Chapter 94: Chapter 94 : Pairing up for the ball (2)

Alex didn’t hesitate. The moment realization struck, he stormed toward Ava, eyes wide with theatrical disbelief. Grabbing her by the shoulders with both hands, he leaned forward, concern painted across his face like a tragic stage actor.

“Ava! My good, innocent sister!” he cried. “Tell me—what did he threaten you with? Money? Power? Did he blackmail you with something ? I swear, I’ll fight for your honor! How could you choose him—Alden—of all people?!”

Gasps echoed from the onlookers. Alden’s eyebrow twitched violently.

“Oi, what the hell do you mean him?!”

Before Alex could deliver another dramatic monologue, Alden shoved him away with enough force to send him staggering.

“Back off, idiot!”

But before Alden could fully defend his pride, Seraphina, ever the elegant executioner of social order, stepped in between them with a sly smile and said, “Relax, Alden. You’re the one who asked her, remember?”

The color drained from Alden’s face. Then it returned tenfold in the form of a fiery crimson blush that reached the tips of his ears. He turned to Seraphina with panic in his eyes.

“You weren’t supposed to tell him!”

Too late.

Alex straightened up, dusted off his coat, and smirked. “Don’t tell me what, hmm?”

Alden froze. Words left him. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He looked like a noble goldfish struggling to remember how air worked.

Alex chuckled but decided to let it go—for now.

His gaze swept across the group until it landed squarely on Ethan, who was already starting to look nervous. Alex narrowed his eyes like a predator eyeing his next prey.

“And you… let me guess,” Alex said, tone lazy and deadly. “You’re not going with one girl to the ball… you’ve got more than one lined up, don’t you?”

Ethan’s reaction was pure comedy.

He stuttered, his usual composed princely image shattering. “H-How… how did you know?!”

Alex’s smile turned wicked. “My dear friend… there’s nothing you guys can hide from me.”

Everyone in the circle turned to glare at him, except Rein, who merely tilted his head in fascination.

Seraphina and Ethan looked as if they’d just walked into a trap—and unfortunately for them, Alex had no plans of letting them escape.

“Let me guess again,” Alex said with a slow, knowing grin. “You’re going with… Ophelia and Seraphina or possibly some more if there is.”

Time froze.

Both Seraphina and Ethan audibly sucked in a breath. Seraphina’s eyes widened while Ethan looked like he had just been stabbed with a butter knife—embarrassed and confused.

“YOU—HOW DID YOU KNOW?!” they both yelled in perfect unison.

Alex placed a hand over his chest, mock-hurt. “Tsk tsk. My dear friends… must I say it again? There is nothing you can hide from me.”

All of them simultaneously clicked their tongues.

Draven groaned. “Yeah, yeah. We get it, Mr. Narcissist.”

Then, in a more amused tone, he added, “I’ve got a partner too. And Rein here says he’s got someone lined up as well. So what about you, oh flawless one? Got someone in mind?”

Charlotte remained quiet, arms crossed, stealing glances at Alex at every moment. She seemed to be expecting something. Hoping, maybe. But Alex didn’t look her way—not even once. A vein twitched visibly on her forehead.

Alex shrugged. “Well… not right now.”

The words had barely left his mouth when, as if the universe itself had been waiting for the perfect cue, three girls came forward walking toward him, mustering up the courage.

Each was beautiful in her own right. One had silky auburn hair and a haughty expression. Another had midnight-black curls and emerald earrings that shimmered like stars. The last had silver-blonde waves, soft pink lips, and eyes that sparkled with ambition.

The entire room went quiet as they marched toward Alex and stopped in front of him, like a well-coordinated theatrical performance.

Alden, Seraphina, Ethan, Draven, Ava, and even Rein leaned in slightly—sensing imminent drama.

Then, all three girls looked at Alex with starstruck eyes and spoke at the same time:

“Mr. Alex… would you like to go to the ba—”

“Move.”

The single word dropped like a thunderclap behind them.

The three girls froze mid-sentence.

They slowly turned to see who had spoken, and when they did… all color drained from their faces. Their expressions shifted from curiosity to awe to sheer panic.

Because standing behind them, with an expression that could freeze flames, was Elaria Moonshade Lareth’Thalas, the elven princess of the Moonshade Dominion.

She was radiant.

Her long, flowing blonde hair shimmered like threads of sunlight woven with starlight. Her emerald-green eyes held the weight of her pride and the sharpness of a dagger.

Her slender figure was clad in her academy uniform, which highlighted her curves.

Grace oozed from every movement, and her mere presence demanded attention—and submission.

The three girls vanished. Literally. One darted out the door. Another fake-answered a non-existent phone call. The last tripped over her own shoes and still ran away like her life depended on it.

Alex raised an eyebrow. “…Did they just vaporize?”

Elaria stepped forward, stopping a few feet in front of Alex. Her eyes scanned him like she was inspecting a royal statue.

Then, with a haughty tone that could make mountains bow, she declared:

“You. I shall bestow upon you the honor of taking me to the ball. No one else here has the looks to match mine—but you, while inferior to mine, are at least acceptable.”

