A ballad of colours broke through the banners and veils of the ballroom, the vibrant chandeliers of gold and neon hung high in the air, with dozens of rows of spectating balconies.

The Ball Room was massive, possibly half an entire football field for this room alone. There were even large statues along the walls, with a part of the floor lower than the rest, to allow for a moat of water to encase the room's central plaza. However, hovering steps were present for movement in and out of the room, as well as to the upper floors.

The music playing was refined, calming, and classy - exactly what Eliza expected the Marquis to put on.

Hundreds of people filled the room, with an assortment of men, women and any combination of all sorts of people dancing around the main central plaza. Some of the attendant's children were playing along as well...

It was rather adorable, Eliza thought, watching them trod around aimlessly. So innocent… Maybe… if things were different, back then, maybe she could have danced.

Mimicking and rhyming with the instruments played by the orchestra were the humming leviathans, tamed leviathans trapped in floating orbs replicating chandeliers. Some children were watching as they sang and danced for all to hear, a moment of joy to mask away the woes of the past…

Yet somehow, Eliza didn't want to enjoy all of this. What makes her so special from anyone else… Was it just her name? No, she had to do something to prove herself within these halls.

With that, Eliza clenched her fist, feeling the silky fabrics of the skin-tight glove she wore.

Elizabeth remembered that she was also with someone, that Nathan fellow who is the second of Yuki.

"Ah yes," she said as she turned towards a frozen Nathan. "The famous Aristocratic Dance Classes we were all forced to attend to..." She gestured to the children, their poor dances and poorly coordinated moves.

The joke didn't seem to land, as he remained frozen, using Eliza to hide. He was slouched over as well since he was slightly taller.

Nathan slowly looked out across the dance floor, seeing one of the children fall over. He gave a solemn nod.

The shine and glint of brooches of all sizes, shapes, gems and essences could be seen across the room, denoting those who have climbed their way to the top from those who have not - though many in the room most likely got their brooches from their parents, unproven to themselves yet.

She wondered if the practice of forced improvement was still used by some families... That would most definitely bring out the meritocracy within the people in this room, weeding those that have not deserved their place in these halls...

Eliza tilted her head back to Nathan. "Might I ask why you are hiding? You act like you've seen a ghost."

"Well... it's because—"

"—NATHAN! Yuki shouted across the room. "YOU PROOOMISED ME!"

She rushed up to the two. Eliza's eyes widened at her glamorous flowing blue dress, with flower-pattern mesh frills on the hem of the skirt and sleeves - fastened with a Trasian sash around her hips and a small white opaque cape over a shoulder.

"Oh, hi Liz!" Yuki said in a comparatively calm voice as she grabbed onto Nathan's collar. Eliza sweated a bit just at the sight of her dragging a much taller person around. "You waiting for someone…. Hmm?"

Eliza nodded. "Nice dress, I'm guessing you went to the same tailor as your brother?"

Yuki's eyes widened. "Of course! I can totally tell that you also went to the blind guy! I mean… just look at you! Isn't that right, Nate?" Nathan nodded a thousand times in a single second.

"Please… have mercy," Nathan meekly begged.

"Nuh-uh, you promised, I wanna cash that in," Yuki snorted. "Hehe, you're waiting on Kazu, aren't you?" Yuki placed her hand over her mouth as she hid a laugh and a grin.

This time, Eliza weathered the embarrassment of being called out. "I guess I am?" Eliza scratched her cheek. "That isn't a problem, is it?"

Yuki was taken aback by Eliza's complete honesty. "Uh… Go ahead, I ain't exactly regulating my brother's life, you know? Plus, if he approves then I think that's good enough!" She was tugging tightly on Nathan's suit collar, roughing it up a bit.

"HEY!" Nathan tried to break free but was unable to. "This is my brother's suit, you know?"

"I think you should be a little more gentle," Eliza suggested. "Actually… I think you should, suits aren't exactly made to be roughed up in, you know? I think Nate's brother won't like his suit being in tatters by the end of all this."

Yuki placed a hand to her chin, then chortled. She grinned at Eliza, pointing a finger. "Heh. Nerd," she said.

Yuki brushed past Eliza, grabbing onto Nathan's wrist and dragging him to the dance floor.

"HAAVE MERCY!"

Eliza blinked several times, watching her force him to dance. Despite Nathan's... reluctance... it seemed to be going well. She pried her eyes off what she just saw, looking to Chloé and Noah, across the room. They were talking to Noah's parents...

Seems to be very important talks? Ugh… Eliza didn't feel comfortable interjecting, as Noah's parents might care about Eliza's status in the lowest-low echelons of the aristocracy…

"Hmm," Cyrus mumbled to himself. Eliza looked behind her, seeing the half-giant guarding her, wearing a massive tuxedo. He also had an exceedingly small bow tie on... Compared to the rest of his clothes, it looked quite comical. "Where's those two...?"

