Chapter – 50
Mother had left for the imperial palace first, and I remained at the manor waiting for my partner.
“Hello, Roa.”
Silra appeared in the manor using magic, her eyes curving into a smile.
“You look very good in that dress.”
“It’s all thanks to Silra’s excellent taste.”
Several dresses had been delivered to the salon even before I asked Silra to accompany me to the imperial ball. It turned out that Silra had placed the order herself.
The parchment and pen Silra gave me allowed two-way communication.
When I wrote a question with the pen, Silra’s answer would appear on the parchment. Using that, I could decide what color dress to wear, when to depart, and other details.
“I wore a robe in a color similar to Roa’s clothes. How does it look?”
“Well done. Thanks to that, people will probably think you and I have a special relationship.”
I was wearing a pale lavender dress, and Silra was not wearing his usual silver robe but one with a purplish tint.
“Is that okay? You hate that kind of thing, don’t you, Roa?”
“That’s true. I usually don’t like it, but it’s necessary now. There are rumors that the imperial family will select a crown princess.”
The social season was almost coming to an end.
After the imperial ball a week later, many nobles would return to their territories, and the emperor would soon announce the selection of a crown princess.
“So showing that we’re close during this time means… Roa doesn’t want to become crown princess?”
“Yes. If I become crown princess, I won’t be able to do my crazy things, so your role is important, Silra.”
It was necessary to drop out of the crown princess candidate list, but there was one more purpose—to make someone else give up their feelings.
“Can I go a little overboard?”
“Please keep it moderate.”
Silra answered by laughing cheerfully.
“Lady Rosia Levian and Master of the Mage Tower are entering!”
At the announcement of “Master of the Mage Tower,” everyone in the hall turned their eyes in one direction.
Toward me and Silra.
Silra whispered to me as if he couldn’t feel the stares, and I responded with a smile.
As we passed, people stepped aside, allowing us to reach the inner part of the hall easily.
Then, as if waiting for us, someone spoke to me.
“You’re here, Rosia.”
“Hello, Lexian. You arrived early.”
“Yes. This is….”
Lexian looked at Silra with a heavy expression, and Silra smiled brightly.
“I am Silra Bernstein, Master of the Mage Tower.”
“I am Lexian Licianthus, captain of the imperial knight order.”
Before Calvin volunteered to be my partner, Lexian had contacted me.
He said he wanted to escort me to the imperial ball.
Since I had already decided to go with Silra, the answer was of course a refusal. But the other person didn’t seem to give up, approaching me with lingering feelings.
He probably hadn’t even realized his feelings for me, so why did he look so sorrowful?
It was fine if I was hurt, but I didn’t want to make Lexian suffer.
The many arrows aimed at me felt like an illusion. Before they could actually reach him, I had to cut them off.
Steeling my wavering heart, I held Silra’s hand.
“Roa, shall we meet your friends?”
“Yes. I’ll excuse myself.”
I lifted my dress slightly with one hand, spreading it as I bowed in greeting. Lexian stepped back obediently.
“Roa, over here.”
Stella, who had arrived earlier in the hall, called out. When I approached her, the ladies beside her—including Pony, Violet, and other young ladies—greeted me.
“Many of you may already know this since this person is quite famous, but I’ll make a proper introduction. This is Master Silra Bernstein of the Mage Tower.”
“It is an honor to meet you all, ladies. You are Roa’s… no, Lady Rosia’s friends, correct?”
The nickname he used for me made the ladies around us cheer. They seemed to take it as a sign that we were close enough to use pet names.
This man did it on purpose, but I could fasten the red diamond hairpin in my hair.
“This is Stella Meritni. We have met before. This lady is Pony from the Pink Count family. And this lady who is just greeting us is Lady Violet Klen, and….”
The beautiful mage tower master’s introduction made the young ladies’ cheeks flush.
Silra seemed to dislike these kinds of social gatherings, but he performed my partner role quite well.
“It’s really boring. You must collect your reward later, Roa.”
Though he complained quietly into my ear,
To others, it sounded like a tender whisper, and I only responded with a smile.
“Oh my, Lady Ikel has also come?”
“She seems to have received special permission since this is an imperial ball hosted by His Majesty.”
Violet said in a dissatisfied tone.
There were no women near Merina’s group; only men.
The emperor and empress had not arrived yet, but most of the nobles, including the crown prince, were present. That meant many eyes were watching. At this rate, rumors would spread that women were ostracizing Merina.
“Lady Ikel must have had a hard time all this while. Should we at least go and greet her?”
“To that woman?”
“If you all feel uncomfortable, I’ll go as your representative. I’m worried Lady Ikel might feel lonely.”
“Oh my, how can you have such a kind heart…!”
Violet teared up as if deeply moved, while Stella tried to hold back laughter, her cheeks twitching.
“Shall we go too? What if Lady Ikel….”
Stella cleared her throat to suppress her laughter.
“…says something strange to Lady Rosia.”
Violet nodded enthusiastically.
“If we all go, Lady Ikel might feel pressured, so shall we have only a few of us go first to greet her?”
“Good idea.”
Stella, Violet, two young ladies from the count’s family, and I approached Merina.
“Hello, Lady Ikel. It’s been a while.”
I greeted her with a bright smile, and Merina scanned me with a hesitant gaze.
“I heard you were banned from entering the imperial palace. I’m glad to see you here.”
I gave her a glance as if asking why she didn’t introduce the person beside her, but Merina remained silent. I heard the scoffing sounds of Stella and the others behind me.
“This is Master Silra Bernstein of the Mage Tower. Master Silra, this lady is Lady Ikel, the count’s daughter and the empress’s younger sister.”
“I am Silra Bernstein.”
“I am Merina Ikel.”
Perhaps because she was a character barely mentioned in the novel and had no interaction with Merina, Silra looked extremely bored when looking at her.
Although he was smiling, as someone who had seen him a few times, I wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly said he was bored.
“You are… very beautiful.”
However, like a heroine loved by many men, Merina blushed upon seeing Silra and couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“Would you dance with me later?”
She even asked Silra to dance!
Violet and the other count’s young ladies were surely cursing Merina in their minds.
“No.”
Silra cut her off sharply. Merina’s eyes lost focus for a moment before she turned her gaze to me.
“Lady Levian, you came with a different person today than Duke Licianthus.”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
“I find it surprising that you came with someone other than the duke, since you once asked me which young lord I liked among several, Lady Levian.”
“I believe I mentioned before that Duke Licianthus is like an older brother to me. Have you already forgotten?”
As I curved my eyes and smiled, Merina’s cheeks trembled.
“And I don’t meet men privately outside of tea parties or balls like Lady Ikel does. I only ask for escorts to tea parties or balls.”
I glanced at the men near Merina.
“A while ago, Lady Levian was kissing Baron Sharon’s young master in the rose garden, but today you’re with someone else. Oh, was that a secret?”
The face of the Sharon baron’s young master turned red like an apple, and the viscount standing beside Merina trembled.
“Lady Levian!”
“You don’t need to speak so loudly, Lady Ikel. I can hear you well.”
“How, how can you treat me like this…!”
Clenching her fists and trembling, Merina looked as if she would burst into tears at any moment.
“Roa, let’s go.”
Bored, Silra wrapped his arm around my shoulder, urging me to leave. Hearing this, Merina cried out in frustration.
“Master Silra, do you like a woman like that?”
