49 – For Elise (3)
The deep night sky began to melt with the blue moon descending. As the faint moonlight flowed over the pitch-black clouds, the entire sky gradually absorbed the deep blue sea color like a dyed fabric.
Then, in the transparent pupils of the girl gazing at the night sky, waves surged and flowed in. The blue eyes of the girl, dyed in blue, sparkled like sapphires. If the moon could look down at the earth, it would have seen a tiny star shining in the dark night sky.
“Are you happy, Elise?”
A lonely star bloomed on the ground. The girl’s eyes, which had been fixed only on the sky without a hint of movement, blinked at the man’s words from behind. Soon, a tear rolled down her star-strewn eyelids.
“I am happy.”
Although the answer was positive, the dampened cheeks betrayed tears. The man, watching the girl from behind, struggled to speak a word that had been awkwardly suppressed.
“Sorry. For bringing you here against your will.”
The firm voice of the man split into multiple roots. And on each split root, scenes he had witnessed earlier bore fruit. The disdainful gazes of nobles towards the girl. The table that fell silent every time he approached. And the red wine scattered on her dress as if it were a mistake.
Traces of disdain still stained the hem of the dress. The man couldn’t lift his gaze again and bowed his head.
“It must have been a difficult situation for you too.”
Regret. The regret of someone who never looked down at reality because they always sat on the clouds poured out. The splendid golden epaulettes on his shoulders. The countless jewels stuck to his body couldn’t support his heart at this moment. Was it because of the raindrops I scattered that the carefully bloomed flowers were broken? Fear filled his voice.
Maybe it’s better to break now. There might still be an endless rainy season waiting for the girl. Whether there is a shining rainbow on the other side of those clouds or if night will come again. The Crown Prince sitting on the clouds didn’t know. It might be best for the girl to lower her head now, before even the roots are soaked by the sinking rain, and thrust her head down. “…No. Lord Klaes.”
However, the girl lifted her head defiantly. Her slender shoulders trembled ever so slightly.
“I’m fine.”
Unseen by the men, the girl raised her hand and wiped her eyes. She herself didn’t know what emotions were contained in those tears. That’s why she smiled again. Although it was a faint smile, as if it would vanish if touched, it was the best the girl could do.
“When I’m with Lord Claes, I’m always happy.”
The determined girl turned around. The soaked hem of her clothes fluttered in the air like flower petals. Raindrops, not erased by the forced smile, rolled down her cheeks.
“You’ll never forget this night.”
“Makeup?”
Ellen raised an eyebrow in confusion. Iria, with her characteristic enthusiastic gesture, added an exclamation point.
[Literally.]
“I’ve tried disguises before. Is it different from that?”
[Even more. Beautiful and cute.]
“Why do I have to do that?”
[Because.]
Iria intentionally stopped and looked around as if expecting a dramatic effect. Then, fixing her gaze on me, she raised the notebook again.
[With Yuna, we have to attend the ball.]
“Ball?”
“Huh? What’s a ball?”
Gwero, not knowing the meaning of the ball, tilted his head in confusion. Ellen seemed to understand the meaning but still stared blankly at my face.
…
And I, knowing exactly what it meant, silently looked into Iria’s eyes. In the enigmatic eyes of the elf, Elize’s story unfolded. The night of the ball after the exams. The Crown Prince choosing Elize as his partner. Promised hardships and disdain. And in the midst of all that, a single confession emerged.
I opened my mouth, recalling memories of the past that had not yet unfolded.
“… After all the midterm exams are over, we’ll have a ball. It happens to coincide with the founding day of the empire, so it’s a celebration as well. Anyone can participate, commoners or nobles, but there’s one condition. You must bring a partner.”
“A partner?”
“Yeah, a partner. Well… sometimes people go in alone or just with friends if they can’t find a partner, but it’s generally better to go with a partner to avoid unnecessary attention. Especially in social circles, who came with whom becomes quite a big topic that day. So, nobles mostly go with nobles.”
He said mostly, but there had never been a case at the academy where a noble designated a commoner as a partner. At least not until the Crown Prince brought Elise to the ball.
And that day happened to be the day the Crown Prince formally confessed to Elise in the original work.
“So, what do you say? Shall Yuna and I go to the ball together?”
Ellen’s voice shook me out of my reverie. Iriya grinned happily, shaking the notebook.
[Yeah, put on some makeup nicely, dress up, and look good.]
“But… is that okay? Usually, nobles go with nobles.”
