camille said politely.
"I am Maxwell von Muller, it is a pleasure to greet you. Congratulations on your societal debut. May I have this dance with you?" the young man bowed.
Camille looked at her father for permission. When she saw Will smile and nod, Camille bowed and followed Maxwell to the dance floor.
As Earl vont Mueller and Will talked, the king approached them.
"Quite the pairing they make?" King Roland interrupted.
"Your majesty," they said greeting the king with a bow.
"I did not know you son was the same as age as Camille?" King Roland interrogated.
"Maxwell is a few years older. My hope is he'll learn to love Fermion as much as I have," Earl vont Muller said.
"Oh, is your son planning to stay in my kingdom?" the king asked inquisitively.
"He has a year left at the academy. Please forgive me, but I took the liberty to speak to your General vont Smith about a cultural exchange mission.
A mission that would allow my son to spend his mandatory two years of military service here.
You'd send knights to train in our imperial army, and we do the same. His imperial majesty has approved of the cultural exchange," Earl von Mueller informed the king.
"And where would the knights be housed during the exchange?" King Roland asked rhetorically.
"The Knight Academy of course," Earl von Mueller smiled proudly.
"How convenient for your son that our Knight and Mage Academies are next to each other," King smiled slyly.
"How fortunate our children might be neighbors in the future!" Will laughed.
"How fortunate indeed," laughed Earl von Mueller.
"I'll review the cultural exchange. But, I wonder if the Marine Academy might not be a better location to house the imperial knights?" the king smiled seeing Earl vont Mueller's grin disappeared.
"I do hope you wait to make your decision until after you've read the emperor's letter…and see my father's gift," Earl von Mueller replied.
The partygoers spied the king, Will, and Earl. To most it looked like they were arranging Camille's marriage. Even Camille wondered if this man would be her future husband.
Not to be out bid, several other fathers spoke to Will about arranging a marriage between their sons' and Camille. By the end of the ball, Will was gifted more than a 100,000 Fermion gold.
As Will was bombarded with marriage request, he received the same question about Camille's dowry. Soon the constant question became an annoying headache.
To alleviate his headache, Will paused the orchestra and made an announcement.
"Elizabeth, Camille please join me here. We want to thank everyone for coming to the Camille's and the Noble K-8 School's 8th grade Debut Ball. Let's raise a glass to the next generation of nobles, cheers!"
"Cheers," everyone repeated.
"Please allow me to say something personal. I want to thank everyone who came see Camille's societal debut. Camille, your mother and I are so proud of our beautiful, intelligent, sweet daughter and your dual magic capability.
Several people tonight have ask me about Camille's dowry. Instead of announcing it individually. Camille's dowry is one million gold and 5% of my airship, banks, auction houses businesses," Will announced. Those were all his business that required the use of space magic. Space Magic hopefully Camille would learn.
People were struck by the dowry's immensity.
Camille watched as men old and young looked at her predatory, which made her fell uncomfortable.
To escape the gazes, she hideaway on the balcony with her maid Henrietta.
"Hiding? I did the same during my Debut Ball," said a comforting tenor voice.
Looking around, she saw a tall figure in a tail coat standing beside the box's curtain.
"I thought I found a place to escape. I'll leave at once so you may have this hiding spot to yourself," Maxwell said.
"No, no, you're fine to stay," said Camille.
Camille watched as the stoic Maxwell continued to looked up at the stars.
"You have a beautiful estate. I particularly like how your home is set in the woods. I almost forget that I'm in a large city," Maxwell said.
Camille remembered Maxwell seemed to care less about her father's announcement. Which made Camille feel safer around him than the other young men.
"Did you escape your Debut Party too?" Camille asked.
"Yes. In the Great Eastern Empire I belong to a Ducal house. During my Debut Party several women looked at me predatorily. I'm sure how most of the men looked at you. Most women see me as a future Duke, not a person," James Maxwell said.
"How do our fathers know each other?" Camille asked.
"My family was the first in the empire to steal your father's business ideas and profit off of them. Although, we can't replicate the businesses exactly, we became insanely wealthier.
When your father came to Annapolis, our capital, my grandfather threw a welcome party for your father. In their business dealings our fathers grew closer over time.
