Mia's gaze landed on her reflection in the large mirror placed specifically in the infirmary's hall for the occasion. She had donned her dress for the ball that was starting in thirty minutes, with the help of her friends, and she had to admit that Lily had outdone herself in the choice of the attire. They had discussed at length what they wanted and didn't want, but Lily, as usual, had a completely different idea in mind.

The dress had short sleeves and highlighted the young woman's slender waist with a fabric belt, ending in a flared skirt that reached down to her feet. The chest was adorned with floral patterns and a generous neckline. A dress she could have found in her own world. All complemented by a pair of wedge heels concealed by the fabric of the dress. It was beautiful and flattered her figure, but it wasn't the shape that was most striking. Lily had dared to choose a lapis lazuli color, reminiscent of the vila's eyes.

Once again, she had done it on purpose. Since the blonde had told her about the infamous argument, Lily had been relentless. They had spent yesterday and today together, and the fairy didn't seem willing to let it go. Of course, this always translated into little remarks here and there, advice, discreet questions to gauge the human's state of mind, but it was clear that she was determined to break down her last barriers, which, let's admit, were relatively weak.

If the vila's hatred of her human condition was no longer a consideration, her last reason to fight against what her body seemed to want seemed quite fragile. She was still hesitant to dive into this relationship because the idea that she hadn't had a choice didn't leave her mind, reminding her that she hadn't fallen in love with the vila and that she knew very little about him. Moving this relationship forward and stopping the battle against her morals because it was exhausting and inevitable wasn't a valid reason. Even if Lily tried to reason with her, explaining that none of this was a problem and that everything would eventually work out perfectly if she finally decided to let go and let things happen.

Mia was exhausted from repeatedly turning the problem over in her head.

"Wow, Mia! You look stunning!" exclaimed Arry as she joined the two friends, wearing her own emerald-colored dress, perfectly contrasting with her fiery hair.

"Thank you," smiled Mia, "you both look gorgeous too."

Lily was dressed in a flowing dress with pastel colors of the rainbow, reaching mid-thigh. An outfit that extraordinarily matched the image of the fairies that Mia had from her past life. She was radiant and had a magical air accentuated by her delicate translucent wings.

"We need to hurry, grab your masks. Andrei still needs to conceal our auras," encouraged Arry as she put on her own accessory.

Conceal our auras? Mia silently wondered, looking at Lily in the hope that she would explain what the magician meant by that. A question to which she responded with a quick hand gesture indicating they would discuss it later.

Mia hurriedly put her matching mask on her face, watching the other fairies head towards the exit, waving goodbye for their evening. Amidst the commotion, Andrei appeared in a gray suit, white shirt, and shoes. Even among the men, the fashion seemed to align with that of her world. He hadn't yet put on his own mask.

Arry rushed to her boyfriend, greeted him with a kiss, and then took his hands to lead him over to her friends.

"Alright, are you ready? Have you decided what you want to conceal yourselves as?" Andrei asked the girls.

"Werewolf for me, vampire for Lily." explained Arry enthusiastically.

A flash of understanding hit the blonde. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together and realize that their magical essence revealed their species, and for the sake of their disguise, they needed to change it.

"And what about me?" asked Mia, unsure if she had a say in the matter.

Her three interlocutors responded with a grimace before Lily decided to explain the situation.

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"Humans don't have a magical essence, so we can't change it."

"Does that mean everyone will know that it's... me?"

A prospect that seemed dangerous.

"It's not something that's so easily noticeable; one must intend to probe an aura," Arry continued calmly. "I'm sure people will be too busy enjoying themselves to notice anything. Besides, why would they bother scanning the aura of everyone they come across when everyone is in disguise?"

"Arry is right," added Andrei, "you have nothing to worry about."

The assurance from her friends eventually convinced her. And they had told her that security would be enhanced; no one would dare try anything under those circumstances, right?

