episode_0080

I set my juice aside and glanced down at the clothes I was wearing.

A frilly shirt paired with formal attire, along with black slacks.

These were clothes from a brand that most households, unless they were wealthy, couldn’t afford in this world.

“….”

It felt oddly awkward.

Before the possession, my life revolved around just saving money, unable to indulge in luxuries like fancy dinners or overseas trips through the work-home routine.

Even after the possession, I continued to focus solely on wielding power and becoming stronger.

“…I almost forgot, but I’m quite the chaebol here as well. It doesn’t feel real.”

Suddenly, memories of my deceased younger sister surfaced, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

I should have taken her to fancy restaurants, amusement parks, or even on trips abroad while she was alive.

Yet here I am, indulging in luxuries in a game world after being possessed.

“Sian!”

“Sian!”

At that moment, I turned my head to see Lucy and Aria calling out to me.

I gazed at them and felt slightly dazed.

They were dressed in elegant dresses with a hint of sophistication suitable for noble ladies, and it seemed like they had put extra effort into their makeup.

It felt like having celebrities or idols around.

Perhaps due to rapid growth or makeup, their beauty and maturity at fifteen seemed unbelievable.

If my younger sister Hemi had dressed up like this, would she have looked similar?

Hmph.

No, probably not to that extent.

Lucy and Aria could easily compete with celebrities in terms of looks. Even if Hemi had potential, she wouldn’t have reached this level.

Still… I wished I could see how Hemi would have looked all dolled up when she was alive.

“Wow! Sian… Did you do your makeup?”

“Yeah, even though they say I have the family’s face, I still need to put some effort into it.”

“……”

“…? Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Oh, no, it’s just because you’re handsome.”

“Hmm. I always thought your features were distinct, but it’s amazing how people can transform like this.”

“Thank you. You both look beautiful too.”

Lucy and Aria blushed at the compliment.

Seeing them react so shyly to a polite exchange made me realize once again how innocent they were.

As Lucy seemed to have forgotten, she suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! So, who is it?”

“Sian, who will you choose as your partner?”

“Well…”

I had completely forgotten.

…I suddenly felt awkward. Whom should I choose?

Although it was said that decisions would be made at the ball, I hadn’t given it much thought.

They stared at me expectantly, like pets waiting for treats.

It was time to make a decision. If I avoided answering now, they might get upset.

“Um…”

“……”

Their eyes brimmed with anticipation.

After pondering for about ten seconds,

Alternating between looking at the two of them, I finally made a difficult decision.

“Alright, I’ve decided.”

“……!”

“Who is it? Who will you partner with, Sian?”

“I… ”

And then it happened.

“Wait a minute!!”

A booming voice echoed through the ballroom.

People in the ballroom momentarily diverted their gazes, curious about what was happening.

Startled, we turned our heads in the direction of the sound.

And there…

‘…!’

I froze in place.

It was because an unexpected figure was approaching us.

With cat-like round, sharp eyes, short purple hair, small pouty lips, and a slender face.

It was Hedy Marigold.

“You haven’t chosen a partner yet, right?”

“W-who are you…?”

“Hm? Lucy, do you know her?”

Approaching closely, Hedy leaned in towards me.

Our faces were so close that our breaths almost touched. Her expression seemed intense. Perhaps she was excited, as even her breathing sounded rough.

“Sian, partner with me.”

“…Huh?”

Taken aback by her sudden proposal, I stammered in response.

“We have things to discuss. …Don’t we?”

“We do… right?”

“In that case, it’s settled. Partner with me.”

My confusion continued.

Why did she, who had never paid attention to me before, suddenly act like this?

“Wait, follow the order! We made a promise with Si-an first!”

“That’s right! Is this some unethical behavior?!”

Lucy and Aria, who were momentarily flustered like me, quickly regained their composure and scolded.

Hedi, who had been smirking, looked down at them with a superior height and said, “Ultimately, it’s not up to Si-an, is it?”

“I didn’t see her that way just because she’s Si-an’s friend, but I didn’t know she was like this!”

“Ugh! Since it’s come to this, let’s settle it with a duel. The winner gets Si-an!”

“Indeed, in line with the manners of an aristocratic family, such a barbaric method. Don’t they know that balls are usually approached through dance? Everyone, we haven’t even shown Si-an any dancing yet.”

Hedi put his hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “Dance with me, Si-an. I’m confident I can do better than them.”

My heart raced for a moment.

Hedi extended one of his hands near mine.

