The celebration had evolved.
Completely evolved.
What had begun as a formal gathering to celebrate the reclamation of Frostbound Coast's Mana Crystal Mine had transformed into something nobody anticipated.
The merchants were negotiating.
The scholars were debating.
The investors were calculating.
The Mage Tower representatives were planning expansions.
And the noblewomen?
The noblewomen had created a competition.
A completely unofficial.
Completely ridiculous.
Yet extremely serious competition.
The ballroom remained vibrant beneath hundreds of enchanted chandeliers.
Golden light reflected across crystal glasses.
The enormous mana crystal standing at the center of the hall illuminated the room with soft blue radiance.
Music drifted through the air.
Laughter occasionally echoed.
Meanwhile.
Near one side of the ballroom.
A group of noble ladies gathered together.
Lady Amelia.
Lady Sophia.
Lady Catherine.
Lady Elena.
Lady Roselyn.
And several others.
All of them held drinks.
All of them carried contract documents.
All of them looked strangely competitive.
Amelia crossed her arms.
"I approached him first."
Sophia immediately replied.
"And returned first."
The surrounding ladies burst into laughter.
Amelia glared.
"That doesn't count."
"It absolutely counts."
"No it doesn't."
Sophia lifted a contract.
"I secured three logistics centers."
Another noblewoman raised her own document.
"I secured transportation rights."
Another proudly joined.
"I secured construction partnerships."
Amelia immediately raised her hand.
"Timber exports."
Silence followed.
The women looked at one another.
Then simultaneously.
"Wait."
The realization slowly appeared.
Lady Catherine frowned.
"Why are we comparing contracts?"
The room became silent.
Everyone thought about it.
Several seconds passed.
Then Amelia slowly replied.
"Because we failed at flirting."
The noblewomen collectively sighed.
That was unfortunately true.
Lady Roselyn rubbed her forehead.
"I spent twenty minutes discussing regional trade routes."
Sophia nodded sympathetically.
"I spent forty discussing logistics."
Another noblewoman groaned.
"I prepared conversation topics for romance."
The others became interested.
"What happened?"
The young lady looked defeated.
"He asked about agricultural yields."
Silence.
Then laughter exploded.
Several nearby guests overheard and immediately started listening.
The entertainment value was extraordinary.
One older noblewoman hiding behind a fan smiled knowingly.
"They remind me of my youth."
Her friend nodded.
"You courted your husband with trade negotiations?"
The older woman paused.
"...No."
Another pause.
"But perhaps I should have."
More laughter followed.
The competition among noblewomen intensified.
Soon they began comparing who had managed to hold Kel's attention longest.
Lady Sophia proudly raised one finger.
"Forty-three minutes."
Gasps appeared.
Several women looked shocked.
"Impossible."
"It's true."
"How?"
Sophia lifted her chin proudly.
"We discussed transportation infrastructure."
The room immediately deflated.
Because somehow that sounded exactly like something Kel would enjoy discussing.
Amelia groaned.
"That's cheating."
Sophia smiled victoriously.
"Results matter."
At another corner of the ballroom.
A second competition had emerged.
Among fathers.
The fathers had formed factions.
Very serious factions.
Extremely serious factions.
A merchant lord stood proudly beside his daughter.
"My daughter secured exclusive transportation contracts."
A count immediately responded.
"My daughter negotiated educational exchanges."
A viscount joined.
"My daughter discussed economic development."
The merchant lord snorted.
"Economic development isn't a contract."
The viscount looked offended.
"It is potential."
Nearby fathers nodded thoughtfully.
Potential carried value.
Another noble joined.
"My daughter spoke with Count Kel for thirty-one minutes."
The others became silent.
Thirty-one minutes was impressive.
Very impressive.
The noble smiled proudly.
Then added.
"About taxation."
The atmosphere immediately became awkward.
One father finally spoke.
"You raised a strange child."
The noble looked proud.
"Thank you."
The surrounding fathers collectively sighed.