The next fifteen minutes were filled with Andrei's spells. With a few words, the transformation was complete. However, Mia was disappointed to see that Lily's wings were also concealed, even though it was obvious she couldn't keep them without instantly revealing her identity.

She struggled to understand what kind of magician the young man was. Logically, based on what she remembered, she would have classified him as a sorcerer. Yet, he always seemed to have a little spell at hand for various uses, as if he carried an entire arsenal just in case. He used his voice or gadgets that must have been purchased from other magicians. In broad strokes, his magic seemed to focus on traps and perception spells.

Finally, they were all ready to leave and join the party that was taking place a few meters from the infirmary. Mia cast one last appreciative glance at her reflection before following her friends outside. She tried to conceal her growing nervousness as best she could, almost impatient to see the vila's reaction to her outfit. A part of her couldn't help but hope that he would find her as stunning as her friends did.

And what a reaction it was indeed. The vila was waiting outside the quarter and immediately fixed his gaze on his soulmate, recognizing her right away. He didn't show much, except for a slight upturn of the corner of his lips resembling the beginning of a smile and a darkened look that betrayed his appreciation. Mia didn't know what she expected, but she was disappointed by the vila's semi-impassivity. Nevertheless, she smiled at him to keep up appearances when he greeted her.

She had to admit that he was also charming in his perfectly fitted black costume, with his hair slicked back, leaving only one or two blonde strands falling onto his porcelain face. The sarcastic smile that appeared when he caught her staring annoyed her as much as it embarrassed her, and she couldn't help but blush. She took a deep breath to regain her composure and inhaled his pheromone-scented fragrance. They were subtle, but they seemed unwilling to let her go.

A cocktail not to be mixed with alcohol...

The corridor was already crowded with students talking and observing the newcomers and their outfits. The hall, however, was on a whole other level. That's where the main festivities of the ball were taking place, as it was the largest room in the castle. Just like the corridor, it was ready to burst with people. It was adorned with magnificent banners, flowers, and a few tables offering food and drink. Candles illuminated the room, replacing the usual light of the grand chandelier, which was barely lit, giving it a particularly cozy and mystical ambiance.

The exterior of the castle was also decorated with various fabrics and flowers. The light was provided by paper lanterns suspended in the air by a spell, Mia noted with astonishment. There was magic and then there was 'magic', and she had no doubt that the scenery before her eyes was the most splendid of all.

"It's quite something when it's decorated, huh?" exclaimed Arry, her eyes filled with stars.

"Oh, absolutely," confirmed Mia.

A small orchestra was set up near the gardens. It brought together musical instruments she didn't recognize, but they sounded like those in her world. The resulting genre was a mix of classical and jazz music that made her want to move her body to the rhythm of the festive sounds.

There was also a dance floor set up in the center of the square, bordered by colorful pieces of fabric and lanterns at the four corners of the installation. For now, it was devoid of dancers, as people focused on conversations and refreshments.

What kind of dance do they practice here, anyway? Something resembling the waltz, I suppose?

No one paid attention to her, which was a good sign. For once, she felt like she could blend into the crowd and pretend to belong to this world just like everyone else. A feeling that filled her with serenity.

Ethan gently grabbed her arm to get her attention and whispered a few words:

"Please, don't wander too far and stay within my field of vision; I have a bad feeling."

Mia raised an eyebrow but nodded to confirm that she understood the message. He let go, satisfied. However, it was evident that he was much more tense than usual. His shoulders were tense, and his gaze scanned the surroundings every few seconds, resting only on the silhouette of his soulmate to reassure himself that she was still by his side.

"It's okay, relax a bit," Mia resumed, trying to be reassuring. "Nothing will happen to me."

He didn't respond, deliberately choosing to ignore her attempt to calm him. Mia sighed and focused on her friends, who were discussing what drinks to have. The conversation was far more interesting than the vila's warnings, as she was eager to discover what kind of alcohol was being enjoyed in this world.

No need to fret; he's doing enough of that for the both of us. Might as well have some fun!