Trantor/editor: ruby
A ball-party was being held in the courtyard of the imperial pce – one in honor of the Shinsu.
Spread out against the backdrop of the luxurious pce, the space looked more like a za than a courtyard.
It was clear that a party was being held here, demonstrating the Emperor’s power; that meant that he valued this ball, and that the rtionship between the Shinsu and the humans would be close in the future.
“A guest has arrived.”
Belinda calmly passed between the officers holding up gs, wearing a mask with painted roses.
The endless garden opened up to her, with a splendid table ced between elegant statues.
Water soared out of the fountain sculpture with a refreshing sound. Warm yellow sunlight caught on people’s masks.
As long as she wore her mask, she was no longer Princess Belinda. She wasn’t the only one, either: the Shinsu chief, the prince, the Emperor and everyone in between was wearing a mask.
Humans and Shinsu unknowingly mixed, making easy conversation.
The reason for the masquerade ball was clear – it would stop prejudice and make everyone get along naturally.
However, even with the masks, everyone roughly knew the others’ identities.The Shinsu could pick out humans by smell and humans recognized voices and gestures. In the first ce, it was a ball which only the highest-ranking nobles were invited to.
However, they pretended to not recognize each other and enjoyed the evening. Belinda did the same.
“Why do you always smell this good?”
The voice was too cheerful, and Belinda easily recognized it. Clearly Shanti.
She shrugged.
“I don’t know. Why could it be?”
Going back and forth with him, she looked at the three people sitting under a statue in the distance.
All of them wore masks, two of them having blond hair, and one, ck. Seeing thetter, wearing a blue mask, Belinda took a sip of her drink happily.
Although his face was thoroughly covered, with his mask reaching under his nose, it was impossible not to recognize his wide, firm shoulders and loose position leaning against the fountain. It was definitely Aymon.
One of the blondes was Lart, recognizable by his behavior, and the other was the Emperor, her father, with a straight back. He was smiling under his mask.
<i>Are those three normally that close? </i>
When had they grown together so much? How on earth could that happen with the leopard always lying around in her pce?
She wondered what they were talking about, but her attention was soon drawn back to Shanti, who was still talking to her.
He wouldn’t leave her alone.
“…That’s why I’m curious. If a human and a Shinsu had a child, would it be a human or a Shinsu?”
“…..”
“I can’t imagine what that would look like. Can you hurry up and have a kid already? The curiosity is killing me.”
Shanti was suddenly urging Belinda to have Aymon’s child.
“I don’t know who you are, but I’m ashamed to hear that.”
Belinda tried to change the subject. Even though they knew each other’s identities, she tried to avoid his questions by leaning on the masks.
Shanti had been very insistent since earlier. No person with an ounce ofmon sense would casually bring up such a sensitive topic, but Shanti had none of that, apart from being a beast and not a person.
It seemed like a conversation like this meant nothing to a beast.
Belinda avoided his gaze, embarrassed. She hadn’t done anything with Aymon that would allow her to answer the questions.
“What the hell are you doing, still not imprinted?”
“……”
“My partner is pregnant. That’s why I’m so curious. What kind of kid would you and Aym- Ouch!”
Shanti’s excited questions were cut off by a sudden yank on his ear. Ha had left the group she was in toe closer.
The pregnant partner he’d mentioned began to scold him.
“You’re talking nonsense again, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t! I’d never!”
“Can’t you see the shock this human’s in? What did you say?”
“I was just asking, what if she had a kid with Ay-”
“Aish, you idiot!”
Ha started yelling at him before he could even finish his sentence. She didn’t need to hear it all to tell that he was just embarrassing himself.
She greeted Belinda before dragging Shanti away.
“Ow! That hurts! Honey, it hurts!”
Shanti’s voice rang behind them. Of course, ha pretended not to hear him, plopping him down at a corner table before picking the scolding back up. She warned him to keep some of his dignity.
Shanti looked around and asked a question out of the blue, trying to change the subject.
“Howe O’Malley’s not here?”
“He must have gone on another trip.”
“Really? But today’s an important day.”
“Well, he likes to be alone.”
“Right, right.”
Agreeing with her answer, Shanti grinned. Topic changed.
The O’Malley that he’d asked about was a prisoner that Joseph and Count Otoman secretly saw a few days ago.
The leopard was known to be a personal and unpredictable beast, so no one questioned his absence, thinking he’d gone on a trip.
