Episode 47

I looked up and down at Igon, who was dressed as a servant.

Just to be sure, I even removed his mask.

“What on earth are you wearing?!”

It was surprising enough that the princess and Andrea had invited a Duke to a masquerade ball without any regard for decorum, but Igon took it even further.

“But you recognized me quite well, didn’t you?”

I recognized him immediately.

But I couldn’t believe that the war hero, the paragon of all the knights in the country, would disguise himself as a servant.

“With your height and build, how could anyone not recognize you if you stayed close by?”

He had been diligently hovering around me.

He was even the servant who bumped into the princess.

“When you put it like that, it sounds a bit hurtful, my lady. I sought you out with love, but it seems you did not reciprocate.”

He lowered his eyes as if he was hurt.

He mimicked a servant’s manner of speech, but ordinary servants did not have that underlying arrogance like Igon.

“Hmph.”

“No one else recognized me.”

Igon chuckled quietly.

If he had spoken, or if the party attendees had paid attention to his eyes or gestures, they would have recognized him.

However, people intoxicated with alcohol and the party’s atmosphere did not notice, and his perfect imitation of a servant fooled everyone so far.

It was shockingly surprising.

This man, who was normally so bold even in front of the Emperor, had thought to disguise himself as a servant.

I stared at him with my mouth agape in astonishment.

Just then, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

I suddenly remembered the man who had been beaten and was lying there.

“…Should we hide?”

It wouldn’t do for people to see the sprawled-out man and possibly accuse Igon.

The footsteps approaching the stairs grew louder and closer.

Panicked, I moved towards the man, but Igon blocked me.

I looked up at him blankly, not understanding his actions, and he grabbed my arm and opened the door to the terrace.

I followed Igon into the terrace, looking back as I went.

As soon as he opened the door, a breeze brushed against my ear.

The evening wind was quite cool against the lingering heat of summer.

Igon closed the door behind us, and seeing my worried face, he burst into laughter.

“What are you planning to do?”

“People are coming up! What will they do if they see that?”

“You tried to hide evidence, and now that? Not even a person, just that?”

Igon laughed as if he found it amusing.

“What if they find him and search the area, and then accuse you?!”

I was so worried that I stamped my feet, but Igon remained calm.

He shook his head and leaned on the terrace railing.

“That won’t happen. They’ll think he fell and got hurt because of the strong smell of alcohol on his clothes. I only hit him visibly once. They’ll assume it was an injury from the fall.”

So that was why he poured the alcohol?

I had wondered why he wasted such expensive alcohol, but it was all calculated.

Well, who beats someone while considering how it would look to others?

I suddenly realized how frightening Igon truly was.

“But what if that man recognizes you and later reports you? What if he comes to his senses and accuses you…”

“That won’t happen. Even if he does, everyone will think he’s just talking nonsense.”

I still felt uneasy.

Glancing back at the door, Igon’s hand caught my chin.

His gloved white fingers slowly brushed my cheek, then lightly flicked off my mask.

“I don’t mind you worrying about me, but let’s stop talking about other men in front of me.”

“But, Your Grace.”

“Tonight, I’m not Your Grace. I’m your loyal servant.”

His eyes looked up at me sharply, but his lips curved playfully.

If I laughed, I’d lose. I couldn’t laugh.

I raised my hand to cover my mouth, trying to hold down the smile.

A waltz melody floated in on the wind.

It was a song I liked.

Without realizing it, I hummed along or took a few dance steps.

Igon knelt again and extended his hand.

“My lady, would you grant this humble servant the honor of holding your hand, just for tonight?”

‘Humble servant,’ indeed. There was no phrase less fitting for Igon.

I shook my head, watching him with his hand over his heart, looking earnest but not quite.

However, the night was beautiful, and the song was enchanting to refuse.

I placed my hand over his.

His arm wrapped softly around my waist.

Facing his pale blue eyes up close made my heart flutter.

We stood close and took slow steps.

Like that day in the village square.

Although the clothes and location were different, the emotions of that day seemed to vividly resurface.

“Oh my goodness!”

“Good heavens!”

Someone must have discovered what Igon had done, as screams echoed from beyond the terrace door.

As I turned my head towards the noise, Igon’s hand came up and gently held my chin.

Our eyes locked.

“Focus.”

His low voice murmured in my ear, making me smile.

I unknowingly raised my hand, pulled him close, and embraced him.

I heard his quiet laughter by my ear.

“No matter what form you take or where you are, I can always find you.”

He said this with such conviction.

I responded with a soft laugh.

I might have said that I could do the same.

While we were laughing, I thought I smelled cigarette smoke coming from somewhere.

—

Rosalind called me again ten days after the ball.

I went to her shop with a fluttering heart, finding it bustling with customers and busy clerks.

She led me to her office, not the reception room.

She looked more tired than before, possibly due to exhaustion.

“Sit.”

Unlike before when she pretended to be polite and called me “miss,” now she spoke in plain terms.

Well, she was older, and more importantly, she had nothing to lose in our relationship.

“I don’t know if it’s because of causality or the stress you gave me, but I’ve taken three bottles of stomach medicine since you left.”

“What about other than that?”

“…Nothing.”

Oh my goodness!

That was such a relief and a great success.

I raised my hands and cheered.

Rosalind frowned in displeasure and lowered her gaze to the floor.

She seemed to still be fighting with her conscience.

“I originally intended to claim more losses and extort you…”

Rosalind bit her handkerchief in frustration.

“I refrained because I was afraid of suffering another misfortune if I lied.”

Sigh…

She let out a sigh and gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve never been sick in this body before, so it must be causality. Don’t get too happy! Anyway, from now on, I’ll get sick every time I meet you!”

“Still, I’m so glad nothing serious happened to you, Rosalind!”

“Make sure to compensate me well for the pain.”

“Yes, yes!”

The threat of being extorted didn’t seem so daunting.

Compared to death, that was manageable.

“First, you need to study. I can show you the method, but ultimately, it’s up to you to change your destiny. I can’t do it all for you from start to finish. You need to create the outer shell and transfer it yourself. Do you understand?”

I slowly shook my head.

An outer shell? Transfer what?

“Look at me. This shell. I created it to change my fate.”

“…So you didn’t just change your appearance from Rosalind.”

Rosalind nodded.

I had thought it was just a transformation.

But now, hearing her words, it seemed it was something much more complex.

“Yes. This is the shell I made to move my soul from Rosalind.”

I slowly opened my mouth in shock.

Did I hear that correctly?

“To change the destiny tied to your physical body, you must change the body itself.”

With that, she went behind her desk and retrieved something.

A thick, old book that smelled of dust.

When she placed it on the table, the dust rose and scattered in the air.

“Read this. Study it, and we’ll meet again in ten days.”

“Rosalind!”

I had many questions prepared for today.

I couldn’t just leave, so I grabbed the door.

“Go. I’m very busy.”

“But… but… I can’t just leave…”

A surprising tug-of-war ensued between Rosalind, who was trying to close the door, and me, who was trying to keep it open.

“Now go!”

Rosalind shouted.

I shook my head vigorously.

“No. No.”

“Do you have any idea how valuable that book is? I spent 80 years studying, researching, and compiling it! Stop whining! I’m busy!”

When I didn’t let go of the door, Rosalind sighed and released her grip.

She leaned on the railing, resting her head, and glared at me with sharp eyes.

“Hey.”

“…Yes?”

“When do perfumes sell well?”

“What?”

I thought she was going to share some tips on avoiding fate, but she suddenly mentioned perfumes.

Since I didn’t know what she meant, I shook my head.