Retina folded the letter she received from the Crown Prince in half. At the end of the long wait, the letter began with an apology. Brother Sat had placed the letter on the desk, and due to the pile of documents on top, she only now discovered the letter underneath. Upon reading that sentence, the worries she had endured alone for so long washed away, leaving a sense of relief. It wasn’t intentional neglect; she realized he hadn’t been deliberately avoiding reading it.
Until just before leaving the mansion, he repeatedly expressed his desire to see her, stating that he didn’t expect the separation to be this long. Despite the intense mutual feelings, the reality was such that they couldn’t openly exchange letters, and occasionally, she had to rely on Sat to deliver her messages.
After reading the Crown Prince’s letter, Retina promptly retrieved paper to write a reply. She conveyed that she had received his letter well, mentioned her anticipation for a reply during the wait, and expressed how much she missed him. She deliberately omitted stories about the competition for the position of the Crown Princess or encounters with Haint. She decided to share those details once she had sorted out her feelings, but when it came time to write them down, her pen wouldn’t move.
‘Let’s talk in detail when we meet,’ she wrote instead. As a final note, she inquired about what he had been doing lately, finding the everyday details more interesting than potentially headache-inducing discussions.
Although she had casually mentioned to her brothers that he only worked every other day, the Crown Prince’s letter detailed information about what kind of tea he drank, Haint’s excuses and antics, and the discovery of a talented individual, among other daily occurrences.
‘Even the Crown Prince probably doesn’t want to worry me.’ Despite the slightly different content from what she knew of his current situation, she enjoyed hearing about his daily life. Finally, she sealed the letter with wax, embedding dried flower petals.
“Miss, your friends will be here in almost an hour. Shall I help you with your preparations?” Lena, entering at the right moment, asked Already? Checking the desk clock, Retina’s surprised expression revealed that there was barely an hour left until the appointed time, as writing the letter had consumed more time than she realized.
“Yeah, I need to get ready quickly.”
Upon Retina’s consent, Lena entered, carrying items behind her back with a suspicious gait.
“Ta-da! I bought a new wig, especially for the masquerade ball!”
Approaching Retina, Lena suddenly presented the wig to her. Retina looked at Lena’s bright blond wig with a radiant smile.
“You must have been bored using the brown wig all the time. On a day like today, you need a change to lift your spirits!.”
Unlike Retina, who didn’t care much about which wig to wear as it wasn’t her real hair, Lena was sensitive to even small details, considering them essential to beautifying Retina.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, of course. Miss, your bright hair suits you well. You’ve always been using a dark brown wig, so I thought it was about time for a change, especially on a day like today.”
Lena, who had been eagerly waiting for this day, intentionally brought a wig that matched Retina’s hair color and brightness.
“Have you chosen a dress? What about the mask?”
“I’ll wear a white off-shoulder dress with a sheer outer layer that reveals the inside. The outer layer will be light blue. For the mask, I’ve decided on a white lace mask to match the dress.”
“A lace mask? Then, instead of tying your hair up, it might be better to half-tie it or just give it some waves.”
Listening to Retina’s explanation, Lena, who had been brainstorming ideas, eagerly moved her hands. Retina twisted her hair, which usually extended to her chest. Wearing a bright wig instead of the usual dark brown one felt awkward.
“Everything’s ready, Miss.”
With closed eyes, Retina, entrusting her face to Lena, slowly raised her eyelids. In the mirror, a woman with blond hair, as if transformed into someone else, sat.
‘I wonder if anyone will recognize me.’
The masquerade ball was a party where one could enjoy themselves without revealing their identity or face, so it aimed for a more extravagant and daring style than usual, without distinguishing between men and women. Although it would be good if she looked like a different person, at least one person should recognize her.
‘He might not come. He might be too busy to see the letter today.’
Touching the letter envelope, Retina thought about the hint Brother Sat gave about visiting the mansion briefly. She erased the growing anticipation, as she had subtly written that she was going to the masquerade ball with her sisters today. Although there was a worry that he might not have time to read the letter today, she decided not to expect too much.
‘He might be able to see the letter after today.’
Placing the letter on the entrance console for Brother Sat’s convenience, Retina hurriedly left the mansion to meet the appointment time.
* * *
“I can finally go to the masquerade ball. I’m so nervous!!”
“Is the masquerade ball really different from other parties?”
“It’s a ball that even the journalists from the gossip magazines can’t touch. It’s a day when the nobles, who usually restrain themselves due to dignity, can enjoy without any constraints.”
“Are there many interesting events happening then? We’ll get to see everything today, won’t we?”
As the masquerade ball was a secret place where adults pursued their hobbies with anonymity, one had to undergo an adult ceremony to enter. While there were masquerade balls exclusive to the upper class with invitations, most allowed entry for commoners as long as they met the age requirement, making the masquerade ball a gathering place for lovers to share secret meetings.
“Wow, the dresses are even more splendid than I heard.”
“We look too much like young ladies.”
“No, we’re competing with cuteness!”
Bacillus shook the long, fur ball resembling a cat’s tail attached to his lower back. Wearing a pink fur mask inspired by a cute Persian cat, Bacillus wore a voluminous dress that reached her knees, along with white tights, giving off a ballet dancer-like vibe.
“When will I get to wear such clothes at a party! Hehe.” Bacillus, tearing her mouth open on both sides, laughed innocently, making Clara turn her head quietly, perhaps feeling embarrassed. However, the excitement for the first masquerade ball was mutual, and they didn’t hesitate to follow the guiding hand towards the center of the grand hall.
They traversed the main hall, which was as dazzlingly decorated as the royal banquet hall. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, seeming to pour down gem bundles from the sky. The reflection of the chandeliers, along with the twinkling lights, adorned the ceiling and walls with gold leaf patterns.
“Where could Herald be…?”
Retina, feeling overwhelmed by the flirtations of men, wandered around, making the ceiling and walls sparkle.
“Hey, beautiful lady over there? It seems like fairy footprints are left in the place where you pass. Can I take a closer look?”
“To your eyes.”
As she leaned awkwardly against a pillar or passed by the staircase railing, whistling sounds echoed from various places. Today, as everyone gathered to enjoy the festivities while concealing their faces, the atmosphere was filled with strange fluttering.
“Where could Herald be…?” Retina, feeling uncomfortable with the flirtations of men, wandered around looking for Herald.
It was a party they came to enjoy just before their engagement, but the young ladies with fiancés had left to find their partners. Even without meeting others, she could freely engage in affectionate gestures that she couldn’t do well in public because of the gaze of others.
As the young ladies who were together gradually dispersed, leaving Retina alone, she ascended to the quiet second floor of the banquet hall. On the second floor, couples were seated on the stairs, taking a break here and there. Ignoring the advances of men towards her, Retina passed by. The only reason she responded to the invitation to the masquerade ball with the young ladies was one thing.
‘…Looks like he didn’t come.’
Retina, leaning against the railing on the second floor and thoroughly scanning the first floor with anticipation, wore a disappointed expression. Even though she tried not to expect it, she couldn’t help but continue looking for him, thinking that if it wasn’t here, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet him.
When Retina, giving up on finding the Crown Prince, turned to go downstairs, someone grabbed her wrist abruptly and pulled her.
