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Chapter 96
The Partner at the Ball
I entered the imperial palace with Johann.
The palace I had seen during the first banquet had only been a small part of it.
‘It’s much bigger than I thought.’
Even the detached palace for honored guests—smaller than the main palace—was so grand it felt overwhelming.
‘I suppose that’s the point.’
Most of the imperial guests were people of immense power, nearly on par with the royal family itself.
So the imperial family likely built such splendor to flaunt their authority—reminding everyone not to overstep their bounds.
‘Not that I have any intention of standing against them.’
Queen Isabella of Roium had come as a royal guest of the Empire, and she’d agreed to attend a tea party to meet me. Of course, other nobles from Roium were invited as well.
“Duchess Blanchet, it’s been so long.”
“Yes, I’m glad to see you again.”
The noblewomen from the Kingdom of Roium bowed politely.
“We’ve heard so much about you from Her Majesty, Queen Regent Isabella. You’re every bit as beautiful as we were told.”
“Indeed. You’re absolutely stunning…”
I smiled sweetly and greeted them warmly.
“You flatter me. But I don’t see Diana here?”
“She went in my place to meet other imperial nobles. Before the hunting ball begins, there won’t be many chances to talk with them otherwise.”
It seemed the imperial guests held tea parties to mingle before the festival began.
‘My position’s still awkward since I haven’t officially debuted yet.’
Technically, I shouldn’t attend—but if I wished to, no one would stop me either.
“Your Majesty, should you really be here in person?”
“If I say I’m coming, who could dare to object?”
When I opened my eyes in amusement, the other noblewomen laughed and chimed in.
“Her Majesty is right, Duchess. You needn’t worry about propriety.”
“I’ve known the Queen Regent for years, but this is the first time I’ve seen her so fond of anyone. How curious.”
“Nonsense,” Isabella said with a small shake of her head, then turned toward the maid behind her.
“The Duchess is here, so I brought the gift I mentioned last time.”
The maid placed a package on the table and unfolded it—an ornate tapestry depicting scenes from ancient mythology.
“You said there were more panels—so you found the rest?”
The tapestry was long, the entire myth woven across it.
‘Even the scene where an angel blesses the Holy King to protect the sacred kingdom—it’s all here.’
Isabella nodded.
“Yes. This is the tapestry I once received from the former Duchess Blanchet. Though not in this exact form—the final panel was something I later came across by chance.”
Ancient myths were a favorite subject among artists, but the more intricately they were portrayed, the greater their value.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen one this detailed.’
The painting of the Holy King being blessed by an angel was something I’d never seen before. The noblewomen around us gasped in admiration.
“To think Her Majesty would give away the Sacred Tapestry—that’s her most cherished possession.”
“How envious you are, Duchess Blanchet! Your Majesty, won’t you give me one too?”
“Now, now. Don’t tease. The Duchess might feel burdened.”
I thanked Isabella and studied the tapestry closely.
‘There are trees around the Holy King.’
For some reason, my eyes kept returning to those trees. Then Isabella placed a pair of emerald earrings upon the tapestry.
“The former Duchess once gave me these in return for friendship. The Blanchet family had provided us with supplies, and our friendship grew from there.”
“Why give me such a precious item…?”
“These earrings are dear to me,” Isabella said softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
“They were a gift from the former Duchess—the first to help me after my husband’s death. But for some reason, I feel compelled to give them to you now.”
I stared at the vivid emeralds, lost in thought.
‘Johann’s mother must have been a truly kind woman.’
Both Patricia and Isabella spoke of her with such warmth. Even after all these years, they still missed her deeply.
“Thank you. I’ll treasure them.”
The moment I held the emerald earrings—
Zzzt.
—a faint current ran through my fingertips. Suddenly, strange letters appeared behind the trees woven into the tapestry.
They swirled like mist, and I leaned closer to read them.
‘Isidor…?’
That was the name of the fairy who had once turned into black vines.
‘Why is that fairy’s name here?’
The noblewomen began chatting about society gossip.
“They say many young nobles wish to swear knighthood to Saintess Stella.”
“Some even plan to propose to her! After all, there’s no rule saying a saintess can’t marry.”
