[Ding!]
[Body Synchronization Rate: 100%]
[Your soul power has increased.]
[Your mental power has increased.]
[Your strength has increased to the Tertiary Knight.]
Ian suddenly heard the prompt from the system, followed by a surge of energy coursing throughout his body. His realm directly increased to the peak of Tertiary Knight from Secondary Knight; only one step away from the High Knight realm.
"You... Your realm increased?" Lyra looked at him incredulously. How could it be so easy to increase the realm of a Knight?
"Haha, it must be that I feel relieved after pouring everything on my mind to you," Ian laughed.
Lyra looked at his smiling figure and was in a daze for a while. She saw the shadow of her childhood friend who used to laugh and play with her.
She didn't know why, but he seemed different and more charming. She hurriedly turned her head away from his face and looked towards the moon, trying hard to control her heartbeat.
---
[Ding!]
[Lyra's favorability increased by 40.]
[Current Favorability: 80 (Strong Crush).]
[Congratulations! You have received an Eclipse Pill.]
---
Ian was stunned for a moment. Although he knew that he would gain favorability from Lyra, he never thought it would increase by 40 points directly.
'It seems my predecessors messed up big time,' he thought. Clearly, there was an emotional foundation between them; otherwise, how could this be possible?
Ian then focused on the reward and checked the pill's description.
---
[Eclipse Pill: An experimental product created by a wizard that allows a Tertiary Knight to advance to the High Knight realm without any side effects, regardless of their breathing method.]
---
'Damn! There is such a pill?'
Just as he was getting excited, he heard Lyra's soft voice from the side.
"You don't need to lower yourself, you know. You were indeed annoying and a pushover, but you weren't that hateful," she said, her face flushed.
As for his confession, she didn't have the courage to voice her thoughts as he did. She was already flustered enough by him.
Ian reined his excitement, looked at her fidgeting figure, and gently said,
"Thank you!"
He didn't want to pressure her too much. After all, she was a human being and not a character in a novel. Since he had transmigrated into this novel, he simply didn't want to leave any regrets.
"Let's go inside. They might be waiting for us. My father will scold me for no reason otherwise."
"Okay."
Lyra wasn't able to look at him yet but still followed him inside.
Just as they entered the venue, they saw their parents talking with wine in their hands. Ian and Lyra quickly navigated through everyone and arrived at their location.
"See? Didn't I tell you? This brat was following Lyra."
Sure enough, his dad didn't miss the opportunity to chide him.
Lyra, on the other hand, tried her best to suppress her laughter, while Sylvia and Aunt Margaret actively avoided his gaze.
Everyone noticed her genuine smile and felt something was off about the atmosphere, but they didn't pay too much attention.
"So, is it time for the decree?" Ian asked, diverting the topic away from himself.
After the usual party, the Third Prince would declare the Emperor's decree and divide the pioneering quota.
"Not yet. There's still the court dance."
As Eldric spoke, the lights dimmed considerably throughout the venue, and soft classical music began to play in the background.
The people conversing in the center quietly stepped aside, creating a circular dance floor while multiple couples began to dance to the soft music.
In no time, Ian saw many couples, young and old, dancing in rhythm.
"Shall we?"
His father, Eldric, didn't let this opportunity slip by and quickly bowed gracefully with his hand extended.
The same was true for Duke Alex. They were nobility, and they had learned proper etiquette from childhood.
Ian looked at the figures of his parents and in-laws drifting away with the music and then turned to Lyra.
Suddenly, their eyes met as Lyra was also looking directly at him. Before Lyra could shy away, Ian bowed gracefully like his father and asked,
"Shall we?"
If it had been before his confession, Lyra wouldn't have accepted his offer. In fact, both Sylvia and Margaret thought so.
However, contrary to their belief, Lyra placed her jade hand on Ian's without complaint, her face slightly blushing.
Ian stood, softly placed his arm around her waist, and led her to the dance floor, leaving behind the dumbfounded girls.
"Damn! She lied to me," Margaret suddenly heard a soft, almost inaudible voice from her side.
She saw Sylvia staring at the couple with a red face and a stressed expression.
When Margaret recalled Ian's earlier words, she was momentarily confused.
'Sigh! What a mess.'
---
"Where are you touching?"
Lyra scolded Ian in a low voice, gnashing her teeth. This guy was too hateful.
"Haha, sorry. My hand slipped," Ian laughed, adjusting his hand back to her waist and continuing the dance.
"So, what do you think of me?" he teased, not forgetting to provoke her.
"Idiot! Stupid! Bully!"
Lyra scolded him with every bad word she knew and leaned her face into his shoulder. She didn't want to see the shameless look on his face.
However, she didn't realize that her action gave Ian a direct view of her neck. With her hair tied, her fair neck was exposed, and as she leaned into his shoulder, it caught his attention.
Ian lowered his face near her hair and gazed at her fair neck adorned with an emerald necklace. The swinging long earrings only added to its appeal.
Ian was enamored as he felt her soft, voluptuous body clad in a purple gown pressed against his own, swaying with the rhythm. The gentle music in the background only deepened the allure.
Unable to resist, he leaned forward and kissed her fair neck affectionately.