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Of course, the Crown Prince entered the Imperial Palace without an invitation. His hair and eye color alone were practically his identification.
As soon as Retina followed the Crown Prince into the banquet hall, she bowed her head in return to those who greeted them. The admiring gazes directed at the Crown Prince turned sour the moment they shifted to her. A young lady who had suddenly appeared and taken her place at the prince’s side—naturally, not everyone looked kindly upon her.
Though no one would openly mock or scorn her because of her noble status, Retina was well aware that gossip would follow behind her back. Still, how could she completely ignore the whispers hidden behind fans?
Retina muttered softly, just loud enough that the Crown Prince wouldn’t hear. But Harold’s gaze flicked down toward her.
“So much for what your brothers said about you being unshakable by gossip. Were the twins mistaken?”
“I may be indifferent to other people’s stares, but I’m still human. Being disliked for no reason doesn’t exactly feel great.”
As he sensed the judgmental looks she was receiving, Harold folded his arm inward. Retina, who had been walking some distance away despite linking arms, suddenly found herself pressed closer to him.
“Will this help you feel better?”
“And whose fault do you think this treatment is? Forget it. I’d rather not make more gossip here.”
Pushing the prince away, Retina widened the gap between them again. She was his ball partner, but she couldn’t appear too intimate. Everyone already knew of the close friendship between her brothers and the Crown Prince; as long as she seemed like his partner merely because of that connection, that was enough.
“I greet His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Harold Luddenheim.”
Whether on their way to the ballroom or once they were inside, every noble who recognized the Crown Prince bowed to him. And each time they stopped, Retina had to stop and curtsey as well—it was exhausting.
At least moving slowly lets me look around the palace interior.
While Harold exchanged brief words with another noble, Retina glanced around. She might have lived in a grand ducal estate, but the Imperial Palace, home of the Emperor, was exceptional starting from its gardens alone.
“Careful.”
Distracted by the scenery, Retina nearly tripped over her dress. If she hadn’t been holding onto Harold’s arm, she would’ve stumbled embarrassingly.
“Thank you.”
“Come to think of it, since you weren’t in the capital during the social season, this must be your first time meeting my mother, right?”
“Yes. I never had a debutante ball, so I never had the opportunity to greet Her Majesty the Empress.”
“So the order’s reversed for you.”
“It seems so.”
Retina answered dryly. She, who hadn’t even had her debut, was now standing at the Crown Prince’s side. Normally, Crystal Moon would have been his partner last year. Was it really fine for things to turn out like this?
She had always thought of being the Crown Prince’s partner as a bothersome, somewhat irritating duty—but now that the Empress was mentioned, her perspective shifted.
“I regret not greeting Her Majesty earlier.”
She hadn’t thought much about skipping her debut before, but now that she was about to meet the Empress, nerves crept in.
A debutante ball was a formal announcement that a young lady had reached marriageable age. Retina, who had no plans to enter the marriage market, had simply never had hers, even at twenty-two.
“I should’ve just gone when I was younger. Then maybe I wouldn’t have been summoned to the capital like this.”
Blending in with the crowd when everyone else did it would have been the safest choice. Just the thought of mingling with girls four years younger gave her a headache.
“Contrary to what you think, Duke Deneuve seems intent on finding you a marriage match this time.”
“My father only called me here so I could greet Her Majesty. If I want to keep receiving support, I have to fulfill at least that basic obligation. Once the debutante ball is over, I’ll return immediately.”
“Duke Deneuve would be so moved to hear that.”
Harold gave a dry, formal remark of sympathy. Retina hadn’t brought it up expecting any real empathy, so she simply looked ahead with him.
By then, they had reached the dais where the Emperor and Empress sat. Recognizing the Crown Prince and Retina, the imperial couple gave them a slight nod of acknowledgment. Retina released his arm and gathered her skirt. As she ascended the stairs, the glass slippers Harold had given her glittered with every step, scattering light from the jewel-dust-covered gown.
“O radiant sun in the sky of Luddenheim, and you who embrace that sun—Your Imperial Majesties, Emperor and Empress. I, Retina Cecilica of House Deneuve, offer you my first greetings.”
