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SOON, it was time for the evening ball.
The dance floor was bright, colored by the gorgeous dresses worn by the ladies. As a light waltz started out, the young men took their ladies’ hands and started dancing gracefully to the tune while the older gentlemen hummed or sang along.
Alicia, escorted by King James, was making her rounds and socializing with the guests.
The nobles of the Privy Council and merchants of Mercurius, who had worked closely with Alicia since she was just a child, greeted her cheerfully when she called on them. In contrast, the other guests who met her for the first time were often rendered speechless by the beauty of Heilland’s Blue Rose, giving nervous responses much to King James’s amusement.
By the time she’d finished greeting most of the guests and accepted a couple of dances, Alicia was exhausted. However, it would be unbecoming to show her tiredness in front of everyone, so she found a chance to slip outside to the balcony for a breath of night air.
Alone, she leaned against the railing and watched as small lights floated across the darkness. The castle walls were too high for her to get a good view, but the townspeople must’ve been gathering by the Eram River to release their lanterns onto the water, a beloved tradition to celebrate the Star Festival.
Suddenly, a voice called out to her.
“Good evening, Princess Alicia. May I join you?”
She turned to see the Marquis of Rozen standing behind her, and she broke into a bright smile.
“Jude! Of course, please do.”
The marquis returned her smile with his charming, dimpled one as he happily came to stand beside her. She noticed two thin champagne glasses in his hands, one of which he handed to Alicia, and the two clinked the glasses together in a toast.
“So, how were the festivities? Were they boring?” Alicia teased.
“Surprisingly, I enjoyed myself,” Jude answered with a joyful smile. “It’s been a while since my last public appearance, so it was interesting. The story about Heilland’s founding was especially fun. The Mercurius merchants looked like they enjoyed themselves too.”
Then he paused for a moment before raising a finger.
“But! This ball is another story. Almost makes me want to escape outside to join the Star Festival. You feel the same, don’t you, since you’re out here?”
“Amazing, you’ve read my mind perfectly.” Alicia grinned.
“I’m not reading your mind. It’s my businessman’s intuition. Come, let me demonstrate it again,” Jude said with a teasing wink. “When I called out to you just now, you turned around expecting to see someone else. Fufu, am I right? And would that someone happen to be Clo?”
Alicia’s mouth dropped open, but the marquis’s smile remained friendly in the faint darkness of night, his tone absent of any tinge of reproach.
She decided to be honest.
“I guess you’ve noticed, then.”
“That you admire Clo? I’ve always known that. To do business, one must be able to read the subtleties of the heart.” Jude laughed, giving his glass a light swirl. Then his gaze turned gentle as he looked at Alicia again. “That said, your long, unrequited love has now found its happy ending.”
“How did you know?!” she cried.
“Oh dear! You’ve been tricked into revealing it yourself! But that’s good! Congratulations!!”
Despite his words, no gloating was in Jude’s voice as he rejoiced. On the other hand, Alicia glared resentfully at Jude, upset that she’d let her guard down.
Noticing her disapproving look, Jude’s smile turned guilty.
“Please don’t be angry. I’m just so terribly glad you’ve chosen Clo, who has stayed by your side and supported you all this time, rather than some random prince.”
“…Fine, I’ll let it go, but you have to keep it a secret. Erdal is still keen on my betrothal to their crown prince, and father doesn’t know either.”
“Of course. What is identity?! What is status?! Aren’t we all born equal and free?!”
“Y-You’re too loud!”
Alicia quickly moved to calm the marquis, who had launched into a passionate speech with clenched fists, before anyone could see and think him a madman.
Having succeeded, Alicia fanned herself with a hand to cool down. Then, leaning against the railing again, she turned to the townscape glimmering beyond the castle walls with a nostalgic expression.
“Before… Oh, please keep this a secret from Clo. It’s terrible manners to share men’s talk with someone’s lover.” Jude was giving her a beseeching look. She gave a small nod. Relieved, he returned his gaze to the night sky as well. “There was one time when Clo got really drunk when he visited my mansion for a scheduled update about Mercurius. Maybe a few days after Your Highness’s sixteenth birthday.”
So it happened less than a year ago, but this was the first time she’d heard of this “drunk” incident at Jude’s mansion. Clovis had always been a reserved drinker, and even though he wasn’t as strong as Robert, he’d always been good at holding his liquor.
