Chapter 164: The Edge

At the edge of the venue, Luc was currently conversing with an elf noble.

She didn’t want to stir up trouble… but at a social ball like this, staying completely silent from start to finish was simply impossible.

“The Shadow Forest Domain has signed many contracts with humans in recent years, hasn’t it? I heard that the United Marshlands have been vying for development rights to the vast swamp forest zone there… Miss Grier, are you listening?”

“Ah, I apologize. I seem to have been a bit distracted. Please forgive me.”

Noticing the puzzled expression on the young nobleman’s face before her, Luc redirected her gaze, which had been wandering to keep an eye on the Hero’s Daughter, back to him.

Earlier, this young nobleman had seen her alone in a corner of the ballroom and approached to strike up a conversation.

After introducing herself, Luc maintained a polite and appropriate smile as she dealt with this conversation she hadn’t wished for.

Their topics revolved around the products of the forest domains, collaborative development projects with humans, or pleasantries related to their respective family backgrounds—these covered a wide range, but keeping up with them wasn’t difficult for Luc, given her educational background in the Human Realm.

Drawing on the knowledge she’d acquired from the top-ranked Nolan Royal Academy, she could rattle off the products of various forest domains in the Elf Tree Sea like she was reciting from a list.

As for the background details for her false identity, which the tuxedo-clad Shadow Demon youth had briefed her on earlier, she had them memorized in no time.

As for the forest development matters she couldn’t possibly know about… she put on an air of being tight-lipped.

The youth, seeing her evasiveness, assumed he’d asked about sensitive topics and shifted the subject, allowing her to slip through.

But why was Luc alone at the edge of the venue?

“Would you care to dance with me? Though this is our first meeting… I feel there’s something familiar about you, Miss Selene.”

“Th-thank you for the invitation. But I’m not in the mood to dance right now…”

It turned out that not far away, Selene was being pestered by a middle-aged nobleman in well-tailored clothes with a frivolous demeanor.

“Don’t be so cold. In all these years, I’ve never felt this way about a girl your age. Let’s get to know each other better through the dance, shall we?”

“No, you’re really making me uncomfortable here…”

This elf nobleman poured out syrupy words at her, using a strangely captivating gaze to try and change Selene’s mind… but his efforts were meaningless to Selene, who only cared about the movements of the Hero’s Daughter at that moment.

What the hell is this guy’s problem! Normally, when a lady refuses this firmly, he should back off, right?

Selene struggled with him using the smallest possible movements and sounds… She could, of course, throw off this man by showing anger or screaming, but that would also draw the attention of the Hero’s Daughter and everyone else.

Just as she was desperately trying to break free, she caught a glimpse in her peripheral vision of the Hero’s Daughter and her attendant, who was holding a magic detection device, walking straight toward Luc.

This is bad!

Earlier, she’d seen the Hero’s Daughter with that attendant chatting up guests all over the place… but most of them only got a few pleasantries before she moved on to the next person.

Selene was certain she was using this method to screen all the guests in the ballroom… but how did she know that she and Luc would be attending this ball?

Even we didn’t know we were coming until we were taken to the changing room! And only that tuxedo guy should have known—

Could it be that some servant or guard we ran into on the way recognized us… or did the tuxedo guy himself leak it?

As soon as these thoughts crossed her mind, Selene dismissed them.

First, there was no way the Hero’s Daughter would cooperate with a Shadow Demon.

Second, if their presence had been exposed, she’d surely have come charging over with bloodshot eyes by now…

Putting it all together, Selene reached a conclusion—the Hero’s Daughter didn’t know she and Luc were here.

She’d brought the detector to find other demons… it was just sheer bad luck that they’d come to meet the guide and crossed paths with her.

Selene didn’t know how close her guess was to the truth… She only knew that whoever the Hero’s Daughter was looking for, she was about to get a pleasant surprise—once that device got close enough, both she and Luc would be caught red-handed!

Selene wanted to find the tuxedo-clad youth for help, but after the first dance ended, he’d disappeared with his champagne tray to some other part of the ballroom.

So they could only avoid Milin while trying to split up and find him in the crowd… but before they spotted him, they got tangled up with other guests and ended up in this mess.