None of them were normal.
Meanwhile.
Other guests had discovered a new form of entertainment.
Watching both groups.
A group of merchants stood near one table sipping wine.
One pointed toward the noblewomen.
"They're comparing contracts again."
Another merchant nodded.
"They've been doing that for an hour."
A third smiled.
"It's fascinating."
The first merchant laughed.
"Normally noble parties involve gossip."
Another nodded.
"Or scandals."
Another.
"Or romance."
The first merchant gestured toward the noblewomen.
"Instead they're discussing logistics."
The merchants collectively laughed.
Nearby researchers were equally entertained.
One scholar adjusted his glasses.
"Count Kel possesses an unusual ability."
A colleague raised an eyebrow.
"What ability?"
The scholar looked toward the noblewomen.
Then toward the fathers.
Then toward the countless contracts circulating throughout the ballroom.
"He makes economics entertaining."
The researchers became silent.
Then one nodded.
"That truly is supernatural."
At the center of the ballroom.
Kel remained blissfully unaware.
Or perhaps pretended to be unaware.
The young Count was currently discussing magical infrastructure with three Tower Masters.
The topic itself would normally bore most people.
Yet somehow.
The discussion attracted listeners.
Lyra watched everything from nearby.
The ancient serpent stood beside one of the crystal pillars.
A glass rested in her hand.
Golden eyes quietly observing the chaos unfolding around her.
The longer she watched.
The less she understood.
Humans were strange.
Extremely strange.
Earlier tonight.
Many of these women approached Kel intending to charm him.
Now they were comparing trade agreements.
Meanwhile their fathers were competing over whose daughter had become more competent.
The serpent woman genuinely could not comprehend how the situation had reached this point.
Far beneath Scarder Lake.
A certain ancient guardian observed through Kel's connection.
And laughed.
"This is better than the theater performances from three hundred years ago."
Kel internally sighed.
"You watch too much."
"No."
Seiren immediately replied.
"You create too much entertainment."
Kel chose not to respond.
Back inside the ballroom.
The competition among noblewomen reached a new level.
Lady Amelia suddenly stood.
"New category."
Everyone looked toward her.
The woman pointed dramatically.
"Who received the best contract?"
The room exploded.
Instantly.
Documents appeared.
Calculations began.
Arguments erupted.
One woman claimed infrastructure rights.
Another claimed transportation privileges.
Another claimed resource access.
Another claimed research cooperation.
The debate grew increasingly intense.
Nearby fathers immediately joined.
Because of course they did.
Soon.
The competition transformed into a full-scale economic analysis.
Several merchants even started judging.
A Mage Tower representative offered professional opinions.
Researchers began calculating projected profits.
At some point.
Nobody remembered this started as flirting.
The transformation was complete.
Near midnight.
One elderly duke sat quietly drinking wine.
Watching everything.
His wife stood beside him.
The old woman observed the ballroom.
Then smiled.
"This is your fault."
The duke nearly choked.
"My fault?"
She pointed toward Kel.
"No."
Then toward the noblewomen.
"No."
Then toward the fathers.
"That."
The duke stared.
Several noblewomen were currently arguing over projected transportation growth.
A group of fathers were comparing future investment returns.
The duke slowly nodded.
"...Fair enough."
The elderly woman smiled.
Then quietly spoke.
"You know."
A pause.
"Most people leave parties with memories."
Another.
"These people are leaving with business plans."
The duke laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Because she was absolutely correct.
And perhaps that was the greatest proof of Frostbound Coast's transformation.
Not the roads.
Not the mana crystals.
Not the magical streetlights.
But the fact that everyone who arrived here left thinking about building something.
Creating something.
Improving something.
Growing something.
And at the center of it all stood a fifteen-year-old Count discussing infrastructure while completely unaware that half the ballroom had accidentally turned his party into the North's most prestigious business competition.
Or perhaps...
He was perfectly aware.
And simply considered it another successful outcome.