According to Jude, he’d invited Clovis for an evening drink as usual, but the adviser had seemed unusual that day, swigging glass after glass of whiskey. Heartened by that, Jude had happily opened a new bottle, which Clovis quickly demolished, as well.
Jude, who had been enjoying himself as host and pouring drink after drink for his guest, didn’t notice anything amiss until Clovis passed out.
“Wait. Not to be rude, but what were you thinking?” Alicia interjected with a reproachful glare.
“Whoa. I’m sorry,” Jude hurriedly apologized. “I was in the wrong, but I didn’t think Clo was going to drink past his limits!”
He was right. She’d never known Clovis to do such a thing before, so she let it go for now.
Back to the story. Once Jude noticed Clovis’s strange behavior, he hurriedly made the man drink some water. When that didn’t work, he’d laid him down on the couch, where Clovis had slung an arm over his face as if aware that he’d done something stupid.
As host, Jude couldn’t leave his drunk guest and return to his rooms, so he stayed by Clovis’s side, gingerly sipping at his whiskey, and that was when Clovis spoke up.
“Clo started talking about Your Highness’s birthday party a few days before.”
“My birthday?”
“Yes. You made your society debut that night, too, I recall?”
Alicia nodded as Jude took a sip from his glass.
Since the banquet to celebrate Alicia’s sixteenth birthday was also her society debut, it was held on a larger scale than usual. It was the first time Heilland’s Blue Rose Princess was presented to the eyes of the most esteemed members of society, royalty from neighboring countries, and the entire world.
“Clo described a particular scene that burned into his mind, and he just couldn’t forget.”
Music played by the wind orchestra echoed through the great hall.
A vermilion door opened, revealing a figure on the arm of the king.
Stepping forward slowly, her hair flowed behind her, glimmering with light…
“It occurred to me as I listened to him. Though Clo had always seen you as a little girl he had to protect, I think he realized at that moment that you were no longer that little girl.”
Joy and pain, happiness and suffering. Various emotions colored Clovis’s voice as he rambled on and finally fell asleep.
“That was another problem in itself. As Your Highness knows, my reception room feels fine during the day but can get cold at night. Somehow, I managed to pick Clo up and carry him to his room… But that’s not important.”
Abruptly, Jude cut his story short, and a soft smile graced his lips.
“What I’m trying to say is, please be happy. You have an identity and a status to maintain, which will bring a lot of trouble, but you’ve mustered up the courage to reach him. It’ll be such a waste if you let him go easily!”
Alicia lowered her head at Jude’s words. She’d been a coward for too long, hesitating and doubting until the last minute.
Even now, she was hesitant, but Clovis had put all her fears to rest and broke through the walls to reach her. He’d said they could stand up to anything together.
For a few moments, Jude watched the young princess closely. Suddenly, he snatched the glass from Alicia’s hands and gave her a shove on the back.
“Hey, aah?!”
“Just jump in! Isn’t that what you do best?”
Surprised, Alicia stumbled a few steps before regaining her balance. Turning back, Jude was already on his way back inside. Giving her a wave, he smiled and repeated.
“Run! The wonderful night is just beginning.”
With that, the Marquis of Rozen disappeared into a crowd of dancers.
Alicia stood stunned for a few more moments. Then, she took a hesitant step forward. Then another. By the third step, she’d broken into a run, and there was no more hesitation in her actions.
She dashed on as if chasing after a festival from a day far away.
The guests swayed to the waltz, the ladies’ dresses fluttering like colorful flowers. Alicia, clad in light blue, weaved expertly between them.
Both of them had been reaching out like this again and again.
She could see him now, a tall figure past this crowd of people.
Him, with the hands, the voice, and the smile she loved.
“Clovis!!”
He turned around in surprise, her figure reflected in his clear violet gaze. Just like on the first day they met, she grabbed his right hand…and ran.
“Ah, Your Highness?!”
“Come!” Alicia shouted. “Come with me!”
Dashing through the crowd again, Alicia glanced over her shoulder to see a shocked Clovis, mouth open in surprise. Then he chuckled softly and gave her a simple grin straight from his heart.
“I’ll go,” he laughed. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”
The colors, the dazzling brilliance, the gorgeous melodies—everything receded into the background.
The pair made their way out of the great hall.