Strangely enough, I actually slept quite well in Maximilian's arms. Though I woke up alone.

It seemed the dragon had fixed the heating artifact and quietly left.

At least, that's what I thought, until the half-naked dragon barged in, wiping his wet hair after a shower.

“You, what are you…?” I immediately jumped out from under the blanket and peeked into the hallway from where my nocturnal visitor had appeared.

“Someone could’ve seen you, Max!” I hissed at him.

“Don’t growl, Frosty. There’s no one around, I would’ve heard them. Everyone’s still asleep,” the smug fool replied calmly and started dressing leisurely.

“Did you go into the women’s shower?” I groaned, already knowing the answer.

The dragon laughed and nodded affirmatively, and his smile seemed even more smug.

“Don’t worry, no one caught me, neither in the shower nor in the hallway. Why don’t you sit down and have some candy? We need to talk,” he said more seriously, throwing on his shirt.

Wrapped in a blanket, I sat down at the table and activated the artifact that heated the herbal infusion. I wasn’t about to give up on my plans from last night, despite having half-dressed dragons in my room.

“What do you want to talk about?” I asked, eyeing the pensive young dragon.

While I poured the infusion into the cup, my guest stared intently at the patterns on the glass, lost in thought.

“I’m inviting you to the Winter Ball, Aurora,” the dragon said in a stern tone, and I nearly choked on the candy I’d just put in my mouth.

"Whaaat?" I blurted out in response.

“I need a date for the Winter Ball. And I know what you're going to say — there are plenty of options. But I need you. Sure, I have no shortage of warm bodies to take, but there’s a catch,” Maximilian said seriously, taking a sip of the herbal infusion.

“I need someone who can behave properly in front of my parents and other guests. I don’t want any rumours about me picking Amatrix. I’m not planning on marriage or any other obligations until I secure my position with the Inquisition squad.”

Finishing his explanation, the dragon looked at me intently, waiting for my reaction.

“Why me?” I asked the key question.

The guy smiled and seemed to exhale in relief, not getting an immediate “no.”

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“With you, I won’t have to worry about surprises. You come from a respectable family, and I can introduce you to my parents. Just as my companion at the ball, with no strings or complications,” seeing doubt flash across my face at the mention of his parents, the sly dragon decided to up the stakes.

“Such an introduction could benefit your plans as well. My father is on the Emperor’s council. A recommendation from Councillor Terragon holds a lot of weight. Before you leave for your internship, I’ll hand the dean a letter. He’ll give it to you along with your diploma. If you really want to go to the capital, consider it a ticket to a warm spot in the Department of Urban Development. What do you say, Frosty?”

Chewing on a candy, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously and tilted my head, sensing that Maximilian was dangling a dream in front of me and waiting for the catch.

“Is this a bribe?” I asked the dragon, and he confidently nodded. “What’s the catch?”

His smile told me I’d asked the right question — there would be more conditions.

“All you need to do is accompany me to the ball, behave appropriately, and give no cause for gossip. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll ask my father for the recommendation right there in front of you. Given your father and brother’s achievements, I doubt he’ll refuse. But keep in mind, Aurora, the Department of Urban Development is dominated by men. Without a new spell of your own, getting in there, even with recommendations, is nearly impossible,” the guy stated firmly.

“I’m not looking for an easy path, Maximilian. But your terms are a bit vague. And the recommendation... there’s no guarantee the councillor will agree,” I shrugged, popping another candy into my mouth.

“What more do you want in exchange for accompanying me to the ball, my greedy Frosty?” the dragon practically growled.

Leaning forward, he glared at me with eyes darkened by anger.

“A spatial pocket artefact. As an advance. One small enough to attach to a lady’s handbag,” I replied calmly, taking a sip of the herbal infusion.

Maximilian growled and rolled his eyes, realizing that getting hold of such an item would be harder than catching a wild Portalsinger in the woods.

This artefact was incredibly rare, and it couldn’t just be found in any shop. On top of that, its size typically matched that of a small handbag.

“You’ll get your artefact, you little extortionist. But in return, you’ll wear what I choose, and follow all my instructions. No complaints,” the young dragon growled through gritted teeth.

Smiling, I extended my hand to him. It seemed like he really did need a companion with no surprises.

The dragon growled and sealed our agreement with a magical oath before quickly leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

I understood the anger of the heir to the great line of earth dragons. Getting such an artefact before the ball was practically impossible. But finding a date who wouldn’t suddenly decide to become Amatrix right in front of his parents wasn’t easy either.

Many of the girls from the Domestic Faculty would consider it an honour to accompany Maximilian — he was a senior and, after all, a dragon. But the kind of surprises those admirers might spring on his parents... well, that was a risk. Besides, most of them came from modest families and might make a fool of themselves at an event of such calibre.

I had been taught manners, dancing, and all sorts of social conventions since childhood. My father always assumed that sooner or later, he’d be called to the capital. And he didn’t want me or Krastin embarrassing ourselves in front of aristocrats due to a lack of etiquette or proper manners.

Sipping my infusion, I nibbled on some delicious sweets while planning how I could use the spatial artefact.

I didn’t doubt for a second that Maximilian would find it. The dragon looked far too angry and determined. And like all dragons, he was ambitious. Once he set his mind to something, he’d grind his horns down before giving up on it.