Ambient Mage

As we walked to the venue, with our clothes we saw multiple nobles, along with their families.

The ball was set to start soon.

The morning ceremony was finished and there was a 2 hour break in between the events.

I walked to Aurelila who was standing on her own in the garden.

"You look very pretty."

"Thank you, Viscount."

She laughed.

"You're very welcome, Princess Aurelia."

I bowed in a joking manner.

As I returned to my normal stance, I saw Aura's soured face.

"Sorry, sorry, I know you hate that joke."

"How are you going to make it up to me?"

"I have chocolate cake?"

"No, I want something else."

Oh, she wasn't bothered by my joke, she just wanted something from me.

Luckily, I was already thinking about how to cheer her up, after her mood darkened after the ceremony.

"Ohhhhh. I have exactly what you want."

I smiled at her.

She smiled at me.

And then I proceeded to turn around and grab Alea off of the ground and give her to Aura.

"There you go."

She grabbed Alea by her body letting her arms go over her hands.

Alea put her tongue out causing Aura to laugh.

I walked over to Aura's side.

"See, mood made right?"

"Not the mood I'd wanted, but an acceptable mood nonetheless."

"Yes, my lady. If I may so ask, would you be willing to accompany this mere knight to the ball?"

"Lucas. You are no mere knight."

"You are MY knight. A knight of the duchy and to top it all off, a bonafide noble."

"While my future title is higher than yours, your current title outranks mine."

"You have to act with the grace of a viscount. Even if you barely outrank me."

"When will you outrank me?"

"When I graduate technically, since I fully take over the ducal lady status, equivalent to a count."

"So you outrank all minor nobility simply by making it to a certain age?"

"Yes."

"Wow, that's truly a cheat code."

"A what?"

"Nothing."

"Lucas!"

Charlotte walked out in her white wine dress.

"Hey Charlotte."

I smiled and waved to her.

"I see you're talking to your new fiance?"

"Not yet. I need to be a count for that to happen."

"Have you decided on a last name for the imperial register?"

"No, not yet."

"What about you, have you got a date for the naming ceremony?"

"No, father has been busy."

"Well, I'm sure it'll be better than your sister's."

"Who? Revonia?"

"No, Ristonia."

"What's wrong with her name."

I leaned in to give Charlotte my two cents.

"It sounds like bastard."

"Well, that's certainly a reason."

"Muuu. Lucas, come here."

She grabbed my arm pouting.

"Sorry, sorry."

I rubbed her head.

I honestly didn't mean to keep sideswiping her.

"I heard my name?"

Aura dropped my arm and her pouty face.

The three of us straightened out as we saw her approach.

"Aurelia von Svarmet greets the second moon of the empire."

She curtsied.

"Greetings to elder sister."

"Knight Lucas presents before the second moon of the empire."

I bowed.

"No kneel huh?"

"That's okay. Anyways, drop the formalities. I want to know, have any of you seen Matty- I mean, Matthew?"

I'm sorry.

"I believe I saw him on the inner upper floor in the ballroom."

"I see, then I will depart."

With that the moving hurricane left us.

"Lucas how did you know where Matthew was?"

Aura asked placing her hands on her hips.

"I didn't."

"You mean you lied?"

Charlotte exclaimed.

"Well, I don't even know if he's even here to be honest."

"Lucas she will come after you for deceiving her."

"I can just say I 'thought' I 'saw' him, you know?"

"No you can't idiot."

Aura smacked the back of my head.

"I hope he is here though."

"It's only been a few weeks since we've seen each other but it's felt like years."

"That's gotta be how it feels for everyone."

I turned to Mark.

"It feels like I haven't seen you much either."

We hugged as I waved to the rest of the people following him.

"I feel like all of us here are the exact same people with a little change here and there."

"Shouldn't we have a name or something?"

"I vote 'The Boys'."

"No, there's ladies here too dumbass."

Mark's suggestion was easily suppressed by Celeste.

"Then do you have a suggestion Celeste?"

Charlotte asked.

"Yes, what about 'The Strongest'?"

"What about 'Jade Sword'?"

Aura interjected.

"Denied, and Aurelia stop reading those eastern fantasies."

"Sorry, Morgan."

"How about 'Survivors'?"

"No. Harry, that makes it seems like we get into deadly predicaments often."

"How about 'Hydra'?"

"That's a good suggestion, Rose."

"Hydra as in multiple heads right? Not a bad name."

"I have one, what about 'Universal Combat Group'?"

"Sister, absolutely not."

"Yeah, I'm going to agree with Armoria on this one here."

Michael added.

"What about 'Lucas' Caravan'?"

"Aisha, we're not even all apart of Lucas' teams."

"Sorry, Claudia, everyone."

Aisha shrunk back.

"Charlotte what do you think?"

"What about 'Engineered to Win'?"

"Oooh, that's not bad either."

Celeste nodded approvingly.

"What about 'Uprising'?"

An unexpected voice rang out to us.

"Lauren, that's amazing."

"Yeah, seriously."

We all clamored to give her, her due praise.

"Lucas!"

A very angry and terrified Matthew seemed to be running for me.

"Why did you tell that witch where I was?"

"I thought you weren't even coming?"

"I wasn't, Mother made me."

With this little discourse, the naming discussion ended.

"You could join our massive group, you'd blend in."

"No way, I want to go to my own friends."

Aura spoke up.

"Perfect, just join us until you spot them."

"I'm terribly sorry about my sister."

Charlotte apologized.

Before she could bow, I put my arm across her chest.

"Lucas?"

"Don't apologize, your sister is actually crazy."

"Yeah, Ris-"

"Shhhh."

"Hush."

