Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Do You Have the Confidence to Handle the Iron-Blooded Duke?
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Laura Clarins found this ball to be something truly special.
Not just because it was the first ball of her life—
but because of her first friend, Laura Carolline.
During a conversation about the ball, Laura was startled when she glimpsed her friend's innermost thoughts.
[She really thinks I'm going to the ball, huh.]
[What should I say so she'll accept it well?]
On the surface, they chatted amiably about the ball, but Laura Carolline clearly had no intention of attending.
Stunned, Laura focused on her friend's hidden feelings, and the reason soon became clear.
Money.
She didn't have the funds to buy a dress or hire a dance instructor.
Her family wasn't wealthy, and as the fourth child, Laura Carolline bore the brunt of that reality.
Learning this came as a profound shock to Laura.
'Have I really been oblivious to this all along?'
It wasn't entirely inexcusable.
Even close friends didn't discuss family finances or troubles in social settings.
Especially not bad news.
But Laura didn't want to hide behind excuses.
'Laura Carolline has always looked out for me like that.'
Laura Carolline had always guided her.
Without the ability to read minds like Laura, she still seemed to intuitively grasp her moods and act accordingly.
This was purely the result of Laura Carolline's attention and effort.
Yet Laura had simply accepted it without reciprocating in kind.
Even though she could have.
'This isn't right.'
Laura deeply reflected on her own behavior up to that point.
Laura Carolline and she were friends.
And friends looked out for each other.
With that resolve, Laura decided she would absolutely bring Laura Carolline to this ball.
"You don't dislike the ball itself, do you?"
Of course, only after confirming that's what her friend wanted.
Laura Carolline truly wished to go, so Laura committed to making it happen.
Back at her dormitory, Laura devised a plan.
'She needs a dress and a dance instructor, right?'
The dress wasn't too difficult.
She couldn't afford a ball gown with her own money right now—
but Laura was still the eldest daughter of the Clarins family.
Leveraging the family's influence, a ball gown was easily within reach.
All it would take was a letter.
Laura's hand trembled slightly as she gripped the quill.
'Calm down, Laura. You're just exercising your rightful privileges.'
Honestly, she hated even writing the letter.
She knew it probably wouldn't reach her father—
but just thinking of her family dredged up dark memories that soured her mood.
Still, Laura steadied herself.
True effort meant pushing past what you disliked.
And Laura was accustomed to putting in effort.
With shaking hands, she wrote requesting two dresses—one for the ball and one for dance practice—then sent the letter to her family.
Thanks to the Clarins estate's proximity to the academy, the reply arrived swiftly.
They would send them by the next day.
Confirming this, Laura let out a deep sigh and relaxed her tense body.
'Good.'
Though mentally exhausted from such a simple task—
it still wasn't perfect.
She needed to secure a dance instructor for Laura Carolline.
Fortunately, this didn't require family help.
Laura was already set to learn from Kiara.
Asking her to teach them together would solve it easily.
Kiara readily agreed to the request.
"Sure, two is better than one. Bring her tomorrow."
And with that, the instructor issue was settled.
All that remained was delivering these gifts to Laura Carolline smoothly.
From her perspective, it would look like sudden, unasked-for presents.
So, she needed a way to make it acceptable—
...Did such a method exist?
After much deliberation, Laura decided to use the approach Laura Carolline had taught her.
Overwhelm her relentlessly to leave no room for other thoughts.
With that, Laura had the dresses sent to her friend's dorm, then immediately dragged the dressed-up Laura Carolline to Kiara's social dance lesson.
The results were spectacular.
"Hah... hah..."
[I'm exhausted... I just want to lie in bed...]
Drained from the intense lesson, Laura Carolline had no mental space left for anything else.
'It worked perfectly!'
Delighted by the success, Laura forgot her embarrassment and flopped down beside her sprawled-out friend.
Once more, she brimmed with anticipation for the ball.
'A ball with Laura Carolline and Leonardo!'
Dancing was still challenging—
but together, it would surely be fun.
Laura thought so as she sank her weary body into the soft bed.
At that moment, Francesca spoke up.
【A ball, perfect timing. It's ideal for practicing Enchantment.】
Ah, right. Enchantment.
She'd been too preoccupied with the ball to focus on it.
Her last attempt on Leonardo had ended incompletely, so she needed a new approach.
With her mind foggy from fatigue, Laura asked,
"Should I try it at the ball? Or maybe test it alone with Leonardo—"
【It didn't work last time, did it? So changing the method and setting entirely isn't a bad idea.】
"Method and setting..."
【Exactly. Instead of disrupting senses, let's use soul wavelengths.】
Soul wavelengths...?
A familiar concept.
It heavily influenced human intuition, and extreme training could even allow glimpses of the future.
However, human magic couldn't manipulate them—it was purely theoretical.
As Laura voiced her doubt, Francesca whispered,
【True, impossible for humans. But witches can. Especially with the power of Enchantment—it's simpler.】
Tuning soul wavelengths with Enchantment could instill fateful attraction in those with similar resonances.
The sensation of souls drawing each other in.
That was Francesca's explanation.
Laura pondered hazily.
'Fateful attraction...'
