The ballroom grew louder as the night deepened.
Golden chandeliers illuminated the enormous hall in warm shimmering light while orchestral melodies drifted elegantly through the crowded gathering. Noble couples continued dancing beneath the crystal ceiling while servants moved gracefully between conversation circles carrying silver trays filled with wine and desserts.
The atmosphere looked beautiful.
Romantic.
Refined.
Yet beneath every smile—
Politics still existed.
Greed still existed.
Desire still existed.
Kel quietly danced with Reina beneath the dim lights while more and more nobles gradually entered the ballroom floor around them.
At first—
The atmosphere remained comfortable.
The music soft.
The movements synchronized.
But slowly—
The floor became crowded.
Too crowded.
Noble couples spun endlessly around them while loud laughter and meaningless conversations began mixing with the music itself.
Kel's expression subtly changed afterward.
Only slightly.
But Reina noticed immediately.
Because after traveling beside him for nearly two years—
She had learned how to read even his smallest reactions.
His eyes shifted more frequently toward exits.
His movements became slightly restrained.
His aura unconsciously tightened.
Crowds.
Too much noise.
Too many people.
Kel disliked environments like this deeply.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"The mighty Dragon Emperor defeated ancient dragon generals but loses against ballroom crowds."
Kel calmly replied internally.
"People are exhausting."
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly watched him for several moments afterward before softly speaking:
"…Can we go to the balcony for fresh air?"
Kel immediately answered:
"Let's go."
No hesitation whatsoever.
The silver-haired matriarch almost smiled seeing how quickly he agreed.
Then together—
They quietly stepped away from the crowded ballroom floor.
Several nearby nobles looked disappointed seeing them leave.
Especially certain noblewomen still watching Kel from afar.
Yet neither Reina nor Kel cared.
The enormous balcony corridor beyond the ballroom felt entirely different.
Cool.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Cold night winds drifted softly through the marble arches overlooking the illuminated noble gardens below while silver moonlight covered the distant estate grounds beautifully.
Finally—
Silence.
The noise from inside the ballroom became faint here.
Only distant music remained.
Kel quietly exhaled afterward while stepping closer toward the balcony railing.
The cold night air moved softly through his dark hair.
Beside him—
Reina leaned lightly against the marble edge while silver moonlight reflected beautifully across her black evening dress and pale skin.
The atmosphere between them slowly relaxed again.
Comfortable silence settled naturally.
Then eventually—
Reina softly looked upward toward the night sky.
"…The moon is beautiful tonight."
Her voice carried genuine softness now.
Kel quietly lifted his gaze upward afterward.
The moon indeed looked enormous tonight.
Silver.
Ancient.
Surrounded by countless shimmering stars spread endlessly across the dark heavens.
And strangely—
The sight itself calmed him.
Then quietly—
Kel answered.
"Yes."
The cold winds drifted softly between them.
"A beautiful moon hangs above…"
His voice lowered slightly afterward.
"…while stars shimmer around it."
Reina slowly looked toward him again.
Kel however continued calmly.
"And beneath this beautiful moon…"
Another faint pause.
"…inside this garden…"
His dark eyes shifted downward toward the distant estate grounds below.
"…a man and woman are being intimate."
Silence.
Reina blinked once.
Inside his mind—
Even Sairen paused briefly.
"…What?"
Meanwhile—
Kel himself slightly frowned afterward.
Because honestly—
He only said exactly what his eyes observed subconsciously.
No hidden meaning.
No poetry.
Just direct observation.
Then suddenly—
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"…If I'm not mistaken…"
Kel quietly pointed downward toward one distant portion of the moonlit gardens below.
"…doesn't she resemble the host's wife?"
Reina immediately followed his gaze afterward.
At first—
The figures remained partially hidden beneath the garden hedges and silver moonlight.
But after focusing carefully—
Her silver eyes widened slightly.
"…No."
Another pause.
"That's not the host's wife."
Kel calmly looked toward her.
Reina quietly narrowed her eyes further.
"…That's the viscount's wife."
Silence followed instantly.
Below—
Hidden within the moonlit garden pathways—
A woman sat intimately upon a man's lap beneath the shadows of flowering hedges while soft laughter echoed faintly through the quiet night air.
The woman indeed wore expensive silver evening attire recognizable among noble circles.
The viscount's wife.
Meanwhile—
The man beneath her was clearly not the viscount himself.
It was one of his personal knights.
The atmosphere on the balcony became strange afterward.
Not shocked.
Just awkward.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"…Humans truly create chaos effortlessly."
Kel quietly sighed internally.
"Apparently."
Unfortunately—
Peace never lasted around him.
Because nearby—
Another nobleman had stepped onto the balcony seeking fresh air.
And unfortunately—
He overheard everything.
The middle-aged noble slowly followed Kel's pointing direction afterward.
Then—
His eyes widened.
"…Impossible."
Silence.
Then immediately—
The noble turned and hurried back inside the ballroom.
Inside his mind—
Sairen sighed dramatically.
"And now the disaster begins."
Kel remained silent.
Because honestly—
Even he already knew what would happen next.
Rumors spread through noble gatherings faster than wildfire.
Especially scandalous rumors.
And within minutes—
Whispers quietly began circulating throughout the ballroom.
"Did you hear?"
"The viscount's wife…"
"In the garden…"
"With another man…"
"No way…"
"Apparently one of the knights…"
"The poor viscount…"
One by one—
Curious nobles slowly began drifting toward the balcony corridors pretending casual movement.
Others quietly slipped into the gardens themselves to "confirm" the rumor personally.
Meanwhile—
The orchestra inside the ballroom continued playing elegantly completely unaware of the unfolding social catastrophe.
The irony itself became absurd.
Tonight celebrated ten years of marriage.
And meanwhile—
Another noble marriage collapsed beneath moonlight only several gardens away.
Eventually—
Even more nobles gathered quietly near the balcony edges trying to observe discreetly.
Some looked shocked.
Others amused.
Several noblewomen covered their mouths hiding laughter.
And honestly—
Most aristocrats treated this entire situation like entertainment rather than tragedy.
Because noble society loved scandals more than morality.
Below—
The viscount's wife still remained completely unaware.
The knight beneath her looked equally oblivious.
The two continued embracing beneath the moonlit garden while hidden nobles silently watched from surrounding pathways and balcony shadows.
Inside the ballroom—
The viscount himself still entertained important guests proudly.
Smiling.
Laughing.
Celebrating noble connections.
Completely unaware that his wife currently entertained another man outside.
Inside his mind—
Sairen quietly spoke.
"This really is tragic."
Kel calmly observed the garden below.
"…It's predictable."
"Because?"
Kel's gaze remained cold.
"People reveal their true nature most easily when they think nobody is watching."
Meanwhile—
Beside him—
Reina quietly observed the growing chaos spreading throughout the venue.
Then slowly—
She looked toward Kel afterward.
"…You really attract strange situations everywhere."
Kel slightly frowned.
"That sounds unfair."
Reina softly laughed afterward.
And somehow—
That laughter beneath the moonlit balcony finally felt genuine again.