The day of the birthday finally arrived, and every maid and butler was ensuring everything was in order; since the announcement that even the King would attend, everything had to be in place. Amelia was also seen there giving instructions to everyone when something seemed out of place.
The ballroom was decorated beautifully with circular tables covered in white cloth, and the golden cutlery coupled with the ambient lighting made the room even posher.
"Madam, the first guests will arrive in about two hours," the young maid informed Amelia.
"Okay. Go inform Michael and Elizabeth that they should start getting ready," instructed Amelia, the maid.
"Yes, madam," she replied, leaving the room to do what she had been instructed.
While going to perform her task, another maid spotted her and asked, "Have the preparations for the party been completed?"
"Yes, they have," she replied, and she started leaving, not before the same maid stopped her again and asked, "Are you now going to inform young master and mistress about the party?"
"Yes."
"You can head to the young mistress. I'll inform young master," said the maid Jules.
"Okay," replied the other maid, finally leaving to perform her task.
Jules can be seen heading toward her master's room with a rather excited smile.
`Maybe I can solidify my position more as his maid before he leaves for the academy,` she thought.
Arriving in front of Michael's bedroom, she knocked on the door, and when a positive response came from the other side, she opened the door.
"Master, the guests will be arriving soon. It would be best if you started preparing," said Jules to Michael.
"Hmm, okay. I'll take a bath first and then wear my clothes," said Michael without his eyes leaving the book he was reading.
"I'll go prepare the bath. Do you need me to help you while bathing or changing your clothes afterward?" she asked, trying to sound as professional as possible.
`She seems eager, huh,` Michael thought while his eyes finally left the book and landed on the maid trying to assess her.
"Yeah, I'll probably need some help since I still can't move too well from yesterday's training," Michael said to her.
"It's okay. I can do all the work for you. I'll go prepare the bath now," said Jules with more courage and stormed off the room.
`Let's see what you'll do,` thought Michael with a smirk on his face and then focusing again on his book.
*************
"Thank you for your help today, Jules," said Michael while looking at Jules with a gentle smile on his face.
"It's my job, master," she replied with a blush plastered on her cheeks and a happier tone in her voice.
"Go inform mother that my sister and I will be coming down shortly," he instructed her.
"As you wish," she replied, bowed, and left though her smile never left her face.
Not minding what had transpired before anymore, Michael checked himself in the mirror and saw a handsome blue-eyed teenager with naturally messy black hair wearing black leather pants and a silky black top that is tucked inside his pants and also leaving a few buttons unbuttoned, giving him a bad boy vibe.
`Damn, I look good. I was not ugly in my previous life, but I was not this handsome either,` thought Michael.
"Okay, let's leave the intrusive thoughts behind and head down," he muttered.
Leaving his room, he went straight to his sister's. The party will start soon so as the hosts they must be there first. He knocked on his sister's door, went inside, and saw her in a beautiful black dress that reached just above her thighs, coupled with a pair of black high heels. As his sister, she was of course, attractive as well.
"I guess we will be matching today, sis," said Michael to his sister since both of them were wearing total black.
She smiled at his words and cheekily, "I can't let you steal all the show today, could I?"
"Isn't my birthday, though?"
"Don't mind small things like that. Come on now, let's head downstairs," Liz said, grabbing Michael's hand and dragging him down.
Arriving at the ballroom where the party will be hosted, they both admired the design and thought, `Mother must have worked hard to make everything this perfect.`
"Come on, don't just stand there. The first guests are already here," Amelia said while dragging both of them.
In official balls always, the person with the lower status would enter first, going upwards by the rank of the nobles. The ranks in ascending order are baron, viscount, count, duke, and then the King. Then the announcer announced the first guests.
"Baron and Baroness Blackwood, Baron, and Baroness Whiteford…," and he kept announcing all the names of the nobles who had already arrived.
The ballroom was starting to get livelier by the minute with all the chatting and the music. Somewhere in the crowd, Michael can be seen surrounded by many people congratulating him on his birthday and trying to form a closer bond with him, especially the young ladies.
As they were chatting, the announcer was heard again, "Countess Rosewood and her daughter Anne Rosewood."
As soon as the announcement was made, murmurs were heard among the crowd since Countess Rosewood was fairly known because when her husband died she didn't let her county decline but even made it even more prominent.
As soon as Anne spotted Michael in the crowd she went straight ahead to him, ignoring all the murmurs directed at her and her mother.
"Happy birthday Michael. It's been a while since we've seen each other," she said rather excitedly giving at the same time a warning glare at all the other ladies that were surrounding him.
"Thank you, Anne. Yeah, it's been a while, and I've missed you," Michael said with his charming smile, making her and all the other ladies blush at his words.
"Y-Yeah, I've missed you too, but we'll spend more time together since we'll both go to the academy," Anne replied to him with anticipation in her voice.
"Why should I spend my time with you, Anne?" he asked her with a somewhat mischievous smile.
"What do you me-" but before she could finish her words, the announcer said.
"His Majesty the King, His Highness the crown prince, and Her Highness the second princess have arrived," he said loudly while using his sound affinity so that everyone in the room could hear him.