“If you take it, we’ll dance together.”

Mesmerized by his words, my hand moved involuntarily.

Suddenly, just before Hedi’s hand touched mine, there was a moment of almost touching.

And then the moment of clasping hands.

-Clank!

“Huh?”

“…?”

Suddenly, Hedi withdrew the hand he had extended.

No, it was forcibly pulled back.

Someone had slapped Hedi’s hand with their own.

“Iris?”

How many times had I been surprised by now?

It was Iris who had slapped his hand.

With ash-blonde hair elegantly pinned back and adorned with a sophisticated jeweled hairpin.

Iris, wearing a black lace dress with a necklace, gazed at me gracefully.

Annoyed, Hedi confronted her, “Professor Iris! What is the meaning of this!”

“To ignore one’s superiors and snatch a man away, how outrageous.”

“What is this…!”

Iris firmly wrapped her arm around my back.

Thanks to her, I felt something much larger than my peers pressing against my back.

Feeling hot with anger, I asked her, “Professor Iris…?”

“Gongja-nim. You don’t know how difficult it was for me to get here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Weird men kept clinging to me. It was exhausting to remove them one by one to reach you.”

“Why…”

“Hehe, Gongja-nim.”

Iris whispered seductively, “Will you accompany me at this ball?”

“….”

“I’ve known since the sparring… Don’t you know that a relationship between a student and a professor is forbidden?! Please release your arm!”

“Relationship? That’s a strange thing to say. It’s just a partner request.”

Furious Hedi and Lucy, who had been watching us, muttered with puzzled expressions.

“A professor…? Why would a professor…”

Emotions running high, Aria also ignored Hedi and Iris, linking arms with me.

“What are you all doing! The agreement is with us! Si-an cannot be given up!”

“This martial arts fanatic… Can’t you back off?!”

Seeing this, Hedi tried to pull Aria away with all his might. Aria frowned and resisted, and I felt the pain as if my arm was about to be torn off.

“Gongja-nim, please make a choice quickly. Will you choose me? Or them?”

“….”

How did it come to this?

I couldn’t understand the flow of the situation.

***

“What’s with that guy…?”

Johann, who was furious and sulking at Hedi.

Turning away from himself and heading towards another man when he saw Hedi going to him, Johann was burning with jealousy.

To be belittled and chosen by Hedi was the rumored Brace Viscount, a chubby man.

Feeling overshadowed by Si-an, who had a higher status than himself, Johann felt utterly humiliated.

However, that was only temporary.

It didn’t take long for embarrassment to turn into jealousy, and jealousy to morph into bewilderment.

It didn’t take long for Heady to approach, witnessing the women fighting fiercely over taking Cyan away, which sparked jealousy in him.

Suddenly, the professor appeared and embraced Cyan.

It was bewildering.

Not just any professor… It was Iris, the renowned beauty Swordmaster who had recently joined the academy.

Though he had occasionally eyed her with a lustful gaze when crossing paths, being both a Swordmaster and a professor made it hard for Johannsen to approach her.

Even if he aged ten years, he thought he could still win over that professor.

“What on earth is Cyan?!”

But at this point, Cyan from Dongnai University had even captivated Iris.

In that moment, Johannsen’s bewilderment turned into admiration.

Perhaps Cyan was the true Casanova of the academic world.

Self-proclaimed deity of the hunting scene, Johannsen realized his own inadequacy.

He clenched his fist and made a vow.

“From now on, I will thoroughly investigate Cyan’s every move.”

He decided to find out how he managed to captivate four women, including the professor, all at once.

…That day, Johannsen merely watched Cyan from afar without even seeking a partner.

The incident where he was falsely accused of being a voyeur and expelled from the ball was a secret.

***

Four women stand before me, assuming the same posture.

From left to right: Lucy, Aria, Heady, Iris.

With eyes closed, they were preparing to dance to the music flowing through the ball.

“I will make Cyan mine no matter what.”

“It won’t be easy, Lucy. Cyan will fall for the strength of my dance.”

“I’m confident in my dancing skills. It’s what I’ve always done.”

“Prepare to be overshadowed by the experience of your elders.”

They were getting ready to make their approach.

Their aim was to showcase their dance to me and be chosen.

As I faced the four women, including the professor, I felt uneasy.

“These Casanovas.”

“Those women must have some weakness for men.”

“How did things come to this?”

“Trash.”

“……”

I can’t fathom how I ended up in this situation.