Eris had changed out of the lightweight leather armor she usually wore for ease of combat and into an extraordinarily lavish dark blue, fitted gown that looked as though it had been cut from the night sky itself.
The layers of lace in her skirt rippled like water with every step, their countless tiny diamonds refracting the light like a dazzling river of stars.
Her long crimson hair, which usually flowed freely like a wild horse, had been carefully arranged into an elegant noblewoman's coiffure.
Only a few slightly curled strands hung by her ears, making her long, snow-white swanlike neck all the more alluring.
Enhanced by exquisite makeup, her already perfect features were so stunning that it was impossible to look away.
The visual impact of that collision between intense warmth and profound depth instantly eclipsed every noblewoman present.
Elegant, noble, captivating.
If not for the faint trace of nervousness still hidden in her burgundy eyes,
Rudeus would almost have thought the girl before him, too beautiful to be of this world, was a divine princess from some ancient empire.
"As expected of the jewel of House Boreas..."
"To think she's grown so beautiful. It's hard to believe..."
Low murmurs of amazement and wonder rose from below.
"Ha ha ha ha! You see that?! That's my granddaughter! Eris, the most beautiful, most noble girl in the whole world!!"
Sauros's booming, cracked-gong voice rang out again, instantly shattering the awestruck silence.
He stomped hard, raised his wineglass high, and announced at the top of his lungs:
"Enough of all that empty nonsense! I declare Eris's birthday ball open!!"
As Sauros's words fell, the orchestra abruptly changed its tune.
The gentle, soothing music became a grand Asuran court waltz with a lively beat.
Almost the moment the music began, several young nobles who could no longer contain themselves straightened their clothes.
Then they stepped forward, believing themselves the very picture of grace, bowed slightly to Eris, and invited her to the first dance.
Watching from the second floor, Rudeus couldn't help settling into a more comfortable position, an amused smile curling his lips.
A few days ago, if those frail young men had dared approach her like that, today would probably have been the anniversary of their deaths next year-
After all, Eris could have broken their bones with a single stomp back then.
But things were different now.
When the first young noble came forward to ask her for a dance, Eris raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.
But in the end, she gracefully extended her fair hand in its white silk glove and placed it in his palm.
The two entered the dance floor.
The moment her body began to move with the music, Eris's gaze changed.
The steps, poise, and rhythm that had once been as incomprehensible to her as a heavenly scripture had become part of her body's instincts.
A turn, a glide, a step to the side.
Her movements were as light as a red maple leaf dancing in the wind. She hit every beat with perfect precision, and even the arc of her swirling skirt seemed meticulously calculated.
The young noble had intended to show off his elegance and "lead" the young lady, whose violent temper was infamous.
But after only three sets of eight beats, he realized he had completely lost control.
He was being swept around the dance floor at a breakneck pace by Eris's rhythm, which was exceptionally smooth and forceful without losing its elegance.
When the music ended, Eris gracefully lifted the corners of her skirt and gave a flawless curtsy.
The poor young nobleman, meanwhile, was pale and drenched in sweat, looking as though he were questioning his entire life.
Then came the second, the third...
Whether they were veterans who had spent years at balls or self-styled gallants from the royal capital,
every last one of them was thoroughly overpowered by Eris's textbook-perfect footwork.
Like a queen surveying her domain on the dance floor, she dealt with every challenger with effortless ease and composure.
Outside the dance floor, Sauros's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. The barrel of wine in his hand fell with a clatter and smashed to pieces, but he didn't even notice.
"Th-this is really my Eris? I'm not dreaming, am I?!"
Sauros rubbed his eyes hard, then even began pinching Philip's thigh viciously.
"Ah... Father, please let go. That really is Eris."
Philip sucked in a sharp breath. His foxlike face, usually unruffled even if a mountain collapsed before him, was now filled with shock and astonishment.
As her father, he knew all too well how hopeless his daughter was at history, etiquette, and dancing. He had even prepared himself to lose face completely tonight.
But what he was seeing was nothing short of a miracle!
Her mother, Hilda, who sat nearby, was so overwhelmed that she pressed a handkerchief tightly over her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes.
A mother's pride filled her heart completely at that moment.
"Lord Philip, Lord Sauros."
At some point, Edna, the dance teacher who had been standing in the corner, slowly came forward.
The strict court dancer looked at Eris, who shone on the dance floor, with an almost fanatical admiration and pride on her face.
"I must admit, Lady Eris is a true genius. Of course... even more credit goes to that lord's 'special instruction.'"
"Special instruction? Who?!"
Sauros whipped his head around like a roaring lion.
"The young lady's tutor, Lord Rudeus Greyrat."
Edna bowed slightly, her gaze drifting almost imperceptibly toward the second floor.
Philip's gaze instantly locked onto me as I stood in the shadows on the second floor, an inscrutable glint flashing in his narrow eyes.
Then, a plan perfectly suited to his role as a politician instantly took shape in his mind.
Damn it, that old fox has set his sights on me.
Sure enough, before Rudeus could slip away,
Philip had already straightened his clothes and strode onto the dais in the center of the hall.
He clapped his hands lightly, signaling the orchestra to stop for the moment.
"Everyone, please be quiet."
Philip's voice carried clearly throughout the ballroom, as though amplified by magic:
"As you have seen, my daughter Eris has been able to display such astonishing dancing not only thanks to her own efforts, but also thanks to a mysterious figure."
"So today, I would like to formally introduce the person who made this possible-"
As he spoke, he raised his head, his smiling gaze, carrying an authority that brooked no refusal, fixed firmly on Rudeus:
"Eris's tutor, and a prodigy the likes of which our Greyrat family sees but once in a century-"
"Mr. Rudeus Greyrat!"
"Rudeus, please come down."
In an instant, more than a hundred gazes followed Philip's and converged on Rudeus like searchlights.
Some were curious, some scrutinizing, and some jealous, but most burned with the greed of those who had discovered a new political resource.