MT – 100 Dance

Sighing collectively, the young ladies all turned and headed towards their respective elders.

After pulling Roy aside, Eris, with a serious expression, addressed him. "You need to help me later."

Roy smiled, giving his chest a casual pat. "No problem. Today's your tenth birthday. I wouldn't let you embarrass yourself."

Eris nodded in satisfaction, then glanced around at the onlookers. After a moment's thought, she added, "Stay by my side later."

Roy's expression was a bit odd. He really wanted to ask, Are you sure you want to do this?

However, seeing the slight nervousness in her demeanor, he simply nodded in resignation. After all, she was just a little girl. It was natural for her to feel uneasy about these things.

The ball soon began, with Sauros standing in the center of the room, his strong build and fierce expression making him the obvious focal point. Phillip and his wife stood beside him. Sauros, with his crimson eyes, surveyed the crowd and boomed, "Thank you all for attending my granddaughter Eris's tenth birthday!"

He then pushed Eris forward, continuing loudly, "Now, in the name of Sauros, I declare this ball officially started!"

The nobles in the crowd exchanged glances, and applause rang out, filling the air with excitement.

The ball didn't dive straight into the main event; there was a period of transition. During this time, those who didn't hold high status among the nobility tried to curry favor with the Greyrat family.

Meanwhile, Phillip and his wife handled the numerous middle-tier and low-tier nobles trying to cozy up to them with finesse, expertly deflecting any overt advances. As time passed, it seemed like no one could find a chance to get close to them. A few attempted to approach Sauros directly, but had to face his booming voice and unreasonable demeanor, forcing them to flee in embarrassment.

For those who had failed, their only hope now lay with the star of the evening, Eris.

Eris, with no experience and perhaps no real understanding of these matters, had become the prime target of attention, her youth and innocence making her a prime candidate for the nobles' schemes.

Facing all these nobles, who smiled outwardly but hid their true intentions, Eris couldn't bring herself to turn them away.

As a result, she had become nothing more than an unfeeling messenger, passed from one noble to another. Some brought young men, presumably well-born, to introduce their sons to her.

But the young men were far from impressive.

With bodies that were slightly overweight due to a lack of exercise, none of them caught Eris's eye.

Still, she remained expressionless, coldly replying to each one. Roy, observing from the side, could tell that if today weren't so formal, Eris would surely have snapped.

But the Eris before him now seemed to have lost the straightforwardness she once had.

As planned, Eris was supposed to stand at the center of the room and accept dance invitations from others.

Sauros, with his deep voice, addressed the crowd. "Now, those who wish to gain favor with this old man, come and dance with my granddaughter!"

Sauros was always blunt in his speech, and Roy wasn't surprised. Some of the senior nobles looked at their younger counterparts and said, "Go try your luck."

At that moment, a well-dressed young boy, around twelve or thirteen, walked forward. He was more elegant than most of the young nobility, with a balanced, somewhat handsome frame.

He bowed slightly to Eris and said, "Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of dancing with you?"

Eris's crimson eyes swept over him as she nodded stiffly.

Roy, shaking the glass of wine in his hand, watched Eris's calm demeanor and commented with a smile, "Unexpectedly calm. I thought she'd be nervous."

He took a small sip of the sweet, low-alcohol wine, enjoying its taste. It was a type of grape wine that was light enough to be enjoyed like a casual beverage.

But then, he realized something. Where is Rudeus?

Roy scanned the room and eventually spotted a sneaky figure in the corner.

Rudeus was talking to a young girl, likely around ten years old. Judging by her attire, she seemed to be from a noble family, though not of the highest rank. Her daughter, however, was quite pretty, definitely above average.

Roy only glanced briefly at them, feeling the soothing music around him. For once, he didn't feel the need to keep an eye on Rudeus.

Let him enjoy himself for once, Roy thought, turning his attention back to Eris.

The music began, a simple dance meant for children, and as long as she followed the steps practiced beforehand, it should be fine.

But the moment the music started, Eris displayed a clear, stiff motion.

Roy raised an eyebrow. Is she still nervous?

Her calm expression seemed to be a facade, her face betraying no sign of the anxiety that was clearly present.

At this rate, it wasn't just about whether she could dance well.

