“By the way, where are the soldiers with the beastly helmets?” Niles asked, glancing around the dimly lit training grounds.

Felix straightened slightly, his expression sharpening. “They’ve been spread throughout the city tonight,” he explained. “There were a few minor incidents in town—nothing major—but it’s important to quell any unrest quickly. The last thing we want is for our guests to doubt that we have law and order firmly in place.”

Niles nodded, absorbing the information. “And your guard friend? The one who’s always hanging around?”

“He’s overseeing the guests’ horses and carriages,” Felix replied, his tone casual but focused.

“Got it,” Niles said, standing up from the bench. He stretched, his coat shifting as he glanced back toward the glowing castle in the distance. “Just a feeling, but... stay on your toes tonight, alright?”

Felix blinked, his brows knitting in confusion. “On my toes?”

Niles caught himself, realizing the earthly phrase didn’t quite translate. “Stay prepared,” he corrected, his tone firm.

Felix gave a sharp nod. “Same to you,” he said, then reached into his belt. “By the way, take this.” He slipped Niles a small dagger, its hilt wrapped in worn leather.

Niles raised an eyebrow as he accepted the blade, quickly tucking it into his coat. “Just in case, huh?”

“Always.”

With a parting nod, Niles left the training grounds and headed back to the ball. The lively music and chatter grew louder with each step until he re-entered the glittering hall. The sea of elegantly dressed guests danced, drank, and mingled under the golden chandeliers, but Niles had a mission. His eyes scanned the room, searching for Winston.

He found him slumped over a table near the edge of the room, one hand gripping a half-empty goblet while the other propped up his swaying frame.

“Winston, my friend!” Niles greeted, clapping him on the shoulder as he slid into the chair beside him.

Winston lazily raised his goblet in acknowledgment, his grin lopsided. “Sir Niles,” he slurred, “enjoying the festivities?”

“I’d enjoy them more if you were a little less... pickled.” Niles leaned in closer. “I need a favor, my friend. Take a look at the guests—what kind of levels are you seeing tonight? Any major power differences?”

Winston squinted, his hazy gaze sweeping the room as he sat up straighter. “Hmm,” he murmured, his voice slow. “It’s... different. Not like the last ball.”

“What’s different?” Niles pressed, his voice low but urgent.

Winston scratched his chin, his eyes narrowing as he focused. “A lot of the guests are higher level. Nobles usually don’t bother raising their levels—it takes effort, you know—but tonight...” He trailed off, his finger lifting to point across the room.

“That one,” he said, his voice slurring slightly. “Zacharias. The crown prince of Zairule.”

Niles followed his line of sight, his gaze locking onto the silver-haired prince. Zacharias stood by a gilded pillar, his ever-present smile sharp as a blade.

“His level’s changed the most,” Winston continued, his words tumbling out with a hint of drunken awe. “He’s on par with Prince Xander now.”

Niles’s jaw tightened, the revelation sinking in like a stone in his gut. “Thank you, Winston. That’s all I needed to know.”

Winston gave a sloppy salute, grinning. “No problem, Sir Niles!”

Niles placed a steadying hand on Winston’s shoulder. “You’ve done well tonight. Now, do me one more favor—head back to your quarters. Rest up. I’ll need you sharp tomorrow when we embark on our journey. You’ll want to be ready when we meet your parents.”

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Winston blinked, the weight of the reminder cutting through his haze. “Of course,” he said, his voice more sober. “Thank you for the consideration.”

“Go on, then,” Niles urged with a nod.

Winston rose unsteadily, his steps uneven but determined as he made his way out of the hall. Niles watched him go, his mind turning over the troubling insights he’d just learned.

Only one thing remained: Niles needed to address his gut feeling without raising suspicion. Scanning the room, his eyes landed on Xemena, standing at the sidelines, her posture rigid and her expression cold. Beside her was Xander, leaning casually against the wall, his eyes tracking the room like a hawk.

With a deep breath, Niles wove his way through the swirling crowd, dodging dancers and skirting laughter as he approached the royal siblings. Xemena’s piercing gaze locked onto him, her brow arching in skepticism. What could this fool want now? her eyes seemed to say.

