Firefly Journey

No one would have imagined that the princess of the Kingdom of Delos would extend an invitation to a boy, and in such a formal way.

Claudia's white dress today wasn't wide, so she didn't dare lift it up. She lifted the hem of her dress with both hands, then extended her right hand with her palm slightly bent. Her movements were smooth and flawless, and even with the royal etiquette officer present, no one could find fault with them.

Etiquette varies slightly from country to country. Generally speaking, at the beginning of a dance, women should maintain a reserved attitude and not take the initiative to invite men to dance. Instead, they should wait for a while, the exact duration of which depends on local customs.

What is Claudia trying to achieve with this move?

Lin Yuanran was immediately at a loss. He knew nothing about banquet etiquette and didn't know what to do when the princess extended her hand.

A fatal problem loomed before them: what kind of dance could a country bumpkin like him possibly know?

It would be very impolite not to accept. In the customs and etiquette of the duchy, it is considered very immoral to refuse someone's invitation to dance, especially an invitation from a woman, as it would make them seem unattractive.

Does Claudia lack charm? Of course she does. Putting everything else aside, just look at that face that's so rare in the world—no one could resist it.

Fearing she couldn't dance and would embarrass herself if she accepted the invitation, Lin Yuanran was in a dilemma, unable to decide whether to go forward or back.

Claudia maintained her smile, slightly annoyed, thinking to herself, "I've already gone to great lengths to invite you, and you're still hesitating. I don't know what you're doing!"

After thinking for a couple of seconds, the clever Princess Delos came up with a plan. She took a few more steps forward and said in a voice that only Lin Yuanran could hear, "If you want to know why I came to you, you'd better accept it."

Lin Yuanran was shocked to hear this. "You're not targeting me, are you?"

There are only two possibilities when someone is targeting you: either the other person is your parents or your lover, and they care about you all the time.

Another possibility is that they are your enemies, looking for an opportunity to kill you.

Lin Yuanran wasn't narcissistic enough to believe that Claudia would fall for him after just one meeting; there must be another reason. As for hatred, that was even less likely; they hadn't exchanged a single word before today, so how could there be any hatred?

Fine, let's see what you're up to.

Lin Yuanran slowly stretched out his arm, his fingertips soon touching the white gloves. Claudia smiled slightly and gave him an ambiguous look, which Lin Yuanran ignored.

Then, led by Claudia, the two walked to the center of the auditorium, where many people had already started dancing.

“Follow my pace, or you’ll embarrass yourself,” Claudia said.

Lin Yuanran was inspired by her and was surprised to find that he could suddenly jump, as if he had suddenly discovered something.

"Can you tell me now?" Lin Yuanran asked.

Claudia stopped keeping her in suspense and said, "Ms. Tong is a long-time client of ours. She often buys World Tree sap through auction houses. I suppose the reason for this is not just for enjoyment."

Lin Yuanran noticed the word "frequently." World Tree sap is not blood, and even if it tastes good, it certainly can't compare to the blood of those girls. Moreover, it's incredibly expensive. No matter how extravagant Tong En is, she wouldn't treat it as a snack.

Lin Yuanran had never thought about this, but he didn't need to know. Why would an employee want to pry into his boss's secrets? As long as the salary was the same, that was fine. Besides, the boss was very good to him and even sponsored his tuition.

Claudia continued to guide Lin Yuanran's movements, saying, "A hundred years ago, the vampires experienced an internal conflict that severely damaged them, almost wiping them out. Not long after, the Neon Guild took root in Yicheng."

The coincidences are too great. Later, perhaps as the internal turmoil subsided, their activities became bolder, and it was around that time that they came into our view and have continued to this day.

Lin Yuanran suddenly realized that his boss had such a connection to him—a hundred years ago… The vampire genes are really good. Tong En, who looks to be under 30, might actually be older than his grandmother…

"Thank you for telling me so much, but the boss didn't mention it to me, which means he doesn't want me to know about this. What are you trying to do?" Lin Yuanran said. "And aren't we getting off-topic? What I want to know is, why did you suddenly invite me to dance?"

Claudia didn't answer immediately. Instead, she exerted force on her hand, and Lin Yuanran felt as if his body was flying. Fortunately, he managed to straighten up in time, otherwise he would have fallen and made a fool of himself.

Immediately afterwards, Claudia lightly touched the ground with the toes of her high-heeled shoes, and then her whole body gradually lifted into the air, actually leaving the ground. Lin Yuanran couldn't catch her and could only let her go.

Claudia's leap into the air was just the first step. She then performed several graceful flips in mid-air, her skirt fluttering in the wind. However, the scene everyone was expecting did not occur; the hem of her skirt remained close to her knees, posing no risk of wardrobe malfunction.

This dance was truly astonishing. It should be noted that there was no magical fluctuation in her body, which means that she was able to perform such complex movements solely through her own strength.

"it is good!"

Someone, clearly impressed, shouted something, and cheers erupted, filling the entire auditorium.

Lin Yuanran stared blankly at Claudia, who was about to land, and for a moment forgot to catch her.

The girl's skirt, which left him stunned, was completely hidden from view by others, but he was close enough to see it clearly. Although she was wearing safety shorts, the white, lace-trimmed scenery made Lin Yuan, who knew a lot, blush.

Fortunately, Claudia moved quickly, reaching out her hand the instant she landed. Feeling the warmth in her palm, Lin Yuanran instantly recovered and continued her graceful writhing.

“They’re all watching us.” Claudia smiled, enjoying the attention from all sides.

Lin Yuanran replied sharply, "You haven't answered me yet."

“The reason is simple: you are a freshman in Class 29, and you are in the same year as me. I want to be friends with you,” Claudia said.

Lin Yuanran never expected to receive this answer: he had just entered the extraordinary world, with no background or ability, and had gone to such great lengths just to make friends?

"I do not believe."

“Believe it or not, we are friends now, in front of everyone,” Claudia said.

Lin Yuanran suddenly realized that Claudia's grand gesture of acting as if they were very close now made no difference to others, whether he liked it or not.

If you weren't related, would a princess of a nation deign to do so much for you? Who would believe that!

"What benefits will you get from doing this?" Lin Yuanran asked.

Claudia couldn't help but chuckle: "I applied to the academy before, wanting to study in Mr. Cassius's class, but I was ruthlessly rejected, so I can only settle for second best."

Of everyone in Class 29, you were the easiest to win over, so you took the bait, didn't you?

"So that's how it is... You all seem to care a lot about Class 29." Lin Yuanran knew that Cassius was highly regarded, but he didn't expect it to be this prestigious, that even a princess from a country would fight tooth and nail to get in.

“Okay, we’re almost done dancing. From now on, we’re friends. I’ll help you if you need anything, and you’ll help me if I need anything, right?” Claudia said.

"No way." Lin Yuanran quickly stated, "What are you talking about? I don't even know anything about you, why should I agree?"

“That’s not up to you,” Claudia said. “Anyway, everyone sees us as good friends. Besides, wasn’t it beautiful just now?”

Lin Yuanran's face darkened, but then he suddenly smiled lightly: "I don't like white."

Claudia hadn't expected Lin Ran to respond, because he had seemed quite reserved from the start, which was why she thought she'd tease him a little. Little did she know, he would actually take advantage of the situation.

Claudia was just acting on a whim; she's actually quite shy. Hearing Lin Yuanran's words, she inexplicably started gritting her teeth.

"nausea!"

Lin Yuanran withdrew his hand and gracefully retreated.

She's just a young girl, what's she trying to prove by pretending to be a seasoned Mulan? She fell apart after just a few words; she's not experienced enough.