Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

However, before he could return to the table, another beautifully dressed noblewoman with a similar smile and shyness approached him and extended an invitation to dance.

【Huh? Hey, hey, hey... what's going on?】

A sense of surprise rose in Chen Ming's heart.

During his student days in the main world, he was an unremarkable person who was always ignored by the girls in various class social events or activities.

Unexpectedly, at this noble ball in another world, I seem to be... quite popular!

This contrast made him feel somewhat intrigued.

As he was thinking this to himself, one after another, young and beautiful noble ladies, whether out of curiosity, admiration, or at someone's request, came to ask him to dance.

Among them were girls around Alice's age, noble ladies who looked more mature, and even two little girls who were clearly younger than Alice, probably only seven or eight years old, wearing puffy skirts and not yet very skilled at dancing. Encouraged by their families, they timidly ran over, looked up at him, and asked if they could dance together.

Although none of the girls who came to ask him to dance were the "original heroines" that Chen Ming knew, and they didn't have that unique story halo, Chen Ming treated each of them with the utmost respect and gentlemanly manners.

He always wore a gentle smile and never said anything to discourage the girls who had mustered the courage to ask him to dance.

After the period of great popularity finally came to an end, Alice's father, Philip, hurried over.

"I am so sorry, Lord Mugen."

Philip first sincerely apologized, then explained with a wry smile, "The source of all this chaos is probably my outspoken father..."

After listening to Philip's detailed explanation, Chen Ming suddenly realized the truth behind why he had suddenly become the "focus of the ball".

It turned out that after the opening dance, some curious nobles asked Sauros who the extraordinary young man who had danced with Miss Alice was.

As a result, the bold and outspoken Shaoluos, upon hearing someone ask about Chen Ming, immediately launched into a long-winded explanation, proudly revealing Chen Ming's identity—the legendary mysterious powerhouse [Infinite]—and openly proclaiming that his granddaughter had already become [Infinite]'s disciple.

Among the nobles present, who among them, even those with a modicum of information, hadn't heard of the astonishing legendary feat of [Infinite] effortlessly "annihilating" the immortal demon king Badigandi in the magical city of Sharia?

Faced with such a supreme powerhouse who is almost at the top of the power pyramid and can be considered invincible, it would be the most reasonable and instinctive reaction for any intelligent nobleman to want to befriend him.

That being said, no nobleman had enough courage or confidence to directly approach and strike up a conversation with someone like Chen Ming.

Thus, they all drew on the "successful experience" of the Boreas family—a careful observation reveals that this [Infinite] seems to have a close relationship with the hot-tempered young lady of the Boreas family, not only personally serving as her mentor, but also acting as her dance partner at such an important ball, and his words and actions also reveal his care for her.

Clearly, this powerful individual might be... a Lolita enthusiast?

Even if not, he at least has extra patience and affection for young and cute girls!

This simple and direct conclusion quickly took hold in the minds of some nobles.

Since directly attaching oneself to the powerful is too risky, wouldn't it be a "shortcut" with extremely low risk and potentially high returns by catering to their preferences and having girls of similar age and good looks in the family become familiar to them through dance invitations, a relatively natural and harmless method?

Thus, Chen Ming's recent series of "romantic encounters" came about.

Having figured out the logic behind all this, Chen Ming smiled and shook his head, indicating to Philip that it was alright.

……

The grand birthday party finally came to a close amidst laughter and fading music.

As the guests bid farewell, the grand mansion gradually quieted down from its hustle and bustle, returning to the tranquility that the night should have.

However, for Alice, the protagonist of tonight, her "celebration" seems to have only just begun.

As soon as the ball ended, Alice, still somewhat cumbersome by her skirt, quickly found Chen Ming, who was about to leave, and Gilead, who had been diligently guarding the perimeter of the venue.

Her small face, still bearing the lingering excitement of the ball and a hint of barely perceptible grievance, extended an invitation to the two: "Lord Infinite! Kyrie Ian! Could you... come to my room for a moment?"

Seeing the two people's slightly puzzled looks, Alice rubbed her stomach, which was making a soft "rumbling" sound, and explained with a pout, "I've been surrounded by those people all day and had to keep smiling, so I haven't eaten anything at all! My stomach is about to burst! Let's go back to the room and get something to eat!"

She stated her needs with complete confidence, disregarding any semblance of aristocratic decorum.

The reason for inviting Kyrie Illya was that the observant Alice noticed that this loyal orc swordsman had been diligently performing his duties to ensure the safety of the ball, and had also not eaten or drunk anything.

The reason for inviting Chen Ming, who had already eaten and drunk her fill at the buffet, was much simpler and purer—she simply enjoyed being with Chen Ming and wanted to spend more time with her beloved mentor on her birthday.

Soon, the three of them arrived at Alice's bedroom, which was full of her personal style.

