This is the Wrong World!

Chapter 21 - Emerald City Ball

Emerald City was teeming with gossip on whether the mysterious owner of Marchen Inc. and Marchen Inc. Auction House, Miss Reed, would show up at the Emerald Ball that weekend. Despite the media coverage present at the grand opening not a single reporter or camera crew were able to capture a good image of Miss Reed. Any image taken was nothing but a blur. How was that even possible? But everyone waited with bated breaths for the enigmatic Miss Reed to appear.

By 8 p.m. that evening of the Emerald Ball, the majority of the guests had arrived. The Emerald Ball officially began as the socialites mingled and climbed up the social status ladders. A group of young socialite's chat on the front hotel steps and giggle maliciously at seeing a taxi pull up in front of the steps of the hotel. The door opens, and a pointed black high heeled stiletto can be seen. A tall, thin woman with straight black hair emerges. Her military black uniform is perfectly tailored to her body. Her Italian black leather gloved hand shuts the taxi door having paid the driver. The taxi speeds off as the tall woman pauses to glance up at them. The girl's titters clamper off at the cold piercing gaze of the woman. The girls shiver violently with unease and swiftly scurry inside.

The footman at the start of the steps opens his mouth to ask an invitation, but before he can the woman places the invitation into his hand. The footman glances at the invitation and his eyes widen at the name. The footman hastily says, "Please allow me to accompany you inside, Miss Reed."

"I'm fine," Miss Reed flatly stated. The footman can only get out of Miss Reed's way as she climbs up the stairs and makes her way inside.

Izo sighs to herself as she pauses at the entrance of the ballroom. Izo sees the teeming masses inside and lets out a tired sigh. Still sighing to herself, Izo strides into the ballroom and makes her way towards Mr. Moore and her associates. Izo comes to a halt as a figure bumps into her and spills a glass of punch all over her jacket. Izo frowns and glances at the young woman. A golden-haired young woman bites her lips and says, "I'm so sorry, Miss Reed, I didn't see you standing there."

"Do you need anything else, Mary Sue?" Izo asked as she removes her wet jacket and folds it into her arms to carry.

Mary blinks her sky-blue eyes and tearfully says, "I'm sorry, Miss Reed."

"I'm not. Not excuse me, I am busy," Izo replied without giving Mary a chance to react.

Izo with great relief arrives next to Mr. Moore who is dressed in a full cowboy getup including a full-length leather coat with spurs on his cowboy boots. Izo raises an eyebrow and drily comments, "Isn't that leather duster hot?"

"That exactly what I said," Mr. Nazari murmured as he nursed a drink and was dressed as a Victorian-era rogue.

Mr. Moore beams and says, "Nonsense, I'm perfectly fine." Izo and Mr. Nazari share the same look at Mr. Moore's cheerful reply.

"Ah, so you were able to make it? How charming, what are you even dressed as?" Wistari interrupted. Her revealing authentic nymph getup certainly turned more than one head in the crowd.

"A military officer," Izo flatly replied. "Let me guess, you came as a candy striper?"

Mr. Nazari spits out his drink as Wistari glares hatefully at Izo. Mr. Moore ruefully grins and watches the show. To all their surprises, Tassarion intervenes. "Now come dear, Miss Reed holds a point. That dress is much too revealing for a woman of your presence."

Wistari preens under Tassriona's coaxing words. "Fine, I'll leave you all to your petty officer," Wistari said, before sashaying away in Tassarion's company.

"Do you think he likes her?" Izo asked no one in particular.

"Beats me what that arrogant elf thinks," Mr. Nazari replied, before darting away upon spotting a beauty.