Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance – Chapter 79

Author: Dakku-san

The final day of the festival came quickly.

“It went by so fast.”

Eileen said, and Cordelia nodded. Between helping out with clubs and undergraduate events, eating delicious food, and visiting the various booths, she didn’t know where the time had gone.

“At least we still have the main event.”

The flower of the festival. The two had been up since morning getting ready for the ball. Eileen muttered to herself, a little tired.

‘What a mess.’

As if reading Eileen’s mind, Oslo hired someone to do their makeup and hair and sent them to Verotanis.

At first, Eileen thought it was overkill, but as the professional touches took hold, her expression grew more and more impressed.

“Wow.”

“Do you like the dress and hair?”

“Yes, very much.”

Eileen’s dress was off-the-shoulder to show off her delicate shoulders, and the silk at the bustline maximized her innocent charm.

The color was all-white with saturated navy blue accents that gradient from the waist, giving the look a cool, summer-appropriate look. Eileen’s hair was styled in a high bun to emphasize her neckline.

The subtle golden trim at the waist confirmed the color scheme, but there was one piece of jewelry that popped into Eileen’s head.

“Eileen, are you ready? I’m done on my end.”

Cordelia, who had also changed her shoes, walked out of the dressing room and toward Eileen.

She was wearing a pale blue dress made of mermaid lines that flattered her tall frame. Her flowing platinum bob of hair complemented the dress, giving her a gorgeous, mermaid-like appearance.

Eileen jumped to her feet, her mouth agape with excitement.

“You look so, so, so beautiful! Oh my God!”

Cordelia, who usually doesn’t wear makeup because it distracts from her training, was almost frightened by the glamorous look when she decided to put it on.

The heroine is different.

Cordelia was equally awestruck as she watched Eileen smile broadly. Her gaze lingered on Eileen’s hair as she watched her with a small gasp.

“Eileen, you have that in your hair.”

“Hoo hoo, yes, you gave it to me, and I thought it would look good on me, don’t you think?”

Showing her the headdress, Eileen twirled playfully in place. The billowy skirt rose and fell in a circle. Cordelia smiled at her, her eyes warm.

“You look so good in it.”

***

“Oh dear, Laquerta, you didn’t get a partner after all?”

“Hmph. I realize you don’t either.”

“Right.”

Two men in fine tailcoats stood in front of the ornately decorated hall.

Laquerta, who hadn’t sought another partner since Eileen’s withdrawal, and Andrew, who had been too busy searching for his future master to think of one.

“Aren’t you disappointed that you couldn’t come with Eileen?”

“I do. But it’s right for her to have someone other than me by her side now.”

There was nothing but sincerity on Laquerta’s face as he said it, and Andrew, who smiled mischievously at the sight, nudged him in the small of his back with his elbow.

“Still, isn’t it nice to be two instead of one?”

“Hmm.”

Andrew smiled wryly, now well aware that Laquerta’s snort was not a negative sign.

“Well, while they’re all busy dancing, why don’t we enjoy some of the banquet food?”

The party hall was filled with finger foods and drinks of all kinds, but the students with their partners didn’t seem too interested.

“What do you want to eat first?”

“Meat to start.”

“If you want to eat a lot, you have to start with something light.”

“You’d have to eat the grass on campus to eat something light.”

Their eyes burned for reasons the other patrons couldn’t imagine.

***

Andrew and Laquerta weren’t the only ones without a partner; Cordelia and Lucian were in the same boat.

Lucian, his dark hair slicked back and dressed in a dark gray tailcoat, sighed, and Cordelia’s eyebrows arched.

“Well.”

Lucian, who had been stung by Allen’s nonchalant suggestion that the two of them should be partners, had ended up walking in with Cordelia.

It would have been a bad idea for the heir to Gaudium to show up to the ball without a partner for the second year in a row.

Cordelia understood his situation and stood by his side, but her expression was not pleasant.

They’d seen too much ugliness since childhood to put on a friendly face, as evidenced by her dislike of being called “two wings”.

“We’re just going in together.”

“Yeah, split up as soon as we get in.”

With that, the two wings of Gaudium stepped into the ballroom, and it wasn’t long before a pair of men and women came up to take their places.

Felix and Eileen, dressed in navy blue tailcoats and pink hair tied back in a half-bun. Felix’s eyes were a little glassy as he walked up the stairs, holding Eileen’s hand.

‘Beautiful. Pretty. You look cute.’

His heart swayed as Eileen’s sparkling dress swayed with each step. Felix had to fight to keep his mouth from falling open.

“There are so many people.”

Eileen’s eyes fluttered as she looked around the hall.

‘I’ve been reborn and experienced so much, but I’ve never been to a ball before.’

She’d taken ballroom dancing lessons when she was at the Duke’s, but she wasn’t confident. As she swallowed nervously, Felix held out his hand.

“Shall we go, then?”

He said with a smirk that seemed to ease Eileen’s nerves. Taking a deep breath, Eileen cautiously took his hand in hers. Their hands were very hot together.

***

Before the ball began in earnest, the children searched for the Duke. It wasn’t hard to find him, as he was always surrounded by people.

After asking the bystanders to excuse him, the Duke made his way through the crowd and smiled at the four well-dressed children.

“You look like grown-ups, all dressed up like this. Cordelia, Eileen. Your dresses look very nice on you.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, I really like it.”

Lucian’s eyes widened at the sight of Eileen in the dress. The Duke glanced at his son’s eyes, a mixture of excitement and regret, and clicked his tongue.

‘It would be premature to call him an adult.’

After a brief exchange of greetings with the half-grown children, the Duke looked beyond them.

“They’re here.”

“Yes?”

The children’s heads turned to follow his gaze. There stood Rosalia, dressed in a violet gown.

“Master.”

“Rosalia!”

Rosalia said with her trademark loose smile as Eileen and Felix rushed to greet her.

“It’s been a long time!”

It was Rosalia who had left the duke’s house to begin learning the ways of the magic in earnest under Razavel. She had seemed very busy, and Eileen had been unsure of her coming, even as she sent the letter.

“I know you’re very busy, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I was dead last week and the week before that to make time.”

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

Rosalia asked, turning to look at Felix, leaving Eileen with a confused look on her face.

“Felix, are you enjoying your time at the Academy?”

At that, Felix paused and locked eyes with Rosalia. His eyes were tired, but there was a kindness in them. With a quick turn of his head, he realized why the letters from the tower had dwindled.

“Very pleasant, thank you, Master.”

At Felix’s shadowless smile, Rosalia smiled brightly, as if all her fatigue had left her.

“I’m glad to hear it!”

Satisfied with her answer, Rosalia accepted a glass of champagne and took a step back from the conversation, noticing something.

Her eyes sparkled like glass as she watched Andrew and Laquerta, who had recently joined the group, laugh as they chatted with Eileen.

Each of the men surrounding Eileen held a shattered star in their hearts. Each shattered star orbited around the largest of them all.

A new galaxy of shattered stars.

The overwhelming beauty of the sight filled Rosalia’s heart with more excitement than fear.

“What will you show me next?”

Lost in her own vision, Rosalia was interrupted by the sound of a band beginning to play. The ball had begun in earnest.