My Past Life is Riddled With Many Sins - Chapter 93
“That’s too bad. Well then, should we meet again tomorrow so I can see you as often as possible while I can?”
The Crown Prince suggested this with an air of indifference. He made it seem like a date invitation, but it was really a declaration that she would be summoned for two consecutive days. Naturally, she had no right to refuse.
The next day, the Crown Prince, for some unknown reason, ordered the maids to dress her up. They swarmed around her, trying on various outfits, shoes, wigs, and makeup…. After hours of this doll-like treatment, she was finally freed, feeling utterly disoriented.
When the Crown Prince saw Regina, now completely adorned from head to toe, he briefly widened his eyes in surprise before narrowing them again.
“Hooh.”
What was that vague expression of admiration supposed to mean?
“May I ask why you made me look like this?”
“I’m attending a masquerade ball, and only those who received an invitation, their partners, and one escort knight can attend. So you will need to be my partner.”
Given the clear explanation, she accepted the situation.
The rules of the party meant she had no choice but to play the role of a partner. Still, she wondered if there might be devilkins at this masquerade, which made her a bit curious.
As she pondered, a servant, following the Crown Prince’s gesture, handed her something. It was a real sword with a sharp blade.
An ominous feeling engulfed her. If she was usually given practice swords and now handed a real one…
“Given the location, keep it with you. You can hide it under your dress.”
“Where is this masquerade being held…?”
“The Underworld.”
Regina blinked at the Crown Prince’s answer.
‘A masquerade hosted by the Underworld.’
It wasn’t a bad idea. The thought of experiencing something she hadn’t as Yekarna made her blood race. The debauched hedonistic Yekarna’s greatest love was ‘something new.’
“You don’t need to be too frightened. Since I’ll be attending not as the Crown Prince but in another identity, there shouldn’t be anyone targeting us specifically. The sword is just a precaution.”
Misinterpreting that she was scared, the Crown Prince awkwardly attempted to reassure her. Regina, feeling no need to clarify the misunderstanding, simply nodded and secured the real sword.
During the carriage ride, the Crown Prince outlined several important points. Since she had to pretend to be a partner, physical contact was inevitable.
She needed to follow certain behaviors at the masquerade. If someone acted a certain way, she should respond in another… Regina listened with half an ear, tuning out the repetitive instructions. It seemed he was overly concerned about whether a commoner might act clueless, but she already knew all this.
While Regina stared out of the window with a disinterested demeanor, the Crown Prince observed her and said.
“Your posture… is very proper.”
The unexpected comment made her stiff. She hadn’t realized it before, but now she was aware that her posture might appear strange to others.
Just as she was considering whether to adjust her stance, the Crown Prince’s gaze shifted away, seemingly uninterested in her personal matters. She decided to let it go and remained still.
Before they got out of the carriage, the Crown Prince handed her a mask. It was a white lace mask adorned with elaborate floral decorations and netting.
He himself wore a purple half-mask made of sturdier material and checked to ensure she had secured her mask properly before advising.
“From now on, do not disclose anything you see here to the outside.”
“Understood.”
She wished he would get to the point and skip the unnecessary details. As they approached the Underworld masquerade, her anticipation grew.
Unlike Regina, who entered the Underworld through a secret passage in a fruit store, the Crown Prince arrived via the theater. She knew there were multiple methods of entry, but learning about this new one was useful. She made a mental note to remember the theater’s location.
The Underworld masquerade venue was surprisingly opulent. Regina had expected a gloomy and dreary atmosphere, but the scene before her defied her expectations.
The attendees were dressed in costumes fitting for a ball. Contrary to her expectation of nearly nude or casual attire, their outfits were quite elegant. It wouldn’t have seemed out of place if this masquerade had been hosted by an aristocratic family rather than the Underworld.
“It’s quite a regular banquet.”
“The current leader is cunning. Despite being a criminal organization, they try to present themselves as sophisticated.”
The Crown Prince seemed well-informed about the Underworld leader. It would be concerning if the imperial family didn’t know such details.
“He constantly changes his identity and appearance, so he might be hiding somewhere in this ballroom right now. If anyone gets too familiar, keep your guard up and do not disclose any information.”
At a masquerade, you can’t just stick with your partner the entire time. If you’re going to dance only with one person from start to finish, there’s no point in attending the ball. The basic rule is to dance the first and last song with your partner and interact with others for the rest of the dances.
After dancing the first song with the Crown Prince, Regina began her second dance with a new partner.
“Your red hair is beautiful, lady.”
Regina was taken aback by the choice of complimenting her wig, which wasn’t even her real hair.
“Thank you. Your cravat is lovely as well,” she replied.
While engaging in meaningless talk with the skinny man, she had resolved to dance only with a few more partners and then leave the dance floor. Taking breaks occasionally due to fatigue was not considered rude. However, after finishing the dance with the next man, she regretted not leaving sooner when she faced her new dance partner.
“Would you care to dance a song with me, if you don’t mind?”
“Sure.”
Without much thought, Regina accepted the dance invitation and took the hand offered by her new partner. She hesitated for a moment as the touch felt strangely familiar.
It was definitely someone she had recently held hands with…
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