The subject of Beth’s differences was clearly somewhat touchy for her, so Cinder never pushed further than childish jokes of youth. Cinder reasoned that one day Beth would feel safe and secure enough to share her deepest secrets as Cinder had done before to Beth. And like Beth, Cinder still has a few questions she wondered if she could ever be comfortable discussing with others. Nevertheless, Beth was an ally and friend that she couldn’t ever imagine losing in her life, so the idea of Beth at the party is fragile in her head. 

“Plus,” Beth added, breaking the pause between them, “this covers a good chunk of my face.” She placed a pure black face mask embedded with yellow swirls and flowers all along the corners. It covered her eyes and nose, leaving only her ebony lipstick bare. Cinder had a mask sheathed only in white lace. 

The rumbling of the carriage comes to a halt. A footman opened the door with his head bowed as if he was too beneath them to gaze in their direction. That told a million tales of the bastards that came to the party, which doesn’t board well in Cinder’s mind.

-----------------------------

Despite the changes Cinder had made in her life, she has seen that they didn't affect the more significant resources of the world. Outside a few rewriting of history, everything seemed essentially the same to her, including the pure, unfilled, and scandalous nature of the second prince's parties. 

The ballroom's walls were covered in vintage paintings of the imperial family ancestors, and the pillars that held the ceilings were covered in plated golden silks, some hanging on the ceilings. On the right, the orchestra was filled with men in white clothes and doll-like white hair. On the left sat the beautifully crafted dark wood circular tables that were patterned delicately. It was a common custom to assign tables by rank and prominence. Still, the second prince disliked following most traditions and let every noble mingle with others, allowing for awfully unique situations. Servers in red cloaks handed out wine and small sandwiches; a few served cigars to the men and chewing tobacco to the women. The floor was littered with men and women dancing or conversing with one another. 

Even though the setup tries to do away with the hierarchy of fame, the nobles are sorted into followers and leaders. Barons and Baroness, Maguiress, and Maruiess, all sucking up to the dukes and duchesses. Opportunities to falsify their achievements or virtues for a chance for some prominent family to consider them possible candidates to marry off their sons or daughters. Women smile and giggle to higher-up men's jokes, touching their arms and shoulders to seduce. Men and women share tales of their romantic conquests with each other. It might have been an engagement party for a prince, but it was a social battle to win at noble society, and how Cinder did not miss that one bit. She stayed near Beth, who enjoyed every second of drinking and dancing with others. 

As much as Cinder kept her talks short, only introducing herself to others for simple social connection and drinking little, she enjoyed watching Beth have fun. With a glass of wine in her hand, her eyes watched Beth. In her scanning eyes, she noticed a young woman approaching her. Cinder's eyes widened a little as she straightened her position up. While the masks hid the face, that vivid red hair, how the woman walked with effortless grace, and the glamorous white dress that shines brightly tell all: Phobebe Kalis, the star of high society. Every moment this woman made, millions would copy it. She changes trends with a push of a finger, and she could make or break someone's reputation in a day, and that woman is coming up to Cinder. 

Cinder bowed, "Lady Phoebe, it's a blessing to be in your grace." 

Phoebe smiled, her fan flapping above her mouth. Cinder could feel her eyes scanning her up and down. "Charmed for such a noticeable woman to recognize me, but forgive my short knowledge, but I don't know your name," She said. 

To an uncultured ear, her greetings were polite and kind. To Cinder, who had to bear both men and women undermining her with a calculated smile in her previous life, what she really asked was who the hell was she for someone so out of place. Cinder placed her hand to her chest, "Lady Cinder, I am new to this part of town. I'm here to introduce myself, which I hope the lady could wish me luck."

"Oh, my dear, of course. But pray tell, aren't you too wise to be introduced?" She cocked her head to the side as she closed her fan. 

I'm the same age as you. But Phoebe was right; most noble-born women are introduced to society at eighteen to nineteen, and those who get the title from other means start almost immediately. She twisted the wine glass, "I gained the title after the war…my parents were quite protective of me and my sisters after such tensions. You could imagine."

Phoebe's charming smile wavered slightly. It was no secret that her father was a protective man of his overtly beautiful daughter, so much so that it's a point of contention for any possible marriageable men. Cinder felt solidarity with the red-haired woman as even though Phoebe's father did love her, that feeling of being trapped and pawned by a man is a sick feeling that she wouldn't give to her worst enemies. 

Cinder lifted her shoulders as she softened her gazes towards this graceful woman. Cinder knew better than to stand too proud in places, especially when she was taller than most women in marbleland. She didn't want Phoebe to think she was looking down at her. 

