Chapter 60:
“With gratitude to the proud citizens of the empire who have graced us with their presence at Full Bloom’s September Festival…”
The Full Bloom September Festival commenced with the Headmaster’s slow, drawn-out opening speech. Sue listened quietly, like the other students, but she couldn’t hide her anxiety. She clutched the stack of scripts folded neatly in her hand.
The grand duke families were experts at exploiting their servants. And the Byron family’s slave mentality was world-class. Sue gritted her teeth, remembering Acrea’s emotionless smile. But no matter how much she gritted her teeth, nothing would change. It was her own fault, in a way.
She felt a strange mix of physical pain, anxiety, and excitement.
“…Then, may everlasting glory be upon the empire.”
The Headmaster’s lengthy speech finally ended, and music began to play in the ballroom. It was a waltz. As the orchestra played, some students went to the center of the hall and started dancing with their chosen partners. Sue wanted to dance too. Well, she had, until thirty minutes ago.
She watched them enviously, taking a bite of a mini cake behind her mask. It was delicious. She wanted to dance, but Acrea’s orders were her priority. She decided to enjoy what she could enjoy.
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
“Ouch…”
A sharp pain shot through her shoulder as someone bumped into her. The woman who had bumped into Sue brushed past her weakly. Sue followed the woman’s apologetic voice and saw a familiar figure. She was wearing a red long dress and a simple mask that covered only her eyes, walking away through the ballroom.
Vacant black eyes, sharp, black bobbed hair.
Ah, I know. That’s Enzhe.
She didn’t seem to have noticed Sue, just brushing off her shoulder. And if you followed her gaze, you could see a man in a full-face mask, chatting with other people. Black hair, a well-tailored uniform. It was probably Fritz.
The people around him didn’t seem to realize who he was. He was so obvious, and Enzhe was practically walking around with a sign that said “I’m Enzhe”, but no one seemed to care. They were all deliberately ignoring each other’s identities, enjoying the masked ball.
Sue decided to look for Melaine as well, scanning the ballroom. But she couldn’t find anyone who looked like her. Enzhe stood out, but most of the students had probably changed their style for the masked ball. Even Sue had done so, and Melaine, who was skilled at dressing up, would have done the same.
‘Noel… hmm… I don’t know.’
If she couldn’t even recognize Melaine, whom she had known for over ten years, would she be able to recognize Noel? It’s strange that I even recognized Enzhe. Maybe she was developing a trauma from being beaten up so much.
She also couldn’t find Acrea. There was no one in the ballroom wearing the same uniform as him.
He must have a lot of work to do as the vice-representative, but Fritz is here too.
Was he busy preparing for his ‘good idea’?
“Lady Byron, please come to the back… You need to get ready.”
Speak of the devil. A maid in a uniform approached her. Sue nodded and followed her. They arrived at a small room behind the stage. It was a cozy space with a small sofa and a table. She hadn’t known this room existed.
But the mastermind behind the ‘good idea’ was nowhere to be seen. Sue asked the maid guarding the door,
“Is Master Acrea not here?”
“No, the Young Master is busy, so he asked me to relay a message: he’ll leave it to you.”
“I see…”
Acrea always acted like Fritz’s secretary, taking care of everything. They might both be sons of grand duke families, but their positions were slightly different. She suddenly remembered the conversation between Acrea and Fritz at Lake Libra.
Acrea had been handling all of Fritz’s work then too.
So she understood why he wasn’t here. But she couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.
‘Leave it to me? What the hell, you bastard…’
“…Sigh.”
Sue composed herself and decided to do her best. She leaned back on the sofa and started memorizing the lines. It was a ridiculous farce, no matter how she looked at it. It might be a good idea, but it was only a good idea for Acrea.
‘They’re both strange. Really.’
Sue clicked her tongue. The clock on the wall showed eight.
***
8:10 p.m. The lights in the ballroom went out as planned. It was pitch black, as if someone had cast a spell. The ballroom was instantly filled with commotion.
Get ready. As a single spotlight shone on the stage, all eyes turned upwards. Standing in the spotlight was a girl with red hair, wearing a mask. It was Sue.
