He was actually here too... Seeing Luosaier secretly greet her, Xialuote was surprised at first, but quickly understood. The ball hosted by Viscount Deliluose had invited most of the eligible, unmarried young noblemen and noblewomen in the city so they could become familiar with the local social circle. Baron Gusitafu's family was naturally among the invitees.
Of course, tonight's ball had not been held solely for Xialuote, who had just come of age.
If it were a dedicated coming-of-age ceremony, Baron Suolun would have had to host it himself, receiving guests at his own residence. Unfortunately, the parlor of that old house could not accommodate many people, and the family's financial resources could hardly bear the expenses of a large ball.
Under such circumstances, choosing to attend a ball held by a higher-ranking noble and using it to make her formal debut was a far more respectable approach. Viscount Deliluose had a spacious residence, frequently hosted large balls, and maintained good relations with Lawuer, making it the ideal choice.
Father really went to great pains to save money, but having just received a full thousand gold louis, I have no right to complain... Xialuote murmured to herself, only to find that she had already been led before Lai'ang Gusitafu and his family.
"Good evening, Lawuer. Happy birthday, Xialuote," Baron Lai'ang stepped forward to greet them, then shifted slightly to one side. "My wife, Ailinuo, has just returned from our fief. It must have been quite a while since you last saw her."
In truth, I haven't seen Luosaier's mother once since transmigrating into this body... Returning the courtesy, Xialuote looked at the lady beside the baron and found only a vague impression of her in her memories.
Ailinuo Gusitafu looked to be around forty, wearing a dark green gown with pearl jewelry adorning her neck and wrists. Her features could not be considered exceptionally striking, but she was well-preserved, and a faint smile rested perpetually on her face.
As far as Xialuote knew, Baron Lai'ang's wife did not come from nobility; rather, she was the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant in Suxite. Her marriage to Baron Gusitafu was a classic alliance between nobility and wealth: the former gained much-needed capital and steady business income, while the latter used noble status to enter social circles that would otherwise have been out of reach, allowing their descendants to shed commoner status entirely and inherit both title and estates.
Now that commerce was flourishing and wealth was no longer monopolized by nobility, such marriages were growing increasingly common. Conversely, a noble lady marrying a commoner man was still regarded as proof of a family's decline, forcing them into a downward alliance.
This reminded Xialuote of the casual joke she had made about a "dowry." If she ever truly overcame her psychological hurdles and decided to marry someone, her father would never permit her to choose a commoner. Otherwise, even if Xialuote still inherited the title of Baron Suolun, she would face long-term disdain within high-society circles.
Of course, it is utterly impossible for me to marry—at least, I have no such plans right now... Emphasizing this in her heart, she let her gaze brush past Luosaier's face and politely curtsied to Ailinuo.
"Pleasure to meet you, Madam Ailinuo."
"Happy birthday, Miss Xialuote," Ailinuo smiled, looking her over. "Luosaier mentions you often. He says you've been a great help with that newspaper he's planning to publish."
Why does that sound like a parent who's already looked into things beforehand... A twinge of vigilance arose in Xialuote's heart. She glanced at her father, who was chatting with Baron Lai'ang, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he had no reaction.
Before long, several young noblewomen around her age arrived one after another.
The first to step forward and congratulate her was Viscount Deliluose's younger daughter, the host's child. Having come of age not long ago, she wore the black hair common among Yindisi nobles neatly braided in the upper section and pinned behind her head, while the rest cascaded down to her waist, appearing light and graceful. She wore a richly adorned, high-waisted gown that cinched tightly beneath her bust, clearly meant to give her figure a more elongated silhouette. Yet her eyes kept drifting toward Xialuote's square neckline, and the smile on her face seemed faintly strained.
You're already very pretty; there's really no need to compare yourself in that department... Keenly catching the envy in the other girl's eyes, Xialuote found it somewhat amusing.
Fortunately, the young lady quickly averted her gaze and offered a warm reminder:
"Miss Suolun, quite a few gentlemen will want to ask you to dance tonight. If you encounter someone you don't care for, you can simply say you're a bit fatigued and unable to accept for the moment. They'll understand."
"Thank you, I will keep that in mind."
Xialuote nodded, her favorable impression of the young lady growing.
Beside her stood another girl with shoulder-length, pale blonde hair and emerald-green eyes, possessing delicate features and fair skin that suggested some Luen Kingdom heritage.
"Madi'erda Abei'er," Dailiya whispered from behind.
So she's Viscount Abei'er's daughter... Xialuote instantly recalled using her identity during the capture of Zhuli'an. A guilty pang of an impostor meeting the real person washed over her, making her greeting unconsciously a touch warmer.
"Miss Abei'er, I have long heard of your beauty. It is an honor to meet you today."
Madi'erda was noticeably surprised by such warmth, and an even more genuine smile quickly spread across her face.
"I have heard my father mention Miss Suolun as well. He said you've done several very interesting things lately."
Does he mean slipping into the woods at the hunting ground, or frequenting Saint Luoke Cathedral... Not daring to probe deeper, Xialuote could only smile and steer the conversation toward dresses and the shifting fashions of Telier, soon chatting comfortably with her peers.
Before long, all the guests had arrived. The master of the estate, Viscount Deliluose, announced the formal start of the evening's ball, while the Viscountess invited Xialuote to her side to officially introduce the newly of-age noble lady who was joining Suxite's upper-class social circle.
