Masquerade - Chapter 6

Solemn music with a monotonous composition flowed from one side of the banquet hall. Both the conductor standing on the stage and the performers were all wearing masks. The banquet hall was less lively than last week, as if intoxicated by the slow melody. As with any autumn banquet, the excitement tended to cool down after a fortnight.

Elia looked around. Young nobles advocating free love were noisily enjoying the banquet. She had heard that such an open atmosphere had become prevalent among some nobles since the House of Nobles seized power. This masquerade ball was the first time she was seeing it in person, though.

Her large eyes moved carefully behind the mask. She couldn’t afford to miss her target if he was here. Although the possibility was low, considering that he had stopped her at the Academia, it seemed the Prime Minister wasn’t completely indifferent to her.

First, I should head to the balcony–,

Elia hurriedly caught the man who was heading to the balcony before her. She almost didn’t recognize him because he was wearing a black robe with the hood pulled up. Judging by his attire, he looked more like he had come to steal something rather than attend a banquet. Using the arm she had caught as support, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and whispered.

“Hello?”

In fact, she had whispered near his shoulder rather than his ear, but he probably heard it.

Rejun turned around, clearly showing his displeasure. Even though his face was covered with a mask, she could feel him frowning. But when he confirmed Elia’s appearance, he returned to his usual expressionless face.

‘Does that mean having contact with me isn’t unpleasant?’

It was a positive change.

Elia deliberately made her voice sound sly.

“Looks like you still don’t have a partner?”

Looking up at him, Elia slightly leaned her body against the balcony door frame. Click, the slightly open gap closed again. She raised her elbow to rest on the door and wiggled her eyebrows, just like she had seen in some novel.

“Want to dance?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

As expected. A flat refusal. A cold wind blew. Although she had failed in her flirtation, Elia didn’t give up and added.

“You know what? They say everyone’s into free love these days.”

“……”

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s a matter of personal will.”

Rejun reopened the balcony door and politely gestured outside. It meant he really had no intention of dancing. Pouting, Elia had no choice but to walk out onto the balcony and sit at the table. Watching him sit across from her, she probed subtly.

“Are you engaged or something?”

Rejun initially kept his mouth shut as if he wasn’t going to answer, then replied like he had realized something.

“No.”

He probably thought it would be inappropriate to frequent such places if he were engaged. It seemed that Bobbin and Marie’s words weren’t entirely wrong about him being unusually inflexible and upright in today’s world.

Elia had been pondering all week about how to approach Rejun.

First, show the dignified side of the princess and make him follow in admiration. It was the best option, but how could she impress the nation’s Prime Minister when she couldn’t even participate in official occasions yet?

Second, hide her identity and become friends to narrow the psychological distance. Elia glanced at the man who had turned to ice again. He didn’t seem like someone who would ever make friends with a stranger. Moreover, friendship should be based on trust. It wasn’t easy for someone with many secrets to maintain trust.

Third, approach him romantically and naturally start dating–,

“Ugh.”

Although free love was rampant in the world, engagement and marriage were still in the realm of politics. The partner that high-ranking nobles were most wary of was an unidentified person of the opposite sex approaching them. He seemed overflowing with caution, and Elia didn’t want to date him or anything like that either. She wanted a solid relationship like how Nisendel had supported the former king.

It’s really troublesome. Why did Nisendel choose this method… Perhaps Nisendel wasn’t confident in persuading his son either?

“Are you unwell?”

“Huh? What?”

“If you’re alright, then it’s fine.”

He probably asked because Elia had made an undignified sound. She slightly wrinkled her nose.

Strange, so strange. He seemed cold, yet not cold at the same time. Asking if she was sick without even frowning. Of course, anyone could do that, but after hearing so much about him being an iron-blooded Prime Minister, everything felt unexpected. A tiny bit of hope welled up. He might not be a completely insensitive person after all.

“You said you wouldn’t come back, but here you are again?”

“Haven’t you encountered me?”

“When?”

“Last Water Day. Don’t you remember?”

“Well. I’m so busy with public and private affairs.”

