The Ballroom's Wild Uproar
Somewhere in the ballroom, the whispers began. At several tables, the nobles gazing at the central floor had eyes filled with shock and contempt.
The sparkling marble floor under the glittering lights. Amid the sweet cascade of musical notes descending upon it.
━━♬♪━━♪♬♩━━♩━━!
In the heart of this grand ballroom, the pride of the Carbon Kingdom, pairs of dancers performed elegant, antique steps befitting their station...
What the hell is that━━a bizarre display of 'moves' so awkward it bordered on embarrassing.
This was a ballroom where even a slight misstep or a poorly finished turn would earn you flushed cheeks from the surrounding stares. A place where experts in dance and etiquette—the pinnacle of high society—subtly flaunted the grace and poise ingrained in their very bones.
━━Whoosh!
"Wahahaha━━!"
Two figures tossed such decorum to the dogs, putting on a show fit only for ten-year-olds. A hulking brute bigger than a bear swung a woman in shabby formalwear through the air this way and that. And she, like a child riding a horse for the first time, let out unfiltered squeals of delight.
...Utterly lacking dignity.
In a situation that would normally spark questions like 'Is that guy even human?' or 'How can you swing a person around like a broom?', the nobles' ire turned elsewhere.
...My face is burning just watching.
What the hell are those things?
Who the fuck is that prick?
What the shit are they doing?
Haa, embarrassing.
Unlike the masses, there were always those desperate to set themselves apart as the 'special elite.' Nobles from famous earldoms or mage houses sneered pitifully.
Look at their clothes.
Didn't the royals screen their guests?
Aren't those the ones who scarfed down food yesterday━?
Those country bumpkins?
Ah━I heard about them.
Wasn't it just a rumor? They actually showed up here acting like trash? Dripping sauce everywhere?
Outrageous━total hicks.
Sneers rippled out. Amid the dancers moving in perfect rows and columns, softly partitioned by the falling lights, these country yokels stood out like sore thumbs. Having deemed them far beneath their 'class' in attire and behavior, the nobles were about to launch into full gossip mode when—
"...Hehe."
A chuckle leaked from the golden table in the upper seats nearby, slipping into their ears. It was Princess Bella's.
At that signal of favor in her laugh, the nobles who'd been snickering at the 'hicks' dancing in the center shut their mouths in unison, glancing nervously. It was only natural.
The ball's most honored guest went without saying: Bella de Carbon. With heirs from every prestigious house—earls, dukes, barons—and warriors and scholars from across the eastern continent clamoring for her favor, it was common sense for rank-obsessed nobles to let her nearby actions dictate their survival strategy.
"Those two are quite entertaining."
At Bella's single remark, the nobles nearest the royal family flipped their expressions into grins.
"Exactly━so fresh and delightful, right?"
"Totally."
"I was getting sick of the same old dances. This really broadens the horizons."
"That dance... feels familiar somehow━."
"I heard about it at the academy. From some central continent tale, about minority tribes and kingdoms sacrificed between the Empire and the Continental Alliance!"
"Mystical tradition? Something like that?"
"Makes sense. It's a royal ball—they wouldn't invite people just for tacky outfits."
"There's something to them."
"How'd they even get people like that?"
"This is it—the chance to see cultures we never glimpse!"
"Aah━this is the true class of a ball━."
Hypocritical as hell, but her approving smile had them chiming in enthusiastically. And it spread to the side, then the side, then the side... The admiration infected the vast ballroom like wildfire, racing to the edges.
"As expected from a Carbon Kingdom event—always a cut above."
Blind to the fact that pro-wrestling maneuvers of insane difficulty were unfolding right before their eyes.
And━.
Nod.
Princess Bella, staring somewhere with an odd expression, subtly nodded her head—but no one noticed.
As the orchestra's piece wrapped up.
━━♬ ━━♩━━♪
Many pairs danced gracefully, but the attention of far more guests waiting for the next song fixated almost entirely on one duo.
"Come to think of it━."
The feverish interest in that beast-and-beauty pair, starting who-knows-where. Those who'd seen them up close seized the table's spotlight with their tales.
"I saw it. Yesterday waiting outside the inner palace, the Montella lady bullied that girl and got utterly humiliated."
"Oh! Heard about that? So that brute's the guy? The one who smashed the Montella elite guards single-handedly—"
"Shh! Don't blab! That guy's chumming it up with Sir Cron like it's nothing?"
