The count was already in his middle age. His hair was slightly graying, but he stood tall and upright. He possessed a gaze as sharp as a hawk and as wary as a wolf, giving off the impression that he was not an easy man to get along with.
With Gerard's arrival, the gazes of many in the room naturally fell upon him; it was difficult to ignore the presence of this count.
Felicity, who was standing with Olivia, couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "No matter how many times I see the count, I always feel he has such an imposing aura.
"I don't know if you understand what I mean, but I always feel there's something very special about him.
"It’s as if he has had extraordinary experiences, which is why he can cultivate such a unique presence."
Olivia smiled and said, "The count is already over fifty years old. Naturally, his life experiences are quite rich."
"No, I've seen other people in their fifties, and they don't give me this feeling at all."
"Perhaps it is as you say; this count's experiences are indeed more unique."
Olivia felt that his so-called unique experience was likely being a member of the Rose Legion. Having experiences standing in opposition to the church was certainly beyond the ordinary.
At this moment, a piece of music ended, and the men and women in the ballroom retreated from the floor.
As the host, Gerard stepped into the center of the dance floor and began his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor for me that you have all accepted my invitation to this ball. It is because of your presence that this event has been filled with such vitality.
"Many of you here are young people. This makes me recall how I was in my own youth. Back then, I was just like you, full of vigor. Unfortunately, I failed to walk a correct path later on.
"Fortunately, this world is forgiving. There will always be choices that allow one to turn back.
"When we miss a chance once, we naturally cannot afford to miss it a second time!
"Many of you might not understand my meaning, but what I want to say is that no matter what we face, we must remember one thing: we are humans first.
"And as humans, we must have our own individual character!"
'Here it comes, here it comes.'
Olivia watched Gerard with a subtle expression, not at all surprised by his speech.
The consistent purpose of the Rose Legion was to break free from the control of the church, to prevent the gods from dominating their lives, and to choose their own futures... well, at least on the surface.
Therefore, as a member of the Rose Legion, it was only natural for Gerard to use words like character and freedom as the main themes of his speech.
'What a stirring speech, yet it’s completely different from the facts. The church hasn't affected your character or freedom at all. Even a slacker like me can thrive within the church...' Olivia muttered inwardly.
Within the church, there had been analyses of the Rose Legion's situation. They believed the organization's goal was merely for profit and didn't actually possess any high-end, grand, or sophisticated beliefs or objectives.
Those were all just used to fool the people at the bottom.
Nevertheless, after Gerard finished his speech, it immediately drew a large round of applause from the guests.
Next, Gerard smiled and left the dance floor to the young people once again while he departed.
Even if he wanted to recruit new members for the Rose Legion, he wouldn't do it so openly in such a public setting. After all, not everyone present could become 'one of their own.'
The Rose Legion was, after all, a well-known evil organization. If he mentioned it rashly and asked people to join, it could lead to resistance, reports, and other negative consequences.
Therefore, he still needed some time to judge who was most suitable to join the Rose Legion.
Olivia understood this as well, so she knew she had to start acting.
She had to show a side that was unafraid of divine authority and cared more about human rights. Only then would the people of the Rose Legion notice her and invite the eldest miss of the Elijah Chamber of Commerce to join their ranks.
'Next, someone should come to contact me intentionally or unintentionally to discuss related knowledge... Although my previous inquiry to the magic mirror suggested it's unlikely any Rose Legion members who know me are here, it would be so embarrassing if I were recognized.'
Olivia thought to herself secretly.
Being assigned by the church to go undercover in the Rose Legion was already strange enough, considering she was originally sent by the Rose Legion to go undercover in the church, even if that hadn't been her intention.
Regardless, if she were seen by someone in the Rose Legion who knew her undercover identity, the situation would be hard to describe.
What she feared more was being discovered by someone she knew, like Fiona, who might force her to go back undercover in the church again...
After all, if the person you sent to go undercover in the church was sent back by the church to go undercover in your group, it would make you look very passive. It would be better to just send them back again.
Repeating the cycle once was already ridiculous enough; a third time would be terrifying. What if there was a fourth?
Therefore, Olivia felt it was best if she didn't encounter any acquaintances. She needed to find a way to gather information about the Rose Legion in her current situation and truly extricate herself from the organization.
Not long after, just as Olivia had expected, someone approached her and Felicity, chatting with them as if they were just making friends.
This was a lady named Esme Moreau, roughly thirty years old, with enchanting red hair and a charming appearance.
She intentionally steered the conversation toward what Gerard had just said, using it as a springboard to test Olivia and Felicity's views.
Having already known what was going on, Olivia naturally responded in the way that best cooperated with the other woman. After a short period of interaction, the way Esme looked at Olivia became increasingly satisfied.
Of course, that satisfied gaze also fell upon Felicity accordingly.
At this moment, Felicity was still thinking about how to borrow money from Olivia. Whatever Olivia said, she followed along. Since Olivia satisfied Esme, Felicity did as well.
"Miss Stella, you are truly a very insightful person. I look forward to sharing afternoon tea with you or participating in various gatherings in the coming days," Esme said with a smile.
She did not issue a direct invitation, as that would be too blunt and reckless. The people of the Rose Legion required a necessary level of caution when expanding.
Today's ball was merely a preliminary step of contact. A real invitation would clearly require more interactions.
Olivia was very patient. She didn't mind taking it slow. The longer it dragged on, the more likely she was to grow into the next stage, which wasn't a bad thing for her.
Rate on N.U.
