[The Seorn Ball is finally about to begin. What kind of new star will appear today?]

It was a line from a column in a magazine popular in Rederbelk.

Those who regularly read the magazine had heard the news of the ball and, at the same time, began to harbor a bit of anticipation.

For commoners, a social club’s ball was like something out of another world.

Most social clubs were attended by wealthy merchant families, doctors, members of the legal profession, and noble houses.

However, Seorn’s ball was a little different.

It was a place where both nobles and commoners could participate together, so unlike other balls, there was little resistance from ordinary citizens.

In fact, the very idea that commoners could stand in the spotlight at such an event was enough to stir a sense of vicarious satisfaction and excitement among the public.

Perhaps because of that, some commoner students were walking with their shoulders held high—while at the same time feeling an excessive amount of pressure from those heightened expectations.

Of course, for Rine, it wasn’t really a matter of concern.

‘Still... I do feel a bit nervous.’

Left alone in her dorm room, Rine let out a small gasp of admiration as she looked at the dress laid out before her.

Violetta truly was an exceptional designer.

The dress had been completed in a form far more beautiful and sophisticated than the sketch she had seen that day.

Honestly, it felt almost too precious to wear.

‘She even sent the accessories along with it.’

Shoes, a necklace, and even a bracelet.

Violetta had told her that she would make Rine the star of the evening.

Rine hadn’t believed her—she had assumed it was just polite flattery.

But seeing such a remarkable dress made it impossible not to realize that Violetta’s words hadn’t been empty.

‘Is it really okay for me to have such a beautiful dress?’

At that thought, she suddenly felt a pang of fear.

Wouldn’t it be better to give it to someone it suited more?

Someone like Erendir, or Senior Flora, or even Julia.

If not them, perhaps one of the teachers would be a better choice.

After all, both Instructor Selina and Instructor Merilda were popular beauties among the students.

By contrast, she...

“I think I’m feeling sick.”

The moment she began to wonder if she had the right to wear it, the pressure made her stomach feel queasy.

Without realizing it, Rine picked up her board and logged into the Akashic Record chatroom.

-Are you busy right now?

As soon as she sent the message, a reply came quickly.

From John Smith.

[Why?]

-The ball is soon, right? I thought maybe you’d already be at the ballroom.

[And you, it seems, are not at the ballroom yet.]

-No. I just have something I need to think about first.

Rine hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to ask him about it.

He was someone whose face and name she didn’t even know.

But he was also someone she could confide in sincerely, someone she could lean on—so she lightly broached the subject.

-Say... if you received a gift that feels far too extravagant for you, what would you do?

[An extravagant gift?]

-Yes. It just feels... burdensome.

This time, there was no reply for a while.

Was he deep in thought?

John Smith was the sort of good person who would always take her troubles seriously, even when they had nothing to do with him.

Sometimes, Rine thought that these small pauses in their written conversations gave her a strange sense of calm.

As if the weight in her heart was being carried away by someone else.

[The person who gave you the gift—how did they seem to you? Were they vain? Full of greed? Did they have some ulterior motive?]

-No, not at all.

Even thinking about it again, Rine couldn’t recall feeling any such thing from Violetta.

Her instincts were sharp—she could tell at a glance whether someone’s intentions were good or hostile toward her.

[Then you can accept the gift as it is.]

-Why?

[Because they must have thought it truly suited you—that’s why they gave it to you.]

When Rine asked why he would think that, the reply came immediately.

[You’re modest. But sometimes, excessive modesty acts like poison that kills you. This worry you have now is in a similar vein. So it’s better to accept kindness with joy. That’s also a courtesy to the one who gave you the gift. I doubt they gave it to you hoping it would make you uncomfortable.]

“Ah.”

In that moment, Rine felt as though she’d had a revelation.

-Thank you. For listening to my worries, and for your advice.

[I thought I might be meddling, so I’m glad you took it well.]

-By the way, will you be attending the ball too, Mr. Smith?

[Who knows. Probably.]

