Chapter 28

The Woman with Platinum Hair

 

Having filled all the important dance cards for her debutante ball, Retina danced happily with Illiyan. With her heart at ease, even the complicated steps flowed smoothly. The last two dances of the ball were special, where everyone joined in a lively dance. Couples formed circles and danced together, changing partners clockwise, creating a delightful atmosphere. Perhaps because the worries that had plagued her throughout the ball were finally resolved, or simply due to the energetic music, Retina felt happier than ever.

‘Ah, what a mood.’

Retina, who had decided to enjoy the ball for once, held hands with Illiyan, swaying left and right before spinning around and moving to her next partner. With two claps and a cheerful smile, she greeted her new partner.

“You look like you’re in a good mood.”

Herald, who had embraced Retina’s waist, gently pinched her fingers as they danced together. Upon seeing Herald standing right in front of her, Retina couldn’t help but cough lightly.

“Cough, cough, well, I have met the requirements as a lady.”

“Is it really that satisfying to have barely filled the list?”

Although surprised, Retina felt a sense of pride for having filled her dance card with five partners. However, Herald’s next words made her raise her eyebrows.

“Are you pretending to dislike marriage by this point, or is it just that you can’t do it?”

Herald’s words dampened Retina’s mood, which had been cheerful just moments ago. Sometimes, the Crown Prince had a knack for saying things that could instantly affect someone’s mood, as if he had an infinite ability to do so.

“If not me, who could handle you?”

Holding hands, they took a step back before moving closer again, and Herald whispered into Retina’s ear. As he drew near, he felt a refreshing scent that seemed to release the tension in his chest. The closer Herald was to her, the more he was convinced that she was the woman he had been looking for, and he revealed his feelings.

“Yes? Am I such a problem child that you can’t handle?”

However, amidst the noisy surroundings filled with music and people’s voices, Retina didn’t hear the exact words and asked again, her brows furrowing.

“What are you saying like that? Are you saying I’m such a troublesome woman?”

Despite Retina’s irritated tone, Herald attempted to explain but missed the opportunity due to a partner change. Retina shot him an annoyed look, thinking that the Crown Prince himself was the problem child.

“I guess you could interpret it that way, but that’s not what I meant…”

Herald’s attempt to clarify was interrupted by a partner change. Seeing Retina walk out with Illiyan, Herald withdrew his extended hand.

Once again with a new partner, Herald danced formally, looking indifferent as he moved his arms and legs mechanically. His new partner, Young Lady, who only knew his face and name, couldn’t even lift her head due to embarrassment.

“How could I have been so blind not to notice this strong feeling all along?”

After being with Retina and then facing another woman, Herald was now certain. He realized that all his interactions with others felt numb in comparison.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

Herald’s gaze shifted back to Retina. He couldn’t help but wonder why she was so engaged in constant conversation with Illiyan, while most people just laughed and chatted superficially with others. He couldn’t fathom why he couldn’t avoid her, considering himself no different from them.

‘Are you interested in looks, status, or ability? If you think about it, I guess I’m better at it than Norden or Illiyan, right?’

When I thought about it, I thought it was a shame. She stayed with me all night and then ran away, leaving me alone in bed. Even when we first met, she sneaked away to avoid me. Still, Norden, a prince from a foreign country, would not be afraid to enter an empty mansion. Have you promised to have your first dance at the Debutante Ball?

‘Well, it’s my first time too.’

As soon as the ball began, Herald noticed Norden approaching Retina and couldn’t help but frown. He avoided her from the beginning to the end, while Norden mingled with her effortlessly. She was truly an enigmatic woman.

‘I have my suspicions, but not enough evidence.’

How would he get a clear answer from a woman who pretended not to recognize him even though they had clearly met before? He needed to carefully weave a net to keep her from escaping.

As he contemplated, as soon as the song ended, Retina left Illiyan without any hesitation. Even though she would become the star of the Debutante Ball once she filled her dance card with five partners, she didn’t feel obligated to stay in the ballroom. Most of the debutantes stayed until the end of the event.

Herald was about to follow Retina, lifting his foot from the ground. There were many debutantes waiting for him, but his attention was solely on Retina.

“Um, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

At that moment, a debutante suddenly popped up in front of Herald, blocking his path. She had been dancing with the men listed on her dance card throughout the ball, and she chose this moment to address the Crown Prince directly.

