Chapter 532: Grand Ball 5

The ball was in full swing.

Students danced beneath the strings of glowing lanterns, their laughter mingling with the beat of the music that echoed through the air.

Conversations flowed freely, like wine, and joy rippled across the venue as the young guests took full advantage of this brief window of celebration before the demanding days ahead returned to claim them.

Some drank in moderation. Others, with abandon.

But one student remained quietly apart from the whirl of activity — not entirely withdrawn, yet not quite engaged either.

She stood partially hidden behind a marble pillar at the edge of the open-air section of the venue, her posture relaxed, her presence ethereal.

With eyes closed and head tilted slightly back, Evelyn held a crystal glass in one hand, the deep red liquid inside catching the moonlight like liquid ruby.

A breeze passed gently through, catching at her golden hair, causing it to sway like silk in slow motion.

The hem of her dress fluttered around her ankles as if it, too, had been enchanted by the music.

Though this section of the venue was quieter than the bustling enclosed ballroom nearby, it was far from empty.

Groups of students lingered under the stars, and more than a few eyes — particularly male — had turned in her direction.

They watched her not with lust, but with quiet awe.

“She’s beautiful…”

“Who is she?”

“Wait… doesn’t she look familiar?”

As if aware of their attention, Evelyn slowly opened her eyes — a cool, glacial blue that gleamed faintly beneath the starlight.

For a brief moment, her gaze met theirs.

Subtle runes shimmered in her irises, barely perceptible but undeniably present.

A second later, the watchers blinked, their expressions turning vague.

They murmured something to each other and wandered off toward the large, star-lit tree at the center of the dance floor, as if they’d forgotten why they’d been standing still at all.

Evelyn exhaled softly, letting the night wind kiss her face once more.

She was just about to close her eyes again, to let the music carry her away — when a familiar voice pierced through the moment.

“Evelyn?”

Her gaze shifted.

Standing a few feet away was a girl with vivid red hair that fell like silken strands of ribbon, and eyes as clear and sharp as emeralds. Janica.

The candlelight played across her features, giving her a softness that contrasted the hesitation in her tone.

Evelyn offered a slow, graceful smile. “Good evening, Miss Janica. You look quite lovely tonight…”

Caught off guard, Janica blinked. Her mouth opened, then shut again, before she gave a small, awkward cough. “Ah… yes. Good evening to you as well. You… you look really pretty too.”

The compliment stumbled out with an honesty that surprised even her.

Conflicted emotions warred behind Janica’s eyes. She still didn’t know how to feel about Evelyn — not really.

But whatever confusion or tension lingered between them, one thing was undeniable in this moment:

Evelyn looked utterly majestic.

Dressed in a flowing black gown that shimmered subtly under the lanterns like a piece of the night sky itself, Evelyn looked nearly identical to how Janica remembered her from the first time they met — though now, there was an added touch of grace, a quiet regality that made her seem almost otherworldly.

She looked like something that had stepped out of a dream — or perhaps, a memory.

Evelyn tilted her head slightly, her voice as soft and fluid as the music playing in the background.

“Are you done with your dance, Miss Janica?”

Janica blinked. “How did you know I was dancing?”

A faint, musical laugh escaped Evelyn’s lips. “Fufu… I don’t know if you noticed, but your dance with your partner caught quite a bit of attention. With such a beautiful pair, I suppose it’s only natural.”

Janica’s cheeks flushed, a small ripple of embarrassment coloring her voice.

“O-oh… I see.”

“I must admit, I was surprised by how graceful you were out there,” Evelyn continued, gently swirling the drink in her glass. “Though, funnily enough… Lucas seemed to be your complete opposite on the floor.”

A smile tugged at the corner of Janica’s lips — half fond, half exasperated. “That idiot is a handful when it comes to anything that doesn’t involve swords or knightly duties. I swear, if the music wasn’t slow-paced, he might’ve tried to parry the rhythm…”

She stopped herself abruptly.

The humor on her face faded just slightly, her words tapering off as she realized she may have wandered too close to a memory — one that included Evelyn, and the complicated past between them.

Evelyn didn’t press. But her knowing smile remained, gentle and unreadable.

“It’s good to see how close you two are again,” she said softly. “Did you perhaps… make up already?”

Janica hesitated — just long enough for the silence to feel heavy.

“…Yes,” she said at last, voice quiet but certain. “It took more time than it should’ve, but… Lucas and I are fine now.”

