Chapter 195: Dark Demon Dances with Dragons (6k) [30]
According to class allocation, the seniors sat near the stage, while the first years were relegated to the back.
There was a clear hierarchy,尊卑有序.
This was not just a reflection of the times.
Upon entering the Grand Hall, Dark took a seat at one end of the long table belonging to the Noble Academy, and awaited the start of the Christmas Ball with a pleasant mood.
During the Halloween Ball, he had joined midway, so he hadn’t experienced this eager anticipation.
In any case, it felt good.
Dark picked up the teapot on the table, poured black tea into the cups, and passed them to Diana and Rose.
Beside the tea set, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies were laid out, which paired wonderfully with the tea, filling the air with a fragrant aroma.
Around six fifty.
A large crowd suddenly rushed in through the main entrance, instantly making the Grand Hall lively!
The piano at the corner of the stage automatically played a melodious tune, and the professors who remained in the academy came out from behind the scenes, taking their seats in the faculty area one by one.
It was clear that the professors had dressed up elaborately tonight.
Professor Kazel wore a suit, tie, and leather shoes, looking like a dashing old gentleman.
Professor Shylph wore a light green gown, with a fluffy scarf around her slender neck, and a golden phoenix hairpin adorned with wind elements atop her high bun.
Professor Lily wore a nightgown, yawning as if she hadn’t fully woken up.
It wasn’t until Sister Carrian woke her up that she reluctantly used a Changing Card to transform into a cute and charming Imp.
Additionally, there was Miss Bella from the library, Miss Griselda from the classroom…
But the principal’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
However, the seniors were used to this; Principal Altair’s thoughts on certain matters were truly surprisingly outdated, such as her obsession with being the last to appear!
At festival celebrations, she always appeared last, like a star, adding even more brilliance to the celebration.
…
When Dark came to his senses, the four long tables were already filled with people.
Before seeing the Knight Academy’s table next door, he noticed that Wit and Robert had also put on formal attire. Further over, he could see Emma.
Emma wasn’t dressed as grandly as Diana and Rose, but she had clearly taken care to dress up.
Yet, the makeup, whether done by herself or someone else, only made her look younger. She naturally appeared more youthful than her peers, and now even more so.
Her innocent appearance paired with stubborn eyes gave her a unique charm.
Dark felt she might have been a practice doll for some senior learning makeup.
She seemed to dislike this look, constantly frowning.
Later on.
Senior Pandora finally appeared at the grand entrance.
Among the sea of dresses at the ball, her white lace dress didn’t stand out much, but her delicate collarbone and overly prominent curves caught everyone’s attention.
She wore a smile on her face, and rarely did she wear pearl earrings on her delicate earlobes. Her every movement was graceful and refined.
“What a beautiful person. Will Diana be this beautiful in the future?”
Diana lowered her head to look at her chest, feeling secure!
Rose, however, slightly changed color.
Indeed, people’s constitutions varied greatly.
…
Perhaps due to differences in class.
Diana didn’t seem to consider Senior Pandora as a rival.
She probably didn’t fully understand her own feelings towards Dark.
Perhaps she simply wanted to be with him.
Whether eating or dancing.
…
Senior Pandora, entering from the entrance, glanced toward the Noble Academy’s table and quickly spotted Dark.
She raised her arm, waved at Dark with a smile, then turned and walked toward the Mana Academy’s table.
As her silhouette gradually disappeared behind others, Dark retracted his gaze.
Then he happened to see Wit turning his head to look at him.
“Wit?”
Robert nudged Wit sharply in the waist.
Wit snapped back to reality, hurriedly turning his head, though his heart was already stirring!
“Did Senior Pandora wave at Dark just now?” he whispered.
“Huh? Which senior? Did Pandora pass by?” Robert hadn’t noticed Pandora at all.
Wit stood there stunned for a moment, feeling somewhat displeased.
…
Dark was puzzled, but beside him, Diana whispered softly, “Dark, do you like bears?”
This question really had no context. Even if Dark tried to connect it with the previous text, he couldn’t find any clues.
He didn’t answer for a long time, until Diana urged him, then said, “Bears are so cute, of course I like them.”
Diana nodded satisfactorily, then continued chatting quietly with Rose beside her.
Dark shook his head, thinking perhaps Diana was talking about the Christmas gift.
“She won’t give me a bear plushie, right?”
