Countless jewels adorned the ceiling like starlight.
A fittingly elegant melody softly resonated throughout the hall.
Many people were dancing in time with the music, while others chatted amicably.
It was a magnificent and beautiful ball that anyone would marvel at.
And the venue hosting this grand ball was the Hall of Heros.
It turned out that the Martial Arts Tournament was a celebration for Reina’s 14th birthday, and this ball was the after-party.
“Nobility truly differs in scale.”
I’ve never experienced a birthday party like this, but I knew that this was far from ordinary.
The ball may have been smaller than the one held at the palace last time, but that was just a relative comparison.
Nobility is impressive indeed.
To be precise, it’s the Duke House that’s impressive.
With those thoughts in mind, I quietly sipped lemonade in a corner of the ballroom.
I wasn’t well-versed in party etiquette yet, and since I didn’t recognize most of the attendees, there was little I could do.
Reina was busy as the protagonist of this stage.
“Aike, my lord.”
“Ah, Helen.”
The one who spoke to me was Helen Oberon, my opponent in the semifinal of the tournament.
She was dressed in a lavish red gown, unlike her somewhat casual attire during the tournament.
“Congratulations on your victory.”
“Thank you. I learned a lot from your movements, Helen.”
“That’s too kind of you.”
It wasn’t a lie.
There was much to learn from the way she sliced through her opponents.
“I’ve learned a lot from watching you in the Martial Arts Tournament as well, especially during the finals. It made me reflect a lot.”
“May I ask what you were thinking?”
“I used to see the Martial Arts Tournament as merely a starting point to becoming a knight. Usually, knights are said to have won tournaments before turning 15. So, I thought winning the tournament was just a given.”
Helen’s face slowly turned pale with regret.
“And I realized how foolish that thinking was this time. Being too confident in one’s strength and not recognizing one’s limits—it’s impossible to win with that mindset.”
“Helen.”
“You must approach with a desperate will to win. Knights are people who must never lose. The reason I lost, and why you, Aike, were able to win, is that difference in mindset.”
“You’re being too generous.”
“Of course, I’m not saying I lost because I didn’t give it my all. I did my best in that match.”
Helen smiled gently.
“I truly learned a lot. Since you and I are the same age, we might meet again at Arcana. I hope we get another chance to spar then.”
In her eyes was a resolution to defeat me next time.
That passion caused a slight cold sweat to trickle down my back.
“By the way, aren’t you going to dance, Aike?”
With Helen’s question, I fell silent.
It would be easy to simply say I couldn’t dance, but a ball is also a place to showcase one’s family name.
If rumors spread that the second son of the Akses House couldn’t dance in such a setting, it would be troublesome.
“As far as I know, you don’t have a fiancée yet, so it can’t be a matter of ball customs.”
But no matter how I thought, I couldn’t come up with an excuse.
…I should tell the truth.
Helen was a character known for her discretion in the original, so it should be fine.
“Well…”
“Aike?”
Just as I was about to confess everything, I heard my name called from behind.
Turning around, I saw Reina standing there in a purple dress.
Her outfit had a dreamlike quality.
Usually, the host of a party should stand out the most, so most would prefer a vivid color scheme.
However, Reina looked completely the opposite.
Her calm, dreamlike appearance didn’t necessarily match the ballroom’s atmosphere.
Yet, that ethereal quality drew everyone’s attention more than anything else.
Certainly, it was a result only possible because she was the Ice Princess.
“Lady Reina, happy birthday.”
“You must be the eldest daughter of the Oberon Count House, right?”
“Yes. I look forward to your favor.”
“I greatly enjoyed watching the Martial Arts Tournament. Your skills were truly impressive.”
“It’s an honor.”
While I was lost in thought about Reina, she began conversing with Helen.
Reina’s expression hardly changed; it didn’t seem fitting to call it a casual chat.
However, seeing the two people, who were rivals in the original, talking felt a bit odd.
“By the way, you were looking for Aike earlier, right?”
“Yes. I have something to discuss with the winner of the Martial Arts Tournament.”
Something to discuss?
I couldn’t guess what that might be.
However, upon hearing that, Helen excused herself and left.
“Aike, let’s move to another place for a moment.”
“Ah, yes.”
Following Reina’s lead, I stepped away.
We soon arrived at her personal waiting room, leaving the ballroom behind for a while.
“What did you discuss with Helen?”
Once we were alone in the private room, Reina casually opened the conversation.
“Oh, just about the Martial Arts Tournament and why I’m not dancing.”
“Hmm? Why didn’t you just say so? That you can’t dance well.”
Her words, which sounded almost mocking and dripping with malice, earned a wry smile from me.
“Thanks to you, I’m still alive. Thank you.”
“Sure.”
By the way, was Aike also not talented in dancing originally?
For some reason, I felt a sense of camaraderie with her.
“So, what is it that you wanted to say?”
“Earlier, I spoke with my father, and before the ball ends, I feel like I should dance with you.”
Reina said this matter-of-factly, causing me to stop in confusion for a moment.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m also in a bit of trouble now. His Highness suddenly left for the capital due to an urgent matter.”
“…Ah.”
Normally, Reina should be dancing with the Crown Prince.
The most significant partner at a ball is usually one’s betrothed.
Of course, if one’s fiancée is absent or has no such match, it’s generally fine to dance with someone else.
The problem is that Reina’s fiancé is the Crown Prince.
Considering Reina is the daughter of the second duke family, the Rozelia household,
and adding in the fact that she would be future Empress, means it’s simply not ordinary.
