He asked, staring at me intently.
“Are you doing me such a favor just for one dance?”
“When you say it like that, it makes me sound like I’m some kind of capricious person in power.”
“Please forgive my rudeness. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Sir Millard is a serious person. Just think of it as a favor I am doing for you because you are a close friend of my direct subordinate.”
"Yes."
The two of us bowed and greeted each other. Just as we had come, Sylvestian escorted me out of the dance hall.
“Now it is your turn to keep your promise, Sir Millard.”
It is time to address the questions that have been lingering about Sylvestian's presence.
“His Majesty has secretly ordered us to attend the masquerade ball.”
“The imperial edict? No, rather than that, what about that...?”
In fact, it was an unnecessary question. My head seemed to already know the answer.
That was when.
With a pop, the lights in the ballroom went out. All the light was focused on the platform beneath the grandfather clock.
[Dear nobles of Hadelamide, the time has finally come!]
The voice that came through the magic loudspeaker was that of the Marchioness Sayre, a high-powered figure in high society.
Although she was the one who announced the start of the annual sacrificial game, her voice was louder than usual.
[This offering game is special because there are three tributes. It's an attractive prize that no one ever expected.]
“Ohhh!”
[Then let me get straight to the point. This tribute is...!]
Everyone in the ballroom blinked.
[Homunculus Knight Commanders! Sir Sylvestian Millard, Sir Elijah Halshten, and Sir Michaelis Agnito!]
As expected, I couldn't help but clench my fist without realizing it.
'Father wanted to make this a source of entertainment.'
Father has given the imperial decree...
Clearly, someone must have incited him, but at the moment, my respect for my father hit rock bottom.
“Oh my God! Really? Really?”
“The direct knights is a tribute?”
It certainly seemed to be an unprecedentedly attractive prize. Screams of joy from the female nobles could be heard from all over.
The Marchioness Seyre threw her hands up in the air, pleased with the escalating tension. Provocative comments followed.
“... one night what?”
At this point, my fists turned white.
[Then, the game of finding sacrifices begins!]
“Wow!”
The nobles were so excited that they went out of the ballroom to find a sacrifice.
This is because the game area includes not only the ballroom but also five nearby gardens.
My amber eyes were cold as I watched the nobles imitating the ebb tide.
Sylvestian quietly holds Eve in his eyes. He thought to himself, 'What a beautiful woman she must have been to make such a face'.
“What should I do, Your Highness?”
"...Ah."
Sylvestian's voice lifted my dark, sunken mind.
When I turned to Sylvestian, he smiled faintly.
“One of the prizes is right in front of you.”
I thought back to what the Marchioness of Sayre had said. She had clearly limited the number to 'one of them.'
“I have to find Michael.”
“Michael will wait, so I’ll go now.”
At this moment, Sylvestian wants nothing from me.
He realized that his words were a lie. He barely managed to fix his expression, which had almost collapsed for a moment and said.
“Good luck, Your Highness.”
"Thank you."
Just as he was feeling left out, I was not comfortable, but I could not afford to ponder and consider it now.
As soon as I stepped out into the garden, I called Amber in. The golden morpho butterfly was conspicuous, so I disguised it as a headdress.
Tribute is hidden like a game of hide-and-seek, but it is also hidden among the nobles, following the adage that a tree hides in the forest.
The young girls were running around excitedly and chattering away.
“If I had to choose one, I would choose the best. I would choose Agnito.”
“It’s a date at night, so shouldn’t there be some kind of romantic atmosphere? I’d like to go to Halsten.”
“Hehe, you still don’t know anything. In the midsummer’s daydream, the fun is in capturing noblemen. I’ll take Sir Millard first.”
Since there were three tributes, there were many young ladies who didn't even think about giving bread but drank the soup first.
The young people enjoyed their own game of finding tributes. Because deceiving the young ladies is part of the fun for the young men.
Then, there were many men and women who met each other's eyes and became partners for that night.
They either head straight to the dance hall or sneak into the pearl room, even boldly bumping into people in the grass without removing his mask.
It was a common occurrence at the corrupt banquet.
I moved while hiding my body using stealth magic.
If I walk around alone, someone will follow me and talk to me.
If I get caught being a Princess like the first day, it becomes the fourth tribute and couldn't protect Michael. I pulled myself together and was careful with my steps.
Finally, I arrived at the place Amber had told me about. I went inside the hedge of beech trees that were taller than me.
As if he had been waiting, a man was waiting for me in the grassy area.
“Are you here?”
A low rumble crossed the ten paces and reached my ear. The other man recognized me immediately.
Thus, the gardens were dotted with searching lords and questioning ladies.
“If I had to choose one, I would choose the best. I would choose Agnito.”
