Severin's mastery of dance came not from idle indulgence, but from perfection itself—
technique honed to its peak, refined to the highest standard imaginable.
He stepped onto the stage.
One hand clasped Eula Lawrence's palm, the other settled naturally at her slender waist.
Eula, in turn, rested her arm upon his shoulder with effortless familiarity.
Their gazes met in midair.
Eula had danced with many exceptional partners before—but never had she encountered eyes as captivating as those of the Prince of Snezhnaya.
They were like a clear spring, flowing endlessly—calm, distant, tranquil.
Like the vast sea—at times storm-tossed, at times serene beneath blue skies.
Like a blazing sun, capable of melting the frost locked deep within her heart.
As the dance neared its end, the pride in Eula's eyes faded, leaving behind only exhilaration—and shock.
Only by dancing with Severin in person could one understand:
his skill surpassed every rumor.
At first, he followed her rhythm.
Midway through, she found herself following his.
By the final moments, rhythm itself vanished—
There was only harmony.
Perfect, instinctive unity.
Water and milk blending, indistinguishable.
Eula knew this state well.
"Self-forgetfulness."
The highest realm of paired dance.
A state countless masters pursued their entire lives—
and today, she had touched it.
The emotional release, the fulfillment in her heart—it felt as though she had found a kindred spirit.
Yet what truly unsettled her was this—
During the dance, her Cryo element stirred restlessly within her body, as if yearning to break free and surge toward the man standing before her.
Coupled with his identity as Prince of Snezhnaya, Eula realized something chilling:
Severin's elemental affinity was terrifyingly high.
But that contradicted everything she knew.
According to internal intelligence shared within the Knights of Favonius,
the Prince of Snezhnaya was supposedly at odds with the Fatui, sidelined by the Eleven Harbingers, weak in combat, repeatedly targeted by assassinations, and reliant on close protection.
Now it was obvious.
The intelligence was wrong.
Someone with such elemental affinity could never be weak.
He had been hiding his strength—
a wolf disguised as a lamb.
As for being disliked by the Tsaritsa—
absurd. The truth was likely the opposite.
Any woman, Eula thought, would be shaken by a man this close to perfection.
"Almost perfect."
That was her verdict after the dance.
The only flaw—
He was the Prince of Snezhnaya.
A man who represented Snezhnaya's interests.
And whether Snezhnaya or the Fatui, their reputations were abysmal.
Eula had dealt with the Fatui before—
people who achieved their goals by any means necessary.
No matter how much Severin elevated the Fatui's image in her heart, first impressions were difficult to erase.
Then—
In the final seconds before the music ended, Eula moved.
Cryo surged.
The bone whistle at her lips rang out, echoing like crashing waves.
"In the midst of the dance—
I sever the shackles of the guilty!"
In that instant, the full bearing of the Spindrift Knight erupted forth—
utterly different from the tenderness she had shown moments ago.
"Forgive me, Your Highness," Eula said coldly.
"I couldn't stop my family, and I couldn't stop your transaction."
"But I can capture you—and hand you over to Jean."
"The Fatui colluding with the Lawrence Clan to seize Mondstadt by force—
I witnessed it myself. The evidence is undeniable."
With Severin restrained, Eula revealed her true purpose.
Yesterday, she had discovered the Fatui meeting with her uncle, Schubert Lawrence.
She suspected foul play.
Then Schubert asked her to perform the Rite Dance at the Goethe Hotel, welcoming the arriving Prince.
She knew what that meant.
In the past, she would have refused without hesitation—perhaps even quarreled with him.
But suspecting her family was conspiring with the Fatui, she accepted.
She meant to investigate.
To gather proof.
To stop her family from committing an unforgivable crime.
After hearing the negotiations, she was glad she had come.
Inviting Severin to dance had been a calculated move—
to lull him into complacency and seize him in one stroke.
What she hadn't anticipated—
Was her hesitation.
The dance had unsettled her heart.
"Prince Severin," she said, voice steady,
"surrender. Mondstadt cannot judge you—but we can expel you."
"From this day on, the Fatui are forbidden from setting foot in Mondstadt again."
Her greatsword hovered before him.
"Impressive," Severin said, applauding softly.
"A lone knight entering the lion's den. Exposing her own family while securing evidence against me."
"This news alone will restore your reputation. The people of Mondstadt will no longer shun you. Perhaps you'll even earn a promotion."
Eula replied evenly, "I did this for Mondstadt."
"For Mondstadt?" Severin tilted his head.
"Or for Mondstadt's approval?"
"No matter how hard you try, you'll never be one of them. Lawrence blood runs in your veins."
"Wake up, Miss Eula. Even if you capture me—
even if you die for this—Mondstadt will not thank you."
"Their hatred of the old nobility is carved into their bones."
"Say what you will," Eula answered coldly.
"The victor decides truth. I won't let you go."
"Courageous," Severin said calmly.
"But naïve."
He looked almost… bored.
"Have you considered this? Once you learned of this conspiracy, your life was already forfeit."
"When villains are cornered, silencing witnesses is their final choice."
"You're trying to scare me," Eula scoffed—though tension crept into her heart.
The gap between Severin's strength and the intelligence she knew was too vast.
She was already considering retreat—calling for reinforcements.
"Pride is tolerable," Severin said coolly.
"Stupidity is not."
His patience ran out.
The greatsword before him froze solid in an instant.
With a faint display of power, the blade—unable to withstand such extreme cold—
shattered into countless fragments.
"So… terrifying…"
Eula stared in disbelief, fear and reverence filling her eyes.
"The wheel of history crushes all who stand before it," Severin said, his voice glacial.
"No one can halt Snezhnaya's crusade against the Heavenly Principles."
"My will is as cold as ice.
My conviction burns like magma."
"I can tolerate your mistakes. Forgive your insolence. Even threats of silence are trivial."
"But the ignorant—
are unworthy of my mercy."
"Let your blood bring the curtain down on this Rite Dance."
Eula felt her body lifted into the air by an irresistible force.
Her heart pounded violently as death's shadow closed in.
"Wait—!"
At the brink of despair—
The doors burst open.
Someone rushed in.
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