Party!

The night passed quietly, and soon the warm light of morning filled the academy. The air felt calm, yet a little exciting. The entrance exams had already begun, just like they did every year. This time, though, things were a little different.

The written tests were made easier than usual. It seemed like the academy wanted more students to pass this year. Not only that, but the number of students allowed to join was also increased. Because of this, many were hopeful.

It was announced that results would come out after a week. Then, one or two weeks after that, the new students would officially start joining. So, in total, there was about a whole month before the academy would fully open its doors again.

For now, the current students had a lot of free time. Classes were paused, and there wasn't much to do except relax or hang out. Still, something else had grabbed everyone's attention.

A strange but exciting piece of news was spreading like wildfire through the halls.

By afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the academy grounds were quiet. In the cafeteria, a few girls sat at a table, chatting and eating their lunch.

One of them, a gentle-looking girl with soft green hair and bright azure eyes, held a small rulebook in her hand.

"Look at this!" she said, "The academy even gave us a new rulebook. But guess what? There are no new rules added—except for one."

"Just one?" the second girl blinked. "What is it?"

The girl flipped the pages and pointed. "It says… students are now allowed to get married even while they're still studying. But no concubines are allowed!"

The group went silent for a second before suddenly reacting.

"Whoa, that's a huge change!" said a third girl, Ava, who had short brown hair and was sipping a cold drink. "Now if a girl catches a rich noble guy, she can marry him right away and live an easy life! Nobles often marry to form strong family ties. This could help a lot of people!"

The azure-eyed girl laughed. "Pftt… Ava, why do you sound like some kind of noble lady?"

Ava didn't say anything. She just gave a lazy shrug and kept sipping her drink.

The second girl suddenly looked thoughtful. "Hmm… now that you mention nobles and Lady Mariette, did you hear? She's throwing a party today."

"A party?" the first girl raised her eyebrows. "So soon? It hasn't even been a full week since all that chaos happened. She's really bold…"

Ava sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms over her head.

"Ugh… I wish I could go to that party," she said with a tired voice. "But we're just commoners. Probably only nobles and special guests are invited. I wonder what the party is even for…"

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Inside Esdeath's dorm room, the sunlight had already started to fade, painting everything in a soft golden glow. It was late afternoon, and the excitement in the air was almost thick enough to touch. Everyone was getting ready for the big party.

The party was going to be held at night, at Lortell Mariette's personal palace. Although it was in the same city as the main academy, it was far enough that getting there would take some time. That's why everyone was in a rush to prepare.

Nyx was already dressed. He wore a neat brown suit that matched his short brown hair. He looked like a perfect gentleman—calm, sharp, and elegant.

Selene was also ready. She wore a fluffy white frock that made her look like a cute little princess. Her excited eyes sparkled as she skipped around the room, humming softly. She looked adorable, like a doll brought to life.

The only ones not ready were Esdeath and her mother, Charlotte.

Charlotte was standing in front of Esdeath, trying on outfit after outfit on her daughter. She helped with makeup, adjusted her hair, and then made her change again—and again—and again. Nothing seemed good enough.

"This doesn't feel right," Charlotte would say each time, shaking her head and reaching for another dress.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Esdeath stepped out in a black, strapless corset gown.

The dress showed off her smooth shoulders and collarbones, with a daring slit that revealed one of her long legs. It hugged her curves perfectly, making her look elegant, strong, and incredibly seductive. The black color made her black hair shine even more.

Big sparkling earrings dangled from her ears, and her heels clicked lightly on the floor.

"Black really suits you!" Charlotte smiled proudly.

She brushed Esdeath's long black hair, making it smooth and shiny, letting it fall in soft waves down her back.

"Now sit here and don't move," Charlotte said, gently pushing Esdeath onto the chair. "You have to go there looking perfect!"

Esdeath rolled her eyes and gave a playful smile. "You're the only one left, Mother. Hurry up."

Just then, Selene ran over and jumped into Esdeath's arms, hugging her tightly.

"Mother looks soooo gorgeous!" Selene giggled.

Esdeath laughed softly and pulled her into her lap. "Gorgeous? When did you started using tough words?",

Selene only giggled more.

"Selene! Don't mess up her dress or makeup!" Charlotte warned from across the room as she changed into her own gown.

She wore a silky, backless brown dress that hugged her figure and made her look years younger. Charlotte stared at her reflection, smiling like a young girl in love again.

"Aren'tyou too old for this dress?" Nyx said, watching his wife closely.

Charlotte's lips Twitched a little "Shut up!, I'm still young!",

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Meanwhile, in Maruti's dorm room, things were much more chaotic.

Kailith was forcing Maruti into a dress, even though Maruti clearly didn't want to go.

