The young and impressionable ladies screeched in panic. If there was one thing the Empire nobility feared were [Assassins]. Panic started to settle and the music stopped. That last consequence of the attack on me was unforgivable.

Without stopping our dance, I called the orchestra conductor’s attention with {The Cosmos Within}. As he turned to look at me, I sent him a telepathic command, <{Keep the music going!}> He obeyed and the music restarted.

> > Muse of the Arts (grants Proficiency bonus to artistic Proficiencies)

Guards poured into the ballroom, searching for the [Assassins]. The perpetrators were scuttling along the roof of the ballroom, defying gravity as they sought to escape in failure.

I hummed the melody, adding my own musical ability to the mix and reactivating everything. I also focused on the Palace wards and activated all of them, causing a low hum and a wave of magic to wash over the ballroom. I sensed my three [Priestesses] with Marion and they were okay, although they were locked inside my apartment.

“My son!” Rhiannon gasped as she noticed the crossbow bolts.

“I’m fine, mom,” I grinned to reassure her. “Ignore everything, keep dancing. I won’t let anything short of a deity descending here stop our moment.”

“They hurt you… Are you hurt?”

I chuckled, “not anymore, I’m at full HP. The bolts did only a million HP of damage each. Huh, they were poisoned as well. Impressive.”

“What?” She gasped.

“Easy. People are looking. I’m fine, they used Deadman’s Thistle. Tears the blood vessels causing internal bleeding, then vanishes from the blood. Almost undetectable.”

Quite impressive, considering my damage reductions. These assassins were very expensive and I wondered who hired them. I would find it soon enough. Nobody regardless of being living or dead could leave this Palace right now, anyway.

“Don’t jest about these things, Percival!” She berated me.

“I am not, mother. I regenerate nine million HP per second. They could fire bolts at me all day long and I wouldn’t be an inch closer to dying than I am now. And don’t you dare get away from me. Here in my arms, you’re as safe as if you were embraced by a goddess.”

Which she was.

The guards stared at us, confused. I banished them with a hard glare and an {Intimidation} test. They exchanged glances with the [Emperor] sitting on his lofty chair and were dismissed by the big boss with a hand wave.

Rhiannon relaxed and kept dancing, “Percival, your jokes are most peculiar.”

“I didn’t say one, mom. Just the truth.”

The orchestra changed songs and I started to sing the lyrics. A slew of other Perks activated.

> > Song of Peace (nobody can fight)

>

>

> > Song of Enrapture (Bystanders must resist or be entranced to watch the performance)

>

>

> > Song of Sacrifice (Performer takes 50% of all damage inflicted to friendly units in range)

Along with the other performance effects already in place, it would take someone like the [Emperor] to start any aggressive action in this ballroom.

I sensed the [Assassins] running in the garden, going for the walls with the guards in hot pursuit. They left the range of my musical performance which meant they were no longer protected by the very person they tried to kill.

And we danced. The world could burn outside this Palace and it wouldn’t matter. So long the women in my apartment and Rhiannon survived, anything else was irrelevant. Our steps in the ballroom were as glorious as they were immortal.

Around us, the nobles were quickly distracted from the mortal danger by {Song of Enrapture} and {Diva Presence}. They went back to watching our moves as we glided over the ballroom, Rhiannon in her starry dress and me in my dark blue uniform with gold trim.

Meanwhile, I tracked the events outside with my {Detection}. The [Assassins] failed to vault over the walls, smacking themselves at the impenetrable barriers. Attacking my wards was an exercise in futility. Unless they had some stupid cheat like {Force Phasing}, they were going nowhere.

The guards caught them and the battle was joined. Outnumbered but Overleveled, they started to massacre the guards but were delayed by the arrival of the Imperial Knights. Bereft of their stealth, the killers were quickly dispatched by the elite warriors. I summoned their souls to me, both guards and murderers.

I lengthened out our dance as much as I could. With this high-level audience and {Roar of the Crowd} giving me a portion of their MP regeneration along with double that since they weren’t using magic from the {Mana Wellspring}, it was a perfect time to push with my {Erode Curse}. I would advance with the removal of the limiter on my Magic Attribute by 5% until the end of the night. A marvelous feat, considering the overall cost of breaking the stacked curse.

A captain from the Imperial Knights entered the ballroom and whispered on the [Emperor]’s ear. My father nodded and dismissed the man, returning his attention to our performance. I could read his lips, he said the attackers were dealt with. What a foolish notion. I still had to learn who led these killers into my house, and who hired them. Only after all loose ends were dealt with was that it would be truly dealt with.

The music ended and with it, the magical performance. We stopped spinning and parted, Rhiannon curtsying and me bowing, both grinning from ear to ear. I felt like walking on clouds, the memorable moment with my mother forever engraved upon my soul. Around us, the nobles erupted with applause. The [Emperor] stood up and joined the ovation.

