Bain returned around the time the last dance song was ending. Litania pushed away Orbis’s hand and approached Bain.

As if he had been looking for her in the crowd, Bain bowed to her as soon as their eyes met.

“I apologize for my absence, Your High… Litania.”

“It’s alright, Bain. Did you finish your task well?”

Fortunately, the stolen magic stones were piled up by the fountain in the garden, and not a single piece was missing, he said.

“It’s good that no magic stones are missing. If any had been lost, the nearby servants would have received severe punishment.”

“But I don’t know who would play such a prank. Since they didn’t take anything, it doesn’t seem to be a thief…”

It wasn’t a person but a crow, and the purpose wasn’t to steal magic stones but to cause a commotion to provide an excuse to lure Bain out of the ballroom.

Litania hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to reveal the truth or not.

“Your lady’s escort has worked hard.”

As a large man suddenly appeared from behind, Bain hurriedly wrapped around Litania and stepped back.

“Who are you?”

“Oh my. Wasn’t it an unwritten rule to hide one’s identity at tonight’s masquerade ball?”

Bain’s gaze sharpened at the man’s attitude, tilting his head slightly and laughing softly.

Orbis, who had been changing his appearance with every change of song, now had dark gray hair and wore a red coat.

“Bain, this is someone I… briefly talked to while you were out handling the situation.”

“We also danced.”

Litania, who was trying to evade the topic while somehow distancing the two, extended her foot from under her skirt and firmly stepped on the tip of Orbis’s shoe when he interjected tactlessly.

When Orbis looked at her with round eyes in confusion, Litania opened her fan to cover her mouth.

‘Don’t say unnecessary things.’

‘I thought it was a necessary explanation.’

‘Be silent. You’re a gentleman, aren’t you!’

Gazes busily exchanged behind the masks. Whether he was pretending or truly didn’t understand, Orbis, who had been nonchalantly rolling his eyes, grinned.

“Then I shall take my leave for tonight. Sweet dreams.”

Though the ball was still in full swing, it was about the usual time to sleep. Litania glanced coldly at Orbis, then noticing Bain’s gaze, quickly bowed to him.

The large man walked away without a sound, soon disappearing into the crowd, becoming impossible to locate.

Bain was staring at the place where the man had disappeared, his brow slightly furrowed as if concerned.

Worried that Bain might notice Orbis’s true identity, Litania quickly spoke up.

“It’s gotten quite late, Bain. Shall we return to the palace now?”

“……”

“Bain. I’d like to rest now.”

After clearing her throat with a ‘hem’, Bain finally turned his head towards Litania. The green eyes that had been lively when they entered the ballroom together had now sunk into contemplation.

“In the end, you didn’t dance with me.”

“……Bain.”

“I was happy to be your partner.”

The corners of his mouth, which had been tinged with complexity, curved gently again, and Bain extended his arm towards Litania.

“Shall we go back? Litania…… Your Highness.”

When they left the ballroom, the moon had already tilted to the west.

The windows of the Crystal Palace were shining with brilliant colors, but the corridor leading to the Glass Palace was sunk in achromatic colors except for the wall lamps that glowed sparsely.

Even though it was spring, the night air was cool. When Litania let out a “ha,” her breath dispersed slowly in a faint mist.

Bain, who was walking in step with her, asked quietly.

“Princess Litania. Did you enjoy the ball?”

Litania looked up at Bain with a start, then lowered her head again.

She felt sorry to say she had enjoyed the ball in Bain’s absence. In fact, the ball itself wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

It was interesting to see people walking around wearing masks, but other than that, she didn’t remember much.

……Shamelessly, because of some man from somewhere who had sneaked in without an invitation.

“Well, I’m not sure. It was my first masquerade ball.”

“Even with masks, the attendees would have recognized Your Highness. You were careless.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You drank alcohol, didn’t you?”

“Ah.”

Litania quickly rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand. It seemed the redness hadn’t faded yet, as it still felt hot.

And it seemed there was still an alcohol smell.

“I only had one glass… no, just one sip.”

“You’re not good with alcohol, are you? It’s not good to show a drunken appearance.”

“No, I wasn’t drunk…”

Although she felt a bit dizzy right after drinking the champagne, it had subsided a lot while dancing in Orbis’s arms.

Whether it was because the alcohol content wasn’t very high, or if Orbis had secretly used some kind of hangover-curing magic, she couldn’t tell.

