'Hm. Dancing with a Sage, huh? There's a first time for everything in life.'
Eren thought to himself as he stared into Osha's eyes. The latter honored her agreement after delegating the work to her subordinates present at the event.
The Grad Ball music never stopped. But rankers would take breaks on the sidelines to change their partners or just observe what others were doing.
None of the rankers were physically tired. But some of them were lone creatures and thought this was enough interaction for the month with other rankers. The fuel inside them to keep their social interactions running had run dry.
Eren also waited on the sidelines and Osha stood in front of him. She waited for him to prepare himself with a knowing smile plastered over her face.
Usually, Eren would have taken his leave after midnight to concentrate on his pending work. However, he didn't leave the venue early. He wanted to create connections with his batchmates.
The chance to dance with Osha Daman was one such potential connection Eren liked to have in his books. After all, she was a Sage ranker. And no amount of money or ranking resources he had at the time could help him establish a connection with someone like Osha.
Some rankers also stopped their participation and waited on the sidelines to watch an Expert ranker dance with a Sage ranker. They saw Osha as completely out of Eren's league. She was out of their league as well. But to laugh at Eren for his presumed nervousness, they conveniently ignored that fact.
However, what they didn't know was that Eren wasn't flustered by Osha's presence. Rather, standing so close to her brought back some dreadful memories.
The butcher was reminded of the first Sage he had seen up close in both his timelines. Compared to the mummified monstrosity, Osha looked like a delicate flower to Eren. So he had no inhibitions when he stopped reminiscing about the past and took her hand in his.
Eren felt his heart racing as he took Osha Daman's hand and danced with her. His heart raced not because he was afraid of Osha. But he was excited about his own progress.
He had never been this close to a Sage ranker before. At least not in the way he was at the point. Osha allowed Eren to lead her into the dance floor pool. She matched his tempo as they danced together.
Osha's captivating blue eyes sparkled under the bright moonlight. Eren felt overwhelmed and excited at the same time.
The couple started with a simple step-touch, then moved on to a grapevine, followed by a jazz square, a pivot turn, and a Chasse. Osha had never been a dancer, but she was surprisingly good at following Eren's lead.
As they danced, Osha looked at Eren with a small smile. "Young man, relax. It's just a dance. Don't stress yourself into thinking there's more to it than this."
Eren laughed at Osha's words. He didn't want to convey what he felt at the time. So he let Osha think he was tense around her. It was a positive assumption she could have made about him. Eren strengthened her assumptions with his next words.
"Easy for you to say, Osha. I can't help but be charmed by you."
After he said that, Eren picked up his pace. There was no hesitation or awkwardness in his body language anymore as he danced flawlessly with Osha.
Osha remembered Eren's reply to her composition as she felt his confidence up close. His words were very domineering at the time, and she thought Eren AKA Grimdawn was a lowkey arrogant Expert ranker. But it turned out that he could also act humble and confident when he needed to.
"Hehehe," Osha laughed softly. Her voice sounded like a symphony in Eren's ears. "You have ambitions to surpass me, don't you? Then I'm sure this war will provide you with plenty of opportunities to grow."
Eren simply nodded and replied. "I do, Osha. In fact, I'm counting on it."
The two continued to dance, their movements becoming more fluid and natural. Eren felt his worries and stress melt away as he enjoyed the moment with Osha.
Eren flirted with Osha using safe words. And she flirted back because she was impressed by Eren's manner around her. She felt there was something special about the man who was currently leading her.
Eren didn't try funny business with a Sage. He also made conscious efforts not to let his Sin Series Ability have even a passive effect on her. This was to ensure his own safety.
Finally, the song came to an end, and Osha bowed gracefully to Eren. "Thank you for the dance, young man. You're quite a surprise."
Eren grinned back at her, feeling satisfaction in his heart. "Thank you, Osha. I had an excellent time as well. And hope to see you in the city of White Raven in the future as well."
Eren left a positive impression on Osha by the time they separated. She couldn't help feeling intrigued by the man. She felt as if there was a lot more to Grimdawn than he let on. The Sage ranker looked forward to the time she could meet Eren again.
***
As the Grad Ball event ended, the flying white palace gradually descended to the ground where it had originally taken off from. The bright lights that had illuminated the grand hall throughout the night gradually dimmed, and the music that had filled the air came to a gentle stop.
The remaining rankers, dressed in their last night's disheveled attire, said their final goodbyes to each other before heading off in different directions. Some had left with their partners to spend the rest of the night elsewhere, while others returned to their homes.
Eren, who had danced the night away in his plus-ones, took a moment to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. The event was a success, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. However, his mind was already shifting toward the ongoing war and what he could do to prepare his guild for it.
As he looked around in the emptying grand hall, he realized he had a lot of work to do. He needed to continue training his guild members, gather intelligence about his enemies, secure alliances with other organizations, and prepare for the battles that were sure to come.
With a deep breath, Eren turned to leave the grand hall, his mind already filled with plans and strategies.
The Grad Ball had been a wonderful distraction, but now it was time to return to work.
