“No, Princess Lariesa!”
Count Le Vien threw himself upon her and hugged Lariesa's legs over her dress.
“You must never sign this!”
“Let go of this!”
Princess Lariesa kicked him roughly. Count Le Vien was hit squarely in the forehead by Lariesa’s shoe and rolled on the floor. Despite Count Le Vien’s groans of pain, Lariesa did not even bat an eyelid and poured out her anger on Count Le Vien.
“Shut up, Le Vien! Stop telling me what to do! What have I gained from listening to you up until now?”
Princess Lariesa ground her teeth as she recalled the advice Count Le Vien had given her the day she had her first fight with Prince Alfonso in the corridors of the Taranto Palace.
“Le Vien, what did I tell you! That day, I said, ‘I wonder if Prince Alfonso has another woman and is being cold to me?’ But you told me that it would never happen with Prince Alfonso’s personality and that I should focus on winning his favor!”
Lariesa's anger burned brightly as even her past shame was stirred up.
“After hearing you, I farted like a fool in front of Prince Alfonso! ‘Meet me, look at me, take a walk with me, Prince Alfonso!’ How... How...”
Lariesa began to sob.
“How ridiculous I must have looked... How foolish...How stupid...”
Princess Lariesa was retracing her childhood wounds, having been an inferior in the shadow of her older sister, Suzanne, and was belittling herself. A younger sister who was inferior to Suzanne, a good child although a little lacking. The nannies and court ladies throw words and stare at their mother, such as Suzanne is fast but Lariesa is a little slow, it must be because she is the second child, played vividly in her head.
“It’s already time to part ways. Isn’t it a shame?”
“Yes, I did. Today was so much fun, Marquis Baldessar.”
“Raphael.”
Ariadne realized her mistake in address and laughed, sticking out her tongue. Usually, when a ball was held, the nobles would move from one ball to another on the same day, but the palace ball was an exception. Out of courtesy to the royal family, most of the invited guests stayed until the end, and if they made plans after that, they would not hold a new ball, but would only gather with very close friends and have another drink.
Count Le Vien threw himself upon her and hugged Lariesa's legs over her dress.
“You must never sign this!”
“Let go of this!”
Princess Lariesa kicked him roughly. Count Le Vien was hit squarely in the forehead by Lariesa’s shoe and rolled on the floor. Despite Count Le Vien’s groans of pain, Lariesa did not even bat an eyelid and poured out her anger on Count Le Vien.
“Shut up, Le Vien! Stop telling me what to do! What have I gained from listening to you up until now?”
Princess Lariesa ground her teeth as she recalled the advice Count Le Vien had given her the day she had her first fight with Prince Alfonso in the corridors of the Taranto Palace.
“Le Vien, what did I tell you! That day, I said, ‘I wonder if Prince Alfonso has another woman and is being cold to me?’ But you told me that it would never happen with Prince Alfonso’s personality and that I should focus on winning his favor!”
Lariesa's anger burned brightly as even her past shame was stirred up.
“After hearing you, I farted like a fool in front of Prince Alfonso! ‘Meet me, look at me, take a walk with me, Prince Alfonso!’ How... How...”
Lariesa began to sob.
“How ridiculous I must have looked... How foolish...How stupid...”
Princess Lariesa was retracing her childhood wounds, having been an inferior in the shadow of her older sister, Suzanne, and was belittling herself. A younger sister who was inferior to Suzanne, a good child although a little lacking. The nannies and court ladies throw words and stare at their mother, such as Suzanne is fast but Lariesa is a little slow, it must be because she is the second child, played vividly in her head.
Count Le Vien was rolling on the floor, holding his head, groaning. It was unclear whether he was listening to Princess Lariesa. Duke Mireille smiled the kindest smile he could muster and handed a quill dipped in ink to Princess Lariesa’s tear-stained hands.
“Come on, Princess. Quickly. This is your chance for revenge.”
Princess Lariesa closed her eyes tightly and wrote her name on the contract that Duke Mireille handed her. Duke Mireille laughed heartily and blew on the ink to dry it. He found the Princess’s seal on the desk, melted some wax, poured it on, and put it in her hand.
