A masquerade ball is held once a month, isn’t it…?
Sir Hans had mentioned that I had visited the place a few days before the tiara disappeared.
Ugh, of all things… a masquerade.
Even just hearing the word made me tired. It was probably because of that unpleasant memory involving the First Prince.
Still, given my current situation, I couldn’t afford to ignore it.
“Just once. I’ll go just once.”
I looked at the calendar and made up my mind.
____________.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓆰♕𓆪 ֶָ֢. _________
On the day of the masquerade, I began preparing early.
I intended to dress exactly as she had when she attended last time. If I wore the same outfit, perhaps someone might recognize me.
Would someone really attend two months in a row and still remember her? Maybe not. But it wasn’t out of the question. After all, this wasn’t the kind of place one could casually visit whenever they pleased.
Masquerade balls weren’t like other parties—they were something entirely different.
Still… who knows? Someone might show up again.
Anna and the maids helped me get ready.
“This was the dress you had custom-made just for that day, my lady.”
Thankfully, Anna remembered the exact look, so matching it wasn’t a problem.
When I was finally ready and stood in front of the mirror, I found myself speechless.
“Did I really go out looking like this?”
It was nothing like the clothes I usually wore. The crimson dress was certainly elegant, but far more daring than anything in my usual wardrobe.
This is a bit much…
I must have felt emboldened, thinking my face would be hidden.
Maybe she just wanted to rebel. Just for once.
According to Sir Hans, after being dumped by the Second Prince, she went on a wild shopping spree.
Even her diary mentioned it—how annoyed she was that Milan kept nagging her for spending too much money.
I suppose she’d tried to get over the heartbreak with shopping… and maybe that’s why she came to the masquerade dressed like this.
I guess anyone would want to act out after something like that.
I had seen the look on her face after she’d been rejected by the Second Prince. The raw devastation in her eyes was… painful to watch.
Anyway, I was ready to leave.
“I’ll be back, Anna.”
“Where are you going?”
Just as I stepped into the hallway, I ran into my father.
“F-Father?”
I had thought the Duke of Burkell would return late today due to an external engagement, but he was home earlier than expected.
I quickly clutched the shawl around me.
As if I didn’t already have the reputation of a problem child—what if he sees me dressed like this?
Father stared directly at my face. I avoided his gaze, aware of the unusually heavy makeup I wore.
Why did I put on so much makeup just for a masquerade?
I didn’t know. After all, I wasn’t really her.
The whole thing felt like getting caught in the act of rebellion. It was mortifying. But Father didn’t say anything about it.
“Going out for fun?”
That was all he asked.
“Well… I’m going to look for the tiara.”
Judging by my appearance, he probably didn’t believe me.
This doesn’t exactly scream ‘searching for a keepsake.’
If it were Milan, he’d have scolded me for making ridiculous excuses.
“To find Tiara, huh?”
He didn’t sound convinced.
“There’s no need to explain. Just don’t stay out too late.”
With that, he continued on his way. He clearly didn’t believe me—but he still let me go.
Has he given up on lecturing me altogether…?
The way people interact in this world is different. It’s hard to fully understand my father’s thoughts. We used to speak often… once.
____________.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓆰♕𓆪 ֶָ֢. _________
I arrived at the salon after a long carriage ride.
Baroness Lumina’s salon was located near the city’s most bustling district.
Once I handed over the invitation and stepped inside, I was met with a dazzling sight—people in ornate masks and lavish gowns, color and sparkle in every direction.
“Is this your first time attending?”
“Oh, no. I’ve been here before.”
Well, not me—but the me of this world had.
Since someone approached me for a conversation, I responded comfortably.
This must be part of the masquerade’s appeal.
I’d been feeling uneasy, reminded of the auction house, but now that I was here, it wasn’t so bad.
With my face hidden, no one was whispering about me. Ever since I woke up in this world, I hadn’t once received a kind look from anyone.
But here, I could talk to anyone without fear. Maybe that’s why she had come here too.