With dozens of eyes fixed on her at once, even Xialuote, who had consumed the Arbiter potion, felt her smile stiffen slightly. Not daring to use her Deterrence ability to make everyone bow their heads like tamed hounds, she could only follow Dailiya's training from recent days, lifting her skirts slightly to curtsy to the guests in the hall and receive their applause.
When the brief introductions ended, musicians from the Suxite Grand Theater struck up a lively dance tune. As hosts, the Viscount and his wife took the floor first in the center of the hall, dancing the opening number under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
Meanwhile, the young noblemen seated around the room began looking over the gathering, seeking partners for a dance.
Xialuote noticed several men looking her way simultaneously, their expressions eager. Luosaier seemed to hesitate for a moment before rising to his feet with resolve, but before he could walk over, a young man standing closer beat him to it, stepping up before Xialuote.
He inquired softly of Lawuer and Dailiya. Only upon receiving their consent did he bow slightly to Xialuote and extend his white-gloved right hand.
"Miss Suolun, may I have the honor of this dance?"
Xialuote did not know him, vaguely recalling from Lawuer's earlier introductions only that he was the second son of a certain baron. However, her first dance of the evening was part of her debut; so long as the gentleman's identity and conduct were proper, refusing without reason would appear discourteous. She therefore nodded and lightly laid two fingers in his palm.
"Of course."
As the next piece began, the two stepped into the center of the hall and performed a sprightly minuet. The young man clearly understood that he had merely seized a high-profile opportunity; his movements carried more of a display for the onlookers than any expression of intimacy toward his partner. With the help of her intensive training over the past few days, her memories, and the physical enhancements granted by the potion, Xialuote kept pace with his rhythm smoothly.
When the dance concluded, the young man escorted her back to her seat and politely took his leave. Someone else tried to approach immediately after, but Dailiya turned him away on the grounds that Xialuote had just come of age and should not dance repeatedly without pause.
Xialuote was genuinely pleased with this. Aside from that single obligatory dance, she didn't want to dance another. Yet when her peripheral vision caught Luosaier glancing over from his corner every so often, she laughed inwardly.
After weathering several rounds of pleasantries, Xialuote used the excuse of needing fresh air to slip away from the brightly lit ballroom with its heavy scent of perfume, stepping out onto an open-air balcony connected to the side hall.
The night air carried a cool breeze, dispersing the warmth brought on by dancing and her fitted gown. Leaning against the stone balustrade, she looked toward the main hall and noticed several noble couples who had just danced together slipping out through different exits, whether to catch the breeze on other balconies or to rest in the drawing rooms reserved for guests.
Thinking of the man and woman she had stumbled upon in the hunting ground's woods, Xialuote suddenly felt they might not simply be going to rest.
The itinerary of the ball includes quite a long stretch of 'free time.' I wonder if it's meant for that sort of thing... Ah, we Yindisi people... Silently lampooning her compatriots, she suddenly heard approaching footsteps.
"Good evening, Xialuote."
Luosaier had come out to the balcony as well. He glanced left and right first, and seeing no one around except Madam Dailiya standing not far off and watching attentively, he offered a nervous smile. From inside his waistcoat, he drew out a small stack of folded sheets and carefully spread them across the balustrade.
"What is this?"
Xialuote asked reflexively. By the light from the ballroom, she looked at the unfolded sheets, which were far larger than an ordinary book, and immediately recognized the bold line of text at the top:
Suxite Weekly.
"Happy birthday," Luosaier said proudly, standing beside her. "This is a gift I prepared for you."
A gift... No wonder his expression was so odd that day when he heard it was my birthday and that I'd be attending a ball... Xialuote felt a touch of surprise, but far more joy—joy that the collaboration between them over the past month had finally borne fruit.
She picked up the paper to examine it. She quickly noted that the sheets were light and thin, yet the ink printed on both sides had neither bled through nor smudged from folding and friction. The edges of the small type were crisp, complemented by several simple illustrations. The original equipment at the Gelin family's printing plant could never have achieved such quality; it was clearly the handiwork of a newly minted Savant's modifications.
Seeing her holding the paper in silence, Luosaier continued his explanation from the side:
"This is just a trial print. Once all the content is ready, we can officially begin printing. The Craftsman Church provided some help, but the most important improvements..."
Here, he puffed out his chest.
"...are all from my own designs."
Much as I always want to tease him, producing a newspaper with nearly every process overhauled in such a short time really wouldn't have been possible without Luosaier... Xialuote murmured inwardly. Just as she was about to begrudgingly offer him some praise, a rustling noise suddenly rose from deep within the garden beneath the balcony.
The two exchanged a look, both struck by an uncanny sense of familiarity. Looking down into the garden, they saw a young noble lady holding her skirt as she slipped behind a hedge, followed closely by a young man who did not forget to look back and check for onlookers.
The foliage swayed several times, and the two figures quickly vanished into the darkness.
Xialuote felt a slight heat rise in her face. Her gaze shifted back to the newspaper in her hands, but her ears pricked up quietly, trying to catch any further sounds from below. Luosaier also appeared somewhat awkward and cleared his throat.
"It doesn't seem very suitable to keep discussing business here. Let's head back to the ballroom first."
With that, he prepared to turn and leave, but Xialuote suddenly recalled the dance invitation someone else had snatched away earlier. The corners of her mouth couldn't help curving upward.
"Wait a moment," she called out to Luosaier, feigning nonchalance. "Tonight... I can still dance one more."
Luosaier froze on the spot.
Chapter 47