"Where the hell'd they come from?"
"Hidden royalty somewhere? Or a recluse from deep in the continent who just emerged? Whatever it is, they've got something special, or they wouldn't be here looking like that."
"Y-yeah...?"
"Heard it was Luminis? Luminous? Something like that."
"Tsk. Rings a bell."
"Glanced earlier—that bulk gives off weird vibes next to Sir Cron and Sir Fabian."
"What? With Sir Fabian? Why?"
"Seemed like they were arguing over who dances with that lady first."
"Th-that much?"
"That's not the point."
Hans and Nadia, already the center of attention. Hans had no clue about the buzzing crowd, but one thing was clear.
Far more eyes than in the original novel's 'lady monopolizing attention' scene were pouring onto Nadia right now.
And 90% of that spotlight was on Hans...
.
.
.
"Hans! This is sooo much fun━━!"
"Mm... good..."
Nadia was thrilled.
This feeling's a first.
Letting yourself go with a partner feels this good! Enjoying the gale—verging on gale-force wind—that whipped her hair deliciously around her body.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh━!
As Nadia's beaming gaze turned to Hans amid her grins—
Suddenly, her eyes widened.
Again!
Hans' eyes sparkled like stars. No idea what he was thinking, but during their dances, his eyes had glittered just like this.
Come to think of it━.
Last time too. When he started 'training' with Uncle Drakan in front of the house, his eyes had sparkled so brightly it lifted everyone's mood.
And Nadia realized something.
Since arriving at the royal palace for this ball, she'd never seen that sparkle even once.
The capital, her first visit ever. In no time, she'd seen more people than in her whole life.
All sorts, sparkling like stars in their diversity.
But none like this.
Sparkle!
No eyes that shone this bright. No matter how flashy, handsome, cool, pretty, strong, noble, or elegant.
Does Hans... know?
Still soaring through the air, Nadia shook her head rapidly, thinking.
It's just because the ball hasn't been going long. She'd see it again soon.
This was a star-filled wonderland, plenty of sparkles to go around, right?
That was her conclusion.
Yeah. And... that handsome knight's waiting too, right?
But she was confused.
Thump.
About the source of this feeling. Was it dancing at the lifelong-dreamed royal ball? Her first real fun with someone? Making a cool friend? Securing a dance with the knight captain? Or... Hans' sparkling eyes?
"Hehehehehe!"
One thing was certain.
"Hehe! This ball is soo much fuuun━━!!!"
She was living a dream right now.
.
.
.
Gulp.
Cold sweat beaded on Cron's forehead. Despite watching Nadia's mood-lifting smile, his heart wouldn't settle.
Fuck.
When was the last time he'd felt this? Right before opening the door to the Minotaur's chamber in some labyrinthine dungeon?
One thing was sure.
Next is me?
Way too much pressure. Could he satisfy her with his dancing? After she'd already laughed like she'd conquered the world?
Hans, you mad bastard. Where'd you learn those insane moves━?
Beyond raw power, a man's pride as a male at a ball came down to dance. Drawing smiles from your partner—that was the ego many men here harbored.
And yet.
"Kyaaaaah━!"
How the hell do you top that......
Fabian felt the same pressure. Third in line for Nadia, but ever popular, he already had his next lady lined up. When was the last time he'd scheduled dances this far ahead?
Cron and Fabian. They'd instinctively sensed it.
...Hans.
Beyond mere strength, a 'man' they couldn't ignore had emerged on this eastern continent.
In a similar vein.
This time from a woman's perspective, someone watching Hans that way.
...What is he?
It was Karina. This glittering crystal ring proved the brute from the Monster Island subjugation—the one who'd left mana traces in the sky—was him.
But since arriving here, his vibe was━━
Doesn't seem like a bad guy...
Karina pondered. Even as her brows furrowed in conflict, an unexpected feeling bubbled up from deep within.
This could be fun...
Blame those two's goofy dance whirl.
It started innocent enough to make her snort, but now she was hooked, watching slack-jawed. Her heart had softened.
Not everyone, of course.
Unlike Cron and Fabian's healthy rivalry, or Karina's ambiguous fascination...
Malice began brewing in some.
Hans and Nadia, drowning in attention. As the music wound down on the central floor, two VIPs glared with jealousy-packed eyes.
Grind!