Chapter 25: Wake Up
Unaware of the commotion outside the dance floor, Lumien and Azalea continued to sway their bodies following the rhythm of the music.
Lumien focused intently on his sister’s movements, concentrating hard to match her steps.
As a noble, he was naturally expected to learn a wide array of subjects such as poetry, history, and, of course, dancing. However, his poor health had often kept him from attending lessons consistently.
As a result, he struggled to keep up with Azalea’s movements, coming dangerously close to stepping on her feet more than once. In addition, their close proximity left him feeling uncomfortably nervous.
Just then, she broke the silence. "Lumien, how do you feel about today?"
Slightly caught off guard by her sudden question, Lumien paused for a moment to gather his thoughts and eventually said. "Not bad, I think."
"Not bad?" Azalea raised her eyebrows, signaling him to continue.
Lumien gave a small shrug. "Well, the Colosseum was definitely interesting to watch, but it was a bit too violent for my taste. The other entertainment options in Arsnova looked fun, but most of them weren’t exactly suitable for someone my age. So... yeah, not bad."
"But it’s still better than staying cooped up at home, right?" Azalea teased.
"Of course, I actually wish I could spend more time outside like today."
Azalea’s eyes softened, her voice becoming warm. "As long as your health keeps improving, there will always be more days like today and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying life just like everyone else."
"I hope so," Lumien replied with a lighthearted chuckle. Unlike before, when he might have agreed out of mere pleasantry, this time he sounded confident.
As their conversation continued, Lumien didn’t notice how his stiff movements had gradually smoothed out, thanks to Azalea’s subtle guidance.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
"Sister, didn’t Father ask you to get close to Duke Sauron’s daughter? The grand ball is almost over, isn’t it? Will you even have enough time to make an impression?"
Azalea simply shrugged at his question. "Honestly, Father isn’t even sure if this so-called youngest daughter of the Duke actually exists. It’s just a rumor he heard. After all, the girl in question has never made a public appearance, and nobody seems to know anything about her."
"The only clue he got was that the Duke’s youngest daughter supposedly has red hair. But really, which member of the Sauron family or its relatives doesn’t?" Azalea shook her head in mild exasperation.
Lumien quickly understood what she meant. Red hair, though rare for most people, was almost a signature trait for the Saurons and their kin.
He once read that when a person’s affinity for a particular force exceeded normal limits, it could begin to influence their physical appearance, often hair color. For example, someone with a strong affinity for the Ice Force might find their hair turning silver.
In the case of the Saurons, their red hair was a clear sign of their deep affinity to the Fire Force.
And from what he understood, this physical trait change was permanent. Meaning even if a member of the Sauron family didn’t have a strong affinity to the Fire Force, they would still inherit the red hair due to their lineage.
With this in mind, Lumien realized his father’s plan for his sister to befriend the Duke’s youngest daughter was unlikely to work. The information they had was too vague, making success almost impossible.
Currently, there were several women with red hair at the party. Lumien couldn’t imagine how Azalea would even begin to identify the Duke’s youngest daughter, even if she was determined to try.
"Father said one of the Princes or Princesses would attend the party, but once again, that didn’t turn out to be true. He really needs to get himself a better informant. The information he got was just too unreliable," Azalea complained.
Lumien couldn’t help but nod his head in agreement.
They continued to dance through a few more songs before deciding to return to where their parents were seated. From that point on, they stayed together as a family, enjoying the rest of the evening until the party came to an end.
Rumble!
Rumble!
Splash!
As the Duke began his farewell speech to the guests, a deafening rumble echoed outside the mansion, drawing everyone’s attention.
Lumien glanced out one of the windows and saw the dark, cloudy sky that had lingered since he woke up finally releasing a torrential downpour.
The rain was unexpectedly fierce, with thunder rumbling nonstop, as if a storm had settled directly above the mansion. When the thunder noises quietened, he heard Duke say.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the party may be over, but as you can see, the storm outside looks terrific. I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to leave in such dangerous weather. Therefore, I have a proposal: would you all be willing to spend the night here at the mansion?"
Almost instantly, the crowd broke into excited murmurs.
The Duke’s generosity had already surprised them when he allowed them to stay in the afternoon, but now he was offering to host them overnight?
It felt almost unreal, like a dream they didn’t want to wake up from.
Opportunities like this didn’t come often, maybe only once in a lifetime. Spending the night at Averice Mansion would not only be a memorable experience but also something worthy to boast about. It would surely raise their family’s standing in everyone’s eyes!
Only a fool would turn down such an invitation!
At that moment, a slightly plump man raised his hand. Lumian immediately recognized him as Marquis Duncaster. His father had specifically mentioned a few notable nobles to keep in mind, and Duncaster was one of them.
According to his father, Marquis Duncaster’s family had started as an ordinary noble household with the rank of Baron. Yet, in less than twenty years, the Marquis had elevated their status through significant contributions during the Months of Demons in northern Liurnia. His success was largely due to the use of special golems that had played a critical role in defending against the demonic threats.
It was rumored that Marquis Duncaster had stumbled upon an ancient ruin, where he unearthed ancient technologies, including the designs for the golems he later deployed in the fight against the demonic forces.
Of course, the rumors about Marquis Duncaster’s rise hadn’t been fully proven, but it didn’t really matter. By the time other nobles started paying attention to his family greedily, he had already risen to the rank of Marquis, scaring off anyone who might cause trouble. Now, no one dared to mess with the Duncasters.
"Your Grace, I don’t want to bother you any further," Marquis Duncaster said with a bit of hesitation. "It’s just some rain. I’m sure it’ll stop soon. I-I think I’ll head home."
Duke Sauron smiled. "Elliot, we’ve already talked about this. You’re not bothering anyone. Everyone here is being treated the same. Besides, just look outside." He pointed to the window, where the storm showed no sign of letting up. "The rain’s getting heavier, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop anytime soon, does it?"
Marquis Duncaster glanced out at the raging storm and at his pregnant wife and finally let out a resigned sigh. "You’re right, Your Grace. It would be unwise to leave in this weather."
Duke Sauron’s smile widened as he turned to address the crowd. "So, I take it you’ve all accepted my invitation to stay?"
Lumien and his family didn’t mind staying the night, so they didn’t object to the arrangement. The other guests seemed to feel the same. Whether they stayed out of politeness or fear of offending the Duke wasn’t clear. Either way, their answer came quickly and in unison:
"Yes, Your Grace,"
"Excellent," the Duke said warmly. "I hope you all have a comfortable and pleasant night here at Averice Manor."
...
Later that night, in the middle of his sleep, Lumien was suddenly awoken by a wave of heat rising within him. He instinctively kicked the blanket off, his eyes snapping open in alarm.
