I Transmigrated as my Bias's Messenger Bird - Chapter 49
It was well-known among the Alucina nobility that the Emperor had a strong aversion to pearls. However, it was not widely known to the general public. Nevertheless, the Emperor’s anger was palpable, as if he had been directly insulted.
“I can’t quite see it, but it seems so. Perhaps… is this elf related to that incident?”
The Empress deliberately brought up the incident. She had never liked an elf being here in the first place. Ever since she heard reports of an elf around Edin recently, her sentiments had been clear. Surely, they must be targeting her son.
‘Daringly ignorant… Nevertheless, bringing pearls as well. How amusing. Well, it’s a good opportunity to get rid of them.’
She couldn’t have unnecessary issues entangled with her son, the future emperor. Now, the rest could be left in the hands of the Emperor.
Predictably, the Emperor’s hands shook with rage.
“…Such audacity. How dare… how dare…”
It felt as if the entire sky had collapsed that day his sister disappeared. When the Emperor saw the dress adorned with pearls, his face contorted as he remembered the pain of that day.
“Please calm down for now, Your Majesty. It may look similar, but we should confirm if those are really pearls.”
“If those are indeed pearls, I will have that elf hunted down and punished. How dare they do this here!”
“That’s right. Let’s wait for them to come down, and we will verify it.”
The Empress looked up the stairs again. Upon closer inspection, the dress looked exactly like the one the forgotten princess used to wear. The fact that she stood there in it, with her mysterious azure hair, made it all the more ominous.
The Empress unknowingly glanced at Edin. She could only hope he wouldn’t notice that sinister figure. Unfortunately, Eden’s eyes were fixed on the stairs, ignoring the girl from the other world trying to talk to him.
The Empress nervously bit her lip. Her intuition told her that this wasn’t going to end well.
***
Has anyone else been standing here as long as I have? Apparently not. Because the longer I stood alone, the louder the clamor grew.
A lesser chamberlain stepped forward and shouted, “Is there anyone willing to be the partner of the person standing here? Is there really no one?”
It’s weird, because at this point, I should have heard Alfie’s voice, but I didn’t.
“If there is truly no one, then unfortunately, this lady must descend the stairs alone!”
Please stop. My social standing is already dead.
At this point, I began to worry if something had happened to Alfie. It was strange that he hadn’t shown up when he had been eagerly waiting. I decided to go downstairs alone to make sure Alfie was safe.
‘I should probably go down…’
Just as I lifted my skirts to step forward, I heard a voice mixed with a subtle laugh.
“Sorry to rush in.”
“No way…I’ve never seen him attend a ball before.”
Different sounds, far removed from the murmurs, resonated from the ballroom. When I turned around slowly, I saw Rai approaching me, dressed in attire that seemed completely out of place in the ballroom.
The clothes Rai was wearing were unmistakably similar to the one he wore the day he saved me from that meteor shower. What could it be? Did he drop by during a mission? Despite that, I couldn’t help being momentarily captivated by the dazzling appearance.
“…Tower Lord?”
Ignoring the murmurs around me, Rai approached, tilting his head slightly to inspect my outfit. After a soft sigh, he came even closer.
I was about to take a small step backwards when he closed the distance to within breathing distance, and suddenly, with his back to the ballroom, he gently brushed the back of his hand around my neck.
“What are you doing…? Are you trying to escort me now…?”
In response to my question, Rai, leaning in close to my ear, whispered softly, “As if I would.”
Rai raised the corners of his mouth again, leaving me with a smile that I couldn’t tell if it was a laugh or a sneer. Turning away, he walked ahead, descending the stairs alone.
What was that about…?
“The Tower Lord is here!”
“Unbelievable… I’m so glad I came today.”
The people inside the ballroom, who had been mocking me earlier, seemed to have completely forgotten my presence and started cheering for Rai as he descended.
‘What’s going on? What did he do? Did he just want all the attention to himself?’
I shrugged off the attention and followed Rai down the hall. As he descended, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, creating a path for him. Familiar with such situations, Rai walked with ease, making his way directly toward the Emperor.
I followed behind him and stood a little to the side. However, the crowd, eager to catch a closer glimpse of Rai, gradually pushed me away.
Standing before the Emperor, Rai gave a slight bow and spoke lightly, “I’m not sure if I’m late, Your Majesty.”
“…Did you not say you wouldn’t be attending?”
“Yes. However, the extermination ended sooner than expected, so I thought I’d come and see. I hope I haven’t committed any breach of etiquette by coming.”
“….Breach of etiquette, indeed. Welcome. Please take a seat.”
The Emperor gestured, and the attendants hastily arranged a seat on the dais. It seemed to be next to Edin and Mina.
As Rai, who had performed the proper greetings, walked slowly to the designated seat, it became apparent that it was positioned not far from where I stood. This proximity allowed me to overhear their conversation more clearly.
After Rai took his seat, Mina, who had been hesitating, greeted him.
‘Was this…a game event I haven’t seen before?’
Rai never appeared in the ballroom during gameplay, so Mina and Rai’s conversation in the ballroom must have been one of the events I hadn’t completed.
‘This is my chance to witness a rare event…!’
