The Ball (Part 2)

Bai Xiaowen was a little confused for a moment, then she realized what was happening.

Is this young widow... flirting with me?

Li Shuyi squeezed in. "I've got it! Xiao... I'll be your dance partner!"

Cecilia smiled slightly, "Charlotte, that's not good. I know you and your brother have a deep bond, but you still need to have your own lives. Among my knights, there are several handsome young men. You could choose one of them as your dance partner tonight."

Cecilia waved her hand. "Tim, Marco, Phil! You three come here..."

Three handsome knights in white armor walked side by side and bowed to the two lords.

"Tonight at the ball in Blackrock Fortress, one of you will choose to accompany Miss Charlotte," Cecilia, the White Rose, said briefly.

The three knights looked at Li Shuyi with eager anticipation in their eyes.

The Spirit Realm Rules can change the appearance of awakened individuals, but they are still based on their original appearance. Therefore, Bai Xiaowen's current appearance is that of a handsome Nordic man with three-dimensional features and deep eyes, but he is not visible because he is wearing a cloak and wizard's robe; while Li Shuyi's appearance is also that of a beautiful Nordic girl.

After taking control of Redleaf Fief, Li Shuyi's original default maid outfit seemed somewhat out of place. At Bai Xiaowen's suggestion, she spent 100 Psionic Points to change into a noble lady's tight-fitting hunting outfit, which was both heroic and charming, and its appeal to Cecilia's knights was undeniable.

To reiterate, this illusionary attire only works in the eyes of characters in the Spirit Realm storyline. Bai Xiaowen, also an Awakened One, still sees Li Shuyi in a snow-white Sword Dao Robe and Radiant Cloak.

After dispatching three wingmen, Cecilia continued her pursuit of her target, "What's wrong, Baron Dio? Are you going to refuse a lady's invitation?"

Bai Xiaowen glanced at Li Shuyi. Li Shuyi looked back at her with a half-smile.

Bai Xiaowen definitely didn't want Li Shuyi to be anyone else's dance partner, even though she knew nothing would happen, she was still unhappy about it.

Putting myself in her shoes... I imagine Li Shuyi wouldn't be happy for him to accept Cecilia's invitation either.

"Ms. Cecilia, I really can't..."

So be it, Bai Xiaowen was about to refuse when Li Shuyi suddenly interrupted her:

"Brother, I'm not feeling well today, so I won't be going to the ball. You go and keep Ms. Cecilia company and have some fun."

Bai Xiaowen was slightly taken aback, looked at Li Shuyi, and noticed a mysterious smile on her face...

Bai Xiaowen reacted quickly, immediately continuing, "It seems I cannot refuse an invitation from a beautiful lady. It is an honor to be your dance partner, Ms. Cecilia."

Cecilia carefully examined Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi, looking somewhat suspicious, but said nothing, only nodding and saying, "Okay, see you at the ball."

The three white-armored knights were somewhat disappointed after being rejected by Li Shuyi, and they reluctantly followed Lady Cecilia away.

After the group had walked away, Kitz whistled softly:

"My lord, it seems White Rose is quite interested in you. Her inherited fiefdom is adjacent to Redleaf Fief. If you could win her over, and the two families formed a marriage alliance, hehe... the fiefdom could more than double in size."

"Don't say things you shouldn't say, hurry up and train the new recruits!" Bai Xiaowen said sternly.

Kitz shrank back, and the few White Stone Army soldiers who had been peeking around scattered like birds.

Only Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi remained in the tent.

"I just got a notification that Cecilia and I have reached the Affection Level level," Bai Xiaowen explained with a blink. "If I had refused... it wouldn't have turned into a complete falling out, but my Affection Level level would probably have dropped to normal."

"Alright, stop making excuses..." Li Shuyi smiled. "You just want to say yes, don't you?"

Bai Xiaowen quickly denied it. "Of course not, you're the only one in my heart!"

Li Shuyi stopped smiling and poked Bai Xiaowen's heart with her slender fingertips.

"Alright, don't say things like that to little girls. Mom and both aunts have told me not to be too clingy with men. We have a long road ahead of us, and I don't expect you to only have eyes for me..."

Bai Xiaowen was both touched and happy to hear this, but she didn't dwell on it. Li Shuyi had already put it so clearly; to dwell on it further would be pretentious. Besides, this was the reality of the Psychic Energy Era; it was common for awakened male powerhouses to have multiple wives (not in a legal sense), like Taishan Li Beihai...

