The First Dance

This was a personal showcase watched by thousands.

On the bluestone paving before the castle gates, a dance floor capable of holding hundreds had been erected. More than a dozen massive gas torches, assisted by spotlights, focused their illumination upon the dance floor, making it as bright as day.

The dance piece 《The Light of Lande Shines Forever》 was the work of Fourth Age Lande composer Carl Vince. Though Lande had been merely a small Middle Earth nation at the time, the explosion of ideas from the Cultural Renaissance had sent the entire country sprinting toward a grander stage like a hundred-meter dash. This piece was a creation of that era; while not the most opulent or profound composition, it best captured the fearless spirit of Lande. Ever since its debut, every single Lande ball over thousands of years had opened with this very tune.

Fireworks burst overhead in a riot of dazzling colors, their brilliant flashes showcasing the splendor of a golden age.

Thousands of onlookers lined the dance floor, clapping softly. Whether feeling grief or joy, sorrow or anger, at this moment at least, smiles graced every face as they offered their blessings to the handsome gentleman and beautiful lady on the floor.

Amidst the majestic and grand music, the entire stage belonged to Mr. Lynch Levive and Princess Sophia Ross.

Spin, glide, eyes open.

This body had, after all, lived through student years and knew how to dance. Though his technique was mediocre, this was hardly the place to show off flashy moves—as long as he didn’t fling the Princess off the dance floor, it would suffice.

“Your standards are remarkably low, Mr. Levive.”

Holding her soft, shapely figure in his embrace, catching the faint fragrance from her temples, gazing upon her breathtaking countenance, feeling the Princess resting softly against his chest as she followed his lead in the spin, and listening to that deep, magnetic voice lazily whispering in his ear, Lynch felt momentarily intoxicated.

“I was truly delighted to see you step forward. A great hero charging alone into a fallen castle, vanquishing the Dreamlands heteromorphs barring the gates, and rescuing the princess imprisoned by monsters—that is a marvelous tale found only in fairy tales. I truly did not expect the problem to be resolved in such a manner, let alone that you would be willing to help me. This is already the second time you have saved me: the first time you saved my body, and the second time you saved my heart. Thank you, my hero.”

“I somehow feel you owe quite a few people an apology. When did His Grace’s castle fall? Those fellows might be a bit foolish, but they are at least human...”

“Pfft, hahaha, my hero is shy.”

Tsk, this woman is not cute in the slightest. Can't you be as easy to tease as Miss Valente?

Lynch curled his lip and murmured in all seriousness, “As an esteemed Princess, you shouldn't be indulging in such daydreams. Those are fantasies for little girls.”

“Mr. Levive, how rude of you. In what way do I not resemble a young lady?” The beautiful Princess wrinkled her nose in annoyance. “Every young lady has the right to fantasize, and a princess is no exception.”

Lynch was slightly dumbfounded. “Fantasizing that your own kingdom is ruined and your castle has fallen?”

“Pfft, of course! And then the hero makes his grand entrance.” Her Highness's gaze softened, leaving Lynch unsure whether she was genuine or feigning. “Shielding me from wicked blades with his own flesh and blood, guarding my safety with his life. Charging alone into enemy territory for my sake, effortlessly defeating powerful foes, reaching out to me beneath the gaze of the populace, and breaking through the encirclement together to liberate the fallen castle and save the ruined kingdom.”

The scene combined with such words packed far too much impact. Even knowing most of it was the rhetoric of a politician, Lynch still found it somewhat overwhelming. He quickly envisioned the figures of Diana and Officer Natalie in his mind... No, that made it even harder to bear; he was on the verge of making a fool of himself. Neighbor, help, save me!

【I am witnessing the beautiful scenery along the journey. Do not disturb me, mm-hmm.】

Lynch could only mentally slap himself dozens of times, barely suppressing his awkward reactions before stating with a straight face, “I know nothing about princesses and monsters. I only stepped up because someone told me you would be in great danger during the first dance. Nothing more.”

“Mm-hmm, I believe you. I believe every word.” Following Lynch's steps, Princess Sophia wore a dignified expression and an earnest look in her eyes, as if she genuinely believed him.

Lynch sighed, leading Her Highness through a spin. Under the watchful eyes of thousands, secretly whispering sweet nothings with such a stunning lady was undeniably thrilling. Unfortunately, dealing with a political creature like Princess Sophia, Lynch dared not let himself get carried away. He merely looked down and stared at her chest for a long moment:

“That part wasn't an excuse. Actually, none of it was an excuse, but this part especially isn't: Diana really did say this moment would be exceptionally dangerous. She should have given you that phase defense necklace, right? Are you wearing it?”

