Chapter 106
Raylenne couldn’t help but be puzzled upon receiving the invitation to the masquerade ball at the Imperial Palace.
“A masquerade ball…?”
As Raylenne murmured, Janie peeked at the invitation and quickly scanned it.
Janie, surprised, exclaimed, “Wow, it looks like they’re planning a masquerade ball this time.”
Raylenne was just as shocked. A masquerade ball at the royal palace? She had expected a very elegant and sophisticated party. Masquerade balls, where guests wore masks to hide their identities, were usually enjoyed by young nobles. Such events focused more on fun than on networking, which made it unusual for the royal family to host one.
“Does the royal family often hold masquerade balls?”
“No, this is the first one, as far as I know. It must be due to the influence of Crown Prince Harbian. Since His Majesty the Emperor is unwell, these kinds of parties are probably organized by Crown Prince Harbian now.”
It made sense when viewed in that context. Harbian was the type of person who would easily host such an unconventional party in the palace.
“What’s written on the back of the invitation?”
“It says that this party is meant for everyone to enjoy the Empire’s New Year on equal footing, regardless of status, and encourages us to attend the masquerade ball.”
“So that’s the purpose of the masquerade ball…”
Unlike the admiring Janie, Raylenne felt somewhat indifferent. She doubted that someone like Harbian would host a party with such a noble intention.
‘What’s he up to…’
Raylenne looked at the mask that had come with the invitation. It was adorned with black lace and designed to cover her eyes and nose.
‘How considerate, sending a mask along,’ she thought, holding it up and placing it over her face.
Janie gasped in amazement, “Wow! Raylenne, your hair color has changed!”
“What…?”
Raylenne quickly searched for a mirror nearby. Just as Janie had said, her deep navy hair had suddenly turned a vivid red.
“It seems to be a magical device. They must have prepared this to make sure no one can tell who’s from the royal family or the two ducal families by their hair color. With this mask, no one will recognize which family anyone belongs to.”
Raylenne removed the mask while looking in the mirror, and her hair instantly reverted to its original color.
‘To go to such lengths…’
Her unease only grew. She looked down at the mask, feeling a strange sense of foreboding about the intentions hidden behind this magical mask.
* * *
On the day of the masquerade ball at the Imperial Palace, the Ergen Dukedom was abuzz with activity. Raylenne, along with Aiden and Caverion, were busy preparing for the party. Masks had also arrived for Aiden and Caverion; theirs were silver and also altered their hair color when worn. While their formal attire provided some clue to their identities, they could easily blend in with the crowd.
Before boarding the carriage, Caverion sternly spoke to Raylenne, “Raylenne, stay close to me.”
Caverion’s expression was quite stern, and Aiden’s face also appeared darker than usual. Even without saying it, Raylenne knew they were all thinking the same thing.
‘It’s Harbian they’re wary of.’
Aiden had been suspicious of him for some time, and Caverion felt the same. But why a masquerade ball? It seemed like an opportune setting for Harbian to do something dubious under the cover of anonymity. Despite their unease, they couldn’t avoid attending the party. It was a major annual event hosted by the royal family, and not attending could be interpreted as a political statement. The risk of appearing suspicious was too great to skip it based solely on suspicion.
“Do you understand, Raylenne? Do not separate from us,” Caverion reiterated when Raylenne didn’t respond, lost in thought.
Raylenne nodded, “Yes, I understand.”
The carriage ride to the palace was silent. Raylenne stared down, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve, where she felt a small, stone-like object. She had hidden it there just in case before leaving for the palace, and its presence gave her a sense of security. While she hoped not to use it, Raylenne had prepared her own contingency plan, unsettled by the men’s unease.
* * *
The carriage traveled for a long time before finally arriving at the Imperial Palace. As indicated on the invitation, everyone donned their masks before disembarking.
Upon stepping out of the carriage, an overwhelmingly splendid scene unfolded before them, so dazzling it made their vision swirl.
“Wow…”
As this was a grand imperial party, nobles from all over the region had gathered, making the place extraordinarily crowded. Their dresses and formal attire seemed to be the most expensive, showcasing the height of luxury.
Adding to the spectacle, everyone wore masks, making the scene utterly chaotic.
“Raylenne, hold onto my arm.”
Following Caverion’s instructions, Raylenne placed her hand on his arm and took slow, careful steps. Aiden followed closely behind them.
Thanks to the masks, they received noticeably less attention than usual. Being members of the Ergen Duchy, they typically attracted an excessive amount of interest.
The masks had altered the color of their trademark navy-blue hair, the symbol of the Ergen Duchy, making it impossible for anyone to recognize that Raylenne and Caverion were from the Ergen family.
Aiden also remained incognito.
Upon arriving at the palace’s grand ballroom, Raylenne scanned the surroundings, hoping to spot a familiar face.