-Probably? Then what are you doing right now?

[Listening seriously to someone’s worries.]

Rine let out a small laugh.

-Alright. The ball’s about to start, so I’ll head out now.

[Alright.]

-Who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other at the ballroom?

[And maybe we won’t even recognize each other if we do.]

-That would be funny.

After unburdening herself, her heart felt much lighter.

Rine nodded once, picked up the dress, and left.

* * *

The ballroom was loud with the sound of the bustling crowd.

At least the participants were limited to Seorn’s students and faculty—had it been otherwise, the influx of outside guests would have made the place unbearably crowded.

The entrance to the ballroom was wide and grand, like an arched castle gate.

A red carpet stretched down the path to the door, and just walking across it was enough to make the students feel as if they had become the stars of the evening.

‘Mmm. The atmosphere is no joke.’

Standing off to one side of the ballroom, Erendir hid her mouth behind a feathered fan as she watched people gathering in small groups.

The dress she wore was a dazzling gold, matching the color of her hair.

Even standing still, it shimmered and shone, naturally drawing eyes toward her.

Perhaps it was a bit overdone, given her desire to attract attention.

‘But why is no one approaching me?’

At an event like this, men usually worked up the courage to come over and invite you to dance.

Indeed, at the center of the ballroom, where classical music floated gently through the air, couples had already begun to waltz.

Erendir watched them with a mix of envy and longing.

Yes. Perhaps they were just shy.

She decided to wait a little more patiently.

It was then that someone approached her.

Sensing the presence with her heightened awareness, Erendir turned around.

A spark of joy lit in her heart—quickly smothered by the desperate resolve not to show it outwardly.

But that resolve crumbled like a sandcastle hit by a wave the moment she saw who it was.

“Ugh. What do you want?”

“What’s with that reaction?”

Freuden Ulburk.

Impeccably dressed in a well-tailored suit, hair neatly combed, he fixed her with his usual cold gaze.

“Ahem. Nothing.”

“I can guess easily enough. Obviously, you were waiting for someone to come and invite you to dance—and now you’re disappointed that it’s me.”

“That’s... that’s not true!”

Freuden looked at her with an expression that all but said, pathetic.

“Did it never occur to you that wearing such an overly flashy dress, just to draw people in, might be the wrong approach?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s too much. It hurts the eyes just to look at it. Everything should be in moderation—and if someone already finds you hard to approach, wearing armor-like clothes like that will make it even worse.”

His words were cutting.

Erendir’s face flushed red with anger, but she couldn’t bring herself to argue.

Thinking about it, she realized that every word of his criticism rang true.

“Then what about you? Couldn’t get any invitations from the ladies?”

“On the contrary. I’ve gotten too many—that’s the problem.”

He glanced to the side as he spoke.

Following his gaze, Erendir spotted a small crowd of young women.

All of them were clearly eager to dance with Freuden.

“...You’re insufferable.”

“Well, I suppose that’s just the price of being exceptional.”

"Why would someone so full of himself come to me? Don’t tell me you—"

Erendir’s flustered tone made Freuden’s expression openly sour.

"Do you think I’ve lost my mind enough to ask Her Highness to dance? Don’t flatter yourself. I’m here because this is the safest spot."

"Safe?"

Erendir thought over his words, and it didn’t take long for the realization to hit her.

"...!"

He was using the fact that no one dared approach her as a shield for himself.

"You’re not completely without awareness, I see."

"So you’re saying you’re going to use me?"

"What are you talking about? Since no one’s coming near anyway, I might as well take advantage of the situation."

"I didn’t dress up like this just to be used, you know?"

"The sun is dazzling, but no one dares approach it—because it’s hot enough to burn. Consider this a good opportunity to learn one of nature’s truths."

Erendir and Freuden locked eyes, glaring fiercely.

But as it was nothing more than a pointless contest of wills, they both turned their heads away at the same time.

"Hmph. More importantly, the fact that you’re here, clearly waiting for someone, makes it obvious who it is."