Eris's dance was, at best, passable. But the moment she grew tense, her steps began to speed up unconsciously.

Naturally, the result was predictable. Their steps were out of sync. Eris stepped on her partner's foot, and he, caught off guard by her clumsy movements, stumbled and fell to the ground.

For a moment, the living room was plunged into a dead silence.

Rudeus, sensing the shift in atmosphere, followed everyone's gaze and looked toward Eris. What he saw was the awkward scene unfolding before him.

The young nobleman stood up, forcing a strained smile as he bowed slightly to Eris. Without saying a word, he quietly withdrew.

Though he didn't speak, murmurs began to ripple through the crowd, and the whispers seemed to mock Eris with every passing second.

Eris, bewildered, scanned the room. Did I just mess up?

The thought lingered in her mind, and instinctively, she turned her gaze toward Roy, unsure of how to handle the situation.

But the space next to her, where Roy had been standing, was now empty.

She rose from the floor, brushing off the hem of her gown, holding back the urge to run. The voices around her grew louder, and though she couldn't make out every word, the meaning was clear.

It was something like, Is this the direct descendant of the Greyrat family? How embarrassing, she can't even dance properly.

Sauros's expression darkened. He surveyed the room, and the previously bustling noise instantly faded to silence.

Just as Sauros was about to speak, he noticed that Roy had somehow already appeared beside Eris.

Roy, with a tone laced with mild exasperation, whispered, "I told you, there's no need to be nervous."

With golden hair tied neatly behind him, the exceptionally handsome young man stood at the center of the stage. He extended a hand to Eris and said, "Then, beautiful lady, may I have the honor of a dance?"

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable elegance.

Eris stared at Roy, her eyes unfocused.

The light around them illuminated Roy, making him the undeniable focal point of the room.

Eris fell silent as she looked at Roy's outstretched hand. Just moments ago, that hand had held hers, delicate yet strong.

It felt like salvation, and she instinctively grasped Roy's hand.

"I would be delighted."

Eris gently took his hand, a sincere smile blossoming on her face.

It was a smile that could rival the gentle spring breeze of April. Roy had never seen Eris smile like this, and for a moment, he was completely mesmerized.

The soothing music resumed, and Roy began to lead her in the dance, guiding her steps as they swirled together.

Dance, by nature, is an elegant expression, a way to display grace through movement.

Eris's initial tension began to fade, her body and mind gradually settling into the rhythm.

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, seeing Roy's face made her feel inexplicably at ease. Even though she had been flustered the day before, today, with him by her side, everything seemed to fall into place.

It was as though, with him around, everything could be solved effortlessly.

The dance ended far too quickly.

In those brief five minutes, it felt as if Eris had come to understand Roy in a completely new way.

The surrounding nobles were stunned into silence. It wasn't clear who started, but soon, applause filled the air, loud and fervent.

Roy glanced down, spotting his little brother, who was clapping the loudest. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

They say you raise a younger brother for a thousand days, just to use him for a moment—seems like all that effort wasn't wasted.

Sauros's rough voice boomed. "Not bad! You're much more to my liking than that Paul kid."

Roy's mouth twitched. Why does he always bring up Paul?

Roy smiled and gave a slight bow, feigning modesty. "Eris danced wonderfully."

He gently pushed Eris forward, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "Have fun."

With that, he gracefully withdrew.

As the saying goes, Once the deed is done, leave quietly and let the credit remain unspoken.

That was the essence of someone like Roy—an outstanding young man.

Rudeus, applauding enthusiastically below, cheered even louder when he saw Roy approach.

Roy, with a mock frown, muttered, "Alright, that's enough."

Unbothered, Rudeus grinned and shouted, "Big Brother Roy, you're even more handsome now!"

Roy nodded in satisfaction, giving Rudeus a look of appreciation before lightly tapping his forehead.

Rudeus grinned, and Roy said, "Go have fun, but remember, don't go as overboard as Paul did.

Rudeus's eyes lit up as he received his older brother's approval. With a broad grin, he gave Roy a thumbs-up.

Roy twitched the corner of his mouth but chose to ignore Rudeus, turning his attention to the array of delicacies nearby.

Today, there were many rare dishes on offer.

