After finishing the dance with Cecilia, she released my hand with a pout. "Go on," she said softly. "It's Rachel's turn to have you for the night."
I nodded, genuine gratitude in my voice as I kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you for understanding, Ceci."
For a while, I lingered with all four of them, sharing quiet conversation and laughter as the banquet wound down. But eventually, the evening came to a close.
"Come with me," Rachel said, her voice low as she slipped her hand into mine. Before I could say anything, her light mana enveloped us both, cloaking us from any curious eyes.
I felt the subtle, meticulous flow of her spell and couldn't help but marvel. 'High Integration-rank,' I realized, impressed yet again. Rachel had always been extraordinary in her command of mana, and this was no exception. In terms of spellcasting, she had surpassed me by a significant margin, her precision and depth of control unmatched.
