The Players Enter
Some thirty minutes before Rachel and Yelich were due at the banquet hall, Yulia finished her final round of inspection, changed into her gown, and came back in to find Blow.
"Young master!"
"Oh, sen— no, my lady! Seeing you in a dress really is something else."
"Truly? Does it suit me?"
The gown was white through and through, set off by a deep navy ribbon the same shade as her hair. Silver earrings caught the light and glittered, lending her elegance one more polished edge.
"Of course. Your eye is as good as ever."
"Next time, you choose for me, Young Master Blow. I suspect your taste is better than mine."
"Hardly. Karlfeld simply took a little extra care."
"Modest, aren't you, young master?"
"My one and only virtue."
"Honestly."
Yulia smiled at his teasing, then went on in a tone that had turned a shade more serious.
"They ought to start arriving any moment now. One by one."
"Who do you think comes first?"
"Care to bet?"
"It has to be Rosalyn or Skadi, doesn't it?"
At that, Yulia shook her head slowly.
"I don't think so."
"Hm? Then..."
"Julbert will be the first through the door."
The words had barely left her when the doors opened and Julbert came in with his right hand, James. Yulia turned a triumphant smile on Blow and whispered.
"That one makes a point of arriving early to any gathering and waiting at his leisure."
Having spotted the two of them, Julbert smiled with easy composure, came over, and offered his hand.
"It's been a while, Blow Deblique."
"It has, Young Master Julbert."
"I keep meaning to stop by your shop, but the construction has kept me rather occupied of late."
Blow shrugged at the courtesy.
"You really must come by sometime. I'll see you're properly looked after."
"Still, tonight I ought to catch at least a glimpse of what you can do, shouldn't I?"
"I hope it suits your taste."
"Well, I'm not the fussy sort. The tightfisted crowd from the Imperial Capital will be harder to please than I am."
"Haha, it'll be fine, Young Master Julbert. We prepared properly. Young Master Blow and I."
"Good. I'd rather no ill words come out of this gathering. I mean that."
With that he made for his table. Blow watched him go and murmured to Yulia.
"Doesn't feel like he's picking a fight."
"The people from the capital aren't easy to handle. At times like this, his interests and mine happen to line up."
"That's fortunate."
"It is. Julbert can be quite reassuring when the moment calls for it."
While the two of them talked, the next to enter was Rosalyn, in a peach-colored gown hung with ornaments the exact shade of her blue eyes. She came in with her butler, Elton, and her older brother, Bering, and the corner of her mouth lifted.
"Lady Yulia. Seeing you away from the academy makes this all the more pleasant."
"Doesn't it? Your dress suits you beautifully, Lady Rosalyn."
"As does yours."
They were smiling, and yet their eyes were not. The tension strung between them was thick enough that Blow felt something almost ominous in the air.
"Ah — Lady Rosalyn, the wine you sent ahead is in the cellar. Would you care to look it over?"
"Of course I would!"
No sooner had she spoken than Elton followed a member of the staff out of the hall. Rosalyn's gaze, meanwhile, shifted to Blow.
"Young Master Blow Deblique."
"Yes, Lady Rosalyn."
"What a shame. I mean that."
"And why is that?"
She stepped in close for a moment and whispered, just loud enough to carry.
"After tonight's gathering, no one will have a word left to say about your drinks."
She wore a meaningful smile. Blow met her eyes, let out a short laugh, and answered.
"I take it you've been making progress lately in magic other than the elemental sort."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Haven't you been researching a spell to keep people's mouths from opening?"
Yulia laughed behind her hand, and under Blow's merciless needling Rosalyn's brows drew tight together.
"You really..."
"My aim was not to bring any disgrace on you, my lady, so don't trouble yourself too much."
"How irritating."
"Rosalyn."
Bering, standing behind her, shook his head in warning. Rosalyn pursed her lips, plainly displeased. Blow watched her a moment longer, then added in a quiet, pointed tone.
"Second place is still well done. I'm satisfied with that."
She gave no answer. She spun on her heel, and Bering followed after her. Yulia and Herbena, who had been watching in silence, turned puzzled looks on Blow — they had no idea what had passed between him and Rosalyn.
"Young master, judging by Rosalyn's face, you did something."
"No. It wasn't anything much."
He gave them a brief account of what had happened, and Herbena burst out laughing, doing her best to hold it in.
"I'm really glad."
"Why?"
"Because you and I are on the same side."
"Yeah? Well. That's what happened, anyway."
