The Road to the Masquerade (2)
The journey from Hespania, located at the very edge of the North, to the imperial capital of Hildex was bound to take considerable time, even with the existence of dimensional stones. That was why they had set out with plenty of time to spare. Yet because their pace slowed more than expected along the way, the party arrived in Hildex just one day before the masquerade ball was to begin.
As befitting the capital of the empire, Hildex was a city that displayed the pinnacle of prosperity. Even Ariel, who rarely offered empty praise, remarked, “Every time I come here, something new has sprung up,” indirectly expressing her admiration for the city’s development.
“It feels completely different from Hespania.”
If Hespania was filled with tall, slender spires, Hildex boasted many wide, sprawling buildings. To put it another way, while Hespania felt like a noble citadel built upon frozen ground, Hildex gave the impression of a bustling metropolis nestled in fertile plains. Ariel nodded slightly in agreement with his observation. Still, the place that felt more dear to her heart was Hespania—not simply because she was the successor of the family that ruled it, but because she genuinely loved the city’s unique, tightly-knit atmosphere.
“Did you know? Although this is the capital, the public order here is surprisingly poor.”
“Really? That’s unexpected. I heard Hespania has relatively good security.”
No matter how much the Symbol of Domination allowed for a somewhat prosperous life, the northern territories were ultimately barren lands. Many people therefore assumed the residents would be cold-hearted and that crimes like plunder and robbery would run rampant. Yet Hespania proved the opposite. Not only did the Robeheim family actively root out such criminals, but the harsh environment actually fostered a strong sense of solidarity among the people. As a result, the residents’ awareness of reporting crimes was even higher than in the capital of Hildex.
“I heard something similar from Mother. She said that while Hildex appears to be a flourishing metropolis on the surface, beneath it festers with all kinds of rot.”
“That makes sense. Places like this tend to have severe wealth gaps.”
Such blind spots naturally led to laxer security. Edgar nodded in understanding and gazed out at the scenery of Hildex passing by the carriage window. Every place had its own hardships. There was no need to judge one as strictly better than the other in black-and-white terms.
The carriage that had raced without pause soon reached the imperial palace situated at the outskirts of Hildex. Even the Robeheim family’s castle had left Edgar speechless, but the imperial palace was in a league of its own. Its splendor was evident even from outside the carriage. ‘I’d probably get lost in a place like this.’ It didn’t seem like somewhere he could ever live comfortably. It had already taken him a long time to get used to the Robeheim castle alone. There really was a huge gap between aesthetics and practicality. He doubted he could ever live here even if someone paid him to do so.
“Halt the carriage and state your identity!”
They must have arrived at the gate leading into the imperial palace, for a guard’s booming voice pierced through the carriage. Normally, a servant would step forward in place of their master to declare their identity, but Ariel told the two to stay put and stepped out herself. Shuri tried to follow, but Edgar stopped her and accompanied Ariel instead.
As expected of imperial palace guards, even their uniforms were exceptional. Their sturdy builds and sharp gazes suggested they were no ordinary soldiers. Perhaps they were members of the knight order.
“I am Ariel Robeheim. My purpose is to attend tomorrow’s masquerade ball.”
Ariel stated her identity and business in a cold tone. Her demeanor remained utterly frosty toward people she was meeting for the first time. Edgar, watching from the side, felt his legs go weak.
“So you are the young lady of the Robeheim family. Please forgive my rudeness.”
At first, the guard had been taken aback when an unfamiliar girl spoke to him so casually, but he quickly realized she was someone far beyond his station. The guard immediately straightened his posture and offered a proper greeting. Ariel, however, barely spared him a glance as she replied in an indifferent voice.
“There’s no need for an apology. You were simply doing your duty.”
Her tone suggested neither more nor less than that. The guard’s expression stiffened for a moment at the remarkably businesslike words coming from a fifteen-year-old girl. It wasn’t that he felt offended—rather, he was struck by a strange sense of dissonance.
“If the verification is complete, may we go?”
“Ah, yes. However, you cannot bring the carriage inside.”
“…There’s a rule like that too? How annoying.”
Ariel clicked her tongue lightly, but since she understood the reason, she offered no further complaints. With young ladies from various families arriving from all over, accommodating every carriage would turn the palace grounds into chaos. Ten or twenty might be manageable, but any more would be overwhelming.
In the end, they called Shuri out from the carriage, left the rest to the coachman, and the three of them entered the imperial palace together. The guard asked if they needed a guide, but Ariel curtly refused, saying she had visited before.
“Whoa…!”
“I can’t think of any word but ‘incredible.’”
Even from outside, its splendor had been striking, but stepping inside left their mouths agape. The beautifully landscaped gardens in particular kept Edgar and Shuri from closing their jaws. Only Ariel, who had visited several times before, already seemed to have lost interest. Still, seeing the bright expressions on the other two made her feel oddly pleased, and she smiled along with them.
“Want to look around a bit more? We have plenty of time anyway.”