Evelyn nodded slowly, her gaze drifting upward for a moment as though watching the stars, though her expression remained unchanged.

“I see. I’m glad, then.”

There was no bitterness in her voice. No sarcasm. Just a quiet sincerity — one that somehow made Janica even more uneasy.

“So… you’re fine with it?” Janica asked, her voice lower than before — hesitant, almost fragile.

Evelyn turned her head slightly, a curious glint in her eyes. “Hm? Fine with what?”

“With… me and Lucas being close again.”

There was a short pause.

Evelyn blinked once, slowly. “Why wouldn’t I be fine with that?”

Janica opened her mouth, but the words refused to come out.

Because…

She couldn’t finish the sentence.

Couldn’t bring herself to meet Evelyn’s gaze for more than a heartbeat. Her fingers curled slightly at her side, tense and restless.

The truth was, she still couldn’t face Evelyn properly.

Not after what had happened between them — not fully.

As much as she hated blaming others for her problems, a part of her, buried deep beneath layers of forced smiles and unresolved guilt, still held Evelyn responsible for that bitter argument she’d had with Lucas.

Even if Evelyn hadn’t technically done anything wrong.

Even if all she had said that day was that she might go after Lucas herself.

That small comment, thrown so casually, had been enough to stir something ugly in Janica — jealousy, anxiety, possessiveness.

She hadn’t even realized how much she’d been bottling up until it all boiled over.

And still… what hurt the most wasn’t what Evelyn had said.

It was what Janica had failed to do.

She had let someone else get in her head.

She had lashed out.

She had confessed to Lucas with a heart half-open, too scared to truly say what she meant — and of course, that dense idiot hadn’t understood.

He never did.

It wasn’t Evelyn’s fault, not really.

But that didn’t mean the pain disappeared.

Trying to shift the weight in the air, Janica coughed lightly and forced a casual tone. “B-by the way… why are you out here, Evelyn? The music’s better inside. You’d probably have a better time there.”

Evelyn didn’t respond immediately.

She looked up toward the sky again, as if weighing her words carefully.

The lanternlight glinted off her lashes, giving her an almost porcelain stillness.

“I’m just waiting,” she said at last.

Janica blinked. “Waiting for what?”

A small pause.

“…A lot of things,” Evelyn murmured.

“Huh?” Janica asked, brow furrowed, half-confused, half-wary.

Evelyn turned her gaze back to her, the faintest smile playing at her lips — calm, almost unreadable, like she knew something Janica didn’t.

But she said nothing more.

This option is no more for you Original…..

…….

Days before the grand ball, in a dimly lit room tucked away beneath the east wing of the academy, three girls gathered in secret.

Only the soft hum of the mana lamps above illuminated their faces — a mix of mischief, anticipation, and silent conspiracies.

Snow stood at the center, arms crossed, expression cool and commanding. “Does everyone agree with the plan?”

Silence.

Alice glanced down at her hands, fidgeting slightly. Rose leaned against the wall, arms folded, unreadable.

Snow let the silence hang for a moment longer before smirking. “Alright. I’ll take your silence as a yes, then.”

Alice raised a hand hesitantly. “But… Snow, are you sure we should keep this from Riley?”

“Fufu~” Snow’s voice took on that familiar teasing lilt as she tucked a strand of white hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, Alice. I plan to give him a small… briefing — the essentials, of course. But the most important announcement? That’s our little surprise for him — and for everyone else.”

She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with playful scheming.

“Besides, with this setup, we’re free to do as much as we want with him — fairly, of course.”

Alice hesitated, then nodded.

Deep down, even her sense of guilt couldn’t override the fluttering excitement she felt.

She wanted more moments with Riley — real moments. Maybe even a few more… firsts.

Rose, ever the realist, raised a brow. “So… after the first dance, we’re free to act?”

Snow gave a small nod. “That’s the agreement. One dance to set the stage, and then it’s open floor.”

Rose exhaled through her nose, thoughtful.

To be honest, she didn’t care that much about who got Riley’s first dance.

He wasn’t the kind of guy to treat one moment as more important than another — he’d make time for all of them, eventually.

But there was one thing that had been nagging at her.

She turned her eyes toward the corner of the room, where Seo was quietly sipping tea, head tilted slightly as if she’d only just started paying attention.

Rose pointed. “By the way… is this rat part of the plan?”