At this rate, the Hero’s Daughter was going to run into Luc. Selene wanted to stop it… but the man in front of her was stuck to her like glue.

“Excuse me! I just remembered something important—”

“In a ball, what’s more important than dancing and wine?”

She was momentarily held back by this man’s persistence, so she could only signal a warning to Luc with her eyes from a distance.

But Luc’s attention had just turned back to the person she was talking to, so she didn’t see the warning right away—

“Excuse me. Were you two just discussing the forestry development in the Shadow Forest Domain? Could you tell me more about it in detail?”

The voice beside her made Luc turn her head reflexively.

Damn… when did she get this close?

Her heart cursed the situation, and she scolded herself for her carelessness… because standing before her, interrupting the conversation, was the very human girl she despised. Milin Klauschel, the Hero’s Daughter.

Calm down, calm down. I’m in my elf mimicry now… there’s no way she can see through it.

But at the same time, she noticed the magic detection device in the hand of the elf attendant following Milin.

The attendant raised it with a natural motion, as if it were just a noble’s monocle.

She instinctively stepped back… then forced herself to steady, bowing her head to Milin.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Grier Rickwood. I’m not in charge of this area in my family, so I may not be able to give you a satisfactory answer—”

“You’re the New Hero, miss… a pleasure to meet you! I apologize for not greeting you earlier. I am—”

The young nobleman talking with Luc was startled by Milin’s interruption.

But he was clearly delighted, showing a shy smile and introducing himself to Milin with admiration in his eyes.

Milin exchanged pleasantries with him. Meanwhile, the attendant with the device quietly turned it toward Luc.

This is it…!

That was the shared thought of both Luc and Selene, who was watching from afar.

Based on their experience at the city gate, Luc was definitely within the device’s detection range—

“I’m glad to meet you too, Viscount. I hope to invite you to Cyrus someday.”

Both demons’ hearts were in their throats… but until Milin finished her talk with the young viscount, the magic stone on the device remained unchanged.

What’s going on?

Luc was a bit bewildered… but she quickly thought of the most likely explanation:

The “Anti-Magic Silver” necklace she’d worn since the Northland was still around her neck. It had sealed all her magic, making her almost indistinguishable from a human.

That was probably why the magic detection device hadn’t triggered.

Her hand instinctively touched the ribbon around her neck… beneath that ribbon lay the cold ring that sealed her magic.

She never thought she’d be grateful for that thing one day.

“You’re Miss Grier, right? I apologize. Even though I interrupted, I ended up chatting with the Viscount first and leaving you aside…”

“…It’s fine.”

Milin’s jet-black eyes reflected Luc’s mimicry-covered face with a hint of shame.

“I know this might bother you, but have we met somewhere before?”

Milin studied her for a moment, then suddenly dropped this question.

“I don’t think so. I should never have met the New Hero, miss.”

Luc struggled to hide her wavering emotions.

“Is that so? Then it must be my imagination… And that title, I’m unworthy of it. I don’t think I’ve achieved anything grand enough to be called that.”

Milin frowned, briefly recalling her memories. After confirming she’d never seen this elf before, she smiled slightly.

“Nice to meet you. Sorry for the interruption.”

Watching her turn away from Luc, Selene, who’d been observing nearby, let out a long sigh of relief.

But before she could fully exhale, she saw Milin’s gaze sweep around, lock onto her, and then walk over.

This is really it…!

She immediately turned to the persistent nobleman beside her. “I accept your earlier invitation! If you’re still willing, let’s dance right now!”

She grabbed his hand, trying to head for the dance floor, but the man stood still, not budging.

Because he too saw the Hero’s Daughter approaching.

“No need to rush, miss. The next dance hasn’t started yet. How about we grab a glass of champagne? Look, one of the ball’s main guests is coming our way.”

He smirked with satisfaction, took a glass from a nearby server, and raised it toward the approaching Milin.

Damn this bastard… too late!

Selene quickly let go of him, but Milin and her attendant Carol had already reached her and the man—she was about to enter the detection device’s range.

“Ah… seeing is believing.” The man raised his glass to Milin in a toast. “The miss hailed as the New Hero is truly radiant and stunning—”

The moment he stepped closer, the magic stone embedded in Carol’s device suddenly blazed with a glaring red light.