"What? Didn't you miss it because it was dark?"
"No! I saw it clearly with black bat wings!"
The nobles in the banquet hall began to get frightened. And Chession ran out happily.
'Is it Mori?'
Chession ran through the screaming nobles.
Finally arriving at the banquet hall, the smile vanished from Chession's face as he dashed out. There was no witch. Just a bat-like creature fluttering about.
"...Damn."
Disappointed, Chession almost collapsed on the spot. He thought it was okay if Mori didn't come, and that everything would be fine as long as she stayed healthy, but he didn't think it was true.
When he was disappointed, he felt his true feelings more clearly. He wanted to see Mori desperately. He wanted to scream at her for why she didn't come after saying that she would definitely come to the birthday banquet, and what she was doing.
In the meantime, the bat monster hung upside down on the branch of a huge landscape tree.
What is it?
The bat monster made a strange sound and stared at Chession. As if to make fun of him. Chession summoned the sword with magic and flew the sword to scare the monster and drive it away.
"Hah..."
After releasing the summoning of the sword, Chession staggered back to the banquet hall. The nobles, unaware of Chession's rapid fire, rushed at him and showered him with praise.
"Wow, did you drive away such a huge bat monster so easily? That's amazing!"
"Oh, we don't have to be so depressed. Some monsters might appear during the banquet."
"That's right. You handled it well, so that's it."
The nobles tried to appease the cold Chession. They thought it was disturbing because a monster appeared at the first banquet that was held in a good mood.
"Wait... Will you all step back?"
Chession smiled clumsily. The birthday banquet is not over yet. He couldn't ruin the ball, which was the last of the banquet, by failing to manage his facial expressions for no reason.
Chession beckoned the orchestra, and the orchestra resumed playing the music that had stopped. Even as the crowd enjoyed the ball, Chession did not dance until the end. He is just guarding the empty Gremory's seat.
Time passed more and more. As midnight approached, it became difficult to manage his facial expressions.
Then, a big man approached and held out a drinking glass.
"Will you dance with me, Grand Duke?"
A man with bronze skin and brown hair. And a hideous golden eye. It was the Marquis of Kurchen Tebel, whom he met at the hunting festival.
"...With you? Me?"
Kurchen stood with his arm resting on the back of Chession's chair and looked at Chession bewitchingly.
"If you hold a banquet on a good day like this, you should dance at least once. If you think it's rude for you to dance with another woman, I'll let you be my partner instead."
"Thank you for your consideration, but I refuse."
Chession felt rapidly tired and refused the glass offered by Kurchen. Kurchen took a sip of the wine in his glass and looked sad.
"Great. You're going to die of shame."
"Then I hope you don't see it."
"I have eyes, but how can I not see? By the way, you still carry the sachet she gave you."
"...Because it smells good."
Chession slipped the sachet out of his pocket. It was a sachet that Mori brought to recognize right away if she came to visit.
When the monster appeared earlier, he was so distracted that he forgot the existence of the pouch. If he had remembered the existence of the pouch, he would have noticed that it didn't smell like a fragrance and expected less.
"Anyway, Grand Duke. It may sound presumptuous, but can I give you some advice?"
"Any advice?"
"My hobby is reading fortune telling with tarot cards. I secretly read the Grand Duke's fortune today. But this card came out."
Kurchen thrust a tarot card.
"It's the 'sun' card. There is no doubt that good things will happen. Before 12 o'clock tonight, something very brilliant will unfold."
"Thank you for saying that."
"I hope it can comfort you. Goodbye then."
Kurchen put the Sun card in Chession's hand and left. Chession glanced at the dainty card that even young children would like, and gave it to a passing attendant.
***
It was 11:30 p.m.
In the end, Gremory did not come.
Chession, who could no longer manage his expression, walked out of the banquet hall. He headed deep into the deserted garden.
Finding the bench, Chession sat down and buried his face in his hands. The faint light of the street lamp silently shone over his head.
"Hah."
The tears hr had been holding back began to fall. The tears had started to flow down uncontrollably.
He didn't want to show such ugliness on a day when it should have ended well, but now it was the limit. He couldn't stand it anymore because he was sad.
"You said you were coming..."
The watch was shining on Chession's wrist, who was stunned. It was a wristwatch that he had never taken out properly before. He was afraid that it would be even harder to endure longing when he saw this watch, so he saved it and saved it, but he finally took it out today.
Chession repeatedly tried to touch his wristwatch, then stopped. He desperately wanted to see Mori right now, but the only way was through the illusion contained within the record stone. Thinking of the emptiness he'd feel after the illusion ended, he couldn't bring himself to touch the record stone.
In the meantime, the sound of music from the ballroom could be heard in the distance. The sound of people laughing, chatting, and having fun. That made Chession even more miserable.
"I'll contact you. I'll tell you that I'm doing well."
Chession, who exploded with sadness, kicked the stone under his feet. The stone flew far away. To a dark place where the light of the street lamp does not reach.
However.
A "bang!" sound and a "ah!" scream were heard with a split second between them.
"...?"
Did they follow me to spy? Or did some man and woman come to this place to enjoy a secret meeting?
Either way, it was equally annoying. Chession got up and headed to the ballroom.
I was about to go back. I should probably wrap up the banquet soon.
However, he heard someone who had been hit by a stone approaching the bench. It seemed like he was coming to pick up what he had hit.
Just as Chession clicked his tongue and was about to hurriedly leave,
A familiar scent wafted from the sachet.
"!"
Then a voice stopped him.
"Are you punishing me for being late?"
"!!"
Surprised, Chession hardened like a stone statue. He slowly turned back.
And finally faced it. Gremory is in a black dress with round marks on her forehead.
"..."
Chession's eyes widened like someone who had forgotten how to speak. Gremory, whose hair had grown a lot longer, smiled and approached Chession.
"Sorry for being late. There was a situation. I'm glad I arrived before the ball was over."
"..."
"You left this dress in my room for me to wear. right? It's beautiful. I like it."
"..."
"Chession? Are you okay?"
Gremory waved his hand in front of Chession's stunned face. Chession took her hand and finally spoke up.
"Really... Is it you?"
"Well, it's real."
"Am I finally crazy and have an illusion?"
"No, that's right."
Gremory lifted her heel and kissed Chession's lips. As if he had come to his senses, Chession wrapped his hands around Gremory's face and kissed her.
After a long time, Chession slowly parted his lips and made eye contact with Gremory.
"That's true."
Then he carefully examined her forehead, which had turned red from being hit by a stone.
"I'm sorry. Did you get hurt?"
"It's okay. Something like this."
"What about Kona? What happened? What about Alice?"
"Kona is dead. Alice went to see Seara first."
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"That's it."
Chession hugged Gremory tightly in his arms. Gremory was a little out of breath, but she was willing to hold back for now.
And Isolene, who witnessed this scene, was displeased. Worried about Chession, she came out to look for him, and when she found Gremory, she smiled sadly.
"Hey, are you here? If you want to come, you will come a little early."
Isolene, with a lamp, came over with a blinking step.
"Your Highness, I didn't mean to disturb the atmosphere. I just thought I had to let you know that you had to go back to the ballroom as soon as possible. I know the ball is coming to an end, so everyone is sorting it out."
"Then we should go quickly."
Chession, happier than ever, extended his arm to Gremory. Gremory put her hands on his arms and headed to the ballroom.
The appearance of Gremory, who was said to be dead, was extremely unconventional. Amidst the astonishment, jubilation, and celebration of the nobles, the two danced to the last song.
Isolene smiled happily as she saw Seara clinging to Alice's arms.
Finally, all the family members gathered.
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