Aisha POV

Yesterday, I told everyone else about the upcoming event. Gallant did not question it nor did Golem. They seemed indifferent, saying that they will come along. Louise and my younger siblings are coming with us since they, too, were told to attend this grand ball. It wasn't from King Len himself. They receive their invitation from some nobles who approached Louise when she entered the city. For Ethan, they stopped him on his way back to the inn. Leilatha was forced to attend banquets in the past, so she didn't mind. I already knew Esta's answers to this invitation since she accepted Len's request. Alice... she did not come back to the inn, raising a lot of questions. Well, I was also worried about her. Gallant assured me that she's fine, taking care of family matters.

And here is the dreadful day where I am wearing a dress... again. And this time, Louise and Leilatha made sure I was very pretty. Don't get me wrong, I loathe balls, but they made sure I was befitting of my status. When I looked at the mirror once they were done with me, I thought I was looking at a stranger. Apparently, Louise put my hair into a fancy bun. I have no clue how she did it, but she did it. She made braids coil around here and there, twisting my hair in a collective manner. Honestly, I would never be able to duplicate this hairstyle, but I can appreciate the new style. I felt a bit naked not having my hair cover my neck or face as much. Leilatha fitted me into a dark gown that contrasts with my silver hair. Despite my hatred for gowns because of my past, I liked the gown Leilatha gave me. It was not hers, saying she got it from somewhere and thought that it would suit me well. The gown was simple in terms of its fabric and material, yet it hugged my body to emphasize all of my womanly aspects. Most of it. The gown did not hug tightly around my ass, flowing beside my legs. The skirt portion of this gown covered most of my lower body, even my feet, but I wouldn't trip on it. If I move my legs, the skirt raises a few feet off the ground to prevent such an accident. If I had to fight in this, I would have to tear the skirt though, but it wasn't that bad to walk, or slightly run, in them. Wearing heels is a different story though. To be honest, I convinced Leilatha and Louise not to let me wear those blasted things. In truth, they can be handy weapons, especially if you can throw them in a certain way, but I hate those things. Trust me, I can use those heels pretty effectively. Moving on, I will prefer anything but those things... unless I have to wear them. Or on special occasions. Like the date I had with Esta.

I was wearing some knee length boots underneath the gown. I had to make sure the colors match my outfit. Other than that, the gown's design seemed a bit sinister and dark, but I liked it. Lines curved around the collar region, wrists, and waist. An outline of roses can be found around the front of the dress near my sides. The cleavage is noticeable, showing the top of my breasts, outlining them. Petal designs are sketched around the stomach region, making various patterns that can catch one's curiosity or be ignored. Not a big fan of makeup, I only placed a small portion of it to her face. A bit of eyeliner, blush, and light pink lipstick. Even if I placed a tiny bit of it, it seemed to increase my beauty though. Leilatha, doing my makeover, was drooling slightly. Her eyes were glued onto me. I shoved her away once we were done with my makeover. I was... disappointed by Leilatha's outfit. 

Or lack of.

I know that this elf has a beautiful body. Better than mine. But she is wearing her previous outfit from yesterday. Still, in her rogue getup, she did not want to put on a dress. Personally, she would put a formal gown on, but her true reason was to keep her identity hidden. She has not found the culprit to the bounty that was on my head. I think I was... acting stupid? Dumb? I know I wasn't thinking straight that morning, begging the Elven Tempest to wear something nice for the evening. Luckily, Louise snapped me out of it.

"Aisha, I know that you... want to see Leilatha in a dress. I know she'll be pretty in her own right, but she has a point. She can't show her face. For one, people in the Underground will assume that you killed Leilatha. Seeing her in a banquet, especially from the Bullet Hero, will raise a lot of questions. This will also hint at your survival. Secondly, if they see Leilatha and she enters the Underground, they will try to stop her. They will not let her through."

"I mean, they won't know who I am since I never worn this armor into their hideout," Leilatha stated, "But my appearance will make a few people understand Aisha's reputation." Wait, this part was new to me. Turning, I eyed at Leilatha.

"What do you mean by reputation?"

"...My sister has a long way to go in terms of power struggles." Louise sighs.

"More like social standings." Leilatha corrected. "Aisha, you got a lot to learn in these little things. By your expressions, actions, and recount on the banquets you have, this banquet will be completely different from the ones you attended to. Granted that you were the spotlight of your own banquets, this isn't your banquet. You are a guest. A guest, to other guests, will make first-time impressions based on various factors. Being approached by familiar strong people, being around strong beings, and showing your beauty will definitely leave a good impression."

"Really?" Does it really do that?  

"Yes. Sister, there are a lot of things you have neglected. Then again, from what you told us, father didn't really teach you much since he... treated you unfairly. Despite that, our parents gained a lot from those banquets. They strengthen their standings and reputation with other families by displaying their wealth, power, and their hospitality. You should have known that, but once again, you never played as a guest to someone else's banquet."

"Don't worry though. We got your back." Leilatha chuckled.

