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Chapter 126: The Main Event Begins
As the melodious waltz flowed like moonlight, Aiden took Focalors's hand and stepped onto the brightly lit dance floor.
Then, he froze.
Before the banquet, Robin had indeed taught him proper etiquette, but dancing had clearly been omitted from the curriculum. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, and his arms moved like poorly attached prosthetics, completely ignoring his brain's commands.
My brain is sending out the inputs, but my limbs are operating on a 460ms ping... Aiden internally groaned in despair. He didn't feel like he was dancing; it was more like uncoordinated physical therapy.
Focalors felt the stiffness in his body—a clear signal of mixed nerves and helplessness. Instead of getting annoyed, a sly smile rippled through her beautiful, mismatched eyes.
"Don't be nervous. Just follow my rhythm," she whispered, her voice carrying a soothing, magical quality.
The next second, Focalors slightly increased the pressure on his waist and hand, using a gentle force to guide his body. Her footwork was light and precise, like a butterfly skimming across the water's surface without leaving a trace.
At first, Aiden was entirely passive, dragged along by her lead. He felt like a wooden puppet on strings, either stepping off-beat or nearly crushing Focalors's exquisite high heels. His mind went blank, relying purely on instinct to follow the force guiding him.
However, his natural talent for learning was fully unleashed at this moment. Under Focalors's patient guidance, Aiden's brain went into overdrive. He gave up trying to memorize the complicated steps and instead focused entirely on Focalors—the rhythm of her breathing, the sway of her waist, the cadence of her footwork.
It was as if he had just downloaded a "Dancing Mastery" skill patch. His coordination improved at a visible rate. From "Bronze-tier positioning" to "Silver-tier footwork" and finally "Gold-tier synchronization," it took only half a song for him to evolve from a complete amateur into a partner who flawlessly complemented Focalors.
Once his body was no longer a restraint, his senses amplified infinitely. A faint scent—like bluebells after the rain mixed with sweet pastry cream—drifted from Focalors, lingering at the tip of his nose. It was sweet but not cloying, bringing an incredible sense of peace to his mind.
Beneath his palm was her slender yet powerful waist, its astonishing flexibility apparent even through the fabric of her dress. Her hand rested on his shoulder, its warm touch seemingly reaching straight to his heart.
They spun, drew close, parted, and drew close again. After an elegant twirl, their gazes met in midair, intertwining. Everything around them blurred into indistinct patches of color, leaving only the starlight sparkling in each other's eyes at the center of the brightly lit dance floor.
The smile on Focalors's face was one of pure joy. Aiden returned it with a gentle smile of his own.
The music reached its crescendo before slowly softening. During a close step, Focalors went up on her tiptoes, bringing her rose-tinted lips near Aiden's ear.
"You know, Aiden," she murmured, her voice brushing against his earlobe like a feather, carrying a trace of barely concealed smugness. "You are the very first man... I've ever danced with."
The warm breath tickled his ear. Lowering his head, he chuckled softly in response, "What a coincidence. You're my first too, Goddess."
Arms crossed, one holding a waist, the other on a shoulder, they swayed slowly as the music faded. In this moment, an innate compatibility seemed to bloom between them; every movement and every look was perfectly synchronized. They didn't seem like first-time dance partners, but rather two long-lost puzzle pieces finally snapping flawlessly together.
It felt as though it was always meant to be.
When the song ended, the lingering melody echoed through the hall. Aiden didn't let go of Focalors's hand immediately, instead leading her back toward the small circle where Hephaestus and the others were gathered. Focalors tacitly allowed him to hold her hand, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Clap, clap, clap.
Hermes floated over, clapping exaggeratedly, and gave Aiden a big thumbs-up. On the other side, Takemikazuchi exchanged knowing smiles with Miach and Hephaestus.
A romance between a patron deity and their Familia child—no matter how many times it played out, it was a classic tale they never grew tired of watching. The gods had been in the lower world for many years, and stories of them falling in love with mortals were nothing new. But every single time, the profound, burning weight of a love that bridged the gap between species and lifespans was deeply moving.
A god's love is eternal. Once they set their heart on someone, they will pursue that soul to the Heavens, the Underworld, and through countless reincarnations, never letting go.
Right in the midst of this warm, ambiguous atmosphere, a booming voice echoed across the hall.
"Everyone, are you enjoying the banquet?!"
The host of the event, Apollo, made his grand entrance, flanked by a retinue of followers and wearing his signature radiant smile. Before anyone realized it, the music had stopped, and the entire hall's attention shifted to him.
He walked with elegant strides directly toward Aiden's group, confronting them face-to-face.
Here it comes!
Aiden and Focalors exchanged a glance, reading the exact same message in each other's eyes: the main event had begun. They had been waiting a long time for this.
Takemikazuchi and Miach immediately frowned, while Hermes lowered his head slightly, using his wine glass to hide the eager, drama-loving smirk tugging at his lips. Hephaestus crossed her arms, looking thoroughly perplexed—after all, their group had practically zero connection to a regretful god like Apollo.
"I'm delighted to see everyone having such a lively time. It makes hosting this banquet truly meaningful!" Apollo delivered his rehearsed opening lines as the surrounding guests naturally formed a large circle around him.
After a few more perfunctory pleasantries, Apollo, wearing his laurel wreath, locked his crimson eyes precisely onto Focalors.
"I know I'm a bit late in saying this... but Focalors, a couple of days ago, the members of my Familia were truly taken care of by your child." Apollo smiled brightly, but he heavily emphasized the words "taken care of."
"Are they? You're welcome."
Focalors's response was as calm as still water, her words brief and dismissive. It caused Apollo's smile to stiffen for a fraction of a second.
"My children were beaten half to death by yours! I expect you to provide proper compensation!" Seeing that his subtle setup had failed, Apollo dropped the act, his voice abruptly rising as he cut straight to the chase.
"Apollo." Takemikazuchi stepped forward, his voice low and stern. "From what I understand, your children provoked the conflict first. Furthermore, the Ganesha Familia has already disciplined both parties. Let's leave it at that. It would be best not to blow this out of proportion."
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