By Zephyria 
The debutante ball began promptly at seven o’clock. Thousands of candles illuminated the grand banquet hall, and the chandeliers adorning the ceiling added to the enchantment.
The guests attending the ball were completely captivated by the beautiful scenery.
Everything surrounding them was dazzling and luxurious. The red carpet laid on the floor, the beautiful sculptures decorating the walls and columns, and the fresh flowers densely surrounding the area exuded a refreshing fragrance, while behind the lush shrubs, the orchestra tirelessly crafted delightful melodies. Praise for the palace was unending.
“Miss Rosalind Garden!”
As the attendant unfurled the scroll and called out the name loudly, the trumpeters standing beside him blew their horns vigorously. Each time the high sound echoed, the faces of the nobles turned toward the entrance.
A young lady, just beginning to shed her baby fat, entered with a nervous expression. Holding the hand of her chaperone, she carefully walked in and gracefully greeted the guests. How much had she practiced that? Despite her stiff smile, her greeting was skillful and full of grace.
“What a pretty girl.”
“The choice of dress is excellent. That sapphire necklace really complements her fair skin.”
The nobles settled throughout the banquet hall whispered among themselves, critiquing the young ladies or young gentlemen who had just made their social debut. Sinister glances exchanged beneath the surface, as they plotted to mark their favorites in advance.
The table occupied by the royals was just as bustling.
Nobles flocked to catch a glimpse of Crown Prince Alexis, who had returned to the empire after several years, and the recently talked-about Cecile.
The Empress remained secluded, citing poor health, but the nobles didn’t seem to care much. Rather, they approached more comfortably, as if seizing the opportunity to show their faces.
“This is the most splendid ball I’ve ever seen. The royal family’s elegance is truly different. I’m nearly blinded by the radiant spectacle. Of course, the most dazzling among them is Lady Cecile.”
“Baron Raymond.”
Cecile grimaced and waved her right hand dismissively.
“Flattery is fine, but every time you speak, I get splattered with your spit. Could you step back a bit?”
Baron Raymond awkwardly wiped his mouth. He had gotten too excited, thinking of himself as her partner. Realizing he had inadvertently invaded her personal space, he straightened up.
As Raymond took a couple of steps back, other men quickly filled the vacant spot. The seat next to Cecile was particularly competitive.
The intention was obvious. They were all trying to catch Cecile’s eye, as if vying for the position of the princess’s consort.
Despite her efforts to escape the attention, the atmosphere of the debutante ball was flowing contrary to Cecile’s intentions. Men with all their limbs intact gathered around, surrounding her. As a result, the attention that should have been directed toward the young ladies was instead focused elsewhere.
Cecile was thoroughly annoyed. How much perfume were these men wearing? The strong scent gave her a headache, and she felt her temper rising as she had to entertain unwanted conversations one by one.
“Lady Cecile, if it’s not too much trouble, would you care to dance a song with me?”
“I decline.”
As she firmly rejected him, another man, who had been waiting for an opportunity from behind, quickly knelt down.
“I believe this necklace would match beautifully with your velvet vest. Would you grant me the honor of placing it around your neck?”
The deep blue diamond sparkled with an extraordinary brilliance at first glance. It was clearly something he had brought with great care to adorn a woman he wished to impress.
Cecile twisted her mouth and unbuttoned her vest. The glossy velvet fabric flew back behind her chair.
“Oh dear? The vest that matches the jewelry has disappeared.”
Alexis, sitting next to her, was listening to this conversation intently, even while engaging with the nobles.
“What a personality.”
She was quite picky. With such high standards, how could she ever find a man to her liking? Alexis swallowed his wine, tolerating Cecile’s arrogance.
“Miss Beatrice, may I request a dance?”
“Your Highness.”
“I would be honored if you would share your first dance with me.”
Before long, Alexis stepped away from his seat and approached Yuria. With a polite request, Yuria also bent her knee in response. The two moved toward the central hall.
With the Crown Prince’s arrival, a path opened, and Alexis and Yuria easily occupied the center of the hall. The dark oak floor, thinly coated with wax, allowed their steps to glide smoothly. Just then, the melody changed to a waltz, and a new dance began.
