The Masquerade Ball
The path home was gently carpeted with the setting sun.
As I walked along the asphalt path bathed in warm orange light, the lively voices of students announcing the end of school rang out cheerfully.
Violet, with her elegant purple hair and striking beauty, walked slowly among the group.
"Huu."
She felt the same small happiness mixed with a faint weariness that only the path home could evoke—the feeling of a day ending without a hitch.
'It's been quite a while.'
As she glanced around, she realized she had grown used to this familiar sight.
The towering buildings, and herself now walking the path home in a different uniform from before, brought memories of the Great Demon Subjugation Academy flooding back.
The time that had passed in her life so far was minuscule, yet every event that had occurred remained deeply etched in her memory.
The first day: losing to Jeong Jojun in the ranking match and becoming the secretary.
Receiving an item worth billions from the hidden dungeon he had guided her to.
Winning the counter-match with a bizarre combo no one could have imagined.
Clink.
Arachne's pendant on her ear jingled with each step.
With that sound, Violet realized all these memories were tied to "that man."
'No way... no way.'
She shook her head vigorously to deny the hot surge rising in her chest.
Yes, that man was simply strange. She harbored no other thoughts.
Violet repeated this over and over in her mind and quickened her pace.
Before long, she reached the entrance of the Great Demon Subjugation Academy and unexpectedly spotted the man she had been thinking about.
Jeong Jojun leaned against the wall, arms folded in his pockets, waiting for someone.
Seeing him with a comfortable smile, leisurely basking in the pouring sunset, Violet couldn't help but startle.
'He's waiting for that woman, right.'
She turned her gaze away and muttered to herself.
The girl with swaying twin tails, cat-like in appearance: Alice.
'Yes, it's none of my business.'
Violet sped up, trying to leave the gate.
But.
Thud.
A gentle hand caught her arm, stopping her steps.
"Eh?"
She turned to see the owner and could only let out a dumbfounded sound.
"Violet, I have something to talk to you about."
Jeong Jojun's intense gaze fixed on her.
For some reason, his expression was different from his usual self.
A faint tension lingered on her always-confident cheeks, and her eyes twitched awkwardly.
"Wh-what is it?"
Violet stammered and straightened her posture.
"It's just that..."
The crimson sunlight filled the space between them.
The boy awkwardly scratching his cheek and the girl standing before him with a faint blush.
"Violet."
The boy called her name with sudden resolve.
'No way... impossible?'
Even as she thought it couldn't be, Violet recalled a possibility that had surfaced in her mind.
The path home thick with sunset.
The boy awkwardly speaking to the girl he was waiting for.
Violet, who had always stood out in appearance since childhood, was quite familiar with this situation.
It was...
'A... confession?!'
Impossible.
That man was already dating Alice, wasn't he?
Then why was he doing this to her?
Violet's mind raced as she watched Jeong Jojun awkwardly scratch his cheek and hesitate.
'Could it be... a windfall? This scoundrel! Then I have to reject it...!'
Wait.
Suddenly thinking of rejecting, her chest felt oddly pleasant.
What was wrong with this chest that refused to accept such an obvious fact?
"Violet, so..."
Swallowing hard.
Violet watched Jeong Jojun awkwardly trying to speak and swallowed.
When her heartbeat thundered loudly in her ears, Jeong Jojun spoke.
"The ticket from the counter-match last time, right? Let's use it just once! And I gave you the Arachne necklace too! Hahaha! So, can you just do one favor for me?"
The awkward version of Jeong Jojun vanished, replaced by the usual smiling Violet.
"Ah."
At that sight, Violet let out a complex word mixed with various emotions.
"Th-that's not a big deal! It's hard to get that ticket, so I'll do it just once, okay?!"
Was that awkward expression the one that was sorry for asking her?
The stiff cheeks and slightly trembling eyes?
"That Violet?"
Jeong Jojun asked her if she was okay, looking at her.
The natural kindness in his tone annoyed her unnecessarily.
"Violet?"
Thud thud.
Violet walked without a word, leaving the gate of the Great Demon Subjugation Academy.
"Violet, why are you like that? Why did you suddenly get angry?"
Following quickly, ignoring Jeong Jojun trying to appease her, Violet continued walking.
"Sigh! I barely managed to get it."
I looked at the black ticket on the table and let out a sigh.
Thanks to Violet, I had managed to get the ticket after pleading with her for days.
Looking at the luxurious black patterned ticket with a gold band, which looked serious, I chuckled.
"Player! You're so cool!"
The angel was spinning around me, giving me a thumbs up.
"Yeah."
My current appearance, if I were a student, would be almost never wearing a suit.
I checked my reflection in the mirror after touching the collar of the black jacket with glossy black sheen.
"Hmm. Perfect."
As expected, a man in a suit looks good.
With my already good figure, it suited me perfectly.
The reason I was wearing a suit today was because the place I had to enter through this ticket was a place I couldn't enter in my usual casual clothes.
The Masquerade Ball.
To enter the grand, flashy casino masquerade ball that ranks among the top three in the world, this outfit was not a choice but a necessity.
