Gun of Ashes

Lorenzo originally wanted to refute, but he couldn't find a reason. At this moment, he did feel somewhat uncomfortable. He usually interacted with big shots, but suddenly being thrown into this luxurious circle made him feel out of place.

"You'll get used to it. It took me a week to get used to this."

Selyu said casually, turning her head and looking at Lorenzo with eyes as blue as a clear sea.

Honestly, for a moment Lorenzo felt flustered being stared at by her. Her gaze was magical in a way.

But then Lorenzo caught the meaning behind her words, his expression slightly stiffened, unsure of how to react.

Essentially, Selyu was also a stray dog, one that Lorenzo had dragged and saved from Gaulunaro.

Several years ago, Selyu too was a helpless stray dog pushed onto the Stuart stage. Her discomfort back then must have been even more intense than Lorenzo's, which might be why she chose not to stay in her well-appointed mansion and frequently sought out Lorenzo.

They were all stray dogs. The place that made stray dogs comfortable wasn't some luxurious kennel, but rather the muddy puddles on the street, where rolling around felt liberating.

"So what are we going to do next?"

Lorenzo didn't continue discussing deeply and instead found a different topic. Selyu pointed casually to a secluded sofa.

The venue for the ball was much larger than Lorenzo imagined. Crystal chandeliers hung centrally, waiters shuttled back and forth, carrying fine wine from the vineyard.

It has to be said, these nobles certainly knew how to put on a show. Lorenzo tried his best not to reveal his plain 'stray dog' nature.

Selyu didn't want much connection with the nobles and chose a secluded spot, but getting there meant passing through the crowd. Lorenzo could only hope no one would recognize them.

Lorenzo wasn't a public figure, perhaps seen as a new friend in the circle, but Selyu was different. She was set to be Duchess of the Stuart family in a month's time, backed by a noble group united through war. Winning her favor meant gaining the support of the entire Stuart noble group.

If networking at this ball was like a lottery, Selyu's favor was the grand prize. If Lorenzo were a noble, he would put all his effort into charming Selyu.

Looking at the platters of precious metals, who would have thought this grand prize was right there with Lorenzo? What did he do to deserve this, and the grand prize was useless to Lorenzo anyhow, with the Purification Mechanism keeping a close watch on him, possibly hauling him off for tea anytime at night.

However, so far things were going well, perhaps due to Selyu's low presence, and despite being there for so long, no one had noticed her. This freed Lorenzo from a lot of hassle, considering his role as Selyu's shield, tasked with rejecting all invites.

But then, a hand suddenly stopped Lorenzo, and he was startled, thinking, have we been discovered? Yet the ensuing voice led to something entirely unexpected.

"Isn't this Mr. Holmes!"

A fancy-dressed noblewoman blocked Lorenzo's way, her voice overly sweet, causing Lorenzo to momentarily daze.

Wait...

Hold on! This development wasn't right. Wasn't some oblivious young person supposed to strike a conversation only to be rejected by me? Now, why was I being approached, and why does she know me... wait!

Lorenzo looked at the somewhat familiar face of the noblewoman, asking tentatively.

"Mrs. Vanessa?"

The noblewoman grinned even wider, cheerfully saying.

"It's me! I didn't expect you'd remember my name. Come on, it's such a surprise seeing you here. Over here are all old friends."

Saying that, Mrs. Vanessa pulled Lorenzo over to somewhere else, where there was a group of noblewomen chattering about something unknown. Upon seeing Lorenzo, they erupted like boiling water, their chatter unbearably loud.

"It's Mr. Holmes!"

"Quick, come over! It's been a while."

"Let me introduce you, this is Lorenzo Holmes."

"..."

Dazed, Lorenzo was pulled around by countless hands, the strange mixture of perfumes almost suffocating.

The commotion attracted the attention of those around, drawing gazes upon them, seemingly surprised at the popularity. From the name, he supposed Lorenzo was a new friend in the circle.

They were an astute bunch, aware of how difficult it was to please those noblewomen. The sudden appearance of such a person would surely warrant a look, thus the secluded spot became even more crowded.

"I didn't expect Holmes to look so handsome after tidying up?"

"Mr. Holmes, what do you think about the suggestion I mentioned to you earlier?"

"Mr. Holmes..."

Chatter and clamor, like a flock of birds screaming in your ears. Lorenzo certainly didn't relish it, struggling hard but was pulled back by hand after hand.

In the crowd, Selyu, who was neglected, slowly raised her head. She looked at the embarrassed Lorenzo and asked.

"Are you actually that popular?"

Lorenzo abruptly lowered his head, pulled Selyu through the crowd, and explained along the way, although his expression was quite awkward as he spoke.