[Later That Night]

"How boring"

Rey found himself holding a glass of wine as he glanced around him, soaking in the rich and loud atmosphere that surrounded him.

The grand hall of the royal palace gleamed under the soft glow of countless crystal chandeliers. The vast space was adorned with silk banners and the large windows had pristine curtains.

A majestic red carpet stretched across the polished marble floor, leading to the center of the room.

Nobles and powerful men from across the Alliance mingled with grace and sophistication. Their attire was a lavish display of wealth and statusrich velvet gowns adorned with precious gemstones and elaborate embroidery, and sharp tailored suits with brocade waistcoats and capes lined with exotic furs.

As they conversed, laughter and the delicate clinking of glasses filled the air.

At the side of the hall, a grand banquet table overflowed with an array of sumptuous dishes: roasted meats, exotic fruits, and intricate pastries crafted by only the finest chefs that humanity had to offer.

Servants moved with precision, attending to the guests' every need, offering goblets of rare wines and platters of delicacies.

A soft melody from a string quartet provided a harmonious backdrop, as some people even took to the dance floor in graceful, flowing movements.

Their dance was a reflection of courtly tradition and elegance; still maintaining their dignity with every rhythm made.

Essentially, it was a party for the rich.

'So this is how a Gala is. How do people enjoy these things?" Rey mumbled while downing some of the wine that sloshed around his cup.

He was currently wearing a black suitthe swallowtail tuxedo kind. He initially thought it would blend perfectly well with this kind of scenery, but now that he was here, he realized that he was way out of his league.

The people present were adorned in several accessoriesmost of them Enchantedand it suddenly seemed like he was underdressed for the party.

But Rey didn't care.

'I can't wait for this to end. That way, I can focus more on finding Esme and curing Alicia.'

He hoped to be able to do those two before being dispatched to the front lines to finally confront the Dragons once and for all.

'There's also the fact that I need to get stronger. Much stronger!'

Until he could fight and defeat something like Dagon without much of an effort, he wouldn't be satisfied.

'Divine Beasts still pose a danger to me. I can't have that.' He felt his grip grow stronger on the glass cup, so he decided to loosen up the tension a little.

To do that, he looked around for his classmates, spotting them almost instantly.

Justin and Clark were busy flirting with some ladiesor rather, it was Justin doing most of the flirting while Clark was his tag along.

Belle was being approached by many noblemenmany of whom were ogling her with lustful eyes.

Of course, they kept up a facade of deference, but Rey could tell that if she wasn't an Otherworlder, they would have definitely acted on their urges.

'Looks like Trisha is getting along well with the security details and the more fit men of the group.' Rey smiled as he cast a sideway glance at her.

He would have to return her to the Adventurers City after all of this was over, but for now, she could enjoy the party.

As one would expect from an event where several rich and powerful people were in attendance, the number of guards that surrounded the palace was incredible.

Security constantly patrolled the hallways, and some even stood in the hall itself.

All of it was to guarantee as much safety as possible.

'But isn't this a waste of resources? I doubt these guards will be able to handle any threat that we won't be able to face.' Rey glanced at them and observed their Status Windows.

The average guard was around Level 10, and while they had some Items that helped boost their abilities, their Stats and Skills were too pathetic to be of any real use when it came to dangerous enemies.

'Wouldn't they be better used patrolling the city, or any of the outskirts regions, where security is currently thinner?'

That wasn't his call to make, though.

Rey already knew of the hierarchy of this world, and even though the Royal Palace was the safest place any of these nobles could bethanks to the presence of the Otherworldersthey still wanted to have the highest security detail made available to them.

'Let's not dwell on that. Trisha and everyone else seems to be having some degree of fun, so that's good.' He sighed, taking in another gulp.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying this celebration to an extent except him.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" A voice echoed in his ears and he glanced to his side almost as soon as he heard it.

The lady beside him wore a shimmering white gown that matched her hair, and a necklace with crimson gems that complemented her eyes.

She had bangles and earrings of gold, and her shoes seemed impeccably carved, with her pale feet resting atop it.

All in all, her outfit only enhanced her beauty.

"Lucielle"

The moment she heard her name, Lucielle smiled at Rey, drawing closer as she reached for his neck.

"I have no idea what you're doing, hiding in an inconspicuous corner like this" She began to adjust the tie around his neck.

Apparently, he got it all wrong.

"No one is going to notice you if you stay here."

"That's kind of the idea."

She giggled as soon as she heard that, almost as if the very statement was funny.

"I can relate. But, well"

"Duty, huh?"

"Bingo! You don't have to do it if you don't want to, though since you already acted chummy with Conrad and Vida, you might as well see this through to the end."

Rey sighed as Lucielle finished her speech. Coincidentally, his tie was also perfectly readjusted at that moment.

He didn't even know where to begin when it came to the Grand Mage, who was now broadly smiling at him.

'I made sure to erase my presence, yet she still found me here. Was she actively searching for me, or?'

Looking at her bright face, he couldn't help but admire it regardless.

'She really is pretty.'

"So what do you say, Rey Skylar? Want to dance with me?"

If anyone had told Rey that he would be asked to dance by the prettiest lady in the room, he would have said they were crazy.

But, here it wassomething he would never have had in his life on Earth.

Here, he was a superstar whom everyone had to respect and fear. He was a champion of his people, and someone who could stand at the highest point of influence.

Yet

' I don't feel particularly moved by it.'

Rey thought he would feel a lot happiermore satisfied, more confident, and perhaps a lot prouderafter getting to this point.

But it all felt the same.

'Maybe my perspective is getting a little skewed.' He hid his sigh as he reached out his hand and held Lucielle's.

'Just enjoy the moment, Rey. You deserve it'

After putting himself in that mental space, he finally smiled at the young lady before him and drew closer to her.

"Sure, why not?"

*

*

*