Chapter 32: Party and Dance
On the auction, we got two of the weapon that the legendary blacksmith forged himself.
One of them is a dagger and my father gave it to me, the other one is a bow, giving it to Rafaela.
Gaius took the jade with the energy of some sort of mythological beast inside while my Big sister Lily took the silver-blue armor.
If I imagined her using it, she will definitely become a goddess of war.
Now, we are changing our clothes for a dance later on. We have our different rooms for the 12 great families and now, I am in trouble... I don't know if my style is alright.
"Is this okay? This is what master told me but... I feel like this is not the right thing..." Then, I continued changing until the start of the ball.
'What should I do? I don't want anyone to know that I lack in fashion sense!' I sighed inwardly then Falcon appeared beside me.
"Woah!" I exclaimed as I back away from my original spot. "Master, don't always do that!" I said angrily.
"Haha, sorry, but I am an assassin, my footsteps and presence are always undetectable..." Falcon said as he removed my top clothes, changing into another one.
The first one I wore is the suit that I wear before the duel and the one that Falcon has is his own suit, he brought it and it seems like he wanted to try it on me.
"Finish!" Falcon said as he stares at me with excitement in his eyes.
***
"That Theo, where is he?" Lily angrily said as she looked from her left and right side.
"Probably shy because of his fashion style again?" Gaius straightforwardly said with no sense of sarcasm.
"That might be the case but the next turn is theirs! We finished dancing already but Theo is still not here..." Lily said as she stares at her sister in the middle of the hall, dancing with Daille Family's Jill.
They look cute together and they felt that Rafaela is safe with that guy so they approved the invitation of Jill to Rafaela.
Then, the entrance opened. Lily, Gaius, and the other lookers stare at the entrance where they saw a silhouette, a charming silhouette of someone Lily and Gaius know-- to be more precise, it is their brother, Theo.
With Theo's silver-blue hair and gray eyes, his white suit definitely fits him, looking more charming than ever.
When Theo's face emerged from the light, everyone is speechless. They don't know how to describe him in one, two, three, or a hundred words.
Theo walked down the stairs and noticed the gazes of everyone, 'Is it bad?' He said to himself.
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'Oh my god, this is embarrassing! I don't know if master told me the truth that I look good on this, did he lie?' I said to myself as I avoid gazes--or to be more precise, I am avoiding their faces to avoid seeing their reaction.
'Ah-- that is Rafaela? Ah! Is it the fourth set already? Then the next set is ours but who is gonna be my partner?!' I said nervously as I sat down on the chair nearby.
'I won't find my brother and sister if I keep avoiding their faces but--it is definitely embarrassing!' I continued complaining angrily to myself.
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'Theo? Why is he looking down? Can I ask him to be my partner? I think--' The girl in a white dress stood up behind Theo, hesitating to initiate a talk to him.
"U-um, Theo?"
"Wh-what?" Theo said in a panic as he stares at the girl who just touched his shoulders. She is Lucy.
"What is the problem?" Lucy asked as she sat down beside Theo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Why is she here? I am already insecure here, why is she here?!' I asked myself continuously.
"Ah-ah nothing..." I said with a stutter and she immediately replied, "You definitely have a problem"
That is true, after the changes after the new year, they said that I became more charming but it didn't do anything to me. I just felt more insecure because I don't want to let other people negatively judge me. I hate when I am the center of attention.
If it is a battle, I can forget those insecurities because I am in a battle, I am more focused on the battle rather than the other people talking about me. On the auction, the people are also looking at our box, not me so I am not bothered. Plus, the glasses are one-sided mirror glass, after all.
She gave up asking me what's wrong and just stared at the dancing boys and girls in the middle of the hall.
"C-can I ask you something?" I said slowly to Lucy.
Lucy tilted her head as she asked, "Anything, what is it?"
"How do I look? Honestly." I asked as my face reddened and looked down out of embarrassment.
"Well, how can I see if that is good on you if you don't let me see your face nor the clothes, I won't know if it looks good..." Lucy said as she held my head to face it on her face, and asked, "Stand up"
I just stood up and fixed my suit.
"Oh my-- you look really great, what are you afraid of?" Lucy asked and stared at me with a confused look.
"Well, maybe I am too insecure..." I said with a low voice as I touched the back of my neck.
"Do you have a partner, Lucy?" I asked after a second of thought.
"None, no one asked me because of what I did a year ago..." She looked down and noticed that she is also probably anxious that no one will become her partner because of that day.
"Can I be your partner then?" I asked as I reached out my hands to Lucy.
She stared at my hands, making her eyes wet, and then she took my hand.
'I am insecure about such things, I am an idiot. It seems like your problem is worse than mine, Lucy...' I cursed myself as I felt that I regret having insecurity of fashion...
"Now, for the next set. Please come to the center" The announcer declares as she played a love song that I am really familiar with.
I took her hands and immediately went in the middle of the stage.
~~~
As the song continues, we danced slowly as partners and I realized something.
'I don't feel anything to Lucy anymore unlike earlier... Is it the influence of the past me and the new me got matured suddenly?!'
I stared at her godly face and then as the chorus started, I said, "This is my first time but it feels great"
"Ah--yeah" Lucy replies as her face is beet in red.
***
Three songs have passed and the fifth set is finished, we went back to our chairs, and then out of nowhere, Gaius appeared behind me, startling me after touching my shoulder.
'Why are you guys always surprising me when I lower my guard?!' I curse inwardly and said, "Not a bad performance, Mr. Charming" Gaius said as he gave us a gaze.
"Well, I thought you will not perform because you're late earlier! Father and mother left earlier for business purposes, do you want to go home now? Or continue eating?" Big sister Lily said as she stared at the food buffet next to our chairs.
"No, I want to go home now. I am too tired..." I noticed Gaius keep staring at me, not taking his eyes off me.
"What--what's wrong?" I asked and he simply replied, "How the hell are you so good-looking! I feel like lost." My brother sulked.
I chuckled and said, "I don't know!"
"Well, then let's go back home. Father and mother will go back home later..." Big sister Lily said as I stared at Lucy who is listening to our conversation.
"Then, Lucy, take care. We will go now!" I said as I run towards my siblings who started to walk away from the place and said to myself, 'I feel sorry for her though. I am just too tired...'
***
12:35
We are back at our household and looked at the screen of my phone.
[----- System -----]
[FORUM -- 1,304,586,390 Online --]
'There is surprisingly a lot of active players...'
[INBOX -- 0 Messages --]
[FRIENDS -- 0 Friends --]
[FRIEND INVITATION -- 0 Invitation --]
[SHOP -- 704,785 Online --]
[----- Player Zone -----]
[RANKING -- 1,535,395 Active --]
[AUCTION -- 50,274,238 Participants]
'Ranking? It seems like it is created by players. Hmmm.' I pondered as I touched the screen.
[RANKING (KNOWN PLAYERS)]
[1. XERA LV. 32
2. PLEABIUS LV. 27
3. RUFUS LV. 21
4. AIN LV. 21
5. VIOLE LV. 21
6. YUNO LV. 20
7. ATALINA LV. 20
8. SCHOLAR LV. 20
9. INZONIA LV. 20
...]
There are top 100 players based on their levels and the rank one is Xera, the hardcore player, he is currently level 32 which is 15 more levels left for him to reach my current level.
'It seems like he is playing solo, huh?' There is no other player on level 22-27, after all, after all. If someone helps him, the other party will obviously level up.