Konoha: Naruto will win no matter what choice he makes! Chapter 195

According to the academic year distribution, seniors sat closer to the stage, while first-years could only sit at the very end.

There was a clear distinction between the high and low, and an orderly hierarchy.

This was not merely a microcosm of the current era.

Entering the Great Hall, Dark found a seat at one end of the long table belonging to the House of Nobles, and waited for the Christmas ball to begin with a pleasant mood.

During the Halloween ball, he had only joined midway, which prevented him from experiencing this eager anticipation.

In any case, it felt good.

Dark picked up the teapot prepared on the table, poured black tea into teacups, and handed them one by one to Diana and Rose.

Beside the tea set, freshly baked chocolate cookies were placed, and when paired with black tea, they emitted a delightful aroma.

Around six-fifty.

Suddenly, a large crowd surged in from the main entrance, and the Great Hall instantly became lively!

The piano in the corner of the stage automatically began playing a melodious tune, and the professors who remained at the academy emerged from backstage, taking their seats at the faculty table one after another.

It was evident that the professors were also meticulously dressed tonight.

Professor Cazel wore a suit, tie, and leather shoes, like a distinguished old gentleman.

Professor Sylph wore a light green long dress, a fluffy scarf around her slender neck, and a golden phoenix hairpin entwined with wind elements pinned in her high bun.

Professor Lily was wearing pajamas and yawning, looking half-asleep.

It wasn’t until Sister Carrian woke her up that she reluctantly used a costume card, transforming into a cute and charming little fairy.

In addition, there was Ms. Bella from the library, Ms. Grace from the teaching office…

But the principal was nowhere to be seen.

However, the senior students were already accustomed to it; Principal Arte’s ideas on certain matters were truly unimaginably old-fashioned, such as her obsession with “the grand finale”!

At festive celebrations, she always made the last appearance, adorning the festivities like starlight, making them even more dazzling.

…

When he came to his senses, the four long tables were already full of people.

Dark saw that at the Knight House’s long table next door, Witt and Robert were also wearing formal attire, and a little further on, Emma could be seen.

Emma wasn’t dressed as grandly as Diana and Rose, but she had clearly put effort into her appearance.

However, the makeup, whether applied by herself or not, only made her appear more childish. She already looked younger than her peers, and now it was even more noticeable.

Her youthful appearance paired with stubborn eyes gave her a unique temperament.

Dark always felt that she must have been treated as a Barbie doll for makeup practice by some senior student.

She herself seemed not to like this makeup, as she kept frowning.

A little later.

Senior Pandora finally appeared at the main entrance.

At a ball where everyone wore formal dresses, her white gauze dress didn’t seem out of place, but the exquisite collarbone exposed at the neckline and her overly prominent bosom tightly captivated people’s eyes.

A smile hung on her face, and delicate pearl earrings, a rare sight, adorned her earlobes. Her every movement was graceful and elegant.

“What a beautiful person. Will Diana be able to be this beautiful in the future?”

Diana lowered her head and looked at her chest, feeling confident!

Rose, on the other hand, subtly changed color.

Indeed, human physiques could not be generalized.

…

Perhaps it was due to the difference in academic years.

Diana didn’t seem to regard Senior Pandora as a competitor.

Perhaps she herself wasn’t entirely sure what her affection for Dark truly was.

Perhaps it was simply a desire to be with him.

Whether it was eating or dancing.

…

Senior Pandora, who had entered from the doorway, glanced towards the Noble House’s long table and quickly spotted Dark among them.

She raised her arm, waved at Dark, smiled, and then turned to walk towards the Magic House’s long table.

As her figure gradually became obscured by other people, Dark withdrew his gaze.

Then, he happened to see Witt, who was inexplicably staring back at him.

“Witt?”

Robert sharply nudged Witt’s side.

Witt instantly snapped back to reality, quickly turned his head, but his heart was already stirred!

“Just now, was Senior waving at Dark?” he whispered.

“Huh? Which senior? Did Senior Pandora pass by?” Robert hadn’t noticed Senior Pandora at all.

Witt was stunned for a long time, feeling somewhat displeased.

…

Dark was perplexed, but Diana beside him whispered, “Dark, do you like bears?”

This question came out of nowhere. Even if Dark wanted to connect it to the context, he couldn’t find any.

He didn’t answer for a long time, until Diana urged him, and then he said, “Bears are so cute, of course I like them.”

Diana nodded in satisfaction, then began chatting quietly with Rose beside her.

Dark shook his head, wondering if Diana was talking about a Christmas gift.

“She wouldn’t send me a teddy bear, would she?”

“No way, right?”

Dark’s expression subtly changed; the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

That would not be a good gift.

