In any case, regardless of what else might happen at Lake Schluch, Shade had already returned with the witches to the lounge located on the third floor of the manor house. It was nearly eleven o'clock at night, yet the atmosphere of the banquet grew increasingly lively. Most of the people here would likely not leave until after midnight; there was still plenty of time tonight.
Only after settling onto the sofa did Shade let out a long breath, his entire body seeming to slump into the cushions. He looked up at the crystal chandelier in the center of the room, a look of contentment on his face. But soon, his face was covered by a shadow; Mia's small head had blocked his view, the cat appearing to be observing Shade's expression.
The gains from the battle at Lake Schluch lay not only in the [Thunder] spirit rune and the further evolution of "Lagrai's Leap," but more importantly, in the divinity. Divinity was the fundamental basis upon which an outsider could live a stable life. Whether used for the sublimation from the fourth to the fifth ring, or burned to embody a god, this drop of divinity was the confidence that allowed Shade to walk freely in this world.
Tifa and the maids busied themselves preparing fresh tea and snacks, and the two Great Witches took their seats. Shade and Tifa's experiences had been clarified on the way back, and thus the witches had learned about the relationship between the so-called Secret Keeper and the [Sage's Brilliance], a crucial material in the selection ritual of the fourth Chosen.
"The Trial of Venars: Find the invisible 'person' in the Tobesk region."
As Shade spoke, he reached out with both hands to hug the peeking cat, then sat up straight again.
"The epic of the fourth Chosen has finally begun. An invisible person—what does that refer to?"
"Since it is a trial of some sort, there likely won't be a total lack of clues for months. There must be many Ring Casters who heard the contents of the trial tonight, and interestingly..."
The Duchess looked at Shade.
"The Chosen must have also appeared here tonight. Perhaps he or she stepped onto the island, or perhaps he or she simply appeared in the banquet hall. Sylvia's maids and I were both on the third floor; since they could hear it, the Ring Casters in the courtyard, the garden, and on the first and second floors should have heard it as well. The question now is, which faction does this Chosen belong to?"
The high-ring casters of the Church had already rushed from the city, but they did not check the identities of all the guests at the banquet; instead, they blockaded Lake Schluch to conduct an investigation. However, it was obvious that after this banquet, both the Church and the witches would conduct detailed identity investigations on all guests who appeared at the Lakeside Manor. Given the large number of people and the fact that the Chosen could not be found through divination, this would likely be a massive undertaking.
But at least it provided a direction for the investigation.
The ball had begun while Shade was playing Rhode cards. Shade remembered promising the young writer that they would dance together, so he soon bid farewell to the two witches, intending to take a stroll on the first floor. Naturally, he left little Mia behind; after all, one cannot dance while holding a cat, and he was also worried that something else might happen shortly, making it safest to leave her in the care of the witches.
After Shade left, Miss Galina held the reluctant cat and looked with a smile at Tifa, who was standing behind her.
"Change into your gown and go downstairs to dance with Shade."
"Miss..."
Tifa looked somewhat uneasy.
"Don't make that face. Am I someone who is very harsh with you?"
She gave an urging wave of her hand, and only then did Tifa prepare to change her clothes.
"Miss Galina, you truly are generous," the young Great Witch sitting opposite her said. A smile appeared on the Duchess's exquisite face.
"Tifa is mine, and Shade is mine. How is this being generous?"
She paused deliberately before saying softly, "I wouldn't be this generous with anyone else."
She looked toward Miss Sylvia, who seemed not to have understood this "warning."
"Before coming to Tobesk, I always thought that in your relationship, Hamilton was the one extracting benefits from you. Looking at tonight, it seems Mr. Hamilton is actually the helper."
"You have indeed discovered a part of the truth. Shade defines our relationship as a cooperation, yet sometimes I feel I owe him. It truly is a wonderful relationship," Miss Galina said. She knew Miss Sylvia was curious about many things, but she was happy to let this inquisitive witch remain curious on her own.
"Tonight's events must be reported to the Council as soon as possible. It seems we will also be busy this winter."
When Shade returned downstairs and saw Dorothy again, Lacia was not by her side. Because he had arranged in advance to dance with Dorothy, Shade found her easily.
The blonde girl had long been waiting for Shade. Seeing him approach, she impatiently took his hand, and together they walked toward the crowd of dancers.
After repeated tempering through various balls, while Shade could not yet be called a master of dancing, he at least no longer accidentally stepped on the girls' feet. Once he finished this dance with Dorothy, she even praised the progress of his dancing skills. Before she could further inquire about his training methods, Shade took out the small gold-plated circular box that had been in his pocket all evening. Upon opening it, there was the heart-shaped ruby inside.
