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(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 1/4 🎉)

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Wasn’t a masquerade ball supposed to be about enjoying oneself while hiding one’s identity?

Partners?

This was the first I’d heard of it.

“There are partners at masquerade balls?”

When I asked in bewilderment, Henry nodded.

“Ah, you might not know since it’s your first time. It’s an unspoken rule.”

Well, I had little connection to social circles. In fact, that was just how Ariella’s character was.

Having lost her mother early and with Viscount Hayworth often away on business.

There wasn’t even a chaperone, but that was because it wasn’t necessary.

Usually, the main purpose of social events was marriage between high nobles.

In Ariella’s case, she was betrothed to Henry before her social debut. So there hadn’t been much reason to attend social events before.

“Think of it as a kind of safety measure. Having a predetermined partner can prevent potential incidents.”

“You mean like romantic scandals?”

“Yes. Getting involved in such things would damage pre-arranged engagements. High nobles don’t like that very much.”

“I suppose they wouldn’t.”

“First, you know your partner’s mask and share the first dance. After that, you can even monitor what each other does.”

True. Even with masks on, knowing your fiancé’s identity would make it difficult to act recklessly.

“Are you asking me to monitor Your Highness?”

When I narrowed my eyes and asked, Henry burst out laughing.

“Would you do it if I asked?”

“No. Too troublesome.”

I rejected him flatly while flashing a bright smile.

“After being engaged for years, that’s rather cold.”

“We’re strangers now. I’m not very interested in others. Sorry.”

“Tch.”

Seeing that his half-hearted joke didn’t work, Henry grumbled playfully.

“Your Highness will be busy that day, yet you’re trying to give me such a tiresome task.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re quite popular. You should be busy getting entangled with other young ladies and causing scandals.”

“Is that so.”

Henry didn’t deny it.

Whether by choice or circumstance.

Whether personally or officially.

Wouldn’t it be better not to be tied down since there were many young ladies he needed to be friendly with?

I didn’t particularly want to be tied down either.

“Unfortunately, I have no such plans.”

“Why not?”

“My life goals have changed recently.”

“The young ladies would be disappointed to hear that.”

“Let them be.”

He raised his eyebrows and met my gaze.

“I only have one task that day.”

“What is it?”

“To anxiously watch over Nuna like a rain-soaked puppy.”

“Stop joking around.”

I shot back at Henry.

‘Such nonsense.’

In any case, Henry seemed to not want me getting involved in unnecessary dangers.

“I’m not joking. Don’t you remember?”

“What?”

“It was the same at the Imperial ball.”

He stuck out his tongue slightly and smiled broadly.

‘No, why bring that up now of all times?’

I wondered what Henry’s true purpose was in proposing to be partners.

Though he seemed honest, perhaps because as a royal he was used to hiding his true intentions, it was difficult to grasp his motives.

If I stayed quiet, he would just keep making confusing statements like this.

I carefully considered Henry’s intentions.

‘Since it’s a masquerade ball, the purpose probably isn’t to show our relationship to many people.’

If that’s the case, there was one thing I could guess.

“Since this is Duchess Arwen’s first event, you want to make an impression on her, right?”

“That’s right. My aunt is very interested in her nephew’s love life. She even sent me a letter of consolation when you broke off our engagement.”

“I see. You must be quite close with your aunt.”

“Yes. She adores me.”

Well, I could understand why. Henry was an affectionate and charming type.

I slowly nodded.

“I understand. So ultimately, you want to create the most influential witness in social circles for our fake relationship.”

“Right. Even His Majesty can’t ignore my aunt’s words.”

True. Having one accurate witness would be better than many unreliable ones.

A single powerful person’s testimony carries more weight than rumors spread by ten people.

‘Right. If I can’t avoid going anyway, might as well make proper use of the opportunity.’

I decided to cooperate with him willingly.

“Alright. I’ll be your partner.”

“Thank you for accepting my proposal.”

“So what mask will you wear?”

“Well, I haven’t decided yet.”

“Weren’t you supposed to tell me in advance?”

What was he plotting? Asking to be partners without any plan. I asked back, dumbfounded.

“I’ll escort you from Hayworth early that day. We can confirm then.”

“…Escort?”

“Yes.”

When I opened my eyes wide, he met my gaze while fixing my hairpin.

“We’re partners after all. I should come pick you up in the imperial carriage to make sure no one steals you away.”

It was a natural skinship befitting a playboy. Startled, I turned to look at Leon.

Sure enough, there was Leon, squeezing a rose bloom in his fist with bulging eyes.

‘…Where’s Oscar?’

Just as I wondered, a cute voice spoke up beside us.

“Uncle Prince.”

He had somehow run over and was looking up with empty eyes.

“What is it? Little one?”

“Not little one, Oscar.”

