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chapter 27
Morr’s expression was colder than the night air. Yet, warmth lingered in the words that followed.
“And although it’s an utterly irrational conclusion, for some reason, I feel like I can trust what Miss Asha says.”
It seemed I had earned a certain level of favor from Morr. Still, it was surprising.
“Such a conclusion is shameful for a mage to make. And yet, Miss Asha has made me think this way, which is… interesting.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“Miss Asha is one of the three people I genuinely find intriguing.”
Was he saying that he was interested in me as a person, not just my magical abilities?
But judging from his behavior until now, it seemed even Morr himself might not know the answer to that question.
“Then, who are the other two who have caught your interest, Morr?”
“They are all people you’ve already met. Beret Judium, my lord, and His Majesty, the Emperor.”
“I am honored that you find me interesting, Morr. Thank you for being sincere with me.”
If anyone else had expressed affection in such a way, I might have scolded them for toying with people.
But Morr’s social nature was… twisted. So I decided to take his words positively.
“Because Miss Asha shows herself so naturally—even showing her bare feet—it seems I act the same way.”
That’s when I realized. We were still suspended in the air, and my white bare feet were fully visible beneath my dress, fluttering in the gentle wind.
I blushed.
“That’s why I impulsively admitted it when you pointed out my pretension.”
Morr smiled. Without his usual playful tone, his laughter felt deeper this time.
“Now, it’s late, so we should head back.”
I nodded, and he added:
“Just so you know, once we return, I’ll resume my previous demeanor. The mask only comes off when I’m alone with you.”
A teleportation circle formed beneath our feet, blinding us with its radiant light.
When I opened my eyes, Morr and I had arrived at the Duke of Benvolio’s estate.
Morr was once again wearing his usual playful expression beside me.
The stark contrast with the side of him I had seen in the slums made it momentarily hard to adjust.
No matter how I looked at it, the personality gap was insane.
“Master, Miss! You’ve finally returned! Was the mission successful?”
Q, still stretched out flat until that moment, rushed over to us.
“Since it’s late, please return safely. Magic lessons will be held regularly every two weeks.”
Morr, as if out of habit, quickly took my hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. This kiss lingered slightly longer than before.
As our eyes met during the kiss, a subtle, indescribable emotion flickered in his gaze.
He remained like that for a while, then closed his eyes, nodded silently, and disappeared.
The spot where he had been glowed briefly before fading away.
Morr could have teleported us directly to the Esperanza Duke’s residence.
Yet, he seemed preoccupied, as if he didn’t even have the leisure for that.
‘Is he mulling over what we discussed in the slums?’
Q and I boarded a carriage waiting at the gates of the Benvolio estate.
On the way back, a feeling lingered in my mind, nagging me. It wasn’t until we were nearly at the Esperanza residence that I realized what it was.
Morr’s usual playful lines, which he habitually directed at me, hadn’t appeared even once since we returned from the desert.
Perhaps his restraint meant that he was treating me with a bit more sincerity.
The next morning, I began by gathering information about the Desdemota family.
More precisely, I was compiling as much information as possible about Klepta Desdemota.
Currently, my only reliable source was the Duke of Esperanza.
So I couldn’t ask him directly about the affairs of another ducal family.
He might misinterpret my intent and immediately consider Klepta my betrothed.
My mission was to receive a heartfelt proposal, not to be forced into a meaningless engagement.
“Father, why is there so little known about the Desdemota family among the four major ducal families of Deuscornu?”
I savored bitter black tea alongside sweet cookies in the study with the Duke.
“They are the wealthiest family in the Deuscornu Empire. Yet, it seems they deliberately hide which business ventures amassed that wealth.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“Isn’t it said that the Desdemotas grew rich from diamond mining?”
“On the surface, yes. But just diamond mining wouldn’t be enough to gather such vast resources. They are a family that hides many things.”
“Truly a family known for valuing practicality over justice. I wonder how His Majesty tolerates one of the empire’s four ducal families behaving this way?”
“I’m not certain how much the Emperor knows, but there must be a reason.”
I sipped my tea again, and the Duke raised his cup along with me. I seized the moment to probe carefully.
“Klepta Desdemota, the only son of the Desdemota family, will inherit all those businesses, right?”
