Don't Come Near Me, I'm Just a Background Character [BL Harem]

20 - The Debut (1)

Oh, that would work. I got it.

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The maids dressed me up luxuriously, squishing me into a pair of white trousers and a frilly dress shirt, adorning me with lavish gems and fussing about my hair placement all the while. Finally, they covered my face with a feathered crimson phoenix mask and pushed me out the door. I stumbled out of the dressing room in a daze, not sure when I got there and when I left, and was ushered by the servants towards the end of the corridor. In the farthest two doors, I heard the sound of clicking heels and frivolous laughter.

I gulped in trepidation before looking through the small gap in the two large wooden doors. I sighed for the umpteenth time, recalling the nights where I would sneak inside to practice magic. Wispy blue flames would flood the room like fireflies and I would be surrounded by a hazy light that seemed to last forever. Now, instead of that peaceful, ethereal atmosphere, noisy nobles swarmed around like useless fruit flies as they continued their shrewd, superficial conversations.

I heard the distant sound of a clocktower striking nine.

The noise inside the ballroom abruptly stopped.

I could almost feel their collective eyes drilling into the two wide, imposing doors, waiting for the debutante to show with silent anticipation.

The servants next to me shifted and moved towards each side of the entrance. Then, with a flourish, the two doors swung open, and the dark hallway was instantly flooded with a bright, piercing light from inside the venue. My pupils shrunk as the lavishly adorned nobles erupted in applause. I walked forward.

I stood on top of a grand, open staircase leading down to the banquet and the clapping aristocrats below. The large crystal chandelier dimmed and two lights shined into my eyes, driving the attention to me.

I cleared my throat, my voice echoing through the chamber. Regularly used in public events, air magic can be used to manipulate sound, allowing a host's speech to project more clearly in a large venue. It seems that Mother hired an air mage.

"Good evening, everyone." I started.

"My name is Remis Alchean Xenith. I welcome you all to my debut and express my heartfelt gratitude for your presence."

"Following the tradition of the Xenith family, it is my honor to fulfill the Xinar for your personal entertainment. Please enjoy."

I knew my speech was curt. A brief applause ensued. I slowly descended down half the grand staircase with the two lights following me forward, keeping the focus on my figure. I bowed once more and started.

I extended my arm, pressing my palm forward, and whispered, "Light Fixture, Third Sequence Developed. Cold Fire."

Mana swirled around my wrist, weaving intricate patterns of glowing red runes that seemed to pulsate. They slowly crept up my arm, sending a tingling sensation coursing through my body.

A hazy glow lit the hall and people whispered amongst themselves. Then, small dewdrops of warm aqua light seeped from the floor, floating up towards the ceiling like small spring fairies. People murmured in delight, touching the small orbs of light with rapture. More and more dewdrops appeared, bathing the crowd and zooming towards the open air.

At that moment, they started to explode into small sparks. The sparks danced around the room, jumping this way and that, like bees from flower to flower. The aqua light rose and fell, danced and bobbed. I raised my hand, flipping my palm up towards the night sky, and muttered another spell.

"Light Fixture, Second Sequence Developed." The dewdrops and particles stopped in their tracks. They hurtled towards the center ceiling of the ballroom and began circling each other, faster and faster, until they spun so fast they became a single entity. It was then I twisted my wrist left. "Condense."