The splendid Imperial Palace ball entered the second half.
After I discussed business with the fifth Princess I didn't have anything to do, so I drank sweet cocktails to pass the time.
'Dancing with Isidor all the time is a bit awkward. Even if I don't take into account the fact that I am getting too much attention every time I dance with him, it is a social norm to not dance with the same partner more than three times.'
After dancing with the gentlemens who escorted them, the others young ladies were asked by other men to dance with them. And at this time, the unpopular young ladies had no choice but to stand alone against the wall.
'So this is from where the word wallflower came from, although I am more like an infamous Venus flytrap than a wallflower.'
In the past, Philap never asked Deborah to dance with him, let alone escort her, even though Deborah abandoned her pride and blatantly hung around him.
'I must say that her perseverance is amazing. Even though she ruined herself while harassing Mia, because of that cruel Philap, she is amazing in some ways.
And surprisingly, this person is very kind.'
Some young ladies blatantly stared at Isidor sugesting that they wish to receive a dance request from him, but he pretended not to see them.
He was just standing next to me, like an outsider.
'Thanks to Isidor, I can avoid the awkwardness feeling of standing alone, but I don't know why he is being nosy only towards me.
He is suspicious.'
I looked up at Isidor suspiciously but our eyes met and I quickly looked away.
"Princess, why do you keep avoiding my eyes? Well I know that my face is a bit dazzling today."
I was so annoyed that he caught me, that I couldn't refute it.
"When you look so serious, it makes me want to tease you more."
He leaned forward and slightly closed his eyes. From his slender cheeks to his cute dimples, he was really handsome.
'I had good liâ... no!!! I can't keep getting bewitched like this. Get a hold of yourself. This is how a pushover gets caught!!
I must snap out or all the precious jewels I have collected until now will get stolen.'
"Honestly, this kind of joke is not funny."
I bit the inside of my cheek and spoked as bluntly as I could.
"You're cruel Princess, other people said it was funny."
'The joke is lame, your face is what it makes it funny. No matter what you say, even if it is dad jokes, everyone will hold their stomachs and laugh.'
I swallowed those thoughts deep inside and looked around the ballroom.
'Oooo?!'
I saw an unexpected sight that made me open my mouth slightly.
'Mia Vinoche is dancing with another man, than Philap! He is very possessive, I thought he would always stay by Mia's side.
Who is the one she is dancing with?'
Because they danced towards our direction, I could roughly figure out who Mia's partner was.
'He looks like Thierry Orgo, but his atmosphere is completely different from him, they have the same black hair and similar facial features...could it be that Mia's dancing partner is Diera Orgo.
It sure feels like I am really inside the novel right now.
Except for Rosad, who is outside the capital and the third Prince, all of Mia's lovers are gathered here today.'
Diera Orgo, the one who is dancing with Mia, was the one with the strongest sense of justice among her lovers and was a quite a difficult person. If someone committed a crime, he would wield his sword fairly, regardless of status, so he was regarded somewhat like a judge.
Diera Orgo, who has a noble character, had a crush on Mia, who spread her divine power without any judgement to the poor and the marginalized from the beginning.
In the novel he saved Mia from being bullied by Deborah's maids.
'As I expected, she is doing alright because she is the heroine, even without me the plot will go on.
But, the problem is that a man's personality can change gradually.
Like that guy over there.(ãã»'Ïã»Â´)'
While I was looking at Belreck, who was leaning against the wall alone, like a popular, cold city boy, he turned his head towards me and started to walk.
'What is going on? Haaa...his goal is not me, but Isidor.'
"Sir. Isidor, if you are being threatened in some way by Deborah, shake your handkerchief three times towards the window."
When I looked up at Belreck, who appeared suddenly to slander me, he flinched and then left quickly.
"It looks like you are close with Mr. Belreck."
'What?! Isn't it obvious that we have a bad relationship? Everyone in the empire is aware that Belreck looks down on me.'
"I don't know how you came to this conclusion."
"I don't have siblings, so I am jealous of this kind of straightforward relationship."
"Don't be, it might be much better not to have it in the first place. Because it is an enemy in its own category."
"Princess you are very honest and funny."
After we exchanged a few pointless conversations, I turned my head towards the large clock hanging in the ballroom.
'The Masquerade ball held outdoors starts at 9 o'clock, so the Imperial ball will soon be over.'
While I was thinking about what time I should get out of here, an unwelcome figure came into my sight.
'Again! He is staring at me like that again!'
Philap looked at me so intensely that I thought he was going to start a fight, but then he started to talk to someone that was near me.
'Calm down. He won't start a fight at an Imperial ball.'
Just at the right time, Isidor brought me a piece of cake and a cherry cocktail that calmed me.
Then the musicians started to play again. The last performance of the Spring Flower ball was always the same, an orchestral concerto called Masquerade Suite.
The song selection was announceing the next outdoor event. In fact, the most famous event at the Spring Flower Festival was not the Imperial ball, but the Masquerade ball held near the Imperial palace's fountain.
Unlike the Imperial ball, where only the invited families could attend, the Masquerade ball is open to all the noble families.
