Chapter 113
While the Ducal estate was in an uproar, Ailee and Daykin were making their entrance into the ballroom.
The rosy hues of sunset had given way to the encroaching twilight.
Ailee was captivated by the magnificent interior of the ballroom. A grand chandelier, ablaze with light, filled the entire ceiling, sparkling ostentatiously.
In that moment, she was a maelstrom of emotions—sadness, guilt, fear, and wonder all swirled within her, leaving no room for rational thought. The only thing she could do was cling tightly to the hand of her husband, her steadfast protector.
It feels like only yesterday I was confined to the gardener’s cottage. Can a life truly change so completely in an instant?
Ailee’s fate felt like a tangled, somber knot.
On the wedding day she had resolved to die, Daykin had appeared as her husband. When she had planned to end her life at the Count’s estate after a month, she found herself not escaping the ducal household, but instead seeing the sea, fields of canola flowers, and going shopping, showered with all sorts of rare and precious things.
She had thought she would never be of any meaningful help to anyone in her entire life, yet now she was able to help… Father.
Beneath the chandelier, Ailee’s gaze fell upon her lover, who shone with a dazzling light. As if sensing her stare, he turned his head and looked at her with tender affection.
I suppose after today, there will be no more twists of fate for me.
And you, so beautiful, will no longer be by my side. Ailee looked up at him with a soft, feathery smile. He smiled back, deliberately guiding her to a less crowded area. His lover, after all, did not relish the stares of others.
When they reached a spot that was suitably sparkling, suitably beautiful, and suitably empty, Daykin bowed gracefully and extended his arm to his beloved.
“Would you grant me the honor of this dance?”
“…Alright.”
Ailee placed her hand in his strong one. The difference in their size was such that her hand was completely enveloped by his, with room to spare. For this moment, and this moment only, she decided to set aside her sorrow. Otherwise, she felt as if her entire being might explode from the grief.
And so they danced, close together, whispering sweet nothings to one another.
“How can you be so beautiful, my lady, even with a speck of grass on your face?”
“…You’re more beautiful. And don’t… talk to me. I think I’m going to step on your foot—ah, I’m sorry.”
“How about you just let me hold you, like last time?”
“No.”
The blissful lovers could not foresee the events that were about to unfold.
They did not know that Minerva, in preparation for Dale’s awakening, had already created a letter board so they could communicate visually. Nor did they know that Dale and Minerva were, at that very moment, communicating, albeit at a glacial pace. And they certainly didn’t know that Dale, despite the immense strain it put on him, was enduring it all for the sake of his only daughter-in-law.
Beyond that, there was another, far more lovely fate rapidly approaching them, a fate of which the two remained completely unaware.
***
Just as Daykin had clicked his tongue and called me weak, my stamina wasn’t the best. It was also difficult to endure the murmurs of the guests who, despite their pretense, kept staring at us, trying to guess our identities.
I hadn’t expected the masks to hide us completely, so I wasn’t particularly surprised. A man of Daykin’s stature, the Grand Duke Blashur, would be impossible not to recognize, no matter how he was disguised. And while they might not know my face, standing next to Daykin, they would have quickly deduced that I was the Grand Duchess.
Fortunately, the whispers were much quieter than they had been in the shopping district, so it wasn’t too bothersome. I could just feel the occasional glance directed my way.
Other than that, everything was wonderful. The ballroom I had imagined from books paled in comparison to the real thing. Though there were whispers about us, the general atmosphere was one of joy and liveliness.
The comfortably warm temperature, the brilliant colors, and the grand music that filled the hall all came together to heighten the excitement of the crowd.
It was a relief that I had learned to control my ability to some extent through Father. It was still leaking, but the range had narrowed considerably. If not for that, my power would have been drained completely, and I would have collapsed from exhaustion.
The second floor was relatively empty. It seemed everyone was on the first floor, dancing with their partners, faces hidden behind masks. I leaned against the railing and looked down. The people clustered together below looked like tiny dolls.
Daykin returned with two glasses of champagne he’d gotten from a passing servant. He offered one to me. A golden liquid shimmered within.
“This is the first time we’ve had a drink together. I’ve wanted to have a drink with you, just the two of us, for a while now. I was afraid if I asked you to have one at night, you’d tell me to stop talking nonsense and run away, so I couldn’t even bring it up.”
For once, Daykin was right. I nodded in approval.
“My lady, since it’s your first time trying it today, how about we go back home and have a nice, quiet drink together—”
“Drinking too much is bad for you.”
“We haven’t even had a single sip yet, have we?”
I ignored him and cautiously examined the champagne. Daykin, who I thought would press the issue of drinking at home, gave up more easily than expected. Instead, he watched me observe the champagne with a low chuckle.
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