Unique Legend V16C3

Chapter 3: The Dance

Location: Atlantis Time: 12:08 PM

The commotion on the street was quickly dealt with by members of the Guild who came to assist. Soon, it returned to its original liveliness, as if the Ghost Tribe’s sudden raid never happened at all.

Because the Third King Taifu’s store was severely damaged and traces of the Spirit Door still remained, Senior led us away from that place for the time being so that the Guild people can clean up.

“Tut, I’ve had the store for so long, and there are actually people who don’t know how to respect the old coming to wreck the store.” Old Man Zhang, who was similarly attacked by the Ghost Tribe, complained with his small face that didn’t match his actual age and old man’s voice.

“Ha, it’s only natural for your shady Hundred Year Store to get wrecked!” The five-colored rooster head, who met up with us a while after and was currently sitting in the dim sum house with us, spoke in a very provocative tone.

Putting down the teacup in his hand, Old Man Zhang narrowed his eyes slightly and curved into a strange smile: “You unpleasant child who should return to your mother’s womb, I said I only give discounts to to beauties or cute kids a long time ago. Whether you want to come or not, it serves you right for paying the original price.”

Such a great reason.

I took the dim sum plate and moved it to the side, afraid that it would be affected later.

“You shady-store-owning, bastard old man, your store getting wrecked is simply the wish of all the people in the world!” The five-colored rooster head, who had already escaped from this world to another realm, refuted to not to be outdone.

“Well said, it’s just that someone is envious of our store specializing in products that others don’t have, only stirring up a crowd to cause trouble there because he can’t buy them cheap. Our store understands the acetic mind of this type of person who is neither cute nor pretty.” Old Man Zhang, who just got his store wrecked, clearly clashed with the five-colored rooster head already and continued to accompany him without any restraint.

While listening to them pick a fight with each other, I secretly glanced at the seniors sitting on the other end. It was then that I realized they completely ignored the five-colored rooster head and Old Man Zhang. A few of them already began discussing the Ghost Tribe’s attack today.

“Why do you think the Ghost Tribe suddenly attacked?” Third King Taifu, who had just gone through having his store smashed, asked while holding a teacup in a leisurely manner, as if the store wasn’t his and it being smashed didn’t affect him.

Senior and senior Gasai exchanged glances. The former was a bit hesitant, so it was senior Gasai who spoke first: “It’s probably because they are preparing for an event in the future. I think Your Highness Third King Taifu should have received the news as well.”

“I know this, the masters of time intersection have also begun to pay attention to this matter, but they have yet to find Lord White River who wandered outside, so there is no action taken for now.” Third King Taifu put down his cup and said with a look of resignation.

Lord White River?

[T/N: First mentioned in V6C10. He’s known for frequently escaping the underworld.]

How familiar…Ah, that’s right, I heard Senior and the others mention something about time intersection before, running away until no one could find him.

Sitting nearby, Senior suddenly turned to look at me, and I reflexively wanted to cover my head. Unexpectedly, he actually didn’t beat me up and turned his head back to continue the conversation: “If Lord White River can’t be found, the other won’t do anything. As of now, most of the underworld’s kings have already returned. Does Your Highness Third King Taifu plan to return?”

“Third King Taifu is from the underworld?” After everyone turned to look at me, I realized that it was too late to cover my mouth. The question was too abrupt. Even the five-colored rooster head and the others turned to look.

Miao Miao broke into a wide smile, then hugged Old Man Zhang’s arm. They looked quite like a grandpa and granddaughter: “His Highness Third King Taifu is one of the seven lords of the underworld. Below them are twelve kings. The seven lords do not actually run affairs. They belong to the group of elders who make policies.”

Meaning that their jobs are to eat salaries then sit around waiting to die?

With a bang, Senior directly punched my head, as expected.

While I held my head in such pain that I couldn’t speak, they already ignored me and went back to talking. Sitting on the other side, Ryan suddenly floated out of the air and good-heartedly patted my shoulder.