“No way?”
Dark’s expression changed slightly, thinking it more and more possible.
That wouldn’t be a good gift.
He’d rather have a piece of candy!
…
At exactly seven o’clock…
With the chiming of the clock tower, the magic lamps in the Grand Hall suddenly went out in an instant!
Light vanished, darkness enveloped the hall.
Only the Christmas tree on stage still emitted a faint glow.
The younger students were startled.
The older ones remained calm and composed.
Indeed, three seconds later, as the screams began, the hall lit up again!
The source of light illuminating the Grand Hall had changed from magic lamps to candles on silver candlesticks!
Thousands of floating candles illuminated the hall.
On the long tables covered with Christmas tablecloths, neatly arranged gold and silver utensils silently appeared.
The candlelight reflected off the golden plates and silver goblets, casting a rainbow of colors, dreamlike and ethereal.
First-year students had never experienced such sudden surprise.
After a moment of silence, excited discussions erupted.
“Shh—”
Principal Altair, wearing a Santa hat, successfully ascended the stage unnoticed during the transition between light and dark.
She extended her hand, and a small elf wrapped in white light flew into her palm.
Suddenly, it transformed into a reindeer with a long star tail.
The brown-furred reindeer, adorned with massive antlers, galloped forward. A sleigh piled with gift bags emerged from the starlight.
It burst forth from Principal Altair’s palm, dragging the sleigh as it soared through the air, galloping across the stage, through the entire Grand Hall, bursting through the doors, and vanishing into the distance.
Starlight scattered from the gift bags on the sleigh.
The roasted turkey fell onto the platter, transforming into succulent birds emitting a rich aroma!
From the soft belly of the turkey overflowed a generous amount of stuffing, with the fat dripping down the drumsticks accumulating in a thin layer on the plate.
Dark couldn’t resist the urge to lick his finger!
Rarely did they have a Christmas ball, excessive restraint was not advisable.
“Gluttony” was merely over sixty points, leaving ample room for indulgence.
“Today is Christmas Eve!”
Principal Altair’s voice was filled with an alluring magnetism.
“It is a day to be with family!”
“But for me, Saint Maryan is my home.”
“Every student here is my family.”
“On every Christmas Eve, I make a wish, hoping to spend it again with my family next year.”
“It seems my wish from last year has come true.”
Principal Altair couldn’t help but smile.
“As the principal, there are many things I want to say, but I prefer to leave the rest of the time for the ball. I believe you feel the same way?”
Below the stage, there was a burst of joy.
Principal Altair spread her arms, embracing the air: “Since that’s the case, I’ll stop here. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Christmas Eve! No matter when or where, peace will always accompany you, my dear family!”
…
As soon as she finished speaking, four long tables suddenly glowed white, and on the empty plates around the turkeys, various delicacies appeared.
Roasted meat, lamb chops, sausages, steaks, pudding, potatoes, apple pie, syrup tarts, chocolate sponge cakes, doughnuts…
Of course, there were also indispensable beans!
Dark couldn’t help but recall the first time he saw a full basin of beans, emotions stirring within him.
Destiny intertwines, and when it does, it is destiny.
…
In the corner of the stage, the piano suddenly changed its tune, becoming more lively, just like the students’ hearts.
With Principal Altair stepping back, the banquet began as scheduled.
Naturally, it started with the customary meal!
Only after eating enough could they move on to other activities.
The abundant and delicious food made everyone drool. One turkey after another was cut up with knives and forks, filling the Grand Hall with the aroma of roasted chicken.
But the scent was even richer inside the turkey, where the seasonings were hidden!
Dark let go of his restraint, not thinking too much, and ate heartily. Although “Gluttony” increased, it wasn’t significant.
After half a turkey, his eating pace slowed, and the “Gluttony +1” prompt disappeared.
Sipping juice to aid digestion, Dark watched Diana, occasionally cutting her meat finer and arranging the napkin to prevent sauce from staining her clothes.
The atmosphere in the hall became increasingly joyful. By seven-thirty, a small magic golem with fluttering wings suddenly emerged from the stage, drawing applause!
The circus act began!
For half an hour, the magic show pushed the festive mood to its peak.
Immersed in this atmosphere, apart from occasionally admiring the acrobatics, Dark, like everyone else, showed great appreciation for the performance.
It really was amazing!
