Chapter 62

Chapter 62

“They make a lovely couple……”

I cut into the strawberry tart and watched the Crown Prince and his lover. The two of them gazed at each other, laughing joyfully.

But then—footsteps shuffled toward me. Someone dragged themself over and dropped into the seat beside mine. She stared straight at the Crown Prince couple and let out a long, weighty sigh. Her face couldn’t hide it: that was worry, plain and raw.

I tried to ignore her, chewing my strawberry with deliberate nonchalance. But those sighs kept coming, pulling my attention sideways despite myself. My gaze followed, helpless. So I gave in to nosiness and finally spoke.

“Excuse me… Is something wrong?”

“Oh—no, it’s nothing… Sorry. I’ll be quiet.”

She waved both hands, flustered. She clearly thought I was giving her a hint.

“No, I didn’t mean you were being loud. I was just worried.”

“……Ah… I see.”

“……Um… don’t mind me… please.”

Her voice sank even deeper, so I hurried to mumble off the end of my sentence. I turned my gaze back to the front. The Crown Prince couple drifted into view, radiant and laughing, like they lived in a happiness sealed off from the rest of the world.

“……You see that girl dancing with His Highness?”

She spoke slowly. I kept my eyes fixed ahead and nodded.

“The pretty one with silver hair?”

“Yes. She’s my sister.”

“What?”

“I know we don’t look alike. But she really is my sister.”

That was true. She had deep auburn hair and a gentle face, while her sister was all bright tones and striking features. I never would have guessed.

“And that’s what I’m worried about.”

She kept going.

“I work in the Imperial Household. One time I brought my sister into the Imperial Palace with me. I guess she caught the Crown Prince’s eye back then.”

“I see…”

“……But our House isn’t good enough. The Imperial Family won’t accept her. She’ll just end up with the title of ‘the Crown Prince’s lover.’ Or maybe his mistress.”

“Oh…”

“My idiot sister says she’s fine with it. She loves His Highness too much to care. But I can’t accept that.”

“I understand.”

If my own sisters ever declared they’d become someone’s mistress—whoever that someone was—I’d be livid.

After all I did to raise them!

“Thank you for understanding. I was half expecting someone to say I should be grateful she’s even the Prince’s mistress. I’ve heard that elsewhere. That I’m borrowing trouble.”

“That’s a different matter! I have a younger brother too, and imagining him as someone’s kept man is… distasteful.”

“Right? Right?”

Her eyes sparkled as she turned to me. Then she let out a soft puff of laughter, deflating like a sigh.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Hereis Darlin. As I mentioned, I work as a lady-in-waiting in the imperial palace.”

“Ah. I’m Laura Highen. I work as a secretary at the Duke of Cuvershaiden’s manor.”

“Then you’re the one who came as the Duke’s partner?”

“Uh… has word gotten out?”

Her tone, as if she already knew me, made me ask back with a hint of surprise.

“Well. A little.”

Hereis averted her gaze, slightly uncomfortable. By the look of it, the talk hadn’t been kind.

“……Not bad rumors, really. More like envious gossip I overheard.”

She scratched her cheek and continued.

“Envious?”

“Well, think about the Duke. He’s young, holds a dukedom, and handsome to boot. To eligible young ladies, he’s practically the perfect catch. So when he suddenly shows up with a partner, naturally the noble misses’ jealousy… erupted.”

“Now that you mention it, three young ladies did pick a fight with me here today.”

So that was it. No wonder strangers came at me so abruptly. But picking a fight with me won’t make the Duke theirs. They wasted their effort.

“Don’t let it bother you. There’s always that type of people around, isn’t there?”

Hereis waved her hand dismissively. I replied, “I’ll try.” Of course, it did bother me a little, but I forced myself not to care.

“How about we talk about something else? What do you do in the palace?”

“Ah. I….”

I fumbled to change the subject, and we kept the conversation rolling from there. Her personality and mine meshed surprisingly well, and we clicked in conversation. So the time I’d dreaded spending alone and bored in the banquet hall was flying by.

