Chapter 89 The Ball Incident Eton City, Ball, Attack
The Eton City Lord's Mansion is always particularly lively at the end of the year.
During this period, the city lord will hold a seven-day ball to celebrate the end of the year and the arrival of the new year.
All the prominent nobles under the jurisdiction of Eaton City will be invited. This is an important venue for ladies to compete for beauty and find their ideal partners, and also an alternative social circle for gentlemen to expand their networks and facilitate cooperation.
At this time of year, the castle's stewards and servants are always exceptionally busy.
But for special personnel like Vivian who have the status of a teacher, they will take a break after finishing their last few days of work, since children also need rest, right?
At this point, she could leave the castle and wander around the city at will, but she could not leave Eton City and had to be on standby in the city at any time, ready to be dispatched in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Today is the third day of the ball, and Vivian is on rest day so she doesn't have to look after the naughty children. According to the housekeeper, these kinds of occasions are frequented by a large number of people, and the city lord usually arranges for some mages and knights to infiltrate the ball to protect the safety of the distinguished guests.
So Vivian could sneak into the ball and enjoy some rare delicacies, all she had to do was wear a proper dress.
She rented a rather ordinary-looking dress from a clothing store in the city. With the help of her maid, Vivian's fiery red hair was simply tied up and decorated with two colorful feathers. Only a badge representing her identity was pinned to her chest.
And so, Vivian swaggered into the hall where the ball was being held.
The interior of the hall was resplendent with gold, and in the very center of the dance floor was a specially customized new glass lamp, made into an exquisite shape, which made the entire dance floor shine.
The master is indeed a master; he managed to make such a great use out of an energy stone that was originally useless.
Vivian couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She deliberately moved away from the most bustling spot in the center of the dance floor, hiding herself in a corner of the hall, quietly enjoying the various delicacies.
"Hey, Lady Vivian, you've come to visit too?"
"Shh!"
Vivian pulled Ducal, who was also dressed formally, behind the curtains, peeked out discreetly, and breathed a slight sigh of relief when she found that no one else had noticed them.
Didn't you ask for leave to go home and rest?
As if realizing something, Vivian nodded and looked at him with an "I understand" expression.
She looked Ducal up and down; his attire was understated yet luxurious, and his jewelry sparkled.
We couldn't find this kid. He's quite concerned about his image; he even rented such new clothes specifically for this mission.
"Young man, you're dressed very well."
Ducal blushed shyly at Vivian's teasing compliment.
Has Lady Vivian discovered my identity? As expected of an outstanding mage who graduated first in her class, her exceptional observational skills are truly unmatched! Oh, Lady Vivian, I am willing to offer you all my loyalty!
"Your Excellency Vivian, your attire today is exceptionally elegant. You are like a rose blooming in the height of summer, the most dazzling presence at the entire ball."
Facing his idol, Ducal couldn't contain his excitement and began showering Vivian with compliments. Vivian was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a castle out of her toes.
"Stop, Ducart, don't forget your task for today."
What are today's tasks?
Ducal was completely baffled, but still answered Vivian very respectfully. Letting a lady feel awkward was hardly the behavior of a gentleman.
"Yes, sir."
He then followed Vivian around.
Ducar's overall appearance is quite deceptive. If he was a resolute and brave, but somewhat unkempt, warrior when he was a knight in the city lord's mansion, then now he is a polite and courteous nobleman.
The ladies around him would occasionally glance at him, which made Vivian very uncomfortable.
Can't I just eat something decent in peace here?
"Ducar, those guys over there seem to be looking for you. They mentioned your name."
Ducart glanced at the group of people; they were all his classmates from public school, childhood friends with whom he had a close relationship. He could go and say hello. But no one would mind if he didn't; there was no need to give up a good opportunity to get to know his idol just to greet acquaintances.
"It's alright, sir. We're quite familiar with each other, there's no need for a special greeting."
Although I don't need you, I really need some space to be alone!
Vivian was starting to get frustrated, but she couldn't just kick Ducal out, so she decided to give up and treat him like he was invisible, continuing to eat and drink.
The light and melodious music stopped, and a new, cheerful tune began. People who had been exchanging pleasantries in the center of the dance floor stepped back, making room for the dance, and the party was about to officially begin.