"... But I will always be the most important person in your heart," Li Shuyi added.

Bai Xiaowen nodded.

"Also, you can't be indiscriminate in your choices and bring just any woman home," Li Shuyi thought. "Those like Liang Zitong and Zhao Yuting, none of them are acceptable! I don't have high expectations of you in this regard, but I don't want a constant domestic strife and unrest at home."

Bai Xiaowen continued to nod. He was a little surprised. Shouldn't a girl Li Shuyi's age be at the most possessive of her food? If she were a freshman in another timeline, let alone two-timing, even just glancing at other girls would cause a huge uproar of jealousy.

Bai Xiaowen then realized that this must be due to the background. Girls in the Psychic Energy Era definitely have different thoughts than girls in another time and space. They cannot be generalized. After all, the times are different. In feudal society, wives would even take the initiative to arrange for their husbands to take concubines.

The Psychic Energy Era is a society of the strong, and so-called equality is only relative. It is unrealistic to expect awakened beings to be equal to ordinary people, and it is also unrealistic to expect top-level strong beings to be equal to lower-level awakened beings.

Li Shuyi grew up in a family with one husband and three wives. It's normal that she has a high level of acceptance of this kind of thing because she was exposed to it from a young age.

Blackrock Fortress, evening.

Bai Xiaowen, dressed in Lord's Attire, entered the ballroom hand in hand with Cecilia, the White Rose.

Normally, his face is hidden by a black robe and cloak, but now, dressed in Lord's Attire, Bai Xiaowen's handsome features are fully on display. Cecilia, standing beside him, often steals glances at Bai Xiaowen's profile while pretending to be casual, while Bai Xiaowen keeps his eyes fixed straight ahead, maintaining a smile.

In fact, with his Divine Might extended, he had already sensed Cecilia's spying and was secretly pleased, but he didn't show it for the sake of showing off.

"Ha ha, who do I see? Baron Dio!"

"A toast to our great hero, Baron Dio!"

One by one, well-dressed nobles came over to greet Bai Xiaowen, some even bringing their daughters and wives to meet Bai Xiaowen.

These noble ladies and wives had already heard about Bai Xiaowen's killing of the Remnant Vanguard Army through different channels, and these were different versions of the embellished rumors. Naturally, their gazes toward Bai Xiaowen were filled with fascination.

Some frail young girls clutched their chests, looking as if they might faint at any moment.

"You're more popular than I imagined. Enjoy this moment, human Hero Tier," Cecilia said softly. "Perhaps some delicate noble lady will secretly pass you a handkerchief."

"Actually, I'm not interested in delicate women," Bai Xiaowen said with a smile.

Cecilia stiffened slightly, seemingly understanding the meaning behind Bai Xiaowen's words, and a faint blush appeared on her face.

However, being a Leader Tier in her own right, Cecilia only showed a fleeting moment of shyness before regaining her composure and smiling:

"It's clear that your sister Charlotte is a brave girl, daring to draw her sword against the Orcs warlord Kelman. I like her very much. However, the custom within the noble circles of the Gorseflower Empire has always been to favor delicate noble ladies. This reflects the effeminate chivalry of those girls."

Bai Xiaowen subtly pointed around and whispered, "That doesn't seem entirely true... I see quite a few people are watching you, Ms. White Rose."

When they saw Cecilia holding Bai Xiaowen's arm, many lords of the Northern Frontier showed expressions of surprise, envy, and jealousy.

"Them? Heh, they just think conquering me will give them something to brag about." Cecilia said dismissively at first, then looked at Bai Xiaowen and suddenly changed to a charming expression:

"And you, Baron Dio? Do you share the same thoughts?"

"It would be extremely impolite of me to say no to such a beautiful lady," Bai Xiaowen said seriously. "You are like the moon in the night sky, a rose in the rain. No man can resist your charm."

Cecilia's alluring smile vanished, "Compared to others, your sweet talk is nothing new, Dio."

"I've always been a doer, Cecilia."

This flattery, though seemingly off-putting, actually had a good effect; addressing someone by their name is a step forward.

Prince Nicholas's voice rang out, announcing the start of the ball.

As the long, melodious accordion music began, pairs of aristocratic men and women twirled gently on the dance floor, accompanied by a soothing tune.

