Artnis

Lord Artnis, the two of them have left.
"Yeah, looks like it."
"Lord Artnis, have you gotten what you wanted?"
"Who knows? I've done everything I can. Now, all that's left is to wait…"

Artnis chuckled and took a sip of wine. The intoxicating aroma lingered in the air before dissipating.

"The most delightful, yet painful thing, is waiting. I wonder what awaits us at the end of this wait."

Unable to hide her excitement, Artnis suddenly raised her glass and shouted,

"Ah! The plan is finally starting! This wine tastes amazing! I could drink three bottles even without any snacks!"
"You always say that."
"So cold."

Despite Rihanna's remark, Artnis remained delighted, as if something had happened to make her particularly happy.
After observing Artnis' expression, Rihanna cautiously spoke,

"If the plan has entered its starting phase, shouldn't we deal with those annoying flies now? I mean, those pigs attracted by the ugly bait of Night Fruit."
"Hm, that's not a bad idea."

Artnis mused for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, it's not my job to deal with those pigs. If we make a move too early, they might just cut off their tails and run. Trash should be cleaned up all at once."

Artnis glanced at the swirling red wine in her glass, smiling faintly.

"I'm really looking forward to the day the Dark Knight arrives."

If you ask the nobles of Pereus who they admire most, they'll say Artnis, the mistress of the Ballroom.

If you ask them who they fear most, you'll get the same answer.

The Ballroom of Pereus—the heart of high society.

The birthplace of countless trends, and the ultimate gathering place for nobles.

And standing at its center, reigning over the social elite, is its enigmatic mistress.

There was once a brutal power struggle between two nobles. What started as a personal grudge soon escalated, drawing in many others.

The conflict raged on, even spilling into the Ballroom itself. That's when Artnis, who had remained silent until then, finally stepped in.

A battle no one could stop came to an abrupt end the moment she intervened. Few know the exact details, but rumor has it she settled the dispute with a very literal kind of "stomping out."

Artnis holds countless secrets of the nobility, yet little is known about her.

One day, she simply arrived in Pereus and,

with sheer force of will, turned the Ballroom into a social empire. That's all they know.

Her origins? A mystery. Her past? A void. No weaknesses to exploit. And that terrifies them.

To some, she is the queen of fashion, leading Pereus into a new era.

To others, she is a witch with her hands wrapped around the throats of the nobility.

Either way, she stands in the heart of the Ballroom, watching them all with a cold smile.

The secret to a successful ball? It's actually pretty simple—just three key points.

The most important thing about a ball is the atmosphere. To catch the nobility's attention, you need three elements: taste, glamour, and beauty.

Too much taste, and you lose the glamour. Too much glamour, and you lose the beauty. And beauty alone won't make you stand out. Only by balancing all three can you win over the picky nobles.

Second, trends. Some think that trends naturally emerge when people gather at a ball.

Big mistake. A real ball sets the trend. You need to know what food the nobles love, what wine the gentlemen are discussing, and what fashion styles are captivating the ladies.

And it's not just about local trends—you need to know what's popular abroad too. If a ball is seen as outdated, it's doomed. Nobles are very sensitive to trends.

These two things require a keen sense of aesthetics. The better your eye for beauty, the more captivating the ball will be. Of course, staff training and event management are important too, but those come later. If you can't attract guests in the first place, what's the point of having excellent staff?

The third point? This is a story for later...

The third point is secret.

A ball gathers many nobles, and naturally, there's exclusive information circulating among them. And when people drink, they tend to let things slip—even things they shouldn't.

When you hear these secrets, the best thing to do is nothing. Many have tried to use them, only to end up dead.

So don't. Instead, remember them. Then, when someone threatens you, use those secrets to crush them. Be decisive and ruthless—make sure they never come after you again. Be quiet and discreet—make sure no one ever knows you used their secrets.

Of course, it's best if things never get to that point.