I Became the Villain’s Lost Daughter Chapter 78
“Lady, may I ask you for a dance?”
“Of course.”
The half-masked man extended his hand, and the woman in the colorful feathered mask put her hand over it.
At a normal banquet, you introduce yourself before asking for a dance, but this was an exception.
Elsewhere, a man in a wolf mask asked a woman in a fox mask to dance.
“A kind gentleman, it was a pleasure.”
“It has been my honor, my lady.”
Scenes like this played out all around the spacious banquet hall.
The very definition of a masquerade ball was a party where you don’t reveal your identity.
And at this particular party, the artifact of changing one’s hair color was being worn.
“…Why are you doing this useless thing?”
But even amid all the fun, some people didn’t like it.
— Father, I’m going to walk around alone tonight, and if you’re watching me from behind, I’m going to get really mad. The same goes for my brother!
Typically, two men were looking down from this level of the banquet hall with sullen faces, unable to blend in with the warm atmosphere.
They had blue hair, not their natural color, and they were watching a woman in a butterfly mask fluttering around below.
“…That guy.”
As the man approached the woman in the butterfly mask, their expressions grew so fierce that they could see through the mask.
It was a look so hideous that anyone watching would think the man was doing something truly terrible.
“Your Grace, Aaron?”
A man with neatly slicked-back black hair approached them.
Then, the spirit of the two bloody men softened a little.
“Sean?”
Aslan, who recognized him first, answered, calling his name, and Sean smiled and greeted him.
“I was surprised to hear you were coming, but Aslan was right, Aaron, it’s been a long time, too.”
“Long time no see, Uncle.”
Sean nodded, his eyes narrowing at the bluntness of Aaron’s reply.
Even though he was an unwelcome nephew, it seemed good just to see him.
However, Sean’s intentions were quite different.
Of course, I was happy, but now I felt like I was going to break out in a cold sweat because of the tension.
Sean smiled awkwardly and continued.
“I don’t mind the new hair color, I just didn’t expect it to be black…”
“Somehow, even with the change in hair color, you still have the same fragile impression.”
“Haha, that’s because my face hasn’t changed, so I can’t help it.”
There was a stiffness in the way she laughed, as if his blackened hair was unfamiliar to him.
Sean thought that the mask he picked today was very fortunate that it covered the entire face except for the lips.
‘…Erita, what the hell do you think you’re doing?’
His lovely niece, who had visited him a few minutes ago, was asking for more time, so he had to hold them both as long as he could.
— It’ll only take five minutes, please, Uncle!
And for the first time, Sean couldn’t choose the option of refusal when Erita called him uncle.
💫
Glancing upstairs, I sneak a peek.
‘Well, Sean was doing a good job.’
There, my blue-haired father, Aaron, and Sean, with his black hair, were talking.
They were looking at Sean as if they couldn’t look away with their family right in front of them.
‘I should hurry up and go to the Empress.’
When I realized that my father and Aaron’s gazes were off of me, I walked over to the spot I’d checked.
To my relief, the Empress and her three ladies in red were seated at the same table.
“Your Majesty, rumor has it that you’ve been working day and night to prepare for this grand ball.”
“Somehow, they say the banquet seems even more lively today!”
They were flattering the Empress in the middle of the room as she fluttered her fan.
I bit my lip hard as I watched them.
“…There are fewer people around than I thought.”
When midnight arrives and the effect of the artifact disappears, the Empress goes to her original seat in the Imperial Family.
‘Then we can’t approach her, so we only have a chance now.’
The clock on the wall of the ballroom shows that there are only twenty minutes until midnight.
Three more minutes, maybe.
‘Those people…’
A group of women approached.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at them for a moment, and I recognized the woman in the forefront.
‘…Milia Lenosen? Next to her is the daughter of the Duke of Blaine.’
There were a dozen or so noble ladies behind her.
Perhaps Milia Lenosen was going to see her aunt, the Empress.
‘…Now.’
By the time they passed me, I quietly cast spells to diminish my presence and caught up to the end of Milia Lenosen’s horde.
If it was magic that consumed a lot of mana, the Imperial Wizard might have noticed, but this was fine.
‘Please don’t notice, please.’
Now that I’ve placed a spell on myself, I’m more likely to pass by without anyone paying attention.
