After Stark started practicing for the ball, Shichen didn't see him much anymore.
But it didn't really matter—whether Stark was around or not made little difference to Shichen's group.
Shichen and the others also moved into the lord's estate. Big beds, big rooms, great food—way better than an inn.
The three of them still slept together.
That wasn't an issue. The lord wasn't surprised at all.
And they weren't just lounging around every day either—they practiced dancing a lot.
In the mornings, Shichen practiced with Fern.
In the afternoons, Shichen practiced with Frieren.
Practicing with Fern was easy—she learned fast, and in no time she could dance with him in a way that looked proper and smooth. It felt perfectly in sync.
Frieren was a different story. It wasn't that she couldn't learn—it was just that she was a bit short, and partner dancing felt awkward.
It was awkward for Shichen, because he had to adjust to her height.
But she was his woman, so he could only swallow it and pamper her—especially since Frieren rarely found motivation like this.
She really wanted to dance with him.
The ball arrived as scheduled.
Shichen and the others put on formal attire and entered the venue early.
He wore a black tailcoat, tall and sharp, strikingly handsome. The moment he stepped inside, he drew every gaze in the room.
Especially the women—those looks were intense.
He was basically walking testosterone, the kind of man fate designed to make people fall for him.
But no woman approached, because he had the two most stunning women in the entire hall at his sides.
Fern wore a purple gown—on the conservative side. Other than her neck and face, you could barely see any skin at all.
She even wore lace gloves.
And yet her figure was still breathtaking—curves in all the right places, visually overwhelming.
Honestly, Shichen hadn't even wanted her to come out looking like this—people were definitely going to stare.
And that would annoy him.
This dress had been the most conservative one Shichen could find.
Too bad Fern's figure was simply too good—no dress could hide it.
Fern found his little possessive efforts funny. His territorial instinct really was that strong.
Frieren was just as beautiful. Even though she was small, she wore a snow-white gown, her delicate face like something out of a dream.
Not "elf" as in her species—more like a naturally born fantasy.
Tonight, Frieren was exactly that: unreal, dreamlike.
The two of them instantly pulled every male gaze in the hall.
If Shichen hadn't been there, they probably would've been surrounded immediately—men begging them for a dance.
But Shichen's presence—Fern on one arm, Frieren on the other, both holding him close—made everyone hesitate.
Normally, even if a woman had a man beside her, some guys would still work up the courage to flirt.
"Die under the peony, and even as a ghost you're romantic"—that saying exists because beauty can make people reckless.
But Shichen was dazzling too. Most men only had to compare themselves for half a second to realize they weren't even in the same league.
"So many people," Frieren glanced around and sighed.
"Of course," Shichen replied. "It's the lord's ball—no one dares refuse the invitation."
"Shichen-sama looks incredibly handsome today," Fern said with a smile. "Everyone's staring."
"Fern… you already said that," Frieren shot her a look.
"So what? It's true."
"You're getting more and more crafty."
"I don't know what you mean, Frieren-sama."
"Hmph. It's useless. Shichen's going to dance with me first—you'll just have to wait."
Fern went quiet, visibly annoyed.
She accepted the order, logically—Frieren had known Shichen far longer, and Frieren had acknowledged Fern joining them.
But hearing her say it out loud still irritated her.
So she decided she'd "get revenge" later tonight.
These past few days, she and Shichen hadn't "worked out" at all, and she was already struggling to hold it in.
Frieren had no idea what Fern was plotting. She happily ate snacks and waited to dance with Shichen.
She'd worked hard these days for this.
Before long, the ball officially began. Guests took the floor with their partners, and Shichen took Frieren's hand and joined in.
They didn't try to attract attention—just moved with the music among the crowd.
Quiet. Simple. Beautiful.
Only Fern kept watching them the whole time.
Shichen had used a mild concealment spell; unless someone deliberately searched for them, they wouldn't notice.
After all, tonight's main characters weren't Shichen and his companions.
They were just here to enjoy the ball.
When the song ended, Shichen and Frieren stepped off the floor.
"Phew… I'm so tired," Frieren walked over to Fern and immediately started "showing off."
"Thank you for your hard work, Frieren-sama," Fern replied calmly.
She didn't mind at all—Frieren's turn was over now.
And besides, Fern already had her "revenge plan" prepared, and she was looking forward to seeing Frieren's reaction.
"…You're not mad?" Frieren looked at her in surprise. This wasn't fun at all.
"What would I be mad about?" Fern asked flatly.
"…."
"Shichen-sama, do you want to rest?"
"I'm not tired. Do you want to dance now?" Shichen asked.
"I do!" Fern nodded hard.
"Then let's go." Shichen offered her his hand.
Fern took it.
He led her back onto the floor, and they began to dance.
Fern was taller than Frieren, and dancing with her fit much better.
And her figure was honestly too good—the light, unavoidable brushing made Shichen's thoughts start drifting.
These past few days, even though he'd been sleeping with both of them, he hadn't really done anything—just a little teasing here and there.
But the one having fun definitely wasn't him.
They finished their dance too—still unnoticed, still private—and returned to the table with Frieren to eat.
Now it was time for the real main character.
Stark was escorted out, surrounded by people. He wore a white formal suit and looked more mature and handsome than usual.
At his side was a young woman—pretty, and the two of them actually looked well-matched.
When the "star" appears, naturally it's center stage, with no one else there.
On the floor, only Stark and that girl danced while everyone watched.
Stark's dancing was surprisingly good. He must've trained seriously these past few days—at first he'd been all limbs and chaos.
His face showed no panic, no wandering eyes at his partner—just calm, like he was handling a job.
The dance ended to heavy applause. Stark returned to his place, and the girl stepped away.
The ball continued.
It didn't end until midnight, and Stark stayed seated the whole time—he couldn't leave.
When it finally ended, he was allowed to drop the role, and his whole body visibly relaxed.
"Big bro… that was terrifying!" Stark looked like he was about to cry.
"I thought you didn't look nervous at all," Shichen teased.
"I was blanking my brain the whole time! If I didn't, I would've cracked."
"Ah… that explains it." Shichen laughed. "Alright. Get some rest. We're leaving tomorrow."
"Thank god! Let's get out of here already—noble life is terrifying!"
They returned to their rooms and split up.
But the moment they entered their room, Fern started stripping off her dress, exposing her pale skin.
"Fern?" Shichen froze.
"Shichen-sama… I can't take it anymore."
"…Wait, you—" Shichen was stunned.
"Fern?! What are you doing?! I'm still here!" Frieren shouted.
"That's the point," Fern said calmly.
"?"
That night, Frieren suffered terribly.
~~~
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