"Firstly, I apologise for the sudden invitation and extend my thanks for your attendance."
Fria's ears pricked up, "Hear that? That sly uncle of ours! He arranged all this in a hurry, and how he claimed he had informed father and mother!"
Enix gulped staring at the crowd around him. They were right besides the Duke attending to his guests... he wasn't initially invited to join them, in fact, only Fria and Mirra were to come on stage, but he too was now basking in the spotlight due to Fria refusing to let his sleeve go.
But what amazed him further was that despite being in the light... he was still being passed as air.
He doubted that if he left, anybody beside Fria would even notice. 'I have really grown to lack prescene, haven't I? It wasn't as though Fero was very popular either, but he could at least be present.'
"And now, the reason I have summonded you all here for!" Both of his hands motioned down to his sides, to Fria and Mirra, hugging his legs, "To celebrate and officially announce the engagement of my beloved daughter, Mirra, with my charming nephew, Fria!"
The glasses raised high in union and praises burst forth.
Soon, the guests barged over and those who had heard of Fria began to grumble under envy.
Ululus accepted all of it while lionizing her further and guffawing at their jealousy.
But Fria could hardly swallow any of it, so when the crowd stirred and made way as some celebrity arrived. She found way and escaped alongside Enix.
"That's tedious!" Fria cried out, "Why do we have to suffer all of this? I wish father and mother were here, in fact... I bet they would be fuming when they find this ruse out." Her brows curved down, "Maybe I can use this as leverage to break off the engagement? ...But no," Her head shook, "I doubt uncle is so dumb to have missed this. He must have some kind of edge, right Enix? ...Enix?"
"Uh, yes?" Enix's eyes snapped awake, and he slowly turned toward her.
"What were you staring at?" Fria frowned and turned toward where he was lost, "That girl?"
"Yes..." Enix gulped and Fria questioned with squeezed brows, "What about her?"
"Well... her lone prescene had humbled the whole crowd," Enix scratched his cheek awkwardly, "I was just curious..."
"She was alone? And they gave her such respect?" The girl printed deeply into Fria's squinted eyes.
She had shoulder length jet black hair, wearing a beautiful red frock, she looked to be just about 10.
Fria found herself lost in her thick and smooth beautiful eyebrows. Her sharp nose cut deep in her heart and her supple pink lips seemed to whisper to the air.
"Elegant... and beautiful." Fria bit her lips. "She's so pretty!" Enix silently nodded along.
The two quietly watched her humbly interact with the Duke and his family and other guests before a guard rushed toward them.
"Young master Fria! We looked all around for you! The Duke requested that you may greet the princess! Please, hurry along!" Without waiting for her reply, the guard held her up and zoomed off, uncaring of consequences.
"Princess? She's... the princess?" Enix's head leaned sideways.
It was when he saw Fria greeting her that he realized he was left alone and a chill causing his teeth to clatter bolted up his spine.
The towering crowd around him, going on and chatting busily, clinking their glasses whike throwing around their cheap smiles, bloated in his sight.
Unknowingly his feet began to scuttle back, and the gentle shivers of his hand spilled away their warmth. His breath swelled along with the clouds in his sight.
But, abruptly, like a song disconnecting right in the midst of the chorus, the eerie ringing in his head cooled suddenly with a gentle kick given to him by a collision from the back.
Hmm, a wall? But why did it feel... soft?
His head twitched back and quivered at the two eyes looking down on him.
"Oye! Are you not going to apologise for bumping into the third son of Marquess Acort?"
Another boy popped into his sight from the side, carrying a pair of scowling brows and haughty grin.
"Who is this begger anyways? Sheesh, he looks so nasty!" Another sauntered in while waving his hand in front of his disgusted face.
"Calm down you two, you are ruining my image." The fatty boy smirked and stepped over, he was two heads taller than Enix, but he still held his chin high into the ceiling.
"Look, he's so nasty. But still, we should ask him which begger he belongs too. Right? You want our help to find your mommy right? Come on, tell us your name and your papa's name." He grinned and squatted in front of him.
Enix's heart fluttered, 'What the heck's happening? What are these butterflies in my stomach?'
Something inside him compelled him to raise his hand and grip the fatty's collar. But when his hand appeared in his sight, it stopped, and he quietly withdrew it as the image of it trembling burned into his eyes.
'Why? Why?? What's happening? W-Why am I afraid? What are these chills? What's this ringing? Fero wasn't... I wasn't the type to be intimidated!' As the fatty tromped closer, Enix stumbled to his butt and clumsily pulled himself away. His eyes refusing to budge from the smirk ornamented on his oppressor's face.
"Hey! Are you perhaps messing with my brother?" A chilly voice soothed the mischievous fire inside the fatty.
And his cocky, questioning cry quickly dried as he saw the boy being introduced earlier on the stage now standing in front of him.
"W-What are you saying? I was just helping him!" The fatty grumbled and turned away, finding something odd and, honestly, frightening within Fria's eyes.
"Is everything fine, Enix? Did they try something funny?" Fria supported him to his feet and brushed his clothes.
"N-No." Enix quickly shook his head; dumbly staring at her hands working away at him. As he stared at her tensed face, his cowering warmth once again spread and eased his senses. "Thank you."
Fria paused, and showing a twitching smile, gazed into his eyes, "What did you say?"
"Seriously," His eyes stung, "Thank you for caring so much about me. Thank you for always protecting me."
"...Hey!" Fria gently fisted into his chest, "You are precious."
Enix's teeth clamped down on his lip, and he nodded while flashing his back.
Fria smiled and quietly leaned against him.
After a while, when Enix was brooding and losing his mind over his lack of guts and a few noblemen came over to ask of their parents, his wandering eyes fell to a corner. A corner occupied by an elegant girl wearing a red frock.
As she gently twirled the juice in her hands, her curious eyes began to awkwardly pace back and forth after being caught staring. She gulped and quickly engaged in a conversation with her butler, still sneaking glances from time to time.
Enix suddenly felt conscious of his appearance for the first time in his reincarnation.
Right after, his shirt tugged back, and Fria whispered in his ear, "Let's ditch this place... I don't like the atmosphere."