Eleanor Soros beat a hasty, furious retreat after Leon's unexpected "freeloader theory" counterattack. The atmosphere in the ballroom froze for a brief, somewhat comical moment. Alongside their usual disdain and contempt, the looks people gave Leon now held a trace of bafflement. Was this good-for-nothing, who usually did nothing but throw tantrums or flee with his head in his hands, somehow... different today?
However, this subtle ripple was soon displaced by a new focal point. The Coming-of-Age Ceremony's grand banquet continued, and the melodies in the ballroom never stopped. Just as everyone thought the farce of "ice and fire" had come to a temporary end, another figure stepped into the center of the stage with a steady, impeccable bearing.
It was Marcus Soros.
As the eldest grandson of the Soros Family and one of the future heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Marcus Soros was renowned among the younger generation for his composure, steadiness, and exceptional ability. He had inherited the Soros Family's characteristic dark hair and sharp eyes, but unlike his uncle Casbert's conspicuous edge, Marcus possessed a more reserved, calculating nature. He was twenty years old, only a few months younger than Reinhardt Windsor, yet he had already made his mark in the intelligence service and was widely recognized as a rising star. He rarely went out of his way to be active at social events, but whenever he appeared, he did so with clear purpose and considerable presence.
At that moment, he wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit. It had few embellishments, yet he carried an imposing air all the same. He paid no attention to his cousin Eleanor, who had just left the floor and still looked displeased, nor did he glance at Leon, who had just made a startling remark in the corner.