Chapter 83: Wrecking the Ball
All preparations were already complete. Now, there was only one thing left for me to do: infiltrate that ball and utterly demolish it.
The ball began with opening remarks from the hosts, Count Kailsen von Wolfgang and his wife. The count had black hair like Reina's, but his eyes were a different shade of green.
"Thank you all once again for gathering here. Please enjoy the ball tonight and return home safely. But try not to get too drunk, haha. May the glory of the West be with you."
Applause and cheers erupted from here and there. Having warmed up the atmosphere with light greetings and a joke, the count continued.
"And in fact, we have one more event prepared for tonight. It's about my daughter. We've just been informed that she has arrived, so she'll be coming straight to the ballroom. If anything unusual happens during the ball, please understand with your broad magnanimity."
He said that and lightly bowed his head.
Hmm. It seemed the carriage disguised as one from the Gail family—prepared by our cooperative servants—had arrived. And all the servants relaying the information were ones Alpren and Fromen had secured in advance. A perfect crime, truly.
Her introduction would happen soon, so I needed to prepare quickly. I exchanged a brief glance with the emcee, nodded to Alpren—who had taken the stage alongside the count and his wife—and then slipped away quietly.
I entered the waiting room, changed into the prepared uniform, stood before the full-length mirror to adjust my tie and straighten my clothes, then extended my hand forward.
With a tick, tick, "ice flowers" bloomed in the air, unleashing a frigid wind. A pocket dimension, as if encapsulating the depths of winter, materialized. From within, I drew the Spirit Wood Staff and gripped it firmly.
The item I'd obtained from the clear room in the Sufle episode: Blizzard Inventory.
Alright. Now, the real show was about to begin.
In a place like a long tunnel,
Reina stared silently ahead. She had no idea what lay in store.
But if things went south, she could just smash everything and break out. No problem.
Still, she chose to believe. Whatever outlandish, unforeseeable scheme he cooked up to rescue her—it would be something she could never even imagine.
The thought made her chuckle for some reason.
If... if he didn't come, she could unleash her full magic, wreck the place, and head back to the academy. Who could stop Salenium Academy's top second-year magic student?
She could explain later, and Ebnis Sub-Marquess would surely understand.
But doing that would get her disowned from House Wolfgang, losing her informants, funding, and backing—leaving her out on the streets.
"What would Adrian do with a useless me like that?"
The thought crossed her mind.
Would he discard her now that she was worthless? Or laugh it off, saying he'd been in the same boat?
Back then, the former. Now, the latter.
But if the current him chose the former... she might not be able to keep smiling like before.
"No, Reina. Don't think like that."
She wouldn't doubt him. In the mirror stood a woman so stunning it made her question if it was really her.
Yes, she would believe. If not her fiancé, then who in the world could she trust?
"Now, allow me to introduce her. The eldest daughter of House Wolfgang, future heir of the house, Reina von Wolfgang!"
At the announcer's call, Reina stepped forward.
She emerged from the tunnel-like entrance into the enormous ballroom. Everyone stared, gasping in admiration. Whispers of "How can she be so beautiful?" filled the air.
The count and his wife on stage beamed with pride.
It all annoyed her to no end, but Reina suppressed her anger and forced herself to speak.
"I am Reina von Wolfgang."
Amid the cheers, she moved to stand beside the count and his wife.
And then, the next introduction.
"Next! The most noble one here, heir to the West. Ebnis Rothschild de Repelheit, Sub-Marquess, has arrived!"
She emerged from the opposite tunnel. When Reina had appeared, there had been applause and cheers—but this was different. Golden dress. Hair swept up. As she walked the carpet, everyone bowed in sequence.
Even Count Kailsen and his wife bowed their heads.
Reina did the same. She couldn't possibly lift her gaze here.
At the academy, maybe—but not in this gathering. The right hand of the imperial family. A great house rivaling the throne. The legitimate heir of Repelheit, standing in for the disowned eldest.
Her sword at her waist swayed with her confident stride, and she took her prepared seat. Legs crossed, chin resting, she merely nodded lightly.
Only after the formalities could everyone raise their heads and converse.
"......She's beautiful every time I see her."
"......How can someone be so noble?"
No need to mind the noble ladies' chatter. Now, he would appear. The unwanted new marriage... and its partner...
"......It's not over yet. One more person."
The announcer spoke.
"Oh, that event Count Kailsen mentioned earlier?"
"Hehe, I wonder who it is."
But unlike the crowd's reactions, the announcer's face had drained of color. His voice trembled.
"Th-that......"
