After getting so many 9s, she’d definitely be capable of showcasing amazing skills that will cause dance gods to cry.

[T/N: ‘getting so many 9s’ as in maxing out the skill to 999/9999 ]

Dance was just the beginning.

If her dance skills had risen to the maximum level, she would also possess incredible magic and swordsmanship skills, so there wouldn’t be any problem when she had to confront Marquis Velks.

However, Heloise’s expectations collapsed in an instant the moment Sienna’s body began to sway.

“L—Like this?”

When Sienna moved accordingly to the steps of the dance she was originally bad at without music, her entire body creaked.

Heloise’s joyous face slowly turned expressionless.

On the contrary, Sienna’s expression became even brighter.

“Heloise! I think something has changed! For some reason I feel that way. How’s my dancing? I—It doesn’t seem to be that outstanding?”

“……”

Heloise didn’t respond.

She just stared at the location where the necklace had disappeared from Sienna’s neck, and gritted her teeth.

‘Right, things couldn’t have been settled so easily.’

Only the cheat had disappeared, and Sienna’s accursed dancing skills remained the same.

Though she has yet to check the status of the other stats, for some reason Heloise seemed to know without looking at it.

The current Sienna wasn’t the slightest bit different from her a few moments ago.

⋄────∘°❃°∘────⋄

Zenon’s probation was lifted. This occurred 15 days after Prince Astor’s birthday party.

“Prince Astor had misread the meaning behind Marquis Velks’ antsiness during the banquet.”

“Misread?”

“Apparently it’s because he sent Zenon a private tutor separately. It was a plan he came up with by himself. The mansion couldn’t be constantly locked up as the private tutor that the prince had personally ordered would enter and exit the place.”

Just as her father had said, the marquis’s probation order was rescinded and all the black armoured knights that stood in front of Langbert Mansion had disappeared.

Everything was finally returning back to the way it was previously.

Heloise had kept thinking about Zenon, who she hadn’t seen for almost half a month.

But her concern was easily washed away by the end of his probation, and a letter that came from Langbert Mansion.

The contents of the letter states that it was an invitation for the promising young aristocrats of aristocratic society that had served Lionerik to visit Langbert Mansion, in short, to convene Zenon’s playmates.

However, since it wasn’t an official party invitation, Heloise thought that it would be a light affair.

“Is the Young Lord throwing a party?”

The maid that was brushing Heloise’s hair asked carefully.

Heloise shook her head while she was reading the letter.

“No. It’s like a simple tea party.”

If he’s having a leisurely tea party, does that mean the situation is better than before?

Something might have changed if Prince Astor’s influence had been involved.

In any case, it’s good that Zenon had once again broken free from his uncle’s meddling.

Heloise responded with her willingness to be in attendance.

“Emma, the new tailor made yellow dress is ready, right?”

“Why of course, my lady. Are you going to wear that?”

“Mm. Please match the accessories to that outfit too.”

“Understood.”

Heloise smiled at Emma while giving a delighted answer, before thinking that she should order a new pair of shoes to wear on that day.

A few days later, the notified day from Langbert Mansion arrived.

Heloise had to dress up in a much flashier outfit than what she had worn the previous time she visited Langbert Mansion.

“Why in the world do you have to do this much?”

Just then, the maid that was painstakingly tying a ribbon, emphasised with blazing eyes.

“I heard that it’s a place where the other playmates would gather, right? I feel apologetic to say this to them, but our young lady is different from the other playmates.”

“I am?”

“Our young lady was the only one that could make steady visits to Langbert Mansion. But does it make sense if you’re shoved down by the other children due to your appearance? Today’s outcome is a matter of our pride!”

“It isn’t a competition…”

Heloise soon chuckled after letting out a sigh.

It was because despite her words, the maids that were adorning her looked very excited.

After she finished dressing up, she left home feeling burdened by her parent’s pride-filled gaze.

After the carriage reached Langbert Mansion, the emblems of the noble children who had arrived first could be spotted on their carriages.

She doesn’t know what kind of change Prince Astor’s birthday party has caused, but she could also spot the emblems of quite a few distinguished families.

Heloise got out of the carriage with slight nervousness.

“Oh! Miss Lorca, you’ve arrived.”

When Heloise got off the carriage, the butler greeted her with a welcoming look.

She could feel the gazes of the other boys and girls were gathering in this direction due to his visibly welcoming countenance.

She nodded at the butler, trying her best to veil her feelings.

“The Young Master has been looking forward to your arrival. Let’s make haste to the tea room.”

The spacious tea room, which she arrived at under the butler’s guidance, didn’t seem to just be a place for drinking tea, but seemed to also be a hybrid space where light games such as darts and chess could be played.