Until the ball tomorrow, they were free to explore. If the palace held no interest, they could tour the city instead. But to her surprise, both of them firmly shook their heads at Ariel’s suggestion. While the palace was fascinating, that was all. They had no intention of spending extra time sightseeing. After all, the reason they had come here was to assist Ariel, not for tourism.
After their polite refusal, the group headed straight for the annex where the masquerade would be held. Though called an annex, it was enormous—easily the size of an entire castle. Yet Ariel wore only a bored expression.
“Oh, if it isn’t the Robeheim princess.”
“Hm?”
As they walked along the path toward the distant annex, a man suddenly approached from the opposite direction and greeted Ariel as if he knew her. He had orange hair and rather shallow-looking features. He appeared slightly older than the two of them, but he did not exist in Ariel’s memory at all.
“We met once before. I’m not sure if you remember me. I am Diliert of House Bellus.”
“I am Ariel Robeheim.”
Since the man held no particular interest for her, Ariel replied with the intention of exchanging a simple greeting and moving on. Diliert extended his hand, but she did not take it. Instead, she looked him up and down as if asking whether he had anything else to say.
‘I wish he’d just disappear.’
From the very first greeting, she had disliked him. Shuri behind them could be overlooked since she was a servant, but anyone could tell from Edgar’s position at her side that he was her companion. Ignoring him completely without so much as a greeting was inexcusable.
“I see the ones beside you are attendants. It seems the Robeheim family treats its attendants quite well.”
“……”
Diliert’s words were a roundabout way of asking why she was accompanied by someone who appeared to be nothing more than an attendant rather than a noble. At that moment, a stone was thrown into the calm lake of Ariel’s heart with a loud splash.
“Hey.”
“…Pardon? Hey? Are you speaking to me…?”
“Yes, you. Whether your name is Diliert or Biliert. I’ve been holding back my irritation since earlier, but what did you just say? Attendant?”
While the family had officially listed him as an attendant for the journey, Edgar’s appearance and attire made it obvious he was no mere servant. Moreover, when a young lady attending a ball arrived with another man at her side, anyone with eyes could guess his status. Yet this man had blatantly disparaged her childhood friend, and Ariel could not let it slide. If not for Helene’s warning not to cause any incidents, she would have hurled a fireball at that smug face right then and there.
“I-I see he was not an attendant. I have committed a grave offense. I was certain that was the case…”
Diliert took a step back and hastily apologized. But even that only displeased Ariel further. The nonsense had reached the level of art. Though she couldn’t kick him, she raised her hand, intending to at least slap that face—
Grab.
Her left hand was caught by something. When she turned her head, Edgar was looking at her with a furrowed brow.
“Ariel, what are you doing?”
“Let go. No matter what family he belongs to, he insulted you. You think I’ll just stand by and watch?”
“From his perspective, it was easy to be confused. He apologized, so don’t make a scene.”
Of course, Edgar knew the man had deliberately made those remarks to belittle him. He wasn’t that oblivious. But it was never good to make too many enemies—even if the other party was the heir of one of the three most powerful families in the empire. Besides, if she swung her hand now, rumors would spread and the story would eventually be distorted into one where she had assaulted someone. Edgar did not want that outcome. He was grateful that she had grown angry on his behalf, but in moments like this, keeping a cool head was the best course of action.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. Since I’ve received an apology, continuing this conversation would only tire us both.”
“Th-thank you. I had no idea he was such a close friend of the princess. I will make sure to arrange a proper meeting next time to offer my formal greetings.”
It seemed he had been keeping an eye on Ariel. Even while acting so subservient, the way he specifically emphasized the word “friend” and mentioned “next time” made Edgar uncomfortable. Still, there was nothing he could say in this situation, so they decided to part ways.
“Ah, and you. You called him my friend, didn’t you?”
“Pardon?”
Just as they were about to turn and resume walking, Ariel suddenly called Diliert back. He turned around with a puzzled expression and tilted his head. Could it be that he wasn’t her friend? A sibling, perhaps? But the Robeheim family only had one child.
Perhaps it was the sight of Diliert blinking in confusion that amused her. The corner of Ariel’s mouth lifted into a smirk as she slipped her arm through Edgar’s. She had linked arms with him.
“What a shame. He’s not my friend—he’s my lover.”
“L-lover…!?”
Leaving behind the man whose eyes had widened in shock at the word that left her lips, Ariel tossed out a curt “Well then,” and walked away. Since no news of the Robeheim family’s only daughter having a lover had ever spread, he was probably feeling as if the world had collapsed. The thought made her smile. ‘Serves you right.’
On the other hand, Edgar, who had been watching Ariel from the side, also had a faint smile on his lips. He knew Diliert was still watching, so she hadn’t let go of his arm. Thanks to that, her reddened ears were clearly visible. She really did love acting tough all the time. That side of her was cute, though. Still, today the word “cool” suited her better.
As they walked toward the annex, Edgar deliberately refrained from asking if she was okay. It seemed that today, his friend wanted to show off a little, so he figured it was best to let her have her moment for at least one day.