"Right..." Staring at Louise, she was wearing a similar dress like mine, but it had no intricate design. The color of her gown matched her hair which was in a fancy bun as well. She wore a bit more jewelry than me, wearing silver bracelets and a necklace. She would be in our company, giving her remaining soldiers the day off. They deserve it after a hard march back to our home. Stepping out of my room, Gallant and Golem waited for us. Staring at us, Gallant just nods his head. Golem, on the other hand, had his gaze glued onto Louise. My older sister noticed his gaze. She's blushing. I blinked several times, staring at them. Am I seeing things?

"Pretty." Golem said that, leading the way down the hallway with Gallant. Esta wasn't with us because she was having a makeover with my younger sisters. I was a bit worried about it, but Esta didn't mind. She allowed my younger sisters to take her away. I am a bit curious to why my sisters wanted to do Esta's makeover. Sadly, I didn't insist on their reasons to why they wanted to do such a thing. I let this slide since the elf didn't refuse their offer. As we walked down the hall, we encountered the other two black knights. 

Luke was a knight with a shield and sword while Michael wielded a bow and arrow. He has a double-handed sword as well, switching to that if he went into close quarter combat. Seeing us, they let out a low whistle.

"See, Aisha looks nice if she actually puts the effect into her appearance." Luke nudged Michael, who just shook his head. Michael then proceeds to take some gold coins and hand it to Luke. He even handed a few coins to Gallant. I gave a blank look towards the three.

"You placed a bet on me?"

"No, no. Nothing like that." Gallant shakes his head, "We just had-"

"You definitely made a bet... what gives? Don't you guys have anything else to do?" I let out a sigh, giving them a weak smile. They were fooling around, like back then, but it certainly eases my slight nervousness. Honestly, I am extremely nervous about all of this. Granted that King Len is telling the truth, I still have a lot of doubts involving his true intentions with me. The man is slyly avoiding the main issue behind all of this, but at the same time, he genuinely wants to create a relationship with me. I can only hope that he isn't trying to do something nasty with me. Then... my mind wanders onto his confession from yesterday. It was... weird. 

I couldn't ponder on that thought anymore when my younger sisters burst through the door Luke and Michael were guarding. Charging right at me, they glomped my legs, nuzzling their faces against them. I just stood my ground, embracing my little twin sisters. Olivia decided to head into Louise's arms, hugging our eldest. 

"Aren't you excited?" I giggled at Jessica and Jennifer, rubbing their heads. They nodded with clear excitement in their eyes.

"Yep!"

"See what we did to Esta!" Speaking of the elf...

"What the..." Leilatha never finished her sentence, knowing not to curse in front of my adorable younger sisters. I will say that... I should give more credit to my younger sisters. They certainly proved themselves in their cosmetics. I mean, Esta... looked too adorable and... stylish? Hot? I have no way to describe it, let alone figure out how my younger siblings made her into... this.

The elf in question wore clothes that suited a Gothic Lolita fashion, but it bore a lot of bright colors and the outfit would be a bit ridiculous on someone who has a taller body with mature features. If I, for example, were to put on this puffy ball gown, I would look ridiculous. But on Esta, it fitted her perfectly. It was like she was some doll that was made into a real woman. Well, I would say woman, but Esta is still a young girl, in my opinion. She's innocent, clueless, still pure... Yeah. And her size. A lot of people will treat her as a little girl. Yet she looked nothing like a little girl due to her makeover. Her hair was in a ponytail. The tail part of it wasn't too long, but it formed a short tail nonetheless. Her bangs curved off to the side, revealing her forehead and her big round eyes. I can see her small pointy ears as they had some small earrings dangling off of them. 

Esta's gown was a mix of white and light green. Getting the bell shape for her skirt, she must be wearing a petticoat. I noticed the dumb amount of ruffles throughout her dress, questioning why my younger sisters were a bit obsessed with them. It wasn't bad though. Esta's shoulders are bare, a light green sleeve covered most of her arm. Thin silky dark green ribbons secured the sleeves to Esta's upper arm region, the sleeve funneling outwards when they reached her wrists. Around her stomach region, Esta's gown reminded me of a corset. Hopefully, the outfit wasn't too tight on her. The skirt covered the majority of her lower body, hitting the floor. It wasn't dragging, but I am a bit worried about Esta's movements. Then again, she might be used to these things. I never asked her if she went to any banquets before. Guessing by her excitement from yesterday and today, she has never gone into one. Or maybe there was some other reason for her glittering eyes?

Leilatha whistled at Esta, getting a blush from the shy elf. She fidgets in place, avoiding eye contact from me. I think it was obvious that I have been staring a bit too long, getting teased by my notorious black knights.

"Hey, she's totally checking her out." Michael pointed out.

"I told you she swings that way. Didn't believe." Gallant sneered.

"Seeing is believing, you know." Luke added.

"Idiots." Golem commented.

"How about I kick all of your asses when we're done with this event?" I glare at the three knights, ignoring Golem since he didn't say anything dumb. Unlike Golem and Gallant, Michael and Luke are rank thirteen warriors. They stand no chance against me if I used half of my powers. Surrendering, they shake their heads at my remark.

"Eh... We're sorry?" Michael and Luke shyly apologize.

