At first I did not notice anything special, just rich people with lots of jewelry, but gradually more and more guests arrived and it became more interesting. The first to catch my eye was a lady in a delicate blue dress, accompanied by a man who was talking to Ludovic and Lucy (the woman kept looking attentively at the crowd, but I kept a careful, mysterious distance).
So this lady had an interesting fan with metal plates, and her beau had daggers on his forearms, and his cane might hold surprises. The more time passed, the more guests arrived, the more interesting I became. Spare staffs, artifacts, hidden weapons, even exotic ones.
Ninety percent of the men arrived with canes, and each of them had at least one knife/dagger, while stilettos were harder to hide. The most interesting thing I could see was a metal belt studded with stones. Everything would be fine, but it was too characteristically strong joints of plates, and the dress had a very unusual cut of the skirt and corset, a kind of sheath, where the lower part of the belt is inserted. I am not talking about the wide buckle of the belt itself, just under the palm of the owner's hand.
Such a wide range of weapons lifted my spirits. I smiled, especially when I saw the surprised faces of those who, like me, were looking for weapons on the others. I wouldn't say I was too original, for I had seen characteristic signs of enchantment on the gloves and bracelets of other guests. But I, unlike the others, had paired bracelets. Thin gold and silver rings on my wrists, with a "tongue" on the inside of the palm, with a flat crystal.
I have a Nodachi bracelet on my left and a Wakizashi on my right. When I bring one hand to the other and "grasp" while my fingers are still clenched, a bare blade comes out of the bracelet like a scabbard. The first bunches of iaijutsu, one each for the long and short blades, I had time to memorize and practice.
It takes me a moment to make the first swing and begin a series of four movements. Seals, traditionally, in both sleeves. I didn't even think about stilettos until tonight, but I have a few bombs with powder dust of paralytic and sleep potions. Or did someone think I'd completely relaxed and forgotten my lessons?
— There you are! — I was grabbed tightly under the elbow and held back with my other arm. — Stop hiding, — I sneaked away with him, smiling evasively. — I want you to meet my friends.
— Dunois-san, you can be indiscreet. — I say calmly, keeping my face in check. — Unexpected attacks can lead to unwarranted aggression. With all due respect.
— Stop it, — the guy waved his stick nonchalantly. — You don't even carry a dagger, what are you talking about?!
In response to his words, I caught his gaze and noticed that we were being noticed. A slight movement of my index and middle fingers, and in the same instant, I grabbed the dull gray shuriken. A few seconds for Paul to get the hang of it, another movement, and the shuriken disappeared.
— That's clever! — The guy smiled broadly, as did some of the others watching us. — Sleeves? Gloves?
— The second. — I nod respectfully, though my lips quiver. — Did I put you at ease, Dunois-san?
— Stop it! — The guy lets go of my elbow. — What's the second one? — Meeting my squint, he replied hastily, because he was really interested. — Just so you know, in high society it is customary to know how to defend oneself, and the presence of concealed weapons to knowledgeable people demonstrates diligence and ability to stand up for oneself and one's companion, family. It's important to us.
I nod in response. I raise my left palm to eye level, metal claws already curved in animal-like fashion protruding from it. I raise the other palm, fingers in a lock, and pull it away to reveal the titanium strings. A second, and I'm back in my usual goatskin gloves with silver embroidery on the backs of my hands.
— Yes, — the boy clucked his tongue. — So mom wasn't wrong: you're a pureblood, and apparently a clan one at that. — Paul said quietly so no one else could hear. — Why are you pretending?
— I'm not. — I shrug. — I am what I look like.
— I've already figured that out. — The guy nodded and smiled at a young woman. — Why didn't you tell me you were Clan?
— Why should I? What does it change? It's just me and my mother, no lands, no riches, even the library is destroyed.
— And the Clan Stone? — Paul gave me a sharp look.
— Destroyed. — I answered calmly, noticing the barely suppressed shock. — So my clannishness is just an unnecessary problem when looking for a new place to live. A name is just a sound, unless there are serious forces behind it. So why make a big deal out of it, right?
— You're not quite right. — It's tense.
— Well, I agree with you. — I chuckle. — If my name is mentioned in my homeland, some of the mages will decide to kill me, and some of them will capture me and make me a vassal or a slave by force, depending on how lucky they are. Have you ever heard of the Hoshino Clan? — The boy shook his head negatively and smiled again. — That's what I mean: the name doesn't mean anything here, and I'm no different from a normal magician.
— Except for the gifts. — He replied quietly, almost without moving his lips, and continued as normal. — Young rich families would be happy to give up their fortunes to have you. You can claim that you want to found your clan here in France.
— First of all, I don't want to join someone else's family, I'm already rich enough, and I can get richer. Second, I don't need the help of the royal family to found my family, but I will be free.
Yes, in France the royal family survived the revolution because they turned out to be magicians. When the time was right, they simply transformed into other people and executed their own revolutionaries with spells and potions. Today, the royal family takes the place of first among equals, playing the role of idols, fashionistas, and role models for the common people.
— All right, let's leave this topic, there are my friends .....
We arrived at the farthest hall, where most of the children and teenagers were gathered.