”Am I doing well?”
Sylvie asked, looking at Astron. Her face was flushed a little, both from the constant movements of dancing and being in his constant proximity.
“You are doing fine.”
As Sylvie and Astron moved in tandem on the dance floor, Sylvie couldn’t help but feel acutely aware of his presence. With each step, she felt the heat radiating from his body, his proximity sending a flurry of emotions coursing through her veins.
Her breaths grew rough, her heart beating faster with every moment they shared.
‘Is he feeling the same?’
She thought maybe it wasn’t just her feeling like this. But as she took a peek, she saw Astron ever composed as usual. His demeanor slapped the answer on her face as a complete NO.
‘Right…..’
A slight disappointment of how he didn’t even care, as well as the feeling of shame for her feelings, appeared.
Though he just guided Sylvie through the dance with ease, his movements were more fluid and precise compared to her without even saying anything.
Despite the intricate steps, he maintained a steady rhythm, his touch gentle yet firm as he led her across the floor.
Sylvie’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of crimson as she struggled to maintain her composure. She dared not meet Astron’s gaze, her eyes fixed on their intertwined feet as they moved in harmony.
The sensation of his hand against hers sent shivers down her spine, igniting a warmth she couldn’t ignore.
‘He is good at moving his body….I wonder if he ever got an education on this? Maybe when he was young? No, that can’t be. He was an orphan. Then, is this his innate talent?’
Lost in the moment, Sylvie’s mind began to wander, her thoughts consumed by the intoxicating dance and the enigmatic man before her.
‘That is right. He is good at fighting, so it is no wonder that he is good at dancing, too. I somehow want to think fighting is somehow an act of dancing. Aside from the deadly part, aren’t the fighters in the cage similar to a dancer on the scene?’
Her thoughts wandered as she tried to get rid of her shame.
In her distraction, she failed to anticipate the next step, her foot landing squarely on Astron’s toes with a soft thud.
Sylvie flinched at the soft thud, her face turning even redder with embarrassment. Slowly, she raised her head to meet Astron’s gaze, expecting to see annoyance or frustration in his eyes.
But to her surprise, Astron’s expression remained calm and composed, his gaze steady as he looked back at her. There was no hint of irritation or disappointment, only a silent understanding.
“I-I’m so sorry, Astron,” Sylvie stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to step on your toes. I was just… I got distracted, and…”
Astron simply nodded, his face neutral. “It’s alright,” he said calmly. “I know you didn’t mean to. It is just your usual clumsiness.”
Sylvie couldn’t help but flinch at the words “usual clumsiness.” Though she knew Astron meant no harm by it, hearing him say it so casually stung a little. It was a reminder of her own shortcomings, her tendency to let her thoughts wander and lose focus at the most inconvenient times.
“Yeah, my usual clumsiness,” she echoed softly, forcing a small, self-deprecating smile. “Sorry for being such a klutz.”
Deep down, a part of her felt a twinge of resentment at Astron’s nonchalant response. She wished he would show a little more concern or understanding, even if it was just a small gesture. But she knew better than to expect anything different from him. Astron had always been reserved and composed, his emotions carefully guarded behind a stoic facade.
–FLINCH!
Suddenly, her body shivered as if insects were crawling on her skin.
‘What is this, a gaze?’
She felt like someone was looking at her with intense feelings. She knew from the lectures as well as her own experiences that an Awakened person’s strong feelings could form an intent and could affect the environment as well as the target’s senses. It was described by the notion of Awakened people altered by mana.
Sylvie’s instincts kicked in, urging her to find the source of the intense gaze that made her skin crawl. Ignoring the discomfort, she turned her head slightly, scanning the room until her eyes locked with a pair of piercing red ones.
For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as Sylvie found herself captivated by the striking gaze. The eyes belonged to Maya, the gentle, cheery, snack-loving, but somehow scary senior, who was watching her with an intensity that sent a shiver down Sylvie’s spine.
‘Why is she looking at me like that? Senior, you are really being scary.’
As their gazes met, Sylvie noticed the subtle look of coldness in Maya’s eyes.
‘I am sorry. Did I do something wrong? But I didn’t even do anything!’
She inwardly protested as she couldn’t find the reason why Maya was angry at her.
With a quick tilt of her head, Sylvie studied Maya’s features, taking in the vibrant purple hair and the graceful figure that seemed to exude confidence and poise. After a second of looking, Maya’s partner, Senior Amelia, came, and that marked the end of Maya’s gaze.
‘What was this just now?’
Yet, Sylvie couldn’t help but think that there was more to Maya than met the eye.
‘Did he notice?’
She threw a look at Astron, and there she saw him looking in the same direction as well.
–CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Just as Sylvie was about to voice her question to Astron, the sound of applause filled the air, drawing her attention back to the front of the room. Gloria Hull stood before them, her hands clapping together in a rhythmic pattern.
“Bravo, everyone!” Gloria exclaimed, her voice carrying a note of satisfaction. “I believe we’ve made excellent progress today. However, I think it’s time to conclude our dancing session for now.”
Relief washed over Sylvie as she realized that the intense moment with Maya had passed, at least for the time being. She redirected her focus to Gloria, listening attentively as the overseer continued to address the club members.