You’re such a good person, but the reason you didn’t join the conversation is because you were overlooked, dear classmate?

After Ryan patted me, he continued to eat his rice balls, without giving off the sense that he was being overlooked at all. Instead, he was picking out a whole plate of rice balls on the table rather happily.

By the time I listened to them discuss the Ghost Tribe again, it was almost over. I heard Senior say something about the underworld and the Ghost Tribe having problems in the near future, so the Guild will be garrisoned in the left shopping street for a short time, and it ended just like this.

“Oh right, tonight is the dance. Will you (the seniors) be going?” After the formal talk was over, Miao Miao started to chat: “Just now His Highness Third King Taifu also said that he was going.”

Glancing at his partner, senior Gasai nodded: “Our mission has also ended, so we should be able to attend tonight if nothing unexpected happens.”

Miao Miao let out a cheer.

After temporarily saying goodbye to Senior and the others at the dim sum house, Miao Miao, I, and the others no longer had the desire to keep strolling on the left shopping street. We checked the time and headed back in the direction of the school.

“Then the dance will start at five in the evening. Miao Miao is going back first to prepare.” Holding a bunch of flowers, Miao Miao was in a good mood as she dispersed the others in front of the Black Dorm.

I turned my head and saw a certain someone standing there, who should have scattered but still hadn’t scattered till now.

“…Ziray, don’t you need to return and prepare?” It can’t be that you want to just go to the dance in a Hawaiian shirt like this!?

While thinking this, I suddenly had a hair-raising feeling.

If he goes there dressed like this, can I pretend not to know him?

“This uncle has already prepared.” The five-colored rooster head uttered very disdainful words.

“Can I ask you what clothes you prepared?” Actually, I really don’t want to know. I kept thinking that he prepared something terrible.

“Dragon robe!”

[T/N: The emperor’s robe essentially]

…I regret it. I shouldn’t have asked him.

This is a dance, why did you prepare a dragon robe!? It’s not like this is a costume event dinner for Weiya*; most people would probably wear formal clothes not costumes!

[T/N: It’s both a religious and social event in Taiwan and usually includes a banquet hosted by employers]

“Ziray, don’t you think wearing a suit would look better?” While saying this, I walked into the Black Dorm.

Naturally following, the five-colored rooster gave me a glance: “This uncle doesn’t want to wear that ordinary thing. I have spares. If you want to wear it, I can also lend you.”

“No thank you.” I immediately refused without even thinking.

You’re joking, how could I dare to wear your clothes!?

After stepping into the Black Dorm, the bunch of black robes I saw before was already gone. Not a single person was in the main hall. The feeling of silence was a bit strange.

Not his first time coming here, the five-colored rooster head looked around, not particularly interested.

Because the five-colored rooster head was following me this time, I didn’t run up the stairs and was able to properly walk, which was rare.

While walking up, the five-colored rooster head withdrew his gaze and looked at me strangely: “Last time I came, I didn’t notice. Yang~don’t you think it’s difficult to live here?”

Last time you came through the window, of course you didn’t notice…

Wait, what did he just say?

“Why is it difficult to live here?” Once he said that, my mind suddenly became foggy.

It’s true that this place is strange, but all in all, as long as you don’t leave your room, your life and spirit will not be endangered. Generally speaking, it’s not that bad.

“That thing, and that one…” Randomly pointing out a few decorations for me, the five-colored rooster head said: “They all have a weird aura. Feels quite annoying.”

Seeing what he pointed to, I decided that it would be better to run up and down the stairs in the future.

“Actually, as long as you don’t look around, the environment here is pretty good.” After being scared by several objects before, I had this deep understanding.

“Ha, this uncle doesn’t want to live in this damn place.” As soon as the five-colored rooster head finished speaking, a small statue nearby abruptly began to stir but it stopped after a glare from him.

Looks like the “things” in the Black Dorm are very good at bullying the weak and fearing the strong; if it were like usual, they would’ve already messed with me, right!?

