Chapter 32 The Wolf and the Swan Suddenly he seemed to forget how to use the Common Language...
The following night, dark clouds covered the sky, and Ilovia saw neither stars nor moon. The night was so dark that it was as if a black ink pen had leaked water, almost as if a few drops of black ink were about to be squeezed out.
Lucas did not dress up as a black cat.
As Ashlin said, the fun of the masquerade ball lies in the "mask," and if he were the black cat, he would be being himself.
He wore a raven mask, said to have been designed by Laurel, the most skilled painter in Elf Valley. It was even darker than the night sky, with a few fake feathers stuck in his head and exquisite silver spiral patterns painted on his eyes.
The mask has a magical enhancement, fitting the face perfectly as if it were one with the wearer's skin.
His blue cloak, borrowed from Aidan, was embroidered with silver hibiscus flowers and had sapphires set in the collar.
Compared to Aidan, Lucas was slimmer and shorter, so the long cloak looked slightly large on him.
Some black cat hair was stuck to the cloak and couldn't be shaken off; he doubted Aidan would ever dare wear the cloak again.
He gently knocked on Ashlin's door.
A terrified scream came from inside the house, as if someone's chicken had been taken away and killed.
Hey, are you okay?
“Of course! You go first!” Ashlin shouted frantically from inside the house, “My hair-touching spell went wrong!”
He heard the sound of bottles and jars falling inside the room, along with some obscene curses and hurried footsteps.
Need help?
Then came a terrible explosion.
Was this her "little mistake"? Lucas sighed.
“Oh my god, you idiot,” Ashlin said, most likely referring to herself.
“Yes, I can wait for you,” Lucas said patiently.
After all, they would be the only two humans at the ball, so going together was the most logical arrangement, so that no one would feel awkward or embarrassed.
Besides, they practiced dance steps together yesterday.
Another burst of hurried footsteps followed, accompanied by the sound of a mirror shattering on the floor.
It sounds like she went to chase after the hair tie.
Lucas wanted to ask her what she had promised, but in the end he just pursed his lips, flicked his cloak, and headed towards the banquet hall in the main temple. They'd have another chance to dance together later, after all.
The hall had been rearranged, and the dome had been transformed into a dark blue starry sky by magic, with the paint in the murals faintly glowing.
As far as the eye can see, the air is filled with luminous particles, which, because they have no physical form, are not as annoying as fireflies.
The elves' gowns seemed to be made of flowing fabric, their vibrant colors constantly shifting under the magical stars, dazzling him.
They walked around laughing and talking, wearing all sorts of bizarre animal masks. All those feathers or down were specially designed by a designer, and no elf would be allergic to them.
"Good evening, little blackbird." An elf patted him. She was a female elf wearing a flamingo mask, her hair spreading out behind her like a ball of flame, and her exaggeratedly large dress was as bright red as her hair. "I heard you defeated Cerberus and retrieved the Magic Flute. Congratulations."
Lucas was somewhat frustrated by this sudden exposure.
The flamingo laughed loudly.
“I designed your mask! As a painter, I pay close attention to all travelers to Ilovania, and the way you walk gives you away.”
It appears to be the painter Laurel.
"That's really impressive."
“Could you tell me the full story sometime?” the flamingo said. “I must say I’m really tired of drawing those gods. Ah, no disrespect intended!”
After she finished speaking, she looked nervously at the god in the mural, as if waiting for punishment.
“Of course, but I’m a bit busy right now,” Lucas smiled at her, but his gaze was elsewhere.
Has Ashlinn arrived yet? How far can a hair tie travel?
“Sigh, Tara is my friend too.” The flamingo glanced at the other elves, then lowered its head. “If she were here now, she’d definitely dress up as a little sparrow and dance with me… But she’s probably doing quite well in the spirit world. That girl is very strong!”
She left him and went to greet other elves.
Lucas approached the long table, which was filled with exquisite silver cutlery and various delicacies. Every few dishes, a multi-tiered dessert platter appeared, with frozen oranges, creamy apple tarts, and hazelnut chocolates vying for his attention, and even his favorite almond pudding.
They were far more exquisite than Dias's; each one was a work of art by the chef, making Lucas feel that eating them would be a destruction of art.
The flying wine glass was much more polite than it had been at the Star and Moon Party; its spell had clearly been adjusted, and it hovered gracefully beside him, waiting for him to pick it up.
Lucas had no appetite and wasn't particularly thirsty, but he took a sip out of respect for the glass. The glass danced with delight and bowed to him. He had no choice but to clap for it again.
There were many fairies at the ball, but few noticed him; they all hurried past.
At first, he tried to talk to an owl and a white fox, but they quickly found their own dance partners and went off to drink and sing together.
"I don't have to keep smiling like I did in the palace anymore," Lucas thought bitterly, "but I'm completely alone."
Still boring.
All the food and music were irrelevant to him; he wasn't a guest at the ball, just a traveler, an outsider.
