Mushoku Tensei: Venom and Virtue

The ballroom was alive with shimmering chandeliers and the echo of violins, the golden light casting long shadows on polished marble. Among the dancers, he stood out-graceful, confident, and almost ethereal in the way he moved. His black suit hugged his lean frame, the crimson tie a sharp slash of color that mirrored the intensity in his eyes. For a brief moment, it seemed as if the world had stopped spinning, holding its breath for him.

(???): "Tik tok... tik tok.... Time is said dull pain."

But fate had a cruel sense of humor.

(???): "Though I find myself a living testimony to the contrary...."

As he spun his partner into a daring dip, her heel caught the edge of her gown. The stumble was subtle but enough to throw him off balance. He faltered, crashing into the next couple, the woman's scream slicing through the music. A chain reaction erupted-people tripping, chairs toppling, glasses shattering.

(???): "Time only compounds the regrets...."

The walls now seemed to close in on him, both suffocating and utterly cruel. For a brief moment, his hands shook as he lit a cigarette, the ember casting flickering shadows on his pale face. The tie he wore at the ball hung limply from the chair beside him, mocking him with its vibrant red-a reminder of the passion he'd had all but felt a few days ago....

(???): "Regrets? I've sins aplenty, aye, but regrets? Not so much.... What good would it be to have regrets?"

He stared at the razor blade glinting under the dim light. The laughter from the ballroom echoed in his mind, growing louder, drowning out all else. As the night stretched on, the room remained silent, save for the muffled sound of tears. When dawn broke, it was met with a stillness that could never be undone.

(???): "After all, I've already made my peace..... I've lived my life at Mach speed... fitting it end at Mach speed as well..... Riposa in Pace....."

(Mushoku Tensei Fanfic)