Chapter 39
“A ball?”
“Yes.”
“The kind where you wear dresses and tuxedos, stroll around laughing, and finish by kissing on a balcony?”
“…The sky could fall and we still wouldn’t kiss. But anyway.”
That was indeed the kind of ball he meant, and Arden nodded. After hesitating, he added quietly,
“We definitely won’t kiss, but… we could at least dance together. Maybe.”
As he said that, Arden’s ears turned bright red.
Like someone who’d already kissed a hundred times somewhere, his neck flushed all the way up as he repeated his explanation.
“I’ve been appointed as a lead investigator for capturing the Holy Maiden of Magic this time…”
Of course, it wasn’t just him—there were others appointed as well, like investigators specializing in noble corruption.
“They’re holding a ball along with the appointment ceremony. I was hoping you’d be my partner.”
“I see.”
I nodded.
So in the end, Arden, you really did become the investigator chasing me.
Wait. Let me wipe away a tear.
‘This is bad.’
After seeing him cling to my shoe with his bare hands last time, I know this guy’s obsession isn’t normal.
‘Bare hands! On my shoe! And he’s a germaphobe!’
If—by some horrible chance—I actually got caught by Arden…
‘I can picture it perfectly.’
So the senior who ran across rooftops in a skirt like that was you? Disgusting.
That look of utter contempt would be aimed straight at me.
‘And now he’s asking me to attend the very ball celebrating his appointment—to catch me.’
Attending the celebratory ball of the investigator assigned to arrest me.
Isn’t that outright mockery?
—Question.
Isn’t it surprising that Arden asked you to go to the ball with him?
—Answer.
Not really…
‘He probably asked because he has no one else to go with. Arden doesn’t have friends.’
The only women around Arden are me and the Holy Maiden of Magic.
The problem is—they’re both me.
Hiding my guilty conscience, I spoke.
“But Arden.”
“Yes!”
“…Why are you answering so loudly?”
“Ahem. Sorry. What is it?”
“I can’t dance.”
“Neither can I.”
“And I don’t even have a dress to wear.”
Can I wear that disastrous green dress from last time? The one whose ribbon you tore off?
Arden answered instantly.
“I’ll buy you one.”
“……”
“The dress. Gloves. Shoes. Everything.”
“……”
You’d go that far—for me?
“Arden… you really, really don’t have any friends, do you…”
You should’ve lived a better life…
I patted his elbow sympathetically.
“It’s okay. Apparently men without friends are the best husband material.”
You’ll probably marry well…
At my sincere pity, Arden clenched his teeth.
“Yes. I don’t have a single friend.”
Grinding his teeth, he continued,
“So, dear Miss Serafina, please—please—will you go to the ball with me? Please?”
“Okay.”
I agreed, holding back laughter.
Having obtained permission, Arden let out a long breath. As he dabbed his cheek with a handkerchief like he was sweating, I added,
“But.”
“What now?!”
“Have you ever bought a dress before?”
“No.”
“I work at an atelier, so I know—dresses are really expensive.”
They use a lot of fabric.
And you, Arden—
“You…”
You’re an Imperial Knight who still lives in the same boarding house as me because you’re broke…
“Buying a dress just to take me to one ball might be…”
Your wallet situation…
I trailed off.
Arden flared up twice as hard as before.
“I have a lot of money, you know?!”
“Mm-hmm…”
“……”
“……”
“No—!”
Stopping mid-sentence, Arden pressed a hand to his forehead.
“I’m serious. I’m not some useless man! I could buy thousands of dresses! Hah—why am I even having to explain this? Anyway. You don’t need to worry.”
“Okay, okay.”
“I mean it!”
“Sure.”
“No, believe me!”
“I do, I do.”
Even though you live in the same boarding house as me.
I’ll believe you.
“…You’re not behind on rent, are you?”
“That’s not what you think it is! I have so much money—look!”
He tore off his coat and frantically pointed at the embroidered brand label, making a huge fuss.
Completely unaware that this behavior only strengthened my theory that Arden spends all his money on clothes and is therefore broke.
“I’m the richest unmarried man in the Empire…!”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ignoring his nonsense, I asked,
“So when’s the ball?”
“So, you’re going to the ball?”
“Of course. If my junior has no money and no partner, how miserable would that be? And besides.”
“And besides?”
“When else in my life will I attend an Imperial ball?”
At best, in a couple of years, I’d be a palace bureaucrat—busy preparing balls for other people.
“Experiencing places like that is part of life. Plus, free dinner. No reason not to go.”
♡☆♧ Yes, I am thoroughly worn down by life ♡☆♧
“There’s one more reason I have to go.”
I took something out of my pocket and showed it to Cassian, who’d been wearing a displeased expression ever since I announced I’d be absent from the atelier that day.
“I picked this up in Baron Tram’s drawing room last time.”
“What is it?”
“A social club badge.”
On the back of the gold, white-haired eagle badge, the words Men of the Center were engraved in ornate script.
“I saw this badge before—during the atelier affair scandal.”
The day I first awakened as the Holy Maiden of Magic.
“…You did?”
“Yes.”
Of course, most influential men in the Empire belong to at least one social club, so it’s not strange in itself.
Even that reporter Skitter, who got kicked out of the Imperial Daily, ruined himself trying to get into one.
“But I think it’s worth looking into.”
What exactly are they doing in this club that keeps making them pop up in my life?
“Who knows? They might be the ones behind the guys who attacked me and Tofu.”
And above all—
“I’m curious what the faces of people who casually call themselves ‘the Center’ look like.”
I unfocused my eyes, staring blankly.
Cassian burst into laughter and clapped once.
“Alright. Then I should go too.”
“…You?”
To a ball?
“Why? Am I not allowed to attend?”
“It’s not that you’re not allowed, but—”
(He says he can only love one person, but he can love, marry, attend balls…)
“What kind of priest goes to a ball?”
“……”
“Live more modestly.”
I clicked my tongue.
Cassian’s expression twisted.
Beside us, Tofu gnawed on a dog treat, panting happily.
Meanwhile.
In a mansion somewhere in the capital that desperately needed to turn on a few lights.
“Master, why did you merely watch while the Holy Maiden ran rampant this time?”
She even sent a notice in advance—an ideal chance to lie in wait and eliminate her!
A red-eyed man prostrated himself on the floor as he spoke.
“Fool.”
The person seated before him—on something like a throne—clicked their tongue.
“That’s why you’re useless to me. Do you even know why the Holy Maiden sent that notice?”
“To draw public attention?”
“Yes. Hundreds of people gathered at Baron Tram’s estate that day.”
And how exactly were you supposed to kill the Holy Maiden in a crowd like that?
“Then…!”
“Exactly. The Holy Maiden fears us. That’s why she sent the notice—so she could gather people and avoid our reach.”
She used the crowd as a shield.
“As expected of you, Master!”
“The Holy Maiden will appear again. We have plenty of opportunities—so long as you don’t fail like an idiot again.”
“Please grant me one more chance. This time I will surely—!”
“Very well.”
When the Holy Maiden appears again—
The master’s eyes gleamed from the strange chair.
Reaching out, they stroked a crystal orb within arm’s reach.
“This time, we’ll set the trap—and lure the Holy Maiden in ourselves.”
