Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

After the ceremony, Aaron left the crowd and went alone to the botanical garden of the Holy Church. There was a long, narrow corridor in the garden, surrounded by flowers, with countless ivy and vines entwined around it, like a green wonderland.

As Aaron walked through the corridor, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He had just turned around when the girl suddenly threw herself into his arms.

That was Joan of Arc. Where no one could see, Joan of Arc threw herself into his arms.

Aaron was slightly taken aback. He was about to pat her on the shoulder when he was pushed away first.

Aaron rarely saw Joan of Arc angry. The last time Joan of Arc was angry was because Aaron refused to tell her what his birthday was. Joan of Arc sulked for a long time because of this, until Aaron gave in and told her his birthday. Only then did Joan of Arc forgive him, and then she prepared a birthday present for him on his birthday.

But this time her anger was clearly different from before. Aaron felt that Joan of Arc was like an angry daughter. After pushing him away, she put her hands behind her back and took a few steps away from him. Rather than being angry, she seemed more like she was having a tantrum.

“I never expected this to happen,” Aaron explained. “The engagement thing shouldn’t be taken seriously; I didn’t agree to marry her.”

Joan of Arc shook her head: "I'm angry because the teacher never told me about this, but today I was caught off guard by that girl, who is the same age as me."

I don't know why, but the emphasis of this sentence should be "not telling me about this", but judging from Joan of Arc's tone, the emphasis seems to be on the last sentence, "children of the same age".

“I can refuse her,” Aaron said.

“So, is the teacher going to reject me too?” Joan of Arc said. “I’m telling the truth, I didn’t have a dance partner.”

"Why not find a dance partner?" Aaron asked.

Aaron always hoped to be a parent as open-minded as possible. For school traditions like the Midsummer Night's Ball, Aaron always wanted Joan to have fun and wouldn't let her miss it.

Joan of Arc shook her head and said, "Since you have invited me, I will prepare my dress and dance with you."

"Do you have enough money? Do you need me to help you find someone to customize it?" Aaron asked, acting like a doting father even though he was accepting the girl's invitation.

"Of course, my teacher gives me a living allowance, which I never use up. In addition, there's the school scholarship and money from the church, so I certainly have the money to buy a suitable dress."

"But after preparing the dress, there probably won't be any money left, right?" As one of her guardians, Aaron was very clear about Joan of Arc's financial situation. He also knew how much a finely crafted dress would cost in Esgard.

At this point, Joan of Arc lowered her head and said, "But it's still enough."

Then she looked up at Aaron and said, "Teacher, just wait until tonight to accept my invitation." After saying that, Joan of Arc also left. Aaron had said before that Carol's departing figure resembled her mother. What about Joan of Arc? Aaron didn't know.

"Why did things turn out like this..." Aaron sighed, only then realizing that he also needed to prepare a change of clothes.

*

Nighttime, Midsummer's Day ball.

Aaron never expected that he would be able to come back to the ball so many years after graduating from school, and that he would be invited to dance by two fifteen-year-old girls, one of whom was his student.

Although reluctant to get involved, Aaron changed into a formal suit, fixed his hair, and dressed up for the occasion.

At first, he was worried that it might be awkward for him to be the only adult among all the students present. However, he found that he had worried too much. Firstly, there were also students in the Holy Church who stayed at the academy to continue their studies. Many of them were older than Aaron, but they still came to the ball. Aaron was not alone.

Secondly, Aaron noticed that in addition to the students, many young teachers had also dressed up in formal attire, including some graceful dance teachers. They were even dressed more brightly than the female students, making it seem as if the Midsummer Night's Ball was not only a battlefield for students but also for teachers.

Aaron walked into the banquet hall in this atmosphere. Although there was a lot of bad news today, there was also good news. For example, Aaron saw some of the things he loved to eat during his student days on the long table in the banquet hall. Even though Aaron had attended many noble banquets and tasted all kinds of delicacies by this time, seeing those things still made him drool.

Student days were great. His main enemy during his student days was the food on the table. It was also the only thing he needed to deal with seriously at the party, instead of thinking about how to deal with the two girls later.

As Aaron was busy with his favorite food, piano music filled the banquet hall. Aaron knew what the music meant; it meant the ball was about to begin. The first piece was usually a warm-up, meant to get the guests excited. New students would continuously enter the banquet hall, and they could dance along with the music as they came in.