The way to my room wasn’t that long, in fact. After chatting for a while, we arrived at my door. While opening the door, I guessed that Randall and Nile probably left already.

Sure enough, it was silent inside. Upon entering, I saw only the clothes and accessories Nile helped me prepare placed quietly on the table. In addition, there was also a whole basket of desserts that he likely brought in afterwards. The computer and whatnot they borrowed were also put back in place. He clearly helped me clean my room along the way. It became a lot cleaner and neater.

As expected, the legendary butler lives up to his reputation.

“Yang~you’re going to wear this?” Opening the box of borrowed clothes and looking through it, the five-colored rooster head had a very disinterested look.

“Most people wear this.” Wearing dragon robes isn’t normal!

“How would wearing this look good.”

I don’t think wearing dragon robe looks good either.

Closing the box, I suddenly noticed that there was something different about the room. I can’t explain it. I don’t know if it was because the room was cleaned but it felt more refreshing.

After automatically making a round of my room, the five-colored rooster head straightforwardly began to eat the desserts on his own: “Yang~you seem to be walking close with people in Class B lately?”

Once he said that, I almost jumped out of my skin.

No one should have known that Liliya and I were walking close!

“You were probably mistaken.” Thinking a little, I immediately denied it. Although I don’t know when the five-colored rooster head noticed it, denying it is the right thing to do at this time.

“Oh? This uncle is very confident in his eyesight, especially when it’s time to kill.” The five-colored rooster head narrowed his eyes as he bit into a dessert, staring at me suspiciously.

Being stared by him until I got goosebumps, I hurriedly pretended to try on the clothes I was going to wear at night: “If not, we just happened to be greeting each other after meeting up. You think too much.”

“Is that so?” Swallowing his food, the five-colored rooster head, who was probably too lazy to press on, shrugged: “Alright, whatever you say. It has nothing to do with this uncle anyway.”

I suddenly felt glad that Chifuyu wasn’t the one asking me, otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have been able to dodge this.

“This uncle is going back to get his clothes, see you tonight.” After spontaneously coming here to sightsee and eat along the way, the five-colored rooster head patted my shoulder and walked straight toward the balcony, jumping off before I could stop him.

There’s something called a door, alright!

In that instant, I remembered that Senior said you’d be sliced across the middle if you randomly jump down.

Although it was unlikely for the five-colored rooster head to be sliced, I still rushed to the balcony to confirm his safety…After thinking about it, this action was actually a bit unnecessary and made me very regretful.

Had I known that I would see this, I’d rather not know what was outside the Black Dorm’s window for the rest of my life.

Under the Black Dorm’s balcony, I saw a half-skeletal old woman like an air-dried tangerine peel laughingly holding a sickle and walking on the wall with a bunch of weasels.

Then I stepped back into the room and fell on the balcony window.

This is all a dream.

You guys can’t scare me!

After tidying up more or less, I left the Black Dorm at 4:50.

When I got close to the venue, I could already sense that it was lively and noisy over there. The dance venue was large, because it was open to people outside of the high school; I could see many unknown people chatting at the entrance from afar. The inside of the venue was also dark and dense. It looked as if the entire school squeezed in here.

Since I didn’t arrange a meeting location with Miao Miao and the others and didn’t call them either, I went straight into the venue and wandered around.

It was a good thing Nile and Randall lent me clothes. The people inside the venue looked very formal. Most of them wore fancy clothes even if they didn’t wear a suit.

But compared to the masses upon masses of people I didn’t know, it was the already prepared buffet inside the venue that made me drool…I never expected the school to be so diligent. Even the buffet food was that exquisite. I also saw an entire roast pig. In the past, I’ve only seen it on TV. I wonder how it tastes…

“Junior Chu.” All of a sudden someone patted my shoulder, scaring me back to consciousness from a pile of food.

Turning my head, I saw that legendary went-with-Senior-and-the-others-on-a-mission-today Aslaine.