As the host of the banquet, in the absence of anyone of higher status than himself, the Duke and his wife will dance the first opening dance.
The music changed from cheerful to soothing, and the Duke bent down and extended his hand to invite the Duchess to dance. The Duchess was dressed in a magnificent gown, and her precious jewels sparkled under the lights.
She was now the center of attention at the ball, a polite smile on her face, her fingers lightly resting on the Duke's hand, as the two slowly walked toward the center of the dance floor.
As elegant music began, the two danced gracefully on the dance floor, perfectly synchronized with each other's steps.
"My wife, you are as beautiful and charming as ever today, and you still captivate me."
The Duke whispered sweet nothings to his wife, and the Duchess blushed shyly. They were a rare couple, a noble pair whose social standing was perfectly matched and who had married for love.
"How old is your son? He's still saying all this nonsense. He has no shame at all!"
The Duke chuckled softly, his eyes radiating happiness.
As the song ended, the two left the dance floor hand in hand, and the crowd around them applauded in respect. Music began to play again, and a new dance was about to start.
Young noblemen would generously invite the ladies present to be their dance partners, and the woman who received the most invitations would become the focus of the most discussion in the entire social circle the following day.
The upper class values lineage and heritage above all else, and places great importance on etiquette and manners. Noble status restricts the behavior of aristocratic women, preventing them from engaging in private dates with eligible young men.
Their marriages were mostly controlled by their fathers and brothers, and large social events like balls were rare occasions where they could freely choose their partners. Therefore, the young ladies of each family attached great importance to this.
Every action at the ball is closely watched. If you accidentally do something inappropriate, you could become the laughingstock of the group the very next day.
Not only would she lose face, but she would also bring shame to her entire family, and might even remain unmarried for life, becoming an old maid ridiculed by everyone.
The upper class always uses the name of family to tightly control women's marriages. In their eyes, marriage is nothing more than an exchange of interests between two families, the simplest, most effective, and most direct way to bind the two families together.
If this was true for the upper-class nobles, it was equally true for the lower-class people.
For thousands of years, women have been firmly bound. Women like Vivian, who are able to freely pursue the life they want, are only a tiny minority.
However, it cannot be denied that many people are actively fighting for the rights that women deserve.
As the third piece of music began, Ducard, after some mental preparation, finally mustered the courage to invite Vivian to dance. Unfortunately, Vivian was engrossed in eating various desserts and didn't notice his invitation.
Ducal was a little disappointed, but his mood immediately brightened when Vivian handed him the small cake.
He stood next to Vivian, eating as he introduced her to the various people present at the ball.
"The one with the blue ribbon is Count Troy. It's best to avoid him; he's been married four times. That one is Count Royward. He just inherited his father's title. Although he's somewhat cynical, his family is one of our Duke's most loyal supporters."
Vivian looked in the direction of Ducart and saw a richly dressed, well-mannered blond nobleman chatting and laughing with a young lady.
The lady had a charming oval face. Royward would tease her so much that she would occasionally cover the lower half of her face with her folding fan. Vivian felt that the lady looked somewhat familiar.
Who was it again?
"The lady next to Royward is the youngest daughter of Baron Edmundson. She has just turned sixteen and this is her first formal entry into social circles."
After Ducart's explanation, Vivian finally remembered, but at the same time, she realized what was happening.
"How do you know so much?"
Vivian looked at Ducharts suspiciously, as if she were looking at a traitor. Ducharts hurriedly explained.
“My surname is Edward. My father was a minor nobleman under the Duke. Because he was not the eldest son, he had no right to inherit the throne, so he joined the Duke’s knightly order.”
At this point, Ducal touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly.
"You are very talented, otherwise you wouldn't have been selected for the Knights."
"Thank you very much for your kind words!"
Ducart beamed with joy.
Adults have their own social circles, and children have their own little circles.
As the sole heir, young master Thorne took off his comfortable and durable wool shirt and put on a specially made silver-white suit.
As the heir to a great noble family, social skills are one of the important lessons he must learn.
His exquisite suit and expensive jewelry made him look exceptionally noble, but his slightly furrowed brows revealed his impatience.
