The grand ballroom was bright.
Far too bright.
Tier upon tier of crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, while the magical lamps lining the walls shone gold.
The floor had been polished like a mirror, and the shoes and trailing skirts of noble children glided over it.
The music was soft.
The laughter was subdued.
The scent of perfume was sweet.
And amid all of it were sharp stares.
A ball was a battlefield.
I had told Eveline that.
But the moment we entered, I realized anew just how accurate those words were.
No one here carried swords.
Instead, they held glasses, fans, and smiles.
Things more dangerous than swords.
You only had to avoid a sword once.
Words followed you even after you avoided them, becoming rumors.
"They’re staring."
Eveline spoke quietly.
"Yes."
"All of them."
"Yes."
"It makes me sick."
"Rule one."
The hand resting on my arm tightened ever so slightly, then relaxed.
"Do not make the first move."
"Good."
"Don’t say good."
"That was good."
"You’re seriously irritating."
Her words were sharp, but her hand was steady.
Not bad.
We slowly walked farther into the grand ballroom.
Neither too quickly nor too slowly.
If we looked as though we were fleeing, we lost.
If we charged forward too boldly, we lost too.
When someone cast a look our way, we met it.
When someone whispered, we let it pass.
Eveline was doing exactly that.
Not perfectly.
Her brows twitched at the third whisper, and her fingertips tensed at the fifth burst of laughter.
But she did not explode.
Nor did she reach for a sword.
She walked.
That alone had already changed the original story.
A system window quietly appeared.
`Eveline Rosette withstands the pressure of public scrutiny.`
`Preliminary Ball Counterattack Route success rate has increased.`
`Current success rate: 55%`
Good.
The number had risen.
But the real problem was still ahead.
Arsene Berhardt.
He stood in the center of the grand ballroom.
Blond hair.
Bright blue eyes.
A white-and-gold formal uniform distinctive to House Berhardt.
Anyone could see he was a candidate for the noble male lead.
When I had seen him on the game screen, he had seemed like quite a decent character.
A courteous, kind young nobleman who protected the commoner heroine.
But seeing him now, he looked different.
That smile was not the smile of a protector.
It was the smile of someone who believed he had the situation under control.
Liana Bell stood beside him.
Light brown hair.
A modest but clean dress.
Her simple air made her stand out even more among the dazzling noble ladies.
The original heroine.
The character the player had controlled.
And the name that had hastened Eveline Rosette’s path to ruin.
Liana flinched when she saw us.
That reaction was not an act.
She genuinely looked flustered.
The face of someone who had no idea what sort of board she had been placed on.
I sorted out my assessment internally.
Liana was not an enemy yet.
At least, not for now.
Arsene was the problem.
As we approached, Arsene smiled with practiced ease.
Then he spoke first.
"Eveline."
An intimate form of address.
But his voice had been calculated.
Just loud enough for those near us in the ballroom to hear.
"I didn’t think you would come."
His first move.
`I thought you were someone who could not come.`
A provocation.
Eveline’s fingertips stiffened.
I lightly pressed the back of her hand.
She drew in a breath.
Then she said,
"Why did you think that?"
Good.
Ask first.
Arsene’s smile paused by the slightest fraction.
It was only an instant.
But I saw it.
When someone receives an unexpected answer, their smile wavers before their eyes do.
"Well."
Arsene promptly composed his expression.
"The invitation was delivered so suddenly. I thought it might have inconvenienced you."
"So you knew it could be inconvenient."
Eveline said it.
Her voice was low and calm.
It was not exactly one of the lines we had practiced.
But she was heading in the right direction.
Place the responsibility on the other party.
Do not let your emotions explode.
Arsene’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The whispers around us diminished as well.
People were interested.
In the original story, Eveline should have gotten angry here.
`How could you do this to me?`
One sentence, and it would be over.
The jealous fiancée.
The unruly young lady.
Arsene, the victim.
But now she was asking a question.
So you knew it could be inconvenient.
This was not a blade. It was a hook.
The more Arsene answered, the more deeply he would be caught.
"I hope you won’t misunderstand."
Arsene said gently.
"Miss Liana was invited as the scholarship representative for this Preliminary Ball. I was merely assigned to escort her."