"Václavos and Nihara?" Eliza asked, garnering Cyrus' attention.

He nodded. Eliza's eyes scanned to one of the corners of the room, seeing two similarly dressed individuals argue... She squinted through her aug-glasses, highlighting black and blonde hair, a pale face against a massive grin.

"I... think they're arguing. And if Nihara's here... Where's Kazuki?"

"I have been told he has been assisting Archius on something. Most likely to do with your investigation, or the recent robot attacks," he said. Cyrus turned back towards his guards, sighing loudly. "At least they're in the same room..."

"Hmm?"

He continued without elaborating, "Kazuki also has his weapons back... as such, it has become redundant for one of his attendants to guard him."

"I... I still think he should at least take someone with him, right?" Eliza asked.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Cyrus shook his head. "No. Kazuki's strong. No matter what, he will live. I promise you that."

"There's been so many close calls within the past months alone... Are you sure about that?"

Eliza placed her hands behind her back, turning back out to the dance floor. She was watching Yuki and Nathan. The young Geminorum-Ryzaku girl was seemingly teaching Nathan on the fly!

Eliza was quite impressed... and jealous. She wanted to be out on there... Alas, no one to dance with. Even Nathan was sort-of-maybe-Eliza-couldn't-tell smiling.

"As sure of it as I am sure of death," Cyrus snapped. "He survived Freyja Beamont. He survived Antonius Marc. Whatever this place has to throw at him, he'll survive it. Sending one of us to aid him would only slow him down"

Cyrus' confidence in Kazuki rubbed off onto Eliza, but it also came with a far-flung feeling of sadness… Kazuki's amazing, that's a good thing, right? But who can be his equal? Who can be his peer?

Kazuki barely showed emotion. Let alone good ones. Who does Kazuki have to rely on if others must rely on him as the High Director? It was a daunting realisation, something that caused Eliza's face to dampen.

"Elizabeth?" Cyrus inquired.

Eliza shook her head. "I'm fine," she said. It was clear what the answer was, she had to be! Kazuki trusts her, she must help him where others cannot, and she must be his shoulder to rely on.

He promised her justice, and she felt the strength in his words.

His integrity for her is unbreakable, and as long as that stays the same, an optimistically determined Eliza will keep the gears of war and justice alive. For the investigation… For Quinn, Claire, and everyone else…

And for most of all. For her, she thought.

"I hope this place isn't making you feel too uncomfortable, with all the possible—"

"—The guarding isn't the problem," Cyrus said. He glanced around the room. "Me, Kazuki, Václavos and Nihara all bled in training, to become killers... These people did not."

Eliza glanced down, seeing Cyrus' fist clench. It seems Cyrus has the same opinion on these people as Kazuki does...

"But things are changing," Cyrus said, snapping Eliza's mind awake. "Kazuki spends his time alone, with barely anyone with him. It's been like that for a while, even during the Rebellion. He was always thinking, planning, strategising."

Eliza asked, "How... does this link with change?"

"Kazuki's bled more than any of us. Me, Václavos and Nihara combined. He is the one that wakes up the hour clock timer. And he does not make idle promises or threats... Back when we were in Eden, he told me that he'd change this galaxy."

"For the better?"

Cyrus nodded. He grumbled under his breath. "If this investigation of yours will help that, I'll invest in it. This is more than just a job... The pay makes up for any misgivings."

"How much do you get paid?" Eliza asked... "Seems quite a... taboo thing to talk about, now that I've said it, but Quinn and Claire said they get paid quite a lot."

"More than enough," Cyrus stated. A figure slinked in right between the two of them. Archius?! "What is it now?"

Archius shooed Cyrus slightly away, grabbing onto Eliza's shoulder. "Where's Kaz?" Eliza asked.

"Uh… he'll be here in a minute or so?" Archius shrugged. "I think he's still getting dressed. But uhh… you're gonna go out there with him, right?" He gestured to the dance floor. Eliza mumbled slightly, maybe? Well… She wouldn't exactly hate it, per say.

Archius chuckled. "I knew it," he said. "Just don't step on his feet… again, alright?" He slapped her across the back. "I think Chloé might have the footage from prom still, I'll have to ask her again."

Eliza grumbled. "Absolutely not! Do not remind her of that… please?!"

Without another word, Archius nodded. "Sure, sure, I'll make sure to tell her, don't worry about a thing!" Waving away, he walked off. "I'm off to get drunk, you have fun, alright?"

Eliza pouted, just about to shout over to Archius as her face went bright red. Just then she noticed people approaching.