Despite her typically narrow circle of acquaintances, she thought of recent acquaintances like Merian or Lavita.
‘I wonder if Lavita didn’t come…’
Since Lavita was about to depart for another country soon, it wouldn’t be surprising if she didn’t attend. And if she had planned to come, she would have said something beforehand, but her silence suggested she wasn’t here.
Nevertheless, if Merian was present, Raylenne thought it would be good to greet her, so she continued to search the ballroom. However, she quickly realized it was impossible.
She had thought she could recognize her acquaintances by their jawlines or body shapes, but there were too many people, making it hard to distinguish anyone.
Even the easily distinguishable hair colors were changed, so it was difficult to spot someone like Merian.
The party’s purpose indeed seemed to be to make it hard to recognize anyone.
‘…Still, Harbian should make an appearance since he’s the host of the party, right?’
He had to.
Raylenne resolved to carefully observe Harbian when he came out to greet the guests.
Even if he wore a mask later, remembering his attire or the shape of his mask would help.
The party had not officially started yet, so the atmosphere was still a bit chaotic.
At that moment, someone appeared at the front of the ballroom without a mask. Although it wasn’t the awaited Harbian, the person looked vaguely familiar.
While Raylenne tried to remember who it was, Aiden whispered quietly in her ear.
“It’s Palton, Harbian’s chief attendant.”
“Ah…!”
It seemed he had been present when Raylenne visited the palace to see Merian and met Harbian.
She vaguely remembered seeing the man beyond Harbian while they were riding in the carriage.
Standing at the front, Palton cleared his throat and then began to speak.
“Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for taking the time to attend this grand ball at the Imperial Palace.”
After a slight bow, Palton continued.
“The reason for hosting this masquerade ball is to ensure that everyone can enjoy the upcoming New Year of the Hamnebu Empire on equal footing. Crown Prince Harbian hopes that this masquerade ball will create fond memories for all of you.”
Raylenne frowned slightly as she watched Palton deliver Harbian’s greeting.
‘It seems Harbian really doesn’t intend to make an appearance.’
“And the Crown Prince wishes to fully enjoy this meaningful party, so he has asked me to extend his greetings on his behalf. We ask for your understanding in this matter.”
Palton explained the situation, clarifying Harbian’s absence.
“Now, please enjoy the food and music prepared for you tonight. May the Hamnebu Empire prosper and be peaceful.”
With Palton’s final words, the instruments began to play, filling the hall with rich sounds.
As the party officially began, people gathered in the center of the hall and started dancing.
‘Ah… Right. This party is a ball.’
Raylenne stood at the edge of the hall, watching the people dance. The flowing movements of their dresses were mesmerizing.
She stared at the scene for a moment before turning her gaze to Caverion.
“Brother, aren’t you going to dance?”
“I’m not in the mood to dance tonight.”
Caverion had been scanning the surroundings with a sharp gaze, resembling a vigilant bodyguard.
Raylenne then turned her head in the opposite direction and saw Aiden, who had a similar watchful look.
“Aiden, what about you…?”
“I have no intention of dancing either.”
While she appreciated their concern, their overly cautious behavior was starting to feel excessive.
It was likely because Harbian hadn’t shown himself yet. If they knew what he looked like, they could keep an eye on him, but the thought of him blending into the crowd made her uneasy.
Just then.
Thud. Someone hurriedly brushed past and bumped into Raylenne from behind.
The impact caused the woman who bumped into her to spill her wine. The red liquid trickled down, staining Raylenne’s dress.
The delicate dress was ruined by the glaring red stain.
“Oh, dear…! What should I do?”
The woman who had bumped into her looked at the red stain with wide, shocked eyes.
“I’m so sorry…! I was looking for my father and didn’t see you…”
Though she wasn’t pleased, Raylenne waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s alright.”
“It’s not alright…! You should wash it off immediately. There’s a restroom just outside the ballroom!”
Washing it off as she suggested would reduce the stain to some extent.
Raylenne hesitated.
She didn’t want to leave the hall, but the stain was too conspicuous to ignore.
Looking down at the stain, Raylenne lifted her head and glanced at Aiden and Caverion.
Caverion nodded.
“Let’s step outside for a moment.”
It seemed Caverion had sensed her discomfort.
The woman pointed to a corner of the ballroom.
“The restroom is just out that way.”
There was a catering table near the exit of the ballroom, crowded with people.
Hoping to avoid another mishap like before, Raylenne carefully made her way towards the exit.
With the hall full of elaborately dressed people, it was indeed overwhelming.
Determined not to lose sight of Aiden and Caverion ahead of her, Raylenne focused on watching them.
Thankfully, their taller stature made them easier to spot among the crowd.
Just as Raylenne felt a sense of relief…
Tap―!
Someone grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