Among them was a pie made from a mysterious sweet-sour fruit, a hearty meat dish prepared using an entire cow, and exquisitely decorated cakes, among others.

Roy paid no attention to the nobles approaching him. He took a knife and fork, and with practiced ease, began eating.

Ever since his blood had merged with that of a dragon, Roy's appetite had grown remarkably. The amount of food before him was barely enough to satisfy him—he often found himself eating just enough to feel full. Today, however, with such a bounty in front of him, Roy wasted no time, shoveling food into his mouth with abandon.

The food from this world was surprisingly delicious. Tender, flavorful meat filled his mouth with an intoxicating taste with each bite.

Sipping on the wine in his glass, he felt an immense sense of ease.

As Roy indulged in his meal, the nobles who had approached in an attempt to get close were left standing awkwardly nearby.

Once Roy finished the last piece of food on his plate, they rushed forward, eager to speak with him.

But Roy met them with a cold, unwavering stare.

His golden eyes reflected their figures as he said, "Did no one tell you? It's highly impolite to disturb a noble while they're eating."

With that, Roy released an aura that radiated dominance.

The small nobles, who had hoped to gain favor from the Greyrat family, quickly bowed their heads and apologized, retreating with their tails between their legs.

Some of the nobles, disgruntled by Roy's arrogance, murmured among themselves, but none dared to push the matter further. In an instant, the cluster of nobles that had surrounded him dispersed.

Now, with the buzz of conversation gone, Roy smiled and brought over a steak from a nearby table.

But a pair of eyes was still fixed on him.

Roy furrowed his brows and followed the gaze, only to find it coming from Ghislaine.

Ghislaine, standing at the door, was tasked with the role of bodyguard. As such, she wasn't allowed to partake in the food. Instead, she stood at the entrance, eyeing the dishes on the table longingly.

Though she didn't show any overt signs of desire, a drop of saliva betrayed her longing.

Roy fell silent for a moment. He grabbed a beast's leg from his plate—he couldn't quite tell what kind of meat it was—and waved it slightly in the air. Ghislaine's gaze followed the movement of his hand.

Sighing, Roy called over a cat-eared maid who had been sneaking glances at him.

The maid, startled by the call, hurried over, her face flushed with a hint of embarrassment. She tilted her neck slightly, revealing her fair skin, but Roy only spared her a brief, indifferent glance before speaking coolly.

"Pack up this food and deliver it to my room."

Though guards and servants would later be allowed to have meals slightly more luxurious than usual, they wouldn't get to experience these particular dishes.

The maid, once filled with enthusiasm, now seemed deflated. She nodded and began gathering the food from the table.

When Roy had finished his meal, the table was nearly cleared. He sat back in his chair, lazily patting his stomach.

Looking up at the ceiling, he sighed contentedly, "Not bad."

***

Hi guys! Elena here, hope you're all in good health.

We wanted to let you know that we are currently working on a great new project, if you are interested in checking it out feel free to visit.

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[Bleach: Love and Bonds Make Me Stronger!]

Synopsis:

Falling into a rabbit hole called the Soul Society is bad enough.

But do you know what's even worse than that?

Landing in a Soul Society where the very concept of the Gotei 13 doesn't even exist yet!

Armed with shattered fragments of meta-knowledge, Makoto struggles to survive in the Rukongai amidst human-shaped monsters.

But even after throwing everything he's got into the fight, staying alive in a world where the Soul Society's Most Diabolical Criminal still roams free is nothing short of impossible.

Fortunately, it seems the gods might have heard his suffering, on the brink of death, his cheat finally awakens!

[Love and Bonds System!]

As long as he builds relationships be it romance or friendship with every character around him, his strength will grow.

Simple, right?

But…

[Unohana-mama, can you give me some of your milk?]

[Bald old man, you're lucky to face just 1% of my power, otherwise, you'd be split in half and dead!]

[Saito-chan, could you sit on my face? Please!]

[Aizen-kun, you might be good at manipulation, but that brain of yours is still only 3% of mine!]

[Yhwach, if you can see every possible future, can you see one where you become a Magical Girl?]

Why the fuck this system have a foul mouth that only drags him toward death instead of fostering love and bonds?