11: The Imperial Ball
When I arrived at the mansion entrance, I saw a carriage. It was definitely more ornate than the one I had taken with Felix last time. I wondered why even the carriage was so extravagant, but then I decided this was probably better and nodded to myself.
A familiar man stood in front of the carriage. The difference was that last time he looked messy, but now he looked truly dressed up. His neatly combed curly hair was swept back on the right side, and his white shirt was tightly buttoned up to the top. The light blue vest and matching jacket supported his handsome face and added to his striking appearance.
Looking down, he wore long, spotless white trousers and shiny white shoes. The outfit was relatively simple, but a blue flower brooch pinned to the left lapel of his jacket made Felix look quite splendid.
I descended the stairs with a satisfied smile, and Felix, who had been wearing a bored expression, looked at me with wide eyes.
“Lia, you’re Lia, right?”
“Is there another woman coming out of this mansion with this hair color?”
“No, but even I had a hard time recognizing you.”
“Really? Then that’s a relief.”
“This is practically stage makeup. I would bet my clothes that most people won’t recognize you!”
“Maybe. The other Young Ladies might recognize me. If they do, you’ll have to come home naked.”
“…”
“Why?”
“I won’t bet my clothes, just in case.”
“Don’t make reckless bets.”
“Okay. Let’s get going now. If we arrive any later, dressing up this beautifully will be pointless. The Crown Prince ‘Your Highness’ will already have made his appearance.”
Felix emphasized the ‘Your Highness,’ then offered me his hand, signaling me to get into the carriage. He was wearing white silk gloves, which made the touch of his hand feel soft against mine. I got in, and Felix followed. The door closed, and the carriage slowly headed toward the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Palace was far more luxurious than Celia’s mansion. It was enormous, even from a distance, looking as if they had indulged in every conceivable extravagance, and it seemed to sparkle as if diamonds were embedded in the walls. When we arrived in front of the Palace, I found it amazing that anyone could navigate this place without getting lost. It felt as if I had shrunk to a tiny miniature figure standing before a princess’s castle meant for children. Regardless of my plans for revenge, it was a building that forced admiration, like a child’s dream.
The carriage stopped, and once again, Felix stepped out first and offered me his hand. I, who had found his touch so awkward before, was now used to it after holding his hand a few more times. I calmly took his hand and lightly stepped down from the carriage.
The moment my feet touched the ground, my heart began to pound. Up until now, my mind had been full of fighting spirit, thinking, ‘I’m going to dump him dramatically!’ But now that I was standing before the location of the showdown, I felt nervous.
Yet, I couldn’t run away. I knew now that things only change if you take action. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. If things go wrong, Felix will stop them, right? I’m not alone now!
I gripped the hand Felix was about to release and curled my lips into a knowing smile.
“Felix.”
“Uh, what?”
“You trust your big sister, right?”
Felix’s face flushed red, but anxiety and embarrassment crept in, turning him slightly pale.
“What big sis—”
“Your big sister is going to show you something fun, so make sure you stop things if it gets dangerous, okay?”
“I… What? Lia, what is that look? I can’t clean up messes.”
“No, you can.”
“No. I don’t want to. I won’t. Wai—Lia! Don’t go first… Lia? Lia! Hey, wait up!”
As I started walking ahead, Felix, who had been shaking his head and muttering, was startled and rushed to catch up behind me.
The ballroom was even more magnificent than I expected. The pure white walls, the golden chandeliers, the various luxurious furnishings, and the red cloth details everywhere. It clearly screamed the taste of the Imperial Family.
To one side were the refreshments, and on another, an orchestra of musicians and instruments gathered. In a slightly separate area, people were gathered, laughing and chatting. Even though I’m generally an extrovert, I felt my energy draining rapidly. How difficult must this have been for Celia? Since she was shy, probably an introvert… it must have been awful. The thought of her putting in all that effort to dress up and come here just for the Crown Prince was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
The Crown Prince who dumped her like that? My nervousness suddenly vanished. Perhaps it was the surging desire for revenge—Crown Prince or not, I just wanted to smack him on the head.
I secretly clenched my fist, slowly relaxed it, and put on a natural business smile.
I realized I had been feeling eyes on me constantly. Though I couldn’t identify the sources, I knew people everywhere were focused on Felix and me.
Yes, yes. Look more. Focus on me. I’ll give you a good show.
