“You can open your eyes now, Young Miss.”

Hearing Ana’s words, I raised my eyelids and found myself looking directly at my reflection. Light blush, soft pink coloured lips like a freshly blooming flower and minimal blue eyeshadow to line the bottom edge of my eyes. Safe to say, since I’m only seven years old, my makeup isn’t heavy, but… ‘Velloa’ really is pretty. My past self can at least rest easy when it comes to something like looks, huh…

Trying hard not to make a wry expression, I gave Ana my thanks and hopped off my seat. I admired myself on the luxurious full-body vanity mirrors. With no shame, I angled myself here and there as I appreciated the workmanship on my outfit. The dance outfit consisted of an azure halter top, which revealed my lower abdomen, with loose chiffon sleeves and similarly coloured harem pants (although the crotch area is higher than the traditional ones from my past life); the bottom of my halter top (as well as the top of my pants) were lined with silver embroidery. This reminds me of a certain Arabian princess…

From behind, a figure suddenly lifted me up and I was abruptly face to face with a certain midnight blue-haired individual. “You are indeed like that of a princess.”

Trying my best to swallow down the retort that immediately came to mind, I simply smiled at his teasing. Opting to readjust his head jewellery with a meaningful gaze. Cain has increased the amount of time he’s teasing me, recently…

Chuckling, Cain turned towards my family. “Shall we?”

With those words, Father nodded, and everyone assembled in order to make their way to the hall that the celebrations were taking place. Father lead the way, with two knights by his side, his robe (or mantle?) flowed regally behind him; its colour the kind of blue that were associated with royals in my past life, the Imitheos family’s symbol was proudly embroidered on it with silver thread.

Cain and Virgil had removed their cloaks as well, their dance outfits similar to mine. The differences were the simple fact that their crop tops hung loosely on their forms, and that their colours were midnight blue and light indigo respectively. Virgil’s long hair was also styled into a side fishtail braid with a silver chain of aquamarine gems and diamonds wonderfully weaved into the braid. Both males had minimal makeup, the bottom edge of their eyes lined with their respective colours in a style similar to mine.

What a good-looking bunch we have here…

Before I knew it, we arrived before a pair of incredibly grand and extravagant mahogany doors. Upon sight of our group, the two knights by each door handle pulled open the doors, and with a slight bow, they indicated for us to enter. Wide-eyed, I took in the sight of the high ceiling, bright lights and colours as we entered the celebratory hall.

As we stepped foot, a butler announced our arrival. “Grande Imitheos, Hakoda and his wife Beorn Imitheos, Ahkua!”

My grip on Cain’s shoulders tightened as the sights of many nobles turned to us. Father and Mother both donned neutral expressions as we walked towards a circular stage in the middle of the hall. As we made our way, the crowd parted for us. I realized that the chattering had died down to murmuring, but decided not to pay too much heed to that fact. When we ascended onto the circular stage, I caught sight of the Imperare sitting on his mighty throne.

The sovereign of Ogygia looked quite young with his short blonde hair, crimson eyes and slender figure. He too was wearing a scarlet mantle akin to Father’s; his throne and mantle were dyed the kind of red you would expect to see for royalty. On his right was his wife, the Vis-Imperare and this army’s lead general, Dahlia Fermittler. With her long and luscious jade coloured hair, and her mature beauty, I can see why she and Mother can get along and be close friends. As for the person seated on the Imperare’s left, a rather antsy looking white-haired and crimson-eyed seven year old was being calmed by a maid, and this person is none other than the Crown-Infante, Kai Regieren.

There he is, the second love target from ‘Hera: Captured Hearts’, Prince Kai…

Mother and Father went forward, knelt down and saluted with firm fists above their hearts. Us three children were to simply stand a few steps behind and give a slight bow until we’re told otherwise; of course, at this point, I was no longer in Cain’s arms.

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“My family and I congratulate your majesty on your tenth year as the Imperare! We hope and pray for your success to continue in your reign. Please accept this performance from my children and one of my apprentices.” Father said with poise and vigour.

