"A toast for my first daughter! May Thanatos bless her and guide her through life's shadows, steering her towards resilience and wisdom, as she navigates the intricate dance of mortality with grace and strength!
Selene raised her non-alcoholic beverage before drinking it in unison with the crowd. She wore a beautiful gothic style dress with silver accessories here and there, her father matched her with the same gothic style, which emphasized their immaculate beauty to everyone in the room.
She was with her father on an elevated platform at the end of the gigantic ballroom that gathered hundreds of guests around the world. Humans and other races alike gathered just to celebrate her day of birth.
After the resounding speech Selene's father enacted, it was her turn to speak in front of a crowd of a hundred.
"Esteemed guest, Thank you for joining me on this joyous occasion, celebrating my 14th birthday. Your presence gives me unending gratitude for your grace. Special thanks to my father, Renwick Aventus and, his Grace, Lucian Ignatius for organizing this event. Here's to many more cherished moments and an exciting journey ahead!"
Selene's speech was responded to by all the guests drinking the champagne that was raised initially by her father and clapping to those who didn't have a glass.
Theo spoke to Selene with his skill as he talked to some high ranking nobles that pestered him to make connections with him.
Theo
Theo and his family were on the right side of the platform, while Selene's family were on the other side also busy talking to many high ranking nobles and known individuals. Unlike the Aventus family who wore all black, Theo and his family wore all formal white outfits with golden accessories. Both families stood out from all the rest with their single color of choice.
Selene
Selene's past life flashed in her memories for a split second. She hated everything about it. She was glad to escape the life she never desired back then, but the feelings and memories still linger.
Theo on the other hand felt something unusual going on with Selene, it sounded like all her energy started to drain as she spoke.
Theo was about to ask her a question-
-But he was disrupted someone nudging him on the shoulder.
"Hey! What's up Theo!"
Theo turned to the person that disturbed him and discovered a familiar face
"Excuse me Sir Eugene, it seems like my friend is inclined to have my time" Theo uses the opportunity to push the person in front of him away.
"I-I see, I hope you consider my offer, Your highness" The forty year nobleman bowed to Theo and walked away with a disappointed face.
Theo breathed a sigh of relief at the same time annoyance. Many noblemen from different nations tried to curry favor to get some kind of benefit out of me, which pissed him off.
It was the first time someone approached him so he was taken aback and was stuck with the person's flow, luckily for him he had Selene to converse with while the nobleman prattled and flattered Theo, and even more so when a familiar face arrived to meet him.
"Bad and good timing Patrick" Theo said as he scratched the back of his head
The young handsome and browned haired man said as he tilted his head in confusion
"What do you mean???" Patrick asked
"Nothing. What do you want, Patrick?"
Patrick Heathcliff, a childhood friend of Theo and was designated as Theo's knight to be in the future. Third son of Duke Jackson Heathcliff. A support character that was also a candidate to be brought to the kobold dungeon if Selene wasn't Red Blizzard.
"My dad told me you're in the Astute tier and I just wanted to drop by and say that I'm upping my game to catch up to you! Just give me a year and I'll definitely overtake you!" Patrick said as laughed with his hands on his hips
Annoying.
Patrick was at the start of the Adept tier and was the same age as him. He was also a known genius from the rest of his peers.
Now that his use was now zero, he wanted to get rid of him somehow.
Ugh, ballrooms suck....
Selene was also occupied by guests congratulating her on a happy birthday, which leaves Theo alone to deal with the blaring Patrick.
"We gotta go sparring when we get back! I just got these new....." Patrick blabbers
Theo decided to just go to Selene and intervene on the people. He'd rather be with her than the golden retriever that kept barking for snacks and pets.
<..... I> Selene
Hm?
Feelings something was wrong, he started pacing himself faster towards where Selene was.
Theo swiftly and gracefully, people who passed by were entranced by his stature and handsome appearance. Some people who knew of his identity bowed in respect to his presence, which Theo's other half obviously felt weird about as he was not used to this kind of treatment.
However he kept his posture and expression straight and finally arrived where Selene was, where she was getting greeted by a fat noble who had a sinister grin.
"Gegege, Such beauty and presence from such a young age. You definitely inherited the best traits from your father and mother." The pot-bellied nobleman one said as he started stroking Selene's gloved hand, which he was about to kiss. Selene tried to pull her hand but was overpowered, because the person in front of her was of the expert tier.
Selene froze in fear.
Selene's father was busy talking to the ruler of the current country they stayed on, so he didn't see the harassment the noble was doing.
Sadly for the noble Theo was there to push him away from his obvious display of perversion.
"Move..." Theo coldly said
"What!? who dares- oh"
The fat noble stopped his protest after discovering who Theo was.
Sacrifice
"Your highness! I see that you are here to greet your fia-!"
BANG!
"Holy crap...." Patrick who was following Theo exclaimed in surprise.
Theo sucker punched the fat noble on the face before he even finished talking, slamming him onto the ground, knocking the noble out.
"Selene, are you well?" Theo worriedly asked Selene who was still in a daze, trembling
"Ah.... yeah I'm ok.... Thanks Theo" Selene who snapped back to reality thanked Theo.
Selene who tried to walk almost fell to her knees, but Theo caught her before it happened
"Woah. Careful"
"Sorry and thanks Theo"
Selene
The buzzing and musical ballroom suddenly halted into silence as they turned their attention to the ruckus that just occurred.
The one to approach them was Renwick.
"Hmmmm I see, I was told by one of my shadows what happened. My men would've gone in if you didn't, but thank you Theodore Ignatius. Now to deal with the trash...." Renwick spoke with a frown on his face
The fat noble who woke up from his stupor and started shouting
"What have I done wrong!? This is a display of tyranny! You-!"
Before he could finish talking a black tentacle wrapped around his body in an instant and disappeared.
"Vile mutt" Renwick said with a disgusted face.
Renwick faced the crowd and spoke in a commanding tone.
"You have nothing to see here. Continue with the celebration"
....
After a brief moment of silence, the music started playing and people started conversing with each other again.
Many already knew of Renwick's personality dealing with harassment and offenders, so many just continued with what they were doing. They were more interested in the strength Theo just displayed, because displayed power similar to an individual of the Expert tier.
While others still stared in shock and confusion at the sudden turn of events that just happened, scared that they might be the next victim to be dragged into the shadows if they offended Renwick.
"Take my daughter to the balcony for some fresh air, I'll go deal with the pig" Renwick said as he walked away to deal with.
Theo nodded and escorted Selene, who was still light headed to the balcony for some fresh air.
Adrean, who was surrounded by women, wanted to go and take over Theo and escort Selene, but he was clearly occupied and his father already specifically ordered Theo to escort Selene, annoying him greatly.
Irene who was in a suit was surprisingly also surrounded by women, trusted Theo and left it all to him, same with their mothers who were delightfully conversing with other wives of the ball.
Kali was in another room playing with other children.
Lucian was chatting with the father of Patrick, Jack Heathcliff, he also saw everything that transpired, he just believed that his son would be able to deal with it easily.
Renwick on the other hand was a split second away from smacking the noble pig to death, but Theo arrived in time to save the Nobleman's life, now that he was given the chance to capture the pig, he would make the pig wish he died when Theo plummeted him to the ground.
But he was busy celebrating his daughter's birthday, torture time can come later.