"Even then," Phoebe spoke up, "it's a shame to have you introduce this late. A woman like you might be quite interesting…" Her voice trails off.

Cinder was about to interject to ask if this meant to be an insult or a compliment bluntly until she saw that her ever-outstanding Beth was gone. Her noticeable hair no longer stood out in the massive crowd. Her face went pale as she hastily dropped her glass onto a table near her. She nearly jumped to race into this big hall. However, she met the eyes of a bewildered Phoebe. 

Shit. "I apologize for the short conversation, but I must take a leave. It seems that I have lost my sister to the crowd," she said. She bowed before rushing through the crowd. Her ears and eyes solely focused on her hunt; she didn't even pay attention as a royal fanfare played to announce a particular guest of honor that stood the test of time.

She didn't fare better as she honed her senses to track; to be fair to her, the palace was way too big for any single family to live in. She also swore she was going around in a circle because this statue looked the same as the one she saw ten minutes ago. This may be why the ballroom is so packed; one wrong move and you're lost in a maze of marbles and gold trimming. Also, to add insult to her aching headache, the smell of alcohol never really dulls. She wondered if it was worth searching for Beth: she's a mage. But it didn't lessen the unease in her heart; she worried about her.

Cinder chuckled to herself. "I should sit down," she mumbled. She wandered inside one of the many court gardens in this palace. The bushes were walls high as the walls that would line a cozy house, circling and circling like layers of an onion. It had white roses scattered among them in its thorny beauty. River-like waters separated the bush walls from a white stone pathway leading further to the center of the inner circles, where there was a large pond with white lightning lilies floating above it all. Lanterns were hung above the white marble pillars that surrounded the pond. 

Amid the beauty of it all, a cluster of drunken arguing leads Cinder to an unsightly scene. A drunk older man gripping the arm of a young woman, whose face is a mixture of fear and discomfort. The old man tries to reason, or more like drunken rambling, that if the young woman gave him a chance, he could make her dreams come true. The young woman cries for the man to release her as she is already married to one man. 

Enraged, the older man raised his hand to hit her, but Cinder sidestepped his efforts. Hell, she had grabbed the drunken man, and with ease, she had wrestled the man onto the ground, his face in the dirt, where he belonged. He tries to struggle and scream, but Cinder nonchalantly turns her head to the awestruck woman. 

"Did he do any more harm to you?" She asked gently.

The woman shakes her head, "He just grabbed my arm." Her arm was already bruised. 

"Well, after he calms down, let's see. Let's see. We will go find some ointment to heal your arm and get you safely back home."

The old man struggled again, screaming, "Who do you think you are!? A hero!?"

"Oh gods no, I'm simply the maid. I'm meant to take care of any trash I see," she glares at the man.

"I'm no garbage! I'm Marquess Perez of Delmont!" 

Cinder huffed a laugh. Ye old Marquees Perez of Delmont. This hump of trash was a notorious man of society; he oversaw all of the railroad systems from Marbleland to the other six districts under the ever-watchful eye of the former Grand Duke Rivera, Thorax. Her father's unfaithful master. Moreover, this man was the creepiest man she had ever met, and that's a record given who she had to mingle with in her past life. He's a man who has multiple mistresses in multiple places despite being married to a delightful woman and has a decent man as a son. He repeatedly undervalued his staff and his closest friends, spoke ill of women and children, and beat any of his butlers. One time, in her past life, at her father's social meeting, she got so fed up with him for speaking the worst of women that she tackled him to the ground and started whaling on him. Four grown men had to restrain her before she genuinely injured the man beyond repair.

But the worst part of him is that he has ruined countless women's lives under him. If you happened to be a woman in his area, he would use any means to claim you as his property. If you refused his advances, he removed your status and stripped you of your honorable reputation through dirty means. However, he only takes women of lower status than him, so he couldn't be officially converted. However, he was later due in when he got to arrogance and tried to pull the same schemes for a daughter to another wealthy marquis; he was later found dead in his office with his wrist slip. They ruled it as a suicide, but really, it was clear to see what truly happened.

The Marquis continues to kick and scream as Cinder detachedly holds him down. "This woman asked you to leave her alone. You are a married man with a child! If I was your child, I would be so ashamed to have a scumbag as a father! A scumbag that can't hold his liquor longer than I can stand smelling your awful breath!" Cinder barked. He soon fell silent as he grumbled to himself. He seemed to finally come to sense he was not winning this fight. Cinder stepped off the idiot to turn back to the amazed woman, who was holding her arm. Cinder took careful steps to examine the bruise on the woman.

But, in a break of the peace, the man had arisen from his shame and tried to wack Cinder with a bottle. However, the man yelped in pain before Cinder could react.