The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

24.
"This should do, right?"

Marigold pressed the final period onto the letter. The fairy Pina, perched on her shoulder, opened her mouth with a disinterested tone.
"Do you think the imperial family will even accept a letter like that?"
"Why wouldn't they? If they know who I am."

"But is the prince really that easy? He’d follow you to a ball just from a single invitation like that?"
"…Who knows?"
Marigold’s letter—an ‘invitation’—was sent to the designated location through someone from the Thieves’ Guild.

From now on, there was much to prepare.
This was the final chapter in what she had to do in this life.
"Let’s go, then."
Marigold quickly shook her head to erase the image of someone who had suddenly come to mind.

"Uuuuugh!"
So fiercely that it made a wind whoosh.
"What are you doing?"

"Uuuuugh!"
25.
It was the day the road leading to the imperial palace was lit up.

The night before the royal ball—nobles from the Capital, as if by agreement, were all gathering at the palace.
"Wait! Please let me ride! Please!"
A woman in a dress raised her hand and stepped out onto the road where a carriage was running.

Glass-ornamented heels, a sparkling jewel necklace, and golden hair adorned with floral decorations flew in the air.
"Hey now!"
The coachman, who abruptly reined in the carriage, wiped the sweat from his brow.

Even before he could say anything, the woman had already climbed into the carriage.
"Please take me to the ball venue!"
"My goodness, young lady…! Jumping out in front like that is dangerous!"

"Here. Take this. Please get going quickly!"
The moment he received five silver coins, the coachman’s expression brightened.
"Wow, seems like everyone’s dressed dazzlingly for the ball this year. Must be because the imperial family’s participating too, huh."

As he said, the road to the palace was packed with people dressed in splendor.
The day when everyone in the Capital’s upper class gathered for the royal ball.
"If I were young and well-born, I’d have been obsessed with balls too. Didn’t a famous writer say so? That the Capital is one big romantic battlefield…"
Exactly.

What happened on the empire’s borders was none of these people’s concern.
Even if peasants were starving and dropping dead in rural provinces, or if war and banditry razed several villages each day, it didn’t matter.
So long as Rodenith, the Capital, remained peaceful.

Whom they’d spend the night with, what great person they could charm or exchange flirtations with—
That alone was their concern.
"By the way, are you already married? There’s a ring on your hand…"

"J-just hurry up and go."
"Ah, yes ma’am."
The blonde lady quickly lowered her hand to hide it.

The coachman had no intention of getting involved in the tangled romances of the nobles.
As soon as the carriage passed the gate, the blonde lady burst out.
"Thanks for the ride!"

"Milady?"
She dashed through the garden leading to the ball.
"Ah—watch your step, miss."

"If you’re free, may I have a moment to chat…"
"Ah! Love at first sight! My name is Rong Shell Bava… Milady! Wait! Miiilady!"
She didn’t spare a glance at the people who tried to stop her.

Moving like someone with [N O V E L I G H T] a clear destination, she entered the palace.
A bustling crowd. Dazzling corridors. A pair of a man and woman crossed her path.
…

"Where are you looking, Ransell Dante."
"…Nothing."
Ransell turned at the familiar feeling but then looked away.

At his side, in a pristine white tuxedo, a woman in a red dress was holding his arm.
The First Princess Violet, her face hidden beneath a veil.
"Even while escorting a charming woman like me, your eyes wander to others. You’ll never be a good man. Poor Marigold."
"…"

Ransell furrowed his brow and tried to pull his arm away, but the First Princess clung even tighter.
"Do you see it?"
"See what?"

"The knights."
Ransell swept his eyes around the ballroom.
Amidst the nobles mingling at the party, he saw knights in armor. All wore ceremonial swords at their waists.

"They’re the guard detachment for the ballroom. By imperial regulation, only one detachment is assigned on a night like this—about thirty knights."
"Looks like more than a hundred."
"And why do you think that is?"

"Because the imperial family’s a mess?"
"That’s part of it. But there’s another reason."
Ransell didn’t answer, even though he already knew it.

"Marigold."
The First Princess lowered her voice subtly.
"The fact that Marigold is here… there are plenty of my siblings who know it too. Maybe even the reward they’d get for capturing her."

"Hard to say who could’ve spread that rumor."
"Are you doubting me? I’m hurt, Ransell Dante. Was our bond really so shallow?"
"It wasn’t shallow. It was a deeply entangled grudge."

"Hahaha!"
She laughed it off, but Ransell’s suspicion of the First Princess was real.
She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t bat an eye at using Marigold if it meant strengthening imperial power.

She may have gathered her siblings in one place to see with her own eyes who was after Marigold.
To know who her enemies were.
And who her allies were.

"So, Your Highness, you’re not going to prepare for anything?"
"You’re here, aren’t you?"
"I’ll abandon you if it comes to it."

"No, you won’t. Not yet. We’re still useful to each other, right? I need strength, and you need power."
"Sounds like we’re only allies until we’re not."
"That depends on you, Ransell Dante."

