Turning

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Chapter 499

Commander of the Cavalry, Duke Peletta, confidently stepped into the center of the hall with his first dance partner of the evening. But the person holding his hand was not a lady in a gown; it was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, with an unmistakable air of solidity.

The mere act of two men dancing was unprecedented, and to make matters more astonishing, his partner was none other than the Cavalry member who had received the highest honor from the Emperor earlier that day.

"What an outrageous act!"

"I thought the rumors were just that, but he's really going to dance with that man?"

Even if Duke Peletta was of imperial descent, this crossed a line. Most of the nobles were appalled, viewing the act as a violation of tradition and an insult to their own stature. The astonishment was mutual among the nobles clinging to the Crown Prince and those surrounding Duke Diarca.

"My word, is such a thing even permissible in the imperial palace of Great Orr?"

"Shouldn't we stop them right away?"

"It's already too late for that. Did you not hear about the sudden rule change while this party was being prepared?"

Duke Diarca asked with an icy expression. Those who had paid little attention to minor rule changes looked puzzled or lifted their eyebrows as if recalling something.

"Could it be…"

"Is the odd rule change about not limiting the attendees by gender intended for this?"

"Good heavens, then that commoner who was given the title of baron, the one we heard about in the Apeto family's trial, is neither man nor woman?"

"So that's why Duke Peletta took that man to his bed…"

The shock compounded, each revelation tailing the last. People knew Duke Peletta had become an Awakener and manifested a second gender, but until now, they had never taken it seriously because it did not change his appearance.

For the first time, they realized that Duke Peletta’s actions might not be mere debauchery. It was a confusing realization.

The atmosphere grew chaotic, divided between those who claimed that such behavior could never be tolerated and those speculating about dual genders based on what they heard during the Apeto family's trial. Meanwhile, the other Cavalry members took their partners and stood beside their Commander. At first glance, the sheer number of them made them appear ordinary, but on closer inspection, they were far from it. Men danced with men, and women with women—the sight was shocking in itself.

Duke Diarca burst into sudden, derisive laughter amidst the stunned nobles.

"I've heard rumors about the admirable feats of the Emperor's cherished Cavalry and had high expectations. But what they're doing now seems no different from child's play. I have no intention of joining them in their dance, so I'll remain seated."

The hidden meaning behind Duke Diarca’s words was clear. The shocking behavior of the Cavalry and its aftermath were a reflection of the Emperor's influence. Rather than giving it meaning by reacting, he intended to dismiss it as something 'absurd' without even the need for debate.

Following Duke Diarca’s declaration not to dance, the nobles around him promptly returned to their seats as well. The buzzing that had filled the area around Crown Prince Katchian ceased, and the eyes that were once focused on the Cavalry were deliberately withdrawn.

However, not everyone was the same, of course. A prime example was Pruelle Van Tain, who had attended under someone else's name since he was not yet an official member of the Cavalry, and his younger sister Priscilla Van Tain, who had recently become the new heir to the Tain ducal family.

Too busy to even attend their father's trial, they had quietly entered the gathering today and kept to themselves, avoiding interactions with other nobles. But when most of the nobility began to decline offers to dance, they were the first to step forward and join the ranks of the cavalry.

"Priscilla, it's been a long time since we danced together," Pruelle said.

"Yes, and it's the first time at an event like this," Priscilla replied.

A young woman with auburn hair resembling Pruelle's and deep green eyes like aged copper took his hand and assumed her stance. However, the siblings' gaze was directed not at each other but at a particular spot.

"Is that the girl? The one who our First Prince has been chasing around at every trial and eventually caused him to flee to the west alone with Nipollen?"

Priscilla asked, side-eyeing Ever.

Her gaze fell on Ever, who was preparing to dance with Gakane and engaged in conversation.

"Yes," Pruelle confirmed.

"She looked quite impressive earlier. Seems highly capable too."

"I thought so as well."

"Well, you should have at least succeeded in asking her to dance. Do you know how much trouble I had getting ready to come here, with so much work piling up?"

"Haha, I'm really sorry," Pruelle apologized.

"Don't say you should have stayed home then. That's not what I mean," she added, seeing Pruelle's awkward smile. She softened her pretend-angry expression. Pruelle had seriously considered not attending today's party, given that she had just become the heir to the Tain house. Knowing this, Priscilla had insisted they come, dismissing what anyone might say about the Tain family.