Although it was meant to be a warm-up piece, everyone was already in pairs. Aaron even saw a couple leading the dance; the man was dashing and the woman was beautiful and charming. The man had his arm around the woman's waist, and the woman had her arm around the man's shoulder. As the music started, the woman gracefully twirled around in the man's arms, creating a lively atmosphere.

The banquet hall's dome was about ten meters high, and countless lights shone on the ladies' fair skin. Their jade-like legs were dazzlingly white under the lights, and men and women danced to the music.

Finding a dance partner at the annual Midsummer Night's Dance is an honor for both boys and girls, proving their charm. Some find their sweetheart, while others hope to appear as dignified and elegant as possible at the dance. In any case, they will try their best to present themselves at the dance.

As the warm-up music ended, Aaron had already put down his food and returned his wine glass to the waiter's tray. After the song, almost everyone present was in a couple. Those without a dance partner either didn't come to the dance or stayed in a corner quietly eating their food. Only Aaron's side remained empty.

Not everyone participated in the morning activities. Many people did not know who Aaron was. They only saw his appearance and thought he was an older student. However, he had no dance partner and looked lonely in the ballroom where couples were everywhere. He neither tactlessly retreated to a corner nor left. He just stood there like a mammal that had wandered into a flock of birds.

The musicians were setting up their instruments; after the warm-up, the main piece would naturally follow, and everyone present had no way out.

The first song was about to begin, and Aaron still had no dance partner; it looked like he was about to be swallowed up by the waves.

Chapter 23 Two Dances

Aaron actually thought this was fine. It was as if what happened this morning had never happened. He would just be a little embarrassed at most. Anyway, not many people here knew him, and after tonight he would be back to normal.

But things were clearly not going to end so easily. After the sound check was over and the piano had played its first note, a white shadow walked towards Aaron from the side and suddenly took Aaron's hand.

She walked towards Aaron in the darkness, but when she rushed over and took his hand, they were suddenly exposed to the light. There was no extra dialogue, and everything seemed to happen abruptly. But as the music started, Aaron began to dance with the girl.

It all happened so suddenly, like a passionate kiss. Aaron's body started moving on its own, and in a daze, his mind went blank. He only felt that he smelled a faint fragrance, saw fair skin, and a head of golden hair as bright as the sun.

Joan of Arc and Aaron's dance was indeed like a passionate kiss. Joan of Arc's dance was intense and passionate, like a storm wrapped in flames. Although Aaron was dancing the male steps and Joan of Arc was dancing the female steps, her dance carried a certain passion and even aggression. Aaron was like an opponent who kept taking turns, and in the passionate music, he could only respond passionately to the girl's dance.

Not only Aaron, but many people noticed the girl who had barged in. Those who didn't know her were amazed by her beauty and graceful dance, while those who did know her were surprised that she had such a passionate side. Although she was usually gentle and calm, she always seemed to keep people at arm's length when she was with others.

But at this moment, the girl was like a raging fire encased in dry ice, full of passion, as if she had poured all her enthusiasm into this dance. Even the others in the dance group were infected by her passion, and the atmosphere became even more intense.

Aaron was also familiar with this dance, and logically he should have been the one to teach Joan of Arc to dance. But at this moment, he seemed unable to keep up. However, he was more surprised than anything else. The girl he had brought back from the countryside three years ago had now grown into a graceful young woman with smooth skin and a beautiful face. She was now leading him in the dance.

For some reason, Aaron felt a slight stirring in his heart. He lowered his head and met Joan of Arc's gaze.

Aaron looked at the girl's face, which was covered in sweat from the dance. The girl was also panting heavily. This level of dance shouldn't have made her feel tired, but she was still panting heavily.

The girl, who was usually shy, was now staring intently into Aaron's eyes, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly, unwilling to let go. Joan of Arc's skin was smooth and delicate, but now, the girl, like a flame encased in dry ice, clung tightly to him.

The music suddenly stopped, so fast that no one could react. When the last note of the music ended, Joan of Arc was already panting and leaning on Aaron. She had removed her hairpin, and her long, flowing golden hair cascaded down, some of it falling into Aaron's hands. While she was dancing, some people felt that the girl in the white dress was glowing because her long golden hair was flying around as she danced.

