Chapter 72

On the Day of the Ball, the maids’ determination was fierce enough to pierce through mountains on the day of the ball.

The professional dressing maids assigned by the imperial family to assist with my preparations were overwhelmed by the smaller number but more spirited maids from the Grand Duke’s household.

Even Lucas and Tristan had joined this chaotic scene.

“This brooch matches the color combination! Brother, you’re an idiot!”

“I told you what matters isn’t the color but the atmosphere.”

“Shut up! I’m using this one!”

“Just listen to me, Tristan.”

The maids had divided into factions as if engaging in partisan politics, with Lucas and Tristan as the central figures. Tristan insisted I should wear a red brooch.

Meanwhile, Lucas argued that a gold brooch would suit me better. From my perspective, it didn’t seem to matter which brooch I wore.

“Red, I say! The little one’s hair is red too!”

“Tristan, choosing a brooch based on hair color is foolish.”

“You’re the one who picked your eye color! With those beast eyes of yours!”

The maids couldn’t join the conversation due to their status, but they were having their own fierce debate.

Sen, who sided with Tristan in favor of the red brooch, took the lead in explaining.

“Red is a magnificent color! Because it’s the Grand Princess’s hair color.”

She’s saying the same thing.

Everyone seemed to have abandoned the fashion perspective. Finding the escalating argument tedious, I selected a brooch for my dress while they were fighting.

Click.

After fastening the brooch to my dress, I looked around. I simultaneously tapped the shoulders of Lucas and Tristan, who were fiercely pulling at each other’s hair.

“Liat, just wait a little, I’ll somehow…”

“I’ve already chosen a brooch.”

At my declaration, both of them looked toward my chest.

“I’m going with this one.”

What I had chosen was a butterfly brooch gifted to me by the maids.

It wasn’t as expensive as the brooches Tristan or Lucas had selected. The maids seemed to know this and hadn’t recommended it.

Sen, though pleased, suggested I choose one of the other brooches.

“Wouldn’t it be better to go with one that the young masters selected?”

“I’m using this one.”

“Let’s just let the little one do what she wants. That’s right.”

Surprisingly, Tristan took my side. Lucas also seemed to accept my decision.

Tristan, looking me up and down, adjusted the brooch’s position properly. He offered a brief but sincere compliment.

“…Pretty.”

“Of course. Whose sister is she?”

“Well, brother and I will go now. We’ll see you at the entrance later.”

The two hadn’t even had time to fix their hair because they’d been busy arguing about my accessories. Tristan waved goodbye, grabbing Lucas’s collar as they left the dressing room.

I examined my appearance, completed by the maids’ hard work since morning.

‘I ended up wearing it after all.’

The black lion emblem, symbol of the Grand Duke’s family, was embroidered in gold thread on the back of my dress. The pattern was so stylized that one had to look closely to recognize it as a black lion.

Sen offered me a glass of water as I looked in the mirror.

“Would you like some warm water if you’re nervous?”

“It seems like Sen is the nervous one.”

Sen’s legs were trembling as she leaned against the table. It was impressive that she didn’t fall over while shaking like that.

“You must stay close to the young masters and His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“Yes. I’ll stay with them.”

This ball attendance was definitely not for my sake.

It was an occasion that would give the pro-Emperor faction something to gossip about. In an empire that valued bloodlines, it was obvious what impact the Grand Duke’s adoption would have.

Knowing this, the Grand Duke had prepared those two as a safeguard.

‘As long as those two are by my side, no one would dare to openly insult me.’

It was also good for showing that I was a beloved Grand Princess. But would I really be able to stay with them until the end of the ball?

There would be plenty of nobles wanting to talk to Lucas and Tristan, the Grand Duke’s sons.

‘I’ll have to leave them alone later.’

Since they had come to the capital, they had duties as noble children. I planned to slip away after they had made their presence known to the nobility.

“Liat. Are you ready?”

When the Grand Duke entered the room a moment later, I was stunned.

‘Goodness. Is that human?’

For an instant, time seemed to slow down.

The Grand Duke’s snow-white silver hair was swept back. This revealed his distinctively sharp features that captured one’s attention.

Additionally, wearing a white formal attire that perfectly fit his body, he seemed to be wrapped in light from head to toe. It was truly a remarkable beauty that one couldn’t take their eyes off.

“……”

A brief silence passed as we looked at each other wordlessly.

The Grand Duke then bent his knee to meet my gaze.

“It suits you well.”

“You too, Your Grace.”

“That brooch—I haven’t seen it before?”

“It was a gift.”

“It’s not something dangerous, I hope?”

“No, it’s not.”

The Grand Duke, who was about to stroke my hair, lowered his hand obediently upon seeing the maids’ anxious gazes.

“Your steps take a long time.”

The Grand Duke carried me outside, careful not to damage my dress.

With each of his long strides, the piercing gazes of the imperial servants reached us. When I buried my face in his chest, it felt as though he was shielding me from their stares.

