Chapter 31: Ball(2)
Walking out of the castle, Ava and Miriam stood in front of a lake that glimmered in the night sky, the stars had started to peek out of the curtain of the skies and added to the beauty of the environment.
Staring at the skies for a while, Ava questioned, "What was the meaning of that back there?".
Miriam averted her gaze from Miriam’s questioning stare, and lowered her head in shame.
Not expecting Miriam to answer, Ava continued, "That was reckless, dangerous and very stupid".
Miriam bit her lip lightly and muttered under her breath, "I didn’t mean to".
Sighing deeply, Ava crouched and swirled the pond with her finger, "I don’t blame you completely, you’re still young and don’t have a good grip on your emotions, but using soul severance on your best friend— and in public for that matter, not considering the fact that it could kill her and bring unnecessary issues along with that....is a wrong move, to say the least".
Miriam felt a pang of guilt as she recalled her actions and listened to her sister’s lecture.
"....Sorry".
"Haaa....I could never be mad at you".
Standing and pulling her little sister in her embrace, Ava pat her head for a while as she stared into the distance with a contemplative expression.
Pulling out of her embrace with a meek smile, Miriam probed,"H–how did you know, I was...about to use soul severance?".
With a warm smile on her face, Ava replied, "I’ve been using it for so long, it’d be a disgrace if I couldn’t sense when someone was using the skill".
"That being said, I’m sure Oliver and our parents probably sensed it, but they were probably too busy to tend to it".
"...Or they’re just too lazy and sent me to settle it". She continued with a disgruntled expression.
"Oliver must’ve been really busy since he didn’t come to see whose family he’d be destroying". Ava teased
Letting out a laugh, Ava and Miriam walked into the heavily illuminated mansion just in time for the announcement.
A man of average height, with brown hair and unremarkable eyes, stood atop the podium as the guests tuned their heads to him in preparation for the announcement.
Eventually, silence descended over the grand hall and the host took the chance to begin his announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention. We are gathered tonight thanks to the gracious invitation of His Majesty, King Matthew Belvedan. It is my pleasure to present His Majesty, along with Her Majesty the Queen and their family, who join us this evening. Please, let us welcome them warmly."
From the upper staircase of the grand hall, the royal family came into view, and the hall burst into applause as the king at last made his appearance.
The king was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair streaked with silver, a neatly trimmed beard framing his strong jaw. His crown rested easily above sharp eyes and a weathered face that bore the lines of age and rule.
With a smile on his face, he addressed the people below, "Thank you for honoring my request to gather here today, despite your busy schedules. It warms my heart that I have such good citizens".
Some of the lower ranked families nodded with smiles on thier faces, while those who were in true power, knew what ruthless and sinister schemes lay behind that friendly smile of his.
After sharing a few more words, the king sat on his throne, and his family followed suit and sat right next to him accordingly.
The ball went back to normal, friends and families began talking to each other once more, a few others went back to their tables and drank the exquisite wines served, while some just danced to the exquisite music played.
But in a corner of the room, a slightly concealed table was currently occupied by two figures who’s figures couldn’t be made out, and they were speaking unnaturally softly— as if afraid to alert the oblivious guests.
The first figure spoke, "Shit, that blood hound is here, we won’t have a chance to eliminate any potential targets at this rate".
Placing one of his hands on his forehead, the second figure followed up, "I told you we should’ve attacked and took our chances with the two daughters of the Rothschilds".
The first jolted in surprise as he rejected flatly with an anxious tone, "Are you crazy?, we might be desperate, but I’m not desperate enough to go against the soul demon AND her crazy little sister at the same time!".
"And even if we manage to capture or kill them, how can you be sure that madman Oliver hasn’t left something on the two sisters just in case?"
The second turned silent as he listened to the valid reasons posed by his colleague.
"That was a dumb idea, huh". He asked as he scratched the back of his head.
"You think?!"
After a few more minutes of debating on whether or not to leave, the two figures eventually decided to leave without the notice of anyone.
Managing to escape the senses of battle hardened warriors and extremely powerful heads of families, the two figures melted into the shadows and dissapeared.
....
Ava and Miriam sat at a table close to them and picked up where they left off.
"Say, sis don’t you have anyone that you could call special?"
Ava chuckled softly , before swirling her drink and answering, "Love, is only a hindrance to me, and you know how much I hate hinderances".
"But, I’m not completely against the idea, if I could find a man who’s goals are similar to mine, then sure, I’ll be open". Ava added.
Miriam nodded and took a sip of her drink, "Where’s Oliver?". She asked
"I’m sure he’s asking some poor fellow for a duel". Ava shrugged.
"He’s not that much of a battle junkie....is he?".
"Oh, you’d be surprised". Ava smiled knowingly.
