It seemed that more people were attending the ball than I expected.
When I arrived at the Baron's residence with Baron Baldur, I saw many people already in the garden enjoying secret meetings.
There are probably more people inside the banquet hall.
As I got out of the carriage, I checked the mask on my face.
I could feel the dark surface of the black lace mask.
'I have to be careful not to accidentally peel it off. Even if it comes off, I can change your face with a magic tool.'
Just in case, I had brought a ring that would change my appearance.
So even though there was no big danger, I was nervous.
"Hmm, shall we go in now?"
Baron Baldur stuck out his forearm as if to escort me.
With my hand lightly placed on Baron's arm, I entered the banquet hall with him.
'There are so many people. It's going to be a pretty tiring day...'
After showing the invitation to the guards, I entered the banquet hall and had no time to stop on it.
The banquet hall was not very big, but there were many people who were invited in the first place.
Moreover, it seemed that most of them came to enjoy themselves rather than to be formal, and their faces were already red with drunkenness.
It was an uncomfortable place for me, who doesn't like the fuss, but I only had to endure until midnight.
The request was to walk around the ballroom with him until midnight.
I began to follow him, as Baron Baldur had instructed me in advance.
Baron Baldur tightened his neck more than I had seen before and walked through the crowd.
When I felt some of the men glancing in my direction, I felt more and more pressure on my neck.
He offered me this with such a smile.
"Since I am here with a beautiful young lady, everyone seems to be busy glancing at me. It looks like a new song is about to start, so why don't you go out to the floor and play a song so that everyone can see it clearly..."
"Yes."
I couldn't refuse the client's request, so I readily accepted.
When I was a Princess, I practiced dancing so hard that my feet were about to break, so there was no problem.
So I went out to the floor with him and hung out with him properly, and the corners of his mouth caught my ear.
"I never thought you could dance so well without stepping on a single step! I'm really glad you came with me!"
While moving his body to the music, Baron Baldur did not forget to praise me in between.
I was gasping for breath as if my strength was weak.
Anyway, I was glad that the client seemed satisfied.
This mission was halfway successful.
I felt a sense of accomplishment and waited for the song to end.
It wasn't a very long piece, so it would end soon.
Just to make the last move of the dance, Baron Baldur pulled me into his arms.
He supported me by the waist, and I leaned on his arm and gently laid my upper body on his back.
Before my body went to Baron Baldur's arms and was embraced, a hand suddenly jumped out from the side and pulled me even earlier.
It was only for a moment, but I thought it was a rough and desperate gesture.
Baron Baldur looked at the stranger who suddenly broke in.
"...?"
I also looked at the person who pulled me in confusion.
It was a familiar face. He was someone I met on the side of the road just a few days ago.
"Baron Wolfstein?"
It was not polite to say the identity of the other person at the masquerade, but I was so embarrassed that I called him without realizing it.
Judging from his physique, hair color, and the lower crown that was exposed under the mask, it was clear that this man was Baron Wolfstein.
It was an embarrassing situation.
Even though the Baron had a ball at his mansion, his behavior was quite rude.
Before the song even ended, he broke in and snatched up someone else's female partner.
Baron Baldur, who was dumbfounded, also raised his voice as if he had finally come back to his senses.
"What are you doing now? You suddenly interrupted me in the middle of the dance!"
Baron Wolfstein did not respond immediately.
As if trying to find a suitable excuse for what he did impulsively.
"I thought she was going to fall, so I grabbed her."
Baron Wolfstein then glanced at Baron Baldur's weak-looking forearm.
It was only natural that Baron Baldur's face was red.
"What the hell are you talking about? I'll catch her well, but who will fall?"
The voice gradually increased.
The music stopped at some point, and the dancers began to glance at them as if they were in the mood for a fight.
The mission was just around the corner.
Things were going really strangely.
I gently pushed Baron Wolfstein's chest against my forearm, thinking that I would try to fix it for now.
"I'm fine, please let me go."
"..."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm a little embarrassed that you suddenly behaved like this while dancing."
When I took his side, Baron Baldur's complexion calmed down a little.
On the other hand, Baron Wolfstein's blue eyes, which had been staring at me, sank to the point of being frighteningly cold.
I could feel a little bit of strength in his grip on my forearm.
It didn't hurt, but somehow it felt like it wouldn't let go easily.
Watching the client's eyes, I asked the Baron carefully.
"I want you to let go of your arms..."
A hint of hesitation crossed his face.
Like a child who refuses to let go of the precious glass beads in his hand, he did not untie the fingers on my forearm.
But as I kept waiting, his tenacious fingers finally loosened.
"...Excuse me."
He unexpectedly let me go and politely apologized.
Then he disappeared into the crowd.
When the fight did not break out, the onlookers seemed to have lost interest and started laughing and chatting among themselves.
Baron Baldur also softened his momentum and screamed.
"A strange seed... Are you okay?"
I nodded lightly at his question and stared in the direction where Baron Wolfstein had disappeared.
It was more important to please the client, so I was a little harsh to the Baron, but I was still worried.
Why did he look so sad when he proudly broke in...
However, the feeling did not last long.
It was time to focus on the mission.
***
Afterwards, I danced a little more, drank champagne, and mingled with Baron Baldur's acquaintances.
They were nobles of the same age as Baron Baldur, and they showed signs of disrespect to Baron Baldur.
That's why, when Baron Baldur introduced me, they asked me sharp and rude questions about whether I was really the partner who followed him voluntarily, and whether I had received any money.
Baron Baldur didn't show any signs of embarrassment, whether or not such a question came up.
"If you have wealth and distribution, a beautiful woman will automatically catch up he said..."
I was laughing next to him, and my face was about to twitch, but fortunately, nothing else happened.
Baron Baldur's attitude had been so sticky before, and Rodrick had expressed his concern several times, so I was worried, too.
What if he suddenly does something weird?
However, unexpectedly, nothing happened.
He introduced me to his acquaintances and said goodbye neatly when the appointed time came.
"Thank you for today. After all, the Black Panther Mercenaries don't disappoint. Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy the prom pleasantly."
"No, thank you for trusting us. Please contact us whenever you need us, and we will be happy to help you at any time."
I replied politely and said goodbye to him.
He offered to take me to headquarters by wagon, but I refused.
Rodrick said he would pick me up when I was done.
'Woah... It's over.'
I was filled with a sense of accomplishment at the thought of successfully completing the first high-level mission.
Everything worked out well.
All I had to do was go back to headquarters, I thought, and I was about to walk toward the main entrance of the mansion.
"Do you do that in mercenary groups these days?"
A sudden prickly voice caught my ankles.
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