He hated pretentious nobles and all sorts of people who constantly tried to curry favor with him; their affected manner always made him want to vomit. Even if he deliberately and carelessly splashed red wine all over them, they would still laugh and praise his extraordinary wrist strength.
I kind of miss Vivian, that fierce woman.
Thorne wandered aimlessly, followed by a few tagalongs. They were all sons of minor nobles present, trying their best to please the unapproachable young master of the Duke of Emerich at their parents' behest.
The friendships of young people are always sincere and lovely, but in Thorne's eyes, what they value is nothing more than the powerful family background behind him.
Ugh, so boring.
Thorne escaped the bustling inner hall and went to the outer perimeter of the ball, where the people were even more interesting.
Wait, wasn't Teacher Vivian taking a break? How did she end up here?
Thorne found Vivian's updo and rather plain dress particularly incongruous. It was the first time he had ever seen Vivian, who was usually fierce and always dressed in a mage's robe, wearing an ordinary dress to attend such a ball.
But what's with those huge feathers on Vivian's head?! Oh my god! This outfit is just too exaggerated.
If Ms. Vivian really doesn't have any suitable jewelry, I wouldn't mind picking some out of the gifts I receive and giving them to her.
Thorne felt embarrassed and wanted to facepalm. Why did Vivian, whose magic was so superb and exquisite, have such a big flaw in her aesthetic sense!
Who exactly is that man who keeps talking to him?
Thorne was very unhappy that someone kept bothering Vivian, even though Vivian was only his teacher.
Watching Vivian and Ducal chatting and sharing cakes in a relaxed manner, Thorne grew angrier the more he thought about it.
They all came to the ball to have fun, so why didn't Vivian come to find them?
Thorne angrily headed straight for Vivian, but then he paused, remembering the big and little tails behind him.
"Zhou, I want to eat fruit juice gummies."
Hearing Thorne's words, Zhou was in a difficult position.
He was not a male servant, but a guard disguised as one. His main task was to protect the young master's safety.
The fruit gummies are located far away and are a special snack for the ladies. If he goes to get the gummies, he will inevitably be away from the young master for a while.
"Can we switch to some other snacks? That strawberry mini cake looks especially delicious."
"No, I want fruit gummies!"
Thorne, who initiated the bear fight, was particularly difficult to deal with, and Zhou finally had no choice but to agree to his demands.
"Please don't wander around here."
"Okay, go quickly!"
Thorne behaved unusually well, then turned his gaze to the few little tails following behind him.
"Could you guys go get me some food and drinks? I'm a little hungry."
Knowing that Thorne was deliberately trying to get rid of them, they couldn't refuse outright, so they left, looking back every few steps.
Having finally achieved his goal, and now all alone, Thorne couldn't wait to go find Vivian.
"Teacher Vivian!"
Vivian looked at the impeccably dressed Thorne and could hardly recognize him.
Is that the dark-faced brat? It's only been a few days, when did he go for skin whitening treatments? How come she didn't know? This isn't the brat, it's his cousin, isn't it?
"Hello, how can I help you?"
Vivian wore a polite yet distant smile.
Thorne was taken aback by Vivian's attitude.
"I am Thorne!"
Thorne wanted to cry, but considering his image, he tried his best to remain calm.
Ah, it really is Thorne.
"Why did you come here?"
Normally, Thorne should follow behind the Duke or Duchess, who will then guide him to meet his new companions.
"Where is your manservant? Why isn't he by your side?"
In a ball, where all sorts of people mingle, although guests are not allowed to bring any weapons, there's always the possibility that someone with bad intentions might sneak in during the chaos. Therefore, security inside the ball is particularly strict.
Especially for heirs of such high status as Thorne, they were always closely protected by guards disguised as male servants.
Thorne thought Vivian would be especially happy to see him, but he didn't expect her to throw such a tantrum.
He lowered his head, picking at his nails, looking very disappointed.
"You managed to sneak away from him?"
Thorne nodded.
"My young master, you should settle down. What will your wife do if something happens to you? Don't wander around. Stay by my side until the male servant comes to you."
"OK."
Thorne firmly occupied the spot next to Vivian, separating her from Ducal, and obediently accepted Vivian's feeding.
