Debutante Ball (5)
Time flew past noon and into the afternoon. Once the entertaining event(?) wrapped up, the nobles all bolted for the restaurant. The debutante ball's lunch was renowned for being mouthwateringly exquisite, tailored to the finicky palates of the young ladies.
"Sara."
"…"
"What should we do?"
Sara let out a sigh before replying. "Eat lunch… and wait for the afternoon schedule."
Worried for her, Dante asked, "Don't we need to head home?"
Sara bit her lip. "If we go home now… all our hard work up to this point will go down the drain."
"…"
"I'll see this debutante ball through, no matter what."
She had plenty she wanted to say, but Dante simply cheered his little sister on from within.
If there's something Sara wants to do—above all, I hope she succeeds. That was Dante's heartfelt wish.
"What about your dress?"
"…I was planning to change into a spare."
It wasn't nearly as pretty as the original, but far better than parading around in the torn and soiled one.
"Then let's hurry and get you into fresh clothes."
"Yeah."
Unlike the nobles sprinting toward the restaurant, Dante and Sara headed in the opposite direction.
No one spared Sara a glance. They had no desire to get tangled up in her mess.
…Lady Talain Raquelra, however, drew stares for an entirely different reason.
"You trash! Pathetic loser!"
Lady Raquelra was slapping her cousin's face while sobbing, utterly ignoring the young ladies stealing glances.
"You dare call yourself a knight after losing to a 15-year-old kid? You're no man! Weakling!"
Haa. Dante sighed and stepped in front of Lady Raquelra.
"You…!"
"That's enough, Lady Raquelra."
Dante extended his fingers, pointing firmly toward the exit.
She'd caused plenty of chaos already. Any more disruption could derail the ball itself.
And—Dante had entrusted the verdict to the princess.
The ball's mistress of ceremonies was the princess. Her punishment for Lady Raquelra would decide everything.
For the moment, with the event ongoing, it seemed no penalty yet.
"He bore dishonor in your stead. Even if the whole world condemns him, shouldn't you at least stand by his side?"
"W-what did you say?!"
"Don't insult a great warrior's honor any further."
"…!"
Lady Raquelra huffed indignantly before storming out the exit.
Knight trainees approached from a distance.
"Lord Dante Aision."
"Yes."
"Thank you for stepping in…"
Cadric Talius was still dazed, unable to fend off the self-inflicted humiliation.
It had been an awkward spot for fellow knights—third parties—to intervene… but Dante had, safeguarding Cadric's dignity.
The gesture stirred quiet waves in the young knights' hearts.
"What you said back there… it really hit home."
"Sir Cadric may have lost, but he fought to defend Lady Raquelra's honor, didn't he? And that spoiled brat doesn't even care…"
"Doesn't care? More like she couldn't be bothered. Arrogant wench."
The knights, clearly unimpressed with Lady Raquelra, each tossed in their two cents.
"Our thanks once more…"
At that moment, the knights snapped to rigid attention in alarm.
A high-ranking figure approached.
And that person was…
"You won thoroughly~ Dante Aision."
"Princess."
Princess Esilia drew near.
"You won the fight~ and the character test too."
"…"
"I loved it! When you win, might as well crush them completely~"
It was sound logic.
If you're going to win, do it decisively.
"Don't winners deserve fitting rewards? What do you say?"
"If it's praise from you, Princess, I'll accept anything gladly."
"Perfect~ Then!"
The princess hooked arms with Sara, who jolted and began trembling.
"Sara Aision."
"Y-yes…?! "
"Your outfit's a disaster. You can't join the afternoon schedule like that, right?"
"I-I was going to find a replacement dress…"
"No need!"
"…?"
"I'll give you one! A dress!"
Sara cried out in shock. "Y-you don't have to…!"
"It's a gift~ A gift."
The princess shot Dante a glance before adding, "You've earned the right to receive one from me."
"…"
"Follow me. Change clothes, and get that cheek healed by a healer~"
"Th-thank you…!"
As she brushed past, the princess whispered, "You were dashing today, Dante. I'll keep my promise, no doubt. Leave Lady Raquelra to me… fufu."
Dante watched Sara and the princess's retreating figures for a moment before turning away.
In the end, Sara didn't need to shop for a new dress.
The princess gifted her a dress as white as snow, its hem subtly adorned with blue shimmer—a dazzling gown that suited Sara's silver hair perfectly, making her look like a fairy from a storybook.
"Oh my."
"Lady Aision, that dress…!"
The young ladies' gazes locked onto Sara as she reappeared in her new attire.
A few admired her beauty purely, but most fixated on Princess Esilia standing beside her.
The princess is with Lady Sara Aision of Count Aision.
"Princess. Lady Aision."
