Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Masked Ball (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Seraphin Rosalind Valtoria.
The third princess of the Argentia Empire and one of the main heroines of Luminor Academy.
And also, a figure quite infamous among Luminor Academy players for various reasons.
...Though mostly infamous in a bad way rather than a good one.
After hearing from Ethan that the banquet at the imperial palace today was a masked ball, she belatedly remembered who the third princess was.
She could instantly understand Ethan's statement that the princess had chosen a masked ball as the banquet's theme.
'The third princess is a bit of an airhead.'
All people are equal regardless of status and should be respected equally.
The words of a commoner carry the same weight as those of a noble or peasant.
This pure and straightforward personality belonged to Luminor Academy's princess heroine, Seraphin Rosalind Valtoria.
Anyone who had played Luminor Academy couldn't possibly not know this character.
Because not only was she a 'mandatory character' who had to join the party in the story,
she was also a sort of 'cancer-inducing character' whose nuisances kicked off nearly half of the entire episodes.
Like getting pickpocketed by a thief kid, and it just happening to be an essential item needed for game progression.
Or in an episode where the party scatters and regroups, she vanishes somewhere and suddenly gets captured by a demon clan executive disguised as a human.
Or using most of the materials obtained from a dragon subjugation episode to fund village reconstruction without consulting anyone.
Anyone who played Luminor Academy had to witness at least a few infuriating episodes like that at least once.
She was an unlikeable character in the game for reasons different from Ethan.
📰 Forum Meme Title: “What’s wrong with selling some dragon materials to fund village reconstruction?” (Seraphin character image) “I’m pretty, aren’t I!” This meme was popular enough in the Luminor Academy-related communities to give a rough idea of the princess's character.
As a mandatory character, you couldn't drop her mid-story, and she even had an invincible body immune to the Erosion Curse that could one-shot main characters.
She was the only heroine I'd ever tried to inflict the Erosion Curse on.
In multiple playthroughs, no one hindered story progression and pissed you off quite like her.
...Still, she was ridiculously pretty, enough to spawn the “I’m pretty, aren’t I!” meme.
If popularity was based purely on looks, she'd have been in the top three alongside Lilith...
'In reality, her in-game nuisances landed her in the middle ranks.'
Anyway, the point of bringing up this airhead princess wasn't irrelevant.
It was to explain why the third princess's birthday banquet was a masked ball and the psychology behind Seraphin hosting such an event.
As mentioned earlier, she was the type who insisted that commoners and royals were all the same people.
Choosing a masked ball for her birthday banquet was a kind of performance to declare no discrimination based on status.
'Of course, it probably wouldn't work in practice.'
Most masked balls involved half-hearted masks that only covered the eyes.
Nobles weren't face-blind, so they could recognize each other with that much disguise.
There were plenty of other networking events besides masked balls, and most nobles were familiar with each other's faces from other gatherings or social clubs.
Spotting someone from their hairstyle, voice, outfit, and build wasn't hard.
In truth, Seraphin's masked ball was more for the princess's self-satisfaction than any real effect.
And the one useful thing about such a masked ball was exactly what Ethan had just mentioned.
"At Princess Seraphin's masked ball, even a commoner maid can attend. Asking about names or status in the banquet hall is strictly forbidden."
"...I see."
"I wouldn't drag a maid into a dangerous place without thinking. If this weren't the third princess's birthday banquet, I wouldn't have suggested it at all."
"......"
"If there's still any reason why the maid shouldn't attend, tell me."
...As if there could be.
She'd already refuted every single reason why I shouldn't attend.
There was no finding a replacement now, and Ethan had already informed them via letter that I'd be attending.
So, there were no more excuses to escape.
...I'd just have to quietly accept attending as Ethan's partner.
"Understood. If that's the young master's wish, then I'll attend the princess's birthday banquet as well."
"Good thinking, maid."
"...I'll return to my quarters to prepare. See you later, young master."
"Yeah. See you this evening, maid."
With a creak, Ethan's door opened.
Still filled with complicated thoughts, I carefully dragged my reluctant feet into the corridor.
Isabel and Katarina, waiting for me right outside Ethan's room, quietly asked me.
"L-Lilith...?"
"...Yeah."
"H-How'd it go...? Are you going to the banquet...? Or was it canceled...?"
"W-What happened, Miss Lilith...?"
Not knowing what conversation I'd had with Ethan inside, Isabel and Katarina asked cautiously, as if gauging my feelings.
With escape from the banquet now impossible, I answered them as casually as possible, pretending nothing was wrong.
"Seems there was a misunderstanding. I was worried attending a noble banquet might be lese-majeste, but luckily the young master had already cleared it all up."
"R-Really, Lilith?"
"Sorry for making you worry needlessly, Isabel. And Senior Katarina too."
