Chapter 36 - The Ball
"They call her the ‘femme fatale’ of the Sosylle Kingdom. I was expecting someone extraordinary, but frankly, I’m disappointed."
"It must have been a mistake. She must be a witch. She probably knows some kind of magic to bewitch men."
The women surrounding Opal laughed spitefully. But far from being hurt, Opal found herself amused by the new moniker. A quick glance around revealed, at the very least, one marchioness, a countess and her daughter, another countess, and a viscountess. Perhaps it was strength in numbers, or perhaps they felt secure on their home turf, but Opal found it strange that these women, who could know almost nothing about her, could be so bold. For the moment, she held back any retort and simply offered a demure smile. It was then that a man’s voice cut in.
"I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but I came to request a dance from Miss Holloway."
"Oh, my! Baron Prado… you’re acquainted with this woman?"
"Yes. Marquis Rousel introduced us the other day. Isn't that right?"
"…Yes."
"So, will you grant me a dance?"
"With pleasure. Ladies, if you will excuse me."
Opal took the hand Eric offered, gave the women a slight nod, and moved toward the dance floor. The women were whispering amongst themselves. It seemed they were now saying she had already managed to ensnare Baron Prado. In the end, every social circle was the same. Weary of the gossip and scheming, Opal turned her attention to the man before her.
"You’re rather meek, aren't you?"
"Pardon?"
"To be spoken to like that and not even offer a rebuttal."
"…I am not yet aware of the power dynamics here, so I cannot afford to say anything careless."
"I see. So you change your attitude depending on your opponent's power."
She had thought he was helping her, but apparently not. Opal had to suppress a laugh at Eric's unique interpretation of her actions. As she looked down, Eric seemed to misunderstand her expression and pressed on.
"It's useless to try and gain sympathy by feigning injury. I know your true nature. So do the others. That is why no one else will even ask you to dance. I cannot believe that only Claude is being deceived. He usually possesses such an astonishingly brilliant mind."
The reason other men hadn't asked Opal to dance was because Claude had been turning them away. And after Claude had left her side, she was immediately surrounded by the ladies, so Eric was the only man to brave that obstacle to ask her. Eric had heard the nasty rumors about her beforehand and was now seeing only what he wanted to see. He really is just like the Hubert of old, Opal thought, as she casually glanced toward Alessandro.
Their eyes met instantly. Alessandro, who had not danced with anyone but the princess, was sitting and observing the ballroom, a habit of his that apparently no one minded. The smile on his face, however, suggested he was enjoying the spectacle. He seemed particularly amused by Opal’s current predicament.
He really is a malicious man, she thought. It’s as if we are all just puppets dancing on His Majesty’s board.
The irony of her situation was so amusing that she sought out Claude to distract herself, finding him easily. When their eyes met, Claude began to dance with exaggerated movements, as if he had read her very thoughts.
"Claude looks like he’s having a great time. Even more so than when he was dancing with you earlier."
"Do you think so?"
"You may not want to admit it, but…"
"It was a very enjoyable time. Thank you."
The music ended just then, and Opal cut Eric off with her closing remarks. Eric, who seemed to have noticed the jab, flushed red. He had likely just remembered that making one's partner uncomfortable was a problem that went far beyond mere dancing skill.
"I could fetch you a drink if you’d like. What would you prefer?"
"In that case, could you guide me to where they are serving light refreshments? There might be something unusual, so I'd like to choose for myself."
"…Very well. This way."
"Thank you."
She had asked Claude to stay away for a little while, so he likely wouldn’t be back for some time. Perhaps noticing this, Eric seemed to have decided to at least act the part of a gentleman toward her. His tone was a bit condescending, but he had offered her a drink, so Opal decided to accompany him to the separate room where hors d'oeuvres were being served. She placed her hand on his offered arm and walked, drawing the attention of everyone around them.
"Do I have horns or something growing from my head?"
"What was that?"
"No one seems to want to approach me. Or is it that you’re disliked, Baron?"
Usually, when a person of interest like Opal appeared, many people would flock to be introduced. But unlike before, everyone was just watching from a distance. She had meant it as a joke, but it seemed to be lost on Eric. He furrowed his brow in confusion but said nothing more as they reached their destination.
There, Opal requested a light alcoholic beverage and several kinds of canapés. The presentation was different, but the food itself was not so different from that of the Sosylle Kingdom.
"Are you going to eat all that?"
"…All this?"
After taking a seat, Opal followed Eric's gaze down to her own plate. The room was furnished with tables and chairs so guests could sit and eat. It was still early, so besides a few servants, there were no other guests, though a man had just entered alone. And on her plate were only a few canapés.
"Drinking on an empty stomach makes one more susceptible to intoxication."
"Isn't it common practice to eat something before attending a ball? It’s not a banquet, after all."
"Common practice?"
"Yes. That's why there are no other women here but you. Is it because you lack that sort of self control that you’ve made a drunken spectacle of yourself in the past?"
"…A drunken spectacle? What sort of thing, for example?"
Opal suppressed a rising tide of anger, elegantly brought a canapé to her lips, and waited for Eric’s answer. Even eight years ago, when her new husband Hubert had called her 'wanton', she had not been this furious. At the time, Opal shared some of the blame for not denying the rumors, and above all, Hubert was her husband, so he had the right to condemn her. Though Hubert's refusal to even listen was also a problem. After that, Opal disappeared from society. Even when she appeared in public during the development of Mantest, she had kept a low profile.
They say that lost trust is not easily regained, but this was a different matter entirely. Why should she be spoken to this way simply for taking a few canapés? Fueled by this anger, Opal's smile deepened, just as Claude had described.
"It was because… because you were drunk that you were so familiar with men…"
"Familiar in what way?"
"W, well, to begin with, aren't you ashamed to make me say such things!?"
"Not at all. I am asking because I do not understand what you are trying to imply, Baron. I have never once had too much to drink. And the only event that could be considered a scandal happened just once. It was when I foolishly went into the garden alone during an evening party and was attacked by a man after my dowry. I screamed for help. As a sixteen year old girl who had just made her social debut, I did not know what the consequences of that would be. But even if I had known, I would have fought back."
"But the rumors say…"
"Yes, they are all rumors. No one ever actually witnessed any subsequent scandal, yet the rumors took on a life of their own. I did not want to be defeated by a single scandal. That was all. So I always held my head high. That must have grated on everyone’s nerves. After all, it is considered ‘normal’ for a woman to be protected by a man and live without asserting her own rights. I suppose a woman should also refrain from eating a few canapés at a ballroom. Why? Because that is what is ‘normal’."
"No, but…"
As Opal spoke, her voice calm despite her anger, Eric was at a loss for words. He took a step or two back from her, his face a mask of astonishment. He seemed to pull himself together somehow, glaring at Opal as he spoke again.
"Then why did Duke McLeod divorce you?"
"I wonder why?"
"Obviously, because you were too busy gallivanting about to even produce an heir. Not only that, he had to give away part of his fortune to…!?"
By the time he came to his senses, it was too late. Opal had thrown the contents of her glass at Eric. But as she calmed down, she felt no particular regret. In fact, she thought she ought to praise herself. She slowly set her glass down and smiled radiantly.