Although the Margrave’s ballroom paled in comparison to the royal capital’s, it was still a breathtaking dispy of grandeur. The marble floor reflected the glow of the dazzling chandeliers above as guests mingled over food and drinks, speaking in soft tones and exchanging polite greetings. Soft orchestral music floated like perfume through the air, mingling with the scent of fresh roses and pine garnds strung along the walls.

  Estel paused at the threshold, feeling hesitant all of a sudden.

  Is it really alright for me to make a public appearance at this time? Save for the masquerade ball, I haven’t shown my face at a gathering like this since the Crown Prince publicly condemned me…

  Her chest tightened, her heart fluttering with apprehension like the moment before stepping onto a stage.

  What should I do if the others ask me about my engagement with Adrien, or the accusations of treason, or even the rumours—

  A gentle, warm pressure against her fingers snapped her out of her despair.

  “Just focus on what’s in front of you, Este,” Alice whispered, slipping her hand into hers. “You don’t have to worry about the rest.”

  The tightness in her chest eased, just enough to breathe again as she stepped bravely into the light.

  “Announcing Her Serene Highness and Grace, Lady Estel von Livroche!” the herald procimed, his voice ringing across the ballroom.

  Heads turned. Conversations dulled to a murmur. Estel held her breath as all eyes turned to them.

  “T-that’s her…”

  “Oh my, I can’t believe the Duchess is actually here…”

  “Who’s that person by Her Grace’s side? I’ve never seen her before…”

  She descended the steps slowly, her hand resting lightly on the polished rail. The chandeliers caught the shimmer of her gown’s silken train, the violet fabric gleaming like twilight beneath a veil of stars. Alice moved with graceful ease at her side, the silver crystals on her pale-blue gown glittering with each measured step.

  “Lady Estel!” Liselotte called from near the center of the ballroom floor, her voice bright with relief as she approached and curtsied. “I was worried you might have gotten deyed.”

  Estel returned her curtsy with a courteous smile. “Thank you again for inviting us, Lady Liselotte…”

  Her gaze shifted to the dignified man standing just behind Liselotte.

  “And Lord Karolus, I extend my thanks for hosting the occasion.”

  The silver hilt of the Margrave’s ceremonial sword glinted like a mirror as he inclined his head in a formal bow.

  “Lady Estel, it is an honour to welcome you to Selvern,” Lord Karolus spoke, his gaze soft yet sharp. “I see that you are already well acquainted with my daughter. I hope that she hasn’t caused you any trouble.”

  Liselotte gasped. “P-Papa!”

  “No, not at all, Lord Karolus,” Estel replied swiftly. “Lady Liselotte has been nothing short of courteous to me and my escort since our arrival, and we had a lovely conversation together over afternoon tea.”

  “That’s certainly great to hear,” he said, gncing at Liselotte. “I’m curious to hear what you and my daughter talked about, would you mind sharing it with me?”

  “O-oh, it was merely ordinary topics for the most part, nothing too significant.”

  Estel paused, wondering what the Margrave was trying to get at. Liselotte did mention that he ordered her to receive me in his stead, so if he’s asking such a question…

  “Well, at one point, Lady Liselotte was interested in my escort, so I told her about how I met Alice,” she said in as calm of a voice as she could muster.

  “Right! Papa, do you know how incredible Lady Estel is?” Liselotte excimed. “She befriended a commoner girl and graciously invited her to accompany her tonight. This is the first time I’ve heard anything like this!”

  “Indeed, that sounds interesting,” Lord Karolus said, turning to Alice. “Karolus von und zu Selvern, Margrave of the Northern March. It’s a pleasure to have you with us tonight.”

  “Er…” Alice exchanged a hesitant look with Estel, who nodded her head assuredly. “I’m Alice…thank you for your hospitality, Lord Karolus.”

  “It’s alright, Miss Alice, there’s no need to be so formal. You’re a guest of ours, so please enjoy yourself while you’re here.” With a glint in his eyes that hinted at his amusement, he pced a hand lightly atop Liselotte’s head. “Liselotte, Papa must attend to the other guests. Do keep the Duchess and her escort company in the meantime.”

  “Yes, Papa,” Liselotte said dutifully.

  The Margrave’s expression shifted slightly, his eyes flickering with an emotion that was hard to pce. “One more thing. Lady Estel…”

  Surprised, Estel lifted her head and met his troubled gaze.

  “I am terribly sorry that your engagement did not work out as intended,” Lord Karolus murmured. “I trust that the Crown Family will conduct a fair investigation and clear your father of his accusations, so that his honour may eventually be restored. Should the need arise, I will not hesitate to pledge my name and honour to assist the dukedom in whatever way I can.”

  “…thank you,” Estel replied, her eyes dropping for a breath before meeting his gaze again. “I’m sure Father will be grateful for your support, Lord Karolus.”

  The Margrave merely gave a solemn nod and turned his gaze behind her. “That gentleman wishes to have a conversation with Your Grace, so I shall not retain you any further.”

  “Oh?”

  Estel was about to turn around when a familiar voice cut through the air, startling her.

  “Please pardon me for the abrupt interruption.”

  Her heart instantly skipped a beat. She knew she didn’t have to turn around just to see whose voice it was, but of course, curiosity and disbelief drove her to do so anyway.

  “W-w-what are you doing here…” Her voice suddenly faltered when she saw the smiling Captain. “…Marcus?”

  “Lady Estel,” Marcus said, holding a hand neatly across his chest as he bowed. “And I pay my respects to Lady Liselotte as well.”

  Liselotte dipped into a quick curtsy. “Thank you for coming, Generalkapit?n.”

