[happy coincidence or not, Ragnar’s knighting ceremony didn’t take long at all.]
[Just the emperor placing his sword on Ragnar’s shoulder in front of the throne and it was over.]
[Simultaneously, some guy standing nearby handed Ragnar a quick appointment paper, and just like that, the whole thing wrapped up.]
[“…Is this really it?”]
[“Why? Were you expecting something more grand?”]
[The emperor replied with a somewhat lazy expression.]
[“What’s the point of all that extra nonsense when there’s no one around to watch anyway? You’ve got better things to worry about, like the ball coming up.”]
<"...">
[And just like that, the underwhelming knighting ceremony ended, followed by the celebration ball for Ragnar’s new title.]
[Meh, balls are easy—just stand around for a bit, then go home, right?]
[Sure enough, Ragnar showed up to the ball with that same nonchalant attitude…]
[Turns out, though, he was wrong.]
[“Uh, Ragnar.”]
[“…Hm?”]
[“How’s this? Does it look good?”]
[With that, Serika poked her head and body out from behind the dressing room door.]
[She was wearing a sleek black dress that subtly accentuated her figure.]
[A thin ribbon around her waist emphasized her beautiful curves, while her shoulders were completely bare, the top clinging tightly to her torso, drawing everyone’s eyes instinctively toward her.]
[Her silver hair, which usually fell down to her waist, was now styled upward, exposing her long, elegant neck.]
[It was like looking at an entirely different person compared to how she normally dressed around Ragnar.]
<“...”>
[Ragnar couldn’t help but stare for a moment at Serika’s stunning appearance.]
[On the other hand, seeing Ragnar’s silence, Serika started to get nervous.]
[“Um… maybe it doesn’t suit me? Ahaha, I guess my hair color clashes with black, huh? It’s not too late—I’ll ask the maid to bring another dress…”]
[“No, don’t bother.”]
[Ragnar finally spoke, shaking his head slightly.]
[“It suits you perfectly. Really.”]
[“Really?”]
[In an instant, Serika’s face lit up like the sun.]
[But only for a moment.]
[“Wait. Now that I think about it, these earrings don’t quite match your outfit. Can you give me a sec?”]
[With that, Serika disappeared back into the dressing room.]
<“...”>
[Honestly, Ragnar had no idea why she was putting so much effort into this.]
[I mean, someone as gorgeous as Serika would look amazing even in a burlap sack. Why waste time fussing over details?]
[“Well, duh! Today’s not just any day—it’s the super important day you were granted noble status! As your partner, it’s my duty to look my best!”]
<“...”>
[After what felt like forever perfecting her look, Serika finally emerged to escort Ragnar into the ballroom.]
[There, they found Karlreya already waiting for them.]
[Karlreya was wearing an elegant off-the-shoulder white dress, her flawless arms gleaming under the chandeliers.]
[“Phew, you guys took long enough. We almost missed the start!”]
[Plop.]
[With that, Karlreya stepped to Ragnar’s left side and gently grabbed his arm.]
[“Hey! That’s totally unfair!”]
[Not to be outdone, Serika rushed to Ragnar’s right side and linked arms with him.]
[Thus began the spectacle: two breathtakingly beautiful women hanging off the arm of today’s guest of honor.]
[Everyone in attendance could only gawk in disbelief—not just because of their beauty, but because these two women were among the most prestigious bloodlines in the entire empire.]
[And here they were, walking arm-in-arm with one man as if sharing him between them.]
[Considering the prestige of both the imperial family and the Grinevalt Dukehouse, this was beyond shocking—it was unprecedented.]
[“W-wow… So the rumors were true? This guy really is close friends—or more—with both Her Highness and Lady Grinevalt?”]
[“Nah… Maybe they just bonded over making anime together or something. Could happen, right?”]
[“Are you serious? Do you really think any woman would link arms with a guy in front of so many people just for ‘friendship’? Come on.”]
[Amidst the endless whispers from the nobles, Ragnar sighed heavily, feeling the intense stares from every corner of the room.]
[“Uh, Serika… And Karlreya… Could you maybe let go a little? All these eyes are making me nervous. Don’t want any weird rumors starting.”]
[“I don’t mind at all. In fact, it’d be awkward if I didn’t stay by your side. After all, you’re the famous director of continent-wide hits like ‘Knight Shin Chronicle’ and ‘Life and Death Register.’ Plus, you’re close pals with Prince Kaizel and probably half the power players in the world. And unmarried to boot.”]
<“...”>
[“Don’t you think the noble ladies here might see you as prime prey? If I weren’t here, things could get pretty annoying for you.”]
[Karlreya’s blatant reasoning left Ragnar speechless.]
[“Well, you don’t need to worry about anything. As long as Karlreya and I are here, those gold-diggers won’t dare come near you.”]
[Serika tightened her grip on Ragnar’s arm as she spoke.]
[“Let’s just dance and get out of here. The thought of random nobles trying to cozy up to you makes me sick. Can you dance?”]
[“Yeah… I know how. Not great, though.”]
[As the son of a noble, Ragnar had learned dancing as part of his upbringing.]
[Though, unsurprisingly, his practical skills were lacking.]
[“Don’t sweat it. This is my first time dancing with a guy too. Let’s call it practice.”]
[With that, Serika dragged Ragnar to the center of the ballroom.]
[Watching them, Karlreya crossed her arms with a slightly annoyed look but said nothing, seemingly respecting some prior agreement.]
[Slowly, Ragnar moved to Serika’s lead.]
[As they danced, Serika leaned against Ragnar’s chest and whispered softly.]
[“Hey, Ragnar… Do you remember when we first met?”]
[“…Back at the mage tower?”]
[“Yeah. Remember how you always supplied me with mana back then? Right?”]
[Long ago, Ragnar and Serika first met in the mage tower.]
[At the time, Serika struggled due to her limited mana capacity despite her immense talent.]
[Ragnar helped stabilize her condition by constantly supplying her with mana and offering quiet encouragement whenever she faltered.]
[Though she never outwardly expressed it, Ragnar’s presence meant everything to her during those days.]
[He was simply that kind of guy—the type who offered comfort just by being there.]
[“I heard later that transferring mana between mages is actually super rare. Apparently, the types and patterns of mana have to match for it to work. So… maybe the reason you could supply me with mana was because our compatibility was just that good?”]
[Serika deliberately dropped the word “compatibility,” hoping to provoke some reaction from Ragnar.]
[To her, this was the perfect chance to advance their relationship.]
[With Ragnar so busy working all the time, moments like this were rare.]
[If her plan worked, she could close the gap between them significantly tonight.]
[But…]
[“Mana transfer? Hmm…”]
[Ragnar’s response was strange.]
[Mana transfer… sounds useful for some plot twist somewhere.]
[Come to think of it, didn’t that one anime have a similar mechanic? What was it again…?]
[Before Serika’s very eyes, Ragnar transformed back into full-on anime director mode.]
[And thus, her hopes were crushed.]
[Dang it… This wasn’t supposed to happen…]
