Chapter 643: Dance Core

The unexpected revelation had, in a way, made it easier for Ezra to avoid being bombarded by ladies asking him to be their dance partner.

After all, many of their parents and older siblings wouldn’t be particularly pleased to see their daughters or sisters getting too close to someone who had been accused of killing his own family.

Even if the Duke of Ashenlocke had openly admitted his involvement in the matter, not everyone would be comfortable ignoring the accusation.

Some families would rather keep their distance.

Others might hesitate to let their daughters approach him at all.

For Ezra, that should have been a good thing.

Unfortunately, there was one small problem.

He had already accepted three requests.

And now…

It was too late to dwell on it.

“Shall we, Ezra?”

Willow extended her right hand toward him.

Her crimson eyes rested on his face as she waited, while Selena watched from nearby, still holding her open hand fan.

Ezra did not reply.

He simply reached out and took Willow’s hand gently.

Then, without another word, he led her toward the dance floor.

The stage had already filled with couples preparing for the first Dance Core.

The musicians of the Golden Matching Order Band were getting ready to begin, and the guests who had secured their partners were taking their places.

The ladies adjusted their gowns as they moved into position.

Young Gentlemen offered their arms, while a few couples exchanged quiet words before the music started.

Ezra guided Willow through the gathering without much trouble.

He kept his pace steady, allowing her to walk beside him as they approached the stage.

Behind them, Selena remained where she stood.

For a moment, she felt as though her world was falling apart.

Of course, that was an exaggeration.

She was still standing in the Grand Royal Hall, surrounded by familiar faces, with a perfectly good evening ahead of her.

Yet the sight of Ezra taking Willow’s hand and leading her toward the dance floor was enough to make her regret arriving a little too late.

She had wanted to ask him herself.

Now, the first Dance Core was already out of reach.

Selena’s fingers tightened more around her fan.

She quickly relaxed them, refusing to let her disappointment show on her face.

She was Selena Galehart.

A Flower of Britannia.

There was no reason to lose her composure over something like this.

At least, that was what she told herself.

Vera glanced at Selena for a moment before turning away.

She did not say anything.

Her dull black eyes rested on the other girl briefly, then moved elsewhere as she left the area.

Nina and Zack, who had been standing nearby, also went to meet their respective dance partners.

Lyra followed Vera.

Diane, meanwhile, continued using Vera as her personal sleeping assistance.

The moment Vera started walking toward the seating sections on the upper floor of the hall, Diane shifted smoothly with her.

She placed both hands on Vera’s shoulders and followed her lead, allowing herself to be carried along without the slightest concern.

She did not even appear particularly interested in watching the dance between Willow and Ezra.

As long as Vera kept moving, Diane seemed perfectly content.

Vera, for her part, did not make a fuss about it.

She simply continued walking.

Cyrus watched the others leave before looking toward the seating area.

He was going to sit down as well.

He had no business dancing with anyone.

Besides, watching the others was more than enough entertainment for him.

The Golden Matching Order Band began playing the music score for the first Dance Core.

The opening notes spread through the Grand Royal Hall.

The musicians started slowly, allowing the couples on the stage to settle into their positions before the melody gathered pace.

Conversations near the dance floor gradually faded.

The guests who had not secured partners moved aside to give the dancers room, while those already seated turned their attention toward the stage.

The first Dance Core had officially begun.

Ezra and Willow stood facing each other.

Willow adjusted her posture, then offered him a proper Lady’s bow.

Her movements were graceful, and the hem of her gown shifted lightly as she lowered herself before rising again.

“I won’t lie, but I already had you in my mind whenever I thought about a dance partner at any Ball Party.”

She spoke calmly.

There was no nervousness in her voice.

Her crimson eyes remained on Ezra, as though she had no reason to hide what she had just said.

Ezra looked at her.

“I see.”

That was all he said.

He did not offer a compliment or ask her to explain herself.

His answer was so simple that Willow could hardly have expected anything more from him.

Still, she did not seem particularly bothered.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly and continued the conversation.

“Or would you have preferred to dance only with Vera?”

Her crimson eyes remained locked on Ezra’s dull black ones as she moved closer, allowing him to guide her into position.

Ezra placed his arm around her waist.

His movement was steady and natural.

He did not hesitate over where to place his hand, nor did he need to adjust his posture several times to find a comfortable position.

Willow settled into the hold.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Ezra’s expression remained as plain as ever.

I see why all of them were given the title of Flower.

The thought came to him quietly.

It’s not only because of their beauty.

His gaze moved over Willow’s appearance for a moment before returning to her face.

Another reason is their physique.

The observation came to him without much thought.

It was a simple remark in his mind, nothing more.