"Shut up."

"Yeah, sorry my bad."

"Let's leave before she arrives, she definitely heard that."

With that we moved towards the entrance hall.

The ball was starting soon anyways.

As we walked in we separated a little, no reason to be so close, in such a large space.

We were all engaged in interesting conversations.

I walked over to my partner for the night.

"Charlotte?"

"Yes?"

She was talking with Morgan, Rose, and Aura.

"What are you four talking about?"

"Rotations."

"We're not in the dungeon anymore?"

"For dancing idiot."

"Rose, wouldn't it be better for you to dance with others for your company?"

"And Morgan, you have a partner with Harry don't you?"

"Actually Harry is with Aisha."

Oh, really?

"I see, then what about you Aurelia?"

"Well, it was supposed to be you, but thankfully I have one."

"Who?"

"Of course, it's-"

"It's me."

Armoria came around and swung her arm around Aura.

Interesting.

Not what was in front of me, but behind the ladies.

"Lucas, you are a viscount now, dancing with you brings multiple benfits to me."

"Really, and those are?"

"Well, first off, it shows off my good relationship with the newly minted Viscount."

"Second?"

"Well..."

Her face started to redden.

"Huh?"

Armoria and Morgan started to catch on.

Time to point it out I guess.

"Hey, isn't that interesting?"

I pointed to Claudia standing a few groups over in the entrance with us.

Everyone's heads turned to look at where I was pointing.

"That black dress really is something huh?"

Rose ever the merchant immediately started to evaluate.

"Look at how many are next to her."

Morgan went straight for the jugular.

"That's what at least 5 men?"

"Aura, you know men are weak to her 'personality' especially with that dress on."

The dress was stunning, at least visually.

It was black, with faint gold accents

"That's Michael."

"Oh my god it is."

"Recognize that one?"

"Is that the Ludwig person?"

"Indeed."

"Wow."

A bell rang out at the end of the hall.

"The emperor will announce the beginning of the ball."

"Welcome all, this ball today is to celebrate the heroes and survivors, to you the students of Atrevoir."

With that the champagne kicked off, and Aura was the first to find somewhere to sit.

I walked out of the entrance under the balcony, into the ballroom.

"Oops. Hehe."

A drink fell onto me, nearly missing Charlotte.

I looked up to see the person I think I might have despised the most at this point.

I moved up via self-contained wind magic, as to prevent being kicked out for magic casting and affecting other people.

"Andras, why?"

I asked.

Aura and the others dancing with me, also quickly picked up on my predicament along with Charlotte.

"I'm terribly sorry."

He said with a smile on his face.

"My Lotenheim family is willing to pay for the damages."

"Indeed, we are."

"My Iproline family will also help with reparations."

These two huh?

"The Kialean family will also help."

I turned to Charlotte, who shook her head.

I looked at Aura who did the same.

I looked at Rose who did seem to know who that was.

"The Kialean family is a Barony focused on agriculture, it seems they're targeting you because of me. Sorry."

"Don't be."

"Who are they?"

"They have one son and daughter here in the academy."

"The daughter is in our grade, the son is the one above, with Matthew."

"Sirs, aren't you worried about your children's graduation?"

Their eyes narrowed.

Count Lotenheim spoke first.

"What do you mean by that?"

"...."

After my silence, Marquis Iproline decided it was his turn.

"What is your intent in these words, boy?"

I again ignored the men.

The baron, however, did not care for such roundabout means.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Father? Lucas?"

A girl walked up to the baron.

As I had thought, Samara.

"I would be careful with those words, baron, lest you lose that title too."

Charlotte began her offensive.

"My apologies."

"Hello, Lucas- I mean Viscount Lucas... uh."

"Don't worry, my last name hasn't been chosen and entered yet."

"I greet the 4th moon of the empire."

"I greet her highness the ducal lady."

"Hello, Rose, and Morgan."

She bowed.

The faces of the men turned increasingly sour.

"Ladies."

I bowed to them as to excuse myself.

"I make no threats, but your actions here today will be taken into consideration."

With that I took to the bathroom, to clean my suit and change into a new one.

***

*Rose's Pov*

"Let's go, oh and Samara, you're welcome to join us."

"Samara."

Her father grabbed her arm trying to strongarm her to avoid us.

I looked at her, at turned and left.

The others joined me.

"Hey what do you think Lucas will change into?"

"I hope he changes into something more 'showy'."

Aura clearly had some hopes.

"I hope he wears something form fitting, preferably with his sides showing."

Clearly Charlotte did too."

"That would be nice."

What the hell just came out of my mouth.

"So those are your thoughts, huh girls?"

We all turned to Morgan.

"Just a little illusion magic."

"Morgan, what-wait, what do you mean?"

Clearly Morgan already expected to be asked about what she did to us.

"I simply made you guys hear another one of us saying something about Lucas' outfit, and you just responded."

"So, for everyone except for Rose, we know what you want for him to come out in, scandalous, really."

They all gathered around Morgan.

"Morgan."

They seemed quite angry.

"Don't you all want to know what Rose thinks?"

"Yeah it's not fair we said it, but not her.

"Wait but I didn't hear you, only Morgan heard what we all said."

"Morgan, give me the recording right now."

I told her, in not the nicest way.

"W-What do you m-mean?"

She brought her hands up to her shoulders, while blushing.

"As a merchant I know a thing or two about leverage."

"Cough it up, now."

Morgan the ever slippery mage, managed to get out.

"Okay girls, let's just say what we thought so that she can't hold it over us okay?"

"Okay that works for me."

Charlotte acquiesced.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Aurelia did too.

"Great, but how do we decide who goes first?"