The grand hall of Lucus's mansion was now completely filled. Guests, relatives, noble families, and officials from nearby districts mingled, chatting and laughing. In the centre of the room, under a large chandelier that glowed like a hanging sun, stood Lisa with her father, Lucus. Her hands gently held a ceremonial cake knife with a golden handle that shimmered in the light, its edges enchanted to glow with every subtle motion.
Standing a few feet away from them was Darwin, the head servant, watching everything silently. His face was calm, but his eyes were focused—carefully scanning every corner of the room. Earlier that week, he had told Shirou and the others that Lisa had lost her mother four years ago. It had been hard on both Lisa and Lucus, who now held onto each other as the only family they had left.
Shirou, Amelia, and Elliot stood quietly a short distance from the main gathering. Though invited, they kept their distance, allowing family and close friends to take the spotlight. It wasn't their moment, and they respected that.
Then, the room fell into a respectful silence before erupting into cheers and applause as Lisa gently sliced the first piece of cake. Her movements were graceful, practised. She offered the first slice to her father, who accepted it with a warm smile, then moved on to hand slices to other close relatives and friends.
Once that was done, the rest of the cake was cut and served by the servants. Despite the size of the cake, it was quickly portioned out into small plates, each served with a delicate silver spoon.
To the trio's surprise, Lisa herself walked over and handed each of them a slice.
Shirou blinked, caught off guard. "She really brought it to us herself..."
Amelia nodded softly. "She respects us. We did help save her family after all."
Shirou took a bite. The moment the creamy sweetness touched his tongue, his eyes lit up.
"Damn. This is good. Like really good."
Amelia took her own bite, her eyes widening in agreement. "Do you think we can get another piece?"
Shirou leaned in and whispered, "Why don't we just go get more? I mean, it's not like we'll ever meet these people again."
Amelia grinned. "Exactly what I was thinking. There's still a lot left."
Elliot, hearing their scheming, gave them both a sharp look. "Hey. No. That's enough. We're guests. Try to show some dignity."
Amelia gave him her best puppy eyes. "Just a little more?"
"No," Elliot replied firmly.
She sighed dramatically. "Fine. But we can try the drinks, right?"
Elliot folded his arms. "Now that... is allowed."
Shirou smirked. "Agreed. Let's raid the drinks."
Lining one side of the hall was a grand table filled with drinks of every imaginable colour, from sparkling blue liquids to glowing amber blends. Each glass seemed to hum with enchantment, keeping the beverages cool and refreshing.
As they tasted the exotic drinks, a few guests came up to them, clearly curious.
"Are you friends of Lisa?" one elderly lady asked
"Yes," Amelia answered quickly, just like Lucus had instructed. They couldn't reveal anything about the mana stones or the mission.
Most people accepted the answer without question, though a few seemed impressed when they learned that all three of them were already at the Adept stage. Being at such a level at the age of seventeen was rare, even among the elite.
Shirou leaned close to Amelia and whispered, "I think Lisa's been looking at us from time to time. Well, no surprise. I am pretty charming."
Amelia laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder. "She's not looking at you, idiot. She's looking at Elliot."
Shirou glanced over again, and she was right. Lisa's eyes kept drifting toward Elliot.
"Wait, did something happen between them?"
Amelia smirked. "It's obvious. Elliot's already in the late Adept stage, and Lucus likely sees great potential in him. Maybe even a future place in the Sovereign Order. Plus, Lucus probably looked into our backgrounds. I wouldn't be surprised if he encouraged Lisa to get closer to Elliot."
"Wait, Elliot came from a noble family?" Shirou asked, surprised.
"Yeah. He's from a sub-branch of the Frostwhisper family. Not the main bloodline, but still a noble house. They played a big role during the last war. With all that, Lucus might see him as a strong match for Lisa."
Shirou looked over at Elliot, who was casually sipping his drink, unaware of the conversation.
"So strength really does matter in this world," Shirou thought to himself. His eyes narrowed. "I'm still weak. The last fight proved that. But I have something they don't. The system. And I still have twenty more floors to climb. It's just a matter of time."
Before he could think further, slow, melodic music filled the hall. The crowd started to gather in pairs, stepping onto the polished floor, ready to dance.
"She's coming," Amelia whispered.
Shirou didn't even have to ask who. Lisa walked toward them, her steps elegant, her cheeks faintly flushed. She was heading straight for Elliot.
Elliot looked confused. "Hey, why is she coming here?"
"You'll know in a minute," Amelia said as she and Shirou started stepping back.
"Hey! Where are you two going?" Elliot asked.
"Just remembered something important," Amelia said.
"Me too," Shirou added with a grin, and they both slipped away, watching from a safe distance.
Lisa stopped in front of Elliot, her face red but determined. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Elliot hesitantly extended his hand. She took it.
"And there they go," Amelia whispered.
The two began to dance slowly among the crowd, and Shirou and Amelia watched with wide smiles. It was rare to see Elliot so flustered, but there he was—blushing, nervous, and unsure of what to say.
About half an hour later, Elliot returned to them, face still red.
Before either of them could speak, Elliot raised his hand. "Not. A. Single. Word."
Both Shirou and Amelia burst out laughing.
But then, the mood shifted.
From outside the hall came the sound of heavy boots marching in formation. Guests stopped talking and turned to the entrance. The large double doors opened, and several people in uniform stepped inside, forming a pathway.
Shirou, Amelia, and Elliot watched curiously.
Then, a man stepped through the doors, followed closely by another.
The first man had neatly combed blue hair, fair skin, and wore robes lined with gold and silver. On his chest was an emblem: a star enclosed in a circle, with an arrow pointing above it.
Amelia gasped. "No way..."
"You know him?" Shirou asked.
It was Elliot who replied. "Know him? Everyone does. That's Cedric, the Highlord of Velgrath."
Shirou turned sharply toward the man. "The Highlord..."
But his attention quickly shifted to the man behind Cedric. His calm expression hardened.
"He's strong. I can feel it. Even though he's suppressing his mana."
"Of course he is," Amelia said. "Cedric is a Highlord. He's obviously at the late Ascendant level."
Elliot stepped forward, eyes fixed on the man behind Cedric. "He's not talking about the Highlord."
Amelia blinked, then turned her gaze to the second man. "Wait... you mean him?"
Neither Shirou nor Elliot answered, but their tense expressions said enough.
Amelia stared hard at the mysterious figure walking behind the Highlord.
"Stronger than the Highlord? Are you saying he's at... Sage level?" she whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The room grew quieter as the high-ranking guests made their entrance.