Ignoring the countless gazes focused on her, Sue began to deliver her lines, her voice calm and natural.
“Thank you to the glorious citizens of the empire who have graced us with their presence at Full Bloom’s September Festival…”
She felt embarrassed. She was glad the theme was a masquerade ball. She spoke in a holy tone, her hands clasped together, her voice strong and clear, like a saint delivering a sermon.
“There’s nothing more heartwarming than gazing at the stars in the darkness.”
A few teachers, who hadn’t been informed, rushed towards the stage, but Acrea’s servants stopped them.
I’m sorry, teachers. This is a ‘good idea’ devised by that grand duke’s son.
Sue ignored the rising sense of embarrassment and shame.
“I am the Guardian of Light, here to summon fairies to this ball.”
“Guardian of Light…?”
“Is she a saint…?”
Murmurs filled the ballroom. Sue quickly recited her next line, worried that she might be accused of impersonating a saint and sent to the guillotine.
“The fairy I will summon today is… the Fairy of Love.”
“Fairy of Love… I’ve heard of Light Fairies, but…”
Sue slowly spread her arms.
“That’s right. This light I’m bathed in is a gift from the Fairy. And this light will split into two and embrace two stars.”
The atmosphere in the ballroom seemed positive, as if her acting was working. She even felt a strange sense of excitement, as if her words were creating a sense of anticipation.
“The two who have been blessed with the Fairy’s light must come up here. Come up here and let us discuss fate together.”
There were murmurs, but they weren’t negative.
After a brief pause, Sue clapped her hands once. The spotlight shining on her split into two and started moving around the ballroom. Sparkling dust seemed to fall from the lights, as if she really had summoned a fairy. The orchestra started playing suspenseful background music.
The students, oblivious, enjoyed the surprise event, their hearts aflutter.
But Sue, who knew the outcome, gulped.
The moment the fairy lights settled on two people, she spoke again, her voice holy.
“The Fairy of Love has chosen two stars. Please come up here, the two who have been bathed in the light of love.”
Two figures, a man and a woman, wearing masks. Of course, they were people Sue knew well.
“Quickly… before the light of love… disappears…”
Sue raised her arm, urging them forward.
The boy, bathed in light, hesitated. He was probably confused by the unplanned event. The girl looked at him, then her eyes sparkled.
“Ooh…!”
Gasps filled the ballroom. The girl started walking slowly towards the stage.
People made way for her, and there was even applause. The boy, flustered, watched her for a moment, then reluctantly followed her towards the stage. The cheers grew louder. Where was their noble dignity?
The boy and the girl reached the stage. The girl was calm, and the boy looked uncomfortable. Sue continued to recite her lines.
“The Fairy of Love has chosen you. …No, you have chosen the Fairy of Love.”
The atmosphere in the ballroom intensified. Sue extended her arm dramatically, pointing at them.
“Even though you don’t know each other’s names or faces, I sense destiny tonight. Then, beautiful star with the black eyes, would you tell us your thoughts? …Ah, of course, you can curse, or even leave the stage if you want. That might also be part of love.”
That line was probably added because Acrea was certain she wouldn’t do those things. The same went for giving the girl the first opportunity to speak. Sue was once again impressed by his meticulous planning.
“Shina.”
A single word. A single name. The bustling ballroom fell silent. The boy, startled, just stood there, dumbfounded.
The girl, seeing his hesitation, reached for the mask on her face. A collective gasp echoed through the ballroom. The face revealed behind the mask was the star of the show, a face Sue knew well.
“Show me your face.”
She said to the masked boy, her voice urgent. The boy sighed. And he slowly removed his mask. As his handsome face was revealed, another gasp filled the ballroom.
“Enzhe…”
Fritz, who had clearly had no idea that the person behind the mask was Enzhe, stared at her, his voice filled with surprise and confusion.
The audience’s reaction was at its peak, as if they were watching a dramatic play. The atmosphere was electric.
Enzhe and Fritz stood on the stage. And Sue, who had been standing between them, quietly stepped back and disappeared. Now, only the two protagonists remained.
“Shina.”