The Third Ball (4)
The suppressed murmurs and converging gazes felt like a spotlight. Anyone else might have felt burdened by it, but I felt only liberation. This was me, fully and completely introducing myself to the world on my own terms—not through the twins' words, not while remaining silent and oppressed, not as the discarded adopted child of House Freister. As Caiden, I was showing them exactly who I was. I had never been ashamed of myself. I refused to feel lesser simply because of my commoner origins. After all, even Eric Endra, the protagonist of this novel, had overcome the pressure of his background within the Academy. I saw no reason why I couldn't do the same.
Yes. This was the ballroom. This was high society. The twins might have wanted to keep me suppressed, but I had finally realized I no longer needed to remain under their thumb. I had longed to do this for Daisy all along. She examined me slowly. There was no chance she had forgotten me—not after the clear impression I had left during the jousting tournament. If there was anyone in this Academy she regarded with affection second only to the twins, it was Daisy. We had never spoken even once, but through the novel I had watched her character closely. Until the moment I transmigrated, she had been my favorite. Our respective positions had kept me from approaching her like this before, but now I decided not to hide anymore. Setting everything else aside, I simply wanted to talk with her at least once.
"...."
I waited for her patiently. Daisy rose from her seat... and took my hand.
The music changed.
One hand held hers, the other rested at her waist. She placed her free hand on my shoulder. Countless eyes watched us, yet we melted naturally among the other dancing couples. I sensed the twins' gazes burning from a corner of the room, but I ignored them.
"...I'm sorry."
Those were my first words to her.
"I hope I haven't drawn unnecessary attention."
"You do realize what you're doing, don't you?"
Her characteristically curt reply made me smile. She spoke her mind, yet always with consideration. In truth, she hadn't needed to take my hand at all. I suspected she had done so to protect my reputation from further damage. Of course, I couldn't know her exact thoughts. But the distance between us felt as if it had closed not only physically but emotionally as well. I didn't think I was wrong in that assumption.
"Yes. I do."
We stepped in time with the music. Daisy furrowed her brow slightly.
"...I'm confused right now. The favor you're showing me is disconcerting. It's not as if anything ever happened between us."
"....."
"I was grateful for the flower during the jousting tournament, but you never spoke to me afterward. I wondered if you were only doing this to use me in front of everyone."
"...."
"So today, I took your hand to understand your intentions. It doesn't mean anything more than that."
I nodded and listened quietly as she spoke.
"...You may very well have felt that way. But I have no desire to use you. It's not as if I hold any political power anyway."
"...Then what is your intention?"
Daisy might not know it, but I had accumulated a great deal of internal affection for her.
"Would the reason that I simply like you not be acceptable?"
"...We both know that isn't appropriate."
As we danced, I let out a soft laugh. It wasn't a lie that I liked her... but just as she suspected, there was one additional motive.
"How did you know there was another reason?"
"...Because you're not acting shy at all. You're being far too bold."
"....."
When the music paused briefly, we stopped as well. Facing each other, I asked, "I have one question for you. What do you imagine my childhood was like?"
"......"
After a moment of thought, she answered carefully. "It must have been difficult."
"...Why?"
It was a completely unexpected answer. I wondered what had led her to that conclusion.
"...Because the twins seem to hate you."
"Ah."
I nodded quickly. When Asena had spoken behind my back, Daisy had been present. The twins had even pulled her aside afterward to warn her that getting close to me would do her no good. But that wasn't what I had meant by my question, so I pressed further.
"...What I'm asking about is even before that."
"Sigh... I still can't grasp your intention."
"You'll understand my intention once you answer."
"....."
The second piece began. We started moving again, but Daisy's body had grown slightly stiff. Being this close, I could feel every reaction. She looked at me with suspicion and missed a step.
"...Careful."
I drew her waist closer to steady her, then resumed our natural movement. Embarrassed by her mistake, Daisy awkwardly cleared her throat. I offered her a small hint.
"Before I ever met the twins."
"...At that time... you were an adopted child, so... the orphanage..."
"That's right. Until I was adopted into House Freister, I lived at the orphanage."
She seemed to have realized it already.
"...No way..."
"It was operated and sponsored by the Hextor family. I grew up there until I was ten."
Daisy Hextor's expression subtly softened. I could see her wariness toward me melting away.
"...You're not lying, are you?"
She remained silent for a long moment before speaking.
"What would I gain by lying about something like this? I simply wanted to express my gratitude. That's why I approached you."
The sharpness left her eyes, and her face relaxed completely. For a moment, I had the strange illusion that only the two of us existed in the entire ballroom.
"...You don't need to thank me. It wasn't my doing."
I shook my head.
"Even so, I'm grateful. Daisy Hextor. Thanks to your family, I was able to grow up at all."
She blinked, then lowered her gaze, avoiding my eyes. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.
After that, we spoke of trivial things. Having said everything I truly wanted to say, I simply waited for the music to end. Soon the second song concluded.
With my purpose fulfilled, I released her arm. The distance between us opened once more. All that struggle, just to say those few words. Because the twins had tried to control me out of their own shame, I hadn't even been able to manage this much.
"It was enjoyable."
After one final polite bow, I turned to leave. At that moment, Daisy caught my wrist.
".....It seems I failed to thank you as well."
"...Pardon?"
What could Daisy possibly have to thank me for?
"....The flower from the jousting tournament. It was beautiful. I... still keep it with me."
A smile spread across my face. It felt as though all the stress of the day had melted away in an instant.
