Chapter 005: The Ball

Gabriel saw that Du Fan had already put on a mask. He nodded slightly and said, “Then, please, go ahead.”
As he spoke, the two waiters by the door pushed it open slightly, leaving a gap wide enough for one person to pass through. Soft light seeped out from inside, along with a faint warmth.
Gabriel took a mask from his bosom and put it on before leading the way in.
Du Fan and Carol exchanged a glance before following Gabriel.
It was a semicircular hall. Instead of a wall on one side, there was a huge organ, and a man in a tuxedo with a mask was gently playing it.
As the melodious music played, the men and women in the dance floor cheered.
Amidst the music, Du Fan and the others’ arrival went unnoticed. Gabriel smiled softly and said, “My lords, here, no one knows who anyone else is. I still need to attend to some guests… You two can enjoy yourselves… This is a rare opportunity—don’t miss it.”
With that, Gabriel let out a laugh that any man would understand. He patted Du Fan’s shoulder affectionately before quickly retreating.
Carol snorted and whispered, “This Baron Gabriel is good only at playing tricks.”
Du Fan shook his head slightly. He tapped the spot where Gabriel had patted him a few times and said, “If Gabriel really wants to make me happy, he shouldn’t rely on such trivial tricks. I’m determined to see what interesting things there are. As for you, Captain Carol, go explore on your own. As for me, you don’t need to worry too much.”
Carol nodded slightly and said softly, “Then, Young Master, be careful.”
Du Fan waved his hand and, taking advantage of no one paying attention, silently blended into the crowd.
Carol sighed lightly, grabbed a glass of wine from a waiter, took a sip, and murmured, “What a boring banquet.”
Du Fan wandered around the crowd. The nobles in this world still had their quirks—for example, at this masquerade ball, some people dressed as beggars in tattered clothes, while others wore pale masks, resembling the legendary vampires.

But this appearance was clearly popular among the women present. These oddly dressed men were always surrounded by several women who whispered and laughed loudly, creating a quite lively atmosphere. After taking a few glances, Du Fan lost much of his interest in such gatherings. Although he had never been with a woman before, all the women he had encountered in his life had been stunning beauties. The idea of engaging in such tricks for the daughters of some obscure noble families held no appeal for him at all. The sound of the organ had faded, and Du Fan casually took a glass of wine from a servant and took a small sip, then let out a soft sigh. “Hehe… It seems you’re quite bored…” A deep yet slightly magnetic female voice sounded in Du Fan’s ear. He turned to look and saw a woman in a purple evening gown wearing a flower mask standing behind her. Most of her face was covered by the mask, revealing only her delicate chin and rosy lips. When she saw that Du Fan didn’t respond to her, she stepped closer, smiled softly, and said, “But even if it’s just pretend, it’s better if you act interested. Since you’re here, you must know who Baron Gabriel is, right?” Du Fan smiled faintly and said, “Miss, are you trying to test me?… Baron Gabriel… He probably rose to prominence in the north about ten years ago, going from a commoner with no roots to the ruler of this city. It’s practically a miracle in the history of the empire… Though I don’t know the exact details, just from this, it seems Baron Gabriel is indeed an extraordinary man… But to be honest, although his rise is remarkable, he’s not yet worthy of being feared…” The woman glanced at Du Fan and said in a low voice, “Hehe… How dare you say such things? If anyone hears you… Even with a mask on, you’ll probably be invited by that ruthless city lord to rest in his inner chambers…” Du Fan nodded subtly and said, “Hehe… It does sound scary… Usually, someone like me would just get beaten up and thrown out, right?” “Or maybe I’d be hung at the gate of this city for ten days or half a month?”

“Hehe…” The woman laughed again. “You’re quite interesting. Are you a noble? Or are you really from the Holy See, just like the clothes you’re wearing?”
Du Fan replied, “Well, I leave that to the imagination of this beautiful lady. Since it’s a masquerade ball, revealing one’s identity privately seems to go against the rules, doesn’t it?”
“Still, meeting someone as interesting as you here at this boring masquerade ball can be considered my luck. Is it fate playing tricks on me? Or is it the will of the Supreme God?”
The woman covered her mouth and chuckled. “Using such words to attract a woman’s attention… You seem so young, but you’re surprisingly cunning…”
Du Fan downed the wine in his hand and sighed. “Oh, have I been seen through?… Ah, it seems I’d better retreat before revealing more of my true nature… Otherwise, I’ll end up in shame… I should also wish this beautiful lady a pleasant evening.”
The woman stared at Du Fan for a moment before laughing again. “You’re really interesting. Is this what men call ‘retreating to advance’?… It seems I really can’t do without giving you this chance. If you’re willing, could you stay and chat with me a bit more?”
“There aren’t many opportunities to have pleasant conversations with strangers like this!”
With that, the woman stepped forward a few steps, raised her finger to lift Du Fan’s chin, and said softly, “In that case, how about after the banquet, we find a decent inn and talk about life, our ideals, and the situation in this continent?”
Du Fan bowed slightly. “Hehe, I’d be delighted, madam… If I have the chance, I’d be happy to oblige. As for why I can’t go to your home, I won’t ask. What do you say?”
The woman’s expression changed slightly as she whispered, “You’re so annoying…”
Du Fan chuckled softly. “If a man isn’t bad, women won’t love him—Isn’t that an eternal truth? Well, madam… Shouldn’t we keep the conversation focused on this little dance party for now? It would be better to discuss life and ideals when we have time, right?”
The woman smiled faintly, her expression returning to normal.
With just a few words, Du Fan had politely declined her invitation. This wasn’t uncommon in noble circles, so the woman wasn’t too upset.

She glanced around for a moment before saying, “I heard that tonight’s masquerade party is arranged for some important figure in the capital. I wonder if I’ll have the chance to meet him. If only I could offer myself as his companion…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but everyone understood what she meant. Du Fan sighed inwardly, thinking, Even if you offered yourself as his companion, I’m not interested in you… Of course, he didn’t say this out loud. He chatted a bit more with this unnamed woman, and the conversation returned to the party itself. After another while, suddenly, there was a commotion at the entrance, as if some important person had arrived. Du Fan took a distant look and saw that it was a young man dressed simply. He had a pale complexion and appeared to be in his twenties or thirties. His yellow hair was very short and stood slightly on end. Strangely, he wasn’t wearing a mask, yet most people in the hall seemed to recognize him. His arrival caused quite a stir. Du Fan smiled faintly and said, “I suppose this must be that important figure from the capital?” The woman beside him snorted disdainfully, “Him? He’s just an unimportant bard who came up with a pretty nice story. He’s become somewhat famous among the nobles in Rui Gen City lately, but judging by his appearance, he really thinks he’s some great figure.” Du Fan responded with an “Oh” and said, “A bard? I’ve heard of them long ago, but this is the first time I’ve seen one. If you have time, madam, could you give me a brief introduction?” The woman tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, “This bard is said to be the heir of some obscure noble family in the empire. He calls himself Oscar Bogen. But as someone with some knowledge, I’ve never heard of this family. It must be something Oscar made up.” Du Fan said, “The Bogen family does seem to have existed in history, but that was during the Bauhinia Dynasty’s era. So many dynasties have changed—it’s normal for you not to have heard of them.” The lady giggled and said, “You’re quite knowledgeable. It’s a shame you refuse to spend time talking with me about life and ideals. Otherwise… I might show you just how capable I am.”