[It doesn’t matter, right? We came in together today too.]
“But isn’t going to the ball as partners quite different from just coming in together like today?”
Ellen voiced exactly what I was thinking. Going to the classroom together and attending the ball as partners had a weight difference like heaven and earth. The fact that a noble designated a commoner as a partner itself was a tremendous breakthrough, and it would make a huge fuss in social circles.
Lost in my thoughts, I couldn’t easily speak. Ellen, looking at me like that, cautiously threw a question to Iriya.
“But what does it mean for the two of us to go, Iriya?”
[First, if you and Yuna go to the ball and leave a good impression, Elise won’t bother you anymore.]
“And then?”
[And at the ball, with the Crown Prince and Elise there, if you two stick together, they won’t be able to do anything more.]
“In front of all the nobles, you plan to make the Crown Prince and Elise do something that looks like a couple. Is that your plan?”
[Exactly.]
“And if it’s the two of us, it’ll be easier to approach the Crown Prince and Elise. Well, something like that?”
[Exactly.]
“Um… It’s unbelievable… or is it not?”
Alan nodded slowly, and I, too, silently agreed. It wasn’t entirely unbelievable, and it even seemed quite persuasive. To separate the Crown Prince and Elise from my life, it was appropriate to do something significant at such a big event. And since I could never do it alone, taking Alan, my most reliable support, was the right choice.
…
Really… is that the right thing to do…?
[So, are you going to do it?]
As I pondered, another sentence came to mind. Unable to answer and just gazing at it, I turned the notebook towards Alan. Looking at that sentence, Alan cautiously took hold of my hand.
“Yuna.”
“Yeah…?”
“How about it? Does it seem okay?”
“Uh…”
Instinctively, I parted my lips. But in that moment, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to answer. Still struggling from the consecutive waves that had recently hit me, I was still in a state of confusion.
“Well…”
In the end, I couldn’t conclude my words and bowed my head. I needed some time to think. Alan, understanding, silently waited for my response.
But that dilemma continued, even until now, two days later.
Sigh.
“Haah…”
I exhaled deeply, wrapped in the soft blanket of my room. Despite thinking deeply throughout the approaching holiday, the answer hadn’t come to me yet. With too many uncertainties, even though it was time to decide, the answer didn’t come easily.
“Martial Arts… Gala…”
The martial arts gala held at the academy after the first and second midterm exams. It was an event that couldn’t be skipped in the world of villainess novels, making it one of the most crucial chapters in the original work.
No, to be honest, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say it was the most important chapter. It was an event that decided the fate of practically every character. Elise and the Crown Prince pledged their love at this martial arts gala, while Yuna Richmond, at the joyous party, lost support from other nobles by causing a scandal. The resurrection of the virtuous and the downfall of the wicked—the point where these two curves intersected was precisely the martial arts gala.
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That’s why, for me too, it was an event I couldn’t miss. It could be the best opportunity to overturn destiny. Whether it would be an opportunity or another crisis, I didn’t know, but doing nothing was far more dangerous.
And getting involved in such an event was something the Duchess would never tolerate.
“…”
The Duchess. Just thinking of that name, I unconsciously touched my cheek. The spot where I had slapped myself still stung slightly. The memory of plunging my head into icy water to calm the burning passion that day sent a shiver down my spine.
If she were to hear the news that I, a commoner, appeared at the martial arts gala, how would she react?
I don’t know. I can’t know. Even the Crown Prince faced numerous oppositions when he decided to engage Elise in the original work. They could settle with opposition because there was an Emperor supporting their marriage, but I didn’t have such an Emperor. Instead, I only had a mother who hated me so much that she could tear me apart.
In the end, my mother was still at the center of my life. I still couldn’t shake off the nightmare of the previous world.
“Ah.”
Somehow, feeling a sense of emptiness, I unknowingly pulled the blanket around me. The warmth seeped into my chest, calming my mind a bit. And perhaps, this warmth might be a trace of Alan.
Alan.
…
“Alan.”
I called out his name reluctantly. The name of the extra who had completely taken control of my life now. He showed me the meaning of happiness, and now, happiness itself was becoming a part of me. The daily life without Alan had become something unimaginable. So, I confessed my feelings and decided to walk with him.
But bringing Alan to the martial arts gala was a slightly different issue. It was no longer about my life but about introducing Alan, the extra, into Yuna’s life. Was it right to bring Alan into Yuna’s life, not just my daily life? I had serious doubts.
I am happy with Alan.
