Jack swept his gaze across the crowd, a menagerie of black gowns, black masks, and fancy jewelry coating nearly every inch of the palace ballroom floor.
Selfia had given Jack an order, one to mingle and socialize. To be discreet. Yet, as he stood in the corner of the room, he found he had nothing to talk about with these people.
All of their discussions revolved around weather reports, business transactions, trade agreements, and the state of the imperium. Safe topics that were akin to small talk for the red-eyed imperials Jack was now pretending to be one of.
“Can't believe the Roland dogs have begun allowing murk-eyes into nobility.”
“I heard Roland is appointing a Charlemagne reject, allowing the boy into their caste of nobility.”
“Disgusting. The demis really have no shame polluting the word noble. The very concept seems foreign to them.”
Jack frowned, trying to focus his senses elsewhere a his eyes stared at the massive glass chandelier that hung above.
Where the hell is Selfia?
Jack shook his head, scanning the crowd once more, no sign of the Queen.
“At least the music is nice.” Sahaqiel said, materializing beside Jack in her own masquerade-like dress. Except hers was all white, the gown she wore, made of pure white feathers that contrasted the sea of black with her back exposed to display her wings.
Jack blinked, eyeing the dress that only he could see that accentuated the woman's form.
“My. The way you're looking at me Jack, you're making me blush.”
“Aw shut up.” Jack muttered, drawing eyes to himself. “Sorry, not directed at you.”
Jack walked off, frowning.
Man, I hate nobles. I hate wearing this suit. Uniforms are one thing but I feel so out of place. Jack gripped to Sahaqiel.
“Well, according to Selfia, it's only a temporary problem. Sahaqiel replied, hovering over Jack, her slender arms draped around his neck. “Do you like my dress? I saw it in one of Selfia's catalogs.”
I do. I think it looks nice on you.
“Oh, if only we could dance. Perform the waltz around the room as all eyes fell onto us and marveled at our display. Oh! Desserts! Let's get some dessert!i”
You realize I can't dance right? Jack rolled his eyes, ignoring the fawning angel as he approached a table lined with various deserts.
Jack paused, noticing not a single soul was eating despite the lavish display of food.
Sara. I think you're going to have to consume stuff on your own. Jack sent, eyeing a few onlookers.
“Sigh. See this is why I never go to parties. Always some traditions or grandstanding to be had.” Sahaqiel complained, several desserts disappearing in a blink of an eye. “Using consume just doesn't have that texture and feel that it does when you eat something.”
But I still taste it. Can we not combine everything all at once? I'm not a fan of the vanilla.
“Oops.”
Walking around, Jack finally found a familiar face, Jessica, the woman carrying a tray of wine and heading into the kitchen.
Out of boredom, Jack decided to follow, entering the busy room where a flustered Kamila was screaming at Jena, Yun, and Tyrah.
“No! NO! NO! DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A CUP OF DICE STRAWBERRIES TO YOU?! DICED! NOT CUT! DICED! AND THESE COOKIES ARE HALF-BAKED! I TOLD YOU 450 DEGREES!” Kamila yelled, clutching her hair in the midst of a dirty and flour-stained kitchen as Yun cried.
“Whoa! Whoa! What's going on?!” Jack said, rushing to the woman on the verge of a meltdown who kept muttering “Lefaye” over and over again.
“Lady Kamila is… uh…” Jessica attempted to explain, the bodyguard sporting a chef's outfit over her usual black armor.
“Lefaye ordered a hundred of Kamila's cookies and desserts,” Jena interjected.
“Ok?” Jack said, raising his brow. “Whose Lefaye? I assume he's a noble?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“She!” Kamila exclaimed, the usually timid woman grabbing Jack by the collar and shaking him. “And she's only the most famous baker in the Imperium! She even earned her nobility from her baking!”
“Alright! Ok! I understand. Calm down before you get my suit dirty.” Jack said, chopping the woman lightly on the head who hugged Jack, getting flour on his clothes. “Well… too late now.”
“She's stressing out because the baroness wants to showcase her desserts at the end of the galla and take some home with her,” Jessica explained.
“And we have no strawberries! None!” Kamila cried, falling to the floor, her hands creating a line of flour on Jack's new black suit.
Jack pursed his lips.
“Ok, how about this. Jessica, you know where the El Gato Negro is right?” Jack said, fishing out a credit chip. “They sell strawberry desserts, how about you run down there and ask them for all their strawberries.”
Jessica shared a look with the rest of her squad.
“I would love to sir, but I'm kinda on duty,” Jessica frowned. “It may not look like it, but we're part of the security detail. Elite I might add.”
“It's fine. If anything goes wrong, I'm here. Just grab the strawberries and hurry back. Call it an executive order from the king,” Jack said, pressing the chip into Jessica's hand who reluctantly took it, patting a sobbing Yun on the head before leaving.