Ezra had already noticed that every Flowers possessed qualities beyond their appearance.

Their posture, balance, and the way they carried themselves were also part of what made them stand out among the other young ladies.

Of course, beauty alone could not explain everything.

There was also the confidence with which they moved through a room full of people. Even while standing among Nobles of different ranks and families, the Flowers could draw attention without needing to raise their voices.

Willow was no exception.

She held herself well, and her posture made it easy for Ezra to guide her into the dance position.

Yet she had not forgotten her question.

“You are ignoring my question.”

Her expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious as she looked at him.

Ezra met her gaze.

“I’d prefer not to have to dance in the first place.”

His reply came out straight forward.

He had no reason to pretend otherwise.

If he had been given a choice, he would have preferred to avoid the entire matter.

The music grew louder.

The melody became faster, and the Golden Matching Order Band moved into the main score of the first Dance Core.

Ezra gently guided Willow forward before she could respond to his answer.

She followed his lead.

And then she felt it.

The movement came so naturally that Willow almost forgot to think about her steps.

Her body followed the rhythm without the usual effort.

She did not need to keep checking her position or make small corrections to match her partner’s pace.

Ezra’s guidance carried her from one movement to the next, and each step seemed to fall into place at exactly the right moment.

It was different from what she was used to.

Normally, even a good dance partner required some attention.

She would need to watch the timing, maintain her balance, and adjust her movements whenever the pace changed.

A partner might lead well, but that did not mean the dance would become effortless.

With Ezra, however, the movements flowed.

He guided her through the rhythm with small, controlled motions.

His arm shifted just enough to direct her, while his steps matched the beat of the music.

When Willow needed to turn, he adjusted his position to make room for her movement.

When they changed direction, he did so without breaking the rhythm.

There was no sudden pull or awkward pause.

Nothing felt forced.

Willow followed him across the stage, and for a moment, she found herself paying less attention to the steps than to the dance itself.

She had expected Ezra to be capable.

After all, she had already seen him dance with Vera and Selena during their First Year welcome Ball Party.

But experiencing it by herself?

She had not expected it to feel quite so natural.

The people who had been watching Willow and Ezra from the moment they stepped onto the dance floor began to notice the difference as well.

Some had initially looked toward them out of curiosity.

Ezra was a familiar name at the Royal Academy, plus his name had caused a slightly huge commotion before the First Dance Core commenced, and Willow was one of the Flowers.

Seeing them paired together was enough to attract a few glances.

But the dance soon gave those glances a reason to linger.

Even the Royal Servants moving around the hall paused to watch.

One servant carrying a tray slowed near the edge of the dance floor.

Another, who had been walking between the tables, turned her head toward the stage before continuing on her way.

They had duties to attend to, but the performance was difficult to ignore.

The other dancers were still moving through their own routines.

Some couples were graceful, while others needed to pay closer attention to their timing.

Yet even among them, Ezra and Willow stood out.

The dance floor had become the center of attention for reasons the organizers had probably not expected.

On the upper floor of the Grand Royal Hall…

“Wow.”

Bale muttered the word to himself.

He leaned forward slightly, holding the railings, his eyes following Ezra and Willow as they moved across the stage.

For a moment, he seemed almost dazed by what he was watching.

“It’s been a long time since I last got to watch Ezra dance, but seriously… he’s good at it.”

Fay Ashenlocke spoke with clear approval.

She had watched Ezra dance before, so the sight was not entirely new to her.

Even so, seeing him perform again was enough to make her smile.

Bale turned toward her.

“Wait, he’s danced before?”

His expression brightened with excitement.

“Yeah. It was an amazing experience for me and the other students who watched him and Lady Vera dance.”

Fay answered with a pleased smile.

Her eyes returned to the stage.

Ezra and Willow were still moving gracefully with the music, their steps following the rhythm without any obvious difficulty.

Fay had already known that Ezra possessed unusual talents, but watching him dance reminded her that his abilities were not limited to the things people usually associated with him.

Bale looked back at the stage with the excitement remaining on his face.

Beside them, Keith leaned back farther in the chair he carried close to the railings to watch the dance.

His posture was lazy, and he looked as though he had no intention of getting up unless someone gave him a very good reason.

Still, his eyes remained on Ezra.

“He can invent, fight, and now dance… Big Bro is quite the smooth talent.”

A lazy smirk appeared on his face.

He sounded amused, but there was also a hint of admiration in his voice.

Bale glanced at Keith.

“Aren’t you also a good dancer, Keith? I remember the first time I saw you dancing secretly with you-know-who.”

He leaned closer, whispering the last part into Keith’s ear.

