The clock struck at 9 PM and the Grad Ball began.
The event was held inside a giant hall with a semi-transparent dome roof. A stage was erected in one corner of the hall, hosting a band of musicians in the back.
A melodious tune played as the backdrop for the event. It could be heard mysteriously in every corner of the hall without being too loud. It soothed the listeners' minds and gave them a positive feeling about the evening at the same time.
There was a large crowd of the audience seated in front of the stage. Graduate rankers had dedicated round tables for themselves. Their plus-ones sat with them.
The drinks and food were served to these rankers right on their tables. All they needed to do was use the space-element arrays etched onto the tables' faces to get what they wanted and it would appear on their table without a moment's delay.
The atmosphere was full of energy and tense at the same time. It felt tense to some rankers because a Sage hosted the event.
"Good evening, Edinburgh's bright stars and their shining lights. I, your host for the evening, Osha Daman, welcome you all."
Sage Osha Daman welcomed the guests of the floating white palace with a voice coated in excitement. She stood in front of a lectern with runic engravings on the surface.
Osha came before her audience in a stunning one-shoulder dress that highlighted her natural beauty. One could say that it was very easy for her to demand attention from the crowd in front of her.
Osha's ash blonde hair was styled into loose waves that cascaded down her shoulders. Her cobalt blue eyes sparkled in the venue's bright lights. Her peach-colored lips were small and cute, and her smooth and supple skin glowed with radiance.
She wore a heavy golden necklace holding a palm-sized blue sapphire within it, drawing attention to her ample bust and slim waist. Her shapely posterior was accentuated by her sleek dress silhouette, and her ankle-strap footwear completed the look.
The sandalwood perfume she wore added a subtle yet alluring touch to her presence. Her eyes twinkled with playfulness and mischief. Osha exuded confidence and poise, with a domineering yet approachable presence that commanded attention.
"Tonight, let's leave the formalities behind. Your royal status, your designations, your family background– nothing matters tonight. Do you hear me?"
Osha posed a playfully reprimanding rhetorical question to her audience.
"Fret not. I am not spared by my rules either. You can simply call me Osha tonight."
The tense rankers were shocked to find out that Osha wanted to deny the respect she had earned because of her ranking status. Osha chuckled when she saw some faces looking at her with puzzled and shocked expressions. She chuckled before adding further.
"There's nothing to shock about. I truly believe some of the rankers present here have the potential to claim Sagehood. So you can consider this leeway as betting on your future."
Osha's words were followed by a round of applause that grew steadily with each passing second before waning. Since a Sage left her Sagehood behind, nobody in the audience would dare cling to their titles and privileged status.
Osha was a patient host. She only started speaking when the hall got quiet again.
"To be honest, this event was supposed to be hosted by Rufus Rodriguez. The guy would have bored you to death with his long speeches if he was still alive and kicking. Hehe."
Osha laughed lightly, reminiscing about Rufus who was fondly remembered by all the rankers associated with the kingdom of Edinburgh closely. His speeches were long but he also had a knack for keeping his audience hooked.
Osha was a Grandmaster ranker like Rufus not too long ago. It was only recently that she broke into the Sage rank. So she didn't consider herself a better ranker or host than Rufus.
As far as Osha could understand, she was being an okayish host– someone who didn't have character traits in her speeches. That made her speeches flawless but also boring. Still, being a Sage, she knew she had to get all sorts of experiences to progress further. So she did everything she could to make this Ball a success while hosting.
Osha sighed lightly before speaking in a depressive tone.
"Rufus died heroically fighting infiltrators. For that, he will forever be missed by the rankers of Edinburgh. In fact, all those who died at the enemy's hands in Sansara World will be missed. Let's toast."
Osha raised a toast and placed it in front of her on the lectern. Her audience also did the same and paid Rufus respect.
The man who watched Rufus die was also in the audience. He knew well that there was nothing heroic about Rufus' death. Rufus died like a dog surrounded and killed by bigger dogs. He indeed fought heroically. However, his death was a dog's death.
This man knew that the kingdom of Edinburgh had to save face after completing the final investigation related to all deaths inside Sansara World. Since Rufus was closely associated with Edinburgh's inner circle, his reputation was linked to Edinburgh's honor. So it was only natural that Edinburgh would try to portray Rufus' death in a good light.
Then again, the sole witness to Rufus' death in the audience had also used the moment of his death as a stepping stone to get what he wanted from Sansara World. So he couldn't really criticize Edinburgh for their action.
Of course, the man who watched Rufus die did not correct Osha's words. He just raised a toast in his name and drank with the rest of the crowd.
Osha let the silence build up for some time before speaking up.
"My point in bringing this topic up is very simple. I want you to understand that our lives are very fleeting as rankers. So moments like these are crucial to our lives.
"The next day, let life take us where it wants us. But tonight, we will be our own masters. We will take control and seize a pocketful of happiness for the long days ahead.
Let's enjoy this evening to our heart's content, shall we?"