“It might be fine when I’m by your side, but when I’m not, Your Highness should not let your guard down.”

“It’s a palace ball. What dangerous thing could happen?”

“Danger isn’t just about physical threats.”

Bain’s jaw tightened.

“That man’s gaze towards Your Highness was very unsettling.”

“*cough*!”

Litania suddenly coughed.

“Despite being of a status that could attend the Spring Ball, and thus unlikely to not recognize Princess Litania, he showed no hesitation. An unpleasant man.”

“Ah, no, well… since he was wearing a mask, he might not have recognized me. I have common brown hair…”

“Litania is beautiful.”

“…Pardon?”

“You are unforgettable from the moment one lays eyes on you. After that, you stand out wherever you are.”

“Oh, um. M-me?”

“I think you are like spring, making one endure the harsh winter with anticipation.”

Litania’s face flushed hot and she hiccupped. Already heated from the alcohol, hearing such embarrassing praise made her face burn unbearably.

“Yes. Th-thank you for the compliment.”

“That’s why I came to love you.”

Stop. Her steps halted. Realizing that the arm she was leaning on had tensed, Litania looked up at Bain.

“Even outside the ballroom, I want to be your partner.”

“Bain……”

“I want to earn the right to stand by your side.”

Clear moonlight poured down from above. She could feel the heat that had been in her face slowly cooling.

Litania gently withdrew her hand from Bain’s arm and stood facing him.

Perhaps due to the alcohol blurring her vision, Bain’s eyes looked particularly sad.

“Bain. You are diligent, caring, and dependable. It’s a great joy to have such an excellent knight consider me his master.”

“……”

“But loyalty and love are different. I can gladly give anything my precious knight desires, but I can’t give you what you want. Because that’s not what you’re asking of your ‘lord’.”

Bain quietly listened to Litania’s words. He didn’t seem particularly surprised or shocked.

As if he had known from the beginning that her answer would be a rejection.

“I’m sorry for making you sad.”

“No. I knew you would refuse.”

Bain slowly shook his head.

“Because I knew that to Princess Litania, I was less than even a man she was seeing for the first time as a potential partner.”

“Ah, no. It’s not to that extent…”

“Because the longing gaze you showed even to that rude man you met today for the first time has never been directed at me even once.”

“……What?”

“When I realized I was in a position worse than even a man whose identity you didn’t know upon first meeting, it felt like my head cleared. So I was able to speak to you more comfortably.”

“Bain. That person……”

He wasn’t a man she had just met, but actually Orbis who had entered with a changed face. So Bain was certainly not a being inferior to a man she had just met.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say those words.

‘A longing gaze? Me?’

Isn’t he the man who came looking for her unnecessarily even after they parted and then caused trouble? She had glared at him in annoyance, not gazed at him longingly, so why did Bain misunderstand?

Unable to argue, Litania just bit her lip tightly.

“I’m satisfied with the answer I’ve received, Princess Litania.”

“Bain.”

“I will escort you to your chambers.”

Bain extended his arm again with a calm face. She didn’t know where to start to correct his misunderstanding.

In the end, Litania gave up and placed her hand on his arm.

Bain, who had confessed and been rejected, felt unburdened, while Litania, who had done the rejecting, was left with a unsettled heart.

“Princess Litania!”

“Welcome, Ilena. Barbara, it’s been a long time.”

“I was so disappointed not to see you yesterday. Thank you for inviting us like this.”

In the garden of the Glass Palace, the most beautiful in the imperial palace. Three women sat facing each other across a snow-white table.

At the last ball, she had worn a mask and spent the whole time dancing with Orbis, so she didn’t have a chance to find her friends and talk.

Litania wasn’t planning to attend the hunting festival, so she deliberately called Ilena and Barbara during the free time between festivities.

Snow poured chamomile tea into sparkling light purple teacups, serving the tea.

“I’m glad to see you looking healthy, Princess Litania.”

“Thank you. I was also relieved to see you both looking well.”

“Your Highness. But you’re not attending the hunting festival?”

“No. I was never interested in hunting to begin with…”

There were always unsettling incidents at the hunting festival. There was no need to attend this time either.

As Litania shrugged her shoulders, Ilena nodded in understanding.

“It must still be difficult for you to face Lord Orbis. I understand.”

“……Pardon?”