In a refined drawing room, Diamond is still talking with the same smiling girl who greeted them upon arrival. Diamond picks up one of the papers and examines it.
— "This is simply splendid. All these soaring profit numbers..."
— "I could say the same about you, Elder Diamond", the girl replies.
Then she steps closer to Diamond. Her eyes, which have never been properly open until now, suddenly look at Diamond with great seriousness. She asks:
— "Elder Diamond, I've always admired you at the academy. I've always supported you. Which means... I know you very well. I'm deeply sorry, but honestly, I have a hard time imagining you as a seasoned entrepreneur. You're too pure for that."
Diamond pauses.
— "Your apology is accepted."
But the girl insists:
— "I'm ready to hand over my entire share of this market to you... but at least give me the name of the genius behind it all."
— "Tikina. You say you know me, so you must know that even all the money in the world couldn't persuade me."
— "Then let me invest in all your projects."
— "Don't worry. That won't be a problem... And besides..."
She pauses to think.
— "Nothing."
Diamond stands up and adds:
— "It's time we head to the party."
Diamond exits the room. Just outside the door, Rubi and Yelo are already waiting for her. Then the whole group heads toward the carriages.
— "You know, Diamond, I still don't understand why the imperial court would invite an entire family to this party," Yelo says.
— "Me neither. And to be honest, it worries me a little. I sense something very suspicious in all this," Diamond replies.
— "Yeah, same here. I find the Phype Empire way too quiet about all its citizens leaving their lands."
— "Indeed, sister. I'm going more to assess the situation than to celebrate."
Arriving in front of the palace, the imperial guards first check their invitation. A simple formality. Then, they park their carriages in a magnificent parking area that offers a view over the rest of the city. Indeed, the royal palace sits atop a hill. And on the parking side, the edge isn't bordered by walls, but by greenery.
As they enter the palace, the heralds announce the family to everyone present. Then, a formal sign of respect must be made to the Empress by bowing. The Empress sits at the upper end of the hall before taking her throne.
The hall is packed with members of high society, coming from all corners of the empire. There is every imaginable clothing style, every kind of hairstyle, across every kind of family. The ceiling itself comes alive with magical flame lights, beautiful paintings, and golden, diamond-studded sculptures.
When the time finally comes, the Empress rises. All the guests bow once more before her. Then she signals them to relax. She begins her speech:
"Dear guests… or should I say, dear friends, representatives of this nation.I am truly honored and moved by your presence on this day celebrating my daughter's birthday..."
It's the first time Rias, Elisabeth, and Anna see their sovereign. The Empress is an incredibly beautiful woman, appearing roughly the same age as their mother, judging by her looks. Her hair is a deep, flawless black. And her eyes—strikingly golden—shine brilliantly, perfectly matching her earrings.
Then the child in question—Zyon—stands beside her mother.Zyon is even more beautiful than the Empress herself. Her face looks as though the Gods have sculpted it with their own hands, and her smile shines brighter than the blue sun that lights their world. And her curves are… entrancing, alluring.
In this world, Rias has seen all kinds of women, each more beautiful than the last. And yet, despite all those divine beauties, Zyon still stands out as the most beautiful of all. She is the most breathtaking girl he has ever seen—whether in this world or the one before.
Anna, watching him light up with awe, seems jealous of the princess—who hasn't even spoken a word to Rias yet.
Finally, the ball begins.The princess dances with a boy around her age. His hair is long and silky. Just by looking at him, you'd never guess he's a boy. He looks exactly like a girl—beauty mark on his cheek, hair decorated with delicate accessories, dressed in a sky-blue velvet gown. He's like a boobless Cinderella.
Truly, everything about him screams "girl"… except he isn't.
The boy is taller than the princess, but still, it's the princess who leads the dance—and the boy who follows.It's the world turned upside down, I'm telling you.
And surprisingly, their dance style… isn't as strange as logic might suggest. The boy doesn't make any inappropriate moves, and the girl doesn't flaunt her strength. It's simply two synchronized movements, blending seamlessly with the harmony of the music…
...
Finally, the dance floor opens to everyone. Anna and Eli dance with Rias, all three holding hands. Rubi and Tales take turns dancing with Yelo and Idris, while Diamond and a few other governors head to the throne room for a private meeting with the Empress.
Rias can't help but stare at the princess. The princess, for her part, is already surrounded by boys trying to woo her—even though the one she just danced with is already her fiancé.What can you do? That's politics.
The princess's younger sister is there too. She's also surrounded, though not as much as Zyon. And yet, she's just as beautiful—maybe even more so. She's simply younger. She looks about the same age as Elisabeth.
Unlike her older sister, she scans the crowd of guests—and among them, her eyes land on young De Rush Bella Rias.
I haven't told you yet, but unlike in his original world, Rias is very beautiful in this one. He hasn't realized it yet, but he's inherited the striking facial features of his fathers and the unique, smooth red hair of his mother. He's always been a cute little boy, with a bit of baby fat on his cheeks. That explains why everyone around him seems so obsessed.But Rias just isn't used to being noticed for his looks.
The young princess takes the initiative. She walks up to Rias and his sisters, and gracefully offers:
— "A pleasure to meet you, sir. Princess Rayon De Excissil. May I have this dance?"
Rias, Eli, and Anna are left speechless.
Rias thinks to himself: "What? But why me? I'm not special…"Eli thinks: "What? Who does this snob think she is, by Inamie?!"And Anna is fuming: "What? No one touches my brother—not a princess, not an empress, not even a goddess."
Before Rias can say anything, Anna jumps in with a "BIG" fake smile:
— "Please forgive him, Princess. He doesn't know how to dance."
... The princess insists:
— "If possible, I'd like to judge that for myself."
But Eli and Anna are fiercely protective sisters—they're not backing down. Eli replies again, her smile even more painfully polite:
— "Forgive my bluntness, Your Highness, but it feels like you're trying to humiliate our brother in front of these high-ranking guests."
The little princess is caught off guard. She now realizes the sisters don't want to share Rias. But… why?She finds their bond a little possessive—maybe even petty.
So she backs off with a polite excuse:
— "Oh, my deepest apologies. That was never my intention. I understand your position. No worries, I'll find another dance partner."
That's what she says—but her eyes stay locked on little Rias, blushing behind his two sisters' backs.
In his innocence, Rias truly believes he can't dance with the princess simply because he doesn't know how to dance yet.And yet… he wants that dance.
Ever since arriving in the capital—and perhaps, ever since arriving in this world—Rias keeps wondering what he's supposed to do with this new life.He doesn't have some grand ambition or rational goal like the isekai heroes from manga.On the contrary—after everything he went through in the other world, just being alive feels like a nightmare to him.And yet… he realizes once again he hasn't suffered in this world. Not once. Not even for a single day.His days are full, bright, and alive.
Except that…
As he watches the ball unfold, he feels… intimidated.
Then he sees other boys being loved, looked at, desired.
And it's really that simple.
He thinks: "Why not me? What if I had the right, too? The right to exist without fear… without dragging the past behind me."
Today, he feels a desire he wants to surrender to.He wants to reach out to these beautiful princesses—even if it's just to dance with them.
For the first time, he truly wants to belong.To be a part of this world.