Unlike Herbena, Yulia's expression had gone completely rigid. Seeing it, Blow asked carefully.
"My lady, was I too hard on Rosalyn just now? Your face..."
"No, young master."
"Then is something else weighing on you..."
"Young master. If Rosalyn pulls something like that even once more, tell me."
"What?"
"Family rank or no, you are her senior at the academy, and she drops a coin and makes Jane pick it up? Right in front of you?"
"Mm..."
"As of today, you are officially my business partner. If she is rude like that even one more time, this Yulia Edfolk will not sit still."
There was more anger in her voice than he had ever heard from her, and Blow swallowed dryly. Herbena nodded along, agreeing.
"She's right. Doing that to Jane, of all people, is not all right. Thinking back on it, it wasn't like you at all."
"Well, I could hardly beat her half to death over it, could I?"
"Why do you always jump straight to the extreme?"
The more she turned it over, the hotter she seemed to get; Herbena's brows had drawn in as well. Blow himself didn't particularly mind. He and Jane had already had their fill of teasing Rosalyn, and as far as he was concerned that settled it. The two women in front of him clearly did not see it that way — Yulia least of all. Even her breathing had gone rough.
"My lady, thank you. For thinking of how I felt."
"Don't. I'm sorry. I let myself get a little heated."
"No. It's all right."
At his words she closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and soon wore that soft smile that was hers alone.
"Come. Let's go and greet the guests again."
"Yes."
Herbena and Blow answered at once, and the three of them started toward the entrance of the hall.
Some twenty minutes after Rachel, Yelich, and Renerit had come in, most of the invited guests were already inside the hall. More than half of them had come from the Imperial Capital. Nobles preferred the academies situated there to anything Caipol had to offer.
Yulia moved from table to table, offering her greetings, while Blow and Herbena circled the hall on a final inspection.
"Lady Rebecca!"
At the sudden call, every eye turned that way. In the hush that followed, only the click of Rebecca's heels filled the hall.
Crystal ornaments glittered in her hair, the mark of who she was, and she wore a splendid gown washed with sky blue, high heels besides. She was tall to begin with — tall enough that the sight of her pressed a kind of awe on anyone watching. She advanced at an unhurried pace, expression proud, and behind her the praise of her beauty fell in a steady stream. Danvers, attending her, smiled with smug satisfaction and drank in every word of it.
Blow rubbed his chin as he watched, then murmured to Herbena, who was staring as if spellbound.
"The room went quiet."
"It's Rebecca."
"Why Rebecca?"
"Look at her. She might as well be from another world."
"You think so? Well... you're smarter than I am, so you're probably right."
"Pardon? Then among everyone you've ever seen, is there anyone prettier than Lady Rebecca?"
"Well. Skadi, or Jane..."
He said it flatly, and Herbena's face went stiff. Blow read the look and added,
"Or you, Herbena..."
"Too late."
"What's too late about it? Anyway, I'll grant you Rebecca is flashy. Like a princess."
"Rebecca is the most popular girl at school. She takes first in the Queen vote every single time."
"Does she?"
"It's impressive, taking first when it's hard even to get a word with her."
The mention of the Queen vote stirred a sudden curiosity, and Blow asked,
"Come to think of it, what place did you get last time? I heard Skadi was second."
"......"
Herbena puffed her cheeks and whipped her head the other way.
"Sixth..."
"Hm? That's a solid showing. Why the face?"
"It was all girls who voted for me. The younger ones."
"Still better than not getting picked at all, isn't it? I've never even cracked the top ten in anything like that."
"What does that have to do with anything."
Even so, the words secretly pleased her, and the stiffness in her face began to ease little by little.
While the two of them bickered, a fresh stir rose near the entrance.
"Who is that young lady?"
Blow, who had been waiting for exactly that, nodded to Herbena.
"Looks like she's here. Let's go."
The first floor of the Edfolk estate in Caipol, near the entrance to the hall.
Jane, dressed more finely than ever, was speaking to a tense Skadi, warm and steady.
"Easy, Lady Skadi. I took a quick look inside just now. You're the most beautiful one in there."
"Really...?"
"Yes. More than Lady Rebecca."
"Jane..."
"When you greet Lady Rebecca and Danvers, just do it the way we practiced last night."
"Thank you, Jane... I mean it. Truly."
"Save the thanks for later! Go in. Now."
At last the doors of the hall opened, and the gazes that had been fixed on Rebecca swung back as one.
