Celebration Ball (8)

Ang did not back down. Instead, he calmly and composedly met the gaze of the noble surrounded by his entourage.

Their gazes clashed in midair, as though invisible sparks were bursting between them.

Dana quickly sensed the shift in the atmosphere. He set down his unfinished plate and silently stepped behind Ang.

The Flame Swordsman and Enchanted Armament Knights also moved in with unspoken coordination, quietly forming a semicircle.

Their movements contained no wasted motion, yet the killing aura forged on the battlefield made the officers and attendants opposite them swallow nervously.

Gweny had originally been standing beside Ang. Feeling the oppressive air grow heavier and heavier, her heart tightened.

She understood that, by noble social etiquette, she ought to withdraw at once in such a situation, making it clear that she had nothing to do with this potential conflict.

Yet her legs felt as though they had been filled with lead, forcing her to stop in her tracks.

She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and ultimately chose to stand beside Dana.

Not far away, the female warriors of the Rose Warband noticed the scene as well.

Maya was the first to try rushing over, but her father grabbed her wrist.

"Father, they're going to bully Ang! I'm going to help him!" Maya stamped her feet anxiously, trying to break free from that iron-clamp-like hand.

"Calm down." Her father's gaze was stern. "Look carefully. This isn't something brute force can solve."

Maya kept struggling, but she could not budge her father's rock-solid strength at all.

On the other side, Margherita also tried to move forward, only for her mother to directly cast a binding spell. Her body stiffened, leaving her unable to move.

"Don't cause trouble." Her mother spoke calmly. "Watch and remember. Conflicts between nobles cannot be