"Dorothy, this is for you."
He handed over the gem, and this time Dorothy accepted it with modest grace.
"Knight, this gem is truly beautiful; it suits Miss Louisa very well."
Lacia's voice sounded from the side. The princess, wearing a silver coronet, smiled as she led her maid toward them.
Shade pretended to adjust his collar and then extended his hand.
"Your Highness, may I have the honor of inviting you to the next dance?"
There were many people around, and everyone could hear Shade's voice.
"Yes, of course. I only hope Great-Aunt Galina does not blame me," Lacia said, tilting her neck back, as her hand, clad in a white lace glove, rested upon Shade's.
After Lacia, Shade saw Tifa approaching, wearing a blue gown and black high heels. Shade rarely saw Tifa appear in a gown; she seemed somewhat shy and did not speak when she arrived before him, so Shade took the initiative to invite her again.
However, after finishing that light-paced dance with Tifa, no notification regarding the proof of his charm appeared in his ear.
As the banquet approached midnight, Shade, who had been somewhat anxious before the event began, felt himself let go of that obsession at this moment.
Of course, this was also related to the fact that he had successfully obtained a drop of divinity.
Since his plan had fallen through and dancing with beautiful girls at a ball proved nothing, Shade allowed himself to temporarily forget the so-called mission and focus on enjoying the remaining time of this grand wedding ceremony.
After dancing with Tifa, Lacia was called away by her sister, Liana Barov, who had married Marquis Barov, and Dorothy saw Doctor Schneider and went to speak with him for a while.
Shade led Tifa back into the courtyard, and then, somehow, they stepped into the shadows of the hedges and embraced in a kiss.
Tifa did not stay by Shade's side for long. When that long kiss ended, she kissed Shade's cheek once more before returning to the manor house with her hands behind her back, in a good mood.
"How lively..."
Everyone had temporarily left his side, and even little Mia was not here for the moment. Shade stood alone in the courtyard, looking at the tents illuminated by gas lamps and the flamboyantly dressed people weaving through them, an involuntary sigh of emotion escaping his heart.
*Whoosh—*
A sudden sound erupted overhead, followed by a *bang* as it exploded.
Shade looked up to see streaks of light flying into the night sky, bursting into fireworks. The fireworks illuminated his face, and Shade let out a breath as if a weight had been lifted.
"Although I don't plan on going back, for some reason, I actually feel a bit homesick right now."
【At least for this banquet, you have left no regrets.】
"She" spoke gently in Shade's ear.
【Many years from now, when you recall this night spent at Lakeside Manor, you will find that you gained more than you imagined.】
"Yes, this truly is the most beautiful memory... Since it is you comforting me, does that count as comforting myself?"
Shade asked in his heart while looking up, the light of the fireworks illuminating his eyes.
"But there is still a regret."
【Failing to prove your wisdom and charm?】
"Of course not," Shade said softly in his heart.
"Divinity is a power that transcends the mundane. The acquisition of any drop of divinity is tied to fate and cannot be forced. My regret is that there is someone I want to dance with, but who cannot dance with me at this moment."
He looked toward the moon in the starry sky, his hands clasped nervously behind his back.
A hint of a smile echoed in his ear. "She" did not answer immediately, but Shade knew "she" was watching the fireworks explode in the night sky along with him.
Streaks of light shot into the sky, and the fireworks bursting under the stars were so magnificent. The noisy sounds in the banquet courtyard and the muffled music from the manor house behind were so resonant in the deep night.
Although Shade did not like drinking, at this moment he wanted to raise a glass and quietly watch the fireworks under the starry sky with "her."
"When I recall this night many years from now, I will probably be very emotional."
He turned to return to the manor house, but just as he stepped through the entrance, he suddenly felt the wind blow something cool against his ear. Shade froze, then heard the people in the courtyard talking excitedly.
"This is..."
Turning back, he took a few quick steps back into the courtyard. With his back to the brightly lit manor, Shade looked up at the deep sky and opened his left hand. A small, crystalline snowflake fell from the darkness into Shade's blood-colored palm, then quietly melted.
A surprised smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. He looked ahead; in just a few minutes, tiny snowflakes, like grains of sugar, had begun to fall in abundance.
"Oh, it's snowing!"
Sixth Epoch, Common Calendar year 1853, the first snow of Tobesk arrived quietly on the night of Tuesday, the nineteenth day of the Month of Frost Descent.