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"Still dancing? It's been so long. I'm surprised you've taken a liking to it."
"Hah? Allen, are you tired?"
Allen lowered his gaze.
Eris raised hers.
Dark gray pupils met crimson.
Their steps never faltered.
Red strands of hair—
Flying up, then falling—
Brushed against Allen's face again and again. Unlike Sylphie's soft locks, Eris' hair was elastic, curling naturally with each bounce.
With every step, the faint scent of Boreas' preferred musk-like bathing oils drifted into his nose.
In those crimson eyes—
The light had already dimmed.
Yet Allen's slightly exasperated expression remained clear.
"It's almost dark. In winter, it'd be fine, but this is summer. Etiquette class should've ended by now."
"Eris."
The banquet hall, once bathed in twilight, had lost the last traces of sunset through its skylight. The glow of dusk had vanished from sight.
Darkness rose like steam in a bathhouse—hazy, mist-like—
Blurring their vision.
Within it—
Eris' hair took on a deep, wine-red hue, rich and mesmerizing.
Children possessed an almost instinctive sharpness when it came to certain things, and for someone like Eris—a natural at reading people—this intuition was especially pronounced.
What ability?
—Testing the limits of adults.
Of course, only the adults she acknowledged. Someone like Rudeus wouldn't even need testing.
So where was Allen's limit?
After half a year of "experimentation," Eris couldn't articulate a systematic conclusion, but based on his expressions, she had pieced together the following:
If Allen agreed to her requests with a relaxed demeanor and an easy tone, she could keep pushing without worry—he wouldn't grow tired of it.
If he frowned and refused outright, a well-timed Eris Nyaa~☆ would make him relent, even if he complained. The next time, he'd refuse again—but the Nyaa~☆ would still work!
But if Allen looked thoughtful, sighed, and shook his head… no amount of begging or pouting would change his mind. In those cases, she had to stop immediately—only then would he smile and praise her.
And right now…
Eris blinked, coming to a sudden halt.
Her flying hair, caught by momentum, whipped behind her back before bouncing in a fluffy arc.
Allen, mid-step, adjusted effortlessly, his core strength keeping him perfectly balanced as he planted his foot firmly.
He looked down at Eris.
Sure enough—
A resigned shake of his head… followed by a smile.
"You danced wonderfully, Eris."
Eris' lips curled up.
"Mhm!"
She spun toward Hilda, switching to "victory mode," her steps light as if still dancing, her eyes bright.
"Mother! Did I get better?"
Then—her expression froze.
"…Mother?"
Allen, standing beside her, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He had been using Flow techniques to guide Eris' posture, but now that they'd stopped, the strangeness hit him.
It was too quiet.
Through the skylight, the last embers of sunlight flickered—then vanished, as if blown out by the wind.
Sound and darkness crashed over them.
Allen glanced sideways. Unlike his usual habit—first checking on Sylphie, then seeing what mischief Rudeus was up to—his eyes went straight to Hilda.
Her face was veiled in shadow, her expression unreadable.
But he could feel it—
She was looking at him.
Not at Eris, despite her daughter's call.
Eris' confusion came from this being the first time Hilda hadn't turned to her immediately.
Time seemed to freeze.
A second? An eternity?
Then—a voice, slightly hoarse, brushed past Allen's ears.
Breaking the silence.
"It's dark…"
"I can't… quite see your faces anymore."
"Eris, you danced beautifully. Did you… enjoy dancing with Allen?"
Eris blinked. As Hilda's shadowed figure turned back to her, the strange, foreboding feeling that had gripped her heart melted away. She grinned, darting forward to throw herself into Hilda's arms.
"I did! Mother."
"…"
"That's good."
"It's late. Let's head back."
"Okay!"
Eris grabbed Hilda's hand, ready to drag her along—but met resistance.
Before she could turn, Hilda's voice came again.
"I'll lock up. We've been here a while—I'm not sure if Lilia and the others are still waiting outside."
"Oh! Back to the classroom!"
Eris charged ahead, leading the way. Behind Hilda, Rudeus and Ghislaine naturally turned toward the exit.
Sylphie hesitated for a moment, her face hidden in the dark. She glanced at Allen, then at Hilda—before finally turning away.
Allen followed.
As he passed Hilda—
He didn't abruptly turn to look at her. He simply walked by, as if nothing were amiss.
Their footsteps scattered unevenly toward the door.
Then—the sharp click of heels against the floor.
Tap. Tap.
Like a heartbeat.
Even in the dark, where Hilda's expression had been invisible since the dance ended—
Allen could still feel it.
That gaze.
Never leaving him.
———
Lilia, the head maid, had already left, leaving only a few maids waiting outside. So there was no need for Hilda to lock up personally.
The group crossed the courtyard, now swallowed by night, and returned to the manor.
As they stepped into the hallway, light spilled over their faces again, stripping away the veil of darkness.
Allen watched Ghislaine, Rudeus, and Eris walk ahead, listening to their steady, familiar heartbeats.
He quickened his pace, falling in beside Sylphie—who had been trudging with her head down the entire way.
Her white hair swayed as she stared at her feet, lost in thought.
"What's wrong?"
Sylphie glanced at him, her expression uncertain, hesitant. She parted her lips slightly, her eyes flickering behind her for a moment—before she simply said:
"It's nothing."
Allen paused but didn't press further. He looked ahead.
The classroom was close to the entrance, and after just a few more steps, the open door was right before them.
Inside, lanterns had already been lit, their warm glow spilling over the threshold—
Bright.
Welcoming.
Making it hard not to step inside.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 250 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 30 power stones I will publish the next chapter.