Chapter 93 : The Ball (1)

If we remove all the aristocratic expressions and simplify the content of the letter, it would go like this.

[I will acknowledge Countess Ayla’s inheritance rights. So, would you consider coming to the royal capital to show your face? If you’re busy, it’s fine to send your daughter as a representative.]

At first glance, it just seems like an invitation to a ball. In fact, the seal was not tightly done, as if anyone in the middle could open it without any issue.

But for ‘Ayla,’ it was a troublesome matter in many ways.

The Baron likely didn’t spread Ayla’s situation to others. He had to respond to the Empire’s movements right away, and considering he already thought the Count’s estate would be his, he might think of that information as ‘his own.’

In my opinion, that judgment wasn’t entirely right.

If the Baron wanted to control Ayla, he should have made sure that no one else could touch her.

The Baron’s estate is far enough away that it can’t be overwhelmed by military force, so one option would have been to spread rumors that Ayla is doing fine on her own.

I wonder if he never reached that conclusion.

Well, judging by the Baron’s political acumen until now, I’m not sure others would believe such rumors if he spread them.

Would the royal family side with those trying to take the Count’s estate, or with those trying to block them from the other side? There’s been no clear indication yet.

Right. The Count’s body is still in the royal capital.

[Since you’re coming, let’s discuss what to do about the Count’s funeral.]

It was still dressed in aristocratic expressions, but if you summarize it, that’s what the letter meant.

“Hmm.”

At breakfast time, the Empress, who had been showing interest in the letter I was holding, read the contents and chuckled, as if she found it absurd.

“How shallow.”

“Do you think it’s dangerous?”

“Not exactly, but at least they’re calling you to persuade you. Well, in the end, they might try to kill you, but before that, they’ll probably want to settle some legal matters. The Count’s debts, and the debts to the Count. They’ll try to recover as much as they can from the former, while acting as though they don’t owe anything for the latter.”

The Empress handed the letter back to me and said,

“If it were me, I wouldn’t go. Even if I did, there’s nothing they can do about it. Not giving up the Count’s body was to find evidence of poisoning, right? If it were the Empire, they would’ve already manipulated things to have you arrested.”

In fact, the Empress has been suspected of having assassinated her father.

To be honest, I don’t think it’s entirely impossible.

The Empress has the kind of personality that could slaughter anyone who stands in her way to claim the throne.

However, that ‘slightly possible’ chance is actually very close to being ‘impossible.’

The Empress is still a person.

She probably wouldn’t kill an old man just to take the throne.

She had already been quietly consolidating power behind the scenes, so it’s likely she didn’t need to do that.

More precisely, she used the situation of ‘civil war’ to divide people into factions, which is probably the most accurate way to describe it.

In any case, if it were the Empress, she would hold firm, building her own castle. No matter what anyone said.

“I don’t think I need to go either.”

Shadow, after reading the letter, responded in a similar manner.

“But it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go. It should be fun.”

At Shadow’s words, Ayla raised an eyebrow, questioning.

“Yes. Anyway, whatever they do, they won’t be able to take my territory, so I’ll watch the fools rush in thinking they can do something. It should be a rare sight, don’t you think?”

That’s right. Shadow has that kind of personality.

I don’t want to say it’s ‘bad,’ because everyone has some of that side in them.

“And balls are the best place to gather information. Even someone like me, with a questionable status, can gather various pieces of information if I charm the right people.”

It’s true that a lot of information circulates at balls.

In fact, at these balls, factions are formed or dissolved, and intense information warfare takes place between the nobles.

However, that doesn’t mean the essence of the ‘ball’ disappears.

Women wear magnificent dresses, and men wear flashy clothes to show off their charm while they dance.

There’s strong alcohol, and excellent music.

If a beautiful woman shows interest in a man, some drunk men will inadvertently reveal important information.

The first time I met Shadow was at a ball.

Shadow had a precise list of nobles attending the ball and immediately realized I wasn’t someone meant to be there, then approached me.

There wasn’t much of a conversation. We just exchanged names and had a light chat.