Two women, about my age, approached me with cheerful smiles.
“Why are you standing all alone? Come talk with us.”
It’s been so long since I had a conversation like this.
Their invitation felt warm, and I smiled, moved.
Then one of them said, “We’ve been waiting for the Butterfly Lady.”
The Butterfly Lady?
I was wearing a crimson mask in the shape of a butterfly.
Do they know who I am?
Apparently, they knew the version of me who had attended the masquerade previously.
“You bragged so much last time—we’ve been looking forward to today.”
Bragged? About what?
“What did I brag about again?”
Feigning ignorance, I asked cautiously.
“You said something amazing was going to happen. That you’d tell us all about it today.”
Something amazing…?
Well, I guess something amazing had happened. I ended up in another world and inside someone else’s body.
But I couldn’t exactly say that, could I?
“Oh, nothing really happened.”
At that, the women looked visibly disappointed. With a deflated air, they soon walked away.
“That was it?”
I felt just as disappointed as they did—but at least I’d learned something.
The other me had come here in high spirits. But why? This was after she’d been dumped by the Second Prince.
She cried her heart out in her diary, and then came here looking cheerful…?
There was no clue about the tiara. Only a new, unexpected puzzle.
As I walked slowly through the ballroom, still deep in thought—
“Whoa!”
A server carrying a tray suddenly slipped and tumbled. Cups and drinks went flying.
I flinched and froze, but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.
Thanks to that, I narrowly avoided a splash of wine.
“Ah… thank you.”
Still shaken, I turned to the man who had helped me.
“Don’t mention it.”
He was tall. His mask was white, embroidered with gold thread.
“Did you come alone?”
“Yes.”
“That’s unusual. Who attends something like this alone?”
You’re here alone too, aren’t you?
His voice was strangely familiar. I’d only heard it twice before, but it was unforgettable.
This is… concerning.
He fell silent, staring at me for a while.
“You seem… familiar somehow.”
Then, without warning, he said it.
“Why do you feel so familiar?”
He studied me closely, brow furrowed.
He was thinking the same thing I was.
Surely not…
No. It couldn’t be him. There’s no reason he would be here.
Someone with as many responsibilities as him wouldn’t have time for something like this.
But that voice…
Gray hair. Broad shoulders. The only difference was his eyes—they were brown now.
Changing one’s eye color with magic was entirely possible.
His real eyes were red—the rarest color in the Empire.
Oh no… I really think I know who he is.
“Is it your lips?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Or your eye color?”
He leaned down until we were at eye level. The curiosity in his eyes gleamed through his mask.
“Would you come to the lounge and show me your face? I think I know you.”
“Ah…”
Why did I come today of all days?
I’d clearly chosen the wrong time.
Why is the First Prince here?!
I came to solve a mystery, and now I had another problem on my hands.
The First Prince remained right in front of me, staring as if trying to pierce through the mask.
It was as though I weren’t wearing one at all.
As if I’m already exposed.
‘Someone I’m looking for’—does he mean the woman he saw at the auction?
Most likely. If I got caught, I’d be in serious trouble.
“This is a masquerade ball.”
I smiled, doing my best to stay composed.
“You can’t just ask people to show their faces like that.”
My voice. My voice!
I had to be careful. Someone as sharp as him might still remember what I sounded like at the auction.
“You’re wearing a mask. How can you be sure I’m someone you know? I don’t even know who you are.”
I spoke as if it were the most absurd thing to ask a stranger.
“There’s no man I know with your build, you see.”
“Well, I know a woman with your exact frame. Your jawline and eye color are identical. Hair color doesn’t count in a place like this.”
He remembers my jawline? Seriously?
His attention to detail was terrifying. For a second, I was speechless.
“Is it unfair that I’m the only one asking? I can take my mask off too, if you’d like.”
I really don’t want that!
He was already intimidating enough in a mask. What if I had to look him in the eyes without it?
“Shall we go? Somewhere private.”
How could those words be so chilling?