Perhaps because Heloise was one of the last few to arrive, many children were already seated and chatting or playing games together.

In between them, Heloise spotted Zenon, who was seated leisurely with an arm draped along the couch.

Explanations were spilling enthusiastically from the mouth of the boy on his right, while on his left was an extravagant looking girl with platinum hair, half of her smiling face covered with a fan.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have harassed the children with magic like he did on the first day they met, nor did he seem particularly sickly compared to usual.

‘I was worried that Zenon might have been punished because of me, but it’s a relief that he passed it successfully.’

Relieved, Heloise approached Zenon.

His dull blue-gray eyes surveyed his surroundings, before finally reaching Heloise.

“Zenon.”

Heloise waved her hand at him, who she hadn’t seen in a long while, and called out his name.

“……”

However, the butler’s words that he has been looking forward to her arrival for a long time was contradicted when he turned his gaze away indifferently.

‘What’s this?’

At first, Heloise was in a daze due to the puzzling atmosphere.

‘Didn’t you spot me?’

However, no matter how spacious this tea room is, no matter how many children there are, it wasn’t to the point where he would miss a new arrival.

Belatedly, Heloise realised that no one approached her immediate surroundings.

Everyone pretended to be conversing while taking furtive glances at Heloise.

At the ‘Youngster’s Gathering’, the children that approached Young Lord Lionerik for the sake of fostering closer ties would start to shun the target of the Young Lord’s sudden disregard.

Heloise was gripped with a very strange feeling.

It was as if she had returned to the day she first met Zenon.

Whether it was to scream while avoiding his mana as Zenon acted selfishly, or to chatter away by his side, the children of Lionerik’s vassals would only move after quick-wittedly sensing his mood.

In that case, did their current attitudes mean that she had somehow gone against Zenon’s mood?

Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask what was this about and why was he being like that.

“Ze…”

“Edgar, you’ve been chatting quite zealously. However, Zenon’s not interested.”

“But Jude…”

The pretty girl with platinum hair burst into laughter as she spoke, and a boy on the right named Edgar sounded sullen.

“Have you seen me speak incorrectly before? Zenon has always been like this ever since he was young.”

As she said that, the girl gave Heloise a glare.

She looked away as soon as their eyes made contact, so Heloise wasn’t sure, but it didn’t seem to be amicable.

Heloise strode up to Zenon in order to break this strange atmosphere.

She was standing right in front of him, but Zenon turned a blind eye to her.

Heloise frowned and asked with her arms folded.

“What’s the problem this time?”

Only then did Zenon’s gaze turn towards Heloise.

Heloise thought that it was merely him being cantankerous.

She planned on yelling at him if he had a defiant look in his eyes, but unexpectedly, Zenon’s face was emotionless.

“……”

The instant she flinched when there wasn’t any answer, the girl sitting on his left spoke to Heloise.

“Who are you?”

“What?”

“Who are you to start a conversation with Zenon?”

“Oh, I’m… Heloise.”

At that, a smile came from the girl.

“I see. So you’re Heloise.”

She only realised that the girl was asking about her category.

She wasn’t asking for her name.

She was asking for the family and background of Heloise, who treated Zenon recklessly.

Heloise’s face reddened and just as she was about to introduce herself again, Zenon opened his mouth first.

“She’s a vassal of mine.”

“Hm?”

“She’s the daughter of Viscount Lorca.”

“Ahh! Viscount Lorca. I know him.”

The girl beamed and gave off an even more easygoing atmosphere.

“Well, you should have told me that earlier. Nice to meet you. My name is Jude Wells.”

Heloise stared blankly at her, who held out the white hand that was used to fold her fan.

Heloise had also heard of the Marquis of Wells, unless there was some other aristocrat that was using Wells Castle.

Like Lionerik, Wells boasts a long history and is a representative military family that protected Ballide for generations.

“I’m a close childhood friend that have known Zenon for a long time.”

“…….”

It was her first time hearing about Zenon’s childhood friend.

However, the thought that it could be the case soon occurred to her

As the information she knew about was only limited to the characters of <Princess Sienna>, there wasn’t any way she wouldn’t have known anything about Zenon’s childhood.

With slightly curved eyes, Jude spoke to Zenon with a smile.

“But why is she here? Isn’t she too young to get along with us?”

“She’s just one of my vassals. The letters are sent to all playmates.”

When Zenon refuted apathetically, Jude nodded like she understood.

“I see. I asked because she looked like a child. I also have a lot of playmates in my house that continue to liaise without taking my intentions into consideration.”

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