"...What are you implying?"

Freuden, unusually, hesitated to respond.

"What do you mean, what? You’re waiting for Rine, aren’t you?"

"..."

"Did you think I wouldn’t notice? For someone who isn’t kind to anyone, you act like the perfect gentleman only toward Rine. It’d be stranger not to notice."

Honestly, I didn’t think Her Highness would catch on.

Freuden barely restrained himself from saying it aloud.

Since she had just caught a potential weakness, it was best not to provoke her.

"...So you’re serious about her, then."

"What are you talking about?"

"From the way you act toward her, it’s as if you’ve met before. Am I wrong?"

"...That’s personal business."

"Strange. Rine doesn’t remember anything about her past—yet you act as though you know something. Is it related to her mother?"

Freuden’s eyes turned to her at that.

The look—How do you know that?—made Erendir let out a small sigh.

"I saw it during a lesson. A phenomenon called ‘memory storming’—catching fragments of someone’s memories embedded in their mana."

"...What did you see?"

"Nothing much. Just that Rine once had a mother. But it was curious—because while the mana was Rine’s, the memory belonged to her mother."

To Erendir, Rine was a deeply mysterious girl.

Her memories erased, her mana and her memories not even belonging to the same person.

And judging by Freuden’s demeanor, there was clearly more to it.

"Still, she’s a good child. So I’m not going to pry."

"There’s nothing good for you to know."

Freuden’s voice was quiet as he stared straight ahead.

"It would only be bad for you."

"You..."

Erendir was about to press him—demand to know what he meant—but stopped without realizing it.

Freuden’s eyes, filled with hostility, were locked on someone across the ballroom.

Who could it be?

Who could provoke such a killing glare from Freuden?

Following his gaze, she spotted an unexpected person.

Ludger Cherish?

The ballroom had two levels.

From the open central hall, you could clearly see the second-floor balcony—and there, at one side of the railing, stood Ludger.

So he came to the ball as well.

Instead of his usual frock coat, Ludger wore formal attire for the occasion.

The black suit seemed tailored precisely for him, fitting perfectly.

It heightened his already distinguished air, enough to make Erendir wonder who had crafted it.

But that wasn’t the important part.

The important thing was that Freuden’s gaze toward Ludger was openly hostile.

Did something happen between them in the past?

Even if she asked, Freuden wouldn’t tell her—so she just kept her guesses to herself.

Some of the students had also # Nоvеlight # turned their eyes toward Ludger’s arrival.

Most of them were girls, and their expressions were filled with admiration.

Well, that makes sense. Outwardly, at least, he’s incredibly attractive.

Erendir could accept that reaction.

But anyone who truly got to know him would quickly realize that Ludger Cherish was far more unapproachable than even the Ulburk Wolf standing beside her.

Like a lone crow perched on the peak of a high, white mountain.

That’s why no one’s actually going over to talk to him.

Indeed, while many gazed at him, no one approached.

It was the atmosphere he carried—it simply kept people at a distance.

Then Erendir noticed a small commotion at the entrance to the ballroom.

Had someone arrived?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, a figure slowly stepped into view.

"Rine?"

Erendir’s eyes went wide.

* * *

Rine walked forward slowly.

From the shoes she wore to the dress she had on, everything felt uncomfortable.

Not that the fit was bad.

On the contrary, the dress Violetta had made for her fit her body perfectly—so much so that it was astonishing.

Even with careful measurements, it seemed almost impossibly comfortable.

The problem...

...was her state of mind.

I’ve never worn anything like this before.

She’d never been to an event like this, never dressed up like this.

Was this right? Did she do it properly? What if she looked strange? Should she have come at all?

Even though she’d managed to muster up some courage earlier, by the time she arrived at the ballroom, it had long since evaporated.

Alright... I’ll just get a feel for the atmosphere and then leave.

With that decision made, Rine stepped inside the ballroom.

But—

Why... is everyone looking at me?

It felt like every eye around was on her.