Chapter 65
The Masquerade Ball (5)
The crown prince’s gaze lingered on them for a while. He had already been talking about Nolden. Even if he didn’t recognize Nolden behind the mask, he would have certainly recognized her.
“Are you feeling all right? You’re the only lady who could accomplish all that. I had planned to contact you soon, but I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
Nolden paid no attention to the crown prince and focused solely on Letina. Letina, in turn, followed the departing prince with her eyes, but he left the hall without looking back once.
“Same here. Didn’t the prince dislike these loud, bustling gatherings?”
Letina couldn’t take her eyes off him until he disappeared from view, only turning her attention to Nolden after he was gone.
“I suppose that’s true. Vincent had been insisting all this time that we must attend the masquerade ball. I was just pushed into it.”
Nolden chuckled lightly, allowing the conversation to continue. His close friend and aide, now serving as chamberlain, Vincent, had encouraged Nolden—who preferred to live like a cleric even in the East—to enjoy himself.
“Thanks to the chance encounter with you, my breathing feels a bit easier.”
Nolden exhaled with relief. After the crown prince left, he followed the scattering guests down to the lower floor.
“I wish we could spend more time together since we ran into each other…”
Walking shoulder to shoulder with Letina, he turned to face her, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand in farewell.
“I don’t think those over there would leave us alone if we lingered.”
Letina turned her head toward where Nolden had glanced. A group of young ladies, clutching their dresses, came rushing toward them with incredible determination.
“Are you going back now?”
“Not yet. We haven’t been here long. Vincent is keeping watch outside, so we’ll wander a bit longer before leaving.”
Nolden excused himself before the ladies reached them. Seconds after he stepped away from Letina, she found herself surrounded.
“Who is that young man?”
“Where did he disappear to? He was with such a tall and handsome man! Did you see his face under the mask? How was he?”
“Finally, it seems you have a man in your life!! Is that why you weren’t around? Kyaa—”
“How… does he seem, personality-wise?”
“Could you ask one by one?”
Letina calmed them, answering each question in turn. With the four girls excitedly chattering and shouting, nothing else could be heard. Like birds waiting for food, they huddled together, and she patiently replied to each question.
Meeting a mysterious, handsome man at a masquerade? Not quite. Letina endured their relentless questioning until she could finally leave for the mansion.
ⓡⓘⓝⓖⓚⓚⓞ*♡
In the dilapidated slums under the night sky, a figure in a black robe stepped into a dark alley. The luxurious-looking fabrics she wore drew attention from vagrants along the way, but they were all coldly pushed aside.
“Disgusting!”
Helen stomped irritably, her pointed shoes striking the uneven pavement. All of this was because of Letina Cecelica. Stepping into such a place was entirely her fault.
‘That’s why she had to act so annoyingly…’
At first, Helen only intended to inflict a small blemish on the social scene. Acknowledging her status as an illegitimate child, Letina was daring to take positions beyond her rank. Newcomers in society often learned their place with just a slight push, so Helen had planned only minimal interference.
“This is all your fault, Cecelica.”
Yet Letina kept testing her patience. Helen thought she must respond decisively—after several warnings, only force would make such an oblivious creature understand. Helen intended to break Letina’s wings this time, ensuring she couldn’t flaunt herself.
‘Who asked to make enemies?’
Helen wasn’t the only one hoping for Letina’s downfall. Misha Rifeer, who had attended the same academy, and even Her Majesty the Empress had expressed annoyance at Letina. The Empress herself introduced Helen to an information guild to get the answers she wanted.
Even the Empress disliked Letina Cecelica. Helen wasn’t the sole antagonist; the blame lay entirely with Letina.
Walking while picking at her nails, Helen arrived at the agreed-upon building. Confirming she wasn’t followed, she removed her hat.
“I came alone as requested. Come out.”
When Helen revealed her masked face, someone emerged from the shadows as if waiting.
“The rest of the payment?”
“Half for now. I’ll give the rest once I hear the information.”
Helen confidently made her demand to the man. Taking the purse he tossed, he scoffed and threw something hidden behind his back at her.
“I don’t know why some aristocrat enjoying the masquerade would seek anything from a scoundrel like me, but I hope this one has the information you want.”
The man sneered at Helen, who ignored him, her gaze fixed on the kneeling, pitiful slave before her. Judging by his state, she didn’t trust he’d been well cared for.
“Is this really the right person? He seems too insignificant to have worked in Dnuv.”
“It was a long time ago. He lost his left hand stealing there, which lowered his value even further. What use is a handless slave?”
“True. Yet he somehow found this item.”
Helen conversed with the man while keeping an eye on the slave. The slave, listening carefully, looked up as the man raised his arms, revealing the left arm hidden in his long sleeves—a cleanly cut stump.
“R-really, if I answer what you want, I’ll be freed from my slave status, right?”
The slave confirmed the deal with the man again.
“Yes. I’ll pay him, and you’ll be a free person.”
Helen smiled brightly, feeling slightly better now that the unpleasant task had a purpose. Could this lowly slave really hold the information she needed?
According to Misha, Letina had secrets she couldn’t share with others.
It was said that Letina’s mother, presumed to be Cecelica, had been a slave of the Grand Duchess and became pregnant with the Duke.
Helen smiled as if receiving a New Year’s gift. But Misha’s revelations didn’t end there.
‘There were rumors at the academy that Letina had cursed silver hair. It faded quickly, but some said her mother died cursed. Perhaps because of this, Letina never participated in group activities during her three years at the academy.’
Misha whispered, as if revealing top-secret information. Letina had been nearly invisible at the academy. Few noticed her, and most would have forgotten her entirely if not for the Dnuv brothers visiting at graduation.
‘If you’re interested, you could investigate further. I haven’t, but I do want to see her in trouble.’
Helen had no intention of letting Letina escape unscathed. Using Misha’s information, she requested the guild to find someone who knew the truth about Letina’s past.
However, with such strict security and the rarity of employees in Dnuv willing to sell information, finding the right person was difficult. Eventually, Helen reached the back alleys where dirty work could be bought, and finally found someone with the information she sought.
“Worked at the lord’s castle twenty years ago.”
“Yes, yes! Exactly. Why would someone as esteemed as you care about a lowly man like me…?”
“Do you know about the Duke’s second wife?”
The slave shivered at the question, wary of eavesdroppers in the deserted alley. Helen watched with interest, sensing the secret’s weight.
“Good. Now, satisfy me. Tell me exactly what I want to know.” The slave began cautiously:
“Please… you mustn’t tell anyone I said this…”
