The city park was transformed into a fairy-tale world overnight. Glass chandeliers hung neatly between the tree branches, glistening softly as the sun faded. Around them, round tables with gold-embroidered tablecloths were filled with sumptuous dishes. From flower-shaped appetisers to glasses of elderflower champagne with delicate bubbles and fresh strawberry sweets served on plates.
The charm of the party was further enhanced by the guests' dazzling attire. The women walked gracefully in full-skirted evening gowns, with tightly cinched waists and open shoulders adorned with delicate lace. Small hats with spiderweb veils covered half their faces, while milky white satin gloves covered their arms up to the elbows. On the other hand, the men looked elegant in neatly cut black tuxedos or semi-formal suits. Some chose classic bow ties, while others left their collars open.
Amidst the crowd moving like a glittering wave, four women and one man walked in perfect formation like a group of capital city celebrities walking the red carpet at a New Year's Eve celebration. Leading the way at the front was Kat—yeah, as usual, the girl always stood out. Her natural blonde hair, rolled in a Victory Roll, seemed to reflect its own light, contrasting perfectly with her burgundy dress adorned with black lace. Right behind her was Elsie, the eldest sister, providing the perfect balance with the elegance that radiated from her figure. Her midnight blue dress fell perfectly on her body without the need for excessive embellishment. Meanwhile, beside her was Rae, the youngest, wearing an emerald green dress adorned with a large ribbon on the back. The teenager's eyes moved swiftly, scanning the surroundings as if surveying a battlefield. She did not come to the party to dance or mingle with the socialites; Rae came simply to find clues in the middle of the dance party.
But the spotlight of the night unexpectedly fell on Josie. Her golden brown dress created the illusion that she was wrapped in the horizon at dusk. The off-shoulder design revealed her neckline, which was adorned with a thin gold necklace, while the tulle layer at the bottom of the dress made her every step look like she was floating. Her jet-black hair, which was usually tied up carelessly, was now left loose, held in place only by a pen-shaped clip on the right side.
"Are you really dressed up for the party or to attract the attention of your potential victims, Jo?" Kat teased her deliberately with a small smirk on her lips.
Yeah, they couldn't deny that tonight Josie looked more stunning than she usually did. Even Kat, who was the most striking among the four of them, looked normal compared to Josie's appearance tonight.
"Both," Josie replied with a meaningful smile, her usually calm blue eyes now actively scanning the crowd.
"But I like seeing it. You look beautiful, Jo!" Rae exclaimed with typical teenage honesty. Her fake black hair swayed with the young girl's head movements.
Rae actually had hair similar in colour to Kat's, a natural blonde. But for some reason, the youngest sister preferred to dye her hair black. A long time ago, she had said that all her friends at the academy had black hair. Then, just because she was the only blonde-haired child at school, Rae dyed her hair without consulting her three sisters.
"Thank you, Rae. I need to thank Ivy for being my fairy mother."
Iveline Marguerite Kingsley was not just an ordinary friend to Josie. For years, Baron Kingsley's daughter had been such a close friend that she did not hesitate to buy an expensive, luxurious dress for tonight's event. Ivy knew Josie had enough money saved from her book royalties to buy an evening gown. Unfortunately, Josie preferred to spend her money on books rather than expensive silk fabric.
"I don't see Ivy," Rae muttered, looking left and right, scanning the crowd for the Baron's daughter.
"She's probably busy hiding," replied Josie, remembering Ivy's complaint earlier that morning when she stopped by the Kingsley family home. "Baron Kingsley wants to arrange her marriage."
"Ivy? Arranged marriage?" Kat clicked her tongue in disbelief. "I'd rather believe the sky would fall than that girl would obey."
"True," Rae nodded quickly, "Ivy would rather explode than be arranged to marry, or in the worst-case scenario, she'd burn down the Baron's house."
Elsie, who had been listening quietly to her three sisters' conversation, chimed in, "I heard the suitor is a newcomer from the capital. Probably part of the military aristocracy, but I don't know who the man is."
"Han Rolland," Josie replied with half-closed eyes. "A military doctor. Not at all suitable for Ivy. Too stern, polite, and stiff as a board."
"And Ivy is like a short-fused firecracker," added Kat, then giggled amusedly imagining Ivy marrying a military doctor, knowing full well that a perfect man like Han Rolland was not suited to Ivy, the gambling addict.
"A combination that—well, could be very interesting or not, depending on how they handle it," Rae smirked, trying to imagine the interaction between the two people who—she said—were being set up.
Josie suddenly sighed dramatically, touching the back of her hand to her forehead like a stage actress. "Imagine, my sisters! Ivy marrying the man who once called her 'a woman of unstable morals and a tendency to disrupt the social system'!"
"He said that even though he knew Ivy was Baron Kingsley's daughter?" asked Elsie.
"Yup! In Ivy's living room while drinking tea," replied Josie with amusement. "The only reason Ivy didn't slap him at the time was because she was wearing new gloves and didn't want to ruin them."
"If he shows up tonight, I'll bet five sols. Ivy and that man will definitely fight at the party," Kat suddenly muttered, making a bet.
"Ten sols if they suddenly start dancing after arguing," Rae said quickly. "There's no way Baron Kingsley would just stand by and watch his daughter and future son-in-law argue. I'm sure they'll put on an act."