But I couldn’t focus at all—I kept staring at that name. The trees around us seemed to murmur, sensing my unease.
—Why would Isidor’s name appear here?
—Something must have happened with that fairy. It feels familiar, but I can’t remember from where…
—We should find out who targeted that fairy. It must be the same ones who cursed you!
—If even the last fairy—you—falls, what will become of us then?
—Don’t say such ominous things, fools! What if you speak it into existence!
I answered them calmly.
—It’s all right. At least we’ve found something to go on.
—Indeed. It’s lucky the former Duchess left something like this behind.
—But… is it really just luck?
Johann’s mother had been interested in ancient studies. For someone like her, owning a mythic tapestry wasn’t strange.
‘Still… it doesn’t feel like a coincidence.’
Then one of the noblewomen addressed me.
“Duchess Blanchet, are you feeling unwell?”
“Oh, not at all. I must’ve lost myself admiring the tapestry.”
It was slightly improper to drift off like that, but Isabella’s close friends seemed more delighted than offended.
“To think you’re so taken with Her Majesty’s gift! How gratifying. Your Majesty, you must be pleased—you scoured the entire United Kingdom to find that final panel, didn’t you?”
“Ahem, quiet now.”
Isabella sipped her tea, deftly changing the subject.
“So, what about Saintess Stella?”
One of the ladies nodded and continued.
“Apparently, Crown Prince Carlos will be her partner at the upcoming hunting ball. And rumor says they’re not just partners—they’re lovers.”
“I heard they were seen strolling together through the imperial gardens, just the two of them.”
“They say the two knew each other long before this.”
I tilted my head.
‘The Saintess and the Crown Prince are that close? Since when?’
Still, their relationship worked in my favor.
‘At least now, she won’t try any tricks with Johann.’
Isabella frowned faintly.
“The Saintess, hmm. We’ll see how well she performs the Purification Ritual this time. I wonder if she’ll make another ‘mistake’ like before.”
“Yes, we’ll have to keep a close watch.”
The noblewomen nodded, remembering how the Saintess had once exposed Mirieu’s false pregnancy.
‘Judging by their tone, it’ll be hard for her to win them over completely now.’
Of course, I shared my own doubts about the Saintess.
‘What exactly is she planning for the ritual?’
✦ ✦ ✦
Meanwhile, Johann was meeting with the retainers of House Blanchet to discuss the recent attack.
“The lack of clues is the biggest problem. No traces of forbidden magic were found.”
“Even Lord Johann couldn’t detect anything.”
The retainers knew well how skilled their master was in magic.
“Perhaps the entire Blanchet family was the real target. Only a handful of people could wield dark magic at that level.”
“There must be a large organization behind it.”
“My lord, how should we proceed with the investigation?”
Johann’s crimson eyes grew cold.
“Keep every possibility open. Focus surveillance on the Empire and the Holy Nation. Double the number of spies we’ve deployed.”
A familiar headache throbbed behind his temples. The retainers noticed and quickly grew silent.
‘Even I’ve never seen a dark magic circle like that.’
After destroying the black magic circle that had relentlessly targeted Estelle, Johann noticed a strange change in his own dark mana.
‘What was that power?’
The circle had contained an unknown force—something beyond comprehension. Johann had collected fragments of it to study, but no matter how he analyzed them, he couldn’t determine their nature.
‘It’s not ordinary magic.’
Then, a voice echoed in his mind.
‘Thank goodness… now I can finally escape, right?’
‘This might not help much, but it’s better than nothing.’
‘That voice again…’
He’d been hearing it ever since he destroyed the circle.
‘It feels connected to my childhood somehow. But whose voice is it?’
After the meeting, Erich, who had stayed behind, cautiously approached.
“My lord, I have something to report regarding the lady’s illness.”
“What is it?”
“It seems there might have been a problem with the Saintess’s previous treatments at the temple.”
Johann’s gaze immediately sharpened.
“What do you mean?”
“When the lady collapsed at the temple, Cardinal Simon, who treated her, reacted strangely. While channeling holy power, he suddenly broke into a cold sweat—as if he’d seen something terrifying. And when the Saintess entered, he looked at her with unease. It seems there’s a secret connecting the lady’s illness and the Saintess’s treatment.”
