Rudy and Maria were dancing in the big Underwater hall with hundreds of other guests. The lights were turned off, but the enormous luxurious chandelier was circling on one spot, glimmering lights in the hall, enough to keep things visible in everyone's sight.
The hall's walls were transparent glass, and even the ceiling and the floor were transparent. They were in a hall made of glass, which just increased the beauty of the Underwater world.
Everyone was exchanging their dance partners while dancing in a circle, but Rudy and Maria were in the center of the hall, right below the chandelier. And they had no intention of dancing with someone else.
Everyone present in the hall was wearing the mask and the dress provided to them, and all of them differed in colors. No one other than Rudy and Maria had a pure black dress and mask. Lu Bela had only given them to girls Rudy brought with him.
"It's dark, but not that dark. I can see everything. Can I have a light like this in my room at the castle?" Maria asked Rudy.
"Are you afraid of the dark?"
"No. I just like to have a little bit of light in my room."
"Well, one's eyes usually get used to the dark and see everything."
"I know that. It's like our eyes turn on a night mode or something."
"You can say that."
Rudy had one hand around Maria's waist, and the other was holding her hand. Maria had the same, and they were dancing slowly, without caring for their surroundings, as though they were in their own little world.
"How long are we going to continue dancing like this? It's already been twenty minutes."
"I have no idea. But let me know if you get tired. We will go somewhere else," Rudy said calmly.
"There is no way I would ever get tired of being with you."
"Oh?" Rudy let out a soft chuckle and said, "Now is not the time to flirt with the cheesy lines, princess."
"But you always use them on everyone."
"I only use them on people I want to use them on."
"Same thing."
Rudy moved his hand from Maria's waist to her butt and squeezed it.
"Hey~!" Maria whispered seductively. "Are you trying to make me horny by doing this? If yes, then it's working."
"You are one little horny pervert, you know that?"
"You can't blame me if you are the one making me horny. And isn't every girl in your harem a pervert?"
"Never say this in front of the girls. But yes, they all have their own pervy side. But you are the only girl who gets horny by simple touching."
"That's because you are so good at this."
Rudy pulled Maria close and turned her around.
"What are you…"
Rudy grabbed Maria's waist and pressed her hips against his crotch, grinding their private parts while rhyming along with the slow music.
Maria leaned her body on Rudy and asked, "Seriously, do you plan to make me orgasm by pulling such tricks?"
Rudy rubbed his cheek against Maria's cheek and kissed her neck.
"I don't."
"Mnh~ You are~!"
"Then do you want me to stop?"
"No~ But let's continue somewhere else."
"We can't leave right now, or we will catch attention. Let's wait for the music to end. I am sure the others are tired too."
Rudy and Maria continued dancing in each other's embrace and changed their dancing patterns once in a while to spice things up.
Maria looked at Rudy's face and asked, "What's wrong? You haven't spoken a word in the last two minutes. Is something bothering you?"
"No… I am just looking for someone," he responded while glancing around the hall.
Maria squinted her eyes a little and asked, "Is it Lu Bela?"
"Why are you bringing her up? I am looking for Mia. She left before us for the market but still hasn't arrived here."
"Are you worried about her?" she asked with a curious look on her face.
"Obviously. She came here with us, so I have to make sure she gets back home safely. Actually, why are you not worried about her?"
Rudy raised his brow and asked, "Last time when she went missing for a few hours, you were panicking."
"It's not that I am not worried about her, but I am confident that she can defend herself. You also sent guards with her, so she is fine."
"Or maybe… she simply wanted to give us some alone time…" Rudy muttered as he remembered the deal he had made with Ruby at the beach the other day.
'Idiot. Why are you not using your chance? She is not redeeming her rewards from the deal. It's like she studied hard for the exam but didn't go to attend the exams on purpose. That's stupid.'
Rudy sighed inwardly.
"I noticed this before, but you are awfully good at dancing and flirting while dancing. Where did you learn this?" Maria asked with a judging look on her face.
"Elise."
"She taught you how to dance?"
"No, we used to go to clubs and parties every weekend and do wild things together. We were just like any other ordinary couple enjoying their youth after their teen years. I spent my teen years doing nothing but studying, so the freedom I got when I was with Elise was a… heaven for me. A true blessing."
"That sounds fun. What was the most daring thing you two ever did?" she asked with a resolute expression on her face.
"Well… we once had sex in a public washroom."
"Outside?"
"Yes. We started outside and went into a cubicle when we heard someone coming. It was like… past 3 AM at night."
"Wow, you two were really wild, huh?"
"But now having sex in a cubicle has become a usual thing," he chuckled softly.
Rudy's ears suddenly twitched as he sensed something. He glanced around with a serious look on his face and sharpened his gaze.
"Still looking for Ruby?"
"No… there is someone here. Someone who is… not a human."
