Rosemarie tugged the shawl she wore over her light dress closer around her as a refreshing breeze brushed against her cheek.
Volland was in the height of spring, but it was still only early in the season in the more northern Baltzar.
The castle of Baltzar, which her father said she’d visited when she was a child, appeared to be a sturdy, stone-constructed stronghold from the outside. But the interior was breathtaking, coated in stucco with numerous intricate carvings installed. She felt as though she somewhat remembered seeing this before, but she couldn’t remember exactly.
She’d been in a state of nervous fear from the moment she’d heard of her trip to the moment she arrived. Thus, she had barely any recollection of her journey there. However, she definitely remembered that Heidi, who accompanied her as her personal maid, had been offering moral support the entire time.
“Are you cold, milady?” Heidi asked with concern from her post beside Rosemarie. In response, the girl turned and smiled stiffly.
“Oh, no, I’m fine. W-We’re about to head into the hall, anyway...” Rosemarie had been hiding in the shadows of a pillar in the cold corridor, timidly staking out the hall that was most likely filled to the brim with guests.
(I-I don’t want to go in there...)
Judging from the hustle and bustle, there were probably quite a few people attending this gala event. Baltzar’s own aristocrats would be there, of course, in addition to guests from neighboring nations, as her father had mentioned.
Those were all the people gathered here. With all sorts of expectations jumbled together, there was not a doubt in her mind that she—and only she—was about to be treated to a bizarre and terrifying menagerie of humans mingling with beasts. She had attended several evening galas in Volland before, but it was a sight that she still wished to behold as little as humanly possible.
Occasionally someone would raise an eyebrow at Rosemarie clinging to her pillar as they passed into the hall. But she did her best to avoid eye contact.
“Princess, it’s about that time...” Heidi said, her voice holding a hint of impatience. Rosemarie realized that the time for the gala to get underway was at her doorstep. Her plan was to enter the hall near the very tail end, then get out of there as fast as her feet could take her.
“Let’s give it your best, Princess. You’re so close to the finish line. You’re oh so close.”
“...I want to just turn into a pillar.”
“And how do you expect to get home if you’re a pillar? Come, now, let’s make our way in.”
At Heidi’s urging, Rosemarie walked with a heavy gait into the grand hall. The warm air wrapped around her body, but it was anything but relaxing. Her forehead broke out in a nervous sweat.
(It’s fine, it’s fine, no one is coming near me...)
Rosemarie had no desire to stand out in a crowd, but Heidi and her family were reluctant to let her go to a gala underdressed. But she begged and pleaded until they relented, allowing her to wear a simple, dark green dress. According to her younger sister, dresses with a wide-open neckline were what was in fashion. But knowing that to be out of the question, she went with a regular design with a full collar instead.
She couldn’t imagine anyone would be caught dead coming to speak to a drab country bumpkin of a princess.
As she proceeded into the hall on shaky legs, she could overhear the conversations of people here and there.
“Aah, that is a splendid suggestion. I would love to implement that in our own region right away.” The gentleman nodding his head, completely enamored, was a bear.
“My, that is quite the fetching dress. Wherever did you have it made? You simply must introduce me to your seamstress!” The madame enviously singing high praise was a fox.
“Why, the other day, his son...”
“My daughter has quite the pleasant disposition...”
She found herself passing by horses, cats, goats... ladies and gentlemen with the faces of all sorts of beasts engaged in genial conversation.
The bizarre sight was starting to make Rosemarie break out in a cold sweat. It then caused her to trip over her own feet and bump her shoulder into the gentleman that she was attempting to pass by.
“M-My apologies,” she said, extending an apology in a frail tone. The human-faced gentleman smiled in response.
“Think nothing of it. You are not hurt, are you? Such an innocent and lovely individual as yourself getting hurt would simply break my heart.” As the gentleman spoke, his face started to warp, his pupils moving to the side in a manner indicative of a mountain goat, the very animal his whole head soon morphed into. Containing her shivering hand, Rosemarie gave a haphazard response and quickly left the area.
(Why are there so many beast heads here? I just want to go back to my room in Volland...)
Almost on the verge of tears, she moved to one corner of the hall and placed her back against the wall. It was the very wall opposite to where the throne sat. There was little chance of her meeting anyone’s gaze here. Even if she saw them from behind, even if they looked like a beast.
Even if she looked at them, they had a beast head. Even if they looked at her, they had a beast head. There were some human heads visible here and there, but that was few and far between. Jealousy, heartless rumors, envy, lies... all sorts of negative emotions warped human faces into those of beasts in Rosemarie’s eyes.
(I feel sick, I’m scared...)
Their faces, words, and feelings were all mixed up, putting her on the verge of a mental breakdown.
“It would appear that Crown Prince Claudio has arrived.” Just as Rosemarie felt a wave of nausea overtaking her, Heidi spoke up from next to her. Rosemarie could sense the guests around her were standing up straight, so she forced the feeling down and raised her head so as not to appear rude.
(What...?)
There, standing near the throne, was someone clad in a set of black clothes—a human young man. She was able to make out his slick black hair and his almost sunlight-translucent white skin, but she was too far away from where she was standing to accurately make out his appearance. However, the backs of the heads of most of the people that were watching the young man—Claudio—were of different kinds of beasts.
“So, that is what they meant when they said he had a terrifying face...” Heidi murmured unthinkingly, which prompted Rosemarie to look at her in disbelief.
“You can see his face even though we’re so far away?”
“Huh? Oh, yes, I can make out his face, for the most part.” Turning away from the dumbfounded Heidi, Rosemarie turned and strained her eyes.
(Yeah, I can’t make out anything...)
She was able to tell that he had a human face instead of a beast face, but she wasn’t able to make out the structure of his face.
Usually it was the opposite—now everyone around her was able to see, but she wasn’t. It made her wonder what kind of face he had on him.
Feeling as though she’d been left behind, Rosemarie continued to stare at Claudio, stimulated by an odd sense of obsession.
The King of Baltzar entered the hall, congratulations were said, and chatting and dancing commenced. While all of that was going on, Rosemarie could not take her eyes off of Claudio.
(Why... haven’t I seen a beast head out of him even once?)
Not when he was entertaining that random royal who came up to give their congratulations, not when he was dancing with that young miss with a clear beast head on her shoulders—Claudio’s head never once took the appearance of a beast.
It wasn’t like her eyes were cured. The proof of that being that when she cast her eyes elsewhere, the hall still housed the bloodcurdling sight of these people with their grotesque features. Yet, among them all, there was only one who stood out—Claudio. He was the only one whose face remained human the entire time.