He’d rather have a piece of candy!

…

Seven o’clock sharp.

As the clock tower chimed, the magical lights in the Great Hall suddenly extinguished in an instant!

Light vanished instantly, and darkness enveloped the hall.

Only the Christmas tree on the stage still emitted a faint glow.

The junior students were startled.

The senior students, however, looked calm and composed.

Indeed, three seconds later, just as screams began to rise, the hall instantly lit up again!

But the light source illuminating the Great Hall had changed from magical lamps to candles on silver candelabras!

Thousands of candles floating in mid-air illuminated the hall.

Golden and silver cutlery appeared silently and neatly arranged on the long tables covered with Christmas tablecloths.

The candlelight reflected on the golden plates and silver goblets, refracting a dazzling, dreamlike spectrum of colors.

The first-year students had never experienced such a sudden surprise.

After a moment of silence, a surge of high-pitched discussions erupted.

“Shhh—”

Principal Arte, wearing a Christmas hat, successfully ascended the stage unnoticed during the transition between light and darkness.

She stretched out her hand, and a small sprite enveloped in white light flew into her palm.

Then, it abruptly transformed, becoming a reindeer with a long, starry tail.

The brown-furred reindeer, sporting massive antlers, galloped forward, and a sleigh piled high with gift bags materialized from the starlight.

It dashed out from Principal Arte’s palm, then, dragging the sleigh, it trod through the air, galloping from one end of the stage, traversing the entire Great Hall, bursting through the doors, and vanishing into the distance.

The stardust sprinkled from the gift bags on the sleigh fell onto the dinner plates, transforming into roasted turkeys emitting a rich, savory aroma!

From the soft, cut-open belly of the turkey, a generous amount of stuffing overflowed, and the grease sliding down the surface of the drumsticks accumulated into a thin layer on the plate.

Dark couldn’t help but feel his appetite piqued!

At a rare Christmas ball, excessive restraint was not advisable.

[Gluttony] was only sixty-some points, with ample room to spare.

“Today is Christmas Eve!”

Principal Arte’s voice was filled with captivating magnetism.

“It’s a day for family reunion!”

“But for me, St. Marian is my home.”

“Every student here is my family.”

“Every Christmas Eve, I make a wish, hoping to spend the next Christmas Eve with my family again.”

“It seems my wish from last year has come true again.”

Principal Arte couldn’t help but smile.

“As principal, I have much more to say, but I’d rather leave the remaining time for the ball. I imagine you all feel the same, right?”

The hall erupted in cheers.

Principal Arte spread her hands, embracing the air: “In that case, my words end here. I wish you all a peaceful Christmas Eve! Wherever and whenever, peace shall be with you, my dear family members!”

…

No sooner had she finished speaking than the four long tables simultaneously lit up with white light, and one exquisite dish after another suddenly appeared on the empty plates around the turkeys.

Roast meat, lamb chops, sausages, steak, pudding, potatoes, apple pie, syrup cakes, chocolate muffins, sweet doughnuts…

And, of course, the indispensable beans!

Dark glanced at the entire basin of beans placed in front of him and couldn’t help but recall his early days at the academy, a subtle emotion stirring within him.

Fate comes and goes, and in the end, it is fate.

…

The piano in the corner of the stage suddenly changed its tune, the music becoming more lively, reflecting the students’ inner joy.

As Principal Arte retreated backstage, the feast began as scheduled.

First, naturally, was the customary meal!

Only after eating one’s fill could other matters be discussed.

The abundant delicacies made mouths water; turkeys were carved with knives and forks, and the Great Hall filled with the rich aroma of chicken.

But the more intense aroma, in fact, came from the stuffing inside the turkeys!

Dark let go of his restraint, not overthinking, and ate heartily. While [Gluttony] did increase, it wasn’t by much.

After half a turkey, his eating speed slowed, and the [Gluttony + 1] prompt disappeared.

While drinking juice to aid digestion, Dark watched Diana beside him, occasionally helping her cut the meat from the bones and adjusting her napkin to prevent sauce from getting on her clothes.

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly joyful. Around seven-thirty, a small magic sprite with flapping wings suddenly emerged onto the stage, followed by a clown in a Christmas costume, who entered with somersaults, drawing a round of applause!

The magic circus had begun!

A full half-hour of magic and circus acts pushed the joyful atmosphere to its peak.

Dark immersed himself in this atmosphere, and apart from occasionally pondering the clown’s superb skills, he expressed his enjoyment of the circus performance like everyone else.

It was truly spectacular!

Putting aside all the unnecessary details, fun was indeed the soul of the circus.

At eight o’clock sharp, as the Christmas clown exited, the students, who had thought the evening’s entertainment was over, suddenly noticed clear springs gushing onto the stage!

