Lily Blanch, an elven princess that’s known for her heavenly beauty. Her name was well-known throughout the country as “The Enchantress” since her alluring look is enchanting—It’s too bland for me honestly. I’d rather call her the Aphrodite or something than what people call her.

Of course, when I saw her for the first time, I almost teared up and almost blurted out my honest thoughts. I stood there frozen, mesmerizing the best waifu of the game.

This is a banquet which means the incident will probably happen now! The drunkard who assaulted the princess Lily, but if she has her own spirit, doesn’t that mean she could protect herself that time? I pondered over that thought first, but who cares. The only thing I need to be excited about is the part where I can save her like the cliche princess saving troupe. Although I don’t know if it’ll work out, there’s still a chance.

But before that, I need to watch the princess closely as to when she’ll go out to the garden. In addition to that, I need to know where the garden is too... I’m on a mission to save the best waifu of the game. Commencing the mission right now.

“Claude!”

“Ye-Yeah?! H-Huh?!”

“What the hell is happening to you? You’ve been in a daze since we entered here. Let’s go find a table to seat on.”

“O-Oh yeah!”

“Haah... I guess this is the first time you’ve seen different kinds of species in one place, huh? Not surprising since we’re living in a human city.” Master Irene then grabbed my arm and embraced me tightly. Her breast always suffocates my face because of the difference in our height—I haven’t gotten my growth spurt yet and it annoys me.

Later while, we found our table. Many people started greeting Master Irene upon sitting at the table. I’m amazed by the number of people greeting her respectfully. While that’s happening, I sensed some people around me, looking at me with disdain in their eyes, probably because I’m ‘manaless' or because of Master Irene—I don't know.

People can hide their mana to hide their presence from others, so I don't why they're looking at me like that. However, in Master Irene's case, she quickly discerns that I'm manaless at first glance even Clara. Probably the people here are like Master Irene.

Quintessence can’t be sensed by a normal person with mana, as its existence is way beyond theirs—I don’t get the logic of it, but that’s the conclusion I came up with. When Master Irene told me some of her experience fighting this so-called ‘friend’ of hers who has a quintessence like mine—As to why there’s a misconception of other people on me having no mana.

During that, I kept glancing at the table of Lily with her father and brother. While at it, I’m searching for the queen or her mother's whereabouts too, as my curiosity piqued because I don’t see any traces of her in here. She’s probably a beauty too, like her own daughter—Hence, I’m scanning around to find an elf with extraordinary beauty other than Lily. But it’s hard since the female elves in here are all a beauty too—It’s making my job harder!

“Claude, go greet the princess. Look at the other kids, they’re greeting her. I’ll need to entertain these people first, so go ahead.”

“Oh, okay. What about Clara?”

“I’ll stay with Madam.”

“I understand then I’ll go.”

“Take care and remember if some kids tried to bully you, just show them who’s the boss. Don’t worry about the consequence, I can handle it.”

“Okay...?”

“Madam is telling the truth, young master. Protect your pride and dignity that’s the way of the Weiss.”

“Yeah, right..."

A hint of seriousness is in the eyes of Master Irene and Clara, which meant I need to take their words seriously—To which I did so. There must be a reason they imparted those words to me.

"Well then, enjoy yourselves. I'll go ahead.” I waved my hand to the two.

While walking to the area of Princess Lily’s table, an eyeful of stares are fixated on me. Hopefully, those stares would stop, as it’s really making me uncomfortable. Can’t they just mind their own business and move on forward? Just one glance at me is enough—There’s no need for them to observe every single thing I do.

There’s a huge line of people who are greeting Lily at her table, so I got on the back of the line. As anticipated, many of the people who are in front of me are not pleased upon seeing me. The discrimination against people with no mana is a big deal, as they’re treated as pests in this world. It’s my first time experiencing it, probably because I haven’t gone outside too often. Yet, I remember this feeling—The old experience of discrimination of the real Claude.