She let out a low laugh.
"There’s no one but me in this world who can protect Marigold."
She was still the same. Cunning and dark-hearted.

Ransell moved with her toward the inner party hall. A familiar face appeared before him—sooner than Marigold did.
"Ransell?"
His older brother.

Rio Dante.
"What are you doing here?"
Rio’s gaze moved from Ransell to his companion.

"And the woman beside you…"
Bewilderment rose in Rio Dante’s eyes.
Because the veiled woman wasn’t Marigold.

"You already have a mistress… So that’s why you haven’t been seen with Marigold. You bastard. How long’s it been since the engagement?"
"…"
A merciless finger jabbed at Ransell’s brow.

"This guy here is already engaged. So don’t fall for him too hard, young lady. Best find someone else."
"Don’t worry. I knew when I met him."
The First Princess replied with a voice full of amusement.

"…Ha, Ransell. What the hell have you been doing?"
"Nothing at all."
Right. All he did was storm the princess’s camp, annihilate her guards, and drag her here.

Nothing else.
"A hero always has many women."
"Who’s a hero?"

Ransell tried to pull his arm free.
The First Princess held on tight.
26.

"Why is Lord Ransell here…!"
The second floor of the ballroom.
Marigold peeked out with only her eyes showing, agitated.

It was the familiar face on the first floor that caused it.
"With a woman I don’t even know…!"
Ransell and the veiled woman clung together.

Watching them whisper to each other, Marigold felt something bubbling inside her.
Her teeth chattered, cold sweat ran down, and before she knew it, she was biting her nails.
‘I wanted him to be happy, but he already looks way too happy!’

As she internally coughed blood, Pina fluttered to her side.
"Yup, they did it."
"Did what?!"

"Everything there is to do, clearly."
"You’re so mean… Lord Ransell…"
Moisture welled in the corners of Marigold’s eyes.

"Miss."
"…?"
"You said you’d never see him again. Why are you still so hung up? Didn’t you say it was all over?"

"I—it’s not like I said it’s over…"
"You said your heart was empty."
"Ugh."

"You said you had no regrets."
"Uuu…"
"You said you’d done everything you wanted."

"…"
At Pina’s reproach, Marigold averted her eyes.
She had never actually said it was over. She couldn’t bring herself to say that—her will wasn’t strong enough.

"I only said it felt like we wouldn’t see each other anymore…"
"Which is basically the same thing."
But from Pina’s perspective, it probably sounded that way. There wasn’t much difference between saying it was over and saying you’d never meet again.

Marigold barely calmed her pounding heart.
The feelings she had barely managed to fold away had almost burst back out. She shoved them down again.
"The ball will now begin!"

From the now-bright ballroom, music flowed.
Pairs of like-minded noblemen and women took hands and stepped into the center of the hall.
Marigold squatted in front of the second-floor railing, hugging her knees. She curled into herself, burying her head.

Soon, the person she was waiting for would arrive on the second floor. If he received the invitation safely, he’d surely find her.
But maybe because of what she’d just seen of Ransell, her legs felt too weak to stand.
The image of him dancing with that veiled woman wouldn’t leave her mind.

‘I didn’t take it off after all.’
She caught sight of the ring on her finger. A cheap ring bought with just a few copper coins during the ale festival in Forland.
Even after trying to end things with Ransell, she still hadn’t taken it off.

"Madam, would you dance with me?"
"Hmm, I suppose I’ll grace you with a song."
"Hahaha!"

"Hohoho!"
The raucous noise of the ball felt like it was fading into the distance.
Before she knew it, old memories crept into her mind.

A small port town.
A blazing campfire.
The scent of liquor and sweat.

Shabby clothes, ragged people dancing hand-in-hand.
Marigold, laughing brightly among them.
Ransell Dante, holding her hand and dancing along.

A memory from the Forland ball.
"That was fun. Hehe."
A smile quietly spread across Marigold’s lips.

A memory you want to forget doesn’t just disappear. No matter how much you shake yourself, it won’t go away.
"Marigold."
That moment.

At the voice from behind, Marigold’s face went cold.
It was a deep, unfamiliar voice.
Her heart sank.

Like waking from a dream.
The distant clamor of the party began to return.
"Are you Marigold?"

Marigold trembled slightly and lifted her head.
She knew the time had come.
She slowly rose from her crouched position.

‘So, Lord Ransell…’
She took a deep breath.
Her trembling limbs steadied and her breath calmed.

Marigold slowly regained her resolve. Right. If she thought of this as being for the Master, it wasn’t such a big deal. If she believed it was for what he wanted, there was nothing she couldn’t do.
Her life had always been for that purpose alone.
"Yes."

Marigold’s eyes sank like a deep lake.
‘I’ll give you my whole life.’
She slowly turned around.

Toward the man who appeared behind her.
"I am Marigol—"
"Gotcha."

"Ow!"
A powerful flick struck the crown of Marigold’s head.