Thorne's arrival drew all of Vivian's attention to him, leaving her with no interest in responding to the incessantly questioning Ducal. He shrugged helplessly and stood behind the two of them, helping to serve them various delicious little cakes. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
Suddenly, unexpected events occurred.
A male servant carrying a glass of red wine lifted the tray, drew a dagger, and charged straight at Thorne, intending to assassinate him.
Vivian reacted quickly, grabbing the servant's wrist and pushing the dagger away.
"Thorn, run!"
Thorne was taken aback by the sudden turn of events; it was the first time in his life he had faced someone's malice so closely.
The male servant stared at him with a vicious look that seemed to say, "It's either you or me," as if they were mortal enemies.
He didn't understand what he had done wrong, or why he was being treated this way.
"What are you still standing there for!"
Seeing that the male servant had failed, the accomplice who had been mixed in with the guests stopped pretending and launched a fatal attack on Thorne.
Their orders were very simple: capture the Duke of Emeric's heir, and if they failed to bring him back, kill him.
"Thorne, go find a guard and be careful."
The failed hijacking sparked a riot among the guests, and chaos erupted outside the hall.
Vivian and Ducal were outnumbered and could only try to buy Thorne some time.
"The ice breaks."
A large number of ice spikes instantly condensed in mid-air, and the person controlled the ice spikes to shoot towards Vivian and the others.
Vivian immediately used magic to launch a fireball attack.
The ice spikes collided with the fireballs, exploding one by one in mid-air with loud bangs. The ice spikes melted into water, soaking Vivian and the thug.
Who are you?!
"You don't need to know who we are. All you need to know is that you're going to die here tonight."
The man was likely a mid-level ice mage, and he launched an even more ferocious attack.
Vivian Lu was preoccupied with caring for the innocent civilians around her and occasionally lending a hand to Ducar, making it impossible for her to unleash her more powerful skills. For a time, she was simply overwhelmed.
"Your Excellency, do not worry about the other guests; I will evacuate them as soon as possible."
Vivian frowned. Ducar was only a junior knight, and he couldn't possibly handle so many attackers on his own.
They need reinforcements now, but why haven't they arrived yet!
Vivian quickly ran out of time to think. The man's attacks were exceptionally fierce, each move aimed to kill without leaving a trace. Sensing their intentions, she launched her own attack, no longer holding back, and drove the attackers to a less crowded area.
"I advise you to surrender immediately, the Duke's guards will be here soon."
"Overestimating yourself!"
The vicious villain conjured an ice blade in his hand and charged toward Vivian.
Mages are not good at close combat, and Vivian is no exception.
She could fight back against simple magical attacks, but she has no weapons at hand and can only retreat.
Ducart discovered Vivian's current situation and was very anxious, but he was in dire straits himself and could not offer any help.
The tide of battle turned, and the thugs who had been cornered by Vivian's fire magic began to fight back, putting the two on the defensive for a time.
I can't let him get any closer to me.
Vivian devised a plan and, taking advantage of the moment when the man changed his attack method, activated her skill to create some distance.
Great opportunity!
Vivian quickly recited the obscure and difficult incantation, and in conjunction with the magical artifact "Eye of Vulcan" around her neck, she unleashed a powerful spell.
As the last character of the spell fell, a rock completely encased in flames fell from the sky, striking the thug who could use ice magic.
The impact created a deep crater in the hall floor. Unfortunately, the person managed to conjure a solid ice shield in the moment of crisis, which blocked 70% of the damage. Only their left arm suffered burns.
The long table, once laden with various delicacies, had been chopped into several pieces. The area surrounding the dance floor, the main battleground, was a mess, with only Vivian and Ducal remaining; everyone else had fled.
This is good; it avoids accidental injuries and prevents the other side from taking innocent civilians hostage.
Vivian's dress was tattered and worn; the petticoat had long since been torn off and thrown away somewhere.
The sound of synchronized footsteps approached, and Vivian knew that the Duke's knights had arrived.
"I advise you to give up resistance as soon as possible, our people have arrived."
"Give up? Those two words don't even exist in my dictionary. You lackeys of the church, your so-called miracles are all scams to deceive the masses. One day, that person will descend upon the continent again and lead us to true happiness! Faith never dies!"
Vivian noticed that the man was in a very bad state and rushed forward to stop him, but it seemed that it was too late.
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