All looking at me as if I’m a person who’s way below them, a person who doesn’t belong in the world. Instead of making a big deal out of it, I chose to ignore these people and continue on. No matter what species, their eyes all look the same.

“Hey.”

Someone touched my shoulders, to which I glanced behind me. The person who got his hand on his shoulder had this condescending look on his face, brown curly hair, brown eyes, and a skinny figure, plus the guy looked older than me. At that moment, I know where this is going... Behind him, a beastman male and a human male who had the same look on their faces as him. Then behind those guys, there are beautiful elven girls—Yep, they’re trying to impress them...

I prepared myself mentally if the situation worsened. However, reality seems to be always playing with me, as the very next thing that happened baffled me.

“Miss, can you remove the mask? You see, I got a bet with those beautiful ladies over there. Pretty please? We’re just curious about the only disciple of the famous Sword Blade Saint.”

Excuse me what? Oh, come on! I knew it! My hair was the actual cause of my problems! Anyhow, what’s the problem with these people? I swear, all the things he said make little sense. Because I was expecting a bloodbath of cliches from the get-go—The thing that happened next is not on the script!

“Yes, pretty please? We wanted to date some Elven beauties, Miss.”

“Please, so I could finally graduate!”

The first one to speak was the beastman, then followed by the human beside him. Their eyes are pleading as if their lives are at stake and I’m the only one who can save them.

I totally get what they’re feeling right now!

However, I’m still a virgin and my pride won’t let me, so I’m so sorry, comrades! I ain’t letting you graduate until I graduate first! I apologize for my selfishness, but as a virgin—I just can’t.

“Sorry, my master said that I shouldn’t remove my mask ever.”

“Eh? Can you please just do it quickly? Please, I’m so desperate please! Help me out!”

“Sorry.”

Suddenly, he got aggressive and tried to take off my mask. When I saw his hands reaching for my mask, I took several steps backward, effortlessly evading it. The situation escalated real quick—Now, the look on the guy’s face was mixed with confusion and disbelief.

Later while, he lunged once again but this time with his left hand. He extended his left hand to me with his right heel forward to close the distance. Once again, I evaded it with ease just by moving to the side. Because of that, his fuse blew, I think... He became more aggressive and faster after that.

What a desperate fella...

He continued lunging, trying to unmask me. I preemptively blocked all of it with my backhands or by outmaneuvering him with just simple sidesteps. For every second that has passed, his expression gradually getting darkened. At how pissed he was right now, he even started adding a kick to it.

Surprisingly, none of the people here are stopping us. I took a glimpse around me, they’re all watching our little fight with amusing faces. Instead of stopping us, they’re watching us in entertainment like we’re some sort of animal in the zoo. Then my eyes stumbled upon the table of the princess—And, I saw she’s gone! Which means she could have gone to the garden—I need to go now!

So I caught his extended right hand, adjusted my back foot while my front foot did a sweep kick on his ankle, making him fall to the ground. I didn’t even bat him an eye when he falls, as I run off outside immediately. Not to mention, my heartbeat is pounding hard because I don’t know where she might have gone too!

With my speed, I was able to get out of the place like greased lightning because of my quintessence. I was running at full speed, exploring the humongous castle. Took me a few minutes to realize that I can just go to a high place for a wider view, which will make it easier to find her, since from what I remember it’s an outdoor garden with an enormous tree.

I leaped to the crenellation. Squinting my eyes around to find any place that looked like a garden. It only took like a few seconds before I saw a stocky humongous tree that’s visible, its leaves reach for the sky, ever trying to reach higher—At the center of a neatly trimmed field of grass, framed by various flowers and shrubs, stone pillars, plus a small, picket fence around the loops, offering a glimpse of its pristine look.

“Bingo.”

Crouching at my knees, at the merlon of the crenelation of the castle. I smiled brightly. However, my eyes caught something which was the magnificent starry night before I jumped off the merlon.