“This too.”
Since she had already signed, it was a do-or-die situation. Lariesa even pressed her own seal on the ‘contract’ that the Duke of Mireille had handed her. The Duke rolled up the contract with Lariesa’s signature and put it on his bosom with a big smile on his face.
“I keep my promises. I’ll pull out the bull’s horns in one fell swoop. How is it today with that girl in the palace?”
Lariesa said, biting her trembling lips.
“The faster the better.”
“Okay, you’re a cool girl.”
“I keep my promises.”
“What can I say? I will deliver the good news to the Grand Duchess within three hours.”
The Duke of Mireille left the Grand Duchess's quarters leisurely, leaving the Grand Duchess Lariesa and the Count of Le Vien rolling on the floor. He already had a plan on how to handle this matter.
“Your Grace, how was the conversation?”
Duke Mireille was followed by his confidants as he came out of the Grand Duchess's quarters.
“Everything goes well.”
“What are you going to do now? Since you’ve discovered Princess Lariesa’s weakness, should we just retreat...?”
“No. Only when Cardinal de Mare’s second daughter actually has a problem will this become a real scandal for the Princess of Lariesa.”
Duke Mireille smiled sinisterly and licked his lips.
“Why, we used to do something like that at the Mireille dukedom, right? We’ll do the same thing this time. Bring me a palace carriage. Along with the coachman’s uniform.”
Suha asked Duke Mireille as if it was something he was familiar with.
“Who would you like to send to handle the work?”
“I am a gentleman. I must keep my promises to my lady. I will do it with my own hands.”
Suha looked a little nervous. He carefully stopped the Duke of Mireille.
“Your Majesty... What we originally did was very basic... a kind of play. This is a foreign palace, and the opponent is too big of a player to rush in like this. If we make even one mistake, it will cause a big stir.”
Ariadne was the daughter of Cardinal de Mare, but she was also the flower of San Carlo society, and her piety was so renowned that she was once called a Saint. Furthermore, if she caused a stir within Palazzo Carlo, it would escalate into a diplomatic problem. However, the Duke of Mireille was rather annoyed by his subordinate's caution.
“Just don’t get caught! Why are you so nervous about what kind of rebellion a petite girl can put up? Are you going to get in big trouble with that?”
Mireille added with a vulgar smile to his subordinate who lowered his head in embarrassment.
“And when something like this happens, a woman can’t open her mouth.”
“Huh? Weren’t you planning on attacking with a knife?”
“Tsk tsk. How naive. Read the contract carefully. I said ‘kill or harm’, but I didn’t specify what or how I would harm her.”
“...!”
“Isn’t it enough to lower the value of the product in the marriage market? I can do whatever I want. Isn’t that right?”
“Come on, Princess. Quickly. This is your chance for revenge.”
Princess Lariesa closed her eyes tightly and wrote her name on the contract that Duke Mireille handed her. Duke Mireille laughed heartily and blew on the ink to dry it. He found the Princess’s seal on the desk, melted some wax, poured it on, and put it in her hand.
“This too.”
Since she had already signed, it was a do-or-die situation. Lariesa even pressed her own seal on the ‘contract’ that the Duke of Mireille had handed her. The Duke rolled up the contract with Lariesa’s signature and put it on his bosom with a big smile on his face.
“I keep my promises. I’ll pull out the bull’s horns in one fell swoop. How is it today with that girl in the palace?”
Lariesa said, biting her trembling lips.
“The faster the better.”
“Okay, you’re a cool girl.”
“I keep my promises.”
“What can I say? I will deliver the good news to the Grand Duchess within three hours.”
The Duke of Mireille left the Grand Duchess's quarters leisurely, leaving the Grand Duchess Lariesa and the Count of Le Vien rolling on the floor. He already had a plan on how to handle this matter.
“Your Grace, how was the conversation?”
Duke Mireille was followed by his confidants as he came out of the Grand Duchess's quarters.
