Chapter 329| A Value That Could Never Be Calculated By Any String Of Numbers In This World
Far at the table of honor, Lucian watched his daughter dance with an expression that was profoundly difficult to decipher.
Beside him, Countess Mira was busy chattering about something—whether it was this month’s raw crystal prices or blizzard predictions—but Lucian was only half-listening.
The King raised his wine glass to his lips. He took a slow sip. And without anyone noticing, the corners of the middle-aged man’s mouth twitched upward. Very, very faintly.
The classical strings of the waltz finally faded and came to a halt. Clap, clap, clap! Thunderous applause echoed through the hall.
Rumina hurriedly withdrew her hands from Breeze’s shoulders—a fraction of a second faster than proper dance etiquette dictated.
"That was... tolerable," Rumina muttered, turning her face away as she fought to maintain her flat, monotone delivery.
"Wow. A compliment from Princess Rumina. I suppose I’ll have to write this historic moment down in my diary when I get home."
Rumina stared at him, her brow furrowed in sheer disbelief. "You truly are nothing like the other noble guests here."
"That’s because I was never an important noble to begin with, Princess." Breeze waved a hand, signaling a passing waiter. He snatched two crystal glasses of cold beverages from the tray, offering one to Rumina. "I’m just a fish merchant who got lucky with an invitation, simply because I monopolize the seafood distribution routes in Frostmere."
Rumina accepted the glass hesitantly. "So... you have absolutely no intention of using me to curry favor with the royal court?"
"Why bother?" Breeze took a casual sip of his drink. Gulp. "I already managed to score an exclusive dance with the Royal Princess. That trophy alone is more than enough for me to brag about to my friends back in Isafjord tomorrow."
The two of them stepped back, standing side-by-side at the edge of the dance floor.
Surrounded by the bustling party, the silence that fell between them didn’t feel awkward in the slightest. Breeze didn’t force himself to spew empty small talk just to sound smart. The man simply stood there, relaxed. Keeping her company. Exactly like an old friend who understood perfectly that silence... was also a form of comfort.
At least, that peace lasted until the sharp clack of expensive leather shoes approached them.
"Princess Rumina."
Lord Adrian Vinter now stood tall, blocking their view. His posture was defiantly upright, a smile carved onto his face that was polite. A little too polite.
Breeze glanced at Rumina from the corner of his eye, then shifted his gaze to Adrian. The laid-back young man instantly read the room.
Without uttering a single word, Breeze straightened his posture, gave Rumina a brief, polite nod of farewell, and gracefully retreated.
Adrian seamlessly took the vacant spot beside Rumina. "Princess Rumina. Truly, it is an extraordinary honor to see you in person tonight."
Rumina sighed in profound boredom, staring at the man flatly. "You already said that earlier."
"Ah. You are correct." Adrian chuckled softly, not looking the least bit guilty or embarrassed. "But I personally feel... a magical honor like tonight is more than deserving to be stated twice. Or even three times in a row."
"Just spit out what you want, Lord Adrian."
"I simply wished to say..." Adrian stared intently at Rumina’s face, his icy blue eyes shining brilliantly. "You looked exceptionally graceful in the middle of that dance floor earlier, Princess. Truly. In my entire life, I never imagined I would have the privilege of watching you dance. Your footwork... was absolutely mesmerizing."
Rumina stared at the man as if she were looking at a complete lunatic. "Your flattery is terribly forced. My movements were incredibly stiff. I even stepped on my partner’s feet multiple times. And I nearly tripped over my own gown trying to spin."
"Ah! But that is exactly where the beauty lies!" Adrian’s eyes sparkled with even more enthusiasm, as if he had just unearthed a diamond. "You remained resolute in finishing the dance even knowing your movements weren’t perfect! That... that is incredibly inspiring dedication."
Adrian swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly in awe. "Seeing you in person—even as you struggled through a dance—it registered as a completely different experience in my brain. You... you looked exactly like..."
Rumina’s brows knitted in confusion. "Like what?"
"You looked... like the physical embodiment of numbers finally taking a breath and coming to life."
Silence.
Rumina’s brain abruptly ceased all operations. The woman stared at Adrian for a long time. A very long time. Processing the freakish sentence that had just left his mouth.
Then, with a tone that one hundred percent evaporated any remaining traces of her emotion, she muttered, "You... are a genuine weirdo."
Miraculously, instead of feeling offended or executing a tactical retreat, the smile on Lord Adrian’s face merely grew brighter. "Thank you very much, Princess. That is the greatest compliment I have ever received."
Haaaaah. Rumina let out a resigned sigh. She had completely run out of responses in her inventory.
