Party (3)

Ten cloaked figures gathered in the heart of Eldoria, hidden within the shadows of a dimly lit room. Their faces were obscured, their voices low, as if the walls held secrets too dangerous to be spoken aloud.

"Is everything in place for tonight?" one of the shadowy figures asked, his voice dripping with malice.

"Yes," another replied, a sinister smile curling beneath their hood. "By the end of this night, our master's plan to control Princess Seraphina will come to fruition."

"No matter what happens, once we manage to infect her with the master's parasite, the demons will reward us generously," one who seemed to be the leader whispered, eyes gleaming with greed. "We'll live in luxury far from the Vampire Realm, just as the master promised."

—

Princess Seraphina and Elion moved gracefully through Eldoria's elegant corridors until they arrived at a grand, spacious hall with a polished marble podium. 

The atmosphere inside was alive with chatter, as over eight thousand students mingled beneath glittering chandeliers. A soft, enchanting melody played in the background, setting the perfect mood for the evening.

Seraphina turned to Elion, her silver hair cascading down her shoulders like silken waves, her crimson and black gown shimmering. "Won't you ask me for a dance?" she teased, her eyes gleaming.

Elion smiled, extending his hand. "Would you grant me the honor of a dance, Princess?"

Without hesitation, Seraphina took his hand, and they made their way to the dance floor. As they began to dance, the crowd around them seemed to fade into the background. 

Elion quickly matched Seraphina's graceful movements. Her steps were fluid, almost effortless, as if she were floating rather than moving. The folds of her gown twirled with each turn, the deep red fabric creating a striking contrast against her porcelain skin.

They twirled and spun in sync, their movements elegant and poised. 

As they glided across the floor, it was as if the world had shrunk down to just the two of them, the music, and the warmth of each other's presence. Every step, every movement felt like an unspoken conversation, one where neither of them had to say a word to understand the other. 

They soon stopped dancing and made their way to a table near the dance floor, with six chairs arranged neatly around it. As they sat down, a familiar voice called out to Elion.

"Hey, brother! I didn't know you could dance like that. And who's this beautiful lady?"

Elion immediately recognized the voice. He turned, only to find his sister, Valeria, standing there with a teasing smile on her face. Beside her was a boy he knew all too well, his expression one of surprise. 

"Valeria," Elion said, trying to hide his slight embarrassment, "This is Princess Seraphina."

Valeria's eyes widened with excitement as she glanced between her brother and Seraphina. Meanwhile, the boy next to her, still in shock, kept staring at Elion and the princess, clearly trying to process the scene before him.

The boy stepped forward and gave Princess Seraphina a respectful bow. "Good evening, Princess."

Seraphina acknowledged him with a nod, her tone warm but composed. "Good evening, Dorian. It's been quite some time. How are Duke Lucius and Lady Evelyn doing these days?" 

Dorian responded. "They're both well, thank you for asking. My father has been busy with affairs in Varzinhein." 

Seraphina smiled graciously. "That's good to hear."

After exchanging polite greetings, Dorian turned to Elion, who was wearing a sly grin.

"Elion! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it—escorting the Princess to the party? Half of the academy's students would be heartbroken seeing this. Less than a month at the academy, and you've already won her over. You really are a playboy."

Elion chuckled. "Oh, and look who's talking! Aren't you with my sister? I didn't think our two years of friendship were just a cover for you to swoop in and steal her from me."

Dorian's face flushed with embarrassment as he coughed awkwardly. "Cough—cough. I had no idea she was your sister at first. I just discovered this."

"No excuses, Dorian," Elion replied, feigning a dramatic, sad expression. "How could my own friend betray me like this? Truly, I have the worst brother in the world!" 

He placed a hand over his heart as if wounded, exaggerating his disappointment.

"Stop teasing, brother," Valeria cut in, rolling her eyes at Elion's dramatic performance. "Since when do you know Dorian?"

Elion dropped his playful act, chuckling as he answered, "Oh, I've known Dorian for two years now. We met during my travels before I came to the academy, sis." 