Skadi's abundant hair, a deep red close to wine, fell in soft waves all the way to her waist. The dress that clung to her and showed her figure without reserve had been cut, just as Blow had ordered, from the lower hem on one side up to the thigh, so that her white legs — a stark contrast to the color of the gown — and her slender ankles were on full display. When every eye turned on her, embarrassment flushed her face a little; her gaze narrowed, shy, and her lips pressed shut with nerves.
While the hall stared in astonishment, Jane followed her in. Jane's hair caught the light falling from the chandelier and shone white, and the room began to murmur.
"Who in the world is that?"
"That hair — don't tell me she's of House Hetaya? But I thought both of them had already graduated from the academy."
"No! There's a youngest."
"Right, the name... Skadi! It's Skadi."
"A jewel like that, in Caipol..."
Even with talk like that reaching her, Skadi minded nothing but the next step in front of her. Before long Rebecca and Danvers, who had stopped where they stood, came into view. She was so tense it felt as if they were the ones drawing near.
A moment later she stood before Rebecca, and Rebecca faced her with surprise plain on her face. Before Rebecca could so much as begin, Skadi swallowed once and brought out, calmly, the line she had practiced dozens of times that day.
"To Lady Rebecca of the North, Skadi Hetaya offers her greeting."
"Skadi... I did not expect to see you here."
"A friend of mine asked me to come with her. You are beautiful, Lady Rebecca."
"And you..."
Jane then stepped forward and offered her courtesy. While Rebecca looked quietly from one of them to the other, the fog that tension had drawn over Skadi's eyes began, little by little, to lift — because behind Rebecca, Blow Deblique was walking toward her with her friend Herbena.
Blow reached her first, studied her face, and gave a nod so slight it was barely there. Well done. Only then did the tension leave her, and a bright smile settled on her face.
"Young Master Deblique, when did you arrive?"
"I was certain you'd be the first one here, my lady. Thanks to you, I lost a bet with Lady Yulia."
"How is the dress? Is it all right?"
Blow glanced around and spoke as if only for her.
"I told you. A great many things were going to change."
"Blow..."
"Take a slow look around."
Heat rushed into her face, and at last she took the room in. What met her eyes were the expressions of the people looking at her — not the coldness she had always feared, but gazes full of curiosity and interest, and now and then a murmur of admiration meant for her. Something welled up. She blinked hard and lifted her head.
Blow, watching her, let out a short laugh.
"None of that, my lady."
"None of wh— no, none of what!"
"There. That's better."
With that he turned and offered Rebecca a light greeting.
"Lady Rebecca. Seeing you away from school, you are even more beautiful."
"Blow Deblique. I believe this is the first time you and I have spoken."
"Is it? Before now, it was probably better that you didn't."
Herbena came up beside him and offered her own courtesy.
"Lady Rebecca."
"Herbena. I thought you would be busy preparing for Academia..."
"What needs doing needs doing. I'm Young Master Blow's right hand."
She spoke awkwardly, giving it everything she had. While the two of them talked, Blow looked past Rebecca to Danvers behind her.
Danvers wore a sour face, would not so much as look their way, and was pointedly minding her own business.
I was going to let it pass. That isn't going to work.
He stepped past Rebecca toward her. Caught off guard, Danvers stared up at him with wide, startled eyes. He looked down at her in silence for a moment, then spoke in a high-handed tone, as if pressing her flat.
"If you've seen me, you show the proper courtesy. Danvers De Winter."
"What...?"
Eyes began to gather, and the whisper of several private asides started to fill the hall. Deciding she had to get through this moment, Danvers bit her lower lip and bowed her head.
"I greet Young Master Blow of House Deblique."
"And you'll show courtesy to Lady Skadi Hetaya as well, won't you?"
His voice was low and unmistakable. Danvers squeezed her eyes shut, went to Skadi, and wrung out what politeness she could.
"I... greet Lady Skadi of House Hetaya......"
"Seeing you away from school, you look different, Danvers."
Danvers finished the stiff, formal greeting and came back. Blow, looking unsatisfied, beckoned her over with a flick of his hand.
What the hell did this damned scoundrel eat today...
Fit to lose her mind, Danvers summoned every scrap of patience she had and approached. Rachel, watching, grinned so wide her mouth nearly reached her ears.
Danvers could not manage her face. Blow stared at her without a word, then leaned in and whispered.
"You will show Lady Skadi the proper respect. Not only here. Outside as well."
"......"
"Don't shame your mistress, Lady Rebecca. This is the first time I'm warning you, and the last."
Danvers glared at him. Blow only looked down on her all the more, and murmured, just loud enough to hear.