How the Shadow of the Marquis Lives

Chapter 79

Time flies prom day.

Xian was in the room, looking at the full-length mirror, adjusting his clothes.

Looking in the mirror and tying his tie, he remembered the conversation he had had the other day.

―If it’s the 3rd princess, you mean Princess Helene?

-okay. Did you know that he is studying at the Flame Magic Tower?

-yes. It’s a widely known fact that Princess Helene is a disciple of the Flame Mage Lord.

―You say that you are leaving the Magic Tower and going up to the ecliptic because you have work this time. But on the way, you heard about the ball and suddenly said you were coming here.

Helene Ul Bismarck, 3rd Princess of Somer Empire.

Damian’s fiancee, probably 22 years old.

I heard that he was an outstanding flame mage who entered the Flame Magic Tower when he was young and studied there.

But more importantly, she is a powerful person who divides the imperial family with the first prince.

1st Prince Isaac von Bismarck and 3rd Princess Helene Ul Bismarck.

The emperor’s children are so numerous that even counting them on ten fingers is not enough, but these two are the most powerful among them.

‘I heard that Princess Helene doesn’t often appear in public.’

I’ve heard that she doesn’t usually attend official events or private parties.

Because of this, not many people know about her. Even in the Flame Magic Tower, no one knew her face except for the tower owner and the elders.

Even in the imperial family, except for members of the same imperial family or high-ranking nobles, they probably didn’t know much about it.

‘Is it because it’s a masquerade ball this time?’

If it’s a masquerade, there’s no way your face will be revealed.

Not only that, but even stopping by Everwhale is said to be secretive, so it seems that he is hiding himself twice and three times.

At first glance, this may seem excessive, but considering her status as a princess, she is rather careless.

Xian raised her hair and fixed it with makeup. And I put on the mask I bought the other day.

A half mask that covers the face except for the mouth and lower crown.

This guy was chosen to make it easy to eat the food at the party. It’s annoying if you have to take off your mask every time you eat something or if it gets dirty.

‘It’s an undercover… … .’

Over the past few days, Xi’an has witnessed countless faces he has never seen before, both inside the academy and on the streets.

Some were pretending to be laborers, while others were sitting in a teahouse reading books as if they were local residents.

In addition, they dressed up in various ways to pretend to be residents or tourists, but they could not hide the energy coming from their eyes.

The princess’ escort was evident.

It must have come first to secure safety in advance.

“Looks like you really came.”

There were times when I thought that maybe Damian was talking nonsense, but given that the escorts had come beforehand, that couldn’t be the case.

It was true that the princess would visit.

“Tsk.”

Xian clicked his tongue.

During the ball, I was going to relax and get ready to leave for my family.

But to think that such a troublesome meeting was caught.

There was no way that a princess who could compete with the first prince would want to meet her out of simple curiosity.

He must have come after seeing the name Agrid behind him.

Xian frowned and left the room and headed for the venue.

Fortunately, the mask was hiding his expression.

* * *

Brilliant lighting covers the venue.

Classical music that rings in your ears. Beautiful men and women dancing to it.

Long tables everywhere were lined with food cooked through golden brown, and attendants holding trays were often roaming about, bringing drinks and drinks to people.

One thing is unique.

The point is that not only the attendants but also all the attendees are wearing masks that cover their faces.

Rewriting the mask on his face, Xian headed deeper into the venue.

“With light champagne.”

“yes. Here you are.”

On the way, I received a long cup from the attendant.

Putting her lips to the glass that was dripping with lemon-colored liquid, Xian examined the chairman.

Although he is wearing a mask, it is not to the extent that he cannot distinguish who he knows.

Even if you cover your face, you cannot cover your hair, body shape, or habits of walking.

‘That’s… … .’

Sure enough, among those dancing, I found someone I knew.

Ian and Rayna were moving their feet to the music.

‘Come to think of it, Ian also said he learned something from the Flame Magic Tower.’

The flame magic tower that the 3rd princess is studying.

I wanted to ask if I knew her, but I couldn’t.

Of course, the princess’ secret activities were secret. Can’t you just run over and ask?

Thinking of what-ifs, I am cautious even of asking questions pretending to be small talk. I didn’t even have to ask, taking that risk.

“evil! Raina! Stop stepping on it!”

“Ahahahaha, sorry, sorry. something i’m not used to Where would I, a commoner, have danced like this?”

“Ugh. After you graduate from the academy, you will be going to places like this a lot, so practice in advance.”

“okay okay. uh? I just thought of it, but if I show a little clumsy side, wouldn’t it look like I want to protect it instead?”

“You man… … . After that, it is rumored to be a rude child.”