It is an event that exuded a pleasant atmosphere and a feeling of freedom, because the moment you put on a mask, you can put aside your social position and play around to your heart's content.
'The Masquerade ball is also one of the favorite topics for romance novels here. And the fireworks are the main highlight of the Masquerade ball.
The fireworks that the Imperial wizards fire over the night sky can be seen anywhere in the Horun district.
They were so grand that it remained in the fragments of Deborah's memories. To bad that I have somewhere I must go.'
As I was about to say goodbye, Isidor reached out his hand towards me.
"Princess Deborah, will you give me the honor of the last dance? I saved the third dance so we could dance to this song together."
'His voice is so gentle, but I think that I will be a little late if I dance until the end of the last song.'
Even though I am not Cinderella, I hesitated a little and looked at the clock, it was then that a deep voice crossed between me and Isidor.
"Princess Deborah."
Philap approached us with an angry expression, and the words he uttered next with a disrespectful attitude that gave the impression that he was about to start a fight, were unexpected.
"Dance the last song with me."
I was taken aback by his strange demand.
"Sir. Philap. Can't you see that I requested a dance, first? It seems you lost your mind."
Isidor said sharply but with a gentle smile.
However, unlike the last time, Philap the hot-blooded, was surprisingly calm.
"A young lady dancing with only one person at a ball doesn't look very good, Sir. Isidor you know this too.
What do you say? From your perspective, Princess Deborah, wouldn't it be better to finish the ball with me?"
'Just like Philap said, dancing with only one partner throughout an entire ball means no popularity.
But why did he stay still when the previous song started and only requested a dance at the end of the ball?
After all I was stuck to the wall all this time.'
"I think it's more funnier to see Sir. Philap pretending to be attentive."
I don't know if he had the same thoughts as I did but Isidor laughed.
"Right, I may not be attentive, but I'm better than you, who is standing next to a lady like a stone statue.
You're so slow-witted, didn't you see that other gentlemen weren't able to request a dance from Princess Deborah because of you?
In the end, you even made someone like to take initiative."
'Who on earth would request a dance from me? Thanks to Isidor, it was less embarrassing for me.'
"Your excuses are really bad, you have been wandering and snooping around on us since we arrived at the ball, and now when the ball is over, you make crazy accusations because you didn't have the courage to step forward earlier."
'Even without my help, Isidor handles Philap's remarks like a ping-pong player.'
"Snooping around?! Look who is talking! I am the one who doesn't know why you are suddenly wandering around Princess Deborah and acting ridiculously nosy."
"You are the one who is uselessly meddling. Who is the nosy one here?"
"Meddling? Deborah and I have been together for five years, and we even talked about marriage once. Anyone thinks that you are acting weird."
"You're the one that is saying weird things now."
The two of them were in a cold war of words, although their expressions and tones were gentle, the atmosphere they gave off became increasingly cold.
I was afraid that the others nobles would surround us, so I quickly interfered.
"Mr. Philap, I don't know why you suddenly interrupted our conversation, but you have no right to talk about my situation or honor with your mouth.
After all you are the one who always ridiculed me and made me miserable."
"That is why I'm going to do whatever you want, Deborah. Haven't you been waiting for a long time to dance with me?"
He spoked so confidently that I couldn't help but lose all the strength in my body because of Philap's narcissism.
'At this rate, even the mountain god from The Honest Woodcutter would cry.
No matter how hardd, Deborah, has been clinging to him, this is a bit too much for me...
I know that everyone knows that Deborah has been obsessed with Philap for over five years, but he proudly showed up with Mia next to him at the Academy and besides that, Mia appeared so pretty today just like Cinderella, and Philap made her look like she is his special one.
I can't understand how he can be so confident even though he is the worst idiot among idiots.'
"Mr. Philap, what you belive that is my wish is probably your wish.
So I will decline your arrogant dance request. What the hell do you take me for?"
I said coldly.
'I didn't try very hard to change my voice, but a cold tone still came out on its own.'
"I said that I will dance around with you, just like you wished for so long.
So why are you talking nonsense now? Are you saying that you are going to throw away the chance I'm giving you to raise your self-esteem?"
"You don't understand, I was wrong for a long time.
This is not a problem of self-esteem, you must know that food has an expiration date, and what you are offering me now is rotten food that I might have wanted to eat at some point in my life, but now it expired, and I don't want it anymore. "
"What?"
Philap's pupils trembled faintly.
"Tell me, how does a person feel when you put spoiled food in front of them? Dirty, of course."
I lightly squeezed Isidor's large hand, and he looked at me surprised.
"So, Mr. Philap, don't suddenly act like you are kind towards me and go take care of your partner.
And I am going to wrap up the Flower of the year and the Spring Flower ball in a pretty way."
'The Flower of the year will be Isidor. Right? So what if I dance with just one person? He is more gorgeous than anyone here. Just like Thierry Orgo said, no one can argue that Isidor is the Flower of this year ball.'
So even though I wanted to skip the last dance and go out. I still lightly pulled Isidor towards me and walked on the dancing stage.
With Philap staring blankly behind us.
...............................