From the moment Caiden left her side to ask Daisy for a dance, the beautiful melody began sounding like mere noise to Kirsi. The man who had refused to dance with her had extended his hand to another woman. She had worn her prettiest dress and practiced her steps so diligently. Yet he had abandoned her and gone to someone else. All the time she had anticipated so eagerly now felt utterly hollow.
"...O...Oppa?"
She called out to him, but her voice drowned in the growing murmurs. At first, disbelief washed over her—this couldn't possibly be happening. The moment she accepted it as reality, she wanted to tear them apart, but for some reason her feet refused to move. The space between them looked too alien, and she had no idea what she could possibly say if she interrupted.
Kirsi could only watch. Endless waves of negative emotions crashed over her like a relentless tide. When he extended his hand. When Daisy took it. When they stood at the center of the ballroom. When Caiden's hand touched Daisy's waist. When their bodies drew close. Kirsi could no longer bear it. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away from the scene.
"Ha... ha..."
And then her eyes fell on the evidence. On Caiden's empty seat lay several drained glasses. She hadn't even noticed when he had drunk so much. The proof of the rage he had shown on the balcony finally registered. She had known he wasn't enjoying the ball. After all, they had kept him suppressed... in a way, it was only natural. But she had believed he would understand this time. That he would endure it. She had never imagined he would commit such an act of rebellion.
"....."
Had Asena seen this too? Kirsi looked up at her sister beside her. There she found Asena staring rigidly at Caiden and Daisy with both eyes fixed on them, unblinking.
After the dance with Daisy ended, Asena silently seized my wrist and led me out of the ballroom. Kirsi wore the same hardened expression. I had asked them to let it pass quietly, but I had overturned their plans completely, so their anger was understandable. Still, I had things to say as well. They claimed it was for the family, but in the end they were simply trying to control me.
I was not a dog on a leash. I was a person who deserved to be treated with dignity. I could not simply stand by while the entire Academy treated me as if I weren't part of House Freister—or worse, tried to hide me away. I had not lived a life so shameful that I needed to remain concealed.
Once we reached a dimly lit path where no one could see us, Asena released my wrist and turned to face me.
"Oppa. Why did you do that?"
The burning heat of her fury rolled off her in waves. I had never seen Asena this angry before.
"You promised you would stay quiet and return! Why would you draw every eye—"
While she was still speaking, I stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. Then I tilted her backward and lifted her clear off the ground.
"Ah..!"
Flustered, Asena let out a girlish squeak that seemed entirely unlike her usual blunt demeanor.
"Asena... are you angry?"
She placed her hands on my shoulders and looked down at me, her face hardening once more.
"...If you had just endured a little longer...! Next time I would have taken you somewhere nice outside—"
I interrupted her again. Lowering her slightly, I brought my lips to the soft skin beneath her chin.
Mwah.
"Don't be angry, Asena. My lovely sister. Oppa is sorry."
It wasn't a lie. I was sorry. That didn't mean I regretted my actions, however. I understood her frustration at things not going her way. Even so, I no longer wanted to endure it. It felt better to act as I wished first and ask for forgiveness afterward. I had given them plenty of warnings—that I was finding it difficult to hold back. Since they hadn't listened, I would behave as I pleased. I felt wronged, too. Why did I always have to be the one who yielded in every conflict? I had things I wanted as well.
"...."
Asena remained frozen, unable to speak. She stared at me from inches away with a complicated expression. It seemed her anger hadn't fully dissipated yet. I rubbed my cheek gently against hers.
"Let it go. All right?"
"......"
The tension drained from the hands resting on my shoulders. Slowly she withdrew them and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her voice, cold and curt as always when directed at me, whispered in my ear.
".......There won't be a second time, Oppa."
"Ahaha... thank you, Asena."
As expected, this felt much more comfortable. It seemed I had made the right choice.
After setting Asena down, I turned to Kirsi. Her eyes darted nervously between us. After witnessing what had happened with Asena, she seemed to realize the same fate might await her.
"...I... I'm not letting it go. Do you know how much I... looked forward to dancing with you at the ball...! I wanted my first dance to be with Oppa...! And Oppa went and had his first with that woman instead..."
I slid forward smoothly and cupped her face in both hands. I held her firmly so she couldn't turn away from my gaze. There was a small show of resistance, but she clearly had no real intention of breaking free.
"...Why won't you do it with me...! If you weren't going to, you should have never offered at all...! Do you know how hateful you're being right now?"
"Kirsi."
".....Why...!"
"Look at me."
Her frowning eyes, which had been cast downward, trembled as they finally met mine.
"Are you very angry?"
"...I already said I was angry...!"
Mwah.
I pressed my lips to her forehead and pulled back.
"...You absolutely won't forgive me?"
"....."
Mwah.
"Even now?"
"......"
Kirsi stared at me, then at my lips. She swallowed hard as if forcing down her rage, then answered in a tiny, crawling voice.
".....I'm really, really angry..."
"...I'm sorry. Let's let it go, Kirsi."
"....."
"If you forgive me, I'll take you for a walk on Rush next time."
"...Huh?"
"Like last time. A walk."
Kirsi remained still for a long moment, then squeezed her eyes shut. She pinched my forearm.
"Ow."
Startled by the sudden sting, I released her face. She immediately burrowed into my chest.
"....."
She stopped there, simply holding me. As I stroked her silver hair, I asked softly, "Can I take this as acceptance?"
She gave a slow nod.
"Then you've let go of your anger?"
This time she shook her head. But I could tell. Her anger had already melted away.