Cyrus glanced around, nodding towards the approaching group. Eliza soothed her face, it was the Jara-Jin Twins. "Whatever you think it is, it's more," Cyrus said.

However, her mind was already turned towards the new arrivals, two individuals wearing tuxedoes and suits of opposing colours. It was vibrant as well! They smiled at her, nodding. "I didn't think you'd be here!" said Irya, he snapped his fingers a few times, glancing around. "Where's Gilbert or Iania?"

"Fer-Charelota or Delia? Uh... Sorry, I haven't seen them," said Eliza. "But what brings you two here?"

"Networking!" Irya shouted.

Kantos quietened his brother. "We're looking for Kazuki..."

Eliza glanced back towards her guard. Cyrus merely gave her a slow nod of approval.

Turning back, Eliza said, "Kazuki's busy right now, I think he'll be here soon? Hopefully?"

"Well then, more alcohol for the rest of us," Kantos joked. He looked around the room, as alcohol was still not being served out. "Where's the bloody alcohol..."

Eliza said, "Perhaps they're worried about giving alcohol to children?" She then shrugged. "To be completely honest, I didn't expect Kazuki to... agree to train you guys. He didn't even want to train me."

Irya spun around, trying to look for a drone, muttering about alcohol to himself. They must really be thirsty, Eliza thought. "Well... it's just a ceremonial thing, it's not like we'll be bringing Divine Black blades into fights or anything... Plus, we Trasian have a saying: if you are down to drawing your Black blade, prepare to die."

"Bit... morbid, don't you think?" Eliza asked.

"Not really," said Irya. "My grandfather told me about how you'd be given the death sentence if you drew your blade without authorisation."

Eliza's raised a shocked response, "That's even more morbid!"

Irya chuckled in response. "Please! It's just a warning, for us to not draw our weapons in public! And something about always being ready for death, I don't really get it…"

"I think I get the gist of it," Eliza said.

"Hmm, technically we're also Vassals of Kazuki, by ceremony only, which I… I'm fine, I guess? Technically means we're Hatamoto."

Kantos looked to Cyrus. "I think he's Kazuki's Hatamoto, not us."

Cyrus stared directly at Kantos and Irya. "Hmm."

"All this ceremony stuff is hurting my head," Eliza admitted. "I really don't get it."

"Neither do any of us in like… the past ten generations," Irya quipped. "Since we're Vassals, also means that we're kinda charged with protecting you as well."

Kantos grumbled. "Shut up. We're partners, not subordinates."

"I know, I know," continued Irya, laughing.

Protected by the Jins? "What… like dying for me?" Eliza awkwardly asked. "Please don't… do that."

Kantos shrugged.

Irya smiled. "Don't worry, it'll take more than a few bolts to take us down."

"Why doesn't Kazuki train you?" asked Kantos, furrowing his brow. "Even a little is better than none."

"I don't know." Eliza sighed, slouching down slightly. "Maybe he just... doesn't see much worth in me as a fighter?" she suggested.

"Hey! We all start somewhere," Kantos said. Eliza glanced up at Cyrus, seeing if he agreed with the statement. "I bet Kazuki wasn't as strong as he was when he first started out."

Eliza asked, "Was he?"

"Oh?" Irya looked up at Cyrus. "This guy knows?"

"To a certain degree." Cyrus didn't seem too interested in answering the question.

Despite her best efforts, and knowing that Kazuki's past was rife with death, Eliza wanted to know. Her curiosity got the better of her, giving Cyrus a forceful nod.

Cyrus answered, "He was no natural. But when Freyja threw him into a baptism by fire, he soared."

Kantos looked around, before sticking his eyes onto Cyrus, seemingly making sure no one else was listening. "This is a lot of information you're disclosing to us."

Cyrus nodded. "Kazuki does not speak much, but he enjoys your company. You are allies of him. Keep it like that."

His cold words had a mixed response from the twins, as they didn't seem to know whether he was threatening them or complimenting them - just as Kazuki would do. "He... means that Kazuki trusts you," Eliza said. "More than most people, it seems, and me…"

"Hey, he's got your back, doesn't he?" Irya asked, smiling. He gently patted Eliza on the shoulder, looking up to see if Cyrus would react or do anything. "My guts tell me he's a lot softer than what you think he is, so… maybe take that into account?"

"—What about me?" a voice called out to them. Kazuki's.

They all turned, seeing a small convoy of three of the galaxy's wealthiest individuals. Senator Iana Nimitz-Delia, businesswoman. Senator & Marquis Gilbert Fer-Charelota, head of the Aristocratic Governing Body - and Prince Kazuki Izumi Geminorum-Ryzaku, the Arbiter of the AGENCY, and fourth of the Seven Mercenaries, flanked by Lady Antiar.

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