“Mr. Crow.” A cool female voice sounded from behind him.
He turned around, and the long-haired elf in the snow leopard mask looked at him with unfathomable eyes.
Her mask didn't cover much of her face, and he recognized her as Her Majesty Melia, so he tilted his head slightly.
The snow leopard slipped a letter with golden sun markings into his hand, then disappeared into the spirit pack without saying another word.
It was too noisy here, so he had to suppress his curiosity and not open the package to see the contents.
The guards closed the gate, and the snow leopard had already ascended the platform, about to deliver a speech, but Lucas still couldn't see that familiar figure.
He couldn't help but wonder: Was he wrong? Were they not as close as he thought, so much so that he couldn't recognize Ashlin once she put on the mask?
He always assumed they would attend the dance together and never considered the possibility that the entire audience wouldn't recognize each other.
He thought to himself, "Too arrogant."
After all, how long have they known each other? Are they really friends? Ashlyn might say they could be friends, but the word "friend" is almost foreign to Lucas. Besides Ashlyn, the only other person he can think of is Elaine. But Elaine is his sister, so that doesn't count either.
But Ashley is different.
She grew up in a free and easy environment and must have countless friends. Now that he knows she doesn't care about status and rank like others, doesn't that mean he's even more left with nothing?
If even a prince is insignificant, then he probably means nothing to her, nothing more than a burden she dislikes. Her life is filled with nature and friendship; he is merely an insignificant cat hair in her forest, something that needs to be removed.
Lucas suddenly realized that he had never properly invited Ashlin.
She could very well have arrived at the ballroom long ago and been playing with the other elves.
The elves chattered away, ignoring the crow that kept searching for others; the crow, too, lost interest in inviting other animals. A jumble of gossip flooded his ears.
"Did you know that Zelan had a crush on Tara?"
"No way..."
"He doesn't look like it; he must be hiding his sadness."
"And also, the great musician Aidan seems quite interested in that adorable little human witch!"
"Really? He hasn't been in a relationship for so many years..."
Lucas's hand trembled, and the cup fell to the ground.
Upon seeing his companion's corpse, another cup beside him screamed and flew away.
"I'm sorry!" he said hastily, not even knowing who he was apologizing to.
Neither the cup nor the elf paid him any attention.
The snow leopard cleared its throat, and the hall fell silent in an instant.
“Today is a special day,” she said. “We have gathered here according to tradition to celebrate Ilovia’s birthday and give thanks for the blessings of the forest goddess. But let us not forget that we have just lost an important companion. Perhaps her actions were wrong, but her death was glorious.”
She paused for a moment, and the elves and the goblets bowed their heads.
The elves chuckled softly. Lucas, however, had a bad feeling.
"He's here," a melodious voice said.
All the elves turned around. At the entrance to the hall stood a man dressed in a deep purple robe and wearing a swan mask. The white feathers on the mask were exactly the same as Lucas's black feathers, but with a more soaring, outstretched posture.
Lucas's breath hitched, but not because of the swan.
Beside him stood a girl wearing a golden wolf mask, her mint-colored gauze dress adorned with tiny white butterflies whose wings were actually opening and closing. The hem of her dress was tinged with pale pink, like flower petals.
At this moment, rhythmic music began to play lightly, and the musical notes on the swan robe started to glow purple.
The lights were shone down on the swan and the golden wolf, making them the center of attention and initiating the first dance of the ball.
The swan removed its mask, revealing Aidan's face.
“I think the first dance should be presented to everyone openly,” he said softly. “What do you think, Miss Wolf?”
Golden Wolf hesitated for a moment, then removed his mask as well. Ashlin's familiar face was immediately revealed.
But it took Lucas a while to react.
He felt dizzy, as if a doctor was bleeding him again.
By the sun god above, he only now realizes how beautiful Ashlin is.
She looked nothing like the sloppy little witch he knew; she was more dazzling than any of the girls on the field.
He rarely thought about "what Ashlin was like," because they met each other every day in a daze, either on the back of a dragon, in the dungeon, or in battle.
His impression of her had always been that of a messy, country witch.
Now, her hair was no longer messy, but was styled into golden curls by a hair-smoothing spell, elegantly coiled on top of her head, with a delicate pearl hairpin inserted in her golden hair, wrapped in golden laurel leaves; her eyes were greener than any green dress, a captivating green.
Lucas felt his heartbeat rhythm get jolted a few times, but then it returned to normal.
Does he really know Ashlyn? Which one is the real her?
Suddenly, Lucas was overwhelmed by an immense sense of unfamiliarity.
Aidan said something that made Ashlin laugh heartily.
She revealed two sharp, canine-like teeth, her curly blonde hair shimmering with starlight, and her pale green gauze dress allowed her to blend perfectly into the elven world.
They were absolutely the best dance partners at the ball; their movements were so coordinated with the rhythm that every elf was mesmerized.