Several nimble, animal-eared maids brought in a platter laden with various delicacies, clearly prepared in advance. After arranging the fragrant food on the small table in the center of the room, the maids bowed respectfully, turned, and gently closed the door, leaving them with their private space.

Just when Chen Ming and Kyrie Irvine thought it was just an ordinary late-night snack, Alice revealed a mysterious smile with a hint of cunning and smugness.

She first ran to the door, listened carefully to the sounds outside, and then, like a thieving kitten, tiptoed to her bedside, bent down, and carefully groped under the bed until she finally pulled out a glass bottle that looked quite old and contained an amber liquid.

“Look! This is what I borrowed from Grandpa’s treasured wine cellar… well, ‘borrowed’!”

Alice lowered her voice and announced with the excitement of sharing a secret, "I've wanted to try this for so long! But I've never dared to drink it alone."

According to the traditional rules of the Kingdom of Asura, girls are usually only allowed to drink alcohol after they turn fifteen years old.

Clearly, ten-year-old Alice is far from meeting this standard.

But tonight was different. Here was her most trusted Lord Infinity, and Kyrie Irvine, who doted on her like family. Alice's courage instantly grew.

Without hesitation, she picked up the empty teacup on the table, poured three glasses of clear amber liquid, and prepared to toast with everyone in a grand and spirited manner.

Kyrie Irgen had no objection to this—in her orc culture, there was no tradition of restricting girls from drinking alcohol. In their view, drinking was a natural way to keep warm, celebrate, and express emotions, and anyone, regardless of age or gender, could drink as long as they needed or wanted to.

So she readily accepted the glass of wine.

Chen Ming is not a native of this world, and the main world's China does not have such a drinking ban for minors.

Seeing that Alice was in high spirits and Kyrie Irvine accepted the cup readily, he didn't realize there was anything wrong with it. He simply took it as a part of the birthday celebration and naturally accepted the cup as well.

"Cheers to my tenth birthday!" Alice excitedly raised her teacup.

"Cheers." Chen Ming and Kyrie Irvine raised their glasses in response.

After downing a glass of "fine wine," a spicy yet mellow warmth spreads through the body.

Alice's face flushed bright red almost immediately, and her eyes became somewhat dazed and unfocused. Clearly, her alcohol tolerance was not commensurate with her courage to steal alcohol.

In this slightly tipsy atmosphere, Chen Ming seemed to suddenly remember something.

He snapped his fingers lightly, and with a flicker of light, two ancient-looking magic wands, subtly radiating magical light, appeared in his hands.

“I almost forgot again,” Chen Ming said, looking at the exquisite staff in his hand with a gentle smile. “Today, I’ll take this opportunity to hand it over to you.”

"Um... what... what is this?"

Alice, already feeling a bit tipsy after just one drink, asked curiously, her gaze drawn to the beautiful magic stone embedded at the top of the staff.

"For Alice, it should be considered a birthday present."

Chen Ming explained, turning his gaze to Kyrie Irvine, "As for me... a senior who once taught me magic told me that as a magic teacher, it seems I should prepare a suitable wand to give to my apprentice, as a symbol of inheritance... If you are willing, please accept it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kyrie Irvine, who had been sitting, slowly stood up and knelt down on one knee in front of Chen Ming with utmost respect.

Chen Ming recognized the gesture—it was the posture used by disciples of the Sword God School to show the highest respect to their mentors.

Kyrie Illya's alcohol tolerance was clearly far superior to Alice's. After downing a glass of wine, her eyes remained clear, and she said with utmost seriousness and solemnity, "Yes! Master Infinite, your disciple Kyrie Illya respectfully accepts the staff you have bestowed upon me!"

Seeing her so solemn and respectful demeanor, Chen Ming also suppressed his casual smile, solemnly handed her one of the magic wands, and then said gently, "There's no need to be so nervous."

Kyrie Irvine took the magic wand with both hands, his fingertips gently tracing the smooth shaft, feeling the magic contained within.

Her usually cold and hard facial features softened at this moment, and the corners of her mouth even turned up slightly, revealing a purely happy expression. She murmured to herself:

"With this... I can call myself a magician now, right?"

Meanwhile, Alice, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain her curiosity and eagerly reached out her little hand to grab another magic wand.

The staff was slightly smaller than Gilead's, and the patterns on the staff were more delicate and ingenious. The magic stone inlaid at the top shimmered with a warm light that echoed Alice's hair color, clearly making it tailor-made for her.

However, just as her fingertips touched the staff, she caught a glimpse of Gilead beside her, who remained kneeling on one knee with a solemn expression.

Alice's head, still slightly fuzzy from the alcohol and excitement, snapped back to reality. She immediately realized that her actions had been too casual, even somewhat impolite—this was a precious gift from her master, a symbol of inheritance!

So she imitated Kyrie Io's respectful posture, extending both hands as if holding a fragile, rare treasure, and carefully took the magic wand that belonged to her from Chen Ming's hands.