The crossbow bolts were still on the floor.

“Bravo!” My father shouted as he walked to join us. “You have impressed me today, my son. Who would have imagined you picked a second Path as a performer. We were all deeply touched by your performance. You made even me envious as you danced with my wife,” the [Emperor] joked as he took Rhiannon by the waist, drawing peals of laughter from the gathered nobles.

But his hidden message was clear as day. He knew I’d used some very odd Perks. I met his unspoken challenge as I stared back into his eyes. He dismissed me as he proceeded with the celebrations.

“The second dance shall be mine! Percival, pick one among the ladies in the ballroom as your partner for the night.”

I groaned inside. Another stupid Imperial tradition. To make sure the young [Prince] would not leave his own debutante without a political ally, he could take any lady in the ballroom as his “partner for the night”. Which was a true statement in any sense one could imagine. Not only did that “lucky” lady would have the second dance with me, but she would also be my “partner for the night” even after the ball ended and everyone left, including her family. She would only leave the Palace at the dawn of the other day after the ball, having spent a whole night with me. If anyone still needs a drawing, there’s a Sanskrit book that describes what could happen.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The young ladies all moved a bit further, attempting to occupy just a tiny bigger fraction of my field of view. Any or all of them would gladly disrobe right here, in front of their families if I only asked. I felt sick. I had to pick one or risk offending all of them. They could deal with losing this competition but they would never forgive me for repudiating all of them.

It was inevitable. I was flotsam, drifting along the implacable waves of a storm. They all thought it was normal. A young [Prince], a pubescent boy full of hormones would be giddy with all this attention. The ladies were all very gorgeous and gracious, having spent most of their Attribute Points on Charisma and Dexterity. A bit on Endurance as well, so they would have no problem with childbirth.

But I had a solution to that dilemma. I filtered out the crowd surrounding us and focused on the ghosts of my would-be killers. After they were purified and pacified my spiritual powers,

Typical. It meant I would need to track this [Assassin] guild and show them how we did things back in Lord Ackerton’s times.

Very useful information. I decided to keep these ghosts as retainers and guides to the Empire’s underworld.

I moved them to my side and scanned around. I soon found the insignia of House Chaldney and the trio, father, mother, and eager lady. She was one of the assiduous spectators during court sessions.

“Marquis Chaldney, take a step forward.”

The nobles were stupefied. I was supposed to pick a lady to “spend the night with” but I picked an old geezer. I knew by their knowing smirks what they were thinking. “Was Percival such a deviant?”

Chaldney pointed at himself, then at his eager daughter who must’ve suffered from hearing impairment because she only listened to her House name. She would have jumped ahead if her mother hadn’t held her back.

“Yes, you, Marquis Chaldney. {Step forward,}” I laced my last words with a {Royal Order}. It didn’t go unnoticed by my attentive father.

“You heard my son, Marquis Chaldney! Don’t make us repeat an order thrice!” The [Emperor] bellowed.

Chaldney approached, “Your Highness, how may I be of service.”

“{Tell me all the truth about the two hidden commoner guests you brought in your carriage, and who ordered you to do so!}” I stepped up my game and issued a {Royal Geas}.

The good Marquis went pale as he found himself trapped. He tried to resist the Geas but it would be easier for him to chew his neck off his torso. He started to take damage as he fell on his knees, gasping and writhing in pain.

“Here, in my palace, my seat of power, you dare bring [Assassins] to kill me, putting my mother’s life on the line. Please tell me, good Marquis, am I mistaken? If you are in pain, all you have to do is to speak the truth. Just that.”

> > Contested Charisma test won.

He blurted out everything as if his life depended on it “Your brother Leodec! He paid me fifty kingmetal coins to bring these men into the Palace but I didn’t know they were [Assassins]! Please, Your Highness, have mercy! I’m inno--” Another stroke of sharp pain as he attempted to lie. He wasn’t innocent.

We, the Imperial family, stared at the wretched Marquis with steel faces. “You put my mother in danger. I declare this before all of you. Rhiannon of Raswaria is the most important person in this world to me. To keep her safe, I would defy even the Gods.”

The [Emperor] could barely hold his snicker. Not only he was amused by the events, he also had seen a lot of my special abilities. I didn't mind it. I had a lot more to show him in future encounters.

“Your incompetent [Assassins] would’ve hit her if I hadn’t moved her out of the way. For that crime, you and your House will burn,” I issued the death verdict. “Lady Chaldney, you may approach.”

The young girl didn’t want to come but her mother shoved her forward. Singled out, she had no other option but to obey. She approached and fell on her knees, her gown’s skirt flaring around her like a flower about to wilt. She kept her head down as if Itto Ogami was about to perform his (Japanese) Imperial duties on her.

“Your Highness, here I am. I’m yours to use as you see fit.”

She didn’t beg. Good.

“Did you know your father smuggled murderers into this Palace?”

“No, Your Highness. I had no idea.”