"Ah, there you are." Turning, we see Abdul approach us with two of his soldiers. He bows at us, talking to me, "We will escort you to the grand palace. Most of you are dressed nicely for this occasion. Come, let's go to the social gathering." I raise an eyebrow to the last sentence.

"Social gathering? Thought it was a banquet?"

"Hmm... It's not a banquet." Abdul states.

"No, yesterday, you said it was a banquet." I corrected. The man stands there in silence. He looks to his two soldiers.

"Did I really call it a banquet yesterday?"

"Yes, you did. We would have corrected you, but..." They left their sentence hang as Abdul curse at himself.

"Well, that was my bad. I think I was out of it or something. There will be food, even a dance, but it is not a grand banquet, let alone a ball. It is a big social gathering to strengthen ties with the nearby countries, some of the important figures helping us out in the Crusades, and nobles from near and far." Well... this changes a few things.

Like my control of things. I mean, thinking about it, my own banquets wasn't that grand. It was... Hmmm, I guess a cheap version of a banquet? Actually, thinking about it, wasn't my last so-called banquet more of a social gathering than a banquet for Brynhild? That...

"Figured it'll be a social gathering instead." Louise is not fazed by this. She shrugs her shoulders, giving me a strong smile, "We'll be fine either way."

You would be, BUT I'M NOT! I am not ready for this!

"Thought so." Ethan shrugs as well, "I found it weird for us to have a banquet with so many people unless King Len has a huge table for everyone to sit around. Then again, our messengers hinted that it'll be a gathering than a banquet."

Oi, don't tell me that everyone knew that it was a social gathering except me. My younger sisters are just... oblivious to it all, clueless and innocent to the news. Esta seems indifferent. Leilatha didn't care as much since she is still wearing her Tempest outfit. My knights will still be our personal guards-

Yeah, I'm the only one who is nervous. A social gathering is a lot more than a banquet. Then again, Abdul did say we were going to meet the other two nearby rulers. I pray that I won't be the center of attention. Granted that...

Wait.

"Please... tell me we don't have a fancy ride to the palace. I really don't want that much attention." I hope that- Oh no. Noooooooooo... Abdul is hesitating. He's looking away- Damn it! Look at me! Tell me we don't!

"Eh... Yeah. You do. King Len insisted that most of his guests ride our vehicles to the palace under our protection and guide." 

"Heh. We're getting the VIP treatment?" Luke nudge Michael, the other knight just shaking his head.

"Yep. Let's get going, we don't want to waste any more time." Abdul leads the way as we follow right behind him. Ignoring the gaze from the innkeeper and other people, we eyed at our transportation vehicle. 

What the heck is this? I never saw anything like it. A butler appears next to the door of the long, narrow vehicle, gesturing us inside. The exterior of the vehicle has long black windows with black armor. It has four wheels that... weren't your normal everyday wheels on a carriage. It has a shiny material in the middle of its shape with a gray color around it. Correction, this thing doesn't look like a carriage. All of us were a bit stunned by this vehicle, unable to figure out what it was.

"It's a limousine. A car." Abdul explains, "Think of it as a technological advance from horses and carriages. Please, don't be afraid to step inside." I had a very blank expression as the others were impressed. My siblings immediately stepped into the car, ignoring my silent gaze to Abdul. Peeking through the doors, can I ask how the interior seems very spacious? It was like if the inside was a replica of a room in a palace. Abdul kindly fills me in on how a car can have an interior design within the limousine's design.

"It's magic. The car has been attuned to make sure our guests can be comfortable for the ride. We could go into details, but-"

"Don't worry about." I give up. I should just let things be now. Am I going to get this treatment from now on? I really can't handle it. Although it's just for this gathering that King Len is doing...

I regret everything.

Getting into the limousine, I watch my twin sisters just run around with no care in the world. As we enter, I glanced towards Golem. Even if this is a vehicle, can it support his weight? There were a couple of incidents where he would try to enter a vehicle and destroy it. Not on purpose, but it was still a slight issue to address.

If there was any need to.

The giant man entered the vehicle without any issues. The limousine can, surprisingly, hold his weight. Watching him guide Louise, the two took a comfortable seat together. Luke and Michael followed suit, Leilatha, and Esta staying by my side. Taking a comfortable seat on a leather couch, I glance at the windows. Just like a normal window in a room, we can see the outside. Yet it displayed the sight of the outside world. I was a bit uncomfortable with this, feeling a bit troubled at Len's technological and MAGICAL ones. How could he pull this off? If he sold these things, he would be richer than before, yet he isn't. Or maybe it's something that he wants to keep for himself? This man never popped up in my readings or in the news as much. With all of this, a city, being an infamous hero, a king, a man who developed so many changes socially, technologically, magically, and industrially, why hasn't his name been announced through the entire world?

When I can feel both of my elves grasp my arms, I let these thoughts float away. There was no point in ruining the mood with such things. Besides, I should enjoy my time with everyone. As the door closes, we wait for the car to move. Gallant decided to stay with Abdul for a few reasons. Most likely, he wants to have a private talk with him along with several other reasons for being with the man. Once again, I could dwell on these thoughts, but I decided against it. This was no trap, and I doubt King Len would do anything against me... For now.