Liana bowed her head with a flustered expression.
"L-Lady Rosette. It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Liana Bell."
Her voice trembled.
There was no malice in her.
If anything, she was excessively nervous.
Eveline’s gaze shifted toward Liana.
Red eyes.
Under that gaze, Liana shrank her shoulders.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
When Eveline Rosette saw someone weaker than her cower, she did one of two things.
She either stepped on them harder.
Or turned away in irritation.
Neither was good.
I spoke quietly.
"My lady."
Hearing me, Eveline closed and opened her eyes for the briefest moment.
Then she addressed Liana.
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
It was awkward.
Cold.
Still, it was polite.
Liana’s eyes widened a little.
Eveline continued.
"Are you the person Lord Berhardt intended to introduce personally?"
A line we had practiced.
Almost word for word.
Arsene’s smile paused once again.
Liana could not answer.
She could not have.
This question was not meant to stab Liana.
It was meant to draw Arsene out.
If Liana answered, Arsene became a man who had neglected his companion.
If Arsene answered, he had to formally introduce another woman in front of his fiancée.
Arsene fell silent for a moment.
A truly brief silence.
But in a grand ballroom, even a short silence looked long.
He soon smiled and said,
"Of course. This is Miss Liana Bell. Among those expected to enroll in the Academy this year, she is the scholarship student drawing the most attention for her aptitude for holy power."
"The scholarship representative."
Eveline repeated.
"And your companion tonight."
Arsene’s eyes turned slightly cold.
"She is only a formal companion."
"A formal companion."
Eveline repeated him again.
Then she smiled.
Briefly.
Coldly.
But without breaking down.
"Then that is a relief."
Arsene asked,
"What is?"
"For a moment, I wondered whether introducing an unofficial companion before one’s official fiancée was some new etiquette of House Berhardt."
Someone on one side of the ballroom sucked in a breath.
I admired her inwardly.
Good.
Very good.
That was not a line I had taught her.
It was a counterattack Eveline had come up with herself.
She was still fierce, but she was not tearing into him as she used to.
She had stabbed him with a sentence.
Arsene’s smile thinned.
Liana’s face went pale.
If we made a mistake here, Liana would be hurt.
Then public opinion would turn.
It would look as though Eveline had bullied Liana.
I immediately stepped in.
"Miss Liana Bell."
Liana looked at me.
"Yes?"
"I am Leon Cart, Lady Eveline’s companion and private tutor."
I bowed first.
Not excessively.
A forty-six-percent greeting.
Please work.
"If you are attending today as the scholarship representative, you may not be familiar with ball etiquette."
Liana’s eyes wavered.
"Ah, yes. A little..."
"In that case, I trust Lord Berhardt will guide you well."
I looked at Arsene.
"After all, he personally took on the role of your escort."
This time, it was my blade.
By pretending to protect Liana, I bound Arsene.
You brought her here, so take responsibility for her.
You set yourself up as her protector, so if she is hurt at this ball, it is your responsibility.
Arsene looked at me.
Properly, for the first time.
Until moments ago, he had regarded me as background scenery.
A commoner teacher.
An odd variable standing beside Eveline.
Not anymore.
A question appeared in his eyes.
`Who are you?`
Not good.
But necessary.
Better than having Eveline be the only target.
"Of course."
Arsene smiled.
"I will take responsibility for guiding Miss Liana."
There.
That was what I needed him to say.
I immediately bowed.
"Then I am relieved."
Liana looked somewhat relieved as well.
Eveline glanced at me.
There was something strange in her eyes.
They asked why I was shielding Liana.
At the same time, they tried to understand why I had bound Arsene so tightly.
I spoke very quietly.
"It is not Liana. It is Arsene."
Eveline’s eyes shifted.
She soon understood.
The corner of her lips lifted slightly.
"I see."
Perhaps Arsene had not missed our brief exchange, because he kept smiling as he asked,
"By the way, Eveline."
Here it came.
His next move.
"I did not know that Teacher Cart would be your companion tonight."
The gazes around us converged on me again.
A commoner teacher.
A companion.
Backed by House Rosette.
Perfect material for high society to chew over.
Arsene continued gently.