“Uh…What a coincidence.” I backed away and looked at senior Aslaine, who had also changed into formal clothes. He didn’t wear a suit. Rather than call it a suit, it was more of a black formal military uniform, which seemed to fit him well: “I thought you were still out on a mission…”

Smiling, Aslaine shrugged and told me: “Dallow said something about how today is the last day of the school events. Since our mission is long-term, he switched shifts with me and wanted me to come back to join the dance.”

“I see…”

“I heard you also got swept into the disturbance in the left shopping street today. You shouldn’t have been hurt, right?” Politely asking me, after confirming that I shook my head, Aslaine continued to speak: “The situation these days isn’t too good. If you see something wrong, I suggest immediately teleporting back to the school. That way, the school’s security guards can still protect you all.”

I nodded, but as soon as I remembered that the security guard was that demon, I lost some confidence.

Aslaine, who seemed like he still had something to say, suddenly stopped, then turned his head to the side. I looked over and saw someone who couldn’t be more familiar walking here.

“Good evening, you two.” Likewise smiling, Restua greeted us separately before nodding at a few people I didn’t know as well.

I don’t know if it was my misconception, but I kept thinking that Restua looked a bit strange tonight, I can’t say how. He seemed unhappy, even though he was still smiling.

Ignoring me, Restua glanced at Aslaine.

Before he could open his mouth, Aslaine, who likely knew what he was going to ask, spoke first: “Apologies, we still have not received any news so far.”

Then I saw Restua appear a bit disappointed, but it was only for a moment. Less than a second later, he returned to that gentle smile from before, as if he didn’t experience any ups and downs in mood at all: “I understand, thank you for telling me this. I also wish both of you a pleasant time tonight.” Saying that, he left first.

I was completely filled with questions but felt awkward simply asking. Based on their appearances, this should be something confidential, so it’d be better to pretend I don’t know.

Aslaine turned and smiled at me: “Oh right, do you have a dance partner tonight, Junior?”

The conversation topic changed in a second. I froze for quite some time before realizing what he said: “Uh…does food count?” I made up my mind to eat until I burst today.

“Unless you don’t mind dancing with sugar people, I suggest you better hurry and find a dance partner.” Immediately knowing what I was talking about, Aslaine smiled a bit strangely: “The school dance has a rule. Anyone who comes in must dance once in order to leave through the doors. If you don’t have a dance partner, there will be limited things coming out to dance with you. During the Christmas ball last year, someone was dragged into dancing by the gingerbread man. That scene was really cute…but there are also many girls who purposely dance with the food. After all, some food look really cute.”

I was just randomly saying!

Wait, I think I just heard some unfortunate news…

“You can’t leave the venue if you don’t dance?” I’m just a passerby who came to eat!

“Right, if you do leave, something interesting happens, but that’s only to the spectators.”

Which means that the victim himself wouldn’t think it’s interesting at all, right?

I got the sense that I was tricked into attending an evil dance.

Why didn’t anyone tell me this at the start!?

If I’d known, I wouldn’t come even if you beat me.

“Because you didn’t ask.”

An icy voice rammed past behind my head. As soon as I turned my head, sure enough, I saw that Senior, who was busy every day, glaring at me not far away in the back. Beside him was senior Gasai, who was also wearing a black formal robe.

I secretly moved a little closer to Aslaine, afraid that Senior would smack my head again. The one from the afternoon really hurt, making me suspect that it might be swelling.

But when I looked over…Tut tut, I never expected that Senior would actually have formal clothes for a dance. I thought he truly wore whatever he wanted. If not that, he’d just wear a black robe and directly come here…though his current clothes are also black.

“Chu, are you looking for a beating?” The person with a bad expression told me in a very malicious tone.

I shook my head right away.

“Are you guys hungry? I want to get something to eat. I heard the food at the dance was made by all the restaurants combined, which is quite rare.” Interrupting Senior’s act of violence, senior Gasai wedged himself in at just the right time and asked in a very good-natured manner, so naturally that it was like he hadn’t heard that his partner wanted to beat someone up.

