Ray

The group arrived in a large foyer whose only purpose seemed to be to let people teleport in. The floor was made of quality white marble, polished to the point of sparkling. The pillars, on the other hand, were engraved monstrosities of gold and white, giving the place its grandiose presence.

Ray wasn't sure he liked it, but it seemed like something a noble should have. A set of large gold covered gates led to another hall that had significantly more people within.

The Rebel Queen headed in, walking with poise as she strutted into the hall.

The herald took her card and called out, "Dowager Baroness Anastasia Darelliar and her daughter, Baroness Darelliar. "

The announcement got little attention, a few people turning to the gate before turning back to their talks. A baroness wasn’t anything of note in this wedding. Ray headed in, not confident at all. The plan to stay unnoticed was a go.

The hat had other plans, though, it was intent on making Ray keep a good impression in this place. Ray found himself nudged into walking with his head held high, posturing as if he owned the place, or at least didn't care about who was there.

Ray handed his card to the herald, and was called out. "Ray Rosenmund, disciple of Dean Ronne. "

Now that announcement brought it's set of attention. The number of heads that turned were significantly more than before. Ray slipped off, listening to the hat as he walked off, like he didn't care about the attention.

"Dean Ronne of the Alchemic College." The herald announced, drawing even more attention. Anita didn't wait for the attention to die down though.

"Countess Anita Dernell, daughter and heir to General Trevor and Marqioness Salazar, Void princess of the Elven continent, heir to the Mage Academy and disciple to Dean Rassi.

The emerging wave couldn't be stopped anymore, but at least most of them are headed for the Dean or Anita. Ray was thankfully too unimportant to attract attention.

"Hello, I am Baroness Sentere of Larmen. ''A middle-aged woman said, appearing, seemingly out of nowhere. “I don't think I have ever met you before. How odd, considering I've met most people in this city. "

Ray immediately became alert, the woman was weird. The only one around that actually showed signs of age, not to mention her Tier. Ray felt it at Tier 13, middling in this party, but the mana she radiated told him otherwise. The woman was hiding her power, not as well as the Rebel Queen, but well enough.

"I'm afraid I am not native to this circle. '' Ray said. Why did he have to attract secret powers the second he stepped in? And he could practically feel the Fae urge to not lie seeping in, it was more powerful today.

"Oh, I don't know, you seem native enough. I hear you've made quite a name for yourself down in the commons.” she said, smiling slyly. Ray did not feel good about this. “Would you mind if this crusty old woman had you meet a few people?"

"I would be honored, ma'am. " Ray said, etiquette demanded he not refuse, but now he had to go meet people. Would it really be so rude if he refused. Ray knew the answer before he even thought it, he sadly had to participate.

The Baroness led him in, towards another set of old looking women.

"Is that your new boyfriend, Miranda? How nice! I don't know where you get them! " one of them said, the tone was so high-pitched and fake that even Ray could see that she was faking it. The teasing smile on her face confirmed it.

What was this? A weird test the nobility felt entitled to play? A prank? Even more importantly, why is it that these things only seemed to happen to him?

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“Oh, shut up Tella, this is the Dean's brand-new disciple, Cray Tesendund." the Baroness said, the way she pronounced the name telling him how on purpose it was.

Ray felt the hat nudge him to go away, but he did it one better. A bit of invisibility glitter sprinkled in, and he disappeared from view.

Escaping the group of weird old ladies, Ray headed for the emptiest corner of the ballroom, and almost collided with a waiter.

"Oh, sorry. " Ray said, taking a step back and shoving somebody.

A snort sounded behind him as the noble in question looked down at the two of them.

"Why did I even come to party with commoners?'' he said, walking off while making disgusted sounds. Ray took a deep breath and headed straight for that quiet corner.

The corner was easy enough to reach, but now he was left with the question of what next. Well, he could just eat. A chair was easy enough to conjure. The hat had something to say about that, though, it seemed to think that Ray should get back in the party at once.

Ray disagreed. "Oh, there you are! I must apologize, Tella told me that I butchered your name quite terribly. How about a tour instead? I promise I'll try very, very hard to not say your name again. " The Baroness said.

The only reason Ray didn't jump in shock was the hat forcing him down. Ok, next time the bloody hat said that he should stay in the party, he was staying in. What was the deal with this woman? Why was she so obsessed with making fun of him?

"I fear that I just want to remain alone, perhaps another time." Ray said, trying to get away.

"Oh come on, are you really going to get so upset over one little misnaming? How are you going to survive in the world getting offended so often? Oh my, I know what I can do! I can teach you how to talk like one of us!

Yes, that would be good, wouldn't it." The baroness clutched Ray's arm before he could run away, dragging him off. The hat went haywire trying to make him seem more dignified, Ray had the urge to fight her here, but he also knew that it was a terrible idea. So he chose the other option.

"What do you want? " he asked. The baroness stopped, a grin stretching across her face as she let him go. The crumpled suit reset, making Ray sigh in relief. At least that was one good thing.

"I just wanted to see what was under that mask you wear. Matilda told me that her son wasn't like those idiots that dot the Empire. Well done, you just proved that all men aren't bloodthirsty idiots.'' she said, winking before disappearing.

"The waters of the Empire are deep, Ray, and not all of us are foolish as our Emperor. Tell the Queen in the corner that she better get a bigger sword, the battle approaches. And when you do come to the Human continent, drop by my estate. I might help you, or I might report you." a giggling voice told Ray as she disappeared.

Ma was involved? And this woman thought that, Ray took a deep breath, trying to calm his frustration as he headed towards the bar. A good potion might be in order, and he was Fae, human limits on drinking didn't apply.

sc

Antasia

Antasia stood with one arm resting against the bar, looking at the party as if it was beneath her. In truth, it was. As a Tier 29 she was more powerful than even the Dukes of the Empire. The party was barely a March level one.

The Elven continent just didn't have a powerful enough nobility. After all, wasn't that why she had set up shop here in the first place. A powerful nobility might have stopped or at least hindered her. But this one? To day, they'd done more to help her than harm her. The group of them were idiots of a rare level. The only ones that came close to beating them were the nobility of the Human continent.

Oh, here was another coming to ask her out.

'I greet the fair Baroness.” he said, acting like a gentleman. Antasia could tell he was anything but.

"Are you the Marchioness? No? I see no reason to return your greeting, then. " Antasia said, acting the overly proud and disgruntled Baroness. Two lies might not make truth, but they did make am idiot dance. And she liked dancing.

"A pity, I thought we could have dinner after. " he said, looking pitiful. Antasia felt like laughing at his antics, did any woman actually fell for this type of acting?

Not her, certainly. "Not really, I have enough castles of my own to have dinner in, thank you very much. " she said.

The man looked surprised at her answer. Hmm, he did have nice brown eyes…how many poor women had fallen to that innocent look of his?

"I hadn't heard of a Baroness owning multiple castles in the Elven continent. Would you look at that, you learn something every day! " he said, raising his glass.

"I meant that one is quite enough, I don't know why someone would want more of the troublesome things. " she stated, looking at him like he was a fool.

"I see." he said, his shock greater. " I must admit, I didn't expect to meet someone that did want more castles here. " he said.

"Well now, that you have, how about leaving!? " Antasia said, tired of his insistence.

The man crept closer, a little too close for Antasia's comfort.

"Oh, come on, we're just getting to know each other. I am a Xnarthan lieutenant, I can make you very, very rich if I put my mind to it. " he said, breathing a bit too much potion breath at her. Antasia shook her head. So this was her enemy? How… disappointing.