“Do you believe my punishment upon your father and his House too harsh?”

She choked and hacked. Her body trembled. “I do not dare question the decisions of the Empire,” she drawled, fighting to keep her emotions under control. She still hadn’t begged. Was it pride or wisdom? I had to figure it out.

“Do you wish me to grant mercy on your mother? Do you believe her innocent as well?”

Her hands balled into fists. I extended an empathic probe to discern her surface feelings and I found doubt, outrage, fear, and a shrewd mind trying several scenarios, trying to find what would bring them the best outcome. She knew she should discard her father and toss him to the wolves and my offer of mercy to her mother made her heart flutter than drop like it was strapped to a rollercoaster. She feared it was a trap.

“I do not dare fathom Your Highness’ designs. But I trust you will be fair.”

“Pray tell, my lady. What is fair punishment on a noble House that threatened the life of a [Concubine-Queen]?”

“Kill them to the last men,” she answered with a knot on her throat. Then she added, “and women. My life is yours.”

Shrewd, indeed. She agreed with my judgment but left implied that I could be generous by sparing them.

“House Chaldney is dissolved as of now,” I declared. “Marquis Chaldney and all adults of House Chaldney will be executed. Children under the age of nine shall be brought to my palace, where I’ll raise them as servants.”

I let the weight of my words sink. Lady Chaldney sniffled and suppressed a sob then a hiccup. I saw tears striking and rolling down her waxed gown.

“However, I recognize a loyal subject of the Empire when I see one. Marchioness Chaldney, you are deemed innocent in your husband’s machinations. I now declare you divorced from your husband and stripped of your position. You may take whatever currency is in your former husband’s pockets after he’s executed, along with three loyal servants of your former House. {You are forever demoted to a commoner and banished from the Imperial capital. Should you obtain a title of nobility or step foot in the Imperial capital again, death shall be your punishment.} Remove yourself from the ballroom and go to House Chaldney’s carriage. You are to be restrained to the carriage until the end of the ball. Go.”

I placed a geas on her as she left the ballroom in shame.

“Lady Chaldney, for your candid statements, you shall retain your status as a Lady of the Court. You may keep the name Chaldney but your offspring will inherit only from the father’s side if at all. You will remain as a guest of this palace indefinitely. You may stand up.”

She tittered at her own misery. “My legs have no strength left, Your Highness. I’m sorry I’ll disappoint you.”

I flagged a female guard, “You, help Lady Chaldney to the sitting room and wait by her. Let her recover from her ordeal in peace. Post guards at the room. I wish no harm upon her.”

The guard came and offered a gauntleted hand to the Lady. She took it and walked like a newborn doe to one of the sitting rooms next to the ballroom. Marquis Chaldney remained on the floor.

“Do you disagree with my decision, father?” I asked him.

“This is your Palace, Percival. All of us here except your mother are guests. I think you handled the situation with grace, firmness, justice, and wisdom. You made me smile, my son.”

The nobles showered applause at the Emperor’s words. All was well in the Empire.

I waited until the applause died down. “Ladies, I know a few of you were eager to be chosen as my partner. However, the impact of having my mother’s life threatened has put my blood boiling. And I believe we aren’t done yet. Chaldney, you are no longer a Marquis. I sentence you to death by {Exsanguination}!”

I rose my voice over everyone as I cast the spell. The red magic circle appeared in front of me and tendrils of magic extended from it, finding their way into every pore of poor Chaldney. The man screamed as every drop of his blood left his body at once, following the tendrils. A perfectly vermillion ball of fluid floated over the desiccated and dead body.

“{Crystallize Life Essence}!” I cast an advanced blood magic spell. The ball shrunk as the spell refined Chaldney’s lifeblood into a sparkling red crystal, cut and polished. This crystal could normally be used in lieu of roughly half a gallon of blood to fuel Blood Magic spells but my [Harvester] Proficiency gave it increased potency. It floated in the air, slowly spinning and catching the magical lights of the ballroom.

I sent Chaldney’s body to the item box, pretending I was using a storage ring. Then I produced a pouch of coins with what he had in his pockets. The crystal flew slowly to my free hand. I called another guard.

“Take this coin pouch to the former Marchioness Chaldney. See that she remains safe during her stay and no coin is stolen from this pouch.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I looked around. Most nobles were trying to hide their disgust at the sight of Blood magic. Marchis Chaldney’s death screams would be remembered for a long time. The [Blood Prince] took his first step as he walked over Imperial society. One down, thousands to go.

“Ladies, I won’t select a companion for the night. However, I pledge myself to dance once with each one of you. To be fair, we shall draw sticks. Each of these has a number etched on the bottom, that shall be your order to dance with me. The sticks are enchanted and bind upon pickup, so don’t even try to swap or steal them. Wait patiently for your turn.”

The ball would go into the afternoon as I danced with each and every lady who came to take a stick.