As I felt the stares and people-watched with Felix near the side of the hall, I suddenly felt silence descend upon the ballroom.
“Haha, why is everyone so quiet? You can chat like before. I prefer a bit more noise.”
As no sound followed, a tall, handsome man with black hair laughed and descended the upstairs staircase. Everyone in the ballroom bowed respectfully, and as if they had rehearsed, they spoke at the same time.
“We greet the small sun of the Empire.”
I flinched in surprise, missing the timing to join the greeting. Why didn’t anyone count ‘one, two’ so I could follow along?
After the people’s greeting, only the rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed in the ballroom. The sound grew closer, making my heart beat faster. Thump-thump. I started to wonder if the man was coming toward me or just passing by, as my head was bowed and my eyes were closed.
“I don’t like long greetings. Everyone, you may raise your heads.”
The gentle voice resonated right above my head. It was a terrifyingly gentle voice. A voice that seemed capable of swaying anyone’s heart.
I slowly opened my eyes and lifted my gaze. Black shoes, black trousers, a red shirt with a black vest and jacket. A brooch with a black-red, blood-like gem was pinned to his chest.
Ah, finally.
“Young Lady, how would you like to share the first dance with me?”
“Ah.”
In the center of the brightly lit ballroom, I was suddenly the focus of many eyes. Yet, I accepted the attention confidently and feigned a surprised expression. I tried hard to swallow the laughter that threatened to burst out at the man’s words.
The man in front of me, who truly seemed not to recognize me, had an arrogant look. It was as if he fully believed his offer would, of course, be accepted. His hair was black like the night sky, and his eyes were ruby red. His eyes curved beautifully, like a fox’s, and his lips were red.
Truly, he was a beautiful man. He must have lived his life without ever being refused. But now, the word ‘refusal’ was about to enter his life.
I stared at the Crown Prince quietly, then elegantly lowered my gaze.
“I apologize, Your Imperial Highness.”
“Yes, dance with… What?”
“It seems you have mistaken me for someone else.”
“W-what do you mean, Young Lady?”
I could see the Crown Prince’s mouth twitching, barely holding a smile. You can still hold it, can you? I offered a soft voice and a crinkling eye-smile.
“It’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”
“Haha, impossible. We are meeting for the first time. I wouldn’t forget such a beautiful Young Lady…”
“Celia.”
“Celia?”
The Crown Prince, still smiling, muttered my name, then his expression turned doubtful.
“Why do you mention Young Lady Celia? Ah! It seems she has told you something strange…”
“Why would you court the same person?”
“The same person? I’m seeing you for the first time.”
“Really? I’m the person you rejected just a week ago, Your Imperial Highness.”
“Haha, what a joke…”
“What was it you said? ‘You are the ugliest Young Lady I have ever seen,’ was it?”
The Crown Prince’s face began to freeze like stone. Then, he looked terrified, as if he had seen a ghost, and slowly backed away. He lost his balance and fell backward. I lightly walked right up to him and offered my hand.
“Oh my, are you alright?”
“No, no. Did that Young Lady send you? To impersonate her?”
“Impersonate? Pfft, why would I do that? I don’t have that kind of power. Did my makeup turn out that well? Do I look that different?”
“Makeup? Don’t lie. You are not Celia. You are…”
“I’m not Celia? What, a witch?”
“Yes, a witch!”
“Oh dear, you might anger the Mages. There’s the title ‘Mage,’ but you used ‘Witch.’”
“That is, well…”
The Crown Prince’s eyes wavered at my words. The Imperial Family and the Mage Tower were allies, but no one knew how the Mages would react if someone used a term they disliked. But I didn’t care if the Imperial Family had trouble. The hand I had offered was merely the minimum courtesy of a noble.
Just as the Crown Prince was about to take my hand, I quickly withdrew it.
“You don’t have to believe me. I never intended to make Your Imperial Highness understand anyway.”
“Making me understand? What an insult!”
“It seems the other Young Ladies are waiting for you, Your Imperial Highness, so I shall take my leave first. May the glory of the small sun of the Empire always be with you.”
“Wait…!”
Before the Crown Prince could finish his sentence, I took hold of the skirt of my pale-lavender white dress with both hands and bowed my head. It wasn’t the meek, flushed Celia of the past, but the sharp, pale-skinned me who smiled coolly. Then, slowly raising my head, I met the Crown Prince’s gaze, my eyes sparkling like pink diamonds.