Beyond all the trivialities, fun was indeed the soul of the circus.
At eight o’clock, with the exit of the Christmas clown, students thought the evening’s entertainment had ended. However, they suddenly noticed a clear spring gushing from the center of the stage, forming a mushroom-shaped cascade.
A mermaid lady adorned with shells and pearls suddenly appeared from the spring below, flipping gracefully to the top.
She sat gracefully on the water, holding a delicate harp.
Then she opened her mouth, singing a melodious song:
“It’s Miss Xing Luo, the mermaid songstress!”
Students below erupted in excitement!
Confused, Dark looked around; his classmates seemed to know the mermaid lady well.
He couldn’t help but look at Diana.
Diana averted her gaze, “Don’t look at me, Diana doesn’t know!”
Rose chuckled softly, “That’s the famous mermaid singer, Miss Xing Luo. Her voice is as captivating as a nightingale’s. She’s very popular in the kingdom. I didn’t expect Principal Altair to prepare such a surprise!”
Dark replied, “So, in this era, singers can now perform on stage?”
Rose shook her head, “The rise of musical theater has changed many things, but it’s still limited. Miss Xing Luo receives special treatment because she is a rare mermaid.”
Ultimately, the hierarchy of professions and the importance of gender were enduring topics in the changing times.
In this era nearing a renaissance, the status of artists had greatly improved, and women’s rights were gradually being recognized.
The brutal slave system was abolished amidst widespread opposition, and workers received wages equivalent to their labor.
However, it was still in its early stages.
…
The mermaid songstress was not the final surprise.
After singing one song on stage, a group of swans with snow-white wings flew in from the sky, descending like angels.
Their ballet performance—Swan Lake—followed immediately!
Princess Odette, picking flowers by the lake, was transformed into a beautiful swan by the evil demon Rothbart’s curse.
Only at night could she briefly return to human form.
Only pure love could break the wicked spell.
Prince Siegfried, swimming in the Swan Lake, encountered the princess as she transformed back into human form. His deep-seated passion stirred, and he fell in love with her at first sight.
Returning to the castle, the prince held a ball to choose his future queen. The devil sent his daughter, the black swan, to deceive the prince.
When the prince danced with the black swan, Odette appeared at the window, pleading for him to remember his vows. But the prince was distracted by the devil’s enchantment.
Under the devil’s demand, the prince swore love to the black swan—the devil’s plot succeeded. Odette despondently called out and left.
Suddenly, lightning and thunder struck, chaos erupted in the ballroom. The prince woke up in despair, realizing too late that he had made another vow of love to someone else.
Betrayed, the prince rushed out to find the real Odette.
…
The final scene.
Back at the lakeside, the prince was heartbroken.
The devil created a blizzard to prevent the prince from finding Odette.
But the prince finally broke through the storm, finding Odette. However, no matter how sincere his feelings were, they could not change the consequences of breaking his promise. The curse remained.
Unable to decipher, the prince and princess were destined to be separated by fate.
At this moment, the devil revealed its sinister face, transforming the princess and her companions into swans floating on the lake.
The heartbroken prince and princess (swans) embraced each other, with the belief that death was better than being unable to love, and they both jumped into the turbulent flood of the lake.
In an instant, a miracle occurred; justice triumphed over evil, steadfast love overcame the wicked devil, magic shattered, the Mana Lair collapsed, the lake receded, and the swan maidens regained their lives.
The prince and princess bathed in the rosy glow of the sunrise, and a beautiful life began anew.
…
Although “Swan Lake” essentially has multiple tragic endings, here it clearly chose an unreasonable comedic ending.
In the face of such so-called “miracles,” even powerful devils had no power to resist.
However, no one would care about these logical flaws.
The performance of the swan maidens, coupled with thunder, lightning, raging blizzards, and the extremely heart-stirring music, created an unparalleled immersion, leaving the audience with no extra thoughts to ponder those details.
This Swan Lake became the most praised program on the night before Christmas.
As the prince and princess nestled together happily under the stage lights, the nine o’clock bell quietly chimed unnoticed.
The opera ended.
But the prince and princess did not leave the stage; instead, they danced the waltz amidst the romantic and elegant music.
The students finally realized.
The ball had begun!
…
Diana looked eagerly as Dark stood up.
Dark could only give her an apologetic look.
Rose hugged Diana’s arm.
