Ezra quietly looked at Veda.

His expression remained as blank as ever.

Veda looked right back at him with the most innocent smile he could manage, as though he wasn’t planning against Nickolas.

The two simply stared at each other.

Not a single word was spoken.

Yet somehow...

Both of them understood exactly what the other was thinking.

A few steps away...

Nickolas stood with his arms folded, wearing a smug grin that almost reached his ears.

Completely unaware of the silent conversation taking place beside him, he continued enjoying the thought of Ezra supposedly having no dance partner worthy of mentioning.

Before either Ezra or Veda could say anything...

"Sir Nick!"

A cheerful girl’s voice called from the entrance of the Grand Ballroom.

Nickolas immediately turned around.

The smug expression on his face instantly disappeared, replaced by a surprisingly gentle smile.

"My Lady...I’m coming."

Even his voice had softened.

He quickly straightened his suit before looking back at Ezra and Veda.

"See you later, Young Lord."

His grin returned.

"And you too, Ezra."

He gave them a playful wink.

"I’ve got a beautiful damsel waiting for me."

Without waiting for a reply, he briskly walked toward the young lady waiting near the ballroom doors.

Ezra’s eyes quietly followed him.

The girl wasn’t the type who would instantly leave people speechless with her beauty.

Instead...

She possessed a pleasant, gentle appearance that naturally became more attractive the longer one looked at her.

Her figure was elegant beneath her luxurious ballroom gown, and although she wasn’t from a noble family, every detail of her attire had clearly been chosen with great care.

The moment Nickolas reached her...

The two exchanged warm smiles.

Their fingers naturally intertwined before they began walking toward the ballroom together.

Before disappearing inside...

The young lady politely bowed toward both Ezra and Veda.

"Good evening."

Her greeting was respectful and carried neither arrogance nor nervousness.

Ezra watched her disappear through the entrance.

"...She’s a Non-Noble."

His voice remained calm.

Veda nodded.

"Yeah. And she’s the daughter of one of the executive directors of the BNC Group."

Ezra looked back toward the ballroom entrance.

For the first time in a while...

A faint trace of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Veda answered without hesitation.

Ezra remained silent for a moment.

"...Wow."

His reply was as simple as ever.

Veda suddenly stepped closer.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously before dramatically pointing a finger at Ezra.

"You don’t sound surprised..."

He slowly circled around him as though inspecting a criminal.

"...you sneaky boy."

Ezra calmly looked back at him.

"I saw that."

Veda continued.

"You smiled earlier."

He pointed directly at Ezra’s face.

"I may have missed plenty of things... but I definitely didn’t miss that."

He folded both arms.

"I’m watching you. Ezra Ashenlocke."

The dramatic warning ended with a satisfied nod.

Then...

Unable to hold it any longer...

Veda laughed to himself before walking toward the ballroom.

Ezra quietly watched him leave.

A small chuckle escaped beneath his breath.

So quiet that almost no one nearby noticed it.

Then he followed after him.

The moment Ezra stepped inside the Grand Ballroom...

A completely different atmosphere welcomed him.

The orchestra had already begun performing.

The slow melody of violins blended together with the soft sound of cellos and pianos, creating an elegant rhythm that drifted across the enormous hall.

Couples gradually stepped onto the polished dance floor.

Some nobles confidently guided their partners into graceful movements.

Other first-year students still looked slightly nervous as they tried to remember everything they had practiced during dance lessons.

Laughter occasionally mixed with the music whenever someone missed a step.

The mood became warmer with every passing moment.

Around the edges of the ballroom...

Servants resumed their duties.

Some elegantly carried silver trays filled with sparkling glasses.

Others carefully pushed beautifully decorated trolley carts into the hall.

Before long...

An impressive buffet stretched across one side of the ballroom.

Rows of fresh fruits, pastries, cakes, sandwiches, chocolates, and countless other delicacies were arranged with remarkable precision.

Everything looked almost too beautiful to touch.

Students happily walked over while carrying small ceramic plates.

Many chatted excitedly as they selected desserts.

Some carefully chose only a few expensive-looking treats.

Others simply filled their plates without hesitation.