Valeria raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Two years?"

Elion shrugged, the smirk still lingering on his lips. "Oh, I've got plenty of stories to share about our dear Dorian—especially about his playboy tendencies. Quite a few noble ladies have already fallen for his charm…"

Dorian, now red with embarrassment, quickly interrupted, "Hey, don't make up lies!"

Valeria giggled, glancing at Dorian with amusement. "Is that true? Should I be worried?" 

Dorian waved his hands defensively, "No, no, those are just exaggerations, I swear!"

"Lies, is it?" Seraphina teased, her smile widening. "I remember quite a few noble ladies chasing after Sir Dorian when I visited Varzinhein."

At Seraphina's remark, Valeria's playful expression shifted, and she shot Dorian a sharp, accusing glare.

Dorian's face drained of color. "Princess, not you too!" he stammered. "I swear, I've never even kissed any of them!" 

Seraphina chuckled softly, watching Dorian squirm, while Valeria crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Is that so?" she asked, her voice laced with mock suspicion. 

"All right, let's stop teasing poor Dorian," Elion said with a grin. "Why don't you both join us?"

"Of course! It would be my pleasure to sit next to the Princess," Valeria chimed in, quickly taking a seat beside Seraphina, her eyes filled with admiration. "You're so beautiful, Princess. What could you possibly see in my idiotic brother?"

Seraphina chuckled at Valeria's antics, momentarily tempted to say, 'Should I mention that I love his blood?'

Instead, she gave a soft smile and replied, "He's a good guy. I also admire his determination to improve. The first time I saw him at the academy, he fainted from overtraining." 

Valeria shot a sharp glare at Elion. "Fainted? And how exactly did I not hear about this?"

Elion scratched the back of his head, trying to play it cool. "Oh, it was nothing serious. Just a little too much training, that's all."

"A little too much?" Seraphina chimed in, smirking. "He does that every day, actually"

Valeria's eyes narrowed even more. "Every day?"

Elion gave an awkward chuckle. "Okay, okay, maybe it was a bit more than nothing. But I'm fine! There is a reason for that, it's part of my training"

"Hehe, good brother. Wasn't passing out for days after the God's Temple trial enough for you?" Valeria asked, a frown creasing her brow.

"Sorry, Val. This kind of training is exactly what I need. I promise I'm not overdoing it," Elion replied, trying to reassure her.

"Don't worry," Seraphina chimed in. "Even if he does hurt himself, I'm always right there to heal him immediately after."

Dorian and Valeria exchanged incredulous looks, their expressions showing surprise.

"Are you using the Princess as your personal healer?" Dorian exclaimed. "If the king hears about this, he'll skin you alive!"

Elion's face went pale, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Seraphina swiftly interjected, "Oh, don't worry about that. It was my choice. I enjoy watching him train."

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a voice booming from the podium, addressing all the students gathered in the hall. 

"Good evening, my fellow classmates! I'm Evandro, a third-year student in the Mage Department and the vice-president of the student council. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for being here tonight. I'd like to take a moment to talk about an upcoming competition that's just around the corner," said Evandro, a handsome elf with blonde hair and blue eyes.

A link swiftly appeared on the large screen above Evandro, capturing everyone's attention. 

"Tonight, we'll be voting for the most beautiful woman and man among the first-year students. The winners will be crowned the queen and king of the ball. Please cast your votes within the next ten minutes!"

"Wait, a vote for the most beautiful woman and man? Is this a tradition that happens every year?" Elion asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. 

"As far as I know, it's not a usual event," Dorian replied, pondering. "This might be the first time they're doing it. Perhaps they want to try something new to engage the students."

"All right, let's just cast our votes and get it over with. Honestly, it doesn't really matter who wins," said Valeria.

The four of them cast their votes swiftly, and before long, the results appeared on the screen.

Man's winner – Dorian Blackthorn

Woman's winner - Seraphina Nightshade

"Please, Dorian and Seraphina, come to the podium!" Said Evandro, after announcing the winners.