Volume 1 Prologue: Endings and Beginnings

    -----

    The 13th day of the fourth month, the year 3306 of the World Calendar.

    In the middle of the school gymnasium, which had been converted into a ballroom—

    A boy and a girl were dancing .

    A boy with black hair,

    And a girl with long, decorated brown hair .

    They boy, in a black tuxedo,

    And the girl, in a yellow dress .

    With the gazes of many other boys and girls on them, they danced .

    Elegantly, and maybe a little violently .

    “You’re even good at dancing, huh. I hate you just a little bit more now, Treize. ”

    “Cut me some slack, Lillia. I’m trying my best here. ”

    “Tch. You know, I won’t go easy on you even if you’re a prince or whatever. ”

    “I know. ”

    The words they exchanged as they danced—

    —were drowned out completely by the music around them .

    “I am wondering what the two people are talking about… But in any case, they are both very, very cool. ”

    A girl with long black hair done up—

    A girl wearing a white dress—

    Said to the boy standing at her right side .

    “It sort of looks like they’re fighting. ”

    A boy with grey eyes—

    A boy wearing a black tuxedo—

    Replied with a flustered look .

    The emcee on the dance floor called out, “Everyone, are you just going to stand around all night?” .

    Boys and girls stepped onto the floor with their chosen partners beside them .

    The black-haired girl turned her gaze from Lillia and Treize, looking to her right .

    And she held out her white-gloved hand to the boy standing there .

    The grey-eyed boy turned elegantly,

    And gently took her hand in his .

    “Shall we dance, Seron Maxwell?”

    The girl asked in Bezelese .

    The girl asked in Bezelese .

    “It would be my pleasure, Meg. ”

    The boy replied in Roxchean .

    “Atta boy, Seron… you’ve come so far… I’m so proud of you!”

    “You’re sounding like a regular mother figure. If memory serves, weren’t you s’pposed to be a guy?”

    “That aside, are you two simply going to watch from the sidelines? We should enjoy the evening as well. ”

    “You’ve got that right. It’s no fun just watching—I’m going to show off my moves. ”

    It all started in the summer of 3305—

    -----