Priscilla was thankful yet pained that Pruelle, who had given up everything to join the Cavalry for the sake of his siblings, still couldn't freely ask someone to dance because of family concerns.

"By the way, the person she's with looks really nice. What's the relationship between those two?"

"Ah, you mean Sir Gakane Bolunwald? They are just fellow members of the same Shin Division as far as I know. He's definitely handsome."

Though both had a similar shade of auburn hair, Gakane and Pruelle looked completely different. Even if not as breathtakingly handsome as Duke Peletta, who could command the attention of the entire ballroom, he was nonetheless unforgettable. The appearance of such a virtuous and handsome young man had certainly turned more than a few heads at the party.

"Don't think you're lacking compared to him. You're absolutely not," Priscilla stated firmly.

Pruelle could only smile at his sister's words. He felt grateful but also a little embarrassed that she thought so highly of him.

'It's thanks to everything going well in Tainu that I can feel this way. That's enough for now.'

The sight of the siblings whispering intimately attracted a fair amount of attention. Riding on this momentum, the next to step forward were Revlin Shand Apeto of House Apeto, also a temporary Cavalry member like Pruelle, and his lover, Dandenion.

Revlin had been only a temporary member, so he spent the entire western mission in the capital. He had only watched the welcoming ceremony from a distance. However, upon hearing about the new party rules set by the Cavalry, he quickly arranged a new formal attire faster than anyone else. Boys in matching outfits, unmistakably a set, joined the ranks of the Cavalry without hesitation.

Once one became two, it was quick for two to become three. The hall's atmosphere changed back to a pleasant one as a small number of nobles following the Emperor quietly filled the remaining seats.

And finally, dozens of instruments that had been meticulously prepared for today began to be played in unison. The nobles, who had been pretending not to notice, turned their heads in disbelief at the startlingly different opening from the solemn and slow pieces usually performed in the palace.

"This isn't the Rancha, is it?"

"How disgraceful, men dancing with men, and now the Avitan in the palace!"

Some looked offended, as if insulted; others shook their heads in disbelief, wearing expressions of despair; while yet others seemed lost, awkwardly glancing around at their neighbors. The hall was in utter disarray.

Be that as it may, the gathered crowd began to dance. At the center stood Duke Peletta, who turned a full circle as he guided the movements of the young man with black hair by touching his back. At that moment, the violin melody soared passionately, as if intent on drowning out the voices of those who had been gossiping.

The moment eyes turned toward them, the red fabric sleeve covering Kishiar's arm elegantly fluttered, cutting through the air. The movements were effortlessly graceful, sensually captivating, without a hint of unnecessary flourish.

As he took a bold step toward his partner's leg without showing any restraint, his partner Yuder Aile moved in time to the beat as well. It was a daring move, almost unimaginable for a man of common birth to be dancing with someone whom he should not even dare to touch.

While his dance skills were admittedly more rigid compared to the already renowned Duke Peletta, his movements, oddly proficient yet restrained, harmonized unusually well with Kishiar.

With Kishiar's excellent lead, the dance the two brought forth looked like a sword dance, as if they had long been attuned to each other, wielding two swords in harmony.

One thing was certain: it was similar yet different from any Avitan they had ever seen before.

Those who had been loudly decrying the dance as shameful, a dance fit only for commoners, graceless and inelegant, one by one fell silent. They felt that no words were of use before those who danced so boldly, as if they heard nothing else, refusing to avert their gaze from each other.

Among those present was Kiolle, who was stationed near the chair where Crown Prince Katchian sat.

‘He's insane. Completely insane!’

Kiolle had come as a knight escorting Crown Prince Katchian, so he wasn't officially a party attendee. The party he observed from a safe distance was, in his eyes, a scene of madness filled with impossibilities.

‘A man who's merely been granted a baronial title is dancing with Duke Peletta? And they're dancing the Avitan? Is he courting death?’

But no matter how much he rubbed his eyes, the reality remained unchanged. The sight of Yuder Aile dancing with a blank expression, snugly wrapped in Duke Peletta's arm, looked like the embodiment of shock and astonishment.

As Kiolle nervously watched the spectacle, his eyes caught sight of his father in the background, quietly conversing with other nobles.

His father didn't look perplexed like the other nobles. Instead, he twisted his thin lips upward in an aristocratic sneer, leisurely swirling the wine glass in his hand.

"..."

He may not have known, but that audacious black-haired Cavalry member had certainly left a mark on his father, and not in a good way. Kiolle was sure of it.

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