“Everything goes well.”
“What are you going to do now? Since you’ve discovered Princess Lariesa’s weakness, should we just retreat...?”
“No. Only when Cardinal de Mare’s second daughter actually has a problem will this become a real scandal for the Princess of Lariesa.”
Duke Mireille smiled sinisterly and licked his lips.
“Why, we used to do something like that at the Mireille dukedom, right? We’ll do the same thing this time. Bring me a palace carriage. Along with the coachman’s uniform.”
Suha asked Duke Mireille as if it was something he was familiar with.
“Who would you like to send to handle the work?”
“I am a gentleman. I must keep my promises to my lady. I will do it with my own hands.”
Suha looked a little nervous. He carefully stopped the Duke of Mireille.
“Your Majesty... What we originally did was very basic... a kind of play. This is a foreign palace, and the opponent is too big of a player to rush in like this. If we make even one mistake, it will cause a big stir.”
Ariadne was the daughter of Cardinal de Mare, but she was also the flower of San Carlo society, and her piety was so renowned that she was once called a Saint. Furthermore, if she caused a stir within Palazzo Carlo, it would escalate into a diplomatic problem. However, the Duke of Mireille was rather annoyed by his subordinate's caution.
“Just don’t get caught! Why are you so nervous about what kind of rebellion a petite girl can put up? Are you going to get in big trouble with that?”
Mireille added with a vulgar smile to his subordinate who lowered his head in embarrassment.
“And when something like this happens, a woman can’t open her mouth.”
“Huh? Weren’t you planning on attacking with a knife?”
“Tsk tsk. How naive. Read the contract carefully. I said ‘kill or harm’, but I didn’t specify what or how I would harm her.”
“...!”
“Isn’t it enough to lower the value of the product in the marriage market? I can do whatever I want. Isn’t that right?”
***
The rest of the ball went by smoothly as water. After his honey-sweet rendezvous with Ariadne, Alfonso returned to his seat to find that the Princess of Lariesa had left the ball. She had gone to rest early said, 'because she was not feeling well.'
'Was the story told in the second waltz that shocking?'
He felt a little guilty. But it was something he had to do someday. Soon, he would be able to say goodbye to Princess Lariesa forever. Despite his guilt, Alfonso felt a sense of liberation, as if he were free as a feather, at the thought of Lariesa not being by his side. Ariadne also returned to her seat as if nothing had happened after meeting Alfonso.
“Ariadne!”
Raphael, who returned from waltzing with Julia, felt uneasy and restless when he realized that Ariadne had been away for a while, but he finally breathed a sigh of relief when she returned.
“I am surprised, Ariadne. Where have you been?”
“I just came back after taking a quick breath of fresh air and spirits.”
Ariadne replied with a smile. If I were to choose the spirit of daffodils at today's ball, it would definitely be Alfonso. Her man was really, really handsome and at the same time, pitiful. Raphael, who had no idea what Ariadne was thinking, seemed embarrassed by her playfulness.
“I heard that you waltzed with Count Cesare while I was away. Have you ever seen such a troublemaker?”
“Oh my, what have I done that I can’t do?”
Ariadne, feeling happy, laughed brightly and teased Raphael. Embarrassed, Raphael reminded Ariadne of her duties.
“Ariadne, I will not let your ‘friend’ stop you from waltzing with Count Cesare.”
Ariadne responded with a smile.
“If that’s the problem, then it’s been discussed well. The spirit said that he also did something wrong, so he will let it go.”
Only then did Raphael realize what Ariadne was talking about and he wiped his face sheepishly.
“Well, I guess I failed as a partner.”
“It’s okay since your college grades were good.”
Raphael opened his eyes wide and asked back.
“How did you know that? I’ve never bragged about it.”
“I had a feeling that would be the case for some reason.”
Ariadne laughed and changed the subject.
“So what I’m saying is...”
He felt a little guilty. But it was something he had to do someday. Soon, he would be able to say goodbye to Princess Lariesa forever. Despite his guilt, Alfonso felt a sense of liberation, as if he were free as a feather, at the thought of Lariesa not being by his side. Ariadne also returned to her seat as if nothing had happened after meeting Alfonso.