Suddenly a hand clamped down on Jack's shoulder, his attention turned towards a woman in a floral pattern black dress with laced arms and a black bow atop her cat-shaped mask.
“Ada?” Jack said, blinking as the woman took his hand. “What are you doing here?”
The woman smiled beneath her half mask.
“I'm here for you,” Ada said, taking Jack by the hand before looking him up and down. “But… maybe you need to change?”
“No, I've got it,” Jack said, flicking his hand. Suddenly a current of air flew through the kitchen, entering through the bottom of Jack's pants and pushing the flour out from his clothes.
“Wow. Impressive,” Ada said, her eyes dancing with amusement before snatching Jack's hand. “Come on! Let's go dance!”
“What? Wait! Hey!” Jack let out, Ada dragging him back into the ballroom where the band was playing a different tempo of music.
“Ada! What is this? What are you doing?! I can't dance!”
“Don't worry! I got this! I've been taking lessons,” Ada said, taking a hold of Jack, one hand in the small of his back while the other interlocked with his. “Relax, just let me lead.”
Jack couldn't relax.
Between being moved by Ada, Sahaqiel's giggling, and the looks from the nearby nobles thanks to his stumbling, Jack's face quickly began to grow red beneath his mask.
“Who taught that Buffon to waltz?”
A person snickered, causing Jack to grow even more flustered as he accidentally stepped on Ada's toes.
Another couple laughed, both Ada and Jack's awakened sense picking up the mockery.
“Just ignore them,” Ada said, blinking at Jack through red contacts.
“It's kinda hard not to when they're actively making fun of us,” Jack replied as an electrical sensation took him.
“Enough of his.”
“Huh?!” Ada let out as Jack suddenly took hold of Ada’s waist, his once limp wrist now straightening out to firmly grab hold of the slender soft hand he held.
HEY! WHAT IS THIS?! Jack sent inwardly as he lost control of his body and began to lead Ada in the waltz.
“I won't have you embarrass me with your shit ability for rhythm. Now. Repeat after me if you want to salvage this evening.”
“I'll lead,” Jack said, his voice deeper as Lilith took hold.
“O-o-ok.” Ada let out, following Jack as he straightened his back and glided into the center of the floor with Ada in tow.
“Forward left, side, now dip,” Lilith instructed, Jack drawing whispers of disapproval from several of the gathered nobles.
“We have to let Ada lead! We're drawing too much attention!” Sahaqiel chastised, a sharp pain coursing through Jack as the angel attempted to break Lilith's hold.
“Good. Let them talk. They should be happy I don't slaughter them for their insolence.” Lilith spat, a tinge of mana wafting off of Jack's skin. “Now dip her.”
Jack lowered Ada, her leg brushing against his crotch as his body rotated.
Ya know! Sara has a point! Selfia wanted me to be discreet!
Together, the pair quickly became the focus of the dance floor, all eyes on them, mostly disapproval from the older female nobles while it the younger ones looked on with interest.
THIS ISN'T DISCREET!
“Oh, you haven't seen anything yet.”
Suddenly, Jack's hands let go of Ada, allowing her to spin gracefully to the left as a woman in white was forced to materialize on Jack's right side.
SARA?!
“hUH?!” The angel let out, dumbfounded as hundreds of eyes gazed at her corporal form. She didn't have time to react however as Jack's hand shot out, mana reaching out of his body to wrap around hers and pull her close.
Sahaqiel spun, flabbergasted, her face completely red with her large feathers tucking into themselves as she found herself in Jack's arms, the two now dancing under the massive chandelier.
With Lilith in control, the Angel was forced to follow Jack’s movements, to keep the illusion and to not make a scene as murmurs broke out.
The tempo of the music began to pick up. The rhythm shifting with Jack and the specter gaining speed with their bodies stepping lightly around the floor.
Suddenly a cold wind blew through the ballroom, white feathers shedding off of Sahaqiel's white wings, the pair seeming to gain in elevation as they danced in on air above the onlookers, each step, a new platform of mana that kept them aloft.
The two closed distance, chest to chest and for a moment, as Jack looked into Sahaqiel’s golden eyes, he could have sworn he felt her heart. Felt her breath, her gold eyes seeming to quiver as she and Jack stood in the air with their faces merely inches away from each other.
But it was just an illusion. Her body, just a construct of mana that gave it enough form for Jack to take hold. And although they were so close, they could never truly touch one another. Never feel the skin on skin and the warmth of a soul.
“You're cruel…” The words echoed through Jack's mind, a pain shooting through his body as he held the angel aloft.
And it was cruel, perhaps a form of payback from Lilith but whatever it was, for the first time in a long time, Jack felt Sahaqiel’s sorrow.
“I…” Jack let out before his entire world suddenly exploded in blinding light.