"Stop it! I'm not even invited!" Maruti hissed, trying to wiggle away.

"I am invited," Kailith said firmly. "And I'm not going alone. You're coming with me whether you like it or not!"

Kailith blocked Maruti's path with a wicked grin and began forcefully undressing her clothes. If anyone walked in right now, they'd definitely get the wrong idea.

Even though Maruti was known for her strength, she couldn't overpower Kailith—who was just as strong but much more determined.

After a brief struggle, Kailith finally got her dressed.

Maruti stood there, fuming, in a tight charcoal-grey shirt that hugged her upper body and had a small collar around her neck. The shirt was tucked into a deep red, high-waisted pencil skirt that reached just above her knees. Black stockings covered her long legs.

She looked exactly like a seductive secretary from one of those weird romance books.

Kailith's mouth almost dropped open. "You're... perfect," she said, actually drooling a little.

Maruti crossed her arms, her face red with embarrassment and annoyance.

"This outfit is shameless," she muttered. "My pride… it's turned into dust."

But no matter how much she complained, there was no escape now. She was going to that party. Whether she liked it or not.

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The night had fully arrived, and the sky above was dark and calm, sprinkled with stars. Esdeath and her family were already on their way in a horse-drawn carriage, heading toward Lortell's palace. The road was quiet, and the soft sound of the horses' hooves hitting the ground was strangely comforting.

By the time they reached the palace, it was already around 9 PM. The party had started.

As soon as they stepped inside the grand gates, Esdeath's eyes widened a little. The whole palace was glowing with light—it was so bright it didn't even feel like night anymore. The golden chandeliers sparkled like stars, and soft music played in the background.

There weren't too many guests, but the ones who came were all dressed in fine clothes. Almost everyone held a glass of champagne, taking gentle sips while chatting politely. It was hard to tell who was rich or who was important—everyone acted so elegant and calm.

Esdeath saw Nyx spot some of his colleagues. He gave her a small nod and walked away to join them, talking and laughing like they hadn't seen each other in years.

Esdeath looked around the huge hall and saw some familiar faces. Even members of the Third Division were here. Verdes, as usual, was easy to find. He stood near a group of ladies, laughing and chatting like a show-off. He was even grabbing food from the buffet, even though it hadn't officially opened yet.

Just then, Charlotte leaned in and gently touched Esdeath's arm.

"Go ahead, find Lortell or talk to someone if you like. I'll be with your father," she said softly, then smiled at Selene. "Let's find some other kids for you to play with, okay?"

Selene nodded cheerfully and let go of her mother's hand as they walked away.

Esdeath sighed and folded her arms.

"Well, this turned boring pretty fast…" she muttered under her breath.

She turned around, scanning the room for Lortell.

But instead of finding her, she noticed something else.

All around the hall, especially the women, were whispering and sneaking glances in her direction. Whenever Esdeath's red eyes met theirs, they quickly looked away. Some even stepped back, as if afraid to be near her.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ah right… I forgot. Everyone here is racist!",

She quietly walked over to a small table near the corner and sat down. The seat was cold against her skin, but she didn't care. She crossed one leg over the other and leaned her chin on her hand, looking around like she wasn't bothered.

But with her sharp hearing, she could hear everything they were saying.

"Why is someone like her here? Who invited her?"

"My husband said she caused the disaster last week with her witchcraft!",

"I think she cursed me just by looking at me! I feel weird already!"

"Maybe I should leave before she turns us all into frogs..."

Esdeath didn't even flinch.

She slowly looked around the room, her red eyes scanning through the faces until they stopped. Lortell's older siblings had arrived.

Lortell was the middle child and had two younger brother and sister and two elder.

And right now, The elder one's were here.

A man and a woman. They looked quite similar to Lortell yet very different, both with silver hair that had a soft blue tint and sharp, bright blue eyes. Their presence gave off the same cold and proud feeling that Lortell had.

But not enough to match lortell.

And then, finally, it happened.

The air suddenly changed. Footsteps echoed through the hall.

Lortell Mariette had arrived.

Everyone turned their heads the moment she walked in. The music didn't stop, but the air around her felt heavy and commanding. Even though she was a woman, she gave off the aura of manlism.

She wore a perfectly tailored black blazer, with a high-collared inner shirt that hugged her slim body. Her matching black pants showed off her long legs, strong yet graceful. On her face were red gradient sunglasses, which should've looked silly at night—but with all the bright lights around, they somehow looked perfect.

Long, silver-white hair was tied into a high bun, with a few loose strands falling around her face, softening her harsh look just a little. Red diamond earrings sparkled on her ears, matching the small red hair tie.

She didn't look like a lady preparing for a ball.

She looked like a husband rather than a wife.