Chise sat awkwardly in her room as Silky wandered aimlessly around her small dwelling. She was working with many sheets of fabric, long and short, black and smooth. Elias had told her that Silky had a project she wanted to work on and needed Chise's assistance for it. A day prior Angie had stopped by to visit to inform her of an upcoming reception. Ruth sat at her feet, watching with mild boredom as Silky got Chise to stand to take more measurements of her shoulders.

"Here!"

Chise blinked and looked up in confusion as Angie stuck a small square envelope in front of her face. Just as Chise lifted her hand to take the interfering object, Elias snatched it from Angie's hand who looked over at him in protest. He looked down at the envelope and turned it slightly in his hand to look at the front.

"I forgot that they did this." He simply stated, his mouth opening ever so slightly.

Chise opened her mouth to question him, but continued to watch as he held the envelope flat in his palm. Then there was a small blue light emitting from his palm and the envelope exploded into little pieces. Chise watched as the pieces floated to the ground and wondered if he was supposed to do that, and what was it for?

"Ainsworth! What the hell!" Angie turned around and started bickering at him while Chise just looked to the bits and pieces on the floor. She then got up and looked to the two bickering almost immaturely.

"What was that envelope for?" She asked calmly, the situation not really phasing her. Angie turned around suddenly and got right in her face with a bit fat grin on her face.

"Every year there is a big ball held by the highest of Magus. Lots of people attend, and it's lots of fun!" Chise's eyes seemed to brighten up a little and a small smile came to her face.

"That sounds lovely…" She trailed off while looking up to Elias who was silent.

Angie made a humming noise while standing upright and put her hands on her hips.

"I knew you would think so." She thumb pointed to Elias; "This shit head hasn't attended in years, you'd think he would change his mind for once!" Chise looked from Angelica to Elias who was still silent.

"Elias? Do you not like balls?"

"I have no reason to attend such a thing." He stated simply. Chise shifted on her feet, looking between Angelica and Elias. Ruth laid on the floor, entirely not interested in the current conversation. Silky had walked into the room with a tray of sweets and a pot of tea.

Her eyes met Elias' and smiled softly at him.

"I would like to go Elias."

Chise assumed that Silky was put in charge of finding something for her to wear for this so called extravagant event. Chise stood there, almost zoning out while staring at the wall. She was never invited to such events before. She never knew what it was like to wear a fancy dress or socialize with people. But the fact that Angie had come all the way from London to tell her she was invited along with Elias…

Her thoughts trailed off to the Magus. He didn't seem particularly pleased that Angie had come over for this specific reason, but he seemed to falter on his decision when Chise had expressed her interest in attending.

So now here she was, being Silky's mannequin as she put together a dress.

Hours passed and Chise's legs were sore. She spent the majority of the day cooped up in her room besides when Silky shooed her downstairs to make lunch. Elias was over in his study and had come out to talk to her when they moved to the kitchen. But as soon as they went back into Chise's room, he had left too.

Chise flopped back onto her bed, wanting to just take a breather.

"Chise…" Ruth trailed off, clearly wanting to get his mistresses attention.

"Eh? What is it Ruth?" She lifted her head, then her eyes widened, and then she lifted her whole body to look at what stood before her. She had never seen such a beautiful dress in her short existence.

She slowly rose from the bed and walked over as Silky had hung the dress on a hanger on her door. She had gone downstairs to prepare dinner, leaving her and Ruth in her room. Hung up on her door was a long extravagant black gown, layered with fabrics and nylon, the top layer of the gown sequined with lace and gems. It was a very wide gown. Her eyes lifted to the top half of the gown, the laces rising to cover her chest area, and darkening as it spanned out to long sleeved arms. The gown reached up to the neck, meant to be tight in that area.

Was she supposed to wear that tomorrow?

"Ruth… do you think…?"

"I don't see another reason for Silky to make a dress like that."

Silky walked around the kitchen silently, going about her daily routine. Elias sat at the table, a cup of tea in his hand. Silky looked over to Elias, a blank look on her face.

"I do plan on going, yes."

Silky smiled and turned back to the stove, content with her acquaintances response. Her attention then focused to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Chise walked into the kitchen, greeting Elias who responded to her greeting in kind.

"Silky?"

Silky looked from the boiling water on the stove to Chise. Chise quietly just wrapped her arms around her shoulders lightly. Silky did not do anything in response, she was quite surprised at the action.

Elias watched the scene unfold in front of him and didn't quite understand why Chise went to hug Silky. He just went back to sipping his tea silently. He watched as Chise moved from hugging Silky to sitting down across from him.

"Elias? You do plan on coming with me right? Tomorrow?"

"Of course, I wouldn't let my apprentice attend a ball alone."

"But I thought you didn't like balls." Chise looked to Silky who brought food to the table and smiled before quickly looking to the stairs.

"Ruth! Are you eating?!" She called to upstairs. She looked back to Elias, not having to say much to questioning Ruth if he was going to eat dinner. Dogs eat anything and everything.

"I don't mind going, if it makes you happy." Elias responded, ending the topic of that conversation without saying so. The rest of dinner proceeded in a comfortable silence, minus Ruth who was shovelling food into his mouth by the spoonful.

The rest of the night proceeded like normal, Chise continuing with her studies with the occasional interruption by Elias who would check on her progress, also to answer any questions she might have for him. When it came to sleep, Chise laid in her bed looking at the beautiful dress that hung on the door. She couldn't believe that Silky had made that just for her. It took all day too!

What would Elias think of her when he saw her in the dress?

A light blush appeared on her cheeks as she brought the sheets to cover her face. This was becoming more embarrassing than needed! Would he think she looked ugly? Or beautiful? Chise then frowned. There was probably more attractive women attending than she. Not letting her thoughts ruin her sleep, she turned over and said goodnight to Ruth before drifting off into sleep.

