Chapter 515: Chapter 27: Light Core (Part 2)
The dome above was adorned with a massive crystal chandelier, and the marble floor was so polished it reflected the figures of the arriving guests. Dressed in elegant finery, young men and women moved with deliberate grace across the well-lit venue, engaging in conversation, all the while showcasing their exceptional insight and distinguished manners.
In this atmosphere of opulence and dignity, a girl clad in a white casual outfit stood chest out, head high like a smoke grenade launched into a ballroom, making her presence known. In her left hand, she held a plate, and in her right, a fork, as she swiftly devoured the lobster, roasted chicken, and pancakes on her plate. Miss Creyah of the Light Core stood beside this unknown girl, her expression revealing an indescribable tiredness.
“Have you heard? She is a guest personally invited by our leader…” “Could she be a new member?” “Miss Creyah’s rival?” “That’s impossible…”
This unique style drew the eyes of many attendees, and if there was one thing the venue did not lack, it was superpower users brimming with self-confidence. A gentleman from Zero Island with a hair-parted style became the first brave soul to muster the courage to approach her confidently and elegantly, he said, “Good evening, miss! I—”
“I’m eating,” said Qin Qianbai.
Her unexpected response immediately blocked the would-be hero’s carefully prepared opening line in his throat.
Qin Qianbai gave him a quick glance, holding her plate she said, “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I—”
The girl raised her fork, “If you continue to pester me, I will resort to violence.”
The deflated warrior from Zero Island walked away, head hung in defeat like a vanquished rooster, his courageous intentions reduced to a pitiful couple of “I” statements. His friends murmured consoling words, and afterward, no one else dared to take up the challenge.
Miss Creyah stood despairingly next to the daughter of the Qin family, her face expressionless, her heart reeking of hopelessness. She had been tasked with familiarizing this miss with the organization and, as much as possible, to endear Qin Qianbai to it, but she couldn’t detect a hint of curiosity in Miss Qin, who seemed only interested in eating and fighting.
Maybe Aorus’s strategy had been wrong from the start; he should have held an internal Light Core martial arts competition before the formal dinner began. Then, perhaps this girl would have willingly entered the fray.
“Miss Creyah, aren’t you eating?”
Creyah replied listlessly, “Thank you, I’m not hungry… I must admit, I’ve never before had dealings with nobility like you.”
Qin Qianbai blinked, “Am I strange?”
“You are very forthright,” Creyah said, almost in resignation, “I wanted you to have a good impression of Light Core, but it seems all my strategies have failed.”
“I think your organization is quite nice, though a bit wasteful, but very generous to guests,” Qin Qianbai said in the common tongue, “I think you are also a decent person.”
God help her, she actually found this girl somewhat endearing. The last time she heard such a straightforward description was when she participated in charity work at an elementary school.
“Thank you, Miss Qin,” Creyah said, lacking any enthusiasm, “Out of curiosity—since we are both born into so-called great families—didn’t you learn how to conduct yourself in these social situations at home? Or is this the typical style of the capital’s Qin family?”
“Home teachings primarily focused on martial arts, then scholarly knowledge, followed by writing, history, arithmetic, and so on. As for social interaction, grandfather said martial artists don’t need to be fussed about much, just be amiable and you’ll find friends.”
Creyah had always thought the capital’s Qin family was a traditional noble clan, donned in the symbolic wide-sleeved robes of the Empire’s elite, engaging in flowery discourse, and participating in bloodless battles with civil officials through memorials. Now she saw that it had all been fanciful thinking—Qin family was truly an organization filled with the Martial Arts Faction, a muscular group that also happened to dabble in court affairs and serve the emperor as the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch.
For such a family to produce a daughter adept at social dancing would indeed be a peculiar anomaly. Talking to this girl required no beating around the bush—straightforward communication was far more effective than any conversational tactic.
“Would you listen to Aorus’s speech before leaving?” asked Creyah, “I love listening to him speak, to hear him describe his dreams.”
“Sure,” nodded Qin Qianbai, “Do you like him?”
This sudden question took Creyah by surprise.
“Yes… many people know…” Creyah said shyly, “Is it that obvious?”
“When you look at him, your eyes sparkle like stars.”
Creyah covered her face and sighed, “I should buy colored contact lenses.”
“Better to talk to him with your eyes closed in the future,” Qin Qianbai suggested earnestly.
As time passed in conversation, soon the members of the Light Core began the social dance. Throughout the event, several gentlemen who had interacted with Qin Qianbai the previous day approached her with poise to express their apologies.
“It’s not your fault, it was my overreaction,” said Qin Qianbai.
The minor unpleasantness was dismissed in a few words. Qin Qianbai had no intention of participating in the dance, so the two ladies stood in a corner with their plates, indulging in roasted beef and sparkly wine as they chatted pleasantly about city and family matters, happily acknowledging each other as worthwhile acquaintances.
When Qin Qianbai had emptied her fifth plate, the conductor of the band gestured for a halt, and the dance wound down to a close amidst a silent consensus. Aorus Otimis moved lightly across the hall to stand before everyone.
His first words were, “Comrades—am I being too pretentious?”
The members of the Light Core responded with good-natured smiles as Aorus raised his hand amidst the laughter.