As the evening approached, Sero excused himself from the group, informing them of his invite to Gwyndolyn's party. Nala had expressed visible shock at the fact, asking if he could get her the Serenade's autograph.

"Is she really that famous?" Sero murmured to himself as he stepped out of his penthouse. His phone vibrated, seeing a text from Cassandra that the two women were waiting for him down in the lobby.

He hopped into the elevator and went down, figuring that teleporting wouldn’t work. The two women were sitting in the lounge area, sipping on champagne as a crowd of people gawked at them outside. Even the staff couldn't help but sneak glances at them.

Both Cassandra and Gwyndolyn had changed out of their Janitors' uniform, now wearing elegant dresses that accentuated their figures. Cassandra's dress was a simple yet sophisticated black number that hugged her curves, while Gwyndolyn's dress was a vibrant red gown that flowed elegantly down to the floor. Their makeup was immaculate, and they both wore dazzling necklaces and earrings.

"You guys look great," Sero blurted without thinking, suddenly self-conscious of his own attire.

"Why, thank you," Gwyndolyn replied with a coy smile. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"But I'm wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and my bomber jacket," Sero protested with a sheepish grin. "You two make me feel underdressed."

"It's fine, cutie," Cassandra replied with a ditzy smile. "It's a casual party for Gwyn's upcoming album."

"That's right!" Gwyndolyn nodded. "We just want everyone to feel comfortable and have a good time. And I think you'll fit right in."

Before Sero could move, Gwyndolyn and Cassandra each took one of his arms in theirs, leading him out of the lounge and towards the limousine. As they made their way through the throng of people, Sero couldn't help but feel like the center of attention. Everyone seemed to be watching them, whispering to each other and pointing at him. It was both exhilarating and unnerving at the same time.

Sero couldn’t focus very well as the two women sat on either side of him during the car ride, talking to each other as he tried to wrap his head around his situation. Ironically, this exact scenario was something he’d always dream of, but now that it was actually happening, he didn’t know how to deal with it.

The party was held in a massive mansion on the outskirts of the city, with lush gardens and a sparkling pool. The music was thumping, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive liquor and delicious food. The guests were a mix of celebrities, industry insiders, and famous Ascendants that Sero didn't know.

"This is a casual party?" Sero muttered to himself, stepping out of the limousine.

"Oh, it's not too bad," Cassandra assured him with a blank smile, linking her arm through his. "You'll have a great time, I promise."

Gwyndolyn led them through the crowd, introducing Sero to various people as they went. Sero was careful not to drink too much of the champagne that was constantly being offered to him, but he couldn't help but feel a bit giddy from the attention. Everyone seemed to know who he was, and they all wanted to talk to him, to get a picture with him, or to ask for an autograph. He couldn't help but feel like a rock star himself. It seemed like Dante was wrong about people being afraid of him and the powers he possessed.

Eventually, they made their way to the garden outside in the backyard, where a smaller group had gathered around an unlit fire pit. The atmosphere was more relaxed, and people were actually having conversations instead of just milling about. Sero found himself sitting down in between Gwyndolyn and Cassandra on one of the logs.

"Everyone, this is Sero, the newly S-rank Scholar who won the Ascendants Tournament," the Serenade announced to the group, causing a brief ripple of excitement to spread through them.

Sero blushed and waved awkwardly. "It's nice to meet you all," he said, trying not to sound too shy.

"They said he wasn't that attractive..."

"He looks so young!"

"I thought he'd be bald."

"He's even cuter in person!"

Sero couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the attention. He tried to maintain his composure, but his cheeks flushed nonetheless. Gwyndolyn smiled at him encouragingly, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "You're doing great, you know. Just be yourself."

"Or, if you get too overwhelmed, you can always lean on me, cutie," Cassandra sighed dreamily as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," Sero said softly, smiling at her. He glanced around the garden, taking in the flickering lights and the stars above. The night was warm, and a light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. The music from the house drifted out to them in waves, punctuated by the occasional laughter or shouted comment. In that moment, he briefly forgot about his worries and troubles, and he found himself relaxing into the comfortable ambient sounds between them.

Slowly, the people around them excused themselves to go back into the mansion, and eventually Gwyndolyn had to go as well, dragging a reluctant Cassandra along with her. Sero sat alone, staring into the empty fire pit.

"Hey, you're that Scholar, right?" A soft voice broke him out of his thoughts.

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Sero looked up to see a young woman with long and wavy dark violet hair sitting beside him. She was wearing a simple black dress that accentuated her curves, and her warm honey brown eyes sparkled in the moonlight. He nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, that's me."

She smiled, dimples appearing briefly in her cheeks. "I'm Elizabeth. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sero." She extended her hand, and he took it, shaking it firmly. Her grip was strong and confident, and her skin was smooth and cool to the touch. "I've been watching you all night, and I have to say, you handled yourself really well with all the attention."

Sero felt himself blushing again. "Oh, well, thank you. It was... interesting, to say the least." He glanced back at the fire pit, remembering Dante's warning. "I didn't expect it to be like this."

"What did you expect?" Elizabeth asked with a teasing grin. "You're the new S-rank, and you just won the Ascendants Tournament. Everyone here was dying to meet you." She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting away before returning to meet his eyes. "And you know... it's not all bad. You should enjoy it while it lasts. You're young, you're talented, and you've got your whole life ahead of you."