Xander, ever watchful, tilted his head slightly, observing Niles’s approach with a calm that somehow felt both detached and calculating.

“Dear Princess Xemena,” Niles began, stopping just short of her. With a graceful bow and an outstretched hand, he asked, “Would you honor me with this dance?”

The room hushed. Whispers rippled through the crowd. No one had ever dared ask the princess to join them on the dance floor.

Xemena’s lips curled into a faint sneer. “Why would I ever—” she began, her voice icy and dismissive.

But before she could finish, Xander stepped forward, his movement so smooth it seemed almost choreographed. With an easy nudge of his shoulder, he sent Xemena stumbling forward. She barely had time to react before Niles caught her firmly in his arms.

Her face snapped up in shock, eyes blazing as she glared daggers at her brother. From his place against the wall, Xander gave her a slow, deliberate wave, accompanied by an infuriatingly serene smile. “Have fun,” he called, his voice soft yet brimming with amusement.

Niles didn’t waste a second. With surprising finesse, he spun her into the center of the dance floor, his movements quick and deliberate. Xemena’s scowl deepened, her face burning with a mix of rage and embarrassment.

Her thoughts churned. The punishment I’ll deliver for this will be legendary, Xander. But for now, she had no choice but to endure as the music swelled around them and all eyes turned to watch the unlikely pair glide across the floor.

Xemena let herself be led by Niles across the dance floor, her movements precise and poised as if each step were part of a calculated game. Niles, meanwhile, was silently rehearsing how to broach the topic weighing on his mind. But before he could speak, Xemena broke the silence, her voice sharp and cutting.

“The last time you embarrassed me, I nearly had you struck down by a sword,” she said, her tone a cold reminder of the moment in the courtyard when her icy glare alone had summoned the Xargian Guard to silence him. Her scarlet eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity. “It’s bold of you to ask me to dance,” she added, her gaze narrowing further. “Or foolish.”

Niles didn’t flinch, nor did he smile. “I spoke with your former betrothed,” he said softly, his words heavy with meaning.

Xemena’s steps faltered, her piercing gaze locking onto his. “Are you here to mock me?” she asked, her voice low and brimming with suspicion. “My father has already shamed me enough for—”

Niles interrupted, his voice steady but urgent. “Something’s off about him… I feel it in my—”

“My gut feeling,” Xemena finished for him, her tone dismissive. “This isn’t some fairy tale where instincts uncover hidden truths, and everyone lives happily ever after. Marriages are meant to build power, not love-struck fantasies.”

Niles twirled her effortlessly, the motion catching the attention of several guests as he brought her back into a close hold. Their faces hovered just a breath apart. “What’s your skill?” he asked, his voice quiet but direct.

“Manners,” Xemena shot back, her lips curling into a faint smirk. “You don’t ask a lady what her skill is.”

“Zacharias said it was ‘useless,’” Niles countered, his tone calm but pointed. “And that’s why he broke off the engagement.”

A flicker of pain crossed Xemena’s face, quickly masked with a sigh. “Since you’re about to be banished anyway, I suppose it doesn’t matter. My skill is appraisal. Anything inanimate that I touch, I can see its name. Hardly something to boast about, wouldn’t you agree?” Her tone dripped with bitter resignation.

Niles’s reaction, however, was anything but expected. “That’s an AMAZING skill!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up with unrestrained enthusiasm.

Xemena blinked, caught entirely off guard. “Keep your voice down!” she hissed, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

But Niles wasn’t deterred. “No, seriously! That’s incredible! You could identify rare artifacts, spot counterfeits, uncover hidden properties, solve mysteries, bypass traps—” He rattled off possibilities like a child discovering a treasure map, his excitement uncontainable.

Xemena struggled to keep up, staring at him as though he were a madman. “You’re an idiot,” she muttered, though there was no malice in her words and before she could stop herself, her lips curled into a small, genuine smile

“Your nose wrinkles when you smile,” Niles said suddenly, his voice warm and teasing.

The comment startled her. For a moment, her scarlet eyes softened, and her defenses faltered under the weight of his earnest gaze.

Her cheeks warmed, and she quickly looked away, focusing instead on the rhythm of the dance. But a strange flutter in her chest lingered.