Deciding to focus on my two elves, I asked them, "Have you ever been... in a formal event?" Leilatha lets out a dry laugh.

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"More like I was forced to." I recoiled at her remark. Seeing this, she apologizes. "I-It wasn't that bad though. Despite my past, I understand what needs to be done and had my fair shares of entertainment."

"I never went to a social gathering, a ball, a banquet, none of them," Esta adds, excitement written all over her face, "I am looking forward to this!"

"Yeah. I wonder how big it is? This gathering."

"It's going to be big," Louise answered my question, staring at our younger siblings as they run around in the car. "This is Zezrious infamous annual social gathering. A lot of people, a lot of significant figures, are going to arrive at this gathering. Granted that the light side can't really send anyone due to the Crusade, you will most likely see a lot of figures from the dark side and a couple of geniuses. Although the biggest treat is seeing the three local leaders. Especially King Len."

"Yeah." I just question why am I being pulled into this? I mean, I get my position, my relationship to famous individuals, and my potential future, but I am not at the point yet. It was like King Len was purposely giving me the spotlight for his plans? Once again, the man is up to something. I hate how people tend to use these things as a political and social tool. Can't they just leave me alone? Then again, the world isn't fair in a lot of ways. 

"We. Got. You." Golem assures me, indicating the other knights in the limousine. They were focused on my younger siblings, entertaining them with their games. Ethan was with our group though. He was sitting across from Louise and Golem, thinking. He must be caught up in his thoughts as well, trying to piece together a few things together. What exactly, I have no clue, but he was in his thinking pose. The vehicle starts to move, watching the outside world zoom by us. We were not going at a fast pace, but we could smoothly see the change of scenery outside the car. Once again, I wonder how Len was able to do this. 

"Louise, do you have any news of our other siblings?" Louise frowns at the question.

"No. Caesar was in the area and sought me out. He never told me if he had any contact with our brothers or sisters. I think they are going to be running into a lot of Imperial remanents though."

"If that is the case, then we will need to warn them about the Imperials or give them a heads up about the situation." I said, "Some of our older brothers and sisters may be a bit slow on certain things. If the Imperials were straightforward in their assaults against you, they might try a different approach on the others." I didn't really want to state it bluntly, seeing if Louise caught wind of my hints. Ethan nodded at my statement. Leilatha looks at me.

"Just say it. You don't have to sugarcoat it just because I'm here. I'm not a child."

"Neither am I." Esta added. That... could be up for debate, but I let out a sigh.

"Pretty much. Our siblings don't know the status of our parents. Knowing you and Caesar, the Imperials could not trick you two. They will lie about our mother's state or her position to the others. They could say something like how they're enslaved. In turn, our siblings might comply with their demands. If that happens, it will endanger them and put us in a sticky situation." I spoke without any thought, watching their reactions.

They seemed... horrified. This confused me.

"What?"

"We weren't..."

"They tried to enslave our mom?!" Ethan hisses at me, keeping his voice to a low volume, "Y-You... You didn't tell me this!" I never thought that I would see my younger brother show such anger. He looks straight into my eyes, wanting to hear the truth behind my words. I thought these two were- Oh, I messed up. The topic of enslavement is not an easy subject to bring up. Granted that it depends on various factors, most of the time, when it comes to nobles fighting amongst themselves, they would never go that low. Yes, capturing them is a thing. Holding them as prisoners is if the cause is justified, sure. But enslaving? A noble?

That would certainly cause a huge ruckus with our siblings if they heard that our parents were enslaved, they will be provoked. Because this action means a lot of things. The biggest is that our family has committed an atrocity that deemed them as slaves. Granted that I think the Imperials will be a bit smarter in their approach with the other siblings, they will try to trick them in some way though.

Yet we did not violate any grand code. The Imperials started this. And Valarie saved my mom before they enslaved our mom, I messed up in my explanation. I guess they thought I was going to say, prisoner. Guess I have to explain this. 

"Valarie saved her before they could put a collar on her. You didn't ask about it, and it was in the past-"

"Even if it was in the past, you should have told me! You..." Ethan shakes his head, walking away from me. He sat next to Luke, avoiding eye contact with me. I could feel a pain in my chest seeing my younger brother look at me with disgust. Heck, just being mad at me, hurts. Louise lets out a sigh, shaking her own head.

"You.... need to open up a bit more. Think a bit more, too. Even if the news was bad, even if he didn't ask about it, this is OUR mother. You are not her only child." Being scolded by Louise left a bad taste in my mouth, too. "Don't worry... He'll get over it, but it's best to give him his space. Still, the Emperor was going to do that? Just because..."

"I guess I have to explain a bit more about the-"

"Hmm.... seems like we're closing in on our destination." Leilatha interrupts me, tilting her head towards the window. The moment we entered the richer, deeper parts of Zezrious, the walls of the limousine disappears. Even the windows disappeared, giving us a view of the outside. A FULL view of the new district we entered. It seems like the interior of this limousine can give us a grand view of the outside, projecting the... strange buildings. These buildings...

