MTLNOVEL Chapter 9: A Lethal Dance
After Kai's breathtaking performance, the stage remained lively with a series of other acts. Acclaimed singers and dancers of the generation took their turns, each trying to outshine the last. Their performances were nothing short of mesmerizing—graceful, powerful, captivating.
And yet, none of them could hold a candle to Kai.
It wasn't a fair comparison. Kai was simply too gifted, his presence too majestic. His song had left a lingering weight in the air, an afterimage impossible to erase.
Still, the night had to move forward.
"Now," the coordinator announced, his voice echoing across the grand hall, "I would like to invite the honorable Sovereigns to commence the first dance!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd. Excited murmurs swept through the guests like a tide, whispers of anticipation filling the room.
For many, the sight of Sovereign Sunless and Sovereign Nephis—the unshakable rulers of humanity, the warriors who stood above all—taking the dance floor like any ordinary couple seemed almost surreal. They were revered as untouchable figures, beings who belonged to battlefields and throne rooms, not grand ballrooms and wedding festivities.
Sunny exhaled, glancing at Nephis. She shifted slightly in her seat, waiting for his response.
And then—
"Show them your moves, doofus! Princess!"
The sudden, unmistakable voice cut through the noise, drawing all eyes to its source.
There stood Effie, holding two plates piled high with food, grinning like a troublemaker caught red-handed. Next to her, Ling's father bore an equally ridiculous sight—balancing two more plates, looking equal parts embarrassed and resigned.
As soon as Sunny met her gaze, Effie's grin widened.
"Just like you've been in your—"
"That's enough, Effie," Cassie interrupted, appearing from seemingly nowhere. She grabbed the boisterous woman by the arm, her expression gentle but firm. "Come on, leave them be. We have something to discuss."
"Wait, just let me finish my—Ahhh!"
Effie's protest was cut short as Cassie dragged her away, her plates wobbling precariously. Ling's father remained behind, sighing before bowing in apology on her behalf.
Sunny let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.
Beside him, Nephis laughed softly, her silver eyes shining with amusement.
Sunny got up and turned to her with a playful smirk. Then with exaggerated formality, bowed at the waist before offering his hand.
"Are you ready, m'lady?"
Nephis arched a brow, a grin tugging at her lips. "Oh my," she mused. "Did hearing Kai's eloquence make you forget you're supposed to be Sunny?"
"Shut up," Sunny grumbled, jerking her hand up slightly. "I regretted it the moment I said it."
Nephis chuckled, relishing the slight blush dusting his cheeks. But instead of standing, she remained seated, refusing to move.
Sunny frowned. "What now?"
Nephis tilted her head, her expression solemn.
"...One more time."
"What?"
"Ask me again. In the same gentlemanly tone."
"No."
Sunny pulled her hand lightly, but Nephis refused to budge. He looked at her, his face turning into a grimace. "Nephis, stop acting like a child, I-"
"...Please?"
She said it sweetly—too sweetly—her voice laced with the kind of charm that was both deliberate and devastating. Her lips curled into a pleading smile, silver eyes shimmering with mischief.
A crushing weight settled over Sunny. As if denying her now would be the gravest mistake of his life—a sin he would carry for all eternity.
Sunny groaned.
Damn it.
'Where did she learn to make a face like that?'
Sunny tried—truly, he did—to resist the onslaught. He stood his ground, braving Nephis's devastatingly charming pout and those gleaming silver eyes that held just the right mix of playfulness and expectation.
For as long as humanly possible, he resisted.
Then, with a weary sigh, he surrendered.
"Okay, fine." He cleared his throat, straightened his posture, and with all the resignation in the world, said, "Would you please grant me the honor of this dance, my beautiful lady?"
Nephis laughed, delighted, then dipped into an elegant curtsy. "The pleasure will be mine, my prince."
Sunny's soul left his body.
His entire face burned. The sight before him—Nephis smirking like that, speaking so sweetly, calling him prince—was simply too much to handle.
Then, horror dawned upon him. He whipped his head around, scanning the room with frantic urgency.
"Wait. This isn't being broadcast live, is it?"
Cassie's voice drifted smoothly into his mind.
"It isn't," she assured him. Then, after a slight pause— "Starting... now."
He heard the faint whir of a nearby drone changing direction, its feed cutting off.
'Great. So the whole damn world just saw me act like a polite, gentlemanly bastard.'
He cursed internally, still on high alert for any lingering cameras.
