Just as Iyefut Cape was searching for Sang, everyone else watched her intently. They marveled at her perfection while debating whether to approach and strike up a conversation.
It felt clichéd, yet somehow evoked the vibe of a youthful school drama.
Suddenly.
Student Council President David Ketch stepped forward. As the host, he had to personally welcome Iyefut. When he saw her in that red-and-white checkered dress, his eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat. Ah! He’d once thought nothing in the world was truly perfect!
But here it was, perfection incarnate!
“Princess…”
As David Ketch drew nearer to the girl step by step, she turned her gaze toward him, flashing a delighted smile before walking in their direction.
She must have heard his call and come over. Excellent.
David’s heart bloomed with joy.
One step…
Two steps…
Three steps…
And then she brushed right past him.
David stood there dumbfounded, whipping around to see Iyefut approaching a masked young man with light, bouncy steps.
“Mad Rogue, I thought you’d stood me up?”
Iyefut stood before the masked youth, her elegance and poise as impeccable as ever, yet anyone could clearly sense one thing—she was genuinely happy.
Not the superficial courtesy of polite society, but heartfelt delight.
Sang had changed into a matching formal tuxedo. The rest was no different from anyone else’s attire; men’s formalwear didn’t allow for much creativity, after all. As usual, he wore a mask.
“Yi Ye, since I promised to be your dance partner, I’ll follow through… It’s my way of thanking you for teaching me all those dance lessons… But didn’t you say we’d wear matching outfits? What happened to that?”
They’d agreed on couple’s attire—no, not couple’s attire…
“Hee hee hee… Girls are fickle, you know~”
“Sigh… A one- or two-hundred-year-old girl, right?”
“Yep, yep, yep!”
As Iyefut and Sang chatted in the center of the venue, numerous onlookers turned their gazes toward them. Though rumors had spread that Iyefut had grown close to a human lately, seeing it firsthand still came as a shock.
The scene stirred complex emotions among the Blood Race members present.
If any other Blood Race noble got chummy with a human like this, there’d be hell to pay. But the noble in question was Iyefut.
The daughter of Duke Cape…
Even if she was the least favored daughter, she wasn’t someone a nobody could afford to provoke… Especially since Duke Cape still allowed her to bear the Red Lycoris.
Who would dare make a fuss?
It also sparked goodwill toward Iyefut among the humans.
Luna wasn’t one of them. She lingered in a corner, munching and sipping away, when she spotted them in surprise. “Iyefut… and Shuade…”
Truth be told.
Luna disliked the Cape Family. They were the masterminds behind Sang’s capture and transport to Central, and as the Blood Race’s most powerful clan, they were the originators of humanity’s persecution.
“But… what’s the deal with this Shuade?” Luna didn’t care much for Shuade either. Was he really just a lapdog…?
Hearing Luna’s confusion, Adolf stepped forward, his expression grave. “A Blood Race lapdog… a runt…”
At first, Adolf had assumed Shuade was some powerhouse, given his insertion into Class A. But after witnessing his effortless defeat in the arena that day, he’d formed his judgment: a weakling, a runt who’d climbed the ranks by groveling to the Blood Race.
Luna suddenly recalled the gruesome scene from the arena last time, linking it to this person’s terrifying strength. She hadn’t seen it herself, but if he’d caused that carnage, his power had to be at least Golden Level.
Golden Level—that put him in the top 4.5% of every graduating class.
But knowing Adolf’s competitive nature, Luna chose to keep quiet, withholding what she’d seen and heard.
About ten minutes later.
The dance formally began.
Student Council President David Ketch had recovered by then. He came from a great family, after all; even after the embarrassment, his ingrained refinement held firm. He invited Iyefut Cape to lead the first dance.
“Miss Iyefut, would you honor this ball with the opening dance?”
As a Cape, Iyefut was always asked to open the first dance at any banquet she attended. She was used to it and typically declined, but today… she didn’t. After all, she hadn’t had a suitable partner before, but now one stood before her.
Amid countless astonished gazes, Iyefut’s eyes turned to Sang.
Sang glanced around. The others had cleared a space several meters in radius. He wasn’t used to this formality—sneaky maneuvers in a crowd were more his style, and this felt awkward… Even so, he’d promised Yi Ye, and he would deliver.
The next moment.
The youth stepped forward and extended a gallant invitation to Iyefut. She seemed pleased with his poise and accepted.
“Hmm, you’re starting to get the hang of it….” As they glided into the dance, Iyefut masterfully controlled her expression, her lips parting ever so slightly as she murmured.
Her pink-tinted lips opened and closed, exuding a subtle allure.
Sang couldn’t stand seeing Iyefut so smug. “Yeah, Yi Ye’s training is top-notch~”
“Tra… Training!?”
The word nearly broke her composure in front of everyone. Flustered, she continued helplessly, “Who trained you? Don’t throw words around like that…”
Knowing Iyefut’s dual nature—prim on the outside, vulnerable within—Sang enjoyed teasing her. Her attempts to hold it together were genuine and adorable.
Unlike the True Ancestor or Snow Hill, Iyefut’s body was always warm. Even now, as Sang’s hand rested on her slender waist and their other hands clasped, he felt her heat. Those amber eyes resembled fossils from millennia past, harboring something pure and sacred.
As Sang zoned out, the close Iyefut suddenly said, “Mad Rogue, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a while.”
“Don’t use that confession template…”
Sang knew his place. The duke’s daughter wouldn’t fall for him, so he could joke freely.
Iyefut flushed at his blunt rudeness, muttering, “Sigh, you always ruin the mood…”
“Fine, fine… So, what did you want to say?”
“Um… Mad Rogue, or rather, Inset An. I’m Iyefut Cape. Nice to meet you.”
These were her sincere words. Despite her ladylike facade, she was just an innocent girl at heart. She’d met plenty of high-society peers growing up, but this was the first time she’d made a friend as Iyefut, not as a Cape.
Especially after reuniting with the youth here in Knight Academy City—it gave her a taste of youth for the first time.
As she spoke, the dance drew to a close. A cool breeze, uncharacteristic of midsummer, swept in. It didn’t tousle Iyefut’s double-helix braids but did dishevel a few strands of her gradient golden hair, which danced before her eyes. She tilted her head slightly, revealing a faint smile.
Seeing Iyefut like this—so radiant—the youth lost himself for a moment, a string in his heart plucked.
To Sang, the True Ancestor was an enigma; Snow Hill, an object of admiration; Aisha Hodhua, like a little sister; Luna, his childhood friend.
Iyefut… she was different from all of them.
Nothing particularly special, just occasional sparks of brilliance.
“Yeah, Yi Ye. Nice to meet you too.”
Meanwhile.
Not far away, a blue-haired youth watched it all, his eyes burning with hatred fixed on that Red Lycoris.
As Sang and Iyefut’s dance ended, Adolf turned away, slowly shrugging off his tuxedo jacket while hanging his head, his face dark.
“Time to move…”