The silver-haired swan and the golden-haired wolf create new notes with every step they take—one is music in the moonlight, the other is music in the wild vines of the forest.
For a moment, Lucas didn't even know who was causing his bitterness: his most beloved music idol was dancing with his best friend.
All other figures seemed to have left the stage, the table was spotless, and the music was a solo performance for the two of them.
Clearly, this was the "promise" Ashlin had wanted to tell him.
She accepted Aidan's invitation in advance.
And he stood alone in a corner of the ball: a truly pitiful bird, an abandoned stray cat.
This was where he belonged. He'd only gained attention because of a crown. He looked around; no elf invited him, everyone had found their own animals. The flamingo who'd greeted him was now chatting and laughing hand-in-hand with another girl.
In the past, out of respect for the prince, people would vie to dance with him, but clearly no elf would be interested in a naive human boy, nor would any animal like a raven that brings bad luck.
He recalled the balls in Helian. The nobles smiled at him, and the girls, at their parents' insistence, pretended to adore him.
His father would give him suggestive glances, and he would then take the noblewoman's hand and begin the monotonous dance, exactly as the dance teacher had taught him. Every step had been practiced thousands of times, every turn repeated countless times. He moved in sync with his partner, but his thoughts were wandering far away.
Afterwards, people would cheer for their dance, and he would smile and bow, but he didn't know what he should really think.
For whom was he dancing then? Was it for that equally bewildered noble girl, for the alliance between lords, or for the approval of his parents?
Once stripped of his princely status, he was nothing and knew nothing. People flattered him because he was a prince, but here, he wasn't. Without that title, he was nothing but a foolish stranger in a foreign land.
So he was all alone.
Lucas thought his mood would improve after seeing Ashlin, but it didn't.
Instead, he felt a twisted, heavy feeling in his stomach.
This feeling of being caught in an unsolved mystery drove him crazy. He desperately tried to find the reason, but the reason simply didn't exist.
A wine glass flew over and landed graciously in front of him. He grabbed it almost roughly and downed it in one gulp. The warm, grape-flavored taste slid down his throat, but only his throat.
The wine glass was stunned, flattered.
"Please have another glass," he said to the glass. The latter happily refilled his glass automatically.
With a graceful turn, her green dress opened and closed like an umbrella. The music finally ended, followed by thunderous applause, and the ball officially began.
Lucas breathed a huge sigh of relief, hoping there would never be another dance.
"Miss Wolf, did you have fun?" He pretended to be nonchalant when he saw her coming over.
Ashlin couldn't hide the excitement on her face.
"Aidan is not only the most talented musician, but also an outstanding dancer! I have never had such an experience before, it's simply magic."
“That’s great.” Lucas tried to appear interested. “He’s not as mysterious as before, is he?”
“Actually, he’s quite charming,” Ashlin said, then quickly added, “but he doesn’t charm me, of course.”
“Obviously.” Lucas realized his voice was too cold, so he quickly changed the subject to be more enthusiastic. “So, what are you planning to do next?”
Lucas avoided her gaze.
"Good heavens, how could you think that? A crow is a crow."
"Would a crow's tuxedo have cat hair on it?"
Lucas was speechless. He wanted to offer some words of praise, as he would to a noble lady in court. Perhaps something like, "She's beautiful," or "Her dance was wonderful," preferably a quote from literature to fit the atmosphere.
Or perhaps he should just ask her to dance.
That sounded like a good idea, so he reached out his hand as if to invite her, but his tongue was snatched away the instant he looked at her. Suddenly, he seemed to have forgotten how to say Common Tongue.
Ashlin raised an eyebrow and put the mask back on.
"Given that crows and wolves have always had a cooperative relationship in nature... would this crow dance with a wolf?"
But the persistent swan came closer.
“Miss Wolf, the Divine Oak Tree will be healed soon,” he said to the wolf. “Are you ready?”
“I don’t think we need to rush,” Miss Wolf said. “There are still a few dances to go.”
Mr. Swan handed Ms. Wolf a glass of wine, a bit darker in color than the others, with a stronger aroma, and not so much like grapes.
"Alright then. But you must be thirsty after dancing for so long, right?" The swan raised his wine glass to her.
For a fleeting moment, Lucas wanted to knock the glass out of Ashlin's hand and yell at her not to drink it, but there was no basis for doing so.
Miss Wolf hesitated for a moment, but still drank the glass of wine.
In those terrifying few seconds, Lucas feared she would suddenly collapse and discover that the wine actually contained hemlock.
It turned out he was overthinking it; nothing happened, there was nothing in the wine, and the swan was genuinely worried the wolf was thirsty.
The crow stared at the wolf and the swan, its heart filled with mixed emotions, its head spinning, as the alcohol began to take effect.
The whole world is incredibly boring, and what they're doing now is a complete waste of time. He should have just grabbed the magic flute and run.
"I suddenly remembered something, so I'll take my leave now. Please pass on my message to Melia."
He has already left.
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