"Ah! Come join us, Lady Lanias."
"…!"
The princess mingled effortlessly with the realm's highest noble daughters.
Sara trembled, searching for her brother… but
"Ah. I'm starving."
Dante had slipped off alone to savor the lunch buffet.
~Gonna devour it all~ How sweet is this lunch for the ladies? Time to find out!
While Dante indulged in the delectable lunch—
Sara got a brief taste of insider life(?). Quite forcibly, of course.
The afternoon schedule flew by in an instant.
Truth be told, it should've bored Dante more than the morning.
Morning had forced him into Sara's partner role for dances.
Afternoon was free time, so Sara ditched him(…) to mingle and befriend new faces on her own.
As the ladies buzzed with social conquests and ha-ha-ho-ho laughter—
The men, dragged to the hall as escorts, killed time chatting with age-similar peers.
Most wore the same expression: ~Wanna go home~
At least a lady-vs-lady catfight would've spiked some dopamine. But after the morning's explosive clash, no one dared provoke another.
One skirmish might slide, but a second? The princess would step in and end the culprits(…).
"Fine show you put on, Dante Aision."
Dante had little else to do but idle chatter with the restless men.
Though plenty approached him.
"Quite the unconventional victory."
"Just luck."
"Preemptive poison, perhaps?"
Spot on. But with no reason or desire to confess, Dante deflected vaguely.
"Simple magic."
"Hmm… magic, eh? I'm versed in it myself, but I can't say your method matches what I know…"
Business cards piled up before Dante: knight captains~, magic academy instructors~, heads of magic research societies~
Ladies' debutante ball meant their escorts were no small fries.
Dante collected them mechanically.
"Thank you."
"Hit us up later!"
Most pitched future collaborations.
A 15-year-old boy like him? Academy material, or knight order mage support. Endless potential either way.
But…
Academy's not for me.
Dante had zero interest in classroom studies.
He was a bug tamer. Did the academy even have a bug magic professor? And would they outshine Teacher Kracto?
Arrogant notion, perhaps—but Dante might already rank among Cortkus's elite bug tamers.
Like placing third in a school of ten students.
That vibe, anyway… His bug magic was top-tier.
And Teacher Kracto had said:
[For bug tamers, what matters is the bugs you command.]
Rarer bugs meant higher value.
Sitting in lectures all day wouldn't conjure special insects.
So Dante figured: Wouldn't wandering the continent hone his skills better?
"And with that."
Chats with the men, opening performances, closing dances—before long, the debutante ball curtain fell.
"This concludes all events."
Clap clap clap clap!
The beaming girls applauded.
For most, today would etch an unforgettable memory into their lives.
Their first grand step into society.
"Brother-!"
Dante couldn't help smirking at Sara's beaming face as she rushed over.
Chaos midway aside, she'd had fun.
That was enough.
Yeah.
"Let's go home!"
"Sure."
Dinner was at the restaurant Shabrilla had reserved.
Sara and Charlotte chattered nonstop, competitively recounting every ball mishap.
"And get this, she was all~"
"Oh my oh my, I saw that too~!"
"No way?! Wow! So I told her~"
Blah blah blah.
Girls.
Only Sara, Charlotte, and Shabrilla were hyped.
Dante focused on his meal.
This steak's divine. Sauce so rich, meat perfectly chewy. Perfection.
Romance fantasy world or whatever—this grub hit the spot.
"Dante Aision."
"Yes?"
Shabrilla smiled warmly. "You did wonderfully today."
Layers to those words.
Thanks for escorting Sara.
And safeguarding her honor.
"An event I'd rather never repeat."
"When Valentina debuts, you'll escort her too, right, brother?!"
"…Are you even listening, Sara?"
Shabrilla chuckled. "I'm jealous. I wish I'd had a big brother like you."
They made it home at a decent hour. What a long day.
Sara showered, slipped into pajamas, and immediately face-planted on the sofa.
"Aaah~ Nothing beats home~"
"…"
Was this the same girl who'd been hoho-ha-ha-ing in her gown?
As Dante eyed her, Sara mumbled into her pillow.
"Brother."
"Yeah?"
"You said even cockroaches don't scare you, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"…Nah. Forget it."
Random question.
Then Sara murmured, "Thanks."
Soft and shy.
"For everything today… every single thing. Thanks, brother."
Dante grinned. "Why not express that gratitude materially, little sis?"
"Pfft, you can't put feelings into stuff~! I'm just so grateful today~!"
"So, materially…"
"Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!"
Dante sighed from the depths of his chest.
No ROI on this one! Family, huh.
…Family, huh.
Not bad.
Her cheeky one-word thanks wasn't the most satisfying, but…
Really, not bad at all.