Chapter 37.1: Ball of Velos

◆ Omiros, Prince of Algore

Two beauties wrapped in beautiful dresses were standing in front of us. They're princess Shirone and princess Kyouka, our dancing partners for today's ball.

「My best regards for today, princesses.」

Parish gave his regards and then took the hand of princess Kyouka, the little sister of the hero.

I ended up being charmed upon seeing the rose-colored dress that truly matched her overwhelming beauty.

When someone as beautiful as princess Kyouka was paired with someone as handsome as Parish, it looked as if the scene came out of a painting.

Naturally, I know that Parish's eyes were completely focused on princess Kyouka's breasts.

Though I want to rebuke him for doing so, I would, in fact, be doing the same if I were in his position.

Parish, who had received the chance to dance with such a beautiful woman, will be receiving envious stares from all the men participating in the ball. But the target of those envious stares wouldn't only be Parish. I'm sure that I'm going to suffer the same fate. I looked at the girl standing in front of me.

「My best regards for today, princess Shirone」

Saying so, I took the hand of the girl in front of me. She is also beautiful. Different from the high born-like princess Kyouka, a cold beauty who will make any person hesitate to take her hand. According to the rumors, she is one of the hero's wives. I think taking the hand of someone like that will bite me in the future, but there's no use fussing over that matter right now.

「Well... Best regards... Lord Parish」

Princess Kyouka replied to Parish.

She didn't seem to be enjoying this, as opposed to Parish. Maybe someone as handsome as Parish wasn't enough to please her because she was used to watching the hero, an extremely handsome man.

「Best regards, lord Omiros」

Princess Shirone responded to me, too.

I noticed that princess Shirone wasn't that displeased being paired with me. Was it because they have different personalities?

「Well then, everyone. It's about time」

The maid of princess Kyouka, Kaya announced the start of the ball. She wasn't participating in the ball since she was going to help with the preparations and will be on standby in the venue. That's why she was going to act on her own from this point.

「Well. Shall we go?」

We headed toward the venue after Parish took the initiative. The venue wasn't just limited to the hall, due to the sheer number of participants the courtyard was also open for the guests. Being decorated with flowers and illumination magic, it transformed into a gorgeous yet brilliant venue.

The royalties and nobilities of various countries had gathered. The ladies and gentlemen who wore various colored clothes enliven the royal court but, the gathering wasn't limited to just royalties and nobilities. It seems that influential citizens and famous merchants had also gathered in this venue. I don't know the accurate number, but a considerable number of individuals seemed to be participating in this ball.

As expected of a rich kingdom like Velos. It is the exact opposite of Algore.

In the first place, the goal of this ball was to strengthen the bonds between people of different kingdoms. A ball was held in the monster-infested region like this to ease the cooperation between various kingdoms in this region.

Another reason was for bachelors to find a marriage partner.

Women had especially made themselves look like dolls in order to find marriage candidates. A certain bachelor young noble and a prince were the most popular. Those noble girls were desperately wooing to gain the attention of that young noble and prince. Even if, by some chance, they managed to gain the prince's or young noble's attention and got a chance to dance with them, they couldn't dance with the same person two songs in a row and had to change their partner.

And then, in case one gained the attention of the other party, they could slip out the ball with just the two of them or have a rendezvous later on.

The most pitiful ones were those who receive no dance offers.

Not getting anyone's attention despite dressing themselves up, the men and women who received no dancing invitations and just became wall decorations were truly pitiful.

It was my intention from the very beginning to recede to the background after a dance with princess Shirone. I'm not that keen on receiving invitations from women, and it's not like those women are eager to invite me, either.

If it's princess Shirone, it might be better since I won't cause any trouble to her dancing partner.

After the speech from king Eclas, the ball began with the first tune of the music.

Princess Shirone who was walking by my side suddenly halted.

「What's the matter?」

When I looked at her, she was looking at something somewhere else.

「Lord Omiros」

「What's the matter?」