I’D considered myself an old pro at balls, but over three years had passed now, and I’d forgotten a surprising amount.
Charles escorted me into the academy’s dance hall, and we paused at the entrance. I took in the grand chandelier, throwing flecks of shining rainbow light everywhere, and gasped. The white walls, the wine-colored carpet, the floral arrangements on the tables in the corner...everything was stunning.
It was strange. The opulent dance hall at the palace somehow didn’t seem half as splendid as this.
We were last to enter the ball, as the highest-ranking guests, and so when we walked in, the place was already full of the other students, dressed in all their finery. Red, yellow, pink, purple…they were dressed in elegant colors and sumptuous materials, and everyone was smiling.
I spotted Oliphia and Claude in the crowd and instantly relaxed. It seemed that Claude had managed to get Oliphia to agree to be his date after all. Oliphia was dressed in a lovely light-blue dress.
With everyone now present, the crowd gathered in the middle of the dance hall as the headmaster announced the opening of the festivities. Charles and I faced each other on the dance floor. He was often my partner during our dance lessons, so even though it was my first ball, I wasn’t a bit nervous as we began to dance.
With a flourish, the orchestra finished playing as the first song ended. Partners bowed to one another, and then the hall was filled with the sound of happy voices talking away. I realized with a start that Charles was suddenly surrounded by young women. It looked like they all wanted the chance for at least one dance with the prince.
Charles shot me an uncomfortable look, and I smiled, waving my hand. The least the prince could do was treat his female subjects to a dance on this, his last day of academy life.
I turned my back, catching Charles’s resigned look from the corner of my eye.
Where is Ed, I wonder?
I set off walking across the dance hall, glancing this and that way.
I’d promised him the second dance, but he was nowhere to be found. He’d told me earlier that he’d be bringing Eileen, but where were they? I rotated on the spot, looking all around, but I couldn’t see them anywhere.
“Princess Annabel, may I…?” an unfamiliar boy spoke to me as I was searching the hall. He must have been an eighth-year. He was tall and skinny and wore a fine-looking indigo-colored frock coat.
“Princess. May I have this dance?”
“If it pleases your Majesty, may I?”
Then, all of a sudden, I was surrounded by older boys.
As I froze, boys all around me, I heard a voice shout “Princess!” from behind me. I turned to see Ed, gently shouldering his way through a crowd of girls to get to me. It looked like he was being mobbed by the opposite sex, just like I was.
Ed looked amazing in a gray frock coat with silver embroidery on the collar and sleeves. His longish, black hair was slicked back, and his handsome face was on full display.
My heart skipped a beat.
If a stranger were to walk in, they’d probably mistake Ed as the prince instead of Charles. That’s how amazing Ed looked that night. The gaggle of fangirls around him would have only strengthened that impression.
I wasn’t very impressed to realize that all the time I’d been looking for Ed, he’d been surrounded by girls. I ended up speaking snarkily to him.
“My, my! Aren’t you popular?”
“Don’t be cruel, Princess.”
Ed drew his brows together in consternation, shoulders slumping. He looked so funny, I couldn’t help giggling.
“I’m sorry. I promised this dance to another.”
The boys gathered around me all looked disappointed as I explained my position. Realizing that my intended partner was not only the son of a duke but also the prince’s personal friend, they quickly dispersed.
“Princess. Your hand, if I may.”
“You may.”
Ed held his hand out to me, and I placed mine in his. Then, he led me out to the center of the dance hall, holding my hand up high as we went. Once in place, he wrapped his arm tight around my waist, and I blinked in surprise at how close we were all of a sudden.
“You’re too close…”
“This is how people dance, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but…”
Ed was right. This was the correct dance form. And yet, I felt uncomfortable. Our bodies were pressed tightly together and his head was just above mine. Ed was stronger and sturdier than he looked—I could tell from the feel of his broad chest, his muscular arms.
I hadn’t even thought about it while dancing with Charles, but I suddenly felt self-conscious and embarrassed. My heart was thumping so hard in my chest, I was half-afraid that Ed would hear it.