"Twenty if Ivy steps on her foot on purpose," Josie added, stifling a laugh.
Elsie shook her head slowly, though her lips formed a small smile. "You guys can never talk about a friend calmly, can you?"
"We all love Ivy," replied Josie, her words sweet but laced with venom. "We just know how rebellious and stubborn that woman can be."
There was nothing wrong with what Josie said. They all knew exactly what kind of person Iveline Marguerite Kingsley was. That's why they laughed together, imagining how frustrated Ivy must be facing an arranged marriage with a man who was not her ideal.
While everyone else was enjoying the party and dancing with their partners, the four Everhart sisters were busy in their own world. Never apart, united, and always seen together. None of the bachelors at the party dared to approach them, even just a step. The Everhart Sisters were famous for their enchanting beauty, like noble princesses who had descended directly from the capital. Admiration and envy always followed them wherever they went, especially when Kat appeared with a style that was always the most striking among her four sisters.
But there was only one real reason why men were reluctant to approach them. Leon Everhart.
Who would dare to flirt with one of the four angels when the Everhart guard was standing only a few metres away? Standing tall like a flagpole, silent as a statue, with a gaze that could freeze a person's blood. His eyes always watched every man who passed by like a gatekeeper of hell ready to draw his sword.
Even throughout the night of the party, Leon was almost silent—to be honest, he rarely spoke. But his towering posture, his aura of authority, and his cloak that moved slowly like the wings of a raven were enough to warn the men there. Dare to flirt with the Everhart sisters, and a man could lose his teeth.
"Look, Mr Everhart is standing like a statue in the palace garden," whispered a young nobleman from the Elwick family who secretly had feelings for Kat.
"That's not a statue, that's a personal executioner," replied his friend, swallowing hard. "And he married their eldest sister. Do you understand the implications?"
"It means you have to write your will first before you dare to look at his sisters-in-law."
Amidst the crowd and the centre of attention, Kat managed to flash a sweet smile at a group of young men who admired her from afar. Some were even holding flowers or dance invitations, but their attention immediately wavered when they met Leon's cold gaze.
Rae chewed on a small tart while smiling wryly. "Look how they look at us like a sacred altar, while Leon is a fierce priest ready to excommunicate them," she muttered with her mouth full.
"He's more like an ancient tomb guard," replied Kat with sparkling eyes. "Take a closer look. Throughout the party, he hasn't even touched a drop of wine and just stands there."
"Standing. Watching. Judging." Josie perfectly imitated Leon's posture. "Just like the angel of death sorting out the souls that deserve to live."
Elsie, who understood her husband's character best, just smiled slightly at her sisters' cheeky comments. "You do realise he can hear you, don't you?"
"Oh, we know that," replied Kat before glancing sideways at Leon, who remained silent as a statue, even though he was the subject of their conversation. "We're just sure he won't protest."
As if to prove Kat's words, Leon glanced briefly in her direction. When his gaze met Kat's eyes, the corners of his lips turned up slightly—a faint smile that was enough to make any man swallow in fear.
"Well," Rae raised her glass theatrically, "welcome to the party where the goddesses dance alone because no knight is brave enough to approach them."
"Shh, be quiet, Rae!" Josie suddenly interrupted, "I don't think all knights are like the ones you're talking about. Maybe the man over there is different from the others."
As if guided by a magnet, their gaze was drawn in the same direction, towards the entrance to the city hall garden. Their world, which had previously been centred on themselves, was suddenly sucked towards the figure of a man who had just entered the party.
For Josie, who had accidentally caught sight of him a while ago, the man's appearance was like the arrival of a hero in a fantasy story. Josie's breath caught in her throat and the world around her suddenly blurred. The only thing that remained clear was the man's presence, which felt like a new centre of gravity.
He stood like a character leaping out of the pages of a romance novel that Josie had not yet written. Tall, handsome, with an aura more suited to the front lines of battle than a dance party. His black coat fell perfectly on his shoulders, his rigid posture exuded the discipline of a frontline soldier, and his hair was combed neatly back, emphasising his sharp jawline and dark grey eyes as he scanned the area with cold calculation. His face was so perfect, like a living Renaissance master painting.
Unconsciously, Josie gripped the hem of her dress tightly, then turned quickly to face her sisters.
"I love him!" she whispered excitedly. "I mean ... his profile! He's perfect for the main character in my new novel!"
Kat sighed deeply and closed her eyes when she heard her sister's bold statement. "Here we go again."
Elsie didn't even bother to turn her head, just nodded listlessly as if she was used to hearing such things. "Yep. She's at it again."
Meanwhile, Rae smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Here we go again."
Josie narrowed her eyes, unhappy with her three sisters' reactions, which seemed to belittle her discovery. In fact, the problems she had caused were never greater than the chaos Rae had created.
"You all don't understand. Look closely! He is the living Captain Valrick. Just like I described him in my latest manuscript!"
"Captain who?" asked Rae with a sly grin.
"Captain Valrick! The main character in my new novel," explained Josie proudly. "A cavalry captain who bears the scars of battle, emotionally cold, but deeply loyal and passionate towards his lover."
"And you think it's him?"
Josie narrowed her eyes, then turned to observe the way the man was talking to Baron Kingsley. "I don't know who he really is," she muttered. "But one thing's for sure, he's too perfect not to be the inspiration for the main character in my next novel."