"Was it a sudden decision?"
It looked like a question, but it was an attack.
`Did you hastily bring just anyone?`
`Did you put forward a commoner teacher to avoid entering alone?`
Eveline’s hand tightened slightly over my arm.
I did not intervene.
This was Eveline’s lesson.
She had to receive it herself.
Eveline looked at Arsene.
Then she said,
"He is my companion."
Brief.
Firm.
A line we had practiced.
Arsene smiled.
"That much I can see, but—"
"Is there any need for further explanation?"
Silence.
It felt as though the air near the ballroom entrance had frozen.
I held my breath.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
Arsene had just been made unable to press further.
Any more questions would be rude.
He would be openly challenging the eldest daughter of Count Rosette over her choice of companion.
Even the justification of being her fiancé made that dangerous.
Because he himself was standing there with Liana Bell as his companion.
He would be struck first by the same blade.
Arsene looked at me for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"I see."
He withdrew.
In their first head-on clash, Eveline had not retreated. She had made Arsene retreat.
A system window appeared.
`Eveline Rosette has defended against the first public provocation.`
`Arsene Berhardt’s attempt to establish the first narrative has failed.`
`Preliminary Ball Counterattack Route success rate has increased.`
`Current success rate: 61%`
Sixty-one percent.
At last, we were nearing the advantage.
But Arsene was not someone who would end things so easily.
He set down his glass and said,
"Since we are here, how about sharing the first dance?"
Eveline’s body stiffened.
The first dance.
At a ball, the first dance carried great meaning.
Who you danced with revealed the nature of your relationship.
If Arsene asked Eveline for the first dance, outwardly it was a gesture of reconciliation.
But under the present circumstances, it was different.
He had brought Liana as his companion.
And now he was asking Eveline to dance.
One of the two women would become a laughingstock.
Liana would become the neglected companion.
And Eveline would look like a humiliated fiancée taking Arsene’s hand once more.
Arsene was placing both women on the board at once.
He was disgustingly good at this.
Eveline’s hand tightened.
This time, it was not anger alone.
Confusion.
Humiliation.
And a momentary wavering.
In the original story, Eveline would have immediately slapped his hand away.
`Who said I would dance with you?`
And that would be the end.
Arsene would lower his head, Liana would grow uneasy, and everyone around them would call Eveline unruly.
I calculated rapidly in my head.
If she refused?
Not bad.
But how she refused mattered.
If she accepted?
Even more dangerous.
She would be moving to Arsene’s rhythm.
So there was a third path.
Eveline looked at me.
A brief glance.
She was asking,
How do I win?
I spoke quietly.
"Rule two."
Ask first.
Eveline drew in a breath.
Then she said to Arsene,
"Would Miss Liana be all right with that?"
Arsene’s smile stopped.
Liana’s eyes widened.
Eveline looked at Liana.
"I heard that Miss Liana is your companion."
Her voice was cold, but it was not an attack.
"If leaving one’s companion alone for the first dance is House Berhardt’s etiquette, I would be happy to learn it."
A low exclamation spread from one side of the ballroom.
This time, it was louder.
Arsene’s gaze sank into an icy chill.
Flustered, Liana waved her hands.
"Ah, I am fine—"
"Miss Liana."
I interrupted gently.
She stopped speaking.
"It is all right if you are not fine."
Liana looked at me.
She looked genuinely surprised.
"If you came here today as Lord Berhardt’s companion, dancing the first dance with him is your right, Miss Liana."
Arsene’s gaze stabbed into me.
Sharp.
I did not avoid it.
I was not using Liana as a shield.
I was telling her to step down from being one.
Once she recognized her own rights, Arsene would no longer be able to position her however he pleased.
Liana did not speak for a long time.
Then, very quietly, she said,
"I..."
Her hand trembled.
A commoner scholarship student.
An aristocratic ball.
Beside her stood the son of a marquis.
Before her stood the villainess daughter of a count.
And there was a strange commoner teacher as well.
It was not easy to state her opinion in this situation.
But in the end, she spoke.
"I came here believing I would dance the first dance with Lord Arsene."
Arsene’s expression did not completely freeze.
He was still smiling.
But his eyes were not.
