Moonlight Ball - Chapter 127

Count Pow Portwall’s eyes widened in disbelief as he laid eyes on the paper before him. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it disdainfully onto the table as if it were nothing more than garbage.

“This is strange,” he muttered under his breath.

“It is impossible that Rosemary was able to gather so many people,” Elena interjected firmly. As the Queen’s personal observer, she had always kept a close watch on the Queen’s followers. And yet, despite her best efforts, it seemed as though a vast and far-reaching group had formed right under her nose.

“Your Majesty, I was under the impression that such a thing was not possible,” she added, her gaze fixed firmly on the Queen.

“If Elaine Rosi had denied it, the story would be clear,” Clarence En Sethang chimed in. “If Elaine had pulled Iris in, there would be no reason for her to lie. That means, clearly, that something else is at play here.”

But Retendon En Mutarion could take it no longer. Rising to his feet, he couldn’t help but ask the question that had been plaguing him all along.

“Is it true that Your Majesty is the princess of the Tower?”

Oh, right. He still didn’t know, Pow thought as he looked down with a troubled face. The gaze of his official lover and unofficial sparring partner was like a knife, cutting deep into his soul. He knew that if they were to meet in the official boxing ring, he would not be able to hold back, and yet he could not bring himself to speak the truth.

Retendon was a man of simple origins, and it was clear to all who knew him that he struggled to fit in with high society. But with the unwavering favor of the king and the guidance of Countess Melanie En Mutarion, he had managed to find a foothold in the upper echelons of society.

“How could something like this happen?” Retendon muttered, and Clarence laughed bitterly. He couldn’t help but recall the words he had spoken just a few days prior.

“Magicians can use magic to move souls, but it’s a complicated process. In short, Iris’s body died first, and Rosemary’s soul died first. Iris’s soul has taken over Rosemary’s empty body,” Pow said.

Retendon’s eyes widened in shock, and Pow added, “It’s almost like a reflex, like a person flailing in the water.”

“What are you even talking about?” Retendon snapped, his tone sharp.

Pow fell silent, and Retendon continued, “Why is everyone so calm about someone dying? Is it really so easy to accept that a new person has taken their place? Is human life truly so insignificant?”

All present knew what was troubling Retendon. He was part of the dragon subjugation group, a group ordered to sacrifice themselves in the face of an enemy far too powerful to defeat. Only a few had survived, the rest had been killed in the futile battle. It was like a battle between an elephant and ants.

“I must take my leave now,” Retendon declared, his words causing the room to grow colder. Sidrain nodded dismissively. Aware that he had displeased the king, Retendon made his exit without hesitation.

“…I wasn’t that bad, was I?” Clarence asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

Elena, fanning herself sullenly, replied, “Oh my, Your Majesty, were you not being a bit excessive by bringing up my name and making such a scene?”

“I thought you were going to faint. Or did you?” Sidrain joked, and Clarence rolled his eyes.

“I fainted due to the alcohol Your Majesty provided me,” he added with a hint of sarcasm.

“Are you still that weak with just one drink?” Pow jested.

Clarence was a man out of place in the glittering halls of high society. Though his intellect was undeniable, his unwavering honesty and steadfast principles set him apart from the scheming, power-hungry elite. Despite his deep love for Elena, he couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that she was not entirely faithful to him. But even as he made her queen of the secretive cabal that controlled the kingdom’s politics, he refused to compromise his principles.

He found no pleasure in the endless rounds of parties and carousing that were the hallmarks of the social scene, preferring instead the quiet company of books, a warm cup of tea, and picnics with his family. Elena, on the other hand, was a master at playing the game, her every move calculated to bend her husband to her will.

“Retendon won’t wander for long. In any case, it seems we have quite a few enemies,” Sidrain said, making Pow laugh and reply, “Don’t worry, a little conversation can make even an enemy see reason.”

Elena and Clarence En Sethang were a mismatched pair, one overflowing with love and the other with blood. But somehow, they made it work. Sidrain pushed thoughts of Retendon out of his mind, knowing that it was Pow’s problem to deal with. He had enough on his plate with Iris.

Iris had incurred a massive debt in her efforts to protect him, and Sidrain knew he had to find out the details of that debt. Though Iris seemed reluctant to burden him with the issue, Sidrain couldn’t shake the feeling that it was his responsibility. He couldn’t let her struggle alone, not when it might drive him to madness.

Today, he would have a talk with Iris, and get to the bottom of this. Sidrain was determined to make it happen.