"What are we looking at?" Michael ushers my question aloud. The younger siblings are amazed at the sight of unfamiliar building designs. Well, they're still in a block-like shape. Eh... are they? I can see different shapes that are distorted, using materials that I didn't think you can use for a building. Some buildings were made out of glass with a rectangular shape while other buildings have a familiar square design to them made out of unfamiliar materials. Some of these buildings- I didn't think you can make a weird tall curvy structure stand like that. Staring at it, I was trying to piece how it was standing up like that. What surprised me, even more, were the streets and... cars. More cars driving in an orderly fashion. The people... They wore clothes that made me blink a couple times. I remember seeing these clothes before-

"So what do you think?" Abdul's voice echo in the car, "Impressed?"

"Confused than surprised. I have never seen these structures- No, it defies the norm. Impressive, yes, but what-"

"Think of it as a neo-futuristic glance of our world in a few more years." Abdul stops me. "I know that you might have a lot of questions, but honestly, I cannot answer them. Are you impressed at Zezrious now?"

"Zezrious is impressive even without this." I state, "Though I wonder why Len would keep this all to himself? Wouldn't it be better to have the world advance on a whole different level?"

"Then that means this city would have no value. King Len loves this city with a passion. He will never let go of the place and his secrets." 

"This is fascinating though." Ethan was in awe at the futuristic environment, "The way everything is. The roads are not crowded with carriages or people, having them separated. The shopkeepers have their own building that can protect the condition of their wares and have some cleanliness towards their workplace. The flow of traffic is-!"

"See, you got our bookworm talking." Gallant said to Abdul, "But it doesn't explain a lot of things."

"Once again, I can't tell you everything. Don't worry, despite all of this modern tech, you lot are dressed for the occasion. The clothes that those people wear are casual attire. Nothing too fancy. And don't worry, this place is heavily guarded. Even if you don't see our soldiers about, this district will not have any form of trouble. Well, unless it's inside the main building where the social gathering is at." Abdul informs us as we continue to observe the rich district of Zezrious. This was on a different level then-

What are those giant things? They are shiny and huge, towering to at least three or four stories tall. They carry a... that's a huge gun but it works for its size. The giant machine was not in anyone's way, but it just stood there, watching over the city. The figure is not trying to hide, standing further away from the giant crowds. From this distance, I don't think anyone else noticed them. Well, maybe Leilatha and my knights, but they are acting as guards. And this is not the only figure. I can see several other ones along with other figures moving about. Sadly, even with my enhanced sight, I could not make out their shapes. Before I can ask Leilatha if she can see the towering figure, Abdul stops me.

"Seems like we're here."   

...can I officially say that this place exceeds the norms and any concrete, feasible imagination of mine? 

I want to say that having a building made out of a lot of glass might raise a bit of concern, yet knowing the Bullet Hero, he would have enhanced them with magic. Or it is enhanced with magical properties that could nullify any true damage to it. The building is huge in terms of its size and height. It reminds me of a palace, but with glass windows and doors. The entrance to the place is packed. I can see guests lingering outside. They stand beside the fountain and lawn. Some of the adults are keeping an eye on their kids. Little boys and girls are running about, playing tag on the giant lawn. As we near the curb, the limousine went back to normal. The area around us pulled back its windows and walls.

"We're here." Abdul kindly tells us,  "Be on your best behavior now."

"I'm not going to make a scene here. Don't worry." I roll my eyes. He might be teasing me instead of warning me, but it could be both. My older sister glance at my direction with a curious gaze. "I'll explain later." A butler opens the door for us, allowing my younger sisters to get out first. Ethan was next, followed by Michael and Luke. Golem stepped out with Louise, gently pulling her out of the limousine. Leilatha decided to do the same gesture with Esta and I. A bit shy about displaying such actions in public, Leilatha wasn't bothered by it. A few eyes turn our way, watching us. I would have ignored this, but my enhanced sight caught their gaze. I find it a bit... odd for them to slyly watch us? Was this normal? Then again, in the past, I was the focus of my past banquets, so I never paid any attention to their eyes. Ignoring this, I spot Gallant and Abdul chatting with each other. He heads to the front of the party, ushering us to follow him.

"Come now. The Bullet Hero would want to greet you before the other rulers come to the party." I slowly nod my head, trying to ignore the sudden number of eyes on me. Apparently, just eavesdropping on what Abdul stated, the other guests are being subtle with their sudden interest in me. I seriously don't like to be the center of attention though. Surely, the Bullet King has other guests who would catch his attention, right?

Gallant and Leilatha walk beside me. I found this rather odd, but I am a bit thankful for it. I could have ignored the stares, but this is completely different from my own gatherings. I distract myself with our surrounding, noting a few things. There are a lot of dark beings around the place, wearing formal attires or their battle gear. As allies, they have the right to dress formally or not. Other than that, I can see a lot of uniforms. This must be the officers or soldiers who are attending this gathering. I can see a couple of armored soldiers, but they are keeping their distance or patrolling around the building. Thinking about it, Abdul... he was wearing an armor that is similar to those weird soldiers who rescued us yesterday? Unlike the ones I saw, the lines running through his armor were... deactivated? The color of its plating reminds me of my Black Knight but glossy. The armor shapely defines his outline, his helmet having an upside triangle for his visor. I would ask Abdul about this particular armor since it seems like it wouldn't be normal-

It isn't? No...