“Presumably.”
Even as he replied, curiosity flickered in his eyes—wondering why I asked about Klepta.
I wasn’t confident enough to dig further, so I drank my tea silently.
Indeed, I had no talent for this kind of investigation.
Even so, the slightly bitter yet smooth taste of the tea was pleasant. The Duke summoned a maid to refill my cup.
“Curious about young nobles your age, are you? It’s about time you start looking for a suitable betrothed yourself.”
As expected, the conversation turned in that direction.
“I’m not thinking about that yet, Father. I want to be engaged to someone who truly loves me.”
That is, someone who would genuinely propose to me.
The Duke chuckled.
“Good. Then all the better. There’s the upcoming Founding Day ball. You’ll have the chance to meet many young ladies and young nobles your age there.”
Looking into his eyes, I could sense pride at how much I had grown.
I had almost forgotten about the annual Founding Day ball. The imperial family opened the palace to the public and held a grand ball.
The ball commemorated the empire’s founding and also served as a debut for young noble ladies and men who turned seventeen that year.
This year, it would be my turn to debut.
“Next week, correct?”
“Yes. Soon you’ll be busy preparing for your social debut. It seems your governess has already started the preparations on your behalf.”
I felt relieved that my governess had begun preparing ahead of time. I sipped the remaining tea while mentally mapping out the schedule ahead.
Suddenly, I realized:
‘Have I grown used to spending time like this with the Duke?’
It no longer felt like I was acting in someone else’s stead. Perhaps, I was genuinely enjoying this time.
Returning to my room, I immediately summoned my governess.
“Miss, you called?”
“I need to go out to prepare for the Founding Day ball. You mentioned having done some prep in advance, right?”
“Yes. I’ve already looked at several dresses that match your taste. Would you like to go see them today?”
By custom, one did not attend a ball before turning seventeen. This would be my first ball.
Young ladies making their debut usually required extensive preparation.
Fortunately, my governess had done prior research to shorten my prep time.
“Let’s get going.”
We rode a carriage to Solbonne Street, the empire’s busiest shopping district.
Inside, my governess asked warmly,
“Miss, you’re excited for the ball, aren’t you?”
“Well… yes.”
I replied reluctantly.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t anticipating my first ball. But more than anticipation, I felt nervous.
Would I be able to establish my position among those who wielded their tongues like blades, hiding their true intentions?
And there was someone I would inevitably encounter at the ball: the Emperor.
Even thinking about meeting that sharp, cruel man again made my heart race uneasily.
While I was lost in thought, the carriage passed by quaint little shops, and I heard the lively chatter of townsfolk.
When the carriage finally stopped, my governess and I began exploring the streets in earnest.
Noble young ladies in fluttering dresses chattered excitedly along the way.
“By the way, that young noble…”
Even from fragments of conversation, I could tell which young men each lady fancied.
It was common to see small groups of nobles gathering to gossip here.
By spending time on this street, one could hear a surprising amount of rumors circulating across the empire.
Hence, it was nicknamed the “Street of Rumors.”
My governess led me to the shop she had scoped out: Driane’s atelier.
Driane was currently the most popular dressmaker among noblewomen, sparking desire wherever she went.
Her fame was matched only by the steep prices of her creations.
As my governess opened the door, the wind chime above the entrance jingled.
“Welcome.”
A man, presumably a shop attendant, greeted us politely.
“From the Duke of Esperanza’s residence, I see. I’d like to personally show Miss the dresses I had in mind.”
Even amidst my governess’s instructions, the short-haired man kept a watchful eye on me.
“It’s an honor that the Princess of Esperanza has come herself. You’re even more beautiful than the rumors.”
His praise was transparent, a sales tactic to boost revenue, before he disappeared to the back of the shop.
We sat on a comfortable sofa prepared for customers, sipping the flower tea that had been arranged for us.
Soon, a young woman with wavy, blush-pink hair styled geometrically arrived, carrying dresses on a portable rack along with other staff.
‘That must be Driane.’
“Blessings of the White Dragon. I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
She gracefully held the hem of a dress and bowed.
“I am the designer, Celevir Driane. It is an honor to present my creations to the Princess of Esperanza.”
Before me unfolded a dazzling array of dresses.