Meanwhile, Belinda, left alone, ate raisins, her face still burning with unexpected embarrassment.
Marriage. Children. Shanti’s words lingered in her head.
That happening between Aymon and her seemed like a far call.
Aymon’s body was so big, even though he just had hising-of-age ceremony, and though he’d been acting a little strange recently, he was still a lovely leopard in her eyes.
Besides, wasn’t he being silly with her a few days ago? He asked her to love him forever. Making children with such a love-hungry little cat? How could she…
Belinda drank a sip of alcohol to quench her thirst.
Weirdly, her blushing didn’t go away. That strange heat kept hovering around her.
She heard the sound of a bell. The nobles all stopped talking and turned their heads.
Five or six people in masks were standing in front of the pce. They were the imperial family, with the empress and the children standing beside the Emperor.
The masked emperor lifted his ss andughed.
“Today is a happy day. We finally have a moment to enjoy true peace. The vast Shinsu forest will embrace the Empire, and the Empire will revere them.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the duke standing behind him beckoned and everyone raised their sses.
“Just as this garden has blossomed beautifully, the rtionship between humans and Shinsu will bloom into prosperity.”
The Emperor turned towards the fountain, where a figure was sitting with folded arms. It was Aymon.
The Emperor smiled at him before continuing.
“To the wellbeing of humans and the sacredness of Shinsu! To the holy journey that we will walk towards peace!”
The nobles raised their sses and repeated the toast.
“To the holy journey!”
Under the warm sunlight, their voices filled the courtyard. Surprised by the sudden noise, Mazetto burrowed into Aymon’s cor, pping his wings.
“Oh my God! Why is everyone screaming out of nowhere?”
“I don’t know.”
Aymon also lifted his ss.
Harmony between Shinsu and humans. Not long ago, he would have thought it was ridiculous, but considering his rtionship with belinda, nothing was impossible.
“To humans! To Shinsu!”
Humans seemed to enjoy shouting.
Belinda also lifted her ss with an overwhelmed heart. Lartughed, putting his arm around her shoulders. Even the Empress was smiling.
Only Princess Adi’s face was frozen. She trembled, and an angry breath came out.
The reason for her anger was simple – she was furious that she had to stand next to Belinda.
The empress and Lart were beside the Emperor in the center. Adi could ept that; since Lart was ted to be the next emperor, she had no intention of showing her true colors to the Emperor byining.
The problem was the spot next to Lart. It was upied by Belinda instead of herself. That was a big issue.
<i>Why?</i>
Adi turned away with pursed lips. She could see Belinda and Lart talking.
<i>Not knowing what I have in my grasp and your contributions end here.</i>
She walked over to her faithful ally, Count Otoman.
“How is work progressing?”
She asked in a quiet voice so no one would hear them.
“It’s going smoothly, Princess.”
“Smoothly? What I want is a clear result. How did practicing control go with the people we kidnapped?”
Count Otoman winked at Joseph, who noticed the signal and stuttered.
“Um, it’s embarrassing to tell you myself. But my abilities are growing remarkably by the day. Previously, my water control was weak, but now, I can control it freely.”
Adi finally put on a satisfied expression.
Recently, they had kidnapped a brown Shinsu, made possible by their solitary nature.
They practiced control on him after trapping him in a deep pit, and work was going smoothly. Joseph was also gaining confidence.
Adi, lost in thought, asked.
“Will you use your power today, then?”
Today was their chance. The day when all the Shinsu were gathered at the imperial pce. Today, when the steps towards harmony would begin. It wasn’t a pre-arranged n, so it wouldn’t be perfect, but the timing was perfect.
Joseph asked back, surprised.
“What? Today?”
“Yes, today.”
Joseph carefully nced at Count Otoman, who nodded. He replied carefully.
“It’s possible, Princess.”
“Then…”
Adi began to whisper quietly, the corners of her mouth rising with satisfaction.
Today. The most enjoyable and peaceful day. She almostughed out loud just imagining the terrible thing that today’s events would do to peace.
After finishing talking to Count Otoman, she walked awayfortably and approached the Emperor.
“Your Majesty.”
“Princess.”
He turned around gleefully.
“Congrattions for wrapping the beasts around your finger.”
Adi smiled brightly, meanwhile the Emperor’s face hardened for a moment. He shook his head.
“Adi, you have to be careful of what you say and do. Our rtionship with the Shinsu has changed.”
“……”
Adi couldn’t answer, taken aback by the unexpected response.