“Ariadne!”
Raphael, who returned from waltzing with Julia, felt uneasy and restless when he realized that Ariadne had been away for a while, but he finally breathed a sigh of relief when she returned.
“I am surprised, Ariadne. Where have you been?”
“I just came back after taking a quick breath of fresh air and spirits.”
Ariadne replied with a smile. If I were to choose the spirit of daffodils at today's ball, it would definitely be Alfonso. Her man was really, really handsome and at the same time, pitiful. Raphael, who had no idea what Ariadne was thinking, seemed embarrassed by her playfulness.
“I heard that you waltzed with Count Cesare while I was away. Have you ever seen such a troublemaker?”
“Oh my, what have I done that I can’t do?”
Ariadne, feeling happy, laughed brightly and teased Raphael. Embarrassed, Raphael reminded Ariadne of her duties.
“Ariadne, I will not let your ‘friend’ stop you from waltzing with Count Cesare.”
Ariadne responded with a smile.
“If that’s the problem, then it’s been discussed well. The spirit said that he also did something wrong, so he will let it go.”
Only then did Raphael realize what Ariadne was talking about and he wiped his face sheepishly.
“Well, I guess I failed as a partner.”
“It’s okay since your college grades were good.”
Raphael opened his eyes wide and asked back.
“How did you know that? I’ve never bragged about it.”
“I had a feeling that would be the case for some reason.”
Ariadne laughed and changed the subject.
“So what I’m saying is...”
***
“It’s already time to part ways. Isn’t it a shame?”
“Yes, I did. Today was so much fun, Marquis Baldessar.”
“Raphael.”
Ariadne realized her mistake in address and laughed, sticking out her tongue. Usually, when a ball was held, the nobles would move from one ball to another on the same day, but the palace ball was an exception. Out of courtesy to the royal family, most of the invited guests stayed until the end, and if they made plans after that, they would not hold a new ball, but would only gather with very close friends and have another drink.
Usually, the gentlemen would gather in the salon and share a drink or two, or the ladies would have a light sparkling wine and then part ways. Raphael and Ariadne were not close enough to drink together in private after the palace ball, so they had to go their separate ways as soon as the ball was over.
“But I can still escort you home.”
“Don’t bring that carriage separately. If you don’t take me, I won’t be able to go home.”
“Hahaha. What if I go to the roundabout in the palace carriage and my carriage is gone?”
“Shall we walk home?”
“I like it. It’s romantic to spend the night walking home with a beautiful Lady.”
“I don’t like that. It’s called a shoe.”
The two were chatting nonsense as they waited for the royal carriage with laurel and deer patterns in front of the 'Lily Room'. The royal carriage regularly carried guests every five minutes. The majority of the guests had already left, so the area in front of the ballroom was deserted. A couple waiting in front of them got on the royal carriage and headed toward the rotary where the carriages of each family were waiting. Almost no one was left around.
“Hey, it looks like our carriage is coming.”
“Oh? You’ll be here soon?”
The couple right in front of them had just left in the palace carriage. Ariadne tilted her head at the fact that the five-minute intervals that the palace carriages had kept in order had been broken.
“It won’t hurt to come quickly.”
“Well, that’s true.”
She hates being late, but she welcomes being early. The royal carriage with laurel and deer patterns stopped in front of Raphael and Ariadne. Raphael escorted Ariadne first and put her in the carriage. When Raphael tried to get in too, the plump coachman of the royal carriage stopped him.
“This is a message to bring only women.”
"Yes?"
Raphael asked in confusion.
“Who sent this message?”
The old coachman of the palace carriage, dressed in his royal uniform, answered in a small voice with his head bowed.
“I have come under the command of the Little Sun of San Carlo.”
"Ah."
Raphael looked at Ariadne.
“Is this your spirit calling you?”
He asked her in a voice dripping with regret.
“The fountain fairy will go to meet the daffodil spirit?”