The group fell into silence.

Then they all broke.

Ethan snorted first. Then Seraphina chuckled. Ava bit her lip. Draven’s shoulders trembled. Even Charlotte couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at her lips.

Rein, deadpan as ever, said, “It’s like watching a mirror argue with itself.”

A narcissist had just met another narcissist.

Alex’s mouth twitched.

A vein popped on his forehead. His eye twitched once… then again.

Disbelief etched into every line of his face. Did… did she just insult his looks?

“How… dare you…” he growled, low and offended.

Everyone quieted down again as Alex pointed dramatically at Elaria.

“My beauty is unmatched in the mortal realm. Even gods weep at the thought of falling short. And you—you dare claim your looks are greater than mine?!”

Elaria tilted her head, calm and smug. “Of course. I’m not blind.”

The group collectively took a step back.

“Your Elviness, I don’t have time for your childish jokes. And—just who exactly are you calling second place?”

He stepped closer, just enough to be intimidating but still charming.

“I’m above you. In strength. In style. And in looks. So why don’t you get down on one knee, beg properly, and maybe—just maybe—I’ll consider taking you to the ball.”

The surrounding students gasped, someone in the back even whispering, “Damn, he really said that to a princess—and that princess was Elaria at that?”

Elaria’s mouth opened, then closed. Then opened again. Nothing came out. Her cheeks flushed a deep red—not with embarrassment, but with pure, unfiltered disbelief.

She had rejected dozens of noble heirs, foreign princes. But never in her life… never had she been the one rejected.

Before she could form a coherent sentence, another voice cut through the air like an icicle snapping from a rooftop.

“Move.”

It was one word—but it was enough to send a cold shiver crawling down Elaria’s spine.

She turned, and her eyes widened at the sight.

Standing behind her, elegant as ever in a dark academy coat that swirled like blood-stained silk, was Lilith Noctis Bloodrose.

The famous vampire princess. A beauty carved from moonlight and steel. And ever since her awakening as the Avatar of Nyx herself, her presence felt like standing in the path of a silent storm.

Elaria instantly recognized the danger. She’d seen Lilith take apart a cocky second-year like a bored child dismantling a toy. And worse—Lilith’s status in the noble world matched her own.

But backing down now, in front of Alex and the watching crowd? That wasn’t happening.

Elaria lifted her chin, forcing her voice to remain steady. “What if I don’t?”

Lilith’s lips curled into a slow, amused smile. “Well… if your face gets broken, who will you go to the ball with?”

The crowd practically inhaled in unison.

Elaria’s breath hitched, magic flaring faintly around her fingertips. She was seconds away from launching a high-tier spell when—

“Ladies,” Alden’s voice rang out dryly, “your target is trying to run away.”

All heads snapped toward the door.

There, in the most suspiciously casual walk ever committed, was Alex Dragonheart, inching away like a man trying to escape a room filled with explosives and social expectations.

The moment Alex had seen Lilith enter, his instincts had gone haywire. Red flags, internal sirens, DEFCON levels—everything screamed RUN.

’I can handle Elaria. But Lilith? Nope. No way. That girl is three kinds of dangerous and has a personal vendetta against social norms and personal space.’

Then, just as he made it to the threshold of freedom, Lilith’s voice—cold, seductive, and completely unbothered—echoed behind him.

“Where are you going, Alex?”

He froze like a statue.

“I’ve already chosen. You’re coming to the ball with me.”

His shoulders stiffened. His head turned slowly, expression pure betrayal as he glared at Alden. “You… bastard. I’ll make you pay for this!”

Alden simply waved back with a smirk.

Turning to face Lilith, Alex’s expression changed.

“Sorry, Princess,” he said, his smile all gone, “but you can’t make my decisions for me. Find someone else to be your dance puppet.”

Before Lilith could respond, a figure stepped forward—her ever-loyal maid, Isadora, brown-haired and sharp-tongued.

“Do you know who you’re rejecting—”

“Oh, spare me the noble rant,” Alex cut her off with a groan, raising a hand like a teacher silencing a noisy student. “This is Zenith Academy, not some ancient vampire or elven court.

You two,” he said, pointing at both Elaria and Lilith with dramatic flair, “seem to have forgotten that nobody gets to boss me around and i answer to no one.

I am the apex, after all.”

Charlotte impressed muttered under her breath, “Okay, that was kind of cool.”

At which everyone nodded—even reluctantly.

He was about to continue when a soft chime echoed from his smartwatch.

A holographic message flickered to life, bearing the emblem of the Nexus Core Facility and the signature of one of the most feared instructors on campus.

[Alex Dragonheart — Report to the Nexus Core Facility for your potential evaluation. – Ms. Selana Vega]

Alex stared at it for a second. Then he looked up, smile returning instantly.

“Ah—Ms. Vega’s calling me. Sorry, everyone! Gotta go. Big important evaluation. You understand.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and bolted like he was being chased by a dragon in high heels.

The crowd watched him go in stunned silence.

———

A/N:-

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