This festival held in the casino every six months, participants are required to wear luxurious clothes and ridiculous masks.
On the surface, it could be seen as a casual event in the casino, but the reality was different.
In the deep 'black market' hidden in the casino.
In the black market, to auction items that couldn't be obtained through normal means because faces were hidden by masks and identities couldn't be guessed, the 'Masquerade Ball' was held.
"Really, I didn't expect this to turn out like this."
I touched the ticket on the table with my fingertips.
The sensation of the luxurious ticket wasn't like paper, but something fluffy.
In the game, this Masquerade Ball was an event I couldn't touch at all in my current state.
It was a special event that only after entering 3rd year, forming a guild, and building deep connections with the President and Violet.
In the game, it was an event I couldn't reach.
But 'in the game'.
The President I was supposed to conquer later had already been conquered, and I had already made connections with Violet.
So, as 'now', I didn't need to enter the Masquerade Ball late like in the game.
Even in my current state after breaking the 3rd scenario, if I just begged hard, I could enter the Masquerade Ball, so why not?
As I said, this Masquerade Ball is held every six months, meaning the later you go, the more disadvantageous it is.
"Hmm, good."
I checked my reflection in the mirror one more time, then put the sword I had been leaning against the closet into the inventory.
If I could, I wanted to walk around with the sword at my waist, but since I'm the only one in this world who uses a sword, unless I'm advertising myself at the Masquerade Ball, it's better not to wear it.
I picked up the ticket on the table and the mask that could cover half my face, left the house, and entered Alice's house right in front.
Drring.
Entering the house after entering the password, a quite lively scene came into view.
"Real?! It's real!"
"Yes. It's real!"
Three women sitting on the floor chatting and giggling.
In order: Alice, Vice President, Cheonghwa.
"I'm here."
I shook the mask to let my presence be known, and Alice's eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
"Jojun!"
"How is it? My suit."
When I asked, Alice silently jumped up, came in front of me, and tilted her small face up and down, scanning my appearance.
"It suits you too much, ha..."
A small longing flickered in Alice's red eyes.
"Hehe.. right?"
I grinned and hugged Alice tightly.
"Kya!"
Alice let out a shrill scream with her mouth, but she was enjoying it, touching her body while snuggling in my arms.
"Eh.. eh..."
Cheonghwa, watching us, was stuttering like a broken machine, her mouth moving.
Then, eventually deciding, she spoke.
"Jojun... it suits you! And.. me too.. hug me too!"
With Cheonghwa's concise yet spirited words, I smiled silently, opened my arms wide to make space.
Cheonghwa came tottering over and was engulfed, and I held the two beautiful women in my arms.
Alice slightly narrowed her eyes and glared at Cheonghwa, but since Alice is kind, nothing bad would happen.
"Have you all finished preparing?"
At the same time as the President's voice came from the side room, the door burst open.
"Wow."
And at the sight of the President, I couldn't help but admire.
The President's blonde hair and sparkling golden dress.
The President's bursting breasts and slim legs clung sensually to the golden dress.
Just looking at that figure, lewd thoughts rose, but strangely, when combined with the President's gentle face, it only made the lewd thoughts fit better.
"President. You're too pretty."
I stuck out my tongue and gave her praise.
"Fufu. Jojun, your suit suits you well."
The President smiling at me with soft eyes was like a noble lady, elegant, and I opened my mouth wide again to admire the President's appearance.
"Then shall we go?"
The President walked with elegant steps and extended her hand in front of me.
"Yes, President."
I also received the President's hand wrapped in white gloves, matching her pace.
And Jojun and the President put on the masks we were holding in our other hands.
My mask was a plain white mask that covered half the face like the Phantom of the Opera.
The President's mask was a fox mask decorated with various fancy decorations.
Just by wearing the masks, the President's impression changed completely.
When the face with a gentle smile was hidden, the balance with the sensual body revealed by the dress broke, and lewd thoughts couldn't help but arise.
"Hmph."
I cleared my throat to erase the lewd thoughts in my heart and said to everyone.
"Alice, Cheonghwa, President, I'll go out for a bit."
If I could, I wanted to go to the Masquerade Ball with everyone, but since it was so secretive and hard to participate, Jojun and the President had no choice but to go.
I had also pleaded with Violet to get it, so I had said everything.
"Yeah, Jojun, take care."
"Take care! Jojun!"
"Please take care."
The reason all the women gathered was to wait for Jojun and the President to return from the Masquerade Ball.
"Yeah, I'll bring back some good equipment."
I nodded with my masked face and received the farewell from everyone, then left the door.
When I was about to open the door and close the front door, words from the women leaked through the gap and reached my ears tuned by Gigan.
"Sigh.. then, shall I teach you my secret technique that I couldn't do earlier..."
"Cheonghwa, this is really helpful, you know...!"
"Yes!"
Hmm.
I smiled happily and closed the door tightly.
Probably, when I return from the Masquerade Ball, what I get isn't just equipment.
Love you, President.