IJWQLBIV 09

Chapter 9: The Royal Ball

November 30, 2021

The grand ballroom glittered under the light of the chandeliers. People’s eyes were filled with admiration and envy as they looked at Noxia. But when they looked at me… their gazes were sharp with ridicule and disdain. The way they sneered at me made my shoulders instinctively shrink.

“Is that lady the eldest daughter of the Brelloff family? She looks so… unimpressive.”

“Neither her looks nor her skills stand out compared to her younger sister.”

“Hohoho. I can’t believe they’re twins. Seems like all the good genes went to one side. She only inherited the leftovers, huh?”

Whispers followed me wherever I went. The injustice, the frustration, bubbled deep in my chest. It was always the same pattern. Ever since Noxia awakened her ability to control water, there was nothing I could do to win. A heavy sense of defeat enveloped me.

I wanted recognition. If only I could, I wanted to show them that I could surpass Noxia, whom everyone praised so highly. I hated seeing her surrounded by people, smiling happily, while I felt miserable. Their faces changed depending on whether they were looking at Noxia or me. I alone knew that duality—like two sides of a coin.

If Noxia could experience the same humiliation I did, feel the same crushing despair, then she would understand my heart. I imagined crushing that angelic smile of hers.

It was at that moment—clang! A maid bumped into me, dropping the tray she was carrying. Wine glasses on it crashed to the floor.

“S-sorry! Are you hurt anywhere?”

For a moment, my hatred, which had nowhere to go, surged toward the maid. How dare someone so insignificant look down on me? I leaned closer and whispered in a low voice:

“Do you think one apology can make you forgiven? You’d better follow me quietly.”

Fear slowly filled the maid’s eyes. I felt an unknown exhilaration. Compared to people’s mocking gazes, being feared was far better. Yes, I would make sure no one dared to look down on me. I summoned a servant from the Brelloff household and had him undo my belt. The leather wrapped around my hand wasn’t quite like a whip, but it satisfied me. Snap! Crack! As I tugged at the belt with a smile, the maid’s face drained of color in sheer fear.

Huff… huff…

I woke up, breathing heavily. It was a dream—likely a memory from before I possessed Tanathia, experiencing what she had endured. Like the dream I had about Ascan, I could do nothing in it. I could only silently observe the actions Tanathia had taken in the past. But unlike watching a movie, I felt everything she felt. Her emotions, her thoughts—it was as vivid as peering directly into history. Waking up, it felt almost like I had experienced it myself.

“This is awful…”

Even now, I could feel the phantom touch of my hands on the maid. The image of her trembling and tearful face haunted me, leaving me with a mix of emotions too complex for words. Of all days, why this one? Why today? The nightmare felt almost intentional. I sat on the bed, listless, until my maid entered the room.

“Miss, are you awake?”

“Ah… yes.”

As humans, we adapt, and living as Tanathia had become second nature. The woman in the room was named Jerin, my personal maid. Newly twenty, bright and spirited.

“Why the expression? Did you have a nightmare?”

“A little…”

Jerin drew open the blackout curtains, letting the morning sun flood in. Her cheerful voice was a sharp contrast to my gloomy mood.

“Forget that unpleasant dream. Today is the royal ball! Something good is bound to happen this evening.”

Indeed, today was the fateful day the beloved heroine Noxia would meet Crown Prince Rohel for the first time. Dreaming such a thing felt ominous, but nothing could change it now.

“Ha… whatever. Nothing big will happen.”

Nothing awaited me today. I would quietly observe the royal ball with Ascan, as planned. I steeled myself and got out of bed. Orland was busy with work, and Noxia was a late riser, so I was the only one eating breakfast on time. I had requested breakfast be brought to the room, so we could eat together.

The meal was plentiful. Ascan, fed and dressed properly, looked far better than before—maybe even taller.

“If you want anything else, just say. I’ll ask the chef to prepare it.”

At fifteen, he was still growing and might have many preferences.

“Nothing, thank you,” Ascan replied instantly, his expression unreadable. He handled the utensils skillfully, now accustomed to proper manners. Watching him, I couldn’t help but smile. Gradually, Ascan seemed aware of my gaze and slowed his pace.

“…Embarrassed, maybe?”

Perhaps my staring was making him self-conscious.

“Cute. Eat more,” I said playfully.

“…Ah!” Ascan coughed suddenly. I slid the juice toward him.

“Drink while you eat.”

His face reddened further as he frowned.

“Do you think that word suits me?”

“What word?”

“‘Cute’… I’m not a child of eight.”

“Ah, it fits. ‘Cute’ is not just for children.”

Ascan’s expression darkened slightly.