Ariadne couldn't help but laugh at the ticklish title.
“Don’t call me that.”
But she did not say that she would refuse Alfonso's invitation and return home with Raphael. Raphael said with a regretful smile on his lips.
“Then I guess that’s the end of the role of proxy partner for tonight.”
Raphael de Baldessar took out a small gift box from his bosom.
“Here is my ‘Signora Operta.’ Go home and open it.”
Ariadne smiled and accepted the gift box.
“Thank you. It was a beautiful ball thanks to you.”
Raphael thought it was a beautiful ball, thanks more to the 'spirit of daffodils' than to himself, but he didn't show it. Instead, he gave Ariadne a farewell kiss on the back of her gloved hand as she climbed into the open carriage.
“If you ever need a temporary partner, please call me again.”
“I can’t hurt someone so many times.”
“What do you mean?"
He strongly denied it.
“It would be my pleasure to respond to your call.”
Ariadne answered with a smile.
“I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
Raphael knew that now was the time to break up.
“Okay, goodbye.”
The royal carriage carrying only the lady in the blue dress clattered down the granite road, leaving her partner at the ballroom. The old coachman glanced at the back seat.
“But I can still escort you home.”
“Don’t bring that carriage separately. If you don’t take me, I won’t be able to go home.”
“Hahaha. What if I go to the roundabout in the palace carriage and my carriage is gone?”
“Shall we walk home?”
“I like it. It’s romantic to spend the night walking home with a beautiful Lady.”
“I don’t like that. It’s called a shoe.”
The two were chatting nonsense as they waited for the royal carriage with laurel and deer patterns in front of the 'Lily Room'. The royal carriage regularly carried guests every five minutes. The majority of the guests had already left, so the area in front of the ballroom was deserted. A couple waiting in front of them got on the royal carriage and headed toward the rotary where the carriages of each family were waiting. Almost no one was left around.
“Hey, it looks like our carriage is coming.”
“Oh? You’ll be here soon?”
The couple right in front of them had just left in the palace carriage. Ariadne tilted her head at the fact that the five-minute intervals that the palace carriages had kept in order had been broken.
“It won’t hurt to come quickly.”
“Well, that’s true.”
She hates being late, but she welcomes being early. The royal carriage with laurel and deer patterns stopped in front of Raphael and Ariadne. Raphael escorted Ariadne first and put her in the carriage. When Raphael tried to get in too, the plump coachman of the royal carriage stopped him.
“This is a message to bring only women.”
"Yes?"
Raphael asked in confusion.
“Who sent this message?”
The old coachman of the palace carriage, dressed in his royal uniform, answered in a small voice with his head bowed.
“I have come under the command of the Little Sun of San Carlo.”
"Ah."
Raphael looked at Ariadne.
“Is this your spirit calling you?”
He asked her in a voice dripping with regret.
“The fountain fairy will go to meet the daffodil spirit?”
Ariadne couldn't help but laugh at the ticklish title.
“Don’t call me that.”
But she did not say that she would refuse Alfonso's invitation and return home with Raphael. Raphael said with a regretful smile on his lips.
“Then I guess that’s the end of the role of proxy partner for tonight.”
Raphael de Baldessar took out a small gift box from his bosom.
“Here is my ‘Signora Operta.’ Go home and open it.”
Ariadne smiled and accepted the gift box.
“Thank you. It was a beautiful ball thanks to you.”
Raphael thought it was a beautiful ball, thanks more to the 'spirit of daffodils' than to himself, but he didn't show it. Instead, he gave Ariadne a farewell kiss on the back of her gloved hand as she climbed into the open carriage.
“If you ever need a temporary partner, please call me again.”
“I can’t hurt someone so many times.”
“What do you mean?"
He strongly denied it.
“It would be my pleasure to respond to your call.”
Ariadne answered with a smile.
“I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
Raphael knew that now was the time to break up.
“Okay, goodbye.”
The royal carriage carrying only the lady in the blue dress clattered down the granite road, leaving her partner at the ballroom. The old coachman glanced at the back seat.
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