Seo blinked. “Wait— I wasn’t part of it?”

All three girls turned to look at her.

Silence.

Then, Snow sighed, as if accepting an inevitable truth. “Well… she’s already here anyway.”

……

’Where is he?’

The night had reached its peak — a crescendo of music, laughter, and shimmering lights.

The ballroom swayed to the rhythm of a lively jazz ensemble, the brass and strings dancing in tandem with the swirling gowns and polished shoes of the academy’s elite.

All around her, eyes lingered.

Admiring. Enchanted.

Mesmerized by her presence — by the way her icy hair fell in soft waves, by the elegant slit of her midnight-blue dress, by the effortless grace in her every movement.

Snow, as always, was the center of attention.

And yet, she felt nothing for any of it.

Their gazes slid off her like water against glass. Useless. Insignificant.

Her attention, sharp and singular, was focused on only one thing: finding Riley.

’Strange… it was faint, but I definitely felt his mana just now…’

Her brow furrowed slightly, lips curling into a delicate frown as she scanned the crowd again.

The mana signature had only flickered for a brief moment — like a candle fighting against the wind.

But she knew his presence.

She had memorized it.

And it had been there.

Of course, she reminded herself, they had been the ones to outfit him with a stealth-type item for tonight — a mana and presence-concealing ring, courtesy of Alice’s overly generous artifact collection. And Rose’s celestial input.

They knew he’d be difficult to detect. That was the entire point.

The game was part of the fun, after all.

But still…

’Did I sense wrong?’

Snow pressed her lips together and closed her eyes briefly, drawing in a slow breath as she released her mana sense again — expanding her perception outward like a ripple across still water.

Nothing.

Not even a flicker.

She opened her eyes and scanned the ballroom once more.

Beneath the warm chandelier light, couples danced in fluid rhythm, glasses clinked, whispers passed between nobles like smoke, and laughter echoed from every direction.

But of Riley — not a trace.

She cast a sideways glance toward one of the other corners, where Alice was chatting with a small group of upperclassmen. Good. She hadn’t found him either.

’At least that gives me a little more time…’

She turned sharply, her ice-blue eyes sweeping across the crowd once more — narrowed with focus, yet betraying the flicker of frustration rising beneath her calm exterior.

“S-She looked at me…!!”

“P-Princess, w-would you care for a dance?”

“You’re so beautiful, Princess Snow…”

Voices tumbled from every direction.

Fawning students stepped forward, hopeful boys reached out, nobles bowed with trembling enthusiasm.

Compliments, invitations, desperate bids for her attention surrounded her like static.

But she ignored them all.

With every step, she passed through clusters of students, her elegant stride parting the crowd like a blade through silk.

Her search was quick, practiced, and increasingly impatient — yet it led nowhere.

She had expected Riley to be hidden, yes.

After all, they were the ones who convinced him to wear the stealth charm, to turn the night into a game of hide-and-seek — a romantic little challenge.

But this? This was beyond what she agreed to.

He wouldn’t just ignore her, would he?

She bit her lip lightly, eyes scanning the chandeliers, the garden doors, the staircase overlooking the ballroom — anywhere he might have ducked away to.

The main songs will be over soon…

This was the most important part of the ball — the traditional centerpiece dance.

The one everyone would remember. The one meant to display bonds, intentions… feelings.

And he was nowhere.

Her brow furrowed as her patience thinned.

“Fine, if you want to play hard to get—” she muttered under her breath, already drawing in her mana to heighten her sensing ability.

She knew it would cause ripples — some students might feel anxious, others might notice the sudden shift in pressure — but she didn’t care anymore.

If Riley wanted to hide, she would smoke him out herself.

She was just about to release a pulse of mana when—

TIGHT.

TUG.

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind.

Firm. Warm. Familiar.

The world paused.

Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she forgot how to move.

A flood of warmth coursed through her — not magic, but something far deeper.

Something that reached the edges of her heart.

That hug.

She had felt it before.

Several times, in quieter moments.

And always, it had left her breathless.

“…R-Riley…?” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the music.

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he simply pulled her closer — tighter.

As if afraid that letting go would break something fragile between them.

His head rested gently near hers, his presence a grounding force that melted through the storm of emotion she hadn’t realized had built up inside her.

Her heart, which had been on the verge of panic, skipped violently.

Around them, the crowd buzzed with confusion.

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