It was an unexpected proposal.

Bella, who had never once attended a social gathering, shook her head.

“I don’t know social etiquette, and I can’t dance. Besides… I’m a maid.”

“It’s alright. Commoners are invited too. Everyone wears masks.”

He tried to persuade her, sensing her reluctance stemmed from her status.

“I hope you won’t feel burdened. The friend I was supposed to go with has come down with flu, so they can’t come. The rule requires a partner, so I’m only asking out of necessity.”

“What about finding someone else? Wouldn’t it be better to find another partner than to go with me? I’ve never even been to a ball before. I wouldn’t be any help to you…”

“It’s an old invitation, so most people have already arranged partners. If you can’t go, then I simply won’t attend.”

Even after hearing that, Bella hesitated.

She was curious to know what a noble ball looked like when attended as a guest rather than a servant. Yet high society felt like a distant world, far removed from her own.

However, the thought of Joshua missing the ball altogether if he couldn’t find a partner tugged at her heart.

She remembered how he had helped her in Rosedale.

After a moment, as though she had made a decision, she finally spoke.

“If I won’t be a burden…”

She worried whether she could manage it, but she found it difficult to turn away from Joshua’s earnest request—especially when he had said there was no one else suitable to go with him.

“Thank you.”

At her answer, Joshua’s face brightened at once.

***

The Duke called two evenings before the ball.

There was no greeting or enquiry about her well-being. The conversation was brief and direct; he simply asked if she was free that weekend.

Holding the receiver, Bella fell into a long silence.

It was the call she had been waiting for. For a moment, she wondered if this might be her last chance to see him.

However, she could not meet the Duke while leaving Joshua behind — Joshua, who had said that she would be his only partner for the ball.

“I’m sorry. I already have plans that day.”

A short silence followed.

“Are you meeting Jack Hunter?”

“That’s not it.”

“…I see.”

As though it were enough that she was not meeting Jack Hunter, he asked no further questions.

He didn’t suggest rescheduling. Nor did he sound disappointed. After briefly instructing her to rest, he ended the call, leaving only the hollow, mechanical tone. Yet Bella could not put the phone down for a long time.

It was a refusal she could not avoid — she already had plans. Nevertheless, an uneasy feeling lingered deep inside her.

***

Before she knew it, the day of the ball had arrived.

Bella stood in front of the mirror, wearing a dress borrowed from one of Joshua’s university friends.

Everything about it felt unfamiliar.

The lining was stiff. The corset was laced so tightly that she could hardly bend at the waist and it pressed against her chest with each breath she took.

‘I’m supposed to dance in this?’

Bella turned in a small, awkward circle, balancing precariously on her high heels. Her raised heels trembled uncertainly against the floor, and her fitted sleeves clung so tightly to her arms that she could barely lift them.

How did noblewomen manage to wear clothes like this every day?

She almost felt a flicker of admiration.

Of course, their gowns would be made of far finer fabric than hers. But whether luxurious or plain, they were clothes that made it hard to breathe and even harder to move freely.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes… but it still feels strange. I think I’m more comfortable in a maid’s uniform.”

Bella turned awkwardly towards Joshua, who had just entered the room. Feeling self-conscious in her unfamiliar attire, she was unable to look him in the eye.

The dress brushed lightly over her shoulders; the neckline was modest, yet open enough to reveal the delicate line of her collarbone. The soft, pale yellow fabric cast a gentle glow against her skin.

Joshua stood stock-still, as though the sight had momentarily stolen his voice.

A faint blush rose to her cheeks. Her eyes seemed clearer and brighter than usual. Her hair and make-up had been done with quiet elegance by her friend’s careful touch, and he found himself unable to look away.

Only then did he understand why his friend had nudged him knowingly before slipping out of the room quietly.

“…You’re beautiful.”

The words escaped him before he could stop them.

“I don’t look strange?”

“No. You’re truly beautiful.”

Joshua spoke to Bella sincerely. She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, unable to hide her awkwardness.

Having found her confidence, she was beautiful in a way that defied description.

“Thank you for saying that.”

His reassurance eased her heart, if only slightly. Reaching towards the table, she picked up the mask that was waiting for her there.

Her first concern was whether she, someone who had never been to a party before, would be able to cope with such an event.

But she took comfort in the fact that it was a masquerade ball. If her face was hidden, perhaps her shortcomings would be too.

Soothing herself with this idea, she stepped into the carriage.

***

The ballroom was even more magnificent than the one at Rosedale Estate, where the banquet had once been held.

As they stepped into the grand hall, they were greeted by lively music. Guests wearing masks of various designs were already gliding across the dance floor.

Holding tightly to Joshua’s arm, Bella scanned the room anxiously.

She tried to mimic the ease of the other guests, striving to appear natural and composed. Yet no matter how hard she tried, her shoulders remained tense and drawn inwards.

“Don’t be nervous. No one will know who you are.”

Bella nodded.

Had she come alone, she would not have lasted ten minutes before fleeing. But Joshua’s presence beside her was a great comfort.

When he excused himself to get some drinks, she took a step back towards the wall and surveyed the room.

It was then that several men, noticing that she was on her own, approached her.

“I’ve never seen that mask before. The yellow dress suits your hair beautifully.”

“If it wouldn’t be improper, might we speak somewhere quieter for a moment?”

The words were polite on the surface, but beneath them lay idle curiosity—light probing rather than genuine interest.

Bella immediately sensed their intent and took a step back.

“My companion will return shortly.”

Although she kept a faint smile on her face, Bella gradually moved away from the men and towards the far end of the hall, distancing herself from the dancers and groups of people talking.

She had not been standing for long when she began to feel exhausted.

The unfamiliar dress. The unsteady heels. The endless attempts at polite conversation.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by an urgent desire to step outside and breathe some fresh air.

Worried that Joshua might look for her, she told a passing waiter where she was going before slipping quietly towards the back of the room. She had heard that several adjoining rooms had been prepared for guests to rest in.

Fortunately, she found one that was empty.

In the silence, she finally allowed herself to exhale.

This was her first social gathering, and she was unfamiliar with the unspoken rules of this world. She did not realize that leaving the ballroom for a private room implied that she wanted to have an intimate conversation.

Bella removed her suffocating mask and fanned her flushed face, trying to cool the warmth clinging to her skin.

Although she had come at Joshua’s request, deep down she knew that this was not a world for her.

“Bella?”

She turned towards the voice that called her name instinctively.

Before she could stop herself, her body had already responded.

“I didn’t expect to see you at a masquerade after you started avoiding my calls.”

When she looked up, she saw a man standing in the doorway.

He was wearing a black mask with sharply upturned edges around the eyes, but she recognized him at once — it was Jack Hunter.

“You said it was your first time in the capital—acted all innocent. Looks like you’ve been enjoying yourself just fine.”

The remark had a tainted implication.

In a secluded room like this, especially in society, being found alone together was enough to spark endless rumors about a man and a woman.

Had Bella understood the precise implications of such a situation, she would never have entered the room in the first place.

But how could she have known, having never set foot in society before?

She did not even realize she was in a dangerous position.