Chapter 30
Astaire’s gaze fell on Elsez’s ear.
All of a sudden, she felt the warmth of his hand touch her earlobe—followed by a faint sting.
“Ah.”
When Elsez let out a small sound of surprise, Astaire flinched and quickly studied her expression.
“Did that hurt? I’m sorry. It’s just not going in properly.”
His already careful touch grew even gentler, as though he were handling delicate glasswork.
Then he reached for her other earlobe, finishing this time with ease before stepping back to his seat.
Only then did Elsez reach up and touch her ear.
“…An earring?”
“It’s an earring with a small communication orb inside.”
Her fingertips brushed against something that hadn’t been there moments ago.
“I’d like to escort you inside myself, but a coachman can’t exactly do that. So once you’re inside the mansion, we’ll talk through this.”
Astaire tapped the sapphire earring on his own ear with his long fingers.
“Can you hear me? My voice.”
She could hear the voice coming from right in front of her—and another one, echoing faintly through the earring.
Perhaps because of the artifact’s unique magical resonance, his usually smooth, melodic voice carried a soft hum, yet it was still pleasant to listen to.
Elsez nodded.
“Yes, I can hear you clearly.”
“It’s not uncomfortable, is it?”
“No. You sound just like a fairy godmother, Your Grace.”
“Fairy godmother?”
Astaire looked at her, puzzled by the unfamiliar term.
‘Ah… I guess this world doesn’t have fairy tales like Cinderella.’
Elsez explained the story to him.
“In a storybook I read as a child, there’s a fairy godmother who helps the heroine dressed in rags become beautiful for the ball. You remind me of her.”
Astaire chuckled, then met her gaze and asked in a mock-serious tone,
“Can’t I be the prince instead of the fairy godmother?”
“Well, I’m afraid not today. You’re a coachman, after all.”
Astaire laughed again at her playful reply and rose from his seat.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to play the fairy godmother faithfully for today.”
He stepped down from the carriage, and soon the vehicle started moving.
Once Elsez was alone in the quiet carriage, the brooch on her chest shimmered faintly, releasing a wisp of black smoke.
“I almost struck that man earlier—thought he was attacking you,” came Reti’s relieved mutter.
Elsez giggled.
For someone who so detested Astaire’s aura, Reti had shown surprising restraint.
The carriage looked expensive even from the outside, and fittingly, its wheels rolled in near silence.
Then Elsez remembered something she needed to tell Astaire and tapped her earring twice.
“Your Grace.”
– Yes, go ahead.
“I’d like to keep my identity secret from the Guild and the Guildmaster for now—at least until I’ve broken off my engagement with the Duke.”
If she revealed her identity after freeing herself from the Tezet name, the gossip and speculation that followed would surely lessen.
– So, you’re planning to break the engagement with that man?
“If word gets out that the Duke’s fiancée is working for the Guild, it’ll be troublesome for him, too. And without that title, I’ll be able to move a lot more freely.”
– Then, that means… you don’t have feelings for him, right?
“As I said before—it’s a relationship born out of my father’s debts, nothing more.”
Astaire fell silent for a moment, then replied a beat later, his voice oddly higher than usual.
– Then I suppose… we’re sharing secrets now, aren’t we?
“Welcome, my lady.”
When the carriage arrived, knights of the Count Lort family opened the door and escorted Elsez out.
– See you later, Astaire’s voice said before fading away, along with the departing carriage.
He must have gone to the garden where the coachmen waited.
Holding up the hem of her long dress, Elsez carefully climbed the mansion steps in her awkward shoes.
She could hear other nobles whispering when they noticed her, but her thoughts were entirely focused on reviewing the infiltration plan.
Count Lort’s estate consists of the main building and a separate annex behind the garden.
Elsez pictured the mansion’s layout in her mind.
The banquet was being held in the main building. Behind it lay the garden, and beyond that, the annex.
If there’s a clue to be found, it’ll probably be hidden in the annex. It’s too risky to hide something in the main hall where guests freely come and go.
Agreed.
While I investigate the annex, you’ll monitor the Count and Countess’s movements inside the main hall.
Elsez’s role carried little risk—she only had to blend in and keep an eye on the couple’s whereabouts while pretending to enjoy the banquet.
By the time she’d reviewed the plan in her head, she had already reached the top of the stairs.
