[Ren POV]
"Sorry if I offended you," I said, glancing toward the feline man.
"No worries, Princess," he replied casually.
I turned to Marasuki, who still hadn't properly introduced herself.
"And you are?"
"General Marasuki Okami," she replied with a nod.
"Huh, are you also going with us on the upcoming mission?" I asked, eyeing the wolf demi-demon.
"Ah, yes," she confirmed.
"Well, that's intriguing. So, are you here to seduce me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marasuki looked away awkwardly.
"I… don't really want to talk about it."
"For the 7th strongest, you have quite the passive personality," I remarked, tilting my head.
"Haha, sorry, Princess. I'm just a bit shy around new people," she admitted, scratching her cheek.
"Is that so? Well, now that I know it's you who came for me, I'd advise you to go after Selena instead. She's also a princess. We can be friends, and that should satisfy your mission, no?"
Marasuki nodded thoughtfully.
"If it's possible, I would presume so."
"It is. She's a bit stubborn, but if you persevere, she'll fall," I said with a grin.
Marasuki gave me a confused look.
"Are you… selling out your sister?"
"Yes and no. I want her to realize what she likes, but I also don't want to be too pushy. And with this, I get you off my back," I said with a shrug, glancing at the feline man.
"I see—two birds with one stone," Marasuki murmured.
"Exactly. Besides, there are benefits to you leaving me alone," I added, patting her shoulder and steering us through the crowd.
"Yeah, with muscles like yours, I would've never fallen for you anyway," I muttered.
Marasuki chuckled.
"Same for me, Princess. You're too boyish for my taste."
"Good. Then we'll make wonderful friends," I laughed, pushing her into a small clearing where the royals and humans were mingling.
"Oh, Ren, who's this?" Sara noticed us first.
"This here is Marasuki Okami, my potential betrothal," I introduced her casually.
Sara tilted her head.
"Ah, so this is her. Sigh, it failed before it even started, huh?"
"What do you mean by that?" Marasuki asked, furrowing her brow.
"There's no way Ren would like someone like you. You're too well-known for being stern and controlling."
"...Tsk."
"Sorry for bringing that up," Sara added, looking mildly apologetic.
"Don't worry. It's been a few months since then."
"Alright, where's Selena?" I asked, scanning the area.
"Are you seriously going to sic her on Marasuki?"
"I wasn't joking. I meant what I said."
"She just went to fetch something. She'll be back any second."
"Good. I'll leave her to you, then."
"Wait—where are you going?"
"To Artemis. She's been glaring at me ever since I came in with Marasuki," I said, glancing left and locking eyes with Artemis. Her arms were folded, and she looked absolutely furious.
As our eyes met, she quickly turned away. Beside her was a guy in a green suit, red tie, and white shirt. What caught my attention, though, were the red scales under his eyes.
"Hey, Sara. What kind of red dragons do we have?"
"Huh? Why do you ask?" she said, following my gaze.
"Were you talking about Artemis just now?" Marasuki added.
"Yeah, she's a good friend of mine."
"I see."
"Ren, I think you might need to give up," Marasuki said.
"Why?"
"Red dragons aren't the friendliest."
"Oh? You think she likes him?"
Marasuki made discreet hand gestures.
"When you said 'friend,' did you mean that kind of friend?"
"No, no. Not that far," I said quickly.
"Yet," Sara added slyly.
"Anyway, wait before you go. The dance floor will open up in a few minutes."
"What? We have to dance?" I said, mildly panicked.
'I'm not a bad dancer, but I hate doing it in front of people,' I thought, scanning for Artemis and noticing she was no longer there.
"Princess Ren, if she is with who I think she is, it might be better to give up. That man isn't very forgiving," Marasuki warned.
"Red dragons in general aren't," Sara agreed.
"True."
"Sara, I told you from the start—if she doesn't like him, I'm courting her."
"I know, but are you sure you can handle them?"
"Yeah. The strongest wins, right?" I said, grinning.
"Sigh. Ren, remember, you're not fully healed, and you can't use all your power in public."
"Should I go?" Marasuki asked awkwardly.
"No. We're waiting for Selena," I said firmly.
"Right. Marasuki, how strong do you think Artemis's partner is?"
"Hmm. If it's who I think it is, it should be the youngest of the three brothers. Power-wise, he's the second strongest among them. Their father is stronger than me, but his kids are quite a bit weaker."
"So he's the sixth strongest demon? Aish, that's going to be tough."
"Yes, but I doubt he'd interfere in something like this. You should be more concerned about his brother.
"Is he stronger than Artemis?"
"Depends on the scenario. But yes, he should be stronger than her," Marasuki said.
"Well, we'll see how tonight goes."
"I hope you're ready to take responsibility for whatever happens," she added.
"Of course I am. Who do you think I am—some arrogant girl with no self-control?" I said, looking at Marasuki.
"...I guess you're right. I don't know you," Marasuki said, glancing at Sara, who nodded.
"Oh, Marasuki! You already met Ren, huh?" Lina appeared beside us.
"Good to see you again, Lina Daimonas."
"Stop with the formalities. Anyway, Ren, who's going to be your dance partner? We usually take the first dance before others join."
"Hehe, I got it."
'I already know Artemis isn't with her partner anymore. I have no idea why Artemis and her partner split up, but now's my chance.
"It's not going to be me," Sara said.
"Why would I want to dance with a tomboy like you?" I teased.
"Is she always like this?" Marasuki asked.
"Yes," Lina and Sara said in unison.
"Huh? I wasn't flirting!"
"We know," they replied.
"So who will you dance with?" Lina asked.
"Don't worry, you'll see. When do we start?"
"In about five minutes," Lina said.
"Alright. I'll be back before then," I said, walking off before they could say more.
[Ren POV – Garden]
I turned and walked toward the banquet hall's side doors. As I moved, the crowd parted instinctively—like the Red Sea making way for something holy or dangerous. I wasn't sure which one they saw me as.
Eyes followed me—some curious, others wary, a few admiring—but no one dared speak or block my path. The air around me had shifted, thick with something unspoken. Power? Nerves? Maybe both.
One guard near the entrance stiffened and stepped aside, opening the door for me without a word. I gave him a brief nod before stepping through.
The cold night air hit me instantly, a welcome contrast to the heat and noise inside. I stood on the stone terrace for a moment, exhaling slowly. The scent of jasmine and trimmed hedges reached my nose, grounding me.
Behind me, laughter and music played on—faint now, like a memory. The doors shut with a soft thud, sealing me outside.
My pace slowed as I moved further from the lights. A little voice in my head whispered doubts.
'What if she's still with that red-scaled guy? What if I'm just embarrassing myself?'
I glanced back toward the doors. My fingers twitched slightly.
'Just walk,' I told myself. 'You've been through worse than this.'
But it didn't help. My chest felt tight like I'd swallowed a stone. It wasn't just about Artemis—though it mostly was. It was about being vulnerable. It's about wanting something.
I rubbed my temple, heading into the maze-like garden paths I remembered from earlier. The gravel crunched beneath my boots with every step.
'I just need to talk to her. I simply need to observe her facial expression with this guy. That'll be enough to know if I can or not.'
The hedges parted as I rounded a corner.
"Artemis… please still be out here."