I furrowed my brow at this unexpected remark. “Where’s this coming from all of a sudden?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen that workhorse of a high commander stop to chat while on the clock,” Stanley replied nonchalantly. “He was probably concerned about you being alone, so he stayed with you until I arrived. The effect you have on him is pretty crazy, y’know?”
Now that he mentions it, I suppose so.
Despite being on guard duty for this event, Albert took time to look out for me.
“That aside, everyone’s glaring daggers at us,” Stanley noted.
Everyone was watching us curiously. After expressing his displeasure at this fact, Stanley led me away from the garden. All the while, I gazed at Albert from afar as he performed his duties.
Once inside the castle, a steward led us to the ballroom. A baron’s house would be near the last on the list to be announced. Thus, we stood and watched for a long time as the names of high-ranking nobles were called. While I passed the time by observing people, I met the gazes of the knights on guard duty. During my time as a handmaid for the chivalric order, I’d often spoken to some of them. Whenever I spotted such a person, I greeted them with a smile.
As Stanley and I whiled away the time, our turn finally arrived.
“Introducing Baron Stanley Edigma and his sister, Lady Mary Edigma!” the announcer cried.
Upon hearing our names, Stanley escorted me into the ballroom. The resplendent light of the chandelier dazzled my eyes. Somehow, I fixed a smile on my face and continued walking. The first thing I saw was King Rizel sitting atop his throne on a platform. He cut a fine figure, indeed. Reynaldo stood close to the throne. He’d changed from his ceremonial attire into an outfit more suited for a ball. It looked nice on him, partly due to his height. His beauty was nigh statuesque.
Miraculously, I entered the ballroom without tripping. After receiving drinks, Stanley and I waited for the event to begin.
Once everyone had filed into the ballroom, King Rizel stood from his throne and raised his glass. “I am most grateful to have been crowned with everyone watching over me. May good fortune smile upon all of you.”
As King Rizel offered a toast, I also raised my glass. Lively music filled the ballroom. Soon, emotions overwhelmed me. Not by the music, the dazzling ornaments, or the gowns. Rather, the many spreads of food throughout the ballroom nearly moved me to tears. Everything looked so scrumptious that my mouth watered.
Instead of dancing, Stanley and I chowed down on the lavish food together. Without a doubt, we were our father’s children. He knew a thing or two about fine dining, after all.
“Is this shrimp meunière from the Tours region?” I asked. “I never expected to eat it so fresh.”
“The shrimp were caught alive, delivered to the castle, and cooked just in time,” Stanley explained. “Wait, Mary, what did you just gobble down?”
“A salad wrap. It was delightful.”
The sight of two siblings choosing to gorge themselves rather than socialize probably stuck out like a sore thumb, but, at the time, Stanley and I were none the wiser.
The music changed, and the king led the first dance. His partner was a relative of his who’d married outside the nobility despite her station. Choosing to dance with a married woman was a wise move on King Rizel’s part.
Once the first dance had ended, other attendees followed suit throughout the ballroom.
“Do you have someone to dance with?” I asked Stanley.
My brother glared at me over a glass of champagne. “Of course. In fact, I have a whole list of women waiting for their turn.”
I couldn’t tell if he was lying.
“What about you?” Stanley asked. “Do you want to dance with me?”
“Hmm…”
As I considered accepting my brother’s invitation, I noticed Reynaldo approaching us. It was all too obvious. He was making a beeline in our direction.
“Mary,” he greeted me in a cheerful voice.
Since there were onlookers all around us, we exchanged hasty bows.
“You look radiant tonight,” Reynaldo said.
“Well, I owe everything to the duke who gave me this dress and the accessories,” I replied. “Thank you very much.”
“May I accept repayment in the form of a dance?”
Reynaldo, inviting me to dance? I never thought I’d live to see the day. Rosemary only had memories of him as a young boy. Even so, I smiled despite my surprise.
“With pleasure,” I answered.
I placed my hand atop Reynaldo’s white-gloved palm, letting him lead me into the middle of the hall. While I placed my hands on his shoulders, his long fingers wrapped around my waist. Music played, and we danced in time with the rhythm.
“Who was the first person you ever danced with?” Reynaldo whispered into my ear.
“Stanley,” I replied. “There weren’t many boys my age in the countryside.”
“Did no one approach you during your debutante?”
“Not a single person.”
I refrained from telling him why. During my debutante, everyone witnessed me boldly saving a young lady from being bullied. Likewise, my dress—which I’d put an unusual amount of effort into—had caused an uproar. For these two reasons, Stanley and I had beat a hasty retreat from the venue.
A single time Reynaldo guided me lightly through a turn was enough to make his skill as a dancer evident. My dress—his gift—sparkled in the ballroom’s light.
“To think you can dance so well,” I said. “Rosemary would be surprised.”
“Speaking of Rosemary…” Reynaldo trailed off.
“I still don’t feel her presence. Not at all like I did during the coup.”
When Rosemary freed Reynaldo from his vengeance, her emotions completely overtook me. Now, I couldn’t feel them at all. I still possessed Rosemary’s memories, but the sensation of having become her only occurred during the coup. Every so often, Reynaldo asked after her, hoping to reunite with his actual sister. Unfortunately, I couldn’t provide him with the answer he desired.
In my honest opinion, any reunion would prove difficult. Back when Rosemary’s consciousness overtook mine, I’d learned her position on the dead meddling in mortal affairs. Furthermore, she wholeheartedly desired for Reynaldo and Albert to move on from the past. Even if Rosemary’s consciousness overran me again, I couldn’t imagine her wanting to speak with them. She respected my autonomy as a person who existed in the present.
The coup must have been a special occasion.
I understood Rosemary’s feelings well, as she was my past self. Yet, because this was difficult to explain, I always ended up equivocating.
“When I was young, I dreamed of dancing with Rosemary when I grew up,” Reynaldo said, changing the subject.
“Rosemary felt the same way.”
Reynaldo looked down at me, responding with a smile. His jade eyes—which I remembered from my past life—sparkled. “I’m happy that we can dance together, Mary.”
After our dance ended, Reynaldo excused himself to return to work. Thus, we parted ways.
Afterward, a great many women invited him to dance, but he turned them all down. As the only woman Reynaldo had danced with, the curious glances in my direction multiplied. Unable to bear the attention, I fled to the garden.