Chapter 28: The Ball - Part 2

A GRAND BALL could last until 12:15 or, in some rare occurrence, 3:15 a.m. depended on the host of the ball. Most of the guests already arrived, but some still not. And they were the guests that Damien waited for personally. They were his best friends from the academy. In the Underworld Realm, the noble families sent their children and descendants into St. Regina Royal Academy, the only exclusive school for the elites.

Most children went to the academy at the early age of ten. And complete their studies in eight years, to learn various educations. Their studies were notable in noble etiquette, dance, behavior, arts, magic, swordsmanship, witchcraft, and more. It was compulsory for students to live in the dormitories provided by the academy throughout the period. The private school also developed a way for a noble to strike for few connections.

And St. Regina Royal Academy accepted students from several backgrounds, such as demons, vampires, witches, and shapeshifters. The academy, established in the South-East of the Central Domain since the reign of the fourth Demon Lord. He founded the school to create unity and solidarity among all creatures without judging one's background, dark history, or differences. Thus, its students came from all around the realm. However, as time passed, the students divided themselves into particular groups and only socialized among the same creatures. And only a few could be neutral in socializing with other beings. Thus, it came as no surprise if Vampires and Demons were still enemies until this day.

The servant announced, "Lord Eric and Lady Nora of Belmont, have arrived!"

Damien smiled in joy at hearing the names. The unique duo were the children of Marques Belmont, the sole family that owned the core mines in the Northern Empire. The core mines were significant, as they were the sources that generate modern electricity in the underworld. "Eric! Nora!" Damien called out.

Eric and Nora walked towards him in excitement. "Damien!" Eric gave him a hug and a bro handshake. "Long time no see you, my man! I am glad you are back!" said Eric.

"Goodness, Eric. Mind your manner, please." Nora pushed her brother. "Damien." She extended her right hand to Damien, and Damien gave a peck on her hand.

"Great to see you too, Nora." Damien chuckled. These two haven't changed at all! Eric was an easy-going man with endless jokes. And Nora, a lady who prioritized her manner and fashion. Their personalities were distinct!

"Where are the lovebirds?" Damien asked. His eyes were looking for his other friends.

"We saw their carriages before arriving. Maybe they went off and do some 'stuff' together somewhere." Eric rolled his eyes in disgust. He could not imagine it.

"They are already engaged, brother," said Nora. She knew how much her brother hated watching or imagining 'love'.

"Heck, yeah! But can't they wait until they get married at least? They did it all the time back in the academy and I saw them did 'that' in the library! UGH! I got nightmares for weeks and Goosebumps all over. My pureness is tainted!" Eric looked grossed.

"Hmm. Not that clean at the beginning either." Nora smirked.

Damien just laughed at them. See. They haven't changed! "Aha! Speak of the devils."

"Lord Harry of Maignes, and Lady Claire of Jouvessac, have arrived!" They heard the servant called out the couple's names.

Harry was the son of the prime minister, and Claire's family monopolized the contemporary fashion industry. They had been lovers since the academy.

They saw Claire walked side by side with her fiancé, Harry. Claire looked at him romantically, and Harry stared at her with the most seductive glare one had ever seen. As they were walking down the stairs, Claire whispered things into his ear, giggling and snickering inaudible words. And Harry looked super happy hearing that. They were oblivious to the fact that there were thousands of eyes looking at them. Those lovebirds could not care less about others, and just be in their world. They were madly in love!

Everyone in the ballroom pondered in amazement at what they saw.

"Dude! Get some room!" Eric looked like he almost barfed. The scene in the library that he mentioned before played like an auto-play recording in his mind. "Sometimes, I wish I can suffer from amnesia!"

Nora and Damien laughed at his sudden statement. "Don't wish for that. You are the empire's proudest scholar." Nora pinched her brother. Eric was a professor and engineer. He would succeed their father as the new head of the Belmont Corporate Inc.

"Hi!" Claire was the most excited one. She saw Nora and rushed to her to give the biggest, suffocating hug one could get. "Nora!"

Nora accepted the hug. Claire could be quite a handful sometimes, but Nora used to it. And when it was over, Nora looked at Claire in disbelief. "Good gracious, Claire! Your makeup!"

Claire's lips were tainted. "This won't do. Let's go!" Nora pulled her hands. Nora forced Claire to follow her immediately to the powder room. Hmm. Girls.

The gentlemen looked at the ladies until their silhouettes were gone from their sights.

"Dude! Can't you cover that?!" Eric shouted. He saw red lipstick marks and hickeys on Eric's neck.

Harry touched his neck. "Nope. Going to show off that I'm already owned!" He smiled. Harry could scream that he was Claire's exclusive possession.

Damien shook his head. Harry always annoyed Eric by any means possible. "Long time not seeing you, Harry," said Damien while offering a handshake.

"Man! Congratulations on your victory." Harry accepted the handshake. "It is unbelievable seeing you here."

"Yeah! I almost thought I might die in the war too." Damien admitted.

These gentlemen had a lot to discuss and catch up on. Damien talked about his days surviving on the battlefield and Grace's abduction. While Eric spoke about his new experiment, and Harry chatted about his engagement. Suddenly, they heard the servant called out some unpleasant names.

"Lord Aleph and Lady Abigail of Ambrose, have ARRIVED!"

Eric and Harry looked shocked when they saw those infamous siblings attending the grand ball. "You invited them?!" said Harry in suspicion.

"Out of courtesy, yeah," Damien replied. Ambrose Family was a great and oldest vampire clan that possessed the Southern Republic. And it was a well-known fact that Gregory and Ambrose quite enemies ever since in the past. Even the descendants of both families loathed each other so much they could not look at one another.

Truthfully, Damien did not want to invite the Ambroses. But the elders sent an invitation to that family. Maybe they wanted to show off their future head's triumph in destroying the Criminal Hybrids in the war.

Back in the academy, Damien and Duke Ambrose's eldest child, Aleph, used to get into fights. Sometimes the arguments could be trivial. Well, they used to be naughty and spoiled children. They always got into silly fights. However, they also used to compete with each other to see who was better. Particularly in terms of swordsmanship and magic. But that was in the past. They did not hold any grudges against each other anymore. Well, maybe?

"Welcome, Aleph and Abigail. Thank you for coming." Damien welcomed the siblings with open arms. He greeted them with a generous smile.

"Thank you. And thank you for being considerate for hosting the ball during night-time, Young Lord Damien," said Abigail Ambrose. She was always composed and elegant. Abigail was the true definition of a perfect noble lady.

And they kept silent after that. They had nothing else to say, and it was splendidly uncomfortable just to stand this close to each other.

"Hmm." Eric was the first to speak then. "I have been meaning to ask. How can you be so charming and smart looking although you cannot see yourself in the mirror, Aleph?" asked Eric in wonder. There was an insult in his compliment.

"We have servants, genius," replied Aleph. That sentence created a substantial force made of total insult that slammed into his senses.

'ERIC!' Damien glared at his best friend.

Eric just made the situation a lot worse than before.