Keith slowly turned his head.

His expression suggested that Bale had just placed a heavy burden on his shoulders.

For a moment, he stared at his brother without saying anything.

Then he replied.

“I’m a faithful person to my lazy standards. Why would I even be a good dancer? But then, still…”

His gaze returned to the stage.

Ezra and Willow were still dancing.

Keith watched them for another moment.

“I’m not close to Big Bro Ezra when it comes to talent at dancing.”

He said it calmly.

Bale laughed quietly at the response.

Keith did not bother to answer him.

He simply leaned back in his chair again, wearing the same lazy expression as before.

The conversation might have ended there, but Bale’s attention soon shifted to another part of the dance floor.

“The Young Lord is also enjoying himself.”

He looked toward his older brother, who was dancing gracefully with Linda.

The pair moved together across the floor, and Bale watched them for a moment before a new question caught his attention.

“Do you also want to dance?”

Duchess Hailey approached the three of them.

Her steps were unhurried as she came closer, and she looked toward Bale after reaching the group.

Fay immediately lowered her head to greet the Duchess of Ash.

Hailey waved one hand in response, accepting the greeting before turning her attention back to Bale.

“Of course, I do.”

Bale answered sharply.

There was no hesitation in his voice.

His eyes had already moved toward another part of the hall, where Fatima Drakes stood with the members of House Drakes.

Several Noble Gentlemen had gathered around her.

They were being introduced to her so that she could choose a dance partner for the second Dance Core.

Fatima wore a beautiful ball gown that followed the colour theme of House Drakes.

The dress suited her well, and its design stood out among the gowns worn by the other young ladies.

Bale watched her.

Ever since he had noticed her, he had found it difficult to look away.

He knew he should probably pay attention to the conversation around him.

Since his half-mother had asked him a question, and Keith was still sitting beside him, ready to make another irritating remark at any moment.

Yet his gaze kept returning to Fatima.

He could not help it.

She was his girlfriend.

Unfortunately, their relationship was not something they could openly display.

The two families despised each other.

Their rivalry made even the simplest gestures difficult, and neither Bale nor Fatima could freely express their feelings in public without considering the consequences.

They could not simply walk hand in hand through the hall.

They could not approach each other whenever they wished, much less make their way onto the dance floor together and enjoy the evening as a normal couple might.

Instead, they had to remain apart.

Fatima stood among the members of House Drakes, speaking with the Noble Gentlemen introduced to her.

Bale remained on the upper floor with his family, watching from a distance.

The space between them was not especially large.

But the circumstances surrounding their relationship made it feel much wider.

Bale’s expression changed slightly as he continued looking at her.

Keith noticed.

He followed Bale’s gaze toward Fatima, then looked back at his brother.

A lazy smirk appeared on his face.

It’s definitely because of Big Bro Ezra’s dance performance.

He could already guess what was going through Bale’s mind.

Watching Ezra dance so smoothly with Willow had only made Bale more eager to dance with Fatima himself.

The performance had reminded him of what he was missing, and now he could not stop looking toward his Lady.

Keith found the situation amusing.

“It’s like you’re lusting right now.”

He delivered the remark with a lazy, mocking smile.

Bale turned sharply toward him.

“What did you just say?!”

His expression was one of pure disbelief.

For a moment, he looked as though he could hardly decide whether to argue with Keith or pretend he had never heard the words.

Keith simply maintained his smirk.

Duchess Hailey watched the exchange with amusement.

She found it rather cute to see Keith provoking Bale and Bale responding so quickly, especially when the subject was something he clearly cared about.

Still, Keith’s remark was not entirely wrong.

Ezra’s dance had influenced Bale.

Seeing Ezra move so naturally with Willow had made him think more strongly about dancing with Fatima.

The desire had been there already, but watching the performance had only made it harder to ignore.

And Bale was not the only one affected.

The influence was beginning to spread among the wives of the Dukes as well.

Some had started thinking about dancing with their husbands after a long time apart from such occasions.

Others had become interested in securing the next Dance Core, and a few were already arguing over which of them would get the opportunity.

The upper floor, which had been quieter than the other parts of the hall because of the high-status guests gathered there, was gradually becoming livelier.

The Duchess of Derlis, in particular, had already taken action.

She held her husband’s hand firmly as the two of them left the upper floor and headed downstairs, preparing for the second Dance Core.

Her husband went along with her.

The music continued to fill the Grand Royal Hall, and Ezra and Willow were still dancing on the stage below.

The first Dance Core was underway, but its influence had already reached far beyond the dance floor.

Even those who had come to the party with no intention of dancing were beginning to reconsider.

And for some of them, the second Dance Core could not come soon enough.