Chapter 128
Brilliantly shining lights.
The melody of calm music.
The children, each dressed in suits and dresses, enjoyed the ball while moving around the wide hall.
We were in the middle of stepping into the bustling scenery.
A banquet that had quite formally taken shape.
As it was an event receiving much anticipation, it seemed the academy side had put in effort and preparation.
The fresh atmosphere naturally spread a smile on my lips.
"Huhu."
I gazed to the side.
Red eyes that happened to be looking this way. I smiled gently at the end of our meeting gazes.
Between my parted lips, I contained a bit of glibness.
It was about her attire.
"Come to think of it... I think it's the first time I've seen you in such attire."
"I usually like to dress comfortably."
"The dress suits you well too."
"Though I'm past the age to be pleased by flattery... I'll gratefully accept the sentiment at least."
"Oh my, I was sincere though."
Though the woman shook her head as if saying it was enough.
For me, it wasn't empty words at all.
Because there was deep charm in the adulthood she held.
A figure with curves difficult to look away from, a black dress maximizing her characteristically decadent beauty, cleavage revealed as if accentuating her ample size, and finally red pupils calmly deadened.
Her seductive appearance was drawing gazes from those around regardless of gender.
Especially the impressive middle and lower parts in various ways.
It was fortunate my eyes were narrowed.
I almost suffered embarrassment from dazed gazing.
I continued speaking while trying to maintain composure.
"Did you wrap up the work from the other day well?"
"Because I received help."
"I only processed basic documents though..."
"That was enough."
"I'm glad."
"Thanks to that, the schedule is relaxed. It seems I'll be able to get along until late."
"Those happy words naturally make me smile."
"More flattery?"
"I'm sincere this time too."
Light casual talk exchanged.
Though the woman maintained silence in awkwardness at first, she eventually went along when this side actively approached.
Playful laughter gently poked her dry expression.
An atmosphere gradually melting into each other.
We moved side by side.
I felt students' attention focusing from here and there.
It must mean she was that eye-catching beauty.
"Young Master...!"
"I wondered where you disappeared to, so you were over there."
As we walked towards the center of the hall, other voices were heard from nearby.
They were none other than the companions who couldn't come together.
It seemed they had all attended forming pairs with each other instead of finding new partners.
There was no rule that banquet participants had to be strictly male and female after all.
Regia and Irene.
Charlotte and Elise.
I heard Emilia who was left alone attended with her younger brother.
The girls' dress attire I was seeing for the first time was also new.
If they usually gave the impression of fresh children, now it was a feeling of maturity gradually blooming, should I say.
I stroked their heads in order.
"You all look good."
Children each reacting.
Pink, blue, platinum, red, and orange hair left words one by one in order.
The body heat touching my fingertips fully contained affection.
"Uuu... I'm not used to this attire, c-can I really wear such expensive clothes...?"
"It's not like I particularly wore this to show you..."
"Mm. Yuda looks good too."
"What's the use when I'm in a wheelchair anyway."
"...Dresses are certainly uncomfortable. But if you like it, I like it."
Especially.
The pilot of commoner origin and the fox who was from a beastkin tribe on the continent's frontier seemed to be more awkward than usual, perhaps uncomfortable in dresses.
Even such awkwardness was tender.
Was their purpose just to show their dress attire?
The children only gave brief greetings then turned away.
They said it wouldn't be fair to butt in... honestly I had no way of knowing what that meant.
I only remembered the rose and fox glaring fiercely at the drunkard.
Had some competition arisen?
Irene even whispered such words.
"Remember... you'll choose me in the end anyway."
A meaningful smile.
Seeing how she secretly even bit my earlobe lightly as she passed by, she seemed full of thoughts of eating her master.
I couldn't erase the feeling that she was ungrateful in various ways.
Anyway,
The girls who only briefly showed their faces then disappeared.
Selena spoke casually.
"They all had sticky gazes."
"Haha... I apologize on their behalf. There were some particularly sharp ones."
"I don't mind. It wasn't bothersome either."
"Thank you for understanding."
Fortunately an indifferent woman.
I was thinking of really focusing on the banquet from now on, but this time someone from the faculty side approached from the opposite direction.
It was none other than Professor Cardel who I had thoroughly trampled in the tournament.
He lightly greeted me.
The target of his greeting was Selena of course.
"An unexpected face. I didn't know you would participate in such an event."
"Professor Cardel."
"Someone who acted like they had no interest in the world... what wind blew you out of your research lab?"
"I'll say it's none of your business at all."
"You're still unpleasant."
"You're still petty."
"Ha."
The young man picked a fight without fail.