"Thank you... thank you, Master Wuxian."

Looking at his disciple, who was usually so reckless, now displaying such a well-behaved and respectful demeanor, Chen Ming couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her soft red hair with satisfaction: "Yes, treat it well. It's not just a tool; it will also be a trustworthy partner in the future."

"Yes! I definitely will!"

Alice nodded vigorously, clutching the magic wand tightly to her chest as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

Chapter 291: Magic Vortex

After putting away the staff, Alice did not immediately examine the new gift. Instead, she quietly raised her eyes and looked at Kyrie Io with a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.

That look in his eyes was just like that of a child waiting to receive candy, filled with the silent question, "Where is my gift?"

As a beastman swordsman with keen senses, Kyrie Irvine immediately caught this gaze.

Her tall frame paused slightly, seemingly frozen for a few seconds. A hint of apology flashed in her sharp, vertical pupils. She shook her head somewhat stiffly and said bluntly, "I'm sorry, Alice. My race doesn't have the tradition of giving gifts to disciples. So I haven't prepared anything."

Chen Ming was still wondering what Alice meant by that little look in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, I realized that the little girl was asking her swordsmanship teacher for a gift!

In Alice's naive mind, since the magic teacher had given such a wonderful gift, the swordsmanship teacher should naturally reciprocate in kind.

Hearing from Kyrie Irwin that there were no gifts, Alice deflated like a punctured balloon. She slumped to the sofa and sat down dejectedly, still clutching the magic wand tightly in her arms.

He looked aggrieved and disappointed.

Although there seems to be no explicit rule in this world that teachers must give gifts to students.

But today is Alice's tenth birthday, and it would be quite pitiful if she couldn't get any gifts from her favorite sister, Kyrie Irwin.

Thinking this through, Chen Ming decided to smooth things over, so he said:

"Girenou, it's okay if you don't prepare a special gift. Don't be too formal. Sometimes, a personal item full of sentiment, or a small object that can be used as a blessing or a talisman, is more sincere and precious as a gift."

"Well……"

Upon hearing this, Kyrie Irvine fell into deep thought. A serious expression appeared on her strong-featured face, as if she were carefully searching her mind for something she possessed that met the criteria.

For her, who was used to solving problems with swords and strength, thinking about things full of human relationships seemed more difficult than facing a powerful enemy.

After a long while, her gaze fell on her right hand with its distinct knuckles, and she finally made a decision.

She took a ring off the finger of her right hand.

It was a rather antique-looking ring, even old-fashioned. The material appeared to be some kind of dark wood, its surface covered with fine scratches and signs of wear from years of use, giving it a weathered appearance.

Whether it was an illusion caused by the flickering candlelight, the peculiar properties of the wood itself, or some unknown ancient magic that might have been applied to it, the wooden ring faintly reflected a deep, pale green light.

Kyrie Irvine held the ring in his palm and presented it to Alice:

"This is an exorcism ring passed down through our Deludia tribe. According to the elders of the tribe, as long as you wear it, you will not be attacked by wolves when camping in the wild at night."

Alice's previously dim eyes immediately brightened again. She practically sprang up from the sofa and asked cautiously, "Really...really can I have it?"

"Yes, because that's just an old-fashioned superstition."

Kyrie Irvine gave a brief and affirmative answer, and then pushed the ring forward again.

Alice then cautiously accepted the wooden ring with both hands and put it on her right thumb—the only spot on her finger where the adult-sized ring could be held.

The ring looked a little loose on her slender fingers, but it gave her immense satisfaction.

Alice looked up at Kyrie Irvine and solemnly promised, "I...I will cherish this ring!"

The little girl seems even happier now than when she received the magic wand.

As Chen Ming watched this heartwarming scene, a subtle feeling, as if he had "lost," quietly rose in his heart.

Forget it.

Chen Ming quickly came to terms with it and smiled helplessly to himself.

It's a ring, after all.

For girls, regardless of age, rings seem to have a special magic that symbolizes bonds and vows, and they are especially favored, right?

Chen Ming's thoughts were drawn to another detail in Kyrie Irvine's words, and he couldn't help but ask a question:

"Kirlen, you just said that the effect of that exorcism ring is 'just superstition'? Does that mean... you were attacked by wolves at night?"

A hint of embarrassment, difficult to articulate, did indeed appear on Kyrie's sharply defined face. She remained silent for a moment before nodding hesitantly and admitting:

"Hmm...it did happen once. It was...a sleepless summer night. Paul came to me and said it was too hot, suggesting we go for a dip in the river to cool off..."

"Stop! That's enough, no need to say any more!"

Upon hearing the name "Paul" and combining it with the suggestive phrase "take a cold bath," alarm bells went off in Chen Ming's mind, prompting him to decisively interrupt Gilead's impending narration, which was clearly going to involve some "adult" topics.