Bai Xiaowen was a little embarrassed. The memories of the young lord he inherited obviously didn't include picking up girls or dancing. When he was dancing, his body was as stiff as a bag of wet cement.

Cecilia wrapped her arms around Bai Xiaowen's neck, her breath sweet as orchids, and whispered, "You don't seem to be very good at dancing, Dio."

"A little," Bai Xiaowen said.

"I've heard about your romantic history, but your performance doesn't quite match the rumors," Cecilia, a special light gleaming in her eyes. "Have you gotten rusty from not dancing in a long time?"

Bai Xiaowen's lips curled into a smile, "No, it's because you're too charming, Cecilia. You've given me a feeling of nervousness and restraint I've never experienced before."

In fact, after the initial awkwardness, Bai Xiaowen easily memorized the simple slow sway dance steps thanks to her memory, and gradually became much more proficient.

After the dance ended, while resting on one side of the hall, groups of nobles began to discuss the war. Prince Nicholas had not hosted this ball for the simple purpose of dancing; there needed to be a plan for how to deal with the impending arrival of the Remnants's forces.

Prince Nicholas did not dance; he sat in the main seat, surrounded by a group of nobles dressed in Lord's Attire, with bursts of laughter and chatter constantly filling the air.

"This victory has dampened the spirits of those beasts; Your Highness deserves great credit."

"Yes, this victory sets the tone for the war; we will surely win."

"With His Highness's leadership, the allied forces will never be defeated."

Prince Nicholas smiled and said, "Without the divine magic performed by Archbishop Arlo's priests, the outcome of this war would have been very difficult to predict."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaowen quickly asked, "Has Archbishop Arlo arrived?" He was also an important figure, probably no less so than Nicholas.

Nicholas shook his head and said, "Archbishop Arlo and the Holy Light Cleric Order were exhausted from today's battle and are resting. Besides, this kind of ball is not suitable for clergy."

A tall nobleman approached and said, "Hi, Baron Dio, I heard you performed exceptionally well in this battle and are Hero Tier of the Allied Forces. What are your thoughts on this war?"

Bai Xiaowen glanced at him. Cecilia introduced him softly, "This is Count Danton, the commander of the first infantry phalanx."

Earl—that's quite a rank. From the fluctuations of Psionic Particles, Bai Xiaowen could sense without even needing to use his Insight that this was a Leader Tier powerhouse.

"My opinion... may differ somewhat from everyone's here," Bai Xiaowen said, squinting his eyes and pondering for a moment.

"Hmm?" someone asked doubtfully. "Our opinion? We believe we will win the war. Don't you think that's wrong?"

Shortly after entering the venue, Bai Xiaowen noticed that the entire Blackrock Fortress was filled with an optimistic attitude towards the war. The conversation among the nobles just now suggested that the arrival of the main force of the Remnant Allied Army would only be a repeat of today's scene.

It's not surprising that short-sighted, pleasure-seeking nobles think this way. But does Nicholas really think this way too?

Nicholas was well aware of the severity of the Necrotic Plague.

Bai Xiaowen quickly grasped the crux of the matter. Facing the questioning gazes of the crowd, he slowly said, "The main force of the Sinlands Remnant Coalition Army is completely different from the vanguard. Didn't we already witness the fighting power of those beasts when facing the vanguard? The lives of four or five human soldiers might not even be enough to take down one of them! Why do you still believe that victory is assured?"

"... Baron Dio, you are too pessimistic!" Count Danton's face darkened. "While the individual strength of the Remnant Allied Army is indeed formidable, our advantages are far greater!"

The nobles who had been silent for a moment began to speak.

"Yes, we have Archbishop Arlo's Holy Light Cleric Order. Let's use a few forbidden spells to purify those beasts!"

"We are the City Defense, with strong walls, catapults, and ballistae. What do those wild beasts have?"

"We have the Empire at our backs, with endless support! And what about the rear of the Remnant Allied Army? Just a desolate wasteland!"

Bai Xiaowen calmly watched these people boast, but he did not change his tune, loudly proclaiming, "My opinion remains unchanged: the main force of the Remnant Allied Army is powerful, perhaps exceeding your wildest imaginations! If you are still indulging in the fantasy of inevitable victory and unwilling to face reality, our already low chances of winning will shrink further. Wake up, gentlemen!"