Luckily, the people around me didn’t seem to notice my presence.
I joined them and took a few more steps.
“Auntie!”
Milia Lenosen, who had been standing at the front of the line, called out to the Empress in a high-pitched voice and ran to embrace her.
“Welcome back, Milia.”
The Empress greeted Milia Lenosen with a fond look on her face.
“Auntie, you look so beautiful again today!”
“Really? Are all the young girls behind Milia’s friends?”
The Empress, who raised the corners of her lips tenderly as she looked at Milia Lenosen, raised her head and looked in this direction.
The pounding of her heart rang loudly in her ears.
The Empress’ gaze swept over each of us in turn until it landed on me.
“Ah!”
Milia Lenosen’s small exclamation drew the Empress’s gaze quickly to her.
The eyes of everyone gathered here were focused on Milia, who was giggling with excitement.
‘…I think we just need to get a little closer.’
With a sweep of my hand across my chest, I took advantage of the Empress’s distracted gaze and took another step.
One step, then two…
When there were three left between the Empress and me.
Hiding one finger under the hem of her dress, I held it out toward her.
Then I imbued the artifact clutched tightly in my other hand with mana.
After five minutes or so, many seconds.
‘It’s done…!’
The distinctive aura of a successful spell passed through my fingertips.
Ten minutes for the artifact to store the results.
‘I need to get to the garden.’
Cautiously, I crept to the edge of the crowd once more.
No one noticed my presence until I slipped quietly out of the banquet hall.
At least that’s what I thought.
During the week of the Debutante Banquet, the Imperial Gardens are open to the public.
Stepping into the maze garden of all gardens, I went as deep into the garden as I could.
“Phew… Hah…”
After walking quickly for about two minutes from the entrance along the winding path, I stopped in my tracks.
“Whew.”
I caught my breath, a little ragged, and lifted the artifact in my hand.
After moistening my dry lips once, I carefully flipped the pocket watch over.
The front of the clock was revealed. And the jewel in the center of the clock was visible.
“…Oh.”
Seeing that, I closed my eyes tightly to the truth I didn’t want to believe.
Diamonds, which were supposed to shine white, were dyed black.
Not a speck of white, just inky black.
‘…I hope not.’
This confirmed that the Empress had used black magic.
The implication was that she was the one who had killed Empress Ayla, and that she had paid for it with the lives of countless children.
I could only gasp and clench my fists at the weight of the truth.
💫
In a way, it was fortunate that Callian recognized Erita amid a large crowd.
‘…Erita?’
Erita’s hair was the color of pale straw as she walked past me, about three paces away.
And it was the same Erita I had seen when I met her as a Lian.
I don’t know about it to others, but it was beyond recognition to Callian.
“Excuse me…”
After brushing past Callian, Erita hurriedly headed for the terrace that led to the garden.
Clearly, Erita had just gotten nervous.
A mixture of worry about what had happened and the realization that this was her last chance to reveal the truth to everyone.
Either way, both thoughts were predicated on following her.
“Baron, I’m going to step out for a moment, but please cover for me.”
“Uh, Yes, sure…What? No. Wait a minute!”
By the time the dazed Baron understood what his Master was saying, his side was already empty.
‘…I think she went this way.’
Turning away from Baron’s muffled exclamation, Callian strode out onto the terrace and into the garden.
Perhaps it was because he was a little late, he couldn’t feel Erita’s presence very well.
‘She must have used magic.’
He knew that she was a great wizard, and it wouldn’t be too difficult for her to use magic without being caught in the Imperial Palace.
After all, no one had thought her strange when she had just left the banquet hall in such a hurry.
Callian glanced around for a moment before his gaze settled on a spot.
“There she is.”
It was the maze garden Erita had just entered.
Rustling—
As spring approaches, the moist grass quietly silences the sound of his footsteps.
His feet quickened as he followed a faint trail.
A minute’s walk into the heart of a deep maze.
‘…Erita.’
The back of a woman’s head came into Callian’s vision.
Her straight white neck and a few strands of beige hair hung over her white shoulders.
She was the one he’d been thinking about and replaying in his mind for days.
Callian stared at the back of Erita’s head as she stood there.
He followed her, though he hadn’t quite organized his thoughts on whether he should say anything.
After a moment’s hesitation, Callian took another step toward Erita.
Note for Male Lead
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