"No! As long as nothing happened to you, Lilith!"
"I-I'm fine.... P-Please don't apologize, Miss Lilith...."
"Want to help me into my banquet dress, Isabel?"
"Yeah!"
"I-I'll help too, miss!"
The moment they heard nothing was wrong, Isabel reverted to her bright smile.
With help from her and Katarina—who still oddly thought I was a noble lady—I completed my transformation into a noble lady in a deep crimson dress.
A masked ball hosted by the third princess and the imperial family.
To attend as Ethan's partner.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Inside a carriage stamped with the Blackwood Family crest.
Deep crimson dress, high-heeled shoes, a formal eye mask.
And with some accessories including a ring, I sat transformed as a noble lady, blankly watching the scenery shift outside the window.
"......"
"......"
An awkward silence in the carriage, alone with Ethan except for Ditmeyer up front in the driver's seat.
It was inevitable. Though I was attending as Ethan's disguised partner, we still weren't that close in reality.
The days of loathing him like the hated game character were long past, but human emotions aren't just like or dislike.
Lately, my feelings toward Ethan were neutral, closest to indifference.
To be precise, from the moment I became convinced he wouldn't do anything weird to me, I stopped caring much about his whereabouts.
'It's too late to become friends now anyway.'
Our first meeting was awkward, and our statuses were still worlds apart.
Plus all the unpleasant conflicts stemming from that.
This was a gap that could never be bridged. At least not unless Lilith rose in status for some reason.
So, the day I'd understand the young nobleman probably wouldn't come, and vice versa.
Better to maintain a distant relationship than force an awkward one.
In a year, Ethan would be off to the academy, and two years after that, I'd be done with my debt maid service.
A maid like me approaching him first to build rapport was absurd anyway.
As I'd said before, I believed in knowing one's place.
Opening up just because the eccentric young master was being nicer lately would be too presumptuous, even for me.
As the carriage carrying two people in an awkward dress, awkward makeup, and awkward relationship headed toward the capital,
Ethan quietly called me from the left in a low voice.
"Maid."
"...Yes, young master."
"We'll arrive at the palace in about an hour. You know what to do?"
"Yes. Stay by your side without leaving, make it clear I'm your partner, keep words to a minimum in all interactions but show the ring on my left ring finger occasionally with an expression like it means something, right?"
"...Good thing you know."
"I've got it down perfectly, so rest assured."
...Since I'd decided to go along, might as well do it right.
No plans for petty revenge through awkward acting now.
It wouldn't benefit me anyway and would just drag me into trouble.
Strictly speaking, attending an imperial masked ball wasn't bad at all.
A rare chance to see Luminor Academy characters besides the Blackwood folks.
'I can check out the real third princess Seraphin too. Maybe even Agnes from Margrave Elizabeth's family...'
As I pictured Luminor Academy characters one by one in my head,
Ethan's quiet voice called from the next seat.
"Maid."
"Yes, young master."
"...From now on, don't call me young master. You're pretending to be my fiancée from here on... Lilith."
"...Ah."
Right, dressing as a noble lady but using 'maid' or 'young master' would blow the cover instantly.
Nodding at Ethan's words, as I was about to call his name, a sudden doubt crossed my mind.
'Isn't just calling by name too tame for a fiancée?'
Like how I called Isabel and Katarina by name—it was something even friends did.
It didn't lose meaning just because it was a man and woman, but still felt insufficient for intimacy or disguise.
No issues for basic cover, but better to sell it properly.
But nicknames like 'honey' or 'darling' would make me gag.
After mulling options, I quietly gave him a slightly altered name.
"Got it, ...Ed."
"...Khk, cough?!"
...I'd thought of it carefully, but was it that bad?
Seeing Ethan freak out over just dropping one syllable from his name made my blood boil for no reason.
I'm going to this banquet pretending to be his fiancée to help his political moves.
And he reacts like that to 'Ed' because it's awkward?
...His reaction was so annoying I wanted to call him that even more.
Pretending nonchalance, I brazenly settled on the nickname I'd just come up with.
"For me and Ed to seem like a proper fiancée couple, this'll be way more effective than plain names."
"Y-Yeah..."
"So, I'll use this until we get back to the mansion, Ed."
"R-Right.... If that's what you prefer, Lilith..."
Ethan turned away, face flushing red, avoiding my gaze.
Seeing him unwilling to even make eye contact from awkwardness, I figured teasing him with 'Ed' all masked ball long would be fun.
I made maximum 'Ed'-calling my second goal for the banquet.
Let's see you die of awkwardness throughout.
With the nickname change somehow making the atmosphere even more awkward, the Blackwood carriage passed through the imperial capital's walls and entered.
The imperial palace, site of tonight's ball, was drawing steadily closer.