“Yes, I know. The more high-profile the moment, the greater the danger. Thank Diana for her concern on my behalf.” Her Highness dropped her playful tone, speaking softly. “I am wearing it, but the ladies and gentlemen from the Secret Service and the Watchers both said it wouldn't be of much use. It requires active triggering, and my reflexes wouldn't be nearly fast enough.”

“Fair enough,” Lynch mused. “Since you knew it was so dangerous, why refuse to cancel this ball? And the visit to the Church of Suffering before this?”

Princess Sophia smiled faintly, appearing immersed in the dance as surrounding flashbulbs flickered incessantly, capturing this beautiful moment.

Yet the words she spoke sent a chill straight down Lynch's spine, as if he were staring into the most twisted darkness of the deep Dreamlands.

“After everything you have done for me, I have no desire to hide things from you. Some matters must be shared with someone, or else no one could bear the burden.”

Their bodies pressed close together. Lynch could clearly feel the faint tremors running through her—emotions held in check only through sheer willpower:

“What do you think was my purpose in coming to Rhine? A visit? An inspection? Disaster relief? No. I came here to die.”

Lynch stumbled, his steps faltering, before Princess Sophia gracefully guided him back into rhythm.

“Heh, you heard correctly. My father, the great Emperor Rudolph II, sent his daughter here for the sole purpose of offering her up to the enemies lurking in the shadows so they might have a chance to assassinate me. That is why I must maintain such a high profile and discreetly give everyone every opportunity to take my life.”

“Why?”

“In recent years, the parliamentary faction has been crossing the line. William's... faction has also grown increasingly out of hand. Combined with Howard's death, the situation has grown even more delicate. Right now, Lande is like a powder keg, and the radicals within Parliament are very interested in detonating this powder keg by assassinating a member of the royal family.”

A trace of self-mockery touched Princess Sophia's smile:

“Coincidentally, Father is interested as well. It is always better to control the timing of detonating a powder keg oneself. And so, I, the fuse, have arrived. The aid I brought was already meant to disrupt the plans of those wealthy parliamentary elites who wished to use this crisis to buy public support, winning that goodwill for the royal family instead. On this foundation, once the parliamentary faction makes a move—no, once anyone makes a move against me, whether they belong to the parliamentary faction or not—the royal family will deal a massive blow to the parliamentary faction's public standing. And public support is the sole pillar Parliament relies on to rival the crown. When that happens, when Father secretly strikes against numerous figures in Parliament or even moves against William, the members of the parliamentary faction will be forced to watch helplessly, denied even the opportunity to wage all-out war. In this way, the situation across Lande will remain stable for at least several decades.”

“That is indeed... the case. But what about his daughter?”

“She wouldn't be called his daughter. She would be a royal family member who died a heroic sacrifice, nothing more than a code name in the future.”

“You knew all of this, yet you still came?” Lynch's eyes narrowed, feeling for the first time that the human heart could be far darker than mystery itself.

“What else could I do? Such is the duty of royalty. Having enjoyed everything this identity affords, one must shoulder its obligations. It is not that things offering pure gain without sacrifice do not exist in this world, but the hidden price they demand is often far steeper.”

Her Highness sighed faintly, weariness written across her features:

“As for whether I live or die, it is not particularly important. In truth, dying is preferable, though surviving is acceptable as well. If I die, I am merely a martyr who sacrificed herself for the nation. But if I return alive against all odds, I shall be the next Queen of Lande. Tell me, would you come? All I can do is strive to struggle for my own survival while keeping to the plan. Heh, but regardless of the final outcome, your appearance tonight truly resolved a great deal of trouble for us. I will not forget your help.”

Princess Sophia's dance steps remained perfectly composed, yet the words flowing from her lips were ruthlessly cold, sending chills through Lynch's entire being and leaving his heart frozen.

Such was royalty—dark to the point of despair.

Amidst Lynch's reflections, the tempo of the dance music gradually slowed, their steps easing into a gentler rhythm. Yet this was not the end, but the final calm accumulating before the torrential storm.

The final movement of the dance was about to begin.

As the rhythm softened, sharp spasms of pain shot through Lynch's head once more, growing increasingly intense.

The final movement was arriving.