An hour later.
The ball gradually sank into the deepest part of the night.
The once-grand orchestral music in the main ballroom had completely shifted to a low, lingering tune signaling the end of the evening.
On the open-air lawn outside the Royal Ballroom, the colorful fireworks had long since burned out, leaving only a few wisps of sulfur-scented smoke drifting desolately in the cold wind.
And in the shadows of the cypress grove far from the crowd, a “reckoning” that was a full half-night late suddenly erupted with a near-tragic knightly fury.
“—Alden Cross!!! Screw your 'brotherly friendship'!!”
An incredibly suppressed low growl rang out.
Klaus was currently pinning Alden tightly against the wall.
He had already changed back into his suit and leather shoes—an outfit that allowed him to call himself a true man, complete with a suit, tie, trousers, and leather shoes!
As if wanting to devour him alive, he glared deathly at his “bosom friend” whose collar he held in a death grip.
Over the past half hour or so, Klaus had experienced the darkest and most despairing mental breakdown of his life.
He had thought that taking matters into his own hands with a bottle of ink was a rescue, but he had ended up completely ruining Lady Loris's gown.
This filled him with an overwhelming sense of guilt.
Fortunately, harboring a final, self-tormenting shred of curiosity, he had stolen a glance through the French windows outside the main ballroom—
And he saw it.
He saw that Lady Loris was actually wearing a brand-new, elegant, and flawless shimmering gown.
In that instant, Klaus felt as if he had crawled out of hell. Although he didn't know why she had another dress available, it was excellent news. It meant... the sins he committed tonight had not resulted in the most catastrophic outcome.
That left only one other thing.
Revenge.
He had been completely sold out and played like a fool by Alden—his “good brother” whom he had grown up with and even opened study sessions with to deal with common enemies!
And so, this very scene was playing out.
“Kl-Klaus... calm down... calm down! Let me explain!!”
Alden, pinned tightly against the pillar, was pale. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting around guiltily.
“Explain?! You freaking have the nerve to ask me for an explanation?!”
Klaus's heavy breaths fanned against Alden's face. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, his voice dripping with utter shame and fury:
“Yesterday, you showed me some stupid rose drawing and told me it was the badge of the culprit plotting against Lady Loris! You had me dress up as a girl and sneak in for the sake of justice! And the result?! That 'Rose Wardrobe' was actually Lady Loris's exclusive wardrobe, which you personally helped those two wicked women swap!”
“You nearly ruined my reputation tonight! Apologize to me right now!”
“I'm sorry!!!”
“Not to me!!”
The young man's fury was like an erupting volcano in the night.
Facing Klaus's violent reckoning, after the initial guilt passed, Alden instead let out a self-deprecating laugh, acting like a dead pig that didn't fear boiling water.
“I'm sorry!”
“I said, not to me!”
“Huh?”
A moment later.
Confused, Alden spread his hands, allowing Klaus to hold him by the collar. He let out a long sigh, his tone helpless but tinged with a reckless, shameless air:
“Yes, yes, I used you. I admit it, Klaus.”
“The rewards Margaret and Vera offered were simply too generous. Both of them promised to be my girlfriend after the ball. I admit I had a moment of foolishness... But, my bosom friend, think about it carefully. What would actually happen to you if you got caught?!”
Alden raised his head slightly:
“That Lady Loris likes you so much! Whenever you flip your bangs at school, she smiles at you! Heck, tonight inside, she even used the Duke's privileges and made up a lie in front of the Swordsmanship Department to bail you out!”
“Did you get hurt? No! At most, you just couldn't get over it mentally, lost a bit of your manly pride, and ran two laps around the corridor.”
As he spoke, he pointed toward the main ballroom with an incredibly aggrieved expression, his tone filled with the exasperation of someone whose games had failed:
“If anything, the ones who should be driven mad tonight, the ones who lost absolutely everything, are those two resentful bad women, Margaret and Vera!”
“And... me.”
“They meticulously planned this scheme for half a semester, digging up all the details. But in the end? You dumped the ink, and Lady Loris simply turned around and retrieved a second, identical haute couture gown from the Duke's storeroom! Didn't you see how radiant she was dancing with the Crown Prince in the center of the dance floor?! When those two bad women saw Loris's flawless entrance backstage, their faces turned as green as the Andalusian plains!!”
Alden ruffled his hair in a frenzy:
“They exhausted all their schemes, fussed the entire night, and even ruined their own dresses for the second half of the ball. Yet in the end, they gained absolutely nothing, only standing there like total idiots, being secretly mocked by all the nobles inside!”
“And me?! I didn't even get to touch a single finger of theirs tonight! Klaus, we both lost, but those two bad women are the biggest clowns tonight. Why are you getting mad at me?!!”
Hearing Alden's convoluted and utterly shameless excuses, Klaus stood there, trembling with rage.
“Stop trying to deflect!!”
Klaus roughly yanked Alden up and began marching furiously toward the private changing area in the first-floor west wing:
“That's because Lady Loris is rich! That's because the Duke's family has deep reserves! If she hadn't prepared a backup plan, your brother here would have literally lost his life in that girls' changing room tonight!”
“Come on! Come with me to the scene! Today, I must show you that Duke's wardrobe covered in black ink, so you can see for yourself what a malicious thing you did tonight!!”
“Ah, Klaus! I already apologized! Don't pull my uniform... This outfit of mine is very expensive... It's going to rip...”
The two boys tussled and dragged each other at the entrance of the quiet, dim preparation room corridor.
A moment later.
Just as Klaus dragged Alden around the last turn leading to the Duke's private changing area,
someone suddenly rushed out from around the corner.
The two squabbling boys instantly froze in their tracks.
Walking right toward them was none other than the Duke's daughter, Loris, whom they had just been discussing.
...
However, the expression on my face at this moment did not bear a single trace of a “winner's” arrogance or elegance.
On the contrary, my brows were knitted deep in a frown.
When I saw the two boys in front of me, I was initially frantic. But then, a sudden realization struck me. Beholding them as if they were my absolute last saving grace, I rushed to them in a few quick strides.
I grabbed Klaus's hand.
Klaus: ?
Alden: ¿
Then, under the dumbfounded gazes of Klaus and Alden, I discarded all reservations. I truly, truly needed their help.
“Please, I... No, wait.” I couldn't use a pleading tone!
“—You two! Cut the chatter! Right now, immediately! Strip off your clothes for me!!”
Klaus and Alden: ???
Rate on N.U.
