I think it's a very good match.

　That was the first thing Satie said when she saw my formal attire.
　Well, you can't count on it.
　Because this girl probably says the same lines no matter how I dress.

　But how uncomfortable and in poor taste are the clothes a nobleman wears to a ball?

　In modern times, they would be able to wear a suit, but that is not the case in this world.

　I don't like the idea of dressing up in over-decorated clothes and enjoying a ball with aristocrats and great merchants.

　I'm not sure I've ever been to such a splendid place.
　In the past life, of course, I had no connection to the party, and I have no connection to the other world either.

　Basically, the demon race does not do such nonsense.
　It's a good idea to have a ball and have a fancy conversation.

''Sati, is it standard to make a posh party joke at such a party?

　In the meantime, I'll ask Sati.
　She's a girl who used to be a maid for the lord of a city called Arsenum.
　She might have some knowledge of that sort of thing.
　I thought.
　Sati replies.

'We were talking about something that Sati doesn't quite understand.

　According to him, the topics of conversation at the party are mainly politics, economics, and war, but more often than not, it's the backbiting between nobles and great merchants.

'Is it true that people everywhere love to gossip and badmouth people the same?

　I guess that's what happens naturally when people get together.


　That great nobleman looks like a gentleman, but he lets his female slaves come and go at night.
　That nobleman is the envy of women, but in fact he is a homos*xual.
　The lady has been having illicit relations with a strong male slave.


　I don't know which ones are true and which ones are innocent, but they are probably whispering to each other about such things.

　The thought of going to such a place now makes me feel depressed.
　Because I was confident that it would certainly become a rumor.

　The name of this ball is to celebrate Julia and I's engagement, in case you were wondering.

　Eltria had teased, "The expedient is necessary," and although such a name is probably necessary, I will certainly be the center of attention.

　The invited nobles and great merchants would look at me and whisper.


'How did that young man get into the Octave family?
　And--.

　I couldn't be bothered to explain the situation, and I couldn't be honest with them in the first place.
　I suppose I should just smile amiably and speak blandly to the nobles and great merchants, but the thought of that pointless time stretching over several hours makes me cringe.

　I let out a sigh before it was even held, but I look at Sati to distract myself.
　She too was dressed in formal attire.

　Sati was adamant that she had nothing to do with it, and that she was only her master's maid, but when Eltria

I owe you a debt of gratitude for taking my daughter's place. I hope you'll join us.

　I strongly encouraged him to participate in this event.

　And it's probably a big deal that I encouraged him to join in as well.

　The last time I took Yulia's place, Sati's outfit was quite impressive.

　Her usual rustic maid's outfit looked good on her, but she was a beauty to begin with.
　She looked good in a dress like a nobleman's daughter would wear.
　Besides, but Sati was a girl too.

　I'm afraid," she says with her mouth, "I'm afraid," but she must be pleased inside, I'm sure.

　--Maybe.

　Maybe it's just a guy's imagination, but a girl is supposed to love balls and dresses.

　It's a good thing that you're not going to have that kind of opportunity in the future when you return to Ivalice.
　It would be the Lord's effort to let you enjoy it to the fullest here.
　That's how much I'm indebted to Satie.
　With that in mind, I headed to the party venue with Satie in tow.




　The party was not being held at the Etria pavilion, but at the guest house in the center of Zenobia.

　That meant that this party was an official one held by Zenobia's allies.

　My first impression of Zenobia's guesthouse, that is.

'Where there's money, there's money, isn't there?

　It was.

　The building reminds us of the medieval Gothic construction, and there are carvings here and there in vain.

　Although there are many sculptures that imitate the gods of various sects, this place is a country of merchants and many of them might be characterized by the fact that there are many sculptures of the god of commerce, Amenica.

　In the first place, it may be because Armenica is a female god and it is easy to carve sculptures.

　A sculptor is also a man.

　It is more fun to carve a sculpture of a beautiful woman than to carve an ugly sculpture of a man.

　With this in mind, I looked at the names of the sculptors, but all of them were famous dwarven sculptors.

After all, Zenobia has a surplus of money.

　Once again, I let out that impression and entered the guest house.
　The guest house was not only splendid on the outside, but also on the inside.
　Artworks and artifacts were placed everywhere.

　The paintings hanging here and there belonged to famous masters, and the jar that Sati casually touched was a precious object from a foreign country in a far eastern continent called Seika.

　Probably, a single one of them would cost enough to allow a commoner to live for several years.
　So I'll keep quiet.

　Once I tell them the price, it's about Sati. Suddenly my hands started to shake and there was a great possibility that I would drop that jar.

　Eltria would laugh and forgive me, but I would feel sorry for this one.

　I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get rid of the common man's sense of humor, even if I rise to the position of deputy commander of the demon king's army or a nobleman.

　--I've been thinking about this when Hans, the Octave family's butler, appeared and hung his head reverently.

The preparations for the ball are in order, Mr. Ike. Heavyweights from all over the world and all the cities have gathered here.

...a ball, which means you have to dance.

　There is no such concept as ballroom dancing among the demon tribe.
　The goblins and orcs show their merry dance when they are filled with alcohol, but there is no pattern and everything is appropriate. It changes every time.

　The demon race may be an object of ridicule for dancing.

　I've heard that Cephiro and others love to dance, and recently he's been looking forward to inviting a troupe of traveling performers to watch the dancers dance.

　Anyway, I don't have any dancing background or experience, including in my past life. I did not enjoy watching them dance like Cephiro did.

　What is a person like that supposed to do at a ball?

'By the way, Mr. Hans, I can't dance, but what can I do?'

　The one who answered was Julia, who was dressed in a bright red dress.

''Although it is presumptuous, I will be leading the way.

'No, it's not on that level, I've never danced since I was born. I'm afraid I might step on Miss Julia's feet.

That's exactly what I did to the lords of the neighboring cities the other day. But that's not a problem. No matter how many times Ike steps on my feet, I will never dislike him.

　I'm assured of that, but that doesn't make my heart any lighter.

　I don't feel comfortable exposing a bad dance to the public, and I feel even more uncomfortable stepping on a girl's feet.

　When I was seriously wondering if there's something I can't do about it, Miss Yulia pulls my hand.

I'm not going to make our guests wait, Ike-sama, it is not polite to make them wait. We are the stars of today's party and we have to get to the venue quickly.

　He tugged on my hand.