Watching over Obelia's Precious Jewel // WMMAP fic

Chapter 30

  The debutante ball was as extravagant as expected. After all, it was held in the imperial palace's ballroom. Noblemen were dressed in their fanciest suits and ladies were dressed to impress, wearing the prettiest gowns. Guests were talking to anyone nearby to pass the time, waiting for the Obelian Empire's emperor to arrive with his daughter.

  "Ugh, I hate social gatherings," Lucas spoke up while cringing at the sight. "I'm glad I never went to that ball."

  Ijekiel rolled his eyes involuntarily. 'Just wait until he sees me dancing with Her Highness.' Without realising it, he smiled to himself, earning a questionable stare from Jennette.

  Claude and Athanasia stood behind a large, heavy door. The princess was the more nervous of the two, imagining all the ways she could mess her introduction to high society up, resulting in her being the laughingstock of Obelia. She unconsciously grabbed her father's hand tighter.

  "Make way for His Majesty, Emperor Claude de Alger Obelia!" the announcer announced, catching the guests' attention immediately. "And Her Highness, Princess Athanasia de Alger Obelia!"

  The doors flung open and Athanasia was almost blinded by the bright light from the ballroom. Before she even realised it, all eyes were on the imperial family members, but especially on the princess.

  'Athy must've been really terrified. I can't imagine how stressful it would be to have everyone watching your every move,' Jennette thought.

  Claude moved forward but stopped when he realised Athanasia was not moving with him. Her hand he was holding on to was trembling slightly. Stage fright. She couldn't believe she was hesitating now of all times, when everyone was staring at her, judging her silently.

  'I-I've never stood in front of this many people before.'

  Diana frowned at her daughter. "Now that I think about it, excluding Sir Ijekiel and Mister White, she's never had any other interaction outside the palace, right?"

  Claude nodded.

  "Claude, next time let her bring some friends over for a tea party."

  "The palace grounds is not the place for young girls to talk about boys over a cup of tea, Diana."

  Jennette had to stifle in her own laughter. 'Oh, if only he knew...'

  Even Lucas was silently cackling over the irony of the emperor's statement.

  "What's the matter?" Claude asked her when he realised his daughter stopped walking.

  The ballroom was dead quiet with the exception of some noblemen and noblewomen murmuring to one another. They waited patiently for what would happen next.

  'I-I'm scared...'

  Athanasia immediately got closer to her father. She wished she could stick close to him until the entire debutante entrance ordeal was over but they needed to walk down the stairs first. She fidgeted slightly. Hopefully, her father would do something to help her calm down.

  "Let me guess. He's going to stare them down menacingly, won't he?" Diana snorted when she noticed Claude making a confused expression. 'What's with that cute face you're making? That's the only thing you ever do when Athanasia is feeling troubled."

  Claude looked down at the sea of people before he gave them his infamous cold and menacing stare.

  "Hey, I got it right!" the dancer exclaimed happily.

  "... Are my eyes that terrifying to look at?" Claude asked no one in particular.

  "To cowards, most definitely," Anastacius answered for him.