Among the attendants...

Lucy quietly stood behind one of the serving stations.

Her neat waiter uniform remained spotless despite the growing crowd.

A gentle smile rested on her face as she politely served each student who approached her.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

The exchange repeated again and again.

Not far away...

A small group of Non-Noble girls couldn’t help glancing toward her.

"Hey..."

One girl leaned closer to her friends.

"Do you think she’s serving a High Noble family?"

Another girl looked Lucy over before nodding.

"She’s really cute. For a maid."

One of the others laughed.

"There are lots of pretty maids here too."

"Didn’t you know?"

She lowered her voice as though sharing an important secret.

"A lot of young noble masters specifically choose attractive maids."

Her friends blinked.

"Really?"

She nodded confidently.

"They say it’s because those young masters want to gain experience before they officially become adults."

One girl covered her mouth.

"So that’s actually true?"

"My older brothers did exactly the same thing when they attended the academy."

Another girl shrugged.

The group immediately burst into soft laughter.

While chatting among themselves...

They continued picking desserts from the buffet.

At that moment...

A pair of hands suddenly rested across the shoulders of two girls.

"Hello, ladies."

The familiar voice immediately caught their attention.

The girls turned around almost simultaneously.

"Sir Desmond!"

They greeted him together.

The two girls beneath his arms instantly blushed.

Desmond wore an elegant black suit, though the top buttons of his wine-red shirt remained casually undone.

Part of his neck and chest could be seen beneath the open collar.

Around his neck hung a gold chain decorated with a deep crimson ruby that reflected the ballroom lights whenever he moved.

His relaxed confidence naturally drew attention.

Desmond lowered his head slightly.

A charming smile revealed the tips of his sharp canine teeth.

His crimson eyes settled on the girl standing to his right.

"So..."

He spoke calmly.

"What were you girls laughing about?"

The girls exchanged nervous glances.

None of them answered immediately.

Not because they feared him.

Quite the opposite.

Standing this close to one of Britannia’s famous young nobles had completely overwhelmed them.

Their hearts raced too quickly to think straight.

Desmond tilted his head.

"No answer?"

His smile remained gentle.

Without waiting, he lazily twirled a loose strand of the girl’s hair around one finger.

The simple action made both girls blush even harder.

"We..."

One finally managed to speak.

"We were just admiring the maids working here."

She pointed toward the buffet.

"Especially that one."

Desmond followed the direction of her finger.

His crimson eyes settled on Lucy.

She was quietly serving several Non-Noble boys who appeared far more interested in talking to her than collecting food.

Even from where he stood...

Desmond could easily tell they were awkwardly trying to flirt.

His gaze slowly traveled from Lucy’s face down toward her waist.

The serving trolley blocked the rest of her figure.

Still...

A small smirk slowly appeared on his lips.

"Hm..."

He quietly murmured to himself.

"She’s definitely attractive."

He continued observing her for another moment.

"She might even be on the same level as my own maid."

The thought amused him.

Releasing the girls, Desmond smoothly picked up a clean ceramic plate from the buffet.

"Well..."

He smiled as though nothing had happened.

"I’ll see you ladies later."

He casually waved before walking toward Lucy’s serving station with unhurried steps.

Behind him...

The girls watched him leave.

"Goodbye, Sir Desmond."

They all spoke together.

The moment he was out of earshot...

"Kyaaa!"

The girls immediately squealed among themselves.

"He stood so close to me!"

"No, me!"

"I can still smell his cologne."

"He’s so handsome... and so cool."

The excited chatter quickly faded as they returned to collecting desserts.

Meanwhile...

Desmond calmly approached Lucy’s station.

Just before reaching her...

An angry voice suddenly rose above the surrounding conversations.

"I’m giving you the opportunity of a lifetime, and you’re refusing me?"

A young male student glared at Lucy.

His face had already reddened with frustration.

"Tell me who your master is."

He pointed a finger directly at her.

"Let’s see if I can’t deal with him...or her."

His voice grew louder.

"You think you can act so smug just because you’re serving some noble family?"

He scoffed.

"You’re just a lowly maid."

Several boys standing beside him laughed openly.

