A few days later, Florian appeared at the evening ball. He had been brought as a guest by the nobleman who had escorted him from his estate to this place.

Everyone except Bella, who had known this would happen, looked surprised. Among all the attendees at this ball, Florian was the only one who wasn’t a noble.

Even Bella, who was a noble, wouldn’t have been able to attend without the Princess’s permission, yet here was a commoner.

People around whispered while glancing at him, but Florian didn’t seem particularly intimidated. Well, as a famous minstrel, this probably wasn’t his first time standing before high-ranking nobles.

Bella observed him from a distance.

‘He seems better today.’

He didn’t appear to be ill today. His complexion looked somewhat improved compared to when they had met in the garden.

But one could never be sure. He had seemed fine then too, before suddenly starting to cough.

How shocked she had been to see him actually ill, after only seeing a standing illustration with poor complexion and a few lines of text saying “cough, cough” in the game. If he had to cough so painfully all the time, wouldn’t his lifespan be drastically shortened?

Bella looked at Florian with a sympathetic expression. She could almost see the illustration from the mid-to-late game event where he collapsed, coughing blood with a pale face.

‘I hope he can get the medicine for treatment even if Natalie doesn’t take Florian’s route.’

In the game, one had to send someone beyond the empire’s borders just to barely find clues about the treatment medicine. But Bella, having played the game, knew where to obtain the medicine.

Providing him with the medicine would be like stealing the female protagonist’s role, which felt a bit wrong, but surely giving him important hints would be acceptable? It seemed too cruel that he couldn’t be cured if he wasn’t chosen by the female lead.

‘Really. I can’t believe I’m having these thoughts over a mere dream.’

Just as Bella gave a bitter smile, someone blocked Florian’s path.

“How dare a mere jester attend such an occasion? Do you know what kind of gathering this is?”

“Jester? He is a minstrel. And I invited him.”

The nobleman who had brought him to the party retorted angrily.

“Bringing a commoner to a ball, how undignified. Are you trying to insult the Imperial Family?”

‘Ah, it’s this event’s turn.’

Bella quickly looked around. A large silhouette suddenly appeared among the people surrounding Florian. As expected, Blake had made his entrance.

“If being of common birth is the problem, then I shouldn’t be here either.”

As he spoke loudly, the attention of the entire ballroom immediately turned to him. The person who had been childishly picking a fight looked flustered.

“N-no, Lord Rowell. How can you compare a hero personally decorated by His Majesty the Emperor with some vagabond jester?”

“I was under the impression that this gentleman was someone special whom Her Highness the Princess willingly asked for his name and requested to stay until the end of summer.”

“That is…! Every gentleman gathered here is a candidate to be the Princess’s fiancé! I was merely concerned that this fellow might be harboring unrealistic dreams…”

“I see. You’re afraid that Her Highness might be stolen by a commoner of unknown origin.”

Blake looked down at his flushed opponent with a relaxed smile on his face.

“With such a petty mindset, I think it will be difficult for you to be chosen by Her Highness.”

“…Mind your words.”

“I haven’t said anything incorrect.”

Florian, standing a step away from them, was quietly observing the scene where voices had been raised because of him.

He was scheduled to later privately thank Blake for his chivalry, with dialogue about how commoners should help each other. Of course, the Princess would coincidentally witness this scene, and depending on which of the two she followed and spoke to, the story would branch.

‘When I played the game, I thought Blake was helping Florian, but seeing it like this, it also feels like Blake is making things bigger.’

As Bella was watching with interest, Leon’s amused voice was heard from not far away.

“If Her Highness permits it, what does it matter? Whether she sees him as a light entertainment or a serious prospect, it’s all up to her.”

Had Leon said such lines before? Does Florian’s status not matter much to him, the highest-ranking man present?

Well, this confidence is very much like Leon.

Blake responded to Leon’s words.

“That is correct. Instead of wasting time on this unproductive argument, why don’t you focus on finding ways to better appeal your own charms? You seem to need a lot of effort.”

“Blake Rowell!”

‘Wait a minute. All three of them are here. Then the other one…’

Originally in this scene, neither Leon nor Everitt was even mentioned. In the game, one couldn’t see what the system didn’t show, but here it was different. Bella could move around and see for herself.

She stepped back and looked around. She could find Everitt quickly. With his tall stature and the cold aura he emitted, he couldn’t be missed.

Everitt was watching the commotion from a distance with his arms crossed and a stern expression. He neither took Florian’s side nor interfered to hinder him.

‘He may be just standing there with his mouth shut, but with that personality, he probably disapproves of Florian.’

In Florian’s true ending, when he and the Princess fell in love and secretly tried to escape together, it was Everitt who came running at the end.

Unable to believe that his beloved cousin was abandoning everything to leave, he blocked their path, only to eventually kneel before their true love and let them go.

‘Come to think of it, that was totally the kind of role a second male lead would play. People who picked Everitt must have been annoyed. Well, Everitt has his own true ending too.’

Just then, Everitt turned his gaze. His indifferent red eyes immediately met Bella’s. She quickly turned her head away as soon as their eyes met.

“What’s all this commotion about?”

Natalie had somehow approached her side. She had been dancing until a moment ago, but it seemed she had finished her dance as the music changed and came this way.

“Your Highness.”

“Oh, no, Bella. I think I understand without an explanation.”

Natalie smiled gently as she observed Florian standing with downcast eyes, Blake positioned as if blocking his path, and an extra whose name she couldn’t even remember, all standing in confrontation.

“What does it matter? The more people at a party, the merrier.”

Then she whispered softly into Bella’s ear.

“Wouldn’t it be pleasant for both eyes and ears to have such a beautiful man chirping like a nightingale?”

“…Pardon?”

Bella turned to Natalie with slight surprise. For a moment, she felt that this wasn’t something the Princess she knew would say.

“The way to handle this situation is obvious.”

Natalie gave Bella a radiant smile, then elegantly raised her head and walked into the center of the commotion.

“Your Highness…!”

All the men placed one hand on their chests and slightly bowed their heads in respect. Natalie quickly scanned them before speaking.

“Florian.”

Florian, surprised at hearing his name, raised his head. The expression of the man who had been picking on Florian’s status crumpled at the fact that the Princess had acknowledged Florian first. Regardless, Natalie extended the back of her hand toward Florian.

“Y-Your Highness.”

Florian knelt on one knee with reverence and kissed the back of her hand.

“You do know how to waltz, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent.”