“I want.” A bit touched as I followed senior Gasai, I began to rejoice that I didn’t have to be smacked.

“I’ll go too.” Aslaine also signed up for the food team.

Senior, who had a foul expression, didn’t come, because he was stopped by an unknown stranger and walked to the other side to say hello.

This made me breathe a sigh of relief. I kept getting the feeling that everyone was a bit tense today, perhaps because of the matter with the Ghost Tribe.

I hope today’s dance can make them a little happier.

“Yang Yang~~~!”

Right after I grabbed a buffet plate with senior Gasai and Aslaine, something suddenly sprang out from behind and hugged my back. It was colossal and had a lot of fabric from what I could feel. The whole clump crashed into me from behind, knocking me off a few steps and almost causing me to hit the chocolate tower in front of me.

I suddenly felt glad that I wasn’t that sort of ultimate expert like Senior and the rest. Otherwise, based on the plot, I should be reflexively throwing her over my shoulder now.

When I heard that voice, I knew it was Miao Miao. After being pounced on, I turned my head with great difficulty and finally realized what was that bunch of fabric was all about.

Miao Miao wore a full dress. White with delicate lace and ribbons and green decorative flowers, it had a short skirt but the back hem was a bit stretched out and looked very cute. Her hair wasn’t fastened on both sides like usual, and instead, it was all let down and retied back into a princess head…Now she really does look like a little princess.

[T/N: Something like this]

“Pretty right? This is what Geng Geng made for me.” Moving away from my back, Miao Miao happily twirled for me and I even saw that her back was lashed with sheer ribbons. There were already several people sneaking glances at Miao Miao in the venue. I bet there will be quite some people coming to ask her to dance later.

“Yang Yang, do you want to dance with Miao Miao today?”

I looked back and sure enough, I saw senior Geng. She wore a dress with a similar color to Miao Miao’s, but the style was mature. If Miao Miao was a cute little princess, I guess she would probably be a steady big princess.

“Um…I don’t know how to dance, sorry.” Scratching my head, I held the plate and left the buffet table first in order to avoid being resented by others.

“It’s okay, Miao Miao will teach you.” Rushing over and hugging my arm, Miao Miao pleasantly said while blinking her eyes.

I kind of wanted to pull my arm back. Usually I’m used to being grabbed like this, but today Miao Miao is dressed very beautifully and it feels strange to be grabbed like this.

“You can dance with Junior Mikayla.” Aslaine, who came around at some point, patted my shoulder: “If there is no one, you’ll really have to dance with the food.”

He reminded me of what I didn’t want to think about.

That said, dancing with Miao Miao is indeed better than dancing with gingerbread men…It won’t necessarily be gingerbread men. Maybe it’ll be something else.

After reconsidering for a bit, I felt that it would be better to follow Aslaine’s suggestion: “Then, then Miao Miao, I’ll have to trouble you.” I swallowed and nodded.

Miao Miao revealed a wide smile.

At the side, Geng sized up Aslaine: “This junior, do you have a dance partner?”

I think the two of them don’t know each other. They act like strangers around one another. I thought senior Geng knew everyone like Senior…

Aslaine smiled, then bowed slightly: “Rather than make a woman speak, how about I ask first? Since I joined the dance abruptly and haven’t found a partner yet, may I have the honor of asking this lady for a dance tonight?”

“Of course.” Geng returned the bow and the two simultaneously solved their dancing partner issue.

Just when the ambience was perfectly fine, I heard some kind of commotion from the direction of the doors as I was planning to head back to get buffet food.

Subconsciously turning toward the sound, I think my whole face probably darkened.

For a few seconds, I truly felt that I shouldn’t ever know this person for all my life…because it was quite embarrassing. But when he discovered I was looking at him, he actually even shouted my name and waved at me.

A large number of people turned toward us, carrying strange gazes and even whispering.

I honestly want to pretend I don’t know him or dig a hole and crawl straight down.

That person named Ziray Rogeria really wore his shiny dragon robe here.