Hold on. The stares were directed to me, but at the same time, I got a feeling it was on Abdul as well. Staring at the guards patrolling around the place, they do not have the same armor design like Abdul. Abdul said he was popular, but I can tell that some of the guests, who must know Abdul, are trying to figure out if its the same man who is leading us. His appearance is definitely different from his usual armor. As we walked down the paved path towards the main building, a familiar voice greets us.

"Hello there Princess Aisha, Princess Louise, Gallant, and Golem. I was thinking that you would avoid these gatherings." 

Abaddon Morrin. Staring at the woman, I displayed a brief second of disappointment. I was not sad at her appearance at the party. No, I greatly appreciate it. Seeing a familiar face in a sea of strangers is comforting. What I didn't like was the fact that as a beautiful woman, she is still wearing her battle gear. I guess she saw my slight disappointment, giving a smirk to me. "Oh, you wanted to see me in a dress? Maybe if we can have a secret rendezvous, I'll allow it." Oh god, she's teasing me. As if I didn't need anymore staring eyes!

"So this lass got your attention?" A deep voice pulls me away from Abaddon Morrin to stare at a towering man that towered your average human male. Heck, he reminded me of Golem. Turning around to compare their heights, the being beside Abaddon Morrin was a bit taller than Golem by a few inches. With his impressive build, I think I can understand why some people can feel intimidated by a hulking figure now. Especially if they could squish you with their size alone. He lets out a laugh, noticing my reaction. He wears a bulky armor that is like dragon skin. You can see a lot of scales entwined with each other, creating a tough layer or protection. Although it reminds me of a dragon's rough skin, there seems to be some sort of unknown material that is mixed in as well. I have no clue what it was, but I can see a faint afterimage of a thicker material over it. This slight illusion. I don't know if I can call it that, also created a fiery aura.  His pauldrons are demon heads with its eyes gouged out. Even if I can tell that the pauldrons were made from a blacksmith, the heads looked real. Maybe they are real. Every ounce of him screamed out a warrior you shouldn't mess with. He wears a tattered cape, but I can see that his armor has been through a lot. Covered from head to toe, he gives me a wide smile.

"Surprised to see a tall fella, eh? Don't blame ya. Your knight seems to be impressive... for a  human." He wears no helmet, revealing his short messy white hair. He has a lot of wrinkles and scars, yet his eyes are a demon. Trying to regain my composure, I just let out a cough.

"Your size definitely surprise me. That's all. I didn't expect to see a towering giant beside Abaddon Morrin anyways."

"He wanted to see what was the commotion about. I felt your presence the moment you got out of the limousine. I wanted to hang with you- if you don't mind." Abaddon Morrin smiles.

"Sure. I wouldn't mind. But do you mean commotion?" Surely, they don't mean me.

"Word is that King Len personally head out of his own city to find some lucky gal." The old man hints, "Someone with long silver hair with a famous elf that was snatched away from the infamous Abaddon Morrin." 

That was a huge cue for me to just curse a string of complaints.

And I was trying to avoid this. More attention to me... Great...

Not my fault though!

"Also, I heard that there are several big guests coming to this gathering. Granted that some of our big guys are coming to greet King Len and give them their thanks for allying with us, these figures are quite... impactful. This will be one social gathering I am not going to miss." Abaddon Morrin sips from her glass. Her eyes landed on Abdul though, "Yet I can see another reason for the guest's commotions."

"I cannot explain." Abdul shrugs, "But you could always bother the hero-king himself."

"I'll pass." Abaddon Morrin shakes her head, "By the way, this is Adramelech Logan. He is a general of the dark side who leads some of our campaigns against the light. He is working in coalition with King Len to ensure our victory and the safety of Zezrious. Adramelech Logan is also a feared individual in his own rights, and he has produced some fearsome elites called the Abyssal Knights."

"Guilty as charged." He bows at me, giving me another smile, "But let's not talk about my boring stories, let's hear more about ya."

"E-Eh?" A bit baffled at how he shoved off his reputation to hear my stories, I try to play dumb. Or was about to. Abdul cuts in, saving me in an indirect manner.

"She would have to do that at another time. I need to make King Len gets to see her before the other big players arrive. Once they do, it'll be hard for King Len to have a slight discussion with Princess Aisha." 

"Is that so? Can't be helped then." Letting me go, Adramelech Logan shrugs his huge shoulders. "I shall leave you be then. I hope you enjoy your time at this gathering." Leaving Abaddon Morrin's side, he walks off towards a group of armored knights.

"Despite his big size, he's a nice guy." Abaddon Morrin walks forward, joining our party, "Though he talks a lot. He has a good ear though, listening to every detail. So... is it true King Len actually came out of his way to save you?"

"Yeah. He did." I answer Abaddon Morrin as we continue our path towards the building. "Don't know if I can tell you everything, but that's the simple version of it." She raised an eyebrow at me. I know that Abdul didn't want to explain about his new armor and those soldiers who came out of nowhere. Was this a military secret? Or something that King Len wanted to show to everyone? I am deeply concerned about these soldiers now. I knew something was off, but I didn't know it was this big. Still, it's best if I don't say anything about those soldiers yet. 