While having a light banter with her sister, in honor of her big brother, she sighted a figure in the upper staircase of the hall from the corner of her eyes.
Turning her head to take a good look at his features, she asked curiously, "Big sis".
"What is it?". Ava answered.
"That kid...". She gestured
Ava’s eyes followed her hand and landed on a blue–haired man with calm yellow eyes, that examined the crowd.
Her eyebrows raised in undisguised surprise as she quickly smacked Miriam’s pointing hand lightly.
"Ouch!, what was that for?". Miriam pouted.
Ava answered with a hushed voice, "You don’t point at the royals... especially him..".
Miriam’s eyes glimmered in curiosity as she crouched her head to listen to her sister, "Is he dangerous?".
"Dangerous is an understatement, if Oliver were to have a fight against him, he would lose everytime". Ava answered seriously.
Miriam couldn’t hide her shock as she replied, "Big bro is an SS rank, so does that mean..."
Ava shook her head, "No, he’s not an SSS ranked individual...they haven’t been seen ever since the first domination".
Miriam nodded solemnly and probed, "Do he’s an SS rank, like Oliver then".
Ava shook her head once more, earning a look of shock on the face of Miriam.
"Don’t tell me..." She muttered incredulously.
"He’s only S rank..". Ava answered.
"Then how come he’s going to defeat Oliver if they ever duel?!". Miriam asked, completely in shock.
".....Do you remember the first Crimson Blade attack?". Ava questioned
"Yeah, dad always talked about it when we were kids, it was one of the most dangerous times in the empire and what the Belvedans used to their advantage to rule".
"Well, what if I tell you that it wasn’t the king who caught the head at the time". Ava interjected.
With a look of confusion on her face, Miriam responded, "Then who...it can’t be..".
A look of bewilderment washed all over her face as the realization dawned on her.
"He single handedly stabilized the economy of the empire, captured and brought down the organization– with help from the other families that is, and all this was when he was A ranked".
Miriam didn’t say anything for a while as she tried to match the face of the innocent looking boy –. who didn’t even look like he was past his twenties, to the spectacular picture that was being painted by Ava.
If it was anyone else saying all this, Miriam wouldn’t have wasted her time by thinking it was true and would have even executed such person for the blatant lies.
But this person was her sister, someone who she could entrust her life to anytime, and knowing that she could never lie to her without a good reason, she had no choice but to believe.
Sorting out her thoughts, Miriam asked carefully, "....How did he do it?".
Ava placed her hand under her chin as she thought of how to explain it in the simplest way possible.
Seemingly coming up with a perfect explanation, she spoke, "He was smart".
"Smart?". Miriam repeated, confusedly.
"Just calling him smart makes him no different from strategists, his ability to judge situations and people within seconds, draw up a scenario in which said person would go and act according to his plans, is nothing short of terrifying"
"He has never made a mistake, or it’s more accurate to say he’s incapable of making one". Ava added.
"Isn’t all this praise a little too much?". Miriam asked confusedly.
Ava took a large gulp of her wine and responded with a light chortle, "It’s not even close".
Miriam was confused and she turned her head to the person they were speaking of.
"But if he was so capable, how come he’s still in S rank after all these years?". Miriam asked.
Ava sighed and answered, "He said it was too monotonous and that strength was the least of his problems".
"He used to say that...". Miriam muttered lowly.
"Who?". Ava asked with a teasing smile.
"N–no one?". She answered nervously as she averted her gaze.
"It’s that boy, isn’t it". Ava inquired.
"N–no, of course not". She answered sheepishly.
Ava sighed and said, "I’m sure you know you can’t be with someone like that".
Miriam’s expression turned sad as she was faced with the undeniable truth; the disparity in their statuses were like heaven and earth. One was the prized possession of one of the most powerful families, while the other was a boy toy from unknown origins.
"....I know, but he’s special...I can feel it". Miriam muttered.
"Special or not, how well he performs in the tournament will decide". Ava answered.
After a few hours of talking about some other plot – unworthy stuff, they stood up from the table and walked to where their parents stood in preparation for their exit.
"Where’s Oliver?". Luke asked as Astoria straightened his collar .
"He’s probably fighting with one of his battle junkies". Ava replied.
Sighing lightly, Luke answered, "Well, I’m sure he can find his way back home, come on, let’s go". He gestured.
Walking calmly to the carriage that awaited them amidst others, Miriam spotted the blue haired man once more, sitting at the location where she and Ava were previously, with a melancholic look on his face.
’I guess even geniuses have it rough too’. She thought.
Entering the carriage, Miriam immediately fell asleep as different thoughts passed through her mind.
Luckily, nothing noteworthy happened during the gathering, but if it did, it would either be too small to be of notice or too catastrophic to be ignored.
This Chapter ruined movie night for me 🙄