In short, it wouldn’t be proper for the main character not to dance at the ball.
“You got the gist of it, didn’t you?”
“Sort of.”
“Children from noble houses with deep ties dance together. And you, Aike, are the winner of this Martial Arts Tournament. I don’t think there’ll be much fuss about it.”
That reasoning made perfect sense.
But there was another issue at play.
“There’s bound to be gossip for another reason.”
It was, after all, the fact that I couldn’t dance.
Though I hadn’t completely skipped practice, I was merely at a basic level.
The dance at the ball is also one of the factors affecting a family’s reputation, so was this really okay?
“It’s fine.”
While I was pondering this concern, Reina confidently assured me.
“We’ll just do a little practice here, and when we go back in, I’ll lead. Don’t worry.”
She offered her right hand to me with a confident expression.
“So I’m counting on you as my escort, Aike.”
I gave a wry smile and gently took her right hand.
“Lady Reina, may I have the honor of dancing with you?”
“I look forward to it, Aike.”
A gentle melody began to play.
The music suited Reina’s dress well.
Had it been prepared just for her?
Slowly, I stepped forward naturally.
While others might think I was leading Reina, the reality was the opposite.
The flow wasn’t created by me.
I merely had to go along with Reina’s guiding hand.
Usually, at a ball, it’s normal for men to lead, but I didn’t possess that ability.
“Slide your left foot back slightly…”
From a position hidden from the others, Reina whispered her next action into my ear.
I did my best to suppress the heat rising to my face as I followed her instructions.
I could increasingly feel all eyes on us.
As the pressure mounted and mistakes threatened to creep in, Reina dazzled everyone with her graceful movements.
Even though she appeared as an antagonist in the original, now I understood why her dancing drew so much attention.
Dancing in her dreamlike dress with a cold aura, Reina Rozelia, the Ice Princess, possessed an allure akin to the night sky.
“Thank you.”
As the song ended and we exchanged thanks, applause erupted from all around.
And thus, the ball came to a close.
“I’m glad it ended on a good note.”
Reina said while looking around, but there was an inexplicable sad smile on her face.
★
“It seems Reina will no longer visit the Akses Duke House.”
“…What?”
It was the day of my departure back to Arcadia after a three-week stay in Heros.
While preparing to leave, I was summoned to the office of Duke Ricard and heard an unexpected declaration.
“Aike, my lord, I believe you’ll understand.”
“Uh, I’d like to clarify what seems to be a sudden announcement.”
“Are you not aware? The Rozelia and Akses houses have had longstanding ties. However, you and Reina have both turned 14 this year. While you aren’t considered adults yet, there’s still a difference in gender.”
“But…”
“And Reina is engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince. Maintaining friendly relations while continuing to get close to another man isn’t good in various ways.”
“….”
“Young men and women can develop feelings over small matters. Even if they have been childhood friends since they were three. Can you guarantee that you and that girl will remain just friends for life? Although Reina sees you as mere childhood friend right now, her small actions could ignite feelings in your heart. The same goes for the reverse.”
I couldn’t argue against this.
“To be honest, even during last night’s ball, I was very much against Reina dancing with you. You know how even small gossip can affect a family’s reputation. Fortunately, the numerous factors at last night’s ball meant it wasn’t a major problem.”
Duke Ricard’s points were undeniable truths.
“So Reina can no longer visit the Akses Duke House. Maintaining a good relationship and this are two different matters.”
In fact, I had recently felt we were becoming too close to each other.
“Does Lady Reina know about this?”
“I informed her about it maybe two months ago. Ados and Nia are also on board with this. Now, it’s just up to you to accept it.”
Upon hearing that, I understood Reina’s recent actions.
The urgency with which she tried to do as much as possible for me was because she was aware this was their last chance.
“…I understand. But I have one request.”
“Go ahead, I’m listening.”
“Would it be okay to continue exchanging letters?”
“If it’s for about six months starting next week.”
Duke Ricard spoke as if doing me a favor.
No, for him, this was indeed a charitable act.
“Thank you for everything so far.”
“Don’t be too heartbroken. I’m not severing ties with the Akses House altogether. We’ll still run into each other now and then.”
That was something I could accept readily.
“Lastly, may I ask one question?”
“Yes.”
“Memories with a close friend last a lifetime. I understand that, which is why I allowed you to enjoy this as I didn’t impose any restraints. It seems both you and Reina understood that and felt free to roam.”
He seemed to be referring to the time we went to Vulcanus.
“Did you both create enough lasting memories this time around?”
“…It was more enjoyable than I could have asked for.”
“I’m glad if that’s genuinely the case. Aike, congratulations on your victory.”
As Duke Ricard said these words, he wore a benevolent smile.
I left that smile behind as I exited the office, preparing to return to Arcadia.
And before leaving Heros, I wanted to bid Reina one final farewell, but regrettably, I couldn’t see her face at all.
Now, the next time I’d encounter Reina would be upon enrolling in Arcana.
Reina’s demeanor had softened considerably, and I regarded this as a positive sign.
However, I knew I mustn’t become complacent.
There were countless reasons beyond her cold personality and affiliation with Avatarara that could lead to Reina’s downfall.
If I failed to prevent them all, the outcome would remain the same.
“I can’t just settle for this.”
I needed to grow stronger.
To be able to protect her from any danger.
So that even in the worst-case scenario, Reina could remain the Crown Princess.
What I desire is a happy ending where Reina can smile in the end.