“Still… it doesn’t suit me.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not a small, fragile creature.”

Considering he was raised in a lab, perhaps he didn’t understand the nuance of “cute.”

“It’s not just for certain people. Like with a puppy—you feel an urge to hug them tightly, to squeeze them, a soft, fuzzy feeling.”

Ascan’s expression grew more complex.

“You feel that way about me?”

“Yes. Don’t you get it?”

He muttered, processing my words, and finally said:

“…No, understood.”

I felt a small sense of pride in teaching him something new. I pointed to a plate of shrimp prepared in sweet sauce.

“Delicious. Try some.”

Ascan nodded silently, eating the shrimp, shells and all, as if he tasted nothing. Odd, but I let it pass.

After breakfast, the day became hectic. The royal ball would be held in the evening, but I had thought the morning would be free. I was wrong. From full-body massages and skin care to styling by the capital’s top professionals, I prepared for the day. I tried on the red dress I had purchased for the occasion—it fit perfectly. Jerin admired me as I put on the red diamond necklace gifted by my father.

“It suits you perfectly, Miss.”

“Yes, I like it too.”

I looked in the mirror, satisfied. Today’s star was Noxia, but I looked surprisingly good. My previous dresses, clearly Noxia’s style, never suited me. This red dress, chosen by my own taste, complemented my pale skin, black hair, and cool blue eyes. Unlike Noxia’s warm, saintly aura, I projected a cold, elegant, ice-queen charm.

“Why did I even try to imitate Noxia…?”

Tanathia had envied Noxia madly yet never escaped her shadow. I considered giving or selling all my dresses to Noxia, smiling at the thought of shopping freely soon.

Time came to leave for the royal ball. As I stepped out, I saw Ascan, also fully dressed.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“Just arrived.”

He looked striking, as I had helped pick his outfit. The sharp forehead, angled nose and jaw, golden eyes—they were breathtaking. I had heard in the novel that Ascan, the final antagonist, was exceptionally handsome, but seeing it in person exceeded imagination.

“I just wore what you picked for me,” he said.

“Face completes the fashion. A handsome face shines brighter.”

Ascan froze at my praise, apparently unaccustomed to such direct compliments. I laughed mischievously.

“You didn’t know you were handsome?”

He frowned, flustered.

“You’re… too… direct, Miss.”

“Direct? That’s a compliment, right?”

A voice interrupted.

“Sister!”

Noxia, also fully prepared, appeared. She was dazzling, holding up her red diamond necklace.

“Thanks to you, Sister! And we match!”

Seeing her happy made me feel relieved. If Noxia and Crown Prince Rohel met successfully today, they would fall in love, strengthening the Brelloff family’s ties with the royal family—a benefit to my survival.

At the mansion, two carriages waited. I hesitated. Why two? Noxia approached one. I followed, intending to join her, when she looked back, surprised.

“Oh! Are we riding together today?”

I stammered, realizing in the novel, Tanathia hated Noxia and didn’t ride together.

“Well… why not?”

“I’d love to go with you! I thought you’d have a separate carriage again today.”

I got in the carriage with Noxia. It would soon become painfully clear that I had made a mistake.

“There’s the famous Brelloff twins.”

“I know! The younger is the star, the elder the shadow.”

“They look even more different together.”

“Pfft, indeed.”

“Isn’t that the same necklace?”

Just like in my dream, people whispered about us. Noxia seemed oblivious, but Ascan sensed something and tensed. Twins stood out more together. Comparisons were inevitable. I understood why, until now, Tanathia had traveled in a separate carriage.

“I’ll catch up with you later. I need to check my surroundings.”

“Okay! See you later!”

Noxia drew a crowd immediately. I whispered to Ascan:

“Wait here. I’ll bring some drinks.”

I could not leave Ascan to wander alone in the palace. He understood and nodded silently. I walked to the refreshment area, feeling the whispers and glances.

“I get why Tanathia became twisted,” I thought. From childhood, constantly compared and belittled, her anger was understandable—but it was misdirected at powerless people.

“How can twins be so different?”

“One is perfect, blessed by the gods, the other…”

I stopped and stared at the noblewomen whispering behind me. They avoided my gaze. I addressed the most outspoken one:

“What did you just say? About me? I couldn’t hear clearly.”

The noblewoman stammered.

“I… I only meant I’m looking forward to Lady Tanathia’s growth.”

I laughed in disbelief. Trying to cover it up? Not going to work.

“Listen carefully. One more whisper behind me, and…”

I scanned the nobles, memorizing their faces.

“I’ll tear your mouth apart.”

Murmurs spread. My anger was no longer toward weak bystanders, but the ones who had caused it. If Tanathia were here, she would understand perfectly.