In the corridors of the grand palace, Saruto stood proudly on one of the high balconies, his eyes meticulously following every movement at the ball.
Through telepathy, he sent a firm command to his clones: "Take each of the princesses to her designated guest hall… I don't want them all together."
Quietly, each clone escorted a princess, each one reassured by Saruto's presence, unaware that what she saw was merely a clone.
Meanwhile, in the Sea Kingdom, Princess Selena stood on the shore, her wavy blue hair swaying in the sea breeze, her eyes as clear as the deep ocean.
When she saw Lucian approaching, she smiled serenely and said, "Ice Heir… I didn't expect you to come in person."
Lucian bowed slightly, a confident smile on his face. "When it comes to you, I can't just send messages. I wanted to accompany you to the ball."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she masked her embarrassment with a regal smile.
She slowly extended her hand to him, and Lucien gently took it. They walked toward the carriage, and he gestured for the one he had brought to follow.
She sat beside him inside the carriage, and as he waved, the horses began to freeze the waves, creating a shortcut and leaving behind a trail of spray that glittered like stars.
Along the way, with the sea below and the horizon glowing with the setting sun, they chatted.
"Tell me, Lucien," the princess asked softly. "Why did you accept the invitation to the ball?"
He hesitated, then replied with a sideways smile, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "When I learned you were bringing me, I couldn't refuse."
The princess was silent for a moment, her heart racing, then she looked away to hide her smile.
Outside, Lucien's sleigh pulled up before the ornate gate. He helped Princess Selena disembark after bringing her from her kingdom, then personally led her to the guest hall. Once she was settled inside,
Saruto sensed Lucian's energy and said, "Well, Lucian's here with the Princess Selena… everything is going according to plan."
Moments later, the palace began to fill up: Storm Heir Kyle entered with confident strides, his hair billowing as if surrounded by a perpetual wind. Dragon Heir Rhyn arrived with his entourage, his eyes gleaming with the glow of ancient power, and the other kings of the families were also present.
Just before the ceremony began, Saruto gave his final orders to his clones: "Now… take the princesses to the main hall. At the doors, slip away, claiming you forgot something. I don't want to be discovered."
And so it was: Each clone escorted their princess to the grand entrance.
He bowed slightly and said, "Forgive me, I just remembered something important. I'll join you later." Then the shadow vanished like mist, leaving the princesses slightly surprised, but they suspected nothing.
The crystal-decorated doors of the grand hall opened, and the princesses entered one by one. All eyes turned to them; beauty and strength were embodied in their serene steps.
At that moment, a deep voice boomed from above: "Welcome, all… heirs of the families."
Everyone looked up to find Saruto standing on one of the high balconies, looking down at them steadily with a gentle smile, greeting them.