The Prince's Decree
The opulent interior of the banquet hall was filled with splendor. In one corner, the one grinding his teeth... was me.
When the dance time arrived, my girlfriend Chloe began dancing with the Kyle she had brought as her partner, holding hands.
Following the changing melody, Kyle led Chloe's hand with a certain solemnity. Chloe's bright smile and Kyle's somewhat naive demeanor created a sense of unease, reminiscent of a couple from a high school movie.
Soon, Chloe gave a wink to Kyle, who was extending his hand toward me. That wink was deadly in itself. To me... and to Kyle...
Did he know that his wink would stimulate the opposite sex? Was the gaze she was giving me meant to fill my Netorase wall, or was it because she saw Kyle as a romantic interest? I couldn't tell.
Watching this, my heart pounded and my blood surged. I wanted to immediately disrupt the event here and stop the banquet.
But as I watched Chloe and Kyle, the two of them, trying to sync their steps while dancing...
It suddenly evoked a strange image of a man and woman having sex somewhere, making my cock harden.
Chloe moved her thin ankles in rhythm with the music, stepping gracefully. Compared to her skill, Kyle was impatient. Despite his clumsiness, Kyle held Chloe's waist tightly with one hand.
It was like a boyfriend who hadn't inserted yet, impatient but trying not to forget foreplay.
Thinking this far, the urge to disrupt the banquet naturally faded.
Insane.
My brain must have been soaked in Netorase.
Honestly, that's true.
If anyone, it's me.
Admit it.
Admit it, and now enjoy Chloe's appearance. Put your hand in your pants and rub your cock a little, no one here can discover you.
So, once...
Thud!!
I was about to try Netorase voyeurism for the first time, but I slipped.
Kyle, who tangled with Chloe's steps, fell. Chloe, skilled in dance, immediately stepped to avoid falling, but Kyle sprawled flat in the center.
Even if etiquette in the banquet is learned somehow, one can't learn dance in a short time.
But it was too big a humiliation to just overlook.
The music that had been filling the banquet hall stopped. The men and women who had been stepping froze, gathering around the fallen Kyle.
Soon, the students whispered.
"Ultimately, the Argentwood family's daughter caused an accident..."
"Why did you bring such a commoner— tsk tsk!"
"Even ranking last in the academy's grades?"
"The eldest son of the Argentwood family is responsible, but Chloe is completely different..."
"Prince's expression isn't good either. To ruin the banquet atmosphere like this, you've really messed up."
The students' whispers were so blatant that they could be heard by Chloe and Kyle, who caused the accident.
Kyle, with a panicked face. When he didn't snap out of it, Chloe reached out to him.
And Chloe said boldly, loud enough for the whispering students to hear.
"Kyle. It's okay. Grab this hand and stand up!"
Kyle grabbed Chloe's hand and stood up. His cheeks and ears were bright red. When Kyle stood, Chloe leaned close to Kyle and whispered.
"Kyle. Go directly to the prince and ask him to resume the dance. The prince's expression is really bad, it's better not to end it like this. In the banquet, the one who made the mistake should fix it, right?"
"Uh, yeah... I'll do that. Chloe. I'm really sorry..."
"No way- It's okay to make mistakes. Those whispering people are weird, don't let it get to you!"
Kyle, encouraged by Chloe, pushed through the students surrounding him and approached the prince sitting in the high seat at the far end.
Kyle. For someone who ruined the banquet atmosphere, he recovered his mental state quickly. Looking at Vermouth's face now, he might have trouble asking what Chloe said.
Vermouth, with a gloomy expression as if clouds were on his face. No matter how much he shouted for equality saying not to call him prince in the academy...
One couldn't ignore the background of living his whole life in the imperial palace. After all, the blood flowing in his veins was from a different species.
The banquet in his life should have been a place of dignity and grace. When Kyle appeared here, it ruined the atmosphere, and then he caused an accident, so it was natural for Vermouth to be displeased with Kyle.
Kyle walked resolutely toward the gloomy prince Vermouth. Soon, he knelt on one knee in front of the prince and requested to resume the dance after showing etiquette.
Vermouth was silent. He stared at Kyle intently. Just that momentum would intimidate a normal student, but Kyle seemed to be holding up well.
After an uncomfortable silence, Vermouth opened his mouth to Kyle. In a small voice that other students couldn't hear.
However, I enhanced my hearing and could eavesdrop on Vermouth's words.
"Kyle. I don't like the atmosphere here right now..."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness."
"If you give me another chance, I can change the atmosphere?"
"Yes. I believe so."
What confidence was this based on?
It shouldn't be boasting weakly in front of the prince... I don't know if Kyle has good guts or if it's empty.
"Then Kyle, try it."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Kyle bowed his head and thanked Vermouth. After showing etiquette, Kyle stood up from his seat.
At that moment.
The prince opened his mouth.
In a voice that only Kyle could hear...
"Kyle. Remember this. I'll tell you the imperial family's saying."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"If you give your sword, the imperial family will become your shield."
!!!!!
The words that Vermouth spat out...
Were the imperial family's saying that came down from the imperial family, as he said. Those who inherit the blood of the royal family must uphold the saying.