At this moment, Aaron seemed to finally have a chance to properly observe the girl who had so enthusiastically invited him to dance. At such close range, Aaron suddenly realized that Joan of Arc was wearing an ethereal and sheer long dress that revealed her smooth, jade-like shoulders and legs. At this moment, those smooth shoulders were still in Aaron's hands. Just now, Aaron had been dancing while holding those smooth shoulders, and now those shoulders were red as if he were drunk under Aaron's hands.

"Teacher, did I dance well?" Joan of Arc suddenly asked, her voice seemingly coming from a distant place, yet her eyes were fixed on you, making it impossible to look away; those eyes were as clear as a valley after the rain.

“You jumped very well,” Aaron replied.

"This is the first time I've danced with someone, the first time I've invited someone to dance, is it my teacher?" Joan of Arc pressed.

Aaron did not answer, although in this atmosphere he wanted to say yes, but that was not the case, and he could not deceive the girl.

Joan of Arc seemed to know the answer already, and simply smiled gently: "It's alright, I know the answer, but I believe that I am the best girl to dance with the teacher, and I never have been before, nor will I ever be."

At this moment, the lights in the banquet hall dimmed. Joan of Arc rested her head on Aaron's chest and whispered something. Then, Joan of Arc reached out and gently pushed Aaron away, saying to him, "You still have to dance with the second girl, teacher. Remember what I said."

Aaron was stunned. He remained holding the girl, watching her push him away and leave like Cinderella at midnight. But when she left, her expression was calm, not one of leaving, but one of confidence.

At that moment, Aaron suddenly noticed the strange atmosphere in the ballroom. It seemed that everyone was looking at them, but not because they had just danced a carefree dance like the beginning of spring, but because of another angry gaze in the ballroom.

Aaron and Joan of Arc were unusual people in the banquet hall. Once a dance partner was chosen, they could not be changed. But Joan of Arc suddenly approached Aaron, lifted her skirt, and turned away.

Why did she leave? Why did she push away the man she had just danced with? Just looking at Joan's retreating figure and Aaron's stunned expression, they could conjure up hundreds of thousands of words of a story in their minds. They had just danced so well...

Such thoughts spread through the minds of others until they saw another girl in the banquet hall.

They were so engrossed in their dancing that they didn't notice the piano was the first instrument to stop. Another girl, dressed in a long red dress and as beautiful as a flamingo, sat on the piano bench. She was only fifteen years old, and when she sat at the piano, she was as noble and elegant as a queen. The two piano pieces they had just played were actually composed by her.

Her slender fingers rested on the black and white piano keys, and her long palace dress trailed far behind her.

At this moment, she stopped playing the piano and stared angrily in the direction where Aaron and Joan were. Her shoulders were shaking with rage. She had an extremely beautiful face, and when her face was stained with anger, she showed a kind of bewitching beauty.

Aaron sighed inwardly, recalling the expression on Joan of Arc's face just now, but still turned to the girl sitting at the piano.

The girl sitting at the piano had a graceful profile. She stared coldly at Aaron, raised her chin arrogantly, and looked as noble as a queen. Then she slowly extended her fair and radiant hand to Aaron.

Everyone present recognized her; it was Carol Leclerc, the Duke's daughter, who had actually invited someone to dance, even though her gesture resembled that of an empress extending her hand and inviting someone to kiss her wrist.

The man the Queen invited had just dumped a dance partner, who was none other than the famous saintess of the Holy Tower Academy. What kind of complicated story is this?

Soon, boys began to cast hateful glances at Aaron, not only because he was so lucky to receive invitations from two girls, but also because many people had just seen the expression on Joan's face, and they felt that Aaron had hurt Joan's feelings.

Aaron was dancing with Joan of Arc one moment, and the next he was about to hold Carol's delicate hand. What else could he be but a scumbag? Discontented voices were already rising in the banquet hall. The boys looked at this beast in human clothing and wished they could tear him apart alive.

But Carol still extended her hand to him with an air of nobility, and Aaron had no choice but to accept. He slowly walked up to Carol, took the hand of the woman with the dreamlike beauty of her profile, and Carol slowly rose from the piano bench, accepted Aaron's invitation, and followed Aaron to the center of the ballroom.

She was indeed born to be a queen; every move she made exuded nobility and majesty. But Aaron suddenly found himself in a difficult situation.

