Everyone watching saw Delgado's expression change in an instant.
The people in Earl Ster's box, with its prime view from the center of the north side, even caught the tiny movement of his hand.
Earl Ster's face went ashen... not because of Delgado's shamelessness, but because of the two fingers at his waist. Helena's grip was like an iron vise.
Countess Ster wore a simply cut blue velvet gown. Her long, dark-brown hair was tied neatly behind her head, and her large eyes, so like Ellie's, were as green as a rainforest after rain... and blazing with fury.
"If... that Mr. Belfran hadn't appeared out of nowhere, were you going to hand our Ellie over to that disgusting man as his apprentice?" Helena's low voice shook with anger. "Our little Green Rose hasn't even bloomed, and you were going to pluck her and turn her into a dried flower?
"Did the Desert People fill your head with sand? You'd even set up your own daughter to suffer!"
"No..." Earl Ster said meekly. "Look... how could I put all my hopes in a man like that?
"He wasn't the one I wanted.
"I wanted the student who's been with Delgado the longest, Janos Hanna... He's still an apprentice in name, but Janos is already a level-five Mage. He's only learned the basics of alchemy, but that's enough to teach Ellie!"
"Janos?" Helena repeated, savoring the name. "You've been reaching far, haven't you?"
In noble society, calling someone by his given name had always implied a close relationship.
"Janos was forced into it too," Earl Ster said with a sneer. "He's been ready to advance to level six for ages.
"But an Intermediate Magus holds real status among Mages. Delgado wouldn't be able to keep treating him like an apprentice after that.