“I heard you being called ‘Bree’.”

He must have heard Bobbin’s voice. He probably heard it clearly since she shouted so loudly. Elia just shrugged her shoulders without answering. He would find nothing with that alias, anyway. Knowing she wouldn’t answer easily, he leaned his upper body back a little.

“You must be studying academics.”

“Similar… Should I call it academics?”

It seemed he was certain that the person he saw at the Academia was her. It must be strange. To see someone his father had suddenly told him to meet at a masquerade ball in the Academia, a place that seemed completely unrelated.

Access to the Academia was strictly controlled due to the professors’ research materials and rare ancient books. With his personality, he must have conducted a separate investigation.

If so, it was fortunate that they had encountered each other there. It seemed he had at least become curious because of that chance meeting. Isn’t that considerable progress? Compared to when he acted as if he would never see her again.

“Would you tell me which field?”

“That’s a secret.”

“The purpose…”

“Is your purpose to interrogate me?”

Only then did the questioning stop. No matter how she thought about it, Nisendel surely hadn’t arranged this meeting for his son only to interrogate her. He probably hoped for Elia and Rejun to naturally build a friendship. He must have gone to such troublesome lengths to avoid Crensen’s eyes. Elia stared at the unresponsive person in front of her, hoping her deduction was correct.

But this isn’t going well at all.

“Who would want to answer when you push like that?”

“Didn’t you tell me to find out who you are?”

“I didn’t mean for you to interrogate.”

It’s fortunate he didn’t ask how that was different. It seemed like he had spent his entire life understanding others through interrogation.

“But now you’re curious, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m honored. At first, you said you didn’t need to know my identity or status.”

“It was my mistake.”

“Have you made any progress?”

“No. There’s no one who can enter and leave that place without a record, but there was no record of you.”

He meant he had looked through the Academia’s entry records. Elia recited the excuse she had prepared in advance.

“You don’t know. Attendants are not recorded by name.”

“You might have been attended to, but you don’t seem like someone who would be an attendant.”

It seemed he wasn’t completely off track.

Elia glanced at him sideways. Anyway, she was wearing a thick veil attached to her hat instead of a mask today, so he wouldn’t be able to see her.

“I’m curious about something too.”

“What is it?”

“Why aren’t you bothered that I’m speaking informally to you? You’re even using formal speech consistently.”

“I don’t want to commit a discourtesy.”

Elia laughed out loud at his reasonable answer.

“Ah, you’re looking far ahead? Then I must be committing countless discourtesies.”

Of course, Elia’s way of speaking would never be considered discourteous.

“You’re quite generous in nature.”

“That’s something I’ve never heard before.”

“It seems true though.”

“…This is a masquerade ball, so I might be acting too.”

“Well. That’s why you might be more honest. Why do you think such love games happen here?”

“Is it the same for you?”

Elia hesitated a little before affirming. It was true that being masked made her say things she would never have imagined saying if they had met in their original positions. If she had been facing the Prime Minister as a princess, she would have been extremely nervous. She would have wanted to leave a good impression on him somehow.

“Yes, it seems so. I usually pretend to be very solemn.”

When she waved her hand in the air in a roughly solemn gesture, Rejun chuckled. It was the first time he had laughed since she had seen him. Contrary to his cold impression, his smile was quite gentle. Even that quickly disappeared neatly.

Elia provoked him, trying not to dwell on his lingering smile.

“You’re laughing?”

“I apologize for my rudeness.”

He apologized seriously and neatly, leaving her at a loss for words. Somehow, he had a boring personality that made her want to tease him. Feeling a bit ticklish, Elia narrowed her brows for no reason.

Indeed, the atmosphere seemed to have lightened a bit with his smile.

“How did you visit the Academia without leaving a record?”

“Hmm.”

“The Chancellor is also keeping silent about this, so I must know now.”

The Chancellor kept silent? That piqued her interest. It seemed the Chancellor had noticed or talked with the professors. If so, there must be a clear reason why neither Duke Nisendel nor the Chancellor had told Rejun about the princess first.