“I’m proud of the dedication and enthusiasm each of you has shown today,” Gloria continued, her gaze sweeping across the room. “Remember, dancing is not just about mastering the steps; it’s about expressing yourself and connecting with your partner on a deeper level.”
Sylvie nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of accomplishment despite the brief distraction. She had managed to navigate through the dance session with Astron despite her momentary lapse in focus. And although Maya’s intense gaze had unnerved her, she was determined not to let it affect her.
With a final nod of approval, Gloria signaled the end of the session. “That will be all for today. Thank you all for your participation. I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.”
******
<Arcadia City, Golden District, Sunday Morning>
“A call just came from the young master, sir.”
Inside an office of a fairly high building, a man seemingly with the clothes of a butler spoke, lowering his head.
“A call?” The man on the table raised his head, looking at his butler with his characteristic hazel eyes. His dark blue hair fluttered, his smooth skin seemingly better than any model’s.
“Who was it from, Ray?” Marc Hartley asked, his voice tinged with curiosity as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on his butler.
Ray cleared his throat before responding, “It was Young Master Ethan, sir. He mentioned something about an urgent matter that requires your attention.”
Marc Hartley’s hazel eyes widened in surprise at the mention of his son’s name. Ethan’s late awakening had been a source of concern in the past years for Marc, who had anxiously awaited the manifestation of his son’s abilities.
“Ethan? What urgent matter does he have again?” Marc muttered to himself, a furrow forming between his brows as he considered the implications of his son’s unexpected call.
‘Did he somehow entangled with a mess again?’
He knew this son of his was different from his other children. The heirs of the direct family line all had the coldness and the necessary survival skills in this industry.
But Ethan was different. That child had dreams he had always had. When he was young, he came to him and listened to the stories of heroes. He always criticized people for acting selfishly and showed his discontent.
At first, Marc took it as childish innocence, but Ethan had never changed. Over the course of his teenage years, even though he was not awakened and was no different from a normal person, he never backed down in front of injustice.
He always spoke his mind whenever he discovered it. However, thankfully, this idiot son of him didn’t have a good perception in terms of such things. Though he would speak if he saw injustice, he wasn’t that good at spotting it when it happened, and he was deeply thankful from his heart as he knew the troubles that would cause.
Ray cleared his throat, breaking Marc’s train of thought. “He said he was attacked by a group of people in the dungeon when he was exploring it with his friend.”
Marc’s expression shifted from surprise to concern in an instant. “Attacked? Is Ethan alright?” he asked, his voice laced with worry.
Ray nodded reassuringly. “Nothing serious happened, sir. They managed to escape without any major injuries. However, they confirmed that Ethan had to use the artifact he was carrying for protection.”
A flicker of rage flashed across Marc’s features, his hazel eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. “Someone dared to attack a Hartley? Especially someone from the direct line? And with a strength so formidable that Ethan had to resort to using the artifact?” he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Ray swallowed nervously, recognizing the storm brewing within his employer. “Yes, sir. It appears that the attackers were quite formidable. According to Ethan, they had a cursed artifact.”
At the mention of ‘Cursed Artifact,’ Marc’s anger soared. “Villains….” Marc muttered through gritted teeth, his anger simmering beneath the surface like a volcano about to erupt, his brain remembering the memories of a certain time.
Ray, knowing his master’s feelings at the mention of the word, kept his calm and silently waited for the tremor to pass.
After a moment of silent contemplation, Marc’s hazel eyes hardened with resolve. “Ray, does Ethan still have that cursed artifact with him?”
Ray nodded in affirmation. “Yes, sir. Ethan mentioned that he still has it in his possession.”
“Bring that artifact to the headquarters immediately. I want one of the research and development teams to analyze it thoroughly. We need to know everything about it, including its origins and capabilities.”
“I had already done that, sir. Young Master Ethan had already anticipated that and called a [Tingler] to bring it to the company.”
“Good.” Marc nodded, his expression turning slightly more composed now that the necessary steps were being taken to analyze the cursed artifact.
As Ray observed his employer’s demeanor, he waited for Marc to speak further.
“If villains capable of using cursed artifacts are involved, then this matter may not be as simple as it seems,” Marc remarked, his tone grave.
Ray nodded in agreement. “Indeed, sir. And as you may recall, Ethan has been involved with the affairs of a low-rank guild.”
“Ah, the Azure Crest Guild, was it?” Marc asked, remembering the name.
“Yes, sir. That’s correct,” Ray confirmed.
Marc’s brow furrowed in thought. “I had initially dismissed it as child’s play, but if Ethan’s encounter with the cursed artifact is connected to the guild’s activities, then this matter may be more complex than we anticipated.”
With a determined expression, Marc turned his gaze back to Ray. “I want you to delve deeper into this matter, Ray. Especially focus on any recent activities surrounding the Azure Crest Guild. We need to uncover any connections that may shed light on Ethan’s situation.”
Ray nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “Understood, sir. I’ll get right on it.”
With that, Ray hurried off to carry out Marc’s instructions, leaving Marc to ponder the implications of his son’s involvement with the cursed artifact and the Azure Crest Guild.