But I thought, ‘This person is suspicious,’ and, in turn, followed Shadow. Shadow, not noticing that, thought I was useful, and that’s how we started working together.

Well, it’s not really relevant now.

“…”

After hearing a word of advice from the Empress and Shadow, Ayla seemed to think for a moment, staring into space.

She was holding a fork, but the cake on her plate remained untouched.

However, her gaze, which had been wandering in the air, soon fell upon a certain gleam.

That gleam was coming from the eyes of one of the people sitting at this table.

“Ball…”

Seila muttered.

She looked as if she were dreaming.

I see.

For Seila, the only ball she knows is the one from fairy tales.

A ball with dazzling lights, sparkling jewels, and a beautiful prince dancing in a palace adorned with gold.

From the outside, it’s not a completely wrong description, so I won’t argue about it…

I looked at Ayla.

Ayla looked at me.

Our eyes met.

Perhaps we were both thinking the same thing.

“Seila.”

Ayla spoke coyly as she moved her fork again.

While leisurely cutting into the cake, as if deliberately trying to tease her,

“I’ll be attending the ball with Luna, so would you mind watching over the estate?”

She delivered her performance so well that it could be called the perfect example of a stepmother from a fairy tale.

“What!?”

Naturally, Seila was horrified.

The Shadow and the Empress quickly turned their heads.

Even Daisy, who was standing behind Seila, did the same.

All three of them were probably holding back their laughter.

“Why, why are you the only one going!?”

“Well, Seila, you don’t even know how to dance.”

“And you do!?”

“Of course I do.”

Ayla said, glancing at me.

“I’ve been consistently learning since I was a child.”

I’ve never actually seen Ayla dance.

She probably wouldn’t dance even if she attended this ball.

As always, she’d likely spend her time sitting in some corner of the ballroom before returning home.

Though, this time, the atmosphere might be a little different.

Many would likely approach Ayla to talk to her.

After all, while she may have been married, her husband had died before even touching her.

And even though she had a daughter, there wasn’t a single drop of shared blood.

In fact, since that daughter was the earl’s biological daughter, people would probably be grateful if she was included.

Ayla probably wouldn’t dance with those men, though.

Of course, I’d be going with her, staying by her side the entire time.

“I-I know the theory at least!”

Seila suddenly jumped up from her seat.

Unfortunately, since Seila was still smaller compared to Ayla,

When she stood up from her chair like that, her body was partly hidden behind the table, making her look even smaller.

To make matters worse, a maid behind her had to quickly catch the chair to keep it from falling over.

“And indirect experience is still experience!”

Did she read that in a book somewhere?

“Is that so?”

Ayla said with a mocking smile.

“Then… would you like to accompany us to the ball? It would be quite disgraceful if Seila, the daughter of an earl, couldn’t even dance properly. But… if you’re that confident…”

“Of! Course! I’m confident!”

“Hehe.”

Ayla smiled and took a bite of the cake.

After chewing and swallowing it slowly, this time she turned to me.

“Well, since I feel sorry for her, Luna, why don’t you teach Seila how to dance?”

“……”

“Luna?”

At Ayla’s words, I stared at her.

“……Could it be… you don’t know how to dance?”

Well, I mean—

I do know how.

I had learned it briefly in a rush.

When I first heard that Ayla was attending the ball,

I learned to dance so that I could dance with her.

Of course, when I first approached Ayla, she simply rejected my request outright.

She slapped my cheek.

She probably had no intention of dancing with another man from the start.

Back then, my disguise was a bit too much.

To hide my identity, I had deliberately disguised myself as a fat man who looked twenty years older.

Well, even if I had been a handsome man, Ayla probably still would have slapped me.

After that, I relaxed a bit and didn’t bother practicing dancing anymore.

I also stopped trying to approach Ayla and just watched her from a distance while wearing the most minimal disguise.

“……”

But here’s the thing—

The dance I learned was the man’s part.

And since I had learned it in such a rush, I barely grasped the basics.

I was nowhere near qualified to teach the “perfect lady” Seila how to dance.

When I saw Ayla’s face twist in disbelief, I quietly shifted my gaze elsewhere.