Amidst the confused gazes of their classmates, Dark walked towards the center seats of the Mana Academy.
Wit, who was excitedly chatting with Robert about “justice will surely triumph over evil,” suddenly noticed Dark walking past him, his expression instantly stiffening.
A sense of foreboding rose to his heart.
His sharp perception inherited from the hero made him realize that things might be developing unfavorably for him.
He always sensed danger ahead of time.
Robert also saw Dark’s figure and curiously asked, “Why is Dark heading that way? Isn’t his dance partner Diana?”
Wit stared intently at Dark’s back, not answering Robert.
From their seats, they could slightly see Pandora’s senior back, which was originally a point of slight joy for Wit.
But now it produced an unfavorable effect.
He tilted his gaze, just catching Pandora standing up from her seat and extending her slender, white fingers to the blonde-haired noble boy.
Dark took her hand and gently kissed the back of her hand.
The soft touch through the white lace touched their hearts.
Almost all the fourth-year students at the Mana Academy showed shocked expressions.
Several boys who had been eager to invite Pandora to dance but hesitated now saw the silver dragon girl accept the invitation from the first-year student, revealing an exceptionally captivating smile and moving to the spacious stage to the rhythm of the music.
Many rubbed their eyes, feeling as if they were in a dream.
Fourth year.
For four years of Christmas balls, the silver dragon girl, known as the “Iron Wall of the Ball,” willingly and even somewhat proactively walked alongside someone and stepped onto the stage.
Tonight, it was truly a magical start.
…
Though Dark expected it, he was still startled by the sharp pain behind him as he led Pandora senior’s hand toward the stage.
“This must be what they call ‘a thorn in the back’ literally…”
But he didn’t know that the ones aiming at him weren’t just the male students infatuated with senior Pandora.
There were also several girls secretly mustering their courage, planning to invite him to dance when the ball started.
Emma placed her hands on the table, holding her round face with her palms, and through the gaps between people, she happened to see Diana sitting opposite.
The two little girls looked at each other by chance.
Diana’s mind moved, and she immediately puffed out her chest!
Displaying an attitude of “I am different from you.”
Emma turned away.
After the last class competition, she had developed some unclear feelings and, after consulting the senior girl, was dressed up like a Barbie doll.
But the effort seemed hard to find a return.
Behind her, at the Mana Academy head table,
Sarah, with a confident smirk, also suffered defeat before achieving success.
Her staunch supporter, Heidi, felt deeply helpless.
The opponent was too strong!
…
As the rhythm of the music changed, more couples or pre-arranged dance partners stood up from their seats.
They took elegant steps and walked out of the area formed by four long tables, stepping onto the deep red carpet-covered stage.
The waltz between the swan princess and the human prince was so beautiful.
Dark and Pandora senior exchanged a smile and began to tiptoe on the stage.
The romantic atmosphere of the Christmas ball gradually intensified.
Tiny elemental fairies flitted among the crowd, becoming the best decoration for the ball.
More and more people joined the dance on the stage.
Splendid fireworks bloomed in the air above.
Pandora senior blinked and, using her dance steps, approached Dark.
Dark, touched by her gaze, stepped backward.
Senior Pandora happily retracted her toe.
Dark leaned forward, matching the dance steps.
They spun around, switching positions, and the scenery in their view changed.
Dark suddenly noticed Professor Lily drinking alone at the teacher’s stand and wondered whether he should deliver the Christmas gift tonight or wait until Christmas Day.
And that bottle of liquor from Professor Shylph…
“Sss!”
The sharp pain in Dark’s toe made him instinctively retract his foot, noticing the raised eyebrow of senior Pandora.
He quickly focused his thoughts, immersing himself more fully in the circle dance.
Pandora senior took advantage of the moment to lean close to his ear and whisper, “Do you know how impolite it is to be distracted while dancing with a lady?”
[Bliss +1]
Dark’s ears visibly reddened.
Pandora senior’s eyes flashed with excitement.
But suddenly, she felt a strong force pulling her arm, causing her to slide sideways, then pivot and fall half-laid in Dark’s arms.
Dark lowered his head, looking down at her face.
Her lightly powdered face was flushed, long eyelashes emitted a faint allure, and her vivid red lips stirred desire.
A small patch of silver scales under her eye reflected the stage lights.
A hint of bewilderment.