It sounded utterly, profoundly romantic.
If Leonardo felt that pull toward her—
Lost in daydreams, Laura suddenly voiced a stray thought.
"What if it affects someone else instead of Leonardo?"
【Not impossible. Unlike sensory disruption, this radiates omnidirectionally.】
"Then that's a bit risky—"
【But the odds are very low. Fateful attractions don't come easily, do they?】
True, but...
Francesca soothed her with a gentle whisper.
【We're testing the possibility. Your fiancé thinks you're his perfect ideal, right? A slight wavelength tweak, and—】
he might truly fall into destined love?
...Me, his perfect ideal.
Recalling that memory, Laura's lips softened into a smile.
Her eyelids grew heavy as she slowly accepted Francesca's words.
"Yes... I'll do that..."
【Good choice.】
Let's practice it starting tomorrow.
Laura drifted off to Francesca's voice like a lullaby.
From that day on, she practiced manipulating soul wavelengths.
As Francesca promised, it was surprisingly manageable.
Easier, even, than tampering with senses.
Practicing dance alongside Enchantment, time flew until the ball arrived.
As Laura waited excitedly for Leonardo, Francesca whispered,
【Now, give it a try. If it works, he'll be drawn to your soul.】
Laura nodded faintly and tuned her soul wavelength.
A subtle shift in the air around her.
Feeling it, she imagined:
'Leonardo parting the crowd to come to me.'
Just like the first day at the academy, when he saved her.
And as she'd envisioned, a man stared at her from the throng and strode straight toward her—
"Oh, beautiful lady. Might I have the honor of your name?"
Not Leonardo, but another man.
Laura froze at the unexpected turn.
Wasn't it supposed to be a very low probability?
She sought Francesca, but her mentor remained silent.
Mistaking her rigidity for shyness, the man before her pressed his suit even harder.
Her belated refusal fell on deaf ears.
The man, sensing fate with Laura, clung tenaciously.
"Please, you who have captured my heart. Grant me a dance."
"No. I've already told you I have a fiancé—"
"That flimsy engagement means nothing before me! I am—!"
And then.
The voice of the one she'd desperately sought rang out.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Colder than she'd ever heard.
Startled by the chill, Laura looked at him. He stared at the man with an emotion she'd never seen before.
Rage, one he'd never shown in her presence.
The first emotion that hit upon seeing the Crown Prince courting Laura was bafflement.
I couldn't read his intentions.
'What? Why is he suddenly acting like this?'
I already knew the Crown Prince was keeping me in check.
And that he'd make some move on Laura too.
Even as her fiancé, our engagement was recent, so he probably saw it as a vulnerability worth probing.
But I'd expected something indirect, like his past ploys—nothing that gave me clear openings. Not this.
Revealing his identity, no less?
Unless the Crown Prince had lost his mind, he wouldn't pull something like this.
So, to snap him out of it, I dropped the formal speech and issued a warning—
Hearing it, the Crown Prince turned to me.
"You—no, you..."
My face hardened the instant our eyes met.
This wasn't the face of the ruler I knew.
Instead, there stood a young man enthralled by passion.
A man whose judgment was clouded by love.
Seeing that expression, I reflexively scowled.
'Smitten? With Laura? To the point of impaired reason?'
I'd considered the possibility.
Since this was a novel world, it could happen.
But witnessing it firsthand—
—it left a foul taste.
What exactly grated on me so?
The pathetic sight of someone above me showing his hand?
Or the reinforcement of this being a novel world?
I couldn't tell.
But one thing was certain.
We could never get along.
With rising fury, I strode toward him.
And whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"You know whose fiancée stands before you. Do you have the confidence to handle the Iron-Blooded Duke?"
"Kuh..."
A hint: 'Pull this nonsense, and the Iron-Blooded Duke won't stay quiet.'
The Crown Prince bit his lip, seemingly regaining his senses at my words.
Our engagement was the Iron-Blooded Duke's will.
The Duke's third son might be clueless, but a mere young Crown Prince couldn't handle the cunning Iron-Blooded Duke.
As his face flushed under my pressure and he opened his mouth to retort—
Like a spear piercing armor's gap, a voice slipped between us.
"Well now, here you are, Maximilian! How can you wander off drunk like that?"
Overly cheerful, mood-killing exuberance.
The man, who looked every bit the 'I'm a fun guy' type, wedged between us and grabbed the Crown Prince.
Then, in a voice carrying to all around,
"Sorry, my friend seems to have caused a scene! I apologize on his behalf. He's had too much to drink! I'll drag him away so he doesn't ruin this fine evening further!"
Treating the Crown Prince like a common drunk.
Yet the Crown Prince, wearing a humiliated expression, said nothing and hung his head.
With that tacit approval, the man swiftly hauled him away.
I noted his build and thought,
'Different from that knight before. A shadow guard, maybe.'
At least imperial knight level.
Insurance against any mistakes the Crown Prince might make, probably.
Not an easy opponent.
In the midst of the chaotic ballroom, I turned to Laura.
I extended my hand and said,
"Let's go, Laura. We can't stay here."
Laura bowed her head, looking crestfallen at my words.
But soon she took my hand, and we left the ballroom behind.