"By the way, you're quite pretty in a gown. You should dress up a lot more than you say. I bet your girlfriends are loving it." I start to cough violently at Abaddon Morrin's statement. I can hear a lot of chuckles around me, cute giggles coming out of Esta and Leilatha. Oblivious to all of this, my younger twin sisters agree with the Abaddon.

"See, big sis," Jennifer starts, "We should dress you up more! You will get all of the attention!"

"I-I don't think that'll be good... I mean, she might get a lot more girlfriends if she did." Oh god, why are these two harassing me? Out of everyone, why them?! Gallant laughs at my predicament. Nudging him to shut up, Abdul nods towards a greeter by the door. Nodding back, he allows us in, entering through the glass doors.

King Len is certainly exceeding every expectation of mine. No, he's doing far more than that. He's overkilling whatever image I had in my head. This place reminds me of... Well, I can't say. Everything was so different from what I'm used to. Granted that it still has a sense of royalty and it was spacious, everything looked expensive. I can still see familiar things like a rug, carpet, furniture, tables, chairs, but even these simple items had a different design. Heck, some of them aren't made out of simple materials. The style, the material, nothing was of the medieval era that we're in. All of this is advanced stuff. I might be wrong in that sense, but I cannot say that I have seen these things before. Well, of course, I've seen a chair and table, know their functions, just...

Jeez, who is this man? Why is he... Rubbing my head at the sight before us, the majority of my party awes at this giant building. Even if it's crowded and bursting with activities, the place is truly impressive. 

Worse of all, did I say that I hate being the center of attention? 

The moment Abdul entered through those doors, a lot of eyes turned to us. They made sure it was subtle, not obvious, but they have their eyes on Abdul and my party. Still leading the way, Abdul press forward, ignoring the number of eyes on us. I think he is uncomfortable with this treatment, too. Nonetheless, we're right behind him. As he approaches the crowd, they got out of our way although it seems like there was another reason for their movements. 

"Ah, Abdul, thank you for picking up Princess Aisha and her group." Eh?

Was he already at the front of the crowd? Was he waiting right here for us?

"It was no issue, your highness." Abdul bows to him. Looking at the infamous Bullet Hero, he wears a uniform that displays a military appearance, but it has a sharp and elegant design to it. The outfit hugs his body displaying his slim physic. It's not too slim, but he had a body of a male model. I can see a lot of ribbons and medals on each side of his uniform jacket with cords coiling around his right shoulder. He has a black jacket, pants, tie, boots, and a military cap along with black bandages around his face. He wears a white shirt underneath his jacket and white gloves over his hands. I can see Zezrious symbol as a medal lying in the middle of Zezrious military cap. The symbol is composed of a cross and two swords running diagonally through them. I can see the symbol on the top of his gloves, too. The man, despite being covered in bandages, still have a young handsome face behind it. He has a lot of sharp features that gave him a mature look. He is still young though, showing no wrinkles or the likes. His dark hair runs to his neck, still messy, but a bit more tidy than before. It covers his dark blue eyes a bit, but I can see them staring right at me. He smiles at me, ignoring the guests around him. He walks forward, once again ignoring the gazes from the surrounding people, grabbing my hand and kissing it. Obviously, I am accustomed to this, although I never allowed any guy to do this. I would let this slide, but I noticed something from all of the jealous women glaring daggers at me. And this is just a wild guess on my part, having no actual proof or an idea of Len's reputation with other women, but I think this is Len's first time doing this gesture towards a girl. 

Meaning that this is going to create a lot of misunderstandings. 

Yet do I really want to stop a handsome young infamous hero from doing whatever he wants?

... for now I'll let it slide.

Unknowingly, my twin sisters actual stops the bullet hero. I almost choked on the very air from their sudden action and their declaration.

"Noooooo, you can't do that!" said Jennifer.

"Only Aisha's girlfriends can do that!" Walking beside her sister to form a wall between us, I blink at my two adorable and innocent sisters. Obviously, this could be considered rude, yet Len laughs at the sight, nodding his head.

"Of course. I shouldn't have tried that- my apologies Aisha." Addressing me, I trip on my own words. Stuttering, I let out a laugh.

"H-Haha... Y-Yeah."

"Sorry about that." King Len directed that towards Leilatha and Esta, "I just couldn't help myself."

"It's no problem." Leilatha cooly stated. Esta just nods her head silently. I have no clue if they were okay with that though. Their face- well, Esta's- are neutral. There was nothing od about their expression. No hint of anger, no jealousy, just a normal expression. 

"A bow can work. And besides, a hero does not need to display such actions towards the princess." said Gallant.

"True. I must have been etiquettes then." King Len laughs, hearing a couple of his officers laugh in the background as well. The nobles, people who weren't in his military, forced a laugh out. I can tell that most of them were clueless to who I am or my reputation with King Len. Great, now I will have to deal with them when they bombard me with a bunch of questions. "Anyways, I am glad that you have attended my party. I heard a lot about your dislike towards these things."