The man standing and grinning foolishly in front of her was clearly a different species from the other clout-chasing nobles. A gold-digging aristocrat would never willingly make ’reading financial ledgers’ their bedtime hobby. And a playboy noble would never hit on a woman with such an absurdly nerdy pick-up line: ’You look like living numbers’.
"What I just said was absolutely not a compliment, Lord Adrian," Rumina corrected sharply.
"To my ears... anything that falls from your lips is a compliment."
"Whatever. You’ve completely lost your mind."
"Once again, thank you for the praise."
Rumina massaged her temples. Her brain decided that she was far too exhausted today to process the existence of this alien named Lord Adrian Vinter.
She had just turned toward the beverage table, intending to chart the most elegant escape route. But before she could take a step, the sharp clinking of a spoon against a glass rang out. Clink! Clink! Clink!
Countess Mira’s authoritative yet melodic voice echoed from the main podium, amplified by acoustic magic. "Distinguished guests. May I please borrow your attention for a moment."
The roar of the hall slowly receded into a respectful hush. The nobles sealed their mouths. The waiters froze in place, lowering their silver trays.
At the far end of the hall, Countess Mira stood elegantly atop a marble podium, her midnight-blue gown and silver tiara reflecting the gleam of the chandeliers.
"Tonight... is a phenomenally special night in the lineage of the Frost family," the middle-aged woman’s voice flowed warmly.
"My beloved son, Lamine Frost, will tonight begin a sacred new Chapter in his life alongside the woman he has chosen. As a mother... believe me, there is no greater burst of joy in this world than watching your child successfully find the anchor of his true love."
Countess Mira extended her hand gracefully toward the side of the stage. "And now, without further ado... please give a warm, resounding welcome to our engaged couple tonight."
The colossal double doors at the end of the hall were pulled wide open.
Lamine Frost stepped in first, walking down the red carpet. The young man’s posture was towering and proud. His radiant silver hair—the absolute genetic hallmark of the Frost family—was slicked back flawlessly.
The tuxedo cladding his frame was a pristine, holy white, accented with elegant icy-blue lapels. His strides were exceptionally calm.
Behind him, Aurora Alainn trailed closely, her hands clasped shyly over her stomach.
She wore a breathtaking light blue gown, intricately adorned with silver thread embroidery shaped like snow-flowers climbing beautifully up her arms.
Her light brown hair was tied in a half-updo, deliberately leaving a few loose strands to frame her beautiful face. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink.
Her eyes looked down at the floor—not out of agonizing nervousness, but purely because her heart was overflowing with too much joy to meet the gazes of thousands all at once.
Upon reaching the center of the room, Lamine turned and extended his hand. Aurora carved a blushing smile, then accepted the warm gesture.
The two walked side-by-side to the exact center of the dance floor, accompanied by the thunderous applause of hundreds of guests. Clap! Clap! Clap!
The strains of classical music once again ruled the hall. The first violin string was drawn slowly, creating a deeply serene opening note.
Lamine placed a hand on Aurora’s slender waist with a tenderness that was fiercely protective. Aurora responded by wrapping an arm over his shoulder. The next second, they began to spin in tandem. Dancing.
Every pull of Lamine’s movements flowed with absolute calm, guiding Aurora so flawlessly that the girl didn’t have to fear a single misstep.
Every rotation of their waltz... was a silent dialogue between souls. Every locked gaze... was an unspoken vow of eternal devotion.
Standing at the edge of the dance floor, Rumina watched the magical spectacle in total silence.
"I... in my entire life... will never be able to have a moment like that," Rumina muttered bitterly. Very, very softly—too faint to be heard by anyone standing near her.
But far at the table of honor, Lucian’s gray eyes saw it all.
The father saw clearly how his rigid, workaholic daughter stood so fragilely at the edge of the dance floor. Watching the deeply in-love engaged couple with an expression that defied definition.
King Lucian slowly set down his wine glass. Then, he carved a faint, soft smile.
The relieved smile of a father... who could finally see his daughter standing right at the axis of human life. No longer locking herself behind cold castle walls with stacks of dead paper.
The night rolled on, swallowing the hours. The rhythm of the banquet spun endlessly, serving joy on silver platters.
And far in a corner, amidst the swaying violin melodies and the blinding gleam of crystal lights... Rumina Sudrath—the Head Treasurer whose backside supposedly never left her office chair—finally stood, blending into the crowd.
She was no longer hiding behind a fortress of financial reports.
She was no longer isolated inside her study.
Tonight, she was here. Mingling amidst the vibrant breathing of humanity. Drowning in the laughter, the sweat of the dance, and every form of beautiful, chaotic emotion... a value that could never be calculated by any string of numbers in this world.