“It’s a date at night, so shouldn’t there be some kind of romantic atmosphere? I’d like to go to Halsten.”
“Hehe, you still don’t know anything. In the midsummer’s daydream, the fun is in capturing noblemen. I’ll take Sir Millard first.”
Since there were three tributes, there were many young ladies who didn't even think about giving bread but drank the soup first.
The young people enjoyed their own game of finding tributes. Because deceiving the young ladies is part of the fun for the young men.
Then, there were many men and women who met each other's eyes and became partners for that night.
They either head straight to the dance hall or sneak into the pearl room, even boldly bumping into people in the grass without removing his mask.
It was a common occurrence at the corrupt banquet.
I moved while hiding my body using stealth magic.
If I walk around alone, someone will follow me and talk to me.
If I get caught being a Princess like the first day, it becomes the fourth tribute and couldn't protect Michael. I pulled myself together and was careful with my steps.
Finally, I arrived at the place Amber had told me about. I went inside the hedge of beech trees that were taller than me.
As if he had been waiting, a man was waiting for me in the grassy area.
“Are you here?”
A low rumble crossed the ten paces and reached my ear. The other man recognized me immediately.
It seemed like he had found the right one. I was filled with joy without even realizing it.
It was time to breathe a sigh of relief. He had closed the distance.
“I knew you would come.”
“Michael..."
“Yes, Eve.”
In an instant, all emotion disappeared from my eyes.
“You are not Sir Agneto.”
"Yes?"
I raised my hand to stop him from coming any closer. The other person was greatly embarrassed.
I was displeased and did not show respect.
“It’s no use trying to explain it away. I know for sure that it’s not the Agnito.”
"Your Highness?"
“Yes. There are always those who pretend to be tributes in the search for sacrifices, and since this one is a direct knight, it's obvious that the Princesses will be the most eager to find it. I almost fell for it.”
“Huh! Your Highness!”
A joke is something that only the other person can understand.
It's a rule that you should only do this until you feel better. The opponent quickly took off his mask and revealed his face.
“I’m sorry, but... how did you find out?”
He was spotted from quite a distance, even though he was of similar build and voice to Michael. It was surprising.
'How can it be? The Michael of this life doesn't even want to sleep with me.'
It made me feel like sighing.
Of course, this would have reignited the controversy over the venomous workshop.
I calmly picked up some words that could serve as an explanation.
“The voice of Sir Agneto calling me is much sweeter than that.”
“Practice some more. Okay, that’s it.”
Since then, I've encountered about a dozen or so young men beings who pretend to be Michael, calling me Eve.
It was a good net indeed. I dismissed them, each with my own good reason.
-You should have called my name like Sir Agnito, rolling candy in your mouth.
-Your voice doesn't have that cotton-candy lilt.
- My Michael makes his breath sound like he's drowning in sugar water.
Every time, the spirits were in a panic and sent me away.
"Ha..."
I, who couldn't find Michael, sat alone on the fountain.
I was resting. Not only was I tired, but a gloomy look crossed my face.
'When are we going to find Michael like this?'
Amber flapped her wings listlessly in front of my eyes.
“It’s not your fault. What can I do if Michael keeps moving around to avoid being noticed by people?”
How can I find him if he runs away and hides on purpose?
In this situation, it might be faster for Michael to find me than for me to find Michael.
At that moment, I felt a presence. Someone was standing by the fountain where I was.
He was approaching with deliberate footsteps.
I had already been disappointed and disappointed by a dozen or so young men. Skeptical, I didn't even look back at my opponent.
Anyway, the visual doesn't help much.
As the rainy season approached, the sky was rapidly becoming overcast, obscuring the full moon.
Magic lights here and there illuminated the silhouette, but they distorted it.
It was just a matter of letting people see only what they wanted to see.
Then he came closer and opened his mouth. A voice came out that seemed to be laughing with a groan in his throat.
“Why are you out here alone?”
At that moment, my heart tightened.
My hearing responded. He rolled the candy in his mouth as he spoke.
It's like a slurp, fluffy like cotton candy, and even the sound of his breath seems to be drowning in sugar water.
Because the sound was reproduced exactly as it was, it rang in my ears.
"Ah..."
My gaze was automatically drawn to it. Only then did I notice the man in the silver-gray robe.
It was a time when I could barely hold back the urge to call out his name.
He continued the conversation without waiting for his name to be called.
“It’s cloudy and I can’t even see the moon.”
“I’m not looking at the moon.”
“So, are you waiting for someone?”
"Yes."
It seemed as though some teasing play was about to begin between me and him. I was more than happy to oblige.
“He’s a precious person. I have to protect him.”
“Is that so?”
“It seems like you have someone you’re looking for too.”
It was then that he smiled beneath his white mask.
“Yes. I am looking for someone I love.”
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