Final Regression of The Legendary Swordmaster Chapter 29
(Fifth Princess Reaction to Edward’s Entrance)
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The Grand Ballroom was a sight to see, all fancy and put together. But for Lucy Luminaris, the Fifth Royal Princess, it was just a bunch of background noise. Ever since the Marquis raised his glass, her world had narrowed. She was a girl raised amidst the sharpest minds and the most beautiful faces of the Luminaris Kingdom, taught from birth that she was the prize other men sought. She was not a person easily charmed; to her, most noble suitors were like pampered lapdogs—predictable, loud, and entirely transparent.
But then, the doors had opened, and Edward Vistro had walked in.
As Edward headed toward the long table and calmly took a glass of water, Lucy found it impossible to look away. It wasn’t just his elegant blue silk clothes or the silver details that caught her eye. It was the way he seemed so comfortable in his own skin. He moved with the quiet confidence of a predator walking through a field of sheep. His confidence wasn’t like the loud bragging of the young lords she knew; it was refined and carried a strange but attractive quality.
"Who is that?" Lucy asked, her voice barely audible over the swelling music of the orchestra.
She then turned to the royal maid standing behind her. The maid blinked, trying to see who the Princess was looking at. "I... I do not know, Your Highness. He was not on the official list of the Marquis’s primary household for the greeting."
"He is the third son, Your Highness," another maid interjected, leaning in closer. This one had a sister who served within the Vistro manor. There was a hint of mean pity in her voice, like the servants often had. "That is Edward. They say he is the shame of the Marquisate. He is fifteen and has yet to awaken his mana. He is a stain on the Vistro name—a boy with no talent."
Lucy frowned. She looked back at Edward. He was currently sipping water, his eyes scanning the room with a look of profound, chilling boredom.
"No mana?" Lucy repeated, her voice laced with skepticism. "Are you certain? Look at him. Look at his eyes. Does he look like a ’stain’ to you?"
"His situation is well-known around here, My Princess," the maid insisted. "He’s a failure. An empty shell."
Lucy didn’t answer. She trusted her gut, and right now, her gut was telling her the maids were wrong. She was attracted to power—not the flashy, explosive power of her uncle, the Flame Phoenix Lord, but a deeper, more refined aura. Edward possessed the exact presence she most deeply desired in a man, a silence that felt like a hidden blade.
Lucy watched him, her mind already racing with a dozen different ways to pull him into a conversation. She wanted to peel back the layers of that cold expression. She wanted to see if she could make those eyes react to her. Ordinarily, she was a person who spoke her mind without hesitation, a trait that often scandalized the more traditional members of the royal court. If she wanted something, she took it. And right now, she wanted to know the truth of Edward Vistro.
The ceremony proceeded, the Marquis and the Duke exchanging pleasantries, but Lucy paid them no mind. She didn’t care about the marriage agreements or the political alliances. Her focus was locked on the boy in blue. She saw his gaze settle on the Duke, and she saw the Duke’s sudden flinch.
’He did something,’ Lucy thought, a thrill of excitement running down her spine. ’He did something to Uncle Charles. I’m certain of that.’
Luck, it seemed, was on her side.
The orchestra’s tempo shifted, the violins taking on a sweeping, romantic tone. The master of ceremonies stepped forward onto the platform, his voice heard across the hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said, gesturing toward the center of the floor. "The engagement celebration will now proceed with the first dance. Couples are invited to the floor to celebrate the union of these two great family!"
The floor began to fill with the higher-ranking nobles, the rustle of their clothes and the steady clicking of heels creating a new sound that spread across the ballroom and blended perfectly with the music.
Lucy didn’t hesitate. She stepped away from the royal entourage without pause, ignoring the surprised and confused look from her maids, as well as the murmurs that followed her movement. She moved through the crowd with a singular purpose, her skirts swaying as they parted the sea of guests who instinctively made way for her.
Edward was still standing by the table, the glass of water resting in his hand, his posture relaxed, as though he were watching a familiar play he had already seen a thousand times before. He didn’t turn when she approached, nor did he spare so much as a glance in her direction, but she knew, with unsettling certainty, that he felt her presence the moment she drew close.
Lucy stopped directly in front of him. She was a Princess, beautiful and bold, accustomed to commanding attention with a glance alone, yet for a split second, the sheer weight of his aura made her heart falter. The sensation was sharp and unexpected. She suppressed it quickly, tilting her chin upward, a confident smile settling naturally on her lips.
She reached out a gloved hand, her blue eyes locked firmly onto his, refusing to look away.
"May I have this dance with you, Edward Vistro?" she asked, her voice clear and steady.
The Princess of the Kingdom was asking the supposed powerless failure to a dance.
Edward slowly lowered his glass, setting it down with deliberate care. His expression remained unchanged, calm and unreadable, but for the first time that evening, his gaze focused entirely on her, as if the rest of the ballroom had ceased to exist.
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A/N: Thanks for reading this Chapter. I hope everyone is enjoying Edward’s dynamic, and if you have any suggestion, comment below. Supporting with power stones is appreciated.