The remarkably clear spring water surged from the center of the stage, forming a mushroom shape, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

A Miss Mermaid, adorned with shells and pearls, suddenly appeared from the water below. With a flick of her long tail, she leaped to the top of the spring!

She sat coiled on the water, and with a gentle embrace, an elegant harp appeared in her hands!

Then, she parted her crimson lips, and a song, ancient and lingering, rang out.

“It’s Miss Starro, the mermaid!”

The students below suddenly stirred!

While Dark was completely bewildered, the surrounding students seemed to have a clear understanding of this Miss Mermaid.

He couldn’t help but look at Diana.

Diana averted her gaze: “Don’t look at me, Diana doesn’t know!”

Rose couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle: “That’s the famous mermaid diva, Miss Starro. Her singing is as beautiful as a nightingale’s, and she’s very popular in the kingdom. I never expected Principal Arte to prepare such a surprise!”

Dark: “In this era, can divas actually perform on stage now?”

Rose shook her head: “The rise of musical theater has changed a lot, but it’s still limited. Miss Starro is treated with higher regard than human divas because she is a rare mermaid.”

Ultimately, the nobility of professions and the importance of gender have always been unchanging topics throughout historical changes.

In this era, which is approaching the Renaissance, the status of artists has greatly improved, and women’s rights are gradually being protected.

The atrocious slavery system was abolished amidst widespread opposition, and workers gained wages equivalent to their labor.

However, it was still in its early stages.

…

The mermaid diva was not the final surprise.

She had barely finished singing one song on stage when a flock of swan-humans with snow-white wings suddenly flew from the sky, descending upon the human world like angels.

Their ballet performance—“Swan Lake”—immediately followed!

Princess Odette, picking flowers by the lake, was cursed by the evil sorcerer Rothbart and transformed into a beautiful swan.

Only when night fell could the princess briefly regain her human form.

Only steadfast love could break the evil magic.

Prince Siegfried, roaming Swan Lake, chanced upon the princess in her human form. The beastly blood hidden deep within him surged, and he fell in love with the princess (swan) at first sight.

Returning to the castle, the prince held a ball to choose his future queen. The sorcerer made his daughter, the Black Swan, disguise herself as Odette to deceive the prince.

Just as the prince and the Black Swan were dancing, Odette appeared at the window. She pleaded with the prince to remember his vow to her, but at this moment, the prince was distracted and enchanted by the sorcerer’s spell.

At the sorcerer’s command, the prince swore his love to the Black Swan—the sorcerer’s plot succeeded, and Odette cried out in despair and left.

Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the ballroom descended into chaos. The prince awoke in despair, but it was too late; he had already sworn his love to another.

The deceived prince rushed out to find the true Odette.

…

The final act.

The prince, heartbroken, returned to Swan Lake.

The sorcerer created a blizzard to prevent the prince from finding Odette.

But the prince ultimately broke through the blizzard and found Odette. However, infinite true feelings and endless remorse could not change the consequence of breaking his vow; the spell could no longer be broken, and the prince and princess were destined to be separated.

At this moment, the sorcerer revealed his hideous true form, turning the princess and her companions into swans floating on the lake.

The heartbroken prince and princess (swan) embraced, and with the belief that it was better to die than not to love, they both leaped into the raging torrents of the lake.

In an instant, a miracle occurred: justice triumphed over evil, steadfast love conquered the wicked sorcerer, the magic was broken, the demon’s lair collapsed, the lake receded, and the swan maidens were reborn.

The prince and princess bathed in the glow of the rising sun, and a beautiful life began anew.

…

Although “Swan Lake” essentially has multiple tragic endings, the version here clearly chose an illogical comedic ending.

In the face of the so-called “miracle,” the powerful devil was utterly powerless to resist.

However, no one would care about these logical loopholes.

The swan maidens’ acting, combined with the thunder and lightning, the fierce winds and blizzards, and the incredibly moving music, created an unparalleled sense of immersion, leaving the audience with no extra thoughts to ponder such details.

This performance of “Swan Lake” became the most acclaimed act of Christmas Eve.

As the prince and princess nestled happily together in the stage lights, the nine o’clock chimes quietly rang without anyone noticing.

The opera ended.

But the prince and princess did not retreat; instead, they began to waltz amidst romantic and elegant music.

The students then suddenly realized.

The ball had begun!

…

Diana watched Dark stand up with eager eyes.

Dark could only give her an apologetic look.

Rose hugged Diana’s arm.

Amidst the confused gazes of the surrounding students, Dark walked towards the central seats of the Magic House.