“If it’s not urgent, could you please step aside? Right now, I don’t have time to chat with you.”

However, Herald, who was focused solely on Retina and hadn’t even glanced at the debutante, coldly rejected her. He was determined to follow Retina and didn’t want to miss her.

“Your Highness, the woman you’ve been looking for…!”

The debutante, who seemed to want to say something, grabbed Herald urgently and shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear, causing Herald, who had already taken a few steps forward, to stop in his tracks.

“That woman is me.”

The debutante, with long platinum hair, neatly clasped her hands together, blushing shyly. She took a few hesitant steps backward to avoid Herald, then cautiously looked up to gauge his reaction.

“Marie Zenferno. What are you saying?”

“The woman you’ve been looking for, the one from the Penelty Ga…”

Herald chuckled at the antics of the newly-debuted young woman. Regardless of whether he had any memory of her, was she really trying to imitate him and search for herself? Her actions were not even remotely amusing.

Apart from the hair color that I had vaguely remembered and pointed out, there was no resemblance between her and Retina. And even that hair color turned out to be a mistake. Even if he had no idea who the woman was, he should have known that she wasn’t Illiyan’s younger sister.

“Stop this nonsense… No.”

Just as Herald was considering how to deal with the audacious lies of the debutante, he happened to meet Retina’s gaze, who hadn’t left the ballroom yet.

Raising a few strands of her hair that had fallen down and sighing deeply, Herald couldn’t help but smirk.

“It seems like we should discuss this matter in a quieter place.”

* * *

“The woman you’ve been looking for…!”

After the music ended, in the momentarily quiet ballroom, the voice of a young debutante echoed. The bustling footsteps returning to their seats, the chatter, the clinking of glasses, and the minor noises all disappeared in an instant as silence filled the room.

Retina, who had just finished her last dance with Illiyan and was on her way back to the mansion, also stopped in her tracks and stared at them. The young lady’s face looked familiar, and Retina furrowed her brow, trying to recall her memory.

“That woman is me. The one you’ve been looking for from Penelop Ga…”

The young debutante hesitated in her speech, her voice shyly trailing off. All eyes were now focused on the two of them. It was truly an astonishing turn of events. The woman with platinum hair, whom the Crown Prince had been searching for for nearly a month, turned out to be a debutante who hadn’t even attended her debut ball.

“Can I handle this blatant lie?”

Knowing better than anyone that the debutante’s words were false, Retina quietly observed the situation as if it were someone else’s business. Ironically, the impression of the lady described by the Crown Prince matched the debutante even more closely. The debutante, unaware that her lie had been exposed, eagerly awaited the Crown Prince’s reaction.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

While there was concern about when the lie would be revealed, if it meant stopping the Crown Prince from continuing his fruitless search for the mysterious woman, it was a good thing. No longer having to avoid the Crown Prince for no reason would be a relief for Retina.

“Don’t engage in such nonsensical acts… No.”

After silently observing the debutante for a while, the Crown Prince, who seemed lost in thought, sighed and swept his hand through his hair. He then looked around as if searching for someone and hesitated for a moment, but his gaze finally settled on Retina.

“Why, why is he looking at me?”

Meeting Herald’s eyes, Retina slightly shivered and took a step back. Why is he staring at me so anxiously? The feeling that he had smiled at her while looking at her turned out to be a misconception, but the gaze that had stuck to her like a thorn shifted towards Illiyan. The Crown Prince seemed concerned about the attention he was receiving from those around him, and soon he left the ballroom with the debutante.

Having been to the Crown Prince’s palace once before, Retina clenched her fists and watched their retreating figures. His considerate behavior felt unfamiliar, but in front of the debutante he had been searching for so desperately, he seemed like a different person.

“I thought not having to avoid the Crown Prince anymore would be a relief, but it’s not as easy as I thought. It’s like my stomach is tied up in knots for no reason.”

Retina turned her back in the direction where they had disappeared. She felt like she should express her gratitude to Illiyan for helping her, but unlike Retina, who had no emotional attachment to the situation, Illiyan couldn’t take his eyes off the spot where the two had been.

“The person the Crown Prince was looking for…”

Illiyan’s gaze remained fixed there, as if he had lost the whole world.