Felix's amber eyes reflected the scene before him. Carlisle, following the impeccable noble etiquette he had learned in the Knight's Order, extended an invitation to the two young ladies. He saw the excitement shining in Subaru's eyes as she unhesitatingly took Carlisle's arm, and the faint smile that appeared on Rem's lips as he gently took her other arm.
"What an enviable sight…" Felix sighed. This kind of delicate, affectionate companion was indeed endearing. He couldn't help but think of his own extremely strong Lady Crusch.
Although he had always taken pride in how well he and Lady Crusch complemented each other, occasionally, truly only occasionally, he would imagine that iron-willed Duchess revealing a vulnerable side.
Of course, such a scene was probably even more impossible than the White Whale suddenly coming back to life.
The princess had already joined the knight. Now it was his turn to stir things up a little.
"Oh my~" Felix adjusted his expression and stepped forward lightly. "What a truly enviable scene. I'm afraid quite a few noble young masters will be heartbroken tonight, nya~"
His teasing was not without reason. Even among a gathering filled with handsome men and beautiful women, Subaru and Rem stood out in their own unique ways. Subaru's lively charm, combined with the subtle allure brought out by her black dress, created a captivating contrast that drew the eye. Meanwhile, Rem's quiet elegance appeared even more refined under the soft glow of her blue gown.
After all, Subaru had once been the secret crush of many boys back when she was still in school. Those adolescent boys were drawn not only to her appearance but also to her stubborn and determined personality. Love letters and confessions had once been a constant presence.
But at that time, Subaru only wanted to become as outstanding as her father. She rejected every confession politely yet firmly. Eventually, the letters stopped coming. Eventually, she herself realized that her goal was too far away. Even if her achievements were already more than enough in the eyes of others, to her, they were never enough…
Felix wore a smug smile.
"So, how is it? This dress was specially custom-made for Subaru~ This is the latest work from the kingdom's top designer, and Subaru is the first person to wear it~"
Subaru lowered her head to look at the dress she was wearing. Then she raised her gaze, her golden eyes filled with sincere gratitude.
"Mmm, Felix… thank you so much for preparing such a thoughtful outfit."
Tonight, she would attend as Carlisle's companion.
The thought alone made her heart beat faster. She secretly glanced at Carlisle beside her. Dressed in that perfectly tailored white formal suit, Carlisle exuded elegance in every movement.
Subaru couldn't help but worry. Would she be able to keep up with him? Would she embarrass herself in front of everyone?
But now, this dress gave her a new sense of confidence.
The black satin perfectly traced the curves of her body. What felt almost magical was how even her usual carefree smile, enhanced by this outfit, seemed to carry a hint of alluring charm. It was a unique temperament that balanced playfulness and warmth, standing somewhere between youthful innocence and mature elegance.
"How is it?" Felix leaned closer. "Don't you feel like a completely different person? I specifically told the designer to preserve Subaru's lively nature while also highlighting the elegance expected of the Perfect Knight's partner, nya~"
Subaru's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave Felix a radiant smile.
"Mmm! I feel… like I can finally be worthy of standing beside Carlisle."
Carlisle immediately wanted to object, but Rem gently tugged at his sleeve and shook her head. The blue-haired maid's eyes held a quiet, knowing smile.
Felix suddenly clapped his hands, his cat ears twitching with excitement.
"Oh, that's right! Subaru, did you know? The design inspiration for this dress actually came from Carlisle~"
"Me?" Carlisle blinked in confusion. He didn't remember being involved in any kind of clothing design.
Felix looked at their curious expressions and deliberately stretched out his words.
"The concept behind this dress is 'Eerie Flame,' that kind of beauty that feels both captivating and dangerous." His cat-like eyes shifted slyly toward Carlisle. "And the source of that inspiration…"
Carlisle suddenly stiffened as an unpleasant memory surfaced. He instinctively took half a step back.
"That's right! It's that fusion magic Carlisle developed back then! Combining Yin-attribute magic with Fire-attribute magic to create that kind of beautiful yet dangerous black flame~"
"Eh? Carlisle, where are you going?"
Subaru quickly caught on. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips as she tightly hooked her arm around Carlisle's, leaving him no chance to escape.
"Oh my~ Carlisle, don't rush off like that~" Subaru teased. "Sir Knight hasn't even finished explaining yet~"
Felix blinked, not quite understanding why Carlisle was reacting so strongly. Still, under Subaru's expectant gaze, he eagerly continued.
"Originally, Carlisle wanted to study the fusion of Yin and Fire attributes to see if he could create something more destructive…"
"But the result was~" Felix's tail swayed happily, "the destructive power didn't increase much, but that black flame was unbelievably beautiful!"
His eyes lit up with excitement.
"It was clearly fire, yet it looked as deep as flowing obsidian. When it burned, it refracted a dark violet glow, like an aurora trapped within the flames of the night sky!"
"So, the inspiration for this dress came from that magic!" He puffed out his chest proudly. "And the designer even used the same name as the spell Carlisle gave it: [Amaterasu]!"
How about that? I just revealed all of Carlisle's achievements.
Felix inwardly congratulated himself, convinced he had handled the situation perfectly. After all, how many people from Emilia's faction could deliver praise that both highlighted Carlisle's accomplishments and delighted Subaru?
However, when he looked toward Carlisle with anticipation, he noticed that his expression had become even more complicated.
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.