My first ball, huh…
In her first life, she’d been too busy training heroes, and she hadn’t been a noble to begin with, so there’d never been a chance to attend one.
This, then, was her very first.
She took a deep breath, gazing at the dazzlingly bright hall that almost blurred her vision, and stepped inside.
The ballroom was already bustling with nobles who had arrived earlier.
While Elsez stood momentarily dazed by the crowd, a well-dressed middle-aged couple approached her.
“Well, if it isn’t Lady Rohain! We haven’t seen you since the Viscount’s funeral.”
“Welcome, my dear. We’re so glad you could come.”
Elsez didn’t recognize them, but since they were greeting her personally, they were clearly the hosts.
Following the etiquette she had observed from another young lady earlier, she lifted her dress slightly and curtsied.
“Good evening, Count, Countess.”
The Countess clasped Elsez’s hands warmly, her expression tinged with sympathy.
“I hesitated to invite you, thinking it might still be too soon for you to attend social events, but thank you for gracing us with your presence.”
“Not at all. I should be the one thanking you for inviting me to such a beautiful home.”
“By the way, where is His Grace, the Duke of Littenhaus?”
The Count craned his neck, the chandelier’s light glinting off his bald head as he glanced around.
‘Right—since I’m here as the Duke’s fiancée, it would be strange if they didn’t ask about him.’
She had expected the question and delivered her prepared answer smoothly.
“He’s been quite busy. As you know, he’s in the Emperor’s favor, so he’s been swamped with work lately.”
“Ah, I see. What a pity. I was hoping to speak with the Duke in person.”
The Count smacked his lips in visible disappointment.
His wife nudged him aside and quickly smoothed over the situation.
“Still, there are many fine guests here tonight. I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself, my dear. Please, make yourself at home.”
After a polite nod, the couple moved on to greet the next guest.
Elsez stepped further into the hall and made her way toward a table tucked into a quiet corner.
It’d be troublesome if anyone who knew the ‘old’ Elsez showed up.
Scanning the room, she stopped at a nearby table laden with wine, cheese, cookies, and elegant sweets.
She picked up a delicate madeleine and took a bite, then sipped her wine.
At that moment, a wisp of black smoke emerged from her brooch and gulped down a madeleine whole.
“Mmm, delicious! What’s this one called?”
“Lemon madeleine.”
“And that?”
Reti’s smoky tendrils pointed to another dish.
“That’s chocolat bonbon—sweets filled with different ingredients and coated in chocolate.”
Elsez explained while sliding the plate closer.
Reti snacked furtively, careful to stay out of sight.
Meanwhile, Elsez continued scanning the room—until she felt someone’s gaze.
She turned her head and saw a group of young noblewomen watching her.
Do they know me?
But judging by their whispers and scornful looks, they were anything but friendly.
Better to stay quiet than give them an excuse to start something.
Still, it felt rude to completely ignore them.
Elsez gave a polite nod in greeting before turning away.
Then, from the opposite side, she felt another gaze. This time it came from a young nobleman staring at her from across the room.
Who’s that? Do I know him?
As she studied his face, particularly his thick lips and square jawline, realization dawned.
They closely resembled the Count’s features from earlier.
The Count’s son, Lord Lort.
He was chatting with a few men while openly staring at her, his gaze making her skin crawl.
An uneasy feeling stirred within her. She turned, intending to move elsewhere—
—when someone suddenly stepped in front of her.
“Lady Rohain, it’s been a while.”
It was the brown-haired woman from the group of noble ladies who’d been whispering earlier.
But her expression held not a trace of warmth.
She felt more like an enemy than an acquaintance, but Elsez greeted her anyway.
“Hello.”
“You took your time greeting me.”
The woman smiled, but her words were laced with thorns.
I literally just greeted you a moment ago.
Elsez raised an eyebrow, unsure why the woman was pretending otherwise.
Still smiling, the woman continued,
“When you arrive, you should come greet us properly.”
“I did just now.”
“When, exactly?”
After a brief pause, the woman sneered.
“Don’t tell me that little nod earlier was supposed to count as a greeting?”
“Isn’t that what a greeting is?”
The noblewoman clicked her tongue in disbelief and gave Elsez a scornful look.
“Looks like someone already thinks she’s the Duchess of Littenhaus.”