The Grand Duke set me down in front of the carriage heading to the main palace and left.

Inside the carriage sat Heishar, all dressed up. He greeted me as he looked up from his book.

“You look beautiful, Grand Princess.”

“What’s with the mask?”

“There’s nothing better for preventing troublesome situations. Does it look strange?”

“No, it suits you well.”

He was covering his face with a black mask. His golden hair had been dyed a dull gray.

Heishar pushed back his flowing hair and smiled.

“Golden hair attracts attention wherever you go.”

Apart from the imperial family, there were very few families with golden hair passed down through bloodlines. Even then, it was usually closer to light brown.

Besides, Heishar’s blonde hair was almost as bright as Michael’s. Looking at their hair, I could understand why blonde hair was so revered.

“Are you riding with us, Heishar?”

“No. I’ll just stay until the young masters arrive.”

He pointed to the emblem on the carriage wall and continued.

“Only direct members of the Grand Duke’s family can ride in this carriage.”

It seemed the Grand Duke had briefly entrusted me to Heishar. Since the fire in the storehouse, Heishar had gained the Grand Duke’s trust.

Heishar asked for my understanding and turned the pages of his book again. The rustling sound of turning pages somewhat soothed my nervous heart.

I asked him a question that suddenly came to mind.

“Heishar.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you forgive me?”

At those words, he stopped turning the page and looked up.

“Grand Princess. You shouldn’t mention forgiveness so casually.”

That was all the answer he gave me. It seemed my question had touched an invisible sore spot.

Aware of the heavy atmosphere, I quietly looked out the window.

***

Shortly after Heishar left, the two arrived.

“Little one, did you wait long?”

Tristan entered the carriage with his red hair half down. His grinning face looked both mischievous and as radiant as a blooming flower.

Actually, I was most surprised by Lucas with his ponytail.

‘He’s prettier than me.’

Both of them were dressed in red formal attire, probably mindful of my dress color. It might be a difficult color for ordinary people to pull off, but it suited them well.

The audacious Tristan sneered at the Grand Duke, who had come with them.

“Father’s the only one in white.”

“……”

There was no way the Grand Duke would respond to such a petty remark… I rubbed my elbows at the slightly dropped temperature and asked the Grand Duke.

“Your Grace, are you upset?”

“No.”

“I see. Um, Tristan, sit up straight in the carriage.”

At my words, Tristan corrected his posture.

Glancing at the Grand Duke’s expression, I could detect a hint of displeasure. I was doubting the Grand Duke’s maturity when I looked out the window.

Carriages lined up were all heading in one direction.

The Grand Duke alternated his gaze between the three of us sitting side by side.

“When you enter the ballroom, close your eyes and ears.”

“Got it, Your Grace.”

“Tristan and Lucas, stay by Liat’s side.”

“If Father hadn’t made her have her debutante here in the first place…”

“It’s already been decided, Tristan. Follow Father’s instructions.”

Even Lucas, who spoke those words, didn’t look pleased.

The place we were about to go was a world I knew well. A battlefield, unlike the Grand Duke’s meeting room, where balloons and animal ears would welcome us.

When I was Kashian, I had to forcibly attend all sorts of balls as a trophy war hero. A few times, I even deliberately caused chaos.

The more I did that, the more knights of common birth like me suffered.

“I heard the phrase “commoners can’t help it” exactly 134 times.”

“Kashian, we want you to be proud!”

“You are our hero.”

I, who had suffered all my life for being of common birth, was now going to a ball wearing the hat of nobility, just like back then.

‘The difference now is…’

Sitting on either side of me were the two sons of the Grand Duke, the highest nobility in this country. I looked up at the Grand Duke, who had now become my guardian.

I couldn’t believe everything that had happened until this day.

“Your Grace, don’t I have anything to accomplish at the ball?”

“Don’t bow your head except when necessary.”

“Anything else?”

“Don’t eat too much cold food. You might get a stomachache.”

“What’s that?”

Just ordinary nagging.

I couldn’t help but laugh with relief. I had never received such advice before going to any ball.

To think that the Grand Duke, who had said he would use me as a tool for rebellion, would give such nagging.

“Brother! Liat laughed!”

“I know. We need to get the video orb out. Keep making her laugh.”

Tristan, given this important mission, made all sorts of expressions.

Meanwhile, Lucas was busy rummaging through the spatial pocket that Tristan had opened, searching for the video orb.

The Grand Duke reached behind Lucas and immediately pulled out the video orb. Lucas looked dumbfounded, probably not expecting the Grand Duke to step in and help.

“…Father?”

At that sight, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, holding my stomach.

“Haha. Hahaha!”

Tristan, who regained his senses before Lucas, tried to activate the video orb but fell over. As Lucas raised his hand to catch the floating video orb, there was a flash of light.

When the light disappeared, this whole commotion had been captured by the video orb.