Chapter 46
When I asked Eloise how she first realized her mana, she said she didn’t know either.
If she found out that I had been secretly giving her massages every night, she might have stopped me.
If only she put that same effort she used to fuss over me into taking better care of her own health.
“A dress to go with the parure you mentioned has been prepared, my lady.”
“Well done.”
Sophie dressed Eloise in a deep navy off-shoulder gown.
Over it, a layer of black lace studded with tiny jewels was laid.
The lace, shaped like a halter, flowed from her neck all the way down to the hem of the gown.
“This dress is another masterpiece. It suits you so perfectly, my lady.”
Sophie tied a ribbon at the back of Eloise’s waist with the same lace.
Then, the emerald-and-platinum jewelry set—the one, that parure—was placed on her ears, neck, and wrists one by one.
Finally, a ring was slid onto her right index finger, making her look like a true goddess of the night.
“Wow. From today on, the dictionary definition of ‘Eloise’ is just ‘beautiful.’”
I clapped my front paws and gushed. Eloise let out a dry laugh, and Sophie, who had sidled closer to me, smiled.
“Then I suppose the definition of ‘cute’ would be Rizette.”
As she teased me back, Sophie draped a lace cape over my neck.
Hearing flattery aimed at me made my skin crawl, and I gave a little shiver.
“Today’s ball will be different from an imperial tea party or a ducal banquet, Lady Rizette.”
“Don’t worry, Sophie. I won’t cause trouble.”
At first, when I insisted on following Eloise to the Crown Prince’s banquet, both she and Sophie objected.
They thought I’d be too shaken in such an environment.
But despite their protests, I won.
No matter what happened today, I had to stay by Eloise’s side.
“Of course. Our Lady Rizette is so composed. All finished.”
“I want to see a mirror!”
A maid quickly brought one over at my request.
In the reflection, I saw the cape—slightly different from an ordinary one.
Made of the same black lace as Eloise’s gown, it had an emerald pendant hanging at its center.
“It looks a little different from before?”
“It was inspired by the lady’s gown. Madam August and Madam Christie made it together.”
“Emeralds of this color must have been hard to find?”
“They took it from the lady’s tiara.”
Ah, no wonder. It was originally part of the parure set, yet Eloise wasn’t wearing the tiara today.
“Noble ladies rarely wear crowns.”
Eloise spoke curtly, but her expression as she looked at me was one of satisfaction.
When preparations were complete, Eloise tried to pick me up. I stopped her.
“With that gown, my fur will really stand out.”
“Don’t worry. It’s been specially treated so fur won’t stick.”
Special treatment like that must’ve cost a fortune—why waste money like that?
Of course, I couldn’t say it out loud. Quietly, I let myself be gathered into her arms.
Sophie then placed a heavy-looking silver fur cloak over Eloise’s shoulders.
“Please take care, my lady.”
Outside, the cold wind blew, but the fur cloak kept us warm.
Eloise accepted the escort of the Empress’s knight and boarded the imperial carriage.
Normally, her fiancé the Crown Prince should have come to greet her, but he was the host of today’s ball.
Well, in the original story, he never once escorted Eloise anyway.
The carriage rattled toward the Crown Prince’s palace.
Eloise’s hand stroking me was warm now.
The distance between the Empress’s palace and the Crown Prince’s was short—we arrived quickly.
My impression of the palace was summed up in just four words:
How very extravagant.
Though it was midwinter, pink petals were scattered from the entrance of the palace.
Petals exactly the same color as Marianne’s hair.
“Your hand, my lady…”
Taking the knight’s hand, Eloise stepped down from the carriage and walked toward the banquet hall.
Many guests had already arrived, their stares burning hot.
I heard whispers, but the words overlapped too much to catch them clearly.
“Is that the… lady?”
“Marianne… they say… his Highness’s…”
The words lady, Marianne, his Highness were enough for me to piece it together.
Clearly, they were gossiping ill of Eloise.
When I looked up at her, she wore a bored expression, as if it was all too predictable and dull.
As we entered the grand hall where the ball was held, a small commotion arose.
“My goodness, I never thought she’d actually come.”
“But the invitation clearly said it was the Crown Prince and Marianne’s Winter Ball.”
“Is she clueless, or just shameless? And she even brought her cat.”
Unlike the Empress’s tea party, the conversations here were sharp and biting.
Perhaps because more nobles supported the Crown Prince.
Ah, so the rumors of the protagonists’ love had already been wrapped in the noble rhetoric of “a love transcending status.”
When the Crown Prince and Marianne’s mana resonance was officially announced, it would only intensify.
In their eyes, Eloise had nothing but her family name Monclair.
“Honestly, isn’t it about time the Monclairs step back?”
“Even a great Monclair shouldn’t foist an incompetent daughter onto His Highness…”
In their minds, Eloise was the “villainess” standing in the way of the fairytale love between the talented commoner-born mage girl and the Crown Prince.
I couldn’t help but snort at the hypocrisy of the nobles—fearing the Monclairs, yet daring to belittle Eloise.
“Eli, this place is awful.”
“It’s Prince Arno’s taste.”
Dazzling chandeliers so bright they hurt my eyes, mountains of food no one could possibly finish, ceaselessly flowing music, and nobles laughing sweetly while their scornful eyes betrayed their true thoughts.
If this was truly the Crown Prince’s taste, then I had definitely been wrong about him all this time—biased only because he was the male lead.
“His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Marianne Ronsbleu are entering.”
Knights announced their entrance.
The Crown Prince entered, not with his fiancée, but escorting his lover—at a ball he himself hosted.
When it was framed as the protagonists’ romance, it had been touching.
But seen from a third party’s perspective, it was nothing short of a comedy.
“We greet the Star of Calenia.”
“We greet the Star of Calenia.”
Everyone bowed their heads.
The Crown Prince glanced around and met Eloise’s eyes.
The corner of his mouth curled in a crooked smirk.
In the original, the Crown Prince’s feelings toward Eloise were described like this:
“The greed born from inferiority stood there.”
“Thank you all for answering my invitation—even my fiancée.”
The nobles’ scornful gazes stabbed toward Eloise.
But she endured them with cold composure. After all, she had done nothing wrong.
“The reason I gathered you all here is to introduce the one who will be celebrated alongside me—my mana resonance partner, Lady Ronsbleu.”
He spoke as if introducing a lover, his tone flat and casual.
At the words mana resonance partner, the hall erupted in shock.
Then everyone applauded and cheered with all their might.
“Congratulations, Your Highness!”
“Glory to Calenia!”
Only Eloise stood still, lips pressed tight, her fingertips trembling faintly.
As the cheers died down, the Crown Prince strolled through the hall with Marianne at his side.
Nobles flocked to them, showering them with flattery, while the distance between them and us steadily shrank.
“Eli, are you okay?”
“Thanks to you, Rizette. Knowing ahead of time what would happen… it’s not so bad.”
Eloise’s voice was calm, but her turquoise eyes glared sharply at the pair.
The beautiful couple drew near. Now, it was time for the important moment from the original story.
All eyes in the room turned toward us.
『“Your Highness, how could you do this to me?”
Lady Monclair clutched her dark green dress so tightly it wrinkled, her voice trembling with cold fury.
Arno let out a frosty sigh and looked down at her with an indifferent, frigid gaze.』
“Congratulations, Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince’s brows furrowed slightly—clearly, he hadn’t expected Eloise to offer congratulations first.
The story had diverged.
In the original, it was Eloise who was upset. Now, it was the Crown Prince.
“Thanks to you. If you had awakened, I never would have met Marianne.”
There he goes again, spitting cruel words.