A waltz began and we spun around the dance floor. The gorgeous surroundings seemed to twinkle, and I felt almost like I was dreaming. And there in the midst of it all was Ed, looking into my eyes and smiling.
“I usually only ever see you in school uniform or wearing a modest dress. You look especially beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you. Father and Mother picked it out for me.”
“It looks wonderful on you.” Ed smiled fondly at me as he spoke.
Ed’s voice had been deepening by degrees, and now it was indistinguishable from the voice of Older Ed, my guardian knight. For a fleeting moment, I had the strangest feeling that it was my own, dear protector Ed, who was here paying me these compliments.
Speaking of my Ed…back in my old life, after I’d moved to the Sunruta Kingdom with him as my protector, he often filled in for Daniel as my partner in dance lessons. Daniel was busy with royal matters and Ed was always there. Ed always chose one particular song for us to dance to. He said it was the best one.
Yes, that song…
The music ended, and we all stopped dancing.
“The next song will be ‘The Lake Swan.’”
I shivered as the musician announced the title. It was the same exact song I’d been thinking of.
“Let’s go over to the wall.”
I squeezed Ed’s hand urgently as he started to lead me away from the center of the dance floor.
“Princess? Is something wrong?” Ed turned back, looking at me with concern.
“I want to dance one more time. I want to dance this next song with you. Is that okay?”
His eyes widened in surprise. Dancing more than one song with the same partner gave off the strong message that there was something deeper between the two of you.
If we kept dancing, everyone would start to suspect that there was something more than friendship between us. I knew that, but my desire to dance this next song with Ed was stronger.
“Of course. I’d be delighted.” Ed smiled warmly and faced me. Then he took me into his arms once more. “You’re wearing it tonight.”
“Hmm?”
Ed looked pointedly at my neck. The red Magic Stone hung there. Usually, I kept it tucked under my clothes, but the dress I was wearing tonight had an open neck, so it was on full display.
“Yes. I always wear it.”
“And you still won’t tell me who gave it to you?”
“…Nope. It’s a secret. But I’ll tell you one day, when the time is right.”
The time would be right once I had proof I’d managed to avert my terrible future. Ed raised one eyebrow and murmured, “I’ll hold you to that.”
After that, we headed out onto the terrace at Ed’s suggestion.
If we were at the palace, or any nobleman’s house, the terrace would surely overlook a meticulously tended rose garden. Unfortunately, this was Grail Academy’s terrace. There was a token flower bed or two, plus a view of the high walls of the arena where Ed and his peers had practiced sword fighting.
“It’s the sword-fighting arena. I won’t be able to see you practicing at school anymore soon. That makes me feel kind of sad.”
“Yes, I know.” Ed gazed out at the view for a moment before turning to look at me. “There’s something I need to tell you, Princess.”
“There is?” I tilted my head to one side.
Ed was gazing right at me with those piercing red eyes. A sudden wind blew, sending the leaves rustling in the trees.
“I’m thinking of becoming a Royal Magician.”
“Huh? What about that offer you got from the Magic Knights, after the sword-fighting tournament? You turned it down?”
My eyes were wide with surprise.
I’d just assumed Ed would go down the same path again and join the Magical Order of Knights.
“I did. There’s something I must have…and it would be too difficult to obtain if I were a Magic Knight. Actually, I got offers from both—the Magic Knights and also a role as a Royal Magician. I’ve been deliberating between the two for a long time, but on your birthday the other day, I finally made up my mind. Having said that, it’s going to be difficult to get it even if I become a Royal Magician, but I…”
“My birthday? That’s when you decided? …What is it that you want, Ed?”
“What do you think I want?”
Ed gazed at me, narrowing his red eyes and smiling. My heart skipped a beat in my chest again, like it did when we first danced.
“I don’t know.”
“…Don’t you?”
Ed tilted his head a little and looked at me. All of a sudden, my heart was pounding in my chest. I couldn’t stop looking at his red eyes…it was like I could see a fire burning within them.
“If you don’t want to, just stop me…”
Then, Ed reached for me. His big hand stroked my cheek, and I made no move to stop him.