"Yeah, I guess..." Sero glanced at her. "But, what about you? You don't seem that much older than me."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Well, I'm actually not that much older. I'm only twenty-three. But I've been here for a while now, and I've seen my fair share of people come and go." She leaned back against the log they were sitting on, stretching her long legs out in front of her. "You know, it's easy to get caught up in all the attention and the status, but at the end of the day, we're all just people here, trying to find our place in the world."

"Are you... famous too?"

Elizabeth laughed again. "Oh, no. Not really. I've just been here long enough that people know who I am. I've had my share of attention in the past, but now... I don't know, I guess I've just kind of found my niche." She glanced at him, her eyes thoughtful. "I've also been around people long enough to tell if something's up with them."

Sero frowned, not quite sure how to respond. He glanced away, watching the stars twinkle above them. Elizabeth seemed nice, and it was refreshing to talk to someone who wasn't throwing themselves at him or asking for his autograph. It was better that she wasn't one of those people Dante said would be afraid of him, either.

"Do you drink?" Elizabeth jolted him out of his thoughts again, holding out a bottle of beer.

He blinked at her, taken aback. "Um, yeah, I guess," he said, accepting the drink. He twisted off the top and clinked it against hers before taking a sip. The liquid burned its way down his throat, making his chest warm. "Thanks," he said, setting the bottle down. "I don't drink that much usually, but... tonight's been kind of crazy."

"Well, you deserve it," Elizabeth said with a small smile. "So, what do you like to do when you're not doing Ascendant stuff?"

"I-" Sero paused. "I'm not sure, really. I've been working and doing Ascendant stuff for so long that I haven't been able to really take a step back and think about what I like to do for fun." He took another sip of his drink, thinking about it. "I guess I just... enjoy being with people. Not just the attention-seeking stuff, but just... being around those who understand what it's like to be an Ascendant."

"That's a good thing," Elizabeth said softly. "It's important to have a support system, especially in this line of work." She took another drink herself, her expression thoughtful. "I used to be more into art. I loved to paint and draw, but then I got too busy with everything here and sort of let it fall by the wayside." She glanced at him, her eyes meeting his. "Maybe you could try something like that? Find something that makes you happy and just make time for it, even if it's only a little bit every day?"

Sero considered her words for a while, gazing into the fire pit. He took another sip of his drink, savoring the warmth that spread through his chest. "I guess I could try that," he said finally. "Thanks for the advice."

Elizabeth smiled at him, her expression gentle. "No problem. And don't worry about the attention and the pressure. It's easy to get caught up in it, but at the end of the day, you're still just someone who happened to be born with a special gift."

Sero looked at her curiously. "Are you an Ascendant, too?"

Elizabeth laughed lightly. "No, I'm not. I'm just a regular old human. But I've been around enough of you to know that you're all unique in your own ways, even if you do share some of the same abilities." She paused, taking another sip of her drink. "I think that's what makes you all so fascinating to people, you know? It's not just about the powers; it's about who you are underneath it all."

They sat in silence for a while, watching the people inside the mansion and listening to the nighttime sounds of the city. The stars above them seemed to twinkle brighter, more alive than ever before. Sero found himself relaxing into the moment, enjoying the company of this stranger who had somehow managed to make him feel at ease.

He hadn't realized how much time had passed until he glanced at his phone. It was getting late, and he needed to get back home. As much as he hated to leave this peaceful spot with Elizabeth, he knew it was time to go. "I should probably get going," he said, standing up. "I've stayed long enough."

Elizabeth rose as well, her expression regretful. "I'm sorry if I kept you here too long," she said. "I just enjoyed talking to you."

"No, it's fine. I... I enjoyed talking to you, too," Sero said, his voice barely a whisper. He glanced at her, suddenly mustering up the courage as he offered his phone to her. "Could I... get your number? I would like to get to know you better."

Elizabeth smiled, taking his phone and tapping in her number. "Of course. And I'd like that," she said, handing it back to him. "Maybe we can hang out again sometime, just the two of us."

Sero nodded, his heart racing a little. "I'd like that too," he managed to say. He pocketed his phone, feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and excitement bubbling up inside him. "Well, I should get going. It was really nice meeting you, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. "It was nice meeting you too, Sero. Take care and be safe out there." She walked with him back to the entrance of the mansion, where Cassandra noticed the two.

"Ah, Sero! I didn't realize you were still here. Elizabeth, was it? He's quite the charmer, isn't he?" The Glass Queen winked, her voice teasing as she looked at them with unfocused eyes.

"We take our eyes off you for one moment, and you've already got another pretty girl with you," Gwyndolyn joined the trio, a knowing smile curving her lips. "You must have quite the way with you, young man."

"N-no, I just," Sero stammered, feeling his cheeks flush. "I mean, it was just nice talking to everyone. Thanks for inviting me, Gwyndolyn."

"Please, Gwyn is fine," she assured him with a small laugh, a soothing chime to his ears. "And you're more than welcome. We're always happy to have new faces at our little gatherings." Cassandra nodded in agreement, her smile warm. "And who knows, Sero? Maybe you'll find yourself back here again, surrounded by all these lovely people."

Sero smiled back at them, feeling a little more confident now. "I'd like that," he said, before turning to Elizabeth one last time. "It was really nice meeting you tonight. Take care, and I hope I'll see you again soon."

Elizabeth smiled warmly at him, and there was something in her eyes that made him feel like she meant it. "You too, Sero. Take care and stay safe." As she walked away, he watched her go, a small smile playing on his lips.