"Since when have you been listening in?!" he demanded.
Cassie didn't answer.
Sighing, Sunny turned back to Nephis—who was now struggling to suppress her laughter behind her hand, her shoulders shaking.
"Whatever," he grumbled. "Let's just get this over with."
He took her hand and led her to the center of the grand hall, where the first dance was set to begin. As per tradition, the bride and groom would open the ceremony with a dance, after which the other guests would pair up and join in, continuing for as long as they wished. There was no obligation for the newlyweds to dance till the end.
But at that moment, Sunny barely registered the crowd or the murmurs of anticipation.
Because when he looked at Nephis, truly looked at her under the unfiltered moonlight pouring through the tall windows, he felt his breath hitch.
She was radiant. The silvery glow bathed her in an almost ethereal brilliance, her white dress shimmering like liquid starlight. She looked... otherworldly. Like she didn't belong to this world at all.
Like she would disappear if he so much as blinked.
A sudden heat surged through him—an overwhelming desire to hold her close, to pull her into his arms and kiss her right then and there. To never let go.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
'She's not going anywhere.'
She was his. And he was hers.
Now, and forever.
Gripping her right hand, he interlocked their fingers in a firm clasp. With his other hand, he placed a steady hold on her back, drawing her in. Close. Secure.
He wouldn't let anyone take her away. Not again. Not ever.
Nephis blinked at his sudden intensity, slightly taken aback. But then, just as quickly, she relaxed—accepting his touch, melting into it.
Her free hand rose to rest gently around his neck. Their fingers intertwined. Their steps moved as one. Their gazes remained locked, unwavering, as they glided effortlessly across the floor, lost in their own rhythm—lost in each other.
As the seconds passed, the rhythm of their dance quickened. Each step became sharper, each movement more intense. It was no longer just a dance—it was a challenge. A silent battle waged between two warriors who had never learned the meaning of surrender.
Sunny and Nephis pushed each other, testing the limits of balance and grace, their pace growing relentless. Yet, despite the escalating tempo, their movements remained flawlessly synchronized, their elegance undiminished. If anything, the sheer ferocity of their dance only elevated its beauty, refining it into something breathtaking.
The world around them faded into nothing. The voices, the music, the watching eyes—all blurred into insignificance. In this moment, there was only him. Only her. Only the fire in their locked gazes and the silent dare that passed between them.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"I have never seen a couple dance with such perfection before."
"Incredible! Such grace—such precision!"
"So the Sovereigns can do more than just slay nightmares after all..."
All around them, eager hands that had joined in anticipation wavered, hesitating. The couples waiting for their chance to enter the dance floor faltered, suddenly unsure if they dared to step into the same space as the rulers of humanity, fearing that even the slightest distraction might provoke their ire.
The ice finally shattered when a young man with a mischievous glint in his eye took a bold step forward, a light smirk playing on his lips.
"What are you all waiting for?" the young man, Luster, called out, his tone easy, inviting. "It's not every day you get to dance at a Sovereign's wedding!"
Trailing behind him was a meek-looking woman, her unassuming presence almost unnatural for a Master. Though her expression betrayed nervousness, she still smiled and followed his lead.
"T-that's right," said Kim, her voice softer but no less encouraging. "Let's not waste this precious opportunity."
With that, the young couple stepped onto the dance floor.
Their courage seemed to break the spell of hesitation. One by one, others followed suit.
"Now, now, we can't let a pair of kids outdo us, can we?"
A tall, broad-shouldered man with straw-colored hair and bright blue eyes chuckled, rising from his seat. With a graceful bow, he extended a hand toward the stunning blonde woman beside him.
"Shall we join them, my dear?"
A faint smile touched her cold, statuesque features as she placed her hand in his.
"Of course, Ro."
Their movements set off a chain reaction. More and more couples stepped forward, drawn into the growing tide of dance. The floor, once dominated by two figures lost in their own world, soon blossomed into a vibrant, swirling sea of elegance.
Seconds stretched into minutes.
The dance floor transformed into a shifting landscape of partners spinning, switching, laughing, and twirling. Some couples drifted away, satisfied after a few songs, while others eagerly stepped in to take their place. The rhythm of the celebration pulsed like a living heartbeat, constant and unbroken.
But none of it concerned the bride and groom.
They remained as they were—locked in motion, moving as one.
Their world had narrowed down to just the two of them, lost in the rhythm of something far deeper than mere dance.