The clearly off-kilter announcer made everyone murmur. The kindly smiling Count Kailsen's expression twisted. And Ebnis, in the highest seat, fixed her gaze on him.
And then.
"F-finally, entering now is......"
Silence. Stillness. The ballroom fell quiet. Only the announcer's quavering voice echoed.
"Reina von Wolfgang's fiancé, the f-future Marquis of Repelheit, A-A-Adrian!"
"......What?"
And then. It shattered.
First confusion. Then suspicion. Then shock.
Murmurs spread like wildfire. Everyone stared at the tunnel, and someone emerged.
His attire was just a school uniform. In his hand, a single white staff.
Yet an overwhelming nobility enveloped the ballroom, subduing all present. His gait, the swing of his arm, the tap of the staff—every gaze, every motion proclaimed him the true "noble" here.
No one in the stunned ballroom could speak. Even Ebnis Sub-Marquess in the highest seat gaped in astonishment.
It wasn't just an uninvited guest. He was another Repelheit. And... her real fiancé.
"Ad...rian?"
"Reina, it suits you."
Seeing him appear out of nowhere and smile casually, Reina von Wolfgang felt the world crumbling.
This is insane. He's finally lost it? Does he want to chop off his own head? Some new suicide method?
That's what Ebnis thought.
How else could he pull something like this without going mad!
It wasn't about being invited. He was a commoner now! No matter his origins, he was cut off—useless to everyone!
And yet, here he was at a ball for western nobles only.
Ebnis immediately glanced at Reina. She looked clueless too. Meaning this was entirely that damn blood-relation's solo act.
"That lunatic......"
Nothing ever went smoothly with him. Ebnis gripped the armrest, about to stand.
If the guards grabbed him now, who knew what would happen. And Count Kailsen was already moving.
"Guards! What are you doing? Seize that intruder and drag him here at once!"
Roaring with a flushed face, he bellowed. Guards throughout the ballroom raised spears and charged.
But his face, standing on the carpet, showed no hint of agitation. No movement at all.
"What the hell is that guy thinking?!"
What to do? Should she intervene? She felt some nobles glancing her way.
No choice. If he died here...
Just as Ebnis moved to stand—
"Ur-urgent news! C-Count! Urgent report!"
The ballroom doors burst open. A servant rushed in, yelling, and dashed to the count.
Everyone frowned at the undignified servant, but none could hide their shock at his words.
"A-a-an imperial! The imperial family has arrived here!"
What? Imperial?
Imperial family?!
"What have you done......!"
But it was too late.
She's finally here.
"O-outside, the imperial carriage...... it's here, and when I looked inside, no one was there. Th-that....... Urk!"
The servant collapsed mid-report.
I clapped loudly enough for all to hear. Clap, clap, clap.
"Well delivered, nameless servant."
"......Adrian, you bastard! Do you even know where you are? Have you chosen death yourself?!"
Just as the furious Count Kailsen drew his cane—
Then it came. A resonant voice.
And then, from behind the tunnel I'd emerged from, she appeared.
A dazzling white dress. Silver hair swept up. Eyes gleaming ruby red, like embedded gems. Sword at her waist.
She's here.
I dropped to one knee and bowed my head.
"I pay homage to Her Supreme Highness, the Sixth Imperial Princess Lijelilias."
"I pay homage to the Sixth Imperial Princess Lijelilias!"
Everyone prostrated. Ebnis rose from the highest seat, stepped aside, and knelt.
"I pay homage to the Sixth Imperial Princess Lijelilias."
"Hm."
She nodded lightly and took the highest seat. Then gestured.
Seated in her dress, she drew her sword and plunged it into the floor before the high seat.
Bit over the top, isn't it?
"Your Highness, isn't that a tad excessive?"
"A fine sovereign knows the virtue of magnanimity."
Smiling, I passed through the prostrated crowd and stood alone beside the high seat.
The princess extended her hand forward.
The pale-faced Count Kailsen bowed his head.
"......Y-you mean... continue the ball...?"
He couldn't comprehend. You'd already wrecked it all—asking to restart?
At those words, everyone present knew.
This ball was utterly ruined. By one person alone.
The princess? No. She was just a figurehead for legitimacy.
"Adrian."
Turning, I saw my blood-kin standing at the same level, staring at me.
"......How long have you been planning this? Something like..."
"From the start."
I leaned on my staff and spoke—loud enough for all.
"From the moment Count Kailsen forcibly annulled my engagement to Reina."
The count's face shifted from red to blue.
Serves you right. Why make things so ugly?