### Episode 11###
“P-Prince Leopold… will not be able to attend the welcome ball.”
Count Oslo announced with a shocked expression to the crowd in the ballroom. One of the gentlemen nearby frowned and asked,
“What do you mean? Is the Prince sick? How can the ball be canceled all of a sudden?”
Count Oslo still looked as if he couldn’t believe his own words.
“T-The thing is… Prince Leopold… is nowhere to be found….”
A sharp-voiced lady, who seemed to be the gentleman’s wife, spoke up.
“What are you saying? Many people saw Prince Leopold arrive in London by ship this morning.”
“That’s right! I myself saw the splendid procession when Prince Leopold went to Kensington Palace!”
One by one, people began pressing Count Oslo, claiming they had seen Leopold’s march with their own eyes.
At that moment, a group of Holland knights entered the ballroom. In the middle stood a tall, strong man with a stern face—clearly their commander. He scanned the nobles before speaking.
“I have come to announce the official cancellation of the welcome ball for Prince Leopold of the Kingdom of Holland. There has been… an issue concerning His Highness’s safety. Further details will be given to the British royal family once the investigation progresses.”
The nobles in the ballroom gasped in shock.
“What? An issue with the Prince’s safety? What investigation?”
“Didn’t Count Oslo just say the Prince has disappeared? Does this mean Prince Leopold has truly gone missing?”
Several ladies cried out in surprise. Followers who had come eagerly to see Leopold turned pale and pressed the commander for answers.
The commander, speaking in English with a Holland accent, replied,
“I cannot tell you any more. My only duty here was to gather the Holland knights. From now on, all knights assigned to tonight’s ball will instead be used to search for His Highness.”
With his last words, the knights hurriedly left the mansion. The ballroom, once filled with excitement at the thought of meeting the Prince, now held only silence and shocked faces.
—
The grand ball, which had begun with such bright expectations, ended before it had even truly started. After the initial shock, guests began preparing to leave, the gloomy atmosphere making them restless.
“A foreign prince disappears in England? And right in the heart of London….”
“This must be the work of the French. Everyone knows His Majesty values Prince Leopold far more than our useless English crown prince.”
Whispers of fear and speculation spread among the guests. Charlotte, too, was on her way back to her family’s carriage.
*“I held a small hope that His Highness might still appear at the ball in perfect health… but no.”*
Charlotte already knew Leopold would not attend, yet hearing the news still made her uneasy.
*“But now that I’ve heard he’s truly missing, I realize it’s real. I really am the only one who can see him. And maybe… he really is in danger right now.”*
Deep down, she had wondered if the Leopold she met was only an illusion. Yet as Philip escorted her back, she could not stop thinking of him.
Philip noticed her heavy expression and said,
“It’s a pity we couldn’t dance as promised. But since this was Prince Leopold’s welcome ball, the festivities couldn’t continue after such news.”
Charlotte lifted her head. Behind Philip’s worried face, servants of the Count’s household held torches to help guests into their carriages.
*“Could it be that His Highness was cursed and became invisible to everyone? Or… has he been kidnapped, his life in danger?”*
Philip had told her before that though Leopold had many followers, he also had many enemies. Chief among them was his own younger brother Frederick, crown prince of Holland, whose position was threatened simply by Leopold’s existence.
Thinking of this made Charlotte’s chest tighten. A great prince, gone from everyone’s sight overnight—and the only one who could see him was her, a useless troublemaking girl.
Philip, unaware of her thoughts, grew restless at seeing her look even sadder.
“Please don’t be too upset, Miss Charlotte. I’ll ask my father to host another ball soon, one that will make up for this disappointment. Promise me you’ll give me the first dance then.”
But Charlotte couldn’t feel joyful, even at Philip’s request. Her mind was still with Leopold. She forced a faint smile.
“Of course, Mr. Philip Oslo. I hope we can dance together next time.”
At that moment, she realized—she had forgotten to meet Leopold’s friend, as he had asked.
*“Oh no! Because of the accident when I punched Mr. Oslo’s chest, I completely forgot His Highness’s request. He told me to befriend his friend tonight…”*
Charlotte bit her lip in regret. Leopold had already helped her twice: with the Count’s statue incident, and with her etiquette studies. Yet she had failed his one request.
*“I should have searched for his friend as soon as the ball began. What was his name again? It sounded French… Ro… Roche…?”*
Just then, as she was about to board her carriage, a sharp crash of glass came from the carriage beside hers. A drunken man’s loud voice followed.
“I told you! Something must have happened to Prince Leopold! No one listened to me until now…”
The speaker was a young nobleman with handsome features and natural wavy curls falling over his forehead. Clearly wealthy, he was being held back by uniformed servants, but he shoved them away, shouting angrily.
“Even if I live carelessly, my father is a French noble! How dare you ignore me?!”
Charlotte froze, and Philip, who was seeing her off, sighed.
“Ah… that’s Armand Rochefort.”
Philip’s tone was apologetic, as though he wished Charlotte hadn’t witnessed such behavior.
“Rochefort is a French noble. He grew close to Prince Leopold while studying in England. I suppose the news of the Prince’s disappearance upset him.”
*“Rochefort!”*
Charlotte cried out inwardly.
*“That’s the very man His Highness told me to befriend!”*
She stopped climbing into her carriage and watched him closely. Contrary to Philip’s words, Armand looked less angry than sorrowful. Still, the servants dragged him toward his carriage as he shouted,
“Count Oslo! Royal ministers! If you truly want to find Leopold, you must speak to me! This is the work of his enemies—I know every one of them!”
With that last cry, Armand collapsed, exhausted. From his state, Charlotte knew it would be impossible to talk to him properly tonight.
Reluctantly, she climbed into her carriage and asked Philip,
“Mr. Philip Oslo, do you think what he said could be true? That Mr. Rochefort knew something would happen to Prince Leopold—and that he knows all of his enemies?”
Philip helped her up and answered,
“I wish he held such clues… but judging from what I’ve heard, he’s not a reliable man.”
He sighed, disappointed.
“Some say Rochefort is a notorious womanizer, others say he wastes his father’s wealth on luxury. Most likely, he’s just boasting about once knowing Prince Leopold in his youth.”
“I see… I only wondered because he sounded as if he knew a lot about the Prince’s disappearance….”
Charlotte trailed off as she sat down inside.
*“But if he’s so unreliable, why did His Highness tell me to meet him?”*
She sank into thought until Philip spoke again, trying to reassure her.
“The news must be shocking and frightening, especially for a lady. But since the missing person is Prince Leopold, I am certain the royal family and the Holland knights will do everything they can to find him. Many of us—English nobles and even naval officers—will volunteer for the search as well.”
He spoke firmly, wanting her to feel safe. Then, as the carriage prepared to leave, he stepped back and added,
“So please, Miss Charlotte, don’t be too afraid.”
Charlotte hadn’t been afraid, but his words eased her heart a little.
*“He’s right. It’s not just me anymore—everyone knows the Prince is missing. With the royal family and the knights working together, they will surely find him soon.”*
“Thank you, Mr. Philip Oslo.”
For the first time since hearing of Leopold’s disappearance, Charlotte managed a smile. And with that smile, her carriage pulled away from the Oslo estate.
—