Good.
Liana had said it herself.
Now, if Arsene insisted on dancing the first dance with Eveline, he would be the one trampling on Liana’s expectations.
Arsene was silent for a moment.
Then he said softly,
"Then I will dance the first dance with Miss Liana as planned."
He looked at Eveline.
"Eveline, what about the next dance?"
Another trap.
If she accepted the next dance, Eveline would ultimately enter Arsene’s sequence.
If she refused, she would look jealous.
I gave Eveline no signal.
This time, she had to do it herself.
Eveline was silent for a moment.
Then she said,
"My next dance is already spoken for."
Arsene’s eyes turned toward me.
Eveline tightened the hand holding my arm just slightly.
"I will dance it with my companion."
The crowd stirred again.
With a commoner teacher.
The daughter of a count.
The next dance.
Arsene’s gaze fixed on me.
This time, it was clear.
Hostility.
Good.
Eveline had been the original target.
Now part of that had shifted to me.
That was what I wanted.
Not all of it, though.
Honestly, I was regretting it a little too.
A system window appeared.
`Arsene Berhardt’s vigilance has increased.`
`Liana Bell’s confusion has increased.`
`Eveline Rosette has successfully maintained self-control.`
`Preliminary Ball Counterattack Route success rate has increased.`
`Current success rate: 68%`
Sixty-eight percent.
High.
But in a social event, the higher the success rate rose, the nastier the next attack would be.
Then the music changed.
The first dance was about to begin.
Arsene extended his hand to Liana.
Liana cautiously took it.
She still looked anxious.
Eveline watched them.
Her hand trembled.
Only very slightly.
But she did not move.
Do not make the first move.
Ask first.
Smile last.
She did not smile.
Not yet.
Instead, she said to me,
"Leon."
"Yes."
"The handkerchief."
I took a white handkerchief from inside my jacket.
The same size as the one we had used during practice.
Eveline accepted it and held it in her hand.
She did not crumple it.
"Holding this makes me feel a little better."
Her voice was quiet.
I said,
"Good."
She stood watching Arsene and Liana make their way toward the center of the hall.
Someone behind us whispered.
"I thought she had been cast aside, but she is calmer than I expected."
"Who is the man beside her?"
"Apparently he is her private tutor."
"A private tutor as her companion?"
"I suppose that is just like Lady Rosette."
Rumors had begun to move.
But their direction was not entirely bad.
Mockery and curiosity were mixed together.
That was better than mockery alone.
Curiosity left room to change the board.
The first dance began.
Arsene was skilled.
Liana was clumsy, but she followed him earnestly.
The grand ballroom’s attention turned toward them.
At the same time, some eyes remained on us.
The next dance.
Eveline Rosette and the commoner teacher, Leon Cart.
Everyone began to wait.
To see whether we would fall.
Or whether—
We would really dance.
Then a system window quietly appeared.
`Observer ???’s interest has increased.`
`Condition fulfilled:`
`A third party has diverted the original first romance event.`
A chill ran down my spine.
That Observer again.
Who in the world was it?
Instinctively, I looked toward the upper level of the grand ballroom.
The second-floor balcony.
The VIP section.
Someone stood there.
A black formal uniform.
Silver hair.
Half his face was concealed by shadow.
But I could see his eyes.
Cold, bright, and unnervingly calm eyes.
He was looking at me.
At me.
More precisely, at me standing beside Eveline.
The system window flickered.
`Observer ??? has recognized you.`
`Warning.`
`You lack the authorization to view current information.`
Insufficient authorization.
I cursed inwardly.
In this game, insufficient authorization usually meant one thing.
A person I was not supposed to meet yet.
Or someone who was only meant to appear near the ending.
The music was nearing its end.
Arsene and Liana’s first dance came to a close.
Applause rose.
And the grand ballroom’s attention slowly returned to us.
Eveline folded the handkerchief.
Again, she did not crumple it.
"It is our turn, right?"
Her voice did not tremble.
I held out my hand.
"Yes."
Eveline Rosette took my hand.
This time, she did not hide.
She did not run away either.
And together, we walked into hundreds of watching eyes.
The next dance.
Eveline’s first public counterattack had begun.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register