To make up for stealing his ideas, my family gifted him money, gave him a 25% stake in our business, and allowed his ships to trade tax free in our seaports," Maxwell explained.
"You stole my father's ideas?" Camille asked.
"My father did, yes! Understand the empire does recognize your kingdom's patents" James Maxwell said.
"Then why are they so close then?" Camille wondered.
"My father pays your father to build airships in wyvern cores, and your father uses my father to gain a foothold in the empire," James Maxwell asked.
"Do you know what our fathers were talking about today?" Camille asked curiously.
"Ah," Maxwell sighed dispassionately. "My father, wants to convince your king, to send me and a few knights to fulfill our mandatory two-year military service in Fermion under the guise of a military cultural exchange.
The plan is, after I graduate next year, I'll move to Guidon and train with Fermion Army.
Really, it's just a ploy to get us together. My father wants us to naturally fall in love, or secure an arranged marriage between our houses," Maxwell said.
"Is that what you want?" Camille asked as her rosy cheeks turned bright red. Thankfully, he couldn't see her face across the balcony at night.
"It doesn't matter does it? We really don't get a say in our lives. But, if I had a choice I'd like to find a love match," Maxwell said sadly.
Then he started to move close to her, he only stopped walking, when he felt Samuel's blade press against his spine.
Camille felt at ease with Maxwell's transparency and honesty. He looked as handsome and brave as the ballroom light framed his silhouette.
His stoic behavior reminded her of her father. She also like that he held the same first name as her beloved grandfather Baron James vont Ballard.
Then young man was also attractive, with his long blonde hair, blue eyes, and sun kissed skin. He stood 1.8 meters tall and had long, flat cheeks, a faintly Roman nose, thin lips and a square chin.
"Tell me about yourself? Since our fathers are so close, we should make an effort to at least get to know each other, don't you think? But first, can you also ask your guard dog to let me go?" James Maxwell asked.
"Samuel please let him go and make sure we're undisturbed. Henrietta is here with me," Camille pleaded passionately.
"As long as he keeps his distance from you," Samuel's voice said somewhere in the dark.
"On the family's honor, I swear I won't hurt the young mistress," Maxwell said as he felt the dagger come off his spine.
When the dagger left his body, he continued to walk closer to Camille but stoped three meters away.
Camille felt her heart racing as he walk to her.
"I'm still waiting on your answer?" he said.
"Oh, I like art, music, and flowers. My favorite thing to do is to paint wild flowers. My mother even got me an art tutor," Camille said passionately.
"I'd love to see some of your paintings," James Maxwell said.
"No, my collection is private!" Camille said embarrassed.
"To be considered an artist don't people need to purchase your art?" he asked.
"Well…," said Camille debating the validity of that question.
"I'll buy a painting, how much do you want?" James Maxwell asked.
"I don't know," Camille said.
"I'll pay you 10,000 imperial gold, does that sound fair?" he asked.
"No, no, no, that's too much!" Camille shook her head.
"What's going on out here!" Elizabeth asked.
"Good evening Lady vont Ballard. I am Baron von Mueller. Your daughter and I were getting to know each other," he said honestly.
"Camille?" Elizabeth asked wanting confirmation.
"We we were just talking. He offered to buy one of my paintings for 10,000 gold," Camille said surprised.
"It's time for you to return to the ballroom. People have been asking about you. Sasha, Henrietta make sure the Baron gets a painting before he leaves," Elizabeth said.
"Mother, my collection is private!" Camille exclaimed in embarrassment.
"And how shall your father respond, when he learns you turned down 10,000 imperial gold?" Elizabeth asked.
"If I may intrude, if you're uncomfortable with taking payment. How about I donate 5,000 gold to Gaia's Purse and the Endowment for the Arts," he said.
"Really you'd donate to those organizations just to have one of my paintings?" Camille asked in amazement.
"I'd donate even without receiving your painting," Maxwell said.
"Thats enough now, let's go back inside," Elizabeth instructed.
Just before going back in she whispered, "Thanks Samuel."
The camouflaged Samuel behind her whispered back, "you're welcome."