Clearly...

They were enjoying the scene far more than they should have.

Lucy maintained the same polite smile.

Although...

Anyone paying close attention could notice her fingers tightening slightly around the serving spoon in her hand.

One of the strictest rules imposed upon every attendants of students within the Royal Academy was simple.

No matter what happened...

They were never allowed to show disrespect toward a student.

Even if that student insulted them.

Even if the student’s behavior was unreasonable.

The rule remained absolute.

It didn’t matter whether the attendant served a Baron, a Count, a Duke, or even a member of the Royal Family.

Any attendant who violated that rule would be punished without exception.

The punishment could range from immediate dismissal from the academy to weeks of compulsory labor, depending on the severity of the offense.

Because of that...

Lucy endured the student’s insults in silence.

She couldn’t afford to create trouble that might reflect poorly on her master.

...Maybe I should simply tell them I’m from House Ashenlocke.

The thought quietly surfaced in her mind.

But...

I’d rather not mention Master’s name over something like this.

Keeping the same polite smile on her face, Lucy continued controlling her breathing.

Not once did she allow the irritation she felt to appear on her expression.

Several nearby maids and butlers awkwardly glanced in her direction.

Some wanted to help.

Others quietly looked away.

Because, none of them dared interfere, since everyone working inside the academy knew one thing.

Servants were expected to endure.

And that was the golden rule amongst them.

The young man opposite Lucy grew even more irritated.

"I’m talking to you!"

His voice became louder.

"And you’re just standing there? How dare you ignore me!"

His arm suddenly stretched toward Lucy.

The movement wasn’t particularly fast.

Even so...

It carried obvious hostility.

Lucy finally opened her mouth.

She had already decided to reveal the family she served.

"Actually, I’m..."

"Calm down, kid."

A calm voice interrupted her.

At the same moment...

A hand casually slipped between Lucy and the angry student.

The hand held a ceramic plate.

Its movement was smooth.

Almost lazy.

Yet it effortlessly stopped the student’s hand before it could move any closer.

The young man immediately turned around.

"Who are you to call me ki..."

His voice abruptly stopped.

His pupils contracted.

The anger on his face disappeared almost instantly.

It was replaced by unmistakable fear.

"...S-Sir Desmond."

The surrounding boys noticed who had appeared.

Without exchanging a single word...

Each of them suddenly remembered somewhere else they needed to be.

One after another, they quietly drifted away from the serving station, pretending to examine cakes, pastries, fruits, or drinks.

Within only a few seconds...

The noisy crowd surrounding Lucy had almost completely disappeared.

Desmond didn’t even look at them.

He simply smiled.

It was the same relaxed smile he had worn since arriving.

"Scram."

His tone remained gentle.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of anger.

Yet...

No one dared question it.

The young man hurriedly nodded.

"Y-Yes..."

Without another word, he almost ran from the area.

No one laughed anymore.

And no one dared mock Lucy anymore, with the way the atmosphere had completely changed.

Everyone inside the ballroom knew the name...

Desmond Derlis.

And everyone also knew the stories surrounding him.

Whether those stories were true or exaggerated...

Very few people were willing to test them for themselves.

That’s why once those boys saw him...

They left almost immediately with their heads down.

Lucy quietly lowered her head.

"Thank you, Sir."

Desmond slowly turned toward her.

The ceramic plate spun effortlessly around his index finger before he casually caught it again.

His movements looked practiced and relaxed.

Almost playful.

Yet somehow...

They carried an invisible confidence that naturally drew people’s attention.

"You’re welcome..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"...?"

Lucy immediately understood.

"Lucy, Sir."

She answered politely.

"Lucy..."

Desmond repeated the name.

His crimson eyes remained fixed on hers.

For a brief moment...

Lucy felt as though those eyes weren’t simply looking at her.

They were looking through her.

"That’s a beautiful name."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"It suits a beautiful lady like you."

His compliment sounded completely natural.

As though he were merely stating an ordinary fact.

Lucy politely smiled.

"Thank you, Sir."

Desmond handed her his ceramic plate.

Lucy accepted it and immediately began serving desserts onto it.

While she worked...