I had heard it directly from the emperor when I dealt with the imperial family's troublesome matters in the past.
I thought he was quite flashy, but...
Hearing the imperial family's saying from the prince's mouth in this banquet hall... As past events came to mind, I felt a strange thrill.
However, that was it.
I hadn't found any particular meaning in the saying the emperor spat out after that.
It was just the thrill I felt when I heard the song from my childhood again.
But Kyle seemed to have a look as if he understood something. I understand.
When I first heard that saying from the emperor, I felt a strange exhilaration...
Who wouldn't feel pumped when someone at the top of the empire says such words with a solemn expression?
Yes. That's all.
But why say that to Kyle in this situation?
A situation where I couldn't quite understand.
Just let it go. Understanding the royal kids in the first place requires someone with a twisted mind.
Soon, Kyle came down to the center of the banquet hall and approached Chloe. After Kyle grabbed Chloe's hand and prepared to dance again, Vermouth resumed the music.
However...
I felt that peculiar uneasy atmosphere again from Kyle.
Instinctively, with maximum pressure on all senses, I sharpened my nerves toward Kyle. Soon, his lips moved and he muttered a specific word alone.
'Status Window'
Then...
Soon, his steps changed.
Light but disciplined...
The hand holding Chloe's waist became more relaxed. The actions that had been led by Chloe started leading Chloe instead.
Yes.
Kyle had used his own unique ability again. Absorb or copy. I don't know exactly, but something similar.
But I didn't know that Kyle could absorb Chloe's dance skill with that ability. A more versatile ability than I estimated. Infinite utility not only in combat but also in political situations.
The most chilling part was that I still hadn't accurately grasped the category of that ability.
My whole body was tingling. For the first time since entering this world, I felt a true competitive opponent.
Kyle.
Although he's much weaker than me now, if he uses that ability... I can't guarantee that I'll always be superior.
A competitive spirit toward Kyle sprouted in my heart. At the same time, a strange consciousness of being fellow creatures sprouted...
I don't know how it will flow now.
My planned Netorase romance.
It might become UF instead of WW...
Soon, Kyle and Chloe began to show a harmony that shook the banquet hall beyond common sense. A skill level that exceeded common sense.
If it was just good dancing, the students would have clapped and ended it.
However, the dance skill Kyle showed just before and the dance skill he's showing now are at a completely different level.
The students who were dancing to that performance stopped their actions and just stared blankly at Kyle and Chloe.
Ultimately, the resumed dance time became a solo stage for Kyle and Chloe, the two men and women.
When the melody ended, a drop of sweat fell from Kyle's chest to Chloe's cleavage.
The students who witnessed their dance had expressions of shock and jealousy mixed. Tobias Hartmann and Wolfgang Engel, who had provoked Kyle, were the same.
A moment of silence passed.
Chloe and Kyle, catching their breath with heavy breathing. In the silence, even their breaths synced.
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
Applause sounded from afar.
It was Prince Vermouth.
Vermouth stood from the high seat he was sitting on. He came forward to the banquet hall and opened his mouth.
With a dignified large voice.
"Give a round of applause to Kyle and Chloe, the two men and women who beautifully created the atmosphere of the banquet hall."
Some students who were dumbfounded followed Vermouth and tried to clap. Vermouth continued speaking.
"Although it is an academy, we must take the position of students. But now, I will speak as the prince of the Byront Empire."
"Students of the Byront Academy who will lead in prospering the empire, eliminating opposing forces that threaten the empire, and dealing with remaining demonic beast forces. I saw an ugly sight today."
"Even in this academy where skill should be prioritized over any group, there are many students who flaunt their high and low status."
"Those who laughed at Kyle when the banquet started. Can they still laugh now? Those who spent their lives learning etiquette, can you dance better than Kyle?"
"Today's appearance of Kyle made me reflect on myself. There have been many who unconsciously discriminated against commoner-born students despite the rule of not distinguishing by status in the academy. Even I, as a prince, have just overlooked it."
"But! From today, it will change. To raise the best of the empire, the Byront Academy must be corrected by me, the prince, moving first!"
"I vow here. If anyone in this academy tries to look down on someone or divide by status for any reason... even if that person is from a prominent family, I will never allow it."
Vermouth, who spat out the last words, disappeared through the back door of the banquet hall.
The Vermouth I knew, no, it was correct that I didn't know about him. He was thinking something completely different from what I expected. I had underestimated Vermouth too easily.
The speech he spat out was quite impressive to me as well. Other students seemed to feel the same.
There would be many who were dissatisfied with the prince's speech, but in any case, it left a strong impression on everyone. At least in the academy, they couldn't ignore the prince's declaration.
Soon after the prince's exit, some students started leaving their seats. I calmed my mind and observed Kyle and Chloe again.
For a moment, Kyle became the protagonist of this event. Chloe's gaze toward him was not ordinary.
Jealousy rose.
At the same time, excitement. The heat inside me boiling thickly. It was as if some thing mixed with lust and competitive spirit was writhing...
Is this correct?
I don't know...
As more people started leaving their seats, Kyle extended his hand to Chloe and said.
"Chloe Argentwood. I'll escort you to your room."
Chloe smiled at Kyle and replied.
"Hehe. Will you? Kyle?"