“What a fitting pair, don’t you think?”
“……”
Someone oblivious made a comment next to Cecile. Unable to maintain her expression any longer, Cecile excused herself and stood up.
As she deliberately sought a quiet place to hide, a rich purple dress swayed and approached her.
“I see the little star of the empire. Lady Cecile, how have you been?”
“It’s been a while, Duchess Vandell.”
Cecile hadn’t expected to run into the Duchess here and quickly straightened her posture.
“How is your health?”
“I’ve recovered quite a bit. The Empress must also recover soon.”
“Yes, well. She will.”
Both knew the Empress was perfectly fine. After exchanging polite pleasantries, the Duchess finally spoke her mind.
“You’ve lost quite a bit of weight.”
“I suppose it’s due to the many noisy events lately.”
“Though it’s late, I wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, I was able to keep my life.”
The Duchess bowed politely. Cecile, unable to hide her awkwardness, responded softly. It was strange for someone who should have disapproved of her to show goodwill.
“By the way, why are you alone, Lady Cecile?”
“I was avoiding attention as it felt burdensome.”
“Oh dear….”
The Duchess replied with a regretful tone and then gave her characteristic warm and gentle smile.
“It’s understandable. The gentlemen of the empire won’t leave a beauty alone.”
“Aren’t there plenty of beauties here?”
Cecile frowned slightly. She knew it was a mere compliment, but it wasn’t particularly pleasant to hear.
“Oh, I should introduce you to my son.”
“Your son?”
There was only one son of the Vandell family. Sure enough, a tall man approached the Duchess and respectfully greeted Cecile.
“Claude Vandell, it’s a pleasure to meet the little star of the empire.”
Seeing his consistently stoic face even after three years had passed, Cecile couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He was still the same. What did it matter if he had grown younger? His grumpy face was just as it had always been.
“It’s been a while, Sir Vandell. I hear you’ve become the commander of the knights?”
“Yes.”
His short reply came back. Answering a royal’s question with such brevity was not polite, so the Duchess pinched him hard in the side. The knight commander, who should be as tough as steel, let out a gasp and twisted his waist.
“I thank you, Lady Cecile. I will never forget the favor you did for my mother and will surely repay it.”
“Though it seems forced, I will accept it.”
Cecile nodded slightly in response. Claude’s expression stiffened at her haughty demeanor. His displeasure was evident, but he didn’t leave immediately and remained by Cecile’s side out of courtesy.
Even after living through life again, they had no camaraderie. The two simply stood idly, staring at the central hall. Meanwhile, Alexis and Yuria were dancing gracefully. Many others were watching their harmonious display, excluding themselves.
Cecile sighed unconsciously and turned her head. Just then, she caught a glimpse of Claude’s profile beside her. His eyes, looking as complicated as her own, were fixed on Yuria, seemingly unable to look away.
Ah, come to think of it, Claude liked Yuria.
She remembered that he had suppressed his feelings, unable to dare take away the woman his lord loved.
The pure and unrequited love was not hers alone. Cecile smiled bitterly and muttered.
“Both you and I are unfortunate.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s something like that. I don’t find you particularly appealing either, but let me give you one piece of advice. There’s nothing more painful than a heart that receives no reciprocation. If you think it was never yours to begin with, it’s better to just let it go and forget.”
“You’ve been speaking in riddles since earlier. Are you perhaps drunk?”
“Yeah, that might be better. Would you like a drink too?”
As Cecile smiled and kindly offered her wine glass, Claude accepted it with a reluctant expression. Avoiding her distrustful gaze, Cecile quenched her thirst.
“How amusing, who is giving advice to whom? I can’t even control my own heart.”
The low-alcohol wine wouldn’t get her drunk no matter how much she drank. It was to prevent any unfortunate incidents with drunken revelers at the party, but today, for some reason, she felt a great sense of regret.
She wished she could get drunk and forget quickly. Despite everything around her being splendid, Cecile felt a deep ache in her heart.