Then, at some point, a chill began to creep in. It must be late enough for ghosts to start appearing. I’d heard that, in any country, the imperial palaces were crawling with them. Besides, most ghosts love music and dancing, so they’d probably all swarm into the banquet hall.

“Hey, Hereis. What time do you think it is?”

The banquet hall was a blaze of lights, turning night into day. It was hard to tell the time.

“I’m not sure. Hasn’t the sun already set?”

The sun’s down… that meant ghosts could start thronging in any minute now. Right. Starting with that old man in ancient robes I could see right in front of me.

“Ah… damn… now ghosts are appearing…”

The old man stood isolated amid the dancers, so out of place I wondered for a moment if he was even human. No matter how I looked at it, he was clearly a ghost.

She began to move, her long hair streaming down as her creaking body stirred. Then she lifted her head and looked straight at me. I flinched, but forced myself to act like nothing was wrong—I had to hide that I could see her.

“Laura, what’s wrong?”

But the tension must have shown. Hereis spoke to me with a worried tone.

“Ah. It’s nothing.”

I answered with my gaze locked on the ghost. Every part of me wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. I was terrified she might do something in that moment.

Then, all at once, the ghost grinned at me. She’d noticed my presence. Fear struck me so hard it felt like my heart had stopped.

“Ah. What do I do now. She’s caught on that I can see her…”

“By the way, where did His Grace the Duke go?”

Hereis asked. I gathered myself and managed to open my trembling lips.

“Ah… well… he said he had business and stepped out.”

All the while, the ghost was walking toward me slowly. Her stumbling, wobbling figure was utterly horrifying. I honestly wanted to throw dignity to the wind and scream as I fled the banquet hall.

“My. What are you doing here?”

Just then, the Bird Young Lady’s face intruded into my field of view. The ghost’s ghastly form was soon hidden behind her.

Thank heavens. I could have kissed her!

I looked at her with grateful admiration. She seemed quite taken aback by my expression, but quickly steadied herself and readied another barb.

“You haven’t been with His Grace for a while now. Hmph. I take it you used your secretary position to beg him to be your partner?” She said.

“I suppose so. It seems His Grace has a generous heart, agreeing to such an absurd request.”

The Bird Young Lady and one of her hangers-on—a brown-haired woman—whispered to each other as if to flaunt it. But I wasn’t particularly angered by their words about me. Instead, I felt a wave of relief that the ghost had vanished from sight.

“Miss Highen. I’m saying this for your own good. Don’t think you can claw your way up in status like this. His Grace must take a wife from a house of appropriate rank. Or are you hoping to become his mistress?” she said.

That, however, shook me a little.

“Mistress?” I said.

I looked straight at the Bird Young Lady and asked.

“What, did you actually think you’d be his lawful wife?” she said.

“No. No. But more to the point—why do you keep jumping the gun? The Duke and I aren’t even dating yet.”

“…….”

But somehow, I couldn’t answer. After all, even a five-year-old child could see that my House was far beneath the Duke’s.

I could only press my lips shut. Then the brown-haired woman covered her mouth with her fan and smirked. A clear sneer bled through.

“Uh, um……”

Beside us, Hereis looked trapped, her eyes darting nervously from side to side. She wanted to stop these women from picking a fight with me, but seemed unable to find a way.

If this were a war, anyone would call it a total defeat.

“Laura.”

That’s when it happened. Suddenly, someone cut through in front of me. I looked up, and the Duke’s face filled my view. He grabbed my wrist without hesitation.

My eyes went wide as I stared up at him. The others gathered there also shook in their shock at the unexpected turn.

“Made some friends?”

The Duke asked, glancing back at the Three Musketeers who’d been harassing me.

“Ah, no……”

“Then let’s go.”

He pulled me by the arm. I was dragged along without a moment to ask what was happening.

“It’s time for the souls to emerge.”

The Duke spoke as if whispering, taking a few steps. That was it—he was whisking me away in a hurry because it was time for the ghosts to appear.

Good. I was scared too, honestly.

I followed closely behind him. Then, I turned my head and glanced back at the Three Musketeers. They stared at us as we retreated, their faces slack with bewilderment.