After watching Joan of Arc's performance, Carol was clearly not to be outdone. She was the kind of person who always had to surpass others and couldn't tolerate anyone being more dazzling than her. How could she be willing to let someone steal her thunder? What's more, that person not only stole her thunder but also her knight, which almost made her resentful.

But when Aaron got to the center of the ballroom, he realized something was wrong, because Carol’s posture and movements were masculine, and she wanted Aaron to dance masculine steps with her.

Why is that? Doesn't she want to dance the same dance as Joan of Arc? Is this the little girl's strange competitiveness? Aaron felt a little embarrassed, but as an adult, he couldn't and wouldn't hold a grudge against a child, so he decided to give in.

Carol grabbed his hand, her expression as cold as a prince's. When the third song began, a magical scene unfolded. As the girls' skirts fluttered in the air like unfolded flowers, Aaron also fluttered along with them. And the person who grabbed his hand was Carol, dressed in a long palace dress.

Carol held his hand, giving him a cold, disdainful look. Her gaze, somewhere between looking at a scumbag and trash, made Aaron feel strange.

Aaron wasn't being modest; he danced the female steps quite well, but in Carol's hands, it looked like a young girl throwing herself into her arms, which made Aaron very strange. However, seeing that Carol seemed to enjoy the situation, he decided to dance the rest of the dance with Carol, thinking that he was an adult.

The dance ended, and Carol, who was the male stepper, finished by having Aaron lie in her arms. Carol was quite strong and could support the weight of an adult male.

Their poses froze in time with the music, and a moment later, thunderous applause erupted from both the audience and the dancers. Everyone present was amazed by Carol's dance moves.

Some applause was also given to Aaron, including from the dance teacher. They were surprised that a boy could dance the female steps so well. The dance teacher would probably be even happier if she knew that this student had taken her class before.

Even after the dance ended, Carol's anger had not subsided. As the daughter of a duke, she was the kind of woman who stood at the center of the stage. How could she be satisfied with such a small victory? Moreover, it was hard to say that she and Aaron had danced better than each other. Even Joan of Arc's passionate dance had angered her.

The girl usually acted so pure and innocent, and there had never been any rumors about her with boys, making people think that she was really not interested in men. Unexpectedly, she jumped out halfway and hijacked the deal, which made Carol angry.

But after the song ended, Aaron withdrew his hand. Because Carol was dancing the men's steps, Aaron's withdrawal of his hand resembled a noblewoman rejecting Carol. Aaron's reason for refusing Carol's invitation was simple: "I'm tired, I want to eat something and rest..."

Carol was very angry, but there was nothing she could do. Many people chose to finish the second song and then leave to rest. Only those men and women who danced with great passion or danced very well continued to dance.

The following pieces are not as passionate and exciting as the first two. The third piece is a soothing ballad, just like the sweet and affectionate love between lovers. Only truly intimate couples will continue to dance to that piece, while most people will skip it under the pretext of taking a break.

Aaron said he was tired and wanted to eat something, so he actually went to eat.

Aaron thought things were finally over and had just taken the wine glass from the waiter's tray when he suddenly heard a "bang" next to him. He then saw the girl's delicate buttocks pressed against the seat next to him.

It was Carol. She gracefully took the lobster next to Aaron, as if she were about to execute it, and elegantly and decisively pinched the lobster in half, then gracefully tossed it into her mouth.

The process was clearly like killing a lobster, yet her movements remained so elegant that Aaron couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, wondering if he could continue drinking his glass of wine.

Just as he was at a loss for what to do, he suddenly felt a cold aura. He turned around and found that a blonde girl with fair skin and wearing a white dress was already sitting next to him. At this moment, she was swirling her wine glass like a noblewoman. It was Joan of Arc. He didn't know when she had also sat down next to Aaron, silently drinking her wine. Judging from her back, he thought she was a lonely noble lady.

Aaron was surrounded.

Aaron silently popped the shrimp into his mouth, even though he had no idea what would happen next...

*

after an hour

"Another one!"

Carol blushed and raised her wine glass to the waiter. Her tone was no longer as elegant as before, and even sounded rude.

This was normal, because even the waiter could tell that Carol was probably drunk. He was unsure whether to give this beautiful girl a drink, so he looked at the only man next to him and asked for his opinion.

But the man was clearly busy as well, because next to him was a blonde girl drinking, and she had already burped, so she seemed to be just as drunk as the girl next to her.