But can Yuna be happy with Alan?
With an uncertain gaze, my eyes fell on the diary lying on the desk. The small notebook, which until recently was filled with my daily life, now seemed to be questioning whether I was still Yuna’s only confidante. So now, I wanted to ask the non-existent you.
Yuna, can you find happiness with Ellen?
Of course, there was no way to find an answer.
As life goes, as exams go, eventually, I had to come up with the right answer.
I thought so when I rose from my bed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“…?”
A delicate knocking sound echoed from outside the door. Since it was unlikely for a servant to come at this hour, I looked towards the door with a slightly puzzled expression. Who could it be? No one had called, and there was no one expected to visit.
…
Then, it must be Ellen.
Actually, there was no need to ponder. Without any prior arrangement, and especially on a holiday, the only person crazy enough to visit Yuna Richmond uninvited was Ellen. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I happily jumped out of bed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
As I approached the door, another knock sounded, as if urging. I ran towards the door with an open smile, thinking about how to greet him. And then, with no concealment, I swung the door open, considering what kind of greeting to give.
But when I opened the door, only a helpless breath escaped my lips.
“Uh…?”
The gaze that had been directed forward gradually lifted. The endlessly rising gaze finally stopped after hanging at the ceiling. I stood there, frozen, facing a unfamiliar man.
“Who…?”
“It’s been a while, Miss Yuna.”
Instead of answering my question, he offered a formal greeting. I had to naturally respond, but for a moment, my head stiffened, and only my lips twitched. At that moment, the man made a puzzled expression and added a word.
“The Crown Prince has sent me.”
“Ah…!”
Only now did I realize who the other person was, and I took a step back. Though I couldn’t recall the name, he was always the student trailing behind the Crown Prince. Despite being a student, his martial arts skills were outstanding, and he appeared quite mature, so no one was fooled by his disguise as a student.
Belatedly understanding his identity, I quickly erased the smile from my face. Trying to act nonchalant, I greeted him.
“Yes, it’s been a while. By the way, what has the Crown Prince been up to…?”
“First of all, you confidently claimed the top spot in the recent exam. Congratulations. The Crown Prince also extends his congratulations.”
“Oh… Thank you. Please convey my thanks to the Crown Prince as well.”
I replied with a touch of awkwardness. However, he chuckled and tilted his head.
“It might be better if you personally receive congratulations from Lady Yuna.”
“No, even if you convey it…”
“… directly at the ball.”
“What?”
I opened my mouth in astonishment at his unexpected words. He looked at me with a sly smile.
“The Crown Prince has accepted a proposal. He mentioned it would be an honor to attend the ball with Lady Yuna, known as the most beautiful in the academy.”
“What? Me…?”
“Yes. Didn’t you send a letter recently expressing your desire to attend the ball together as partners?”
“I sent a… letter…?”
I hurriedly searched my memory, but there was no recollection of such a letter. No, until just before the exam, my thoughts were filled with exam preparations, and I hadn’t even considered the ball. Moreover, after that, with Ellen, Elise, and the issues with the Duchess, I hadn’t had time to write any letters…
…
…Was it the Duchess’s doing?
Once again, her name flashed through my mind. I clenched my fist with tightly closed lips. She had seemingly given up on connecting me with the Crown Prince at that time, but there still seemed to be lingering regrets. Perhaps she learned belatedly about the strained relationship between the Crown Prince and Elise.
I wanted to deny that I sent the letter, but at this point, such excuses wouldn’t likely be accepted. Since it was assumed that the Duchess’s intentions were Yuna’s desires, I pondered for a while before finally managing to utter a few words.
“But, Your Highness, don’t you already have a partner? It’s Elise speaking. I was hesitant, thinking you would naturally reject my proposal. If my suggestion has caused any disruption, I would like to withdraw it now and express my desire to cancel.”
However, the prince raised his head with a slightly stern expression this time. Then, he replied with a somewhat rigid tone.
“Of course, you would be concerned. But that’s not the case. In fact, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already proposed to Elise, but she boldly refused, saying she had already chosen a partner.”
“What? Elise chose a partner?”
“Yes, that’s what I heard from her.”
“Who on earth is it?”
Suddenly, the anxiety from that day gripped my throat like a lifeline. I clutched the hem of my dress as if holding onto my life and stared only at his mouth. After a long silence, he finally managed to answer.
“It was Ellen, or something like that. Well, some such name. By the way, Lady Yuna, should I inform His Royal Highness that you have accepted?”