Chapter 325 - 324. Founding Day Ball (2)
Lyall gave me a hand and I stepped out, I had purposely gone late so as to not get caught up by the crowd which would gather at the entrance but here they were. A couple of nobles who were also late spotted me and I could already hear them whispering and talking about me as I passed by without any glance.
I had a cane with me along with my complete ensemble which screamed the star of the party.
I could see that I was already gathering attention despite anything. Lyall walked behind me silently until we reached at the ball room’s entrance and the guards who stood there looked at me.
Lyall showed him the invitation and the guard stiffened before he looked at me before he opened the doors and the steward who stood nearby stared at me. I glanced at him and he flinched, blinking before he opened his mouth.
"Announcing His Lordship, Baron Ocean Ryujin of Oasis!" The steward announced my entry.
As the steward’s voice echoed through the grand ballroom, announcing my arrival, a hush fell over the crowd. The murmur of conversation faded, and in its place, silence stretched like a drawn blade. One could have heard even if a pin had dropped in that moment.
I took my first step past the towering entrance, my presence commanding every gaze to shift toward me. Nobles, dignitaries, and royals alike turned as one, their curiosity palpable. The chandeliers above bathed the room in a golden glow, casting long shadows that flickered against the polished marble floor. The rich fabric of my cloak whispered against the ground as I moved, the weight of my title settling onto my shoulders like armor.
I did not slow. Did not falter.
Instead, I let the silence deepen, let them take in the man who now stood at the threshold of power. Eyes trailed from my midnight-blue attire—tailored, precise, exuding authority—to the insignia of Oasis emblazoned upon my chest, a symbol of the land I ruled.
For a moment, I simply stood there, my gaze sweeping over the sea of expectant faces. Some held intrigue, others calculation, a few—envy.
Then, with the slightest tilt of my chin, I stepped forward.