Desmond casually rested one elbow on the edge of the serving trolley.

His chin settled comfortably against his palm.

He simply watched her.

"I wonder..."

He spoke almost to himself.

"...who’s prettier. You... or my own maid."

His tone remained relaxed.

Lucy simply continued placing desserts onto the plate.

She didn’t respond.

"I’m done, Sir."

She smiled politely before handing the plate back.

Desmond accepted it.

He glanced at the neatly arranged desserts.

Then...

His eyes slowly returned to Lucy.

The smile on his face remained unchanged.

"Lucy... You’re a Novice-ranked Alchemist."

He calmly observed her.

"A Full Alchemist at that. You are quite talented."

The words sounded casual.

Yet...

Lucy immediately felt her heartbeat skip.

It wasn’t the compliment that surprised her.

It was the certainty.

It was as though Desmond wasn’t making a guess.

He was reading facts directly from a book.

Her eyes twitched ever so slightly.

Desmond noticed.

His crimson eyes slowly lowered.

They stopped around Lucy’s abdomen.

A second later...

His gaze rose once again.

"Your Cognis Pool..."

He pointed toward her with one finger.

"...is impressive."

His voice remained gentle.

"So... Which Path do you follow?"

Lucy couldn’t answer immediately.

She simply looked at the young man standing before her.

There was something deeply unsettling about him.

His smile never disappeared.

His posture remained relaxed.

He wasn’t releasing killing intent.

Nor was he trying to intimidate her.

Yet...

The pressure he naturally gave off made every instinct in her body scream at her to stay cautious.

Lucy had fought enemies before.

She had stood in battles where life and death were separated by only a single mistake.

She had crossed blades with dangerous people.

Even then...

The pressure she felt now wasn’t any weaker.

In fact...

Only three people had ever made her instincts react this strongly.

The first two were the Black-Market guards.

And the third...

Was the person she served every day.

Ezra Ashenlocke.

Almost unconsciously...

Lucy stepped backward.

One step.

Then another.

Just as she was about to create more distance...

"The Master is speaking to you, maid."

A woman’s voice quietly sounded behind her.

Lucy’s body stiffened.

Since when...?

She wanted to turn around.

To see who had appeared behind her without making a sound.

Before she could move...

"Keep your face forward, maid."

The woman’s voice came again.

Cold and sharp.

Almost completely devoid of emotion.

Every word carried invisible pressure.

Lucy stopped moving.

Even breathing became slightly harder.

"Violet."

Desmond sighed softly.

"Relax."

A helpless smile appeared on his face.

"You’re making poor Lucy nervous."

His tone sounded almost affectionate.

As though he were calming an old friend.

Then...

His expression became slightly more serious.

"Come."

Only one word.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t threatening.

Yet...

The instant it entered Lucy’s ears...

Her body moved.

Step.

Step.

Step.

She walked toward him before she even realized what she was doing.

...What’s happening?

Am I...

Really... this... frightened?

Why can’t I stop?

Her hands began trembling uncontrollably.

Her breathing became more uneven.

She finally stopped directly before Desmond.

Inside her heart...

Only one thought remained.

Master...

Desmond’s smile slowly widened.

"What an obedient maid."

His crimson eyes gently curved.

"I’m becoming quite interested... in taking you away from your current master."

Slowly...

He reached out.

His fingers approached Lucy’s cheek.

Before they could touch her...

"What do you think you’re doing... to someone else’s maid?"

A calm voice sounded from behind him.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t angry.

It was simply cold and firm.

The words instantly cut through the invisible pressure filling the space.

Lucy’s trembling stopped.

Her eyes brightened almost immediately.

Relief flooded across her face.

"Master."

She softly called out.

The fear that had quietly accumulated inside her disappeared almost at once.

Desmond’s hand stopped halfway.

"...Ah."

Still wearing the same relaxed smile...

He slowly turned around.

"The master... finally decided to show himself."

His crimson eyes met a pair of calm black eyes.

Neither of them looked away.

For a brief moment...

The noise of the ballroom seemed to fade into the background.

The air itself felt noticeably heavier as two completely different presences quietly faced one another.