21st Century Necromancer-Chapter 260 - 257: The Ball
The exquisite carriage, pulled by eight white horses adorned with black feathers, glided along the street lit by lamps, heading towards the castle from where faint music and laughter wafted, much like the pumpkin carriage carrying Cinderella to the prince’s banquet.
"It seems I’m missing a pair of glass slippers," Jounouchi Hiromi mused atop the carriage, feeling the slight vibrations from the carriage, and couldn’t help fantasizing she was the Cinderella from the fairy tale wearing glass slippers. However, the shoes she wore were not fairy-gifted glass slippers but a pair of high heels that matched her dress perfectly.
Seated in the carriage, Jounouchi Hiromi looked forward with some anticipation to the events about to unfold at the castle, carefully observing her fiery red evening gown, embroidered with patterns like flames using golden threads, adorned with diamonds, which set off against the red dress like real flames, instantly revealing the extraordinary value of the garment.
"It’s different from the last dress! Do evening gowns really only get worn once?" Recalling the information she once read in a book that mentioned how true noble ladies typically don’t wear the same evening gown twice, Jounouchi Hiromi marveled at the extravagance of the European nobility.
But now, it seemed she could also enjoy such a lifestyle! The thought instinctively popped into Jounouchi Hiromi’s mind.
If she were an ordinary person, she might feel a touch of envy and incomprehension towards such opulence, but the luxury and extravagance brought indescribable satisfaction and pleasure when one could enjoy this way of life.
For Jounouchi Hiromi, such a lifestyle had once been a distant dream, even though she had attained an unreachable height in her career and had a substantial income, she still couldn’t afford such level and degree of indulgence.
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Naturally, as she reveled in all of this, Jounouchi Hiromi also clearly understood that everything she was experiencing was brought to her by the man she loved, which made her even more certain of her initial choice.
The carriage advanced on the snow-cleared road, soon arriving at the castle gates.
Once the carriage came to a halt, the elderly butler respectfully opened the carriage door for her, making an inviting gesture.
Mimicking the so-called classical court etiquette she had learned, she placed her left hand on the extended hand of the elderly butler and descended from the carriage, Jounouchi Hiromi then raised her head to gaze at the castle, resplendent with light.
Although she had toured the place under Chen Yu’s guidance and gazed at the entire castle from afar before, at that time the castle had not been fully completed, and many areas were still bustling with clay dolls and robots, preventing Jounouchi Hiromi from fully experiencing the true essence of the castle.
This was her first time standing at the gates of the castle, feeling the grandeur and majesty of this edifice belonging to him, which allowed Jounouchi Hiromi to deeply sense the authority and majesty that the castle emanated.
The towering black stone building with its exquisite carvings and the pointed spires in a gothic style exuded dark and mysterious hues, compelling one to enter and explore its secrets. The surrounding Christmas-style decorations added a touch of warmth and cheerful holiday spirit to the darkness and mystery.
The solid and towering walls surrounded the main body of the castle, forming a courtyard that now boasted a Christmas tree seemingly taller than the nearby spire of the castle due to the festive season, decorated with ribbons and colorful lights, which intensified the Christmas atmosphere throughout the castle.
Guided by the elderly butler, Jounouchi Hiromi walked on the red carpet that stretched to the entrance of the castle. The heavy doors swung open at the pull of two armor-clad samurai bearing long halberds and cloaked in black capes, as the cheerful notes of a Christmas dance melody flew from the entrance, mingling with the warm air and instantly making one feel the festive cheer.
Upon entering the banquet hall, gold adornments and deep purple silk drapes decorated the entire hall. Velvet curtains covered the windows, seemingly to keep the winter’s day at bay, yet allowing the serene and white scenery outside to be admired through the glass, to the pleasure of the guests within.
Couples wearing masks gracefully danced together to the music played by the orchestra, while many onlookers stood by, as though it were indeed a bustling party.
"Beautiful lady, may I have this dance with you?" Seeing Jounouchi Hiromi’s arrival, Chen Yu, who had been waiting for a long time, approached her, raised her hand and kissed it gently before extending his invitation.
Jounouchi Hiromi naturally wouldn’t refuse Chen Yu’s invitation. Despite not being very familiar with this kind of dance, she stepped into the center of the hall under Chen Yu’s lead, moving her feet to the music.
"Mr. Chen Yu, who are all these people?" Wearing high heels that seemed to possess "Magic Power," Jounouchi Hiromi’s dance steps became light and nimble, making her seem like a highly skilled dancer, not at all awkward, allowing her to converse with Chen Yu while dancing, voicing her curiosity.
"They are just the backdrop for this party. You are the star tonight, so don’t mind them." Embracing Jounouchi Hiromi’s waist and dancing with her in the golden dance floor, Chen Yu’s lips brimmed with a smile. After a kneeling move, he asked Hiromi, who was reclining in his arms, "Do you like the party I prepared for you tonight, my princess?"
Rising from Chen Yu’s embrace, and spinning with the aid of his arm’s strength, letting her skirt flutter like flames, Jounouchi Hiromi smiled at him and said, "If I am a princess, you shouldn’t have started with Cinderella’s story. And you didn’t prepare just this party tonight, did you? I won’t be satisfied with that alone!"
Though she was very pleased with the party Chen Yu had prepared, she still hoped he had more surprises in store for her.
"The party is just a beginning. The evening’s program won’t disappoint you. I only hope you’re ready for the surprises," Chen Yu whispered in Jounouchi Hiromi’s ear while pulling her close in the rhythm of the dance, "For now, let’s enjoy the party together!"
As the music continued, Jounouchi Hiromi and Chen Yu danced on, surrounded by the crowd of onlookers, as if they truly were the leads in this grand celebration.
When the midnight chimes struck, fireworks burst into the sky outside, and it was then that Chen Yu wrapped his arms around Jounouchi Hiromi’s slender waist and whispered to her softly, "Merry Christmas."