Chapter 4:The Man in the Silver Mask

“Um, I…,” Fiene felt anxious, but the words wouldn’t come out as she wished.

“You’re not used to this kind of situation, are you? I’m the same. However, my companion insists on dancing with someone, so… I won’t force you, though,” the man with the silver mask said, looking troubled.

Dressed in an elaborately embroidered, high-quality black justaucorps with a silk cravat, he exuded refinement, and his movements were graceful, suggesting a well-bred upbringing.

“I might step on your feet. Is that okay with you?” Fiene hesitantly conveyed

“Yes, please.” Surprisingly, the man agreed.

Just then, Fiene’s confident waltz, the only dance she was sure of, began to play.

“Well, let’s try