Didn't he get tired of it?
Though he had clearly been trampled last time, it seemed he couldn't hold back from taking the initiative recklessly.
I wondered if I should step in, but the woman stopped me.
It seemed she wanted to avoid needless emotional consumption.
"That leisure will end soon too."
"......"
"Because upheaval has approached right before our eyes."
A mutter barely audible.
Behind sentences I couldn't understand, Cardel smiled meaningfully.
It was a gaze full of ominousness in various ways.
"Student Yuda... let's meet separately next time. I have something to tell you personally."
Something to tell, he says.
Though it was uncomfortable, I nodded.
"I won't particularly avoid it."
"Good."
As if that was the end of what he had to say, the young man turned his back on us.
Along with one last word dropped.
"Then I hope you have an enjoyable time."
His back receded just like that.
The woman was staring at such an opponent with lifeless eyes.
Only heavy silence settled between her lips.
Was she about to fall into thought again?
Before her consciousness drifted away, I pulled our clasped hands and whispered.
I melted a bit of depth into my voice.
It was to draw her attention.
"Please focus."
"Student Yuda?"
"Didn't you say you'd get along? To look away from your partner, I couldn't be more disappointed."
"For a man who was surrounded by women until just now to say that... I think it's a somewhat unconvincing story."
"Is that so?"
I laughed out loud.
Our gazes crossing in midair soon fully faced each other.
"It doesn't matter either way."
Music flowing just then.
As if announcing the start of the full-fledged banquet, the melody originating from instruments gradually filled the hall.
The surrounding students melted into the scenery forming pairs with each other.
The dance continued softly.
The snake and drunkard moved their bodies too.
"I'll lead."
"As you wish."
The start was a calm song.
Narrowed distance.
The breath exhaled following that reached the other person, and the sweet body scent stickily brushed the tip of my nose.
Though reason became distant, the gap between the two narrowed even more.
To the extent that heart and heart seemed to touch at the end.
It felt like even the heartbeats would be shared as they were.
We took neat steps.
"......"
Children only fresh.
Was it because of the charm of adulthood that stuck out like a thorn among them?
As we continued dancing, I felt gazes gathering.
Most were admiration or lust.
We flowed without stopping.
Swish-.
A circular dance continuing with hands on waists.
The slow beat also gained speed.
The woman who had been following the movements continuously soon let out a word along with faint breath.
"As expected... dancing is difficult."
It was strange.
I had expected her to dance quite well, but looking at her movements, there was frequent wavering.
Perhaps because she was wearing shoes, it was a precarious balance.
Was it after a long time perhaps?
As she had repeatedly stated she disliked people several times, it seemed possible she had little experience with banquets themselves.
Her feet stepping on high heels gradually failed to keep up with the quickening tempo.
The woman's clumsy staggering steps.
I belatedly noticed and grabbed her waist but.
It was already too late.
"Ugh...!"
She sprained her ankle while trying to find her balance.
Selena almost fell over just like that.
Though she avoided such a situation thanks to this side catching her, we had to embrace each other to stand.
Body heat sticking stickily seeped in, unable to separate easily.
A groan was heard quietly.
Was she complaining of pain in her ankle?
It seemed continuing to dance with clumsy skill was quite arduous.
I grasped the situation while supporting her.
'Her ankle... seems properly sprained.'
We couldn't continue the banquet like this.
Treating the injured ankle took priority.
It seemed I needed to examine the exact condition.
As gazes were continuing to focus from around, I made the judgment that we should head outside the hall for now.
I asked the woman.
"Master."
"......"
"Can you walk alone?"
"...I'm sorry."
"No."
I shook my head.
It was this side that lacked consideration.
I had thought she would be skilled at dancing.
Let alone dancing, she didn't seem familiar with banquets, stuffy dresses, or high-heeled shoes.
As if encountering all of this for the first time.
"I'll take responsibility."
"What?"
I carefully supported the woman.
Afterwards I lifted her without particular hesitation. I placed her delicate body on my two arms just like that.
It was a pose commonly called 'princess carry' in the world.
Her red eyes that had always been indifferent opened wide for the first time.
It was an appearance of bewilderment.
"S-Student Yuda...?"
"Shh."
Selena rarely stumbled over her words.
I smiled as if saying not to say anything, and just like that silently moved my steps towards outside the hall.
The surrounding children were watching this side, even stopping their dances.
They all had interesting gazes.
"......"
"Excuse me for passing through."
Regardless.
I crossed the banquet.
Students' eyes followed.
Like that, until we completely left that space, the children were watching our backs.
The appearance of the snake carrying the drunkard and leaving.