  “I—I thought you were still stationed at Meridian with Lieutenant Landrad?” Estel asked, almost unable to believe her own eyes. “How…no, why are you in Selvern?”

  “It’s a long story, but to give the gist of it, our sojourn was cut short because we made an interesting discovery,” he expined, shifting his watchful gaze past her shoulder. “An interesting discovery that I believe your escort, who is trying to slip away, may know something about.”

  Alice froze mid-escape and turned her head back stiffly with a strained smile. “Ahahaha…Captain, I believe you are mistaken…”

  “Mistaken?” Marcus arched a brow. “Then why, pray tell, did you suggest we travel to Meridian in the first pce?”

  “T-that’s just because it was the furthest pce from the dukedom that I could think of,” she mumbled. “It got mentioned in the game as some far-off isnd, that’s all…”

  He frowned and let out a curt sigh. “Well, whatever. When I heard that Lady Estel would be attending the festival here in Selvern, I immediately sent Landrad back to the capital first and headed here to find you. So—”

  Without further warning, he reached out and seized Alice’s wrist with surprising swiftness, pulling her close.

  “—don’t go running away from me now, Miss Witch,” Marcus said, dropping his voice to a husky whisper.

  Alice made a face. “Oh my god, Este. I just got chills.”

  Marcus turned back to Estel and bowed once more. “Lady Estel, I’ll be borrowing your escort briefly to crify some matters with her. Please excuse us.”

  “O-oh, sure…”

  As the Captain led a bemused Alice out of the ballroom, Estel remained rooted to the spot, her fingers unconsciously drifting up to brush the pearls at her colr.

  Why is my heart doing this?

  She lowered her gaze, the jittery rise and fall of her breath suddenly too noticeable in the fitted bodice of her gown.

  What were you expecting, Estel von Livroche? That he came all this way because of you? That he’d take your hand, compliment your dress, and ask for a dance?

  She swallowed the thought and turned to Liselotte, managing a slight smile. “I guess it’s just the two of us now, Lady Liselotte.”

  Liselotte quietly stared after Marcus’ retreating form before giving her a strange look. “Um…Lady Estel, if I may be so bold, do you like that person?”

  “E-eh?” She blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness of her question. “N-no, it’s not like that! Marcus and I are just—”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean the Generalkapit?n,” Liselotte whispered. “I was talking about Fr?ulein Alice.”

  “W…why would you think that?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Well…” Liselotte fidgeted with a fold in her dress. “You looked really sad when she left, and you kept touching your neckce like you were nervous…”

  “And back in the parlour, you two seemed really close,” she added after a pause. “Like…you just fit together. Even though I have met my future fiancé a few times now, our interactions are never as interesting and fun as yours.”

  “I—”

  Estel opened her mouth, but found the words too difficult to get out. She cast her gaze down again, suddenly very focused on the pattern of the marble tiles beneath her heels.

  “That’s just…you’re imagining things, Lady Liselotte,” she lied.

  “Oh…s-sorry, my question must have made you uncomfortable,” Liselotte said in an awkward voice. “I’ll go bring some refreshments. Please wait here, Lady Estel.”

  Estel gave a gentle nod, watching as the girl quickly curtsied and hurried toward the refreshment tables lining the far end of the ballroom. The moment she was alone, she let out a quiet sigh and pressed her hand to her chest.

  Really, what’s wrong with me all of a sudden?

  Before she could chase the thought further, a soft rustle of fabric and the swell of violins caught her attention. The orchestra at the corner of the ballroom had begun pying the first strains of a formal waltz.

  The guests stirred in response. Courtiers and nobles stepped away from the walls in pairs, gowns and coats catching the golden candlelight as they began to move toward the center of the floor. Soft ughter and hushed whispers floated like smoke above the growing hum of conversation, and the atmosphere shifted, like the pause before a stage curtain rose.

  Estel watched it all unfold from her pce at the edge of the room, hands csped in front of her gown. The music was beautiful. The people around her glowed with confidence, poise, and intent. Yet she felt oddly out of pce, like a figure painted into the wrong corner of a grand mural.

  And worse still, her mind strayed. Back to Marcus, and back to Alice.

  “My dy.”

  A slow, velvety voice came from just behind her. Estel turned, and her gaze met that of a man cd in a tailored coat of dark emerald velvet, lined in gold filigree. His hair was a sleek chestnut brown, swept back in precise waves, and his smile was the kind that never quite reached his pale green eyes.

  “Count Valrich…”

  One of Viscount Revent’s most loyal allies—and arguably the second-worst offender when it comes to court gossip.

  Estel inclined her head in a measured gesture, stopping just short of a full curtsy. “I hadn’t realised you were attending the festivities in Selvern.”

  “Ah, I seldom miss an opportunity to enjoy such fine company,” he replied smoothly, offering a courteous bow. “Especially when that company includes the…famed Duchess of Livroche.”

  There was a sharp glint in his eyes—too sharp to be mere fttery.

  Before she could respond, he extended a gloved hand, the knowing smile still lingering on his lips.

  “Would you grant me the honour of the first dance, my dy?” he asked. “It would be a shame to see you stand alone while the floor fills.”

  She stopped short of pcing her hand in his.

  He must have heard from the Viscount by now that I was present at the masquerade that night, is he trying to gather information? Or simply looking to test me just like the Margrave?

  Besides, the Count had a well-deserved reputation for pying both sides when it suited his goals. She found it hard to trust him—but declining outright would make a statement, and not the kind she could likely afford to make right now.

  So instead, Estel inhaled slowly, then rested her hand in his palm with practiced grace.

  “The honour is mine, Count Valrich,” she said coolly, letting him lead her onto the floor as the waltz swelled around them.

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  ReiHayashi