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Chapter 30
“Why Elysia…?”
“Why me…?!”
A request from the crown prince to be his partner. Both the Duke and Elysia spoke out in shocked unison.
The messenger caught in between them nervously glanced back and forth, sweat trickling down his face.
“His Highness apologizes for not being able to ask in person due to being busy. He said he assumes you’ll attend together, and a dressmaker will be sent shortly to fit your gown.”
“Wait, that’s how it works…?”
Elysia let out a bewildered laugh.
Without even showing his face, he just suddenly declares he wants her as his partner? She hadn’t even answered, and yet he’s already acting like it’s decided.
The more she heard, the more absurd it seemed.
“Also, the ball is in two days—how is anyone supposed to get a dress fitted in time?”
“Well, asking me won’t help you with that…”
“Elysia!”
Before she could ask anything more of the messenger, the Duke cut her off. His voice sounded even more agitated than before, prompting Elysia to quickly turn to face him.
His expression had turned cold and sharp, all traces of humor gone.
“…Explain what the hell is going on.”
“Pardon? Even if you ask me…!”
“What does he mean by ‘he assumes he’s going with you’? What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know anything about this!”
“You don’t know…?!”
As Elysia shot back sharply, the Duke’s voice rose in volume. He seemed to realize he was getting too worked up, pausing to calm himself before speaking again.
“…You do realize your excuses make absolutely no sense, don’t you?”
He forced his voice to stay steady as he continued.
“I put you under house arrest, and yet you secretly went to the palace. Then, as if something had been promised, His Highness sends a partner request. You practically came running down the stairs, and His Highness acts like it’s already settled.”
“…”
‘No, seriously, how did this happen?!’
Elysia was about to lose her mind. Hearing the sequence of events laid out from the Duke’s mouth made it sound like she and the crown prince had some secret agreement—or even feelings for each other.
‘No way… is he thinking I begged the crown prince to be his partner?’
It definitely seemed that way!
Realizing this, Elysia’s face twisted in frustration.
“Ugh, this is all because of the crown prince! Why did he suddenly ask me to be his partner? Is this revenge? Is he trying to duel me again?”
What if he’s planning to fake being her partner just to launch sword energy at her?
“Damn it. I better master aura before the ball.”
That’s not even the issue right now, LOL.
Wait, does the crown prince actually have feelings for her…?
He’s even sending a dressmaker… Is he a secret tsundere?
The chat was buzzing with excitement over Elysia’s muttering. Seeing it, she let out a deep sigh internally.
“Ugh, feelings? A tsundere? Don’t say scary things like that. You all saw it too. There’s no way that guy’s a tsundere. He pretends to be nice, then starves people and gives zero interest. He’s definitely up to something again.”
Elysia suddenly remembered what Howell had told her before she left her room that morning.
‘You know how tenacious His Highness is! Even if he seems calm now, if you displease him even a little, he’ll use that as an excuse to drag you to the palace!’
“…Sometimes, Howell actually makes sense.”
Maybe… he’d really said that out of concern?
Just as that thought crossed her mind—
Speak of the devil—Howell’s voice rang out.
“See?! I told you! I knew there was something going on!”
Howell came bounding down the stairs. He stepped into the hall, glaring at Elysia.
“I heard everything on the way down. His Highness asked you to be his partner.”
“…Yeah.”
Now both the Duke and Howell stood in the hall, glaring at her. Two people staring her down like interrogators—what a headache-inducing combination.
Elysia drew a hard line.
“Let me repeat myself: I seriously had no idea, and I just heard about the partner request for the first time today.”
“Really?”
“Hmph?”
‘Look at those faces. They don’t believe me at all!’
Elysia sighed internally, seeing how nothing had changed in their angry expressions. She didn’t understand why they were even angry in the first place, and if they weren’t going to believe her, why ask her at all?
And she absolutely couldn’t understand what was going through the crown prince’s mind. What on earth was he planning by choosing her as his partner?
In the midst of the tense standoff between the three of them, the messenger nervously opened his mouth again.
“Uh… excuse me, but I have other places I need to deliver messages to…”
Forcing a smile, the messenger continued.