Oh no. Oscar hated being treated like a baby.

Today too, they seemed to start off on the wrong foot.

“And I’m not uncle, I’m Henry.”

Henry didn’t seem to like being called uncle either.

“Uncle, present.”

Oscar held out the bouquet with a look that said ‘what are you going to do about it?’

“Is this for me?”

“Yes.”

“How pretty. Thank you- Ah!”

Henry’s face suddenly contorted as he took the rose bouquet. He must have been pricked by a thorn.

“Are you hurt?”

“Just a prick. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You’re bleeding. Is there a thorn stuck?”

“I think it just grazed me.”

Oscar, who had been quiet, asked in surprise.

“Oh no. Uncle, are you hurt?”

When our eyes met then, I felt a strange sense of dissonance.

There was a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

‘That looks like an expression of accomplishment.’

It felt very unsettling. I even started to feel suspicious.

He had definitely given me roses with the thorns removed before. It was strange that he left the thorns on a gift.

‘Could it have been intentional?’

As if noticing the flames of suspicion spreading in my mind.

“Oscar is sorry. Uncle.”

Oscar’s face transformed back to an innocent, childlike expression as if nothing had occurred. He even began sniffling helplessly, playing up his confusion.

‘Right. He’s still young, maybe I was being too sensitive.’

I decided not to dig deeper and just handle the situation for now.

“Your Highness, it seems the child made a mistake. Let me treat it.”

“It’s really fine. It was a gift after all.”

Henry gently patted Oscar’s head while reassuring me.

“Still, it could get infected. I think we should put medicine on it…”

Since a royal was injured, we needed to at least provide first aid.

Henry probably wouldn’t make a big deal out of a child’s actions. But by principle, causing injury to a royal’s body was no light offense.

“Let’s wrap this for now. Let’s go inside together.”

I hurriedly took out a clean handkerchief and wrapped it around.

“Ari. Oscar’s legs hurt.”

Oscar whined, clinging to my waist.

“Carry me. Please?”

Perhaps he thought he was losing attention? Oscar was being particularly needy today.

***

The day of the masquerade ball had finally dawned.

After a long while, I was wearing an elegant dress again, letting the maids attend to me.

“I just have a bad feeling about this.”

“Are you going to keep saying such unlucky things?”

“No, but really. Why won’t they let me come?”

Leon kept pacing back and forth anxiously, muttering to himself.

“It’s not that you can’t come, it’s just that since His Highness is escorting me as my partner, there’s no need for you to go.”

“Escort, you say. Do you really trust that guy?”

“What can I do if I don’t trust him? Do you have another solution?”

I raised my eyebrows.

“I’m not a child. Nothing will happen, so don’t worry too much.”

I could understand Leon’s anxiety.

For some reason, Leon hadn’t even received an invitation to the party.

At first, I thought Henry might have deliberately arranged it, but then I figured it was for the best. While I appreciated the protection, it was frustrating not having freedom of movement.

“You must come out at ten o’clock. If you drink, you’re dead.”

“I got it.”

Such fussing. Leon was just as overprotective as Father. After enduring his nagging the whole time, I finished getting ready and walked down the long hallway.

Leon aside, I was worried about Oscar, who seemed somewhat gloomy.

“Oscar. Do you remember our promise? I’ll definitely be back before midnight.”

“Yeah.”

“I trust you because you’re always so brave. Don’t skip dinner tonight even if you’re sleepy. Remember how scared we were last time in the storage room?”

“Hehe. Okay.”

Oscar nodded with slightly reddened cheeks.

“But Ari.”

“Yes?”

“Are you wearing this today?”

He had seemed interested in it for a while. Oscar fingered my mask with his maple-leaf-like hands.

It was an unremarkable mask made with pure white feathers.

“How is it? Pretty?”

“You’re prettier without it.”

“Really?”

“But you have to wear it.”

“What?”

“So only Oscar can see you.”

He’d grown enough to make such sweet jokes now. I found Oscar so adorable that I patted his head.

“Yes, I’ll definitely wear it. I’ll dance just three twirls wearing this, then come back to play hide and seek.”

“Like a princess?”

“Yes, like a princess.”

When I reached the end of the hallway, there was a staircase leading to the lobby.

Henry and Viscount Hayworth were waiting in the mansion’s lobby, both impeccably dressed.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

I gave Oscar a quick kiss on the cheek and went to hug Father.

“Be careful.”

“Of course.”

“Leon will be waiting outside, so if anyone tries anything funny, come out right away. Understand?”

The Viscount shot a glance. Presumably directed at Henry.

“Shall we?”

Henry, paying no mind to this, gracefully extended his hand to me. I took his escort and got into the carriage.

Then I happened to look out the window.

I could see Oscar staring intently at the carriage from a distance.

‘Will it really be alright?’

Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt needlessly worried.