Moonlight Ball - Chapter 60

Once inside the massive hall, Iris watched men and women entering and making their way to open seats. She sat alone in a big chair and looked around the party, wondering why everyone was standing so far away when there was an open seat next to her. But Iris didn’t know it was out of respect.

First of all, gentlemen were afraid of King Sidrain. They were terrified of him because he was so attached to the Queen, or more like obsessed with her. Who would dare ask the Queen to dance publicly when the punishment would be the underworld if they touched her inappropriately? What if a strange rumor started when the king wasn’t around? What would they do then? What would they do if they had to face the Sword Master? They wanted to live and fully enjoy their lives. Therefore, they didn’t go near the Queen and instead admired her from afar. Although she was stunningly beautiful, the men didn’t want to risk their lives.

On the other hand, the ladies were terrified of Elena In Sethang, who stood next to the Queen. She was wearing a mask, but they knew it was Elena. The woman standing next to the Queen glared at the people as if she would kill them if they said something wrong.

Although the Queen was slightly out of her mind these days, she was more likable. But Elena was vowing with her eyes that if anyone talked nonsense to her, she would slit their throat. Elena In Sethang wouldn’t resort to killing them but would pass an insulting and embarrassing comment.

“Elena,” Iris called her quietly. Elena bowed her head and put her ear closer to the Queen as she spoke, “I don’t think we should sit here.”

“What makes you think that?”

Iris looked around and muttered uncomfortably, “I think they’re all standing because of us.”

She was a commoner indeed, and Elena gently patted Iris on the shoulder. “It is because you are more precious than them. Never mind them.”

“But it’s a masquerade ball, so it’s okay if they don’t know who I am, right?” Elena closed her mouth, and Iris rose. “If we can’t sit together, I think it’s right for me not to sit here. This seat is too big for me to occupy alone.” Iris fidgeted, and Elena tried to say again that she didn’t have to, but they were interrupted.

It was then that a man appeared in front of them. “Can I ask you to dance, miss?”

Elena glared at him, “What a nut job this is.” She was seething as she thought that this was a queen who didn’t like to be in the presence of other men. And now, this stranger wanted her to dance. Was he crazy enough that he wanted to die?

Iris recognized the voice right away. She couldn’t help but know who he was. She hadn’t misheard his voice since she’d first met him. Master! When Iris looked at him, he grinned behind the mask, and tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of him smiling with his kind face.

Her teacher, Elaine, then reached out a hand to Iris, “My lady.”

Iris held her teacher’s hand as tightly as she could, “Of course.”

“Your Grace!” Elena looked at the Queen’s back in shock as she was led away by the man. She was dumbstruck as she watched him walking away. He was tall but not as tall as His Highness, and he was an average build. King Sidrain had a much larger physique. And unlike him, the stranger had no red hair, so it wasn’t His Highness. But yet, the Queen had accepted his dance request without hesitating. Elena managed to hold back from wanting to stop the Queen. What justification would she use to stop her? It was a masquerade ball, after all.

Ignorant of Elena’s heart, Iris took Elaine’s hand and walked confidently to the dance floor. The teacher then recited an ancient language in a whisper, “I, Elaine Rossi, ask Iris Elaine if I can occupy your body. Your body will move according to my will, and it will only be a single piece of music from now on.”

Iris followed suit and whispered quickly, “I, Iris Elaine, accept Elaine Rossi’s request. You may occupy my body for the next piece of music. I will fully conform to your will.”

When the next tune played, people’s eyes were alternating between the Queen and the unfamiliar man when they walked onto the dance floor of the banquet hall. Iris and the stranger didn’t seem to feel it, but everyone had a very ominous foreboding. Something sinister was approaching like a storm.

Although it was a sunny day, thunder was rumbling outside. An ominous premonition was never wrong. As if to affirm this, the banquet door swung open, and a red-haired man with a prominent, tall, muscular body, almost like armor, walked in. He wore a colorful mask and had an air of authority about him. But suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the dance floor, and the people all swallowed their saliva.

Iris was dancing with some son of a b*tch, and Sidrain became confused about what he should do. First of all, Iris didn’t know how to dance. Had she not begged him to prevent her from dancing before? Sidrain was dumbstruck as he watched Iris dancing in the middle of the dance floor like she’d been dancing all her life.

“You have some guts,” Sidrain said through gritted teeth.

“Sid, Sid, Sid.” Count Portwall hastily soothed Sidrain when he saw the look on his face. At times like this, the only person who could calm the King was the baby brother.

“The Queen danced to only one song. She can’t reject every request, you know?”