"Well, I couldn't turn it down from a man who helped us. And besides, you're a hero who worked with my mom... There is no reason to turn it down. Maybe I should have left that last part out. Now there was a buzz through the crowd. Not trying to be discrete anymore, I can hear the guests ask each other if they knew who I was or who my mom was. Before King Len could silent or deal with these questions, a new voice comes from behind us.

"So this was your scheme, eh? You sneaky bastard." Turning, I see a towering man wearing nothing across his huge chest. I can see his bulging muscles with a cape covering his back. He is twice the size of Golem, wondering how he sneaked up behind my party. Heck, how did he get through the doors with his size?! His lowered body is covered in think plated armor in a dark yellow hue. He has short hair that seems uniform and simple. He has an impressive beard though covering most of his upper neck. His dark eyes scan my party, giving a vicious grin. I can see a few Adapts behind him without their helmets, hinting where this giant man could be from.

"It's a lion!" Jessica please, why do you have to say such things.

"Ha ha ha, am I now? Let me give out a ferocious roar then!" The man beats his chest proudly, gathering a handful of air before he unleashes an impressive roar that scared the living hell out of everyone. I doubt that this was an actual skill or technique, but it's still impressive to have a powerful voice. My sisters awe at this, applauding the man. The other king lets out a joyous laugh, enjoying my sister's company. Turning to King Len, he's frowning.

"I thought it would take you a while to get here?"

"Pffft, I heard that some gal got your attention? Think I don't have my own network, huh!?" He's quite loud. Then again, he might be loud because of his race. He might be a giant or half-giant. Also, he's close to our party, so it's pretty loud. "I didn't think you were interested in young gals like her?"

"She's interesting." Len shrugs.

"There's more to it." Leon narrows his eyes, whispering, "You want to have another-"

"Now, now, you two are always butting heads." A female approach us with a lot of femal-

ALICE?!!? 

That's Alice! I can tell- no, wait. Who is- Iguahoeag

"She's a princess..." Gallant whispers in my ear. I know that she was a princess! She had to be a noble of some sort to enter my own banquets and Zezrious parties, but she... 

I... Eh...

Noticing my utter confusion, the dead gorgeous, and rather revealing, the older woman explains who she is.

"Ah, Aisha, it is nice to finally meet you. I am Jenine Swett. I am the ruler of Aeston and one of the Supreme Overlord Witch Queens of all witches, and the leader of my own faction. My daughter has told me about you in so many letters. I am glad that we can finally meet face to face." Oh god... I think I might have to make sure my eyes do not stare too long at her body. It's so... inviting.

Why has she dressed like that anyway?! I mean, I certainly like Alice's outfit, but god...

She's this influential!? And a princess to an Overlord?! And Witch Queens?! Wait, she was talking about me? 

My eyes quickly take in Jenine's attires. For a redhead, reminding me a bit of Valarie, she certainly has a thickness to her. Maybe. I can't see her legs, but I do see her hourglass figure. The outfit she wears hugs her body, but it reveals a lot of her front. The dress splits open, revealing her pale stomach and her cleavage. She was a fluffy scarf around her neck, her sharp eyes staring at us and the other two rulers. Her outfit in question seems to be made out of... magic? It seems alive, seeing a slight movement in them. Her yellow eyes land notice my gaze, smiling.

"Hmmm, I think we'll be fast friends." Jenine sweetly smiles at me, making me avert my gaze immediately. Goddamn it. Oogling at Alice's mom.... is going to get me killed. In so many ways... 

She ends her carefree attitude though, staring at Len.

"So... I can guess that our annual gathering is going to be different this time around."

"Why do you say that?" Len flash a smile at her.

"Don't kid yourself, I can sense two beings who aren't supposed to be here."

"Well, as an Overlord, I can't really hide it now? Besides, I got permission to be here." A familiar voice appears beside Gallant-

"Charlotte?!" 

"Hey there, you're doing alright?" As if I wasn't prepared for more surprises-  Most of my party, excluding myself, Gallant, and Esta are familiar with her. What got to me was the guests. There are a bunch of screams erupting from all around us. I can hear some squeals as well, but holy shit, this place increased in volume. A lot of chatter erupted once Charlotte revealed herself. The Crimson Overlord wears her familiar dress, standing beside Gallant with an irritated expression. I would want to know why she was here, but I will refrain from asking that for now. I decided to answer her question though.

"Other than some hero king saving me and asking if I can attend this annual gathering, I think I am a bit... overwhelmed." Truth be told, I am freaking out. I AM overwhelmed, but I know better. Freaking out will just make me-

Wait, a second guest?

Who's the second guest-

"HELLO THERE!" A VERY familiar child's voice kicks through the glass doors getting EVERYONE's attention, "I'm not too late, right? Had some troubles with the dark forces since they really don't like me. My guys had to put some of them down in terms of self-defense. Jeez, you need to have your security team respond better and faster." General X strolls in casual with a nasty on her face. Despite all the screaming and curses from the guests, everyone who saw this coming was not amused at the X's appearance.

However, I do need to ask something.

Is it okay for me to freak out now!?