With a regal smile, the Imperare spoke. “Thank you, Hakoda and Ahkua. Please lifts your heads. This is a time of celebration and I wish to see what these children have prepared for me, especially when it has been so long since I last saw each of them.”

After the Imperare spoke, we all stood up properly. Before descending from the stage, Father and Mother looked back to give us encouraging smiles. Mother, in particular, mouthed me a good luck. Wait, we’re going straight into the performance?! Just like that?! Feeling a hand on my head, I looked up to see Virgil giving me a comforting smile.

Cain knelt down and quickly spoke in a lowered voice. “You will do great, princess.” With one last teasing smirk, he and Virgil and went to their positions.

With a sigh, I went to my position and kept my gaze lowered. As I placed myself a few steps behind, and in between, Cain and Virgil, I noticed that two of our family’s knights are stationed on each of the four stairs that allowed entrance to the stage. Since when did they get there?

Just before my thoughts began to wander, the hall’s lights dimmed, and blue flames surrounded the edge of the stage, then, quite a number of small flames could be seen floating around the hall – seemingly not harming anyone. I spotted Cain beginning to use the advanced technique of gathering water from the air, and therefore focused on the performance at hand. Once the water reached a sizeable amount, with its weight approximately that of two to three adult-sized men, he began to split the body of water between the three of us. The moment I let my magic activate, there was no longer a crowd, nor a hall – I focused all of my attention on the dance and the music. With the three of us prepared, the music began to play.

As we began our dance, aside from the music, I could clearly hear Cain and Virgil’s movements. There was no need for me to try and match them, for I felt our movements were nicely harmonized. In a move where we passed the water to the other person, I caught sight of Cain’s gaze. Its intensity caused me momentary pause, but the music went on and so did the performance. Once our gazes disconnected, my feet didn’t miss a beat and my arms did not fail to control the water rhythmically. With every movement I felt something inside me surge.

Levi, are you ready to show yourself?

A deep, booming voice replied in my mind. “Yess, Master…”

When my solo neared, I spotted Virgil’s calming smile when the dance allowed a turn. However, once Cain and Virgil completed their part and passed all the water to me, Levi once again spoke. “Thiss much is not enough, Master.”

At this point, it was only a minute before the music would end and I strongly wished for this to end, so without much thought, I remembered the movements that Cain did to gather water from the air and copied them quickly before I missed the next part.

“Thiss iss good enough…”

Hearing Levi’s words, I stopped the technique and stretched the water above my head in an arch. Almost as soon as I did that, Levi appeared. Some noise slightly obscured the music at that moment, but I simply focused harder on the instruments’ sounds and continued on with my performance. Remembering that Levi’s length was not the same as the volume of water that I had practiced all this time, I had to exaggerate my movements a bit more to ensure that Levi could move in such a way that did not hit anything. Hearing the very last parts of the song, I made sure I stood at the very centre of the stage as I spun and made Levi coil himself around me. By the last beat, I knelt down on one knee and placed a fist above my heart as I faced the Imperare’s direction.

Yes! I’m done! After this I can just complain to Cain and Virgil that I feel tired and hungry then we can hide in one corner of the hall for the rest of this celebration!

However, above my loudly beating heart, I could hear a loud commotion. Looking up I immediately saw Cain and Virgil’s bemused expressions.

“For you to have caused me to change thiss much in a ssmall amount of time iss impresssive, Master.”

Wondering what Levi was referring to, I looked up behind me and found that I was face to face with the incredibly large head of a water dragon. Huh?! Wasn’t Levi’s head only around two meters tall?! Why does it look like it’s three times that now?! I let my gaze follow along the length of Levi’s body and found that it easily surrounded the stage, that was approximately seven metres in diameter, twice.

Wha…? Levi, did you make me gather this much water just so you can manifest?!

When Levi opened its mouth to talk, I found that I could easily fit two of me vertically in that gaping mouth. “When sshowing one’s power, they sshould proudly sshow it all. Why elsse would Master ssettle for lesss?”

I was shocked frozen at Levi as a whole. “Why?” You say? Maybe because I don’t want to bring too much unnecessary attention to myself!

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