Other than that, there was also a reason he didn’t want to disturb the two people who were playing well.

After leaving the two of them, Xian left.

Then, an unexpected sight came into his eyes.

‘uniform?’

At this event, where everyone dressed up in dresses or suits, there was one person who came in only a uniform.

The student who came wearing a plain mask with no decorations in his usual uniform was Ran Asla.

Some semantics were really great.

Even he thought about the atmosphere and came wearing a party suit, but he ignored that and came wearing a uniform.

“Lady, would you like to dance a song?”

“… … .”

“Ahahahaha, the food looks pretty good. May I ask where you got it from? Guidance if it’s okay… … .”

“… … .”

“Um, so… … that is… … .”

“… … .”

“Ouch! surrender! I lost!”

“hehehehe, did you say I wouldn’t be able to?”

“Even I couldn’t seduce you, so can you?”

“Come here quickly, you too.”

Some men asked to dance, as if she thought that wearing a uniform was a form of impersonation, but she ignored them and just ate.

She could see that the male students who had been stabbed by her were rambling around in one place, waiting for the next victim.

By the way, when I glanced at her plate, it was full of meat without a single vegetable.

‘… … .’

Leaving her behind, Xian moved again.

His plan today is to go around and have a meal like this, then go see Damian and Princess Helene.

After that, you should take the time to go back to your room.

I didn’t really want to dance like the other students or anything like that.

“What are you doing here?”

Then he found a student who didn’t seem to have any intention of dancing the same way.

Yu Seol sat hiding behind a table in the corner.

Sipping champagne alone and trembling in the blue sky.

“like this… … Because I don’t like it very much.”

She was wearing the traditional costume of Glacier Baengnyeong. A loose-fitting outfit with wide sleeves.

It was a garment developed and transformed from the old fairy costume.

“Why don’t you go and dance a song? If it were you, there would be a troop of kids who would apply for a dance right away.”

“no. bothered.”

She squatted down and buried her mouth in the arms wrapped around her knees.

The hand next to me swayed and swayed the champagne in the glass.

Xian didn’t know it, but Yuseol always had a habit of hiding in an inconspicuous corner at prom. Because of the family ball that I attended since I was a child.

That is why, no matter how merry the ball was, she always looked down.

“All I need is Psyche, so you go and enjoy it too.”

[The snake in winter shakes its hand.]

[Sul-Ei pushes her back, saying that because I am here, she doesn’t need someone like you.]

“I will.”

He couldn’t hear Psyche’s thoughts at all, but somehow he felt like he knew what Psyche was saying.

It’s probably telling you to turn off quickly or something like that.

After the incident with Ravi, he was extremely avoiding Ravi and himself.

“draft!”

And, contrary to Psyche, there is a child who has come closer to her more often.

Ergé found herself and ran to her, taking off her mask right in front of her eyes.

“Xian right?”

“Oh, right. I managed to find it.”

“You can’t cover things like hair, body shape, or gait, right?”

It’s like something you’ve heard somewhere.

She was wearing an off-the-shoulder dress the exact color of her dark hair.

Against the black hair and dress, her white skin stood out more clearly.

“draft. Who did you dance with when you came here?”

“no. anything.”

“That, is it? So if it’s okay… … Will you dance with me just once?”

She looked at Xian and said that.

Come to think of it, her presence is very thin because of her ability. Maybe that’s why I haven’t been asked to dance by anyone all day today.

It’s just too bad.

“sorry. I have no idea.”

Xian shook his head.

I’m sorry, but whether or not she can dance has nothing to do with herself.

Right now, he was concentrating all his mind on meeting the princess.

I didn’t want to be distracted by other things ahead of that troublesome schedule. The reason why I was wandering around like this was to clear my mind.

“I’ll just go.”

“huh… … .”

Leaving her sullen, Xian left the scene.

Now, the appointment time is getting closer. He asked a passing attendant to borrow a hand mirror and checked his clothes to see if they were disheveled.

“Whoa.”

Taking a deep breath, he made up his mind.

meeting with the princess. In some ways, it can be seen as a great opportunity.

The opportunity to make connections with high-ranking nobles is truly rare.

Even a princess, and that is an opportunity that is really hard to get when you are alone with a powerful person who will be the next emperor.

but.

‘Even if it’s just one step, it will fall.’

At the same time, it was also poison.

A deadly poison that can fall into hell with a single moment of mistake.

Xian cooled his head.

It is a place called the political arena where you fall into a swamp from which you cannot escape if you lose your mind even for a little bit.

The 3rd princess, sitting at the top of the political arena, is fighting a power struggle with the 1st prince at the risk of her life.