Erich had planned to contact Cardinal Simon for more information, but the cardinal had secluded himself in the temple and couldn’t be reached. So Erich decided to report first and let Johann decide the next steps.
Johann leaned back in his chair, tapping the armrest with his long finger.
“Erich, the Holy Nation is not an enemy we can touch carelessly.”
“I understand, my lord.”
“Then use all our resources—but move carefully.”
Erich placed a fist over his chest and bowed.
“As you command.”
With Johann’s approval, the investigation would now proceed swiftly.
‘I knew reporting this was the right choice.’
Then Johann called out to him again.
“What do you think, Erich—could the Holy Nation be involved in the attack?”
“The Holy Nation, my lord?”
The question stunned him. The Holy Nation and dark mages were natural enemies—it seemed impossible.
“Do you truly suspect them, my lord?”
“Go.”
Johann didn’t answer. But Erich felt he already had.
‘The culprit… might be the Holy Nation?’
A chill ran down Erich’s spine. The aura emanating from Johann was terrifying.
‘This is… the same as back then.’
The same ruthless presence Johann had shown when he took revenge on House Libertan.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Welcome, Duke Blanchet.”
“There’s no need for an escort.”
Johann strode toward the palace where Estelle was waiting.
‘Estelle…’
He remembered her expression earlier, the way she’d seemed to notice something in the black magic circle.
‘Did she see that while cursed by House Libertan?’
While others thought the attack targeted the Blanchet family, Johann sensed otherwise—Estelle herself had been the true target.
‘Why her?’
The thought alone twisted his gut.
‘Whatever their reason, I won’t let them live.’
Then, from beyond the corridor, came the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Oh my.”
Saintess Stella appeared, dressed in a gown of pure white silk. She smiled softly as she greeted him.
“Hello, Lord Johann. We meet again.”
Johann frowned instantly at the sight of her.
‘What tricks is she playing this time?’
He wanted to wipe that infuriating smile off her face. His crimson eyes gleamed with barely restrained hostility.
‘The Saintess hasn’t yet performed the Purification Ritual the Emperor’s waiting for.’
If anything happened to her now, it would pit Johann directly against the Emperor.
‘I’ve already removed her from imperial favor once.’
The Saintess clasped her hands shyly, her blue eyes glimmering as she spoke.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard yet…”
She fluttered her lashes with a faintly sorrowful look, then composed herself again.
“His Majesty rejected my request for a guardian.”
“Even if he hadn’t, I would have.”
The Saintess’s guardian system was unlike any other.
Because of her sacred status, the Saintess was treated as the highest-ranking lady within her guardian’s household.
If Johann had accepted, he would have been forced to escort Stella at all official events—
—as though she were his partner instead of Estelle.
“The Saintess’s guardianship is… very different from the usual kind.”
“I—I see. I didn’t realize.”
“What on earth were you thinking?”
Johann still worried that Estelle might have been hurt or humiliated because of Stella’s schemes.
“Because of you, my wife was nearly insulted—and almost dragged into trouble.”
At that, Stella’s eyes trembled, tears welling up in them.
“Oh… I didn’t know…”
“You didn’t know?”
“I just thought it would be nice if the Duke—someone I already had a connection with—could be my guardian.”
She gazed up at him with tearful eyes, then forced a delicate smile.
“I must have misunderstood the rules. Forgive me for causing concern.”
Her refined smile looked carefully practiced—meant to preserve her dignity while showing a hint of vulnerability.
But Johann found it absurd.
‘What game is she playing now?’
The Saintess adjusted her posture gracefully and lowered her head slightly. Then, in a soft, trembling voice—
“I… I seem to have shed a tear without realizing.”
“……”
“As a Saintess, I shouldn’t act this way. Yet somehow, I always show you my weakest side.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her pale neck.
“Perhaps it’s because seeing you reminds me of my life before the temple. I was once a lady of a noble house too, you know.”
Drifting closer, she smiled innocently.
“That’s why… I’d like for us to be good friends, Duke.”
Her expression was pure, her voice a gentle whisper meant to sound sincere.
“So, if it’s not too much to ask… would you be my partner at the upcoming hunting ball?”