Leaving the Crown Prince below, Retina bowed before the imperial couple.
“Hoho, so you’re the Retina I’ve heard so much about. You were unwell as a child and stayed at the duchy, yes?”
“Yes. My health seemed to improve as I grew, but worsened again during my academy studies. I regret not greeting Your Majesties sooner, and I’m honored to meet you now.”
“For someone with a chronic illness, you look quite healthy climbing those stairs in glass slippers. Duke Deneuve must’ve spent quite a sum.”
While the Emperor smiled warmly, the Empress’ expression made her displeasure obvious.
Of course, to her eyes, Retina was a stain on noble society—a bastard child parading through the palace. And seeing that bastard stand next to her son must have been galling.
Isn’t that a bit harsh for someone who’s been sick their whole life? Retina endured the Empress’ blatant scrutiny without losing her smile, though sweat gathered inside her gloves.
“A dirty bloodline doesn’t change. The Duke’s two sons turned out so well, but you… Tsk. The Duke dotes on you so much, yet he didn’t even give you his name. As if advertising your illegitimacy.”
“Empress.”
The Emperor stopped her sharp words. Calling her “dirty blood” was severe, even for a bastard—after all, commoners were still citizens of the Empire.
“My father wished me to take the Deneuve name, but I chose my mother’s surname. I carry the blood of both my parents. No matter which name I bear, I remain their daughter.”
Retina’s calm yet proud reply carried a quiet dignity.
Well, well, look at this one. A glint appeared in the Empress’ eyes. The young lady was clearly trembling, yet she refused to back down—a boldness that rubbed the Empress the wrong way.
Noticing the change, the Emperor stepped between them before his wife could press further.
“Hoho, Duke Deneuve raised a spirited daughter. That’s enough greetings. Go and enjoy the ball.”
“I thank Your Majesty for your generosity. May the light of the sun always shine upon the Empire.”
“And may Luddenheim’s blessing follow you, young lady.”
Freed by the Emperor’s words, Retina curtsied and backed away. She didn’t even remember how she made it down the stairs. At the last step, the tension finally released from her body, and she nearly stumbled—only to be caught by the Crown Prince.
“For someone trembling so much, you spoke quite well.”
“You noticed I was trembling?”
“Only someone sharp-eyed would’ve caught it. But Mother certainly did.”
“I wasted so much energy. Maybe I should’ve just pretended to cry.”
“Compared to other ladies meeting her for the first time, you did well. That fiery tongue of yours in front of the imperial family—who did you inherit that from?”
“Who knows? Neither Father nor Mother were exactly the quiet types.”
Retina, not one to yield even to the Empress, answered curtly as she accepted a glass of champagne from a servant’s tray, still linked with Harold’s arm.
“All right, it seems everyone’s here. Let’s begin the toast.”
With Retina’s greeting over, the Emperor rose with a glass in hand to give his speech. In short, he welcomed everyone back to another social season after a year’s break and told them to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves.
“May Luddenheim’s blessing be with you all.”
“May the light of the sun always shine upon the Empire.”
The nobles raised their glasses high, following the Emperor’s lead, signaling the official start of the imperial ball.
Harold and Retina mingled with approaching nobles, exchanging greetings and brief conversations. Among them were Misha and the young ladies accompanying her. Normally, they wouldn’t have bothered approaching unless to pick a fight, but since Retina was at the Crown Prince’s side, they had no choice.
Misha greeted Retina stiffly, her eyes glued to Retina’s dress—the same design she’d chosen originally, but more elaborately decorated. Retina could already imagine the curses Misha would mutter behind her back later.
“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince, would you dance with me?”
One lady finally gathered the courage to ask him for a dance. Even though partners were predetermined, it was customary to dance a few songs with others for variety.
“I’m sorry, but I haven’t even danced with my partner yet. Perhaps later.”
But of course, the first dance always had to be with one’s partner. If he never danced with his partner, he couldn’t dance with anyone else either.
“Why are you refusing other ladies’ invitations?”
Knowing full well that Harold was intentionally postponing their first dance, Retina glanced at the dejected girl walking away quickly.
“…”
Unable to ignore Harold’s fixed gaze any longer, Retina finally turned her head toward him.