Witt, who was excitedly chatting with Robert about “justice will triumph over evil,” suddenly noticed Dark walking past him, and his expression instantly stiffened.

An ominous premonition surfaced in his heart.

The keen perception inherited from the brave hero made him realize that things might be developing in a direction unfavorable to him.

He could always anticipate danger in advance.

Robert beside him also saw Dark’s figure and curiously asked, “Why is Dark walking over there? Isn’t Diana his dance partner?”

Witt stared intently at Dark’s back, not answering Robert.

From their position, they could slightly see Senior Pandora’s back, which was originally a point of slight happiness for Witt.

But now it had an unfavorable effect.

He tilted his gaze and happened to see Senior Pandora stand up from her seat, then extend her slender, jade-like fingers towards the blond, blue-eyed noble boy.

Dark took her hand, bowing his head to lightly kiss the back of it.

The soft sensation, through the white lace, touched the depths of both their hearts.

The surrounding fourth-year students of the Magic House almost simultaneously showed looks of surprise, bordering on shock.

Several boys, eager to invite Pandora to dance but hesitating, watched as the Silver Dragoness accepted the first-year student’s invitation, revealing a rare and captivating smile, and walked towards the spacious stage to the rhythm of the music.

Many rubbed their eyes, as if in a dream.

It had been four years.

Four Christmas balls, and never once had the Silver Dragoness, known as the “Iron Wall of the Ball,” accepted an invitation to dance. Yet, she now willingly, even somewhat actively, walked side-by-side with someone onto the stage.

Tonight was truly a dreamlike beginning.

…

Dark, holding Senior Pandora’s hand as they walked towards the stage, had anticipated this, but was still somewhat astonished by the stinging sensation in his back.

“This is what they call a thorn in one’s side, isn’t it? Literally…”

But he didn’t know that the ones piercing him were not just the boys who admired the senior.

There were also several girls who had secretly braced themselves, ready to proactively invite him to dance once the ball began.

Emma propped her hands on the table, cupping her round face with her palms. Through the gaps between people, she happened to see Diana sitting opposite her.

The two young girls, as if by some strange impulse, exchanged glances.

Diana’s thoughts stirred, and she immediately puffed out her chest!

She conveyed a posture of “I’m not like you at all.”

Emma averted her eyes.

After the last in-class competition, she had developed some unclear feelings, and after asking the senior student, she was dressed up like a Barbie doll.

But the effort she put in seemed to yield little reward.

Behind her, at the Magic House’s long table.

Sara, with a confident smile on her lips, also failed before she even began.

Her staunch supporter, Heidi, felt deeply helpless about this.

The opponent was too strong!

…

As the music rhythm changed, more and more couples or pre-arranged dance partners stood up from their seats.

They moved with elegant steps, walking in unison out of the area formed by the four long tables, towards the stage covered with a deep red carpet.

The waltz of the swan princess and the human prince was so beautiful.

Dark and Senior Pandora exchanged smiles, and also stepped onto the stage on their tiptoes.

The romantic atmosphere of the Christmas ball gradually intensified.

Cute little elves darted through the crowd, becoming the best embellishment for the ball.

The number of people dancing on stage gradually increased.

Above their heads, splendid fireworks bloomed one after another.

Senior Pandora blinked, approaching Dark with her dance steps.

Dark was forced to step back by the dazzling whiteness that met his gaze.

The senior then happily withdrew her tiptoes.

Dark leaned forward with the flow, matching the dance steps.

The two spun in a circle, switching positions, and the background in their vision changed.

Dark suddenly noticed Professor Lily drinking alone at the faculty table and wondered if he should give her the Christmas gift tonight or wait until Christmas Day tomorrow.

And Professor Sylph’s bottle of wine…

“Hiss!”

Dark, whose toes were stinging, instinctively recoiled, then noticed the senior’s raised eyebrow.

He quickly reined in his thoughts and focused more intently on the round dance.

Senior Pandora took the opportunity to lean in close, whispering into his ear:

“Do you know how impolite it is to be distracted while dancing with a lady?”

[Ecstasy + 1]

Dark’s earlobes visibly turned red.

A hint of excitement flashed in Senior Pandora’s eyes.

But she suddenly felt a strong pull on her arm, and her whole body was guided to slide sideways, then she smoothly turned back, falling into Dark’s arms in a semi-reclined position.

Dark lowered his head, looking down at the senior’s face.

Her lightly powdered face was fair with a hint of blush, her long eyelashes exuded a subtle allure, and her vibrant red lips made one feel a sense of thirst.

The small, heart-shaped silver scales beneath the corner of her eye reflected the stage lights.

There was a hint of dreaminess.

…

…

Emmm, three-in-one, 6000 words, three chapters added at once.