Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 56
As soon as she entered the banquet hall, Louise could feel the multitude of gazes piercing towards her.
It must be because of His Lordship….
Though she already knew how handsome and distinguished Richard was, today he was exceptionally more dashing. His thick black hair was slicked back, emphasizing his straight forehead and deepset eyes, and his appearance in the dark formal attire was enough to capture anyone’s attention.
Every step she took with him drew glances from young ladies who seemed just out of adolescence to older noblewomen, and even some men.
Imagining how she might appear in their eyes, so mismatched by his side, Louise naturally felt timid. So when the announcement came for everyone to wear masks for a more relaxed atmosphere since it was the last night of the ball, she felt a bit relieved.
Servants dressed in identical uniforms circulated the banquet hall with large boxes, handing out masks that matched each attendee’s outfit. Louise received a pure white feathered mask to complement her cream-colored silk dress.
“Oh, Countess Devonshire! A violet butterfly mask, how enchanting!”
“Viscountess Campbell, you too. The mask that matches your eye color suits you perfectly.”
Even with masks on, it seemed those who were familiar with each other could still recognize one another. Though Richard was also wearing a black mask, some nobles passed by while offering him a polite greeting, indicating their recognition.
However, even formal rules held significant power, and the unspoken rule to pretend not to know someone even if recognized quickly became the norm among the attendees.
Given that the event included lower-ranked nobles and commoner representatives, the excited atmosphere of the ball’s final night, combined with the elements of night, alcohol, and masks, easily loosened hearts.
Even Louise, who had never dared to imagine attending such an event, could relax a little. Though the group of flower-like young ladies who had been circling for a while, eager to speak to Richard, was somewhat bothersome….
As the atmosphere reached its peak, one of Richard’s aides approached him.
“Your Highness the Archduke, it seems you need to step out for a moment.”
“What is it?”
“Duke Karl is requesting your presence. He asks to meet in the east parlor on the third floor of the annex.”
“Now?”
Unwilling to leave Louise alone, Richard slightly furrowed his brow.
Though it was her first ball and she hadn’t noticed, several men had been trying to approach her to ask for a dance. Of course, all of them had retreated without uttering a word under the weight of Richard’s deadly glare.
Duke Karl, being an elder with imperial blood and a key figure in the parliament, was not someone to be ignored. Perhaps sensing his reluctance, Louise smiled brightly first.
“I heard there’s a lounge at the end of the hallway. I’ll wait there. I’m not used to these shoes, so I need a little rest.”
“I’ll come find you when I’m done.”
“Please go ahead, Your Highness.”
After Richard walked away, Louise headed to the lounge. She was just about to open the door to a room from which she heard a conversation.
“Isn’t His Highness the Archduke so dashing? He shines even behind the mask. I wish he would visit the palace more often!”
“Oh, did you see the woman he came with? Though she was masked, she looked quite pretty.”
Realizing they were talking about Richard, Louise stopped without thinking.
“But they say His Highness is so particular that he doesn’t meet anyone. Will he marry that woman?”
“Oh, don’t be naive.”
Through the slightly open door, she saw the elegant and beautiful ladies of the capital. The lady in the peach muslin dress, who seemed the oldest, spoke with conviction.
“There will be a wedding soon. Didn’t you hear? Tonight, His Highness the Archduke is meeting Duke Karl’s adopted daughter in secret….”
“What?! So the rumor that His Highness ordered a diamond ring from Fulcher the jeweler is true?”
“Yes, even His Majesty the Emperor has given his blessing. He must have prepared the proposal in advance. It’s not uncommon to marry based on a portrait alone.”
“Oh my….”
“They’ll probably come out of the room together tomorrow morning. Even if it’s an arranged marriage, announcing they fell in love at the ball would be a charming story.”
…A secret meeting?
‘Fulcher. Jeweler.’
The familiar name in their conversation pierced Louise’s heart sharply. Her chest sank as everything clicked into place. Fulcher… the name on the file the man Richard met with during the day carried. It was the name of a large jewelry store she had seen when passing through the capital square….
The image of Richard receiving a luxurious velvet case from the jeweler flashed through her mind. His slightly stiffened expression in the carriage on the way to the banquet hall, which she now realized was due to nerves about meeting his future wife for the first time.
Despite thinking she should leave, Louise’s legs refused to move, and she continued to hear unwanted details.
“But what about the woman he brought tonight? He seemed quite fond of her, not leaving her side.”
“Such women are just cheap mistresses. Even if she’s quite pretty, she’s of no real use other than warming the bed.”
“True, she must be of insignificant origin if no one knows her. She’ll be cast aside soon enough. Who would want a marriage with a mistress?”
“Indeed. Ducal Lady Karl is known for her spirited personality, so she would likely understand if he kept a few women to warm his bed before the wedding…”