On the night of the ball, Chise was scared out of her wits. She couldn't stand still and paced in her room, not even close to being ready. Ruth sat up on the floor, watching Chise pace back and forth.

"Chise, you need to get ready. Angelica will be here soon, and she'll be furious to see you not ready. Elias went on ahead at the request of Angelica too, so there is no need to feel embarrassed. He is with Lindel." Chise paused while nibbling at the corner of her finger. She seemed confident on attending, and wanting to attend but now that the time has come to go she was a nervous wreck. She really didn't feel ready for Elias to see her like this. Not that it was bad, but she felt like she was going to make an idiot out of herself somehow.

She heard a door opening and shutting, followed by small chatter. Ruth got up, nudging the door open with his nose. "I'll bring Angelica here. You should start getting ready."

Elias shifted on his seat, crossing his leg lightly over the other one. He looked over to Lindel who was talking to a couple of individuals he did not recognize. Nor did he want to be here. He had his elbow lightly resting on the edge of the small circular table, the bottom of his long mouth resting on his knuckles. He hadn't spotted Chise or Angelica yet. An unfamiliar feeling settled in his gut at the thought of Chise being in danger. But he knew that Angelica wouldn't let such a thing to occur.

His mouth opened for a moment and closed as he looked to Lindel who was now quietly drinking a cup of tea. He noticed Elias staring at him and looked over at him.

"She has not arrived yet? Maybe she changed her mind. There is quite a bit of people in attendance this year."

"It was her decision to come. Angie insisted that I went on ahead with you. Although I'm not sure why." He got up, fixing his gloves in the process and his attire. His red veil exposed the side of his face for the slightest moment that exposed concern on his face as Lindel almost comically looked away from his former apprentice. Angelica clearly wanted to make Chise's attire a surprise, and Elias here couldn't help but be worried in the worst way possible.

"I'm more surprised that you're here. You haven't come in the last century." Lindel looked back up at Elias who was fixated on something across the room. He followed to what he was staring at and cheekily laughed before bringing his tea cup back to his mouth. Lindel watched in complete amusement as Elias B lined it across the ballroom floor.

"Come on Chise!" Angelica whispered harshly as Chise tried to pull back, her face red as a tomato.

"I.I…look ridiculous!"

"You do not! Now come on, your bonehead teacher is waiting for you!" Angelica grabbed Chise by her wrist and pulled her into the brightly lit room. A few people that were nearby looked at them as they made their less than acceptable appearance into the ballroom. Chise hid her face as she looked to Angelica.

"I regret agreeing to this. Can I go home?" Chise felt like her face was on fire, almost uncomfortably hot. She hoped that Elias didn't spot them already, she would die! Chise noticed Angelica look behind her for a moment then back to her, and Chise felt like she was actually going to die in this very exact moment. She was not mentally prepared for any of this at all! Ruth and Silky were at home away from such a big crowd and she dearly wished she was back at home with them.

"Chise."

She froze all movements, her hand dropping from Angelica's now slackened grip. 'Oh God… Oh God…Turn around you fool!' Chise gulped as she slowly turned her head over her shoulder to look at him, before the rest of her body followed. Angelica took a step back, then another step back, and then she was gone somewhere in the crowd. Chise shifted on her feet, legs feeling like mush and ready to collapse.

"E-Elias, I'm sorry I'm late…" Chise quietly murmured.

"I was beginning to think you backed out last minute after all the hard work Silky put into your gown." Chise just shook her head, her mouth not working. She looked to Elias who had moved closer to her and took her hand in his. Something about him was different.

'Ah. It's what he's wearing. He's not wearing his robe.' Elias was still wearing his three piece suit but instead of wearing a suit jacket it was a long coat that matched the rest of his suit.

"U-um…"

Elias looked down to Chise as he brought her further into the big room. Chise looked around, astonished at how big the space actually was. Apparently this was a very popular spot in London, as Angie knew exactly where it was. She couldn't believe that she was here. The room was round and large, with a dome roof with various paintings and designs circling it. The floors were sandy marble, reaching up the steps to the second floor with cast iron railings where people stood in conversation in pairs or circles.

"Chise, your face has been red since I saw you. Are you ill?"

"N-no! I'm fine! Perfectly fine! It was just…chilly outside." Chise looked away, trying to control some of the blush that was covering her face. Chise spotted Lindel, speaking to Titania off in the distance. They seemed to be chuckling about something.

"Is that Lindel? Let's go say hello to Lindel!" Chise was desperately trying to save herself from the mortification she was currently experiencing, and she felt like Elias wasn't going to have any of it.

"I already spoke to Lindel while waiting for you to get here. I came because you wished it, and you wanted to come." Elias looked down to Chise, who looked like she wanted to run away. Elias took the moment while she was focused elsewhere to take in what creation Silky had made for her. He was not used to seeing Chise in such attire. Her arms were encased in black lace all the way up to her neck, going down to a long wide gown. Her hair was lightly curled, light waves making her hair slightly shorter than what it was. The red a stark contrast against the black of her dress.

"Chise. Dance with me."

Chise looked to Elias in horror. 'D-d-dance?'

"I think it was quite cruel of you to leave the two of them alone Angelica." A friend of hers said as they all watched the duo converse in the middle of the ballroom. Angelica chuckled as she watched the various expressions of fear play across Chise's face. Only Chise was able to tell exactly what Elias' face was saying, also it was currently covered by the veil. Everyone watched as Elias took Chise to another spot along the floor and tried to get her to dance.

Angelica pinched the bridge between her nose as they danced at arms length, both rigid as boards.

Lindel watched them both from the second floor, deadpan expression on his face.

'Such children…'