"Would you dance with me?"
The hall fell into absolute silence.
Ed slowly lifted his gaze.
Standing before him was Vynesaa El'Leather, the Crown Princess of the Elven Kingdom, extending her hand toward him with a poised yet unreadable expression.
The moment felt surreal.
The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
Around them, the tension in the room escalated.
Gasps of disbelief. Disdainful scoffs.
Furious whispers.
"The Crown Princess... invited him?"
"A human? How disgraceful."
"She's ruining her image—just to play with some lowborn?"
But Vynesaa didn't acknowledge any of them.
She simply waited, her eyes locked onto his, as if daring him to decline.
Ed exhaled slowly.
He knew what would happen if he refused.
They'd say he was weak, a coward, that he didn't know his place.
If he accepted? It would make enemies. Powerful ones.
