Chapter 298 - 287: I Will Gladly Oblige (Part 2)

Chapter 298: Chapter 287: I Will Gladly Oblige (Part 2)

Bev’s voice was a bit cold.

"A pleasure."

Zelir gave Luke a slight nod as a greeting.

"Heh..."

Luke snorted, his smile forced. He completely ignored Zelir.

He offered his glass of red wine to Bev, but when she didn’t respond, he could only retract it awkwardly.

Then he confidently puffed out his already prominent chest.

"Miss Bev, I have missed you dearly ever since we last parted."

Luke flashed what he believed to be a gentlemanly smile, his voice dripping with affection.

"I have longed to see you again. In fact, that desire became the very motivation driving me forward!"

"After enduring training that most people couldn’t handle, I am now a Junior Warrior! I am more than capable of ensuring your safety!"

"Mm, that’s very impressive."

Bev nodded nonchalantly. "Congratulations," she replied, her tone dismissive.

Nearby, Yanni couldn’t help but stifle a quiet laugh.

’This guy...’

’Did he have his suit tailored this tightly just to show off those muscles?’

"Miss Bev, last time you mentioned you couldn’t dance, but this time..."

Luke seemed to have an automatic filter for Bev’s dismissiveness. A flash of admiration once again crossed his eyes.

"Dressed so magnificently, you look as beautiful as a goddess... I imagine you must have practiced your dancing until you’re quite skilled, yes?"

"Even as I honed my martial skills, I never neglected my duties as a member of the Nobility. My dancing is equally exceptional..."

Luke took a step forward, completely ignoring Zelir at her side.

He extended his hand to Bev.

"I wonder, will I have the honor of sharing a dance with you later?"

’Tsk...’

Bev sighed inwardly in disgust. ’This guy is as annoying as ever.’

After he spoke, Luke shot a provocative glare directly at Zelir.

The young noblewomen nearby all fell silent.

Their gazes, filled with a subtle curiosity, shifted back and forth between Zelir and Luke.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Bev intended to dance with Zelir later.

Luke’s move was a direct challenge to Zelir.

Faced with Luke’s blatant attempt to steal his dance partner, Zelir wasn’t about to stay silent.

But just as he was about to speak...

"DING... DING..."

In the center of the hall, the band conductor lightly tapped a tuning fork.

The brilliant light from the Magic Crystal Chandelier began to dim, casting a soft, intimate glow over the hall.

The rhythm of the graceful, soothing minuet suddenly shifted, transitioning into a slightly faster social prelude.

This was the signal that the ball was about to begin, giving the guests a final moment to prepare.

During this interlude, the ladies would hurry to touch up their makeup and adjust their breathing, constricted by tight corsets.

Meanwhile, the men would gather in the lounge on the other side of the hall to share a drink and discuss the Kingdom’s affairs.

"Zelir, wait for me a moment."

Bev looked at Zelir beside her and gave him a playful wink. "See you on the dance floor."

"Alright. See you in a bit," Zelir replied with a smile and a gentle nod.

He watched with a gentle expression as Bev gathered her skirts and followed Yanni and the other young noblewomen toward an inner chamber.

Meanwhile, Luke, who had been completely ignored throughout the entire exchange, felt his anger reach a boiling point.

He could no longer maintain his false smile; his face was twisted with rage.

Luke’s expression was sullen.

’This pretty boy... Where the hell did he come from?’

’Zelir...?’

’He doesn’t even have a family name. How did a lowly commoner like him sneak into an event like this?’

...

"Sigh... This is so boring."

Lante sighed softly.

Compared to the perfumed air of the ladies’ retiring room, the atmosphere here was thick with the smell of cigar smoke and hard liquor.

Lante glanced around, his heart filled with boredom.

He held an expensive glass of red wine, but he only swirled it listlessly, with no intention of taking a sip.

Lante had also received an invitation from the Alberti Clan.

In the past, Lante might have tried to socialize with the other nobles to expand his network.

But now...

He scanned the hall, seeing nothing but false smiles and the smug faces of people trying to one-up each other.

A wave of irritation washed over him.

All Lante wanted to do now was focus on his Meditation and improve his skills.

"I’d be better off going home and getting in two more hours of Meditation than wasting my time here listening to them brag," Lante muttered. "Once spring arrives, I’m definitely going to the Adventurer’s Association to pick up some decent quests. I can’t stay in my comfort zone forever..."

"What are you muttering to yourself about, Lante?"

A familiar, gentle voice called out.

Lante looked up, the boredom on his young face instantly replaced by joy.

"Zelir!"

"Good evening, Lante," Zelir said with a smile.

"I didn’t think you’d come to the ball!" Lante said, pleasantly surprised.

"Well, Bev invited me. It’s nice to get out and have some fun once in a while," Zelir said.

"I was just thinking about going on an adventure."

Now that he was with Zelir, Lante became a chatterbox.

"I’m planning to learn a few more powerful Attack Magics, and then go adventuring after the new year... Magic Wave isn’t cutting it, so I already bought a Magic Scroll for Arcane Missile!"

"Hmm... Arcane Missile. That’s a good spell," Zelir said, nodding in approval.

Arcane Missile was arguably the most simple, practical, and efficient Attack Magic in all of Level Three Magic.

When mastered, a single cast could heavily injure Demons like Beastman Goblins that lacked strong defenses.

It was the perfect spell for the Newbie Stage!