“How shall I report back to His Highness? Should I say that Lady Sempherion has accepted the offer as well…?”
“That won’t do.”
“What nonsense are you saying?”
The Duke and Howell immediately replied without a second’s hesitation.
The Duke added firmly.
“My daughter is currently under house arrest. She cannot attend the ball.”
“Pardon…?”
The messenger looked flustered, and Howell explained with a serious tone.
“Yes, and in our household, house arrest holds a very special meaning. Balls are included in the restrictions.”
“That’s right. She’s currently serving penance within the family, so naturally, she won’t be attending the event.”
“Wait a moment.”
Elysia cut in amidst the smoothly flowing conversation between Howell and the Duke.
“…You’re deciding this without even asking me?”
“So you’re saying you want to accept the partner request?”
A sharp question shot right back at her.
“No.”
Elysia replied immediately. In fact, this was the one thing she could agree with.
“I have no intention of being His Highness’s partner.”
“Good. Then this decision stands. What’s your issue?”
“But not being allowed to attend at all…”
Elysia bit her lip.
‘Even if I’m under house arrest… this is a problem.’
Normally, she wouldn’t care. She didn’t even know how to dance, so what would she do at a ball?
But this one was different.
‘The temple is going to make a prophecy this time!’
It could be a key clue regarding Prillian’s appearance. She had to hear what the temple had to say.
But the Duke remained firm.
“The only ones attending the ball will be Howell and me. Let that be clear.”
He emphasized this again to Elysia, then turned to the messenger and softened his voice.
“Please be sure to inform His Highness that my daughter, unfortunately, cannot attend as his partner.”
“Y-yes, understood.”
“Wait a minute…!”
“That will be the message.”
Elysia tried to stop the messenger, but the Duke cut her off like a knife. The messenger, eyes darting between the two, flinched at the Duke’s expression and responded hastily.
“Y-yes, then I’ll be off!”
More frightened of the Duke than Elysia, the messenger bowed and quickly backed away. Before Elysia could grab him, he’d already bolted toward the mansion’s door.
“Father, wait…!”
“No objections will be accepted. That’s final.”
Though Elysia raised her voice again, the Duke turned away as if he had no intention of listening anymore.
“Think about it. You’re under house arrest—what did you expect? Or did you just want an excuse to dance with the crown prince that badly?”
Howell’s sarcastic comment followed. He walked past her with a look of disgust. As both the Duke and Howell disappeared as if they had planned this, Elysia murmured in disbelief.
“What… just happened?”
A moment ago, they were all eager to scold her in the hall, but now they’d vanished without even listening?
“And how can they just bar me from attending the ball like that? I want to hear the temple’s prophecy!”
To suddenly be banned from attending the ball—how tragic.
“What is this, a Cinderella story? But Cinderella had a stepmother and stepsisters. What kind of real father blocks his own daughter from going to the ball? It’s not like I’ve ever caused a scene at one before…”
Left alone in the hall, only the chat window continued blinking beside Elysia.
Then again, judging by your -999 reputation, maybe you really did cause a scene.
They’re too embarrassed to take you anywhere now, LOL.
Hahahaha
“Haa…”
Sure, maybe this was all because of the past Elysia’s bad reputation. But she couldn’t let it end like this.
“I can’t let this stand! I have to go no matter what.”
There was no way she could miss a major in-game event! Elysia cast a pitiful look toward the Duke’s room.
“Father… don’t you understand by now? You can’t stop me.”
True, he can’t stop her anyway, LOL.
The Duke’s gonna have a neck sprain from all this stress, LOL.
She’s going to run away again, huh? LOL.
“Exactly. I’ll be back with another story about sneaking into the ball despite being grounded.”
Elysia grinned mischievously. With an enthusiastic, cheerful voice, she declared:
“You all know the Cinderella story, right? If there’s no carriage—I’ll just run! I’ve got strong legs! I can make it all the way to the palace!”
LMAOOO what a maniac I don’t think Cinderella sprinted to the palace tho…
LOL imagine her running full-speed to the palace omg
Wait, how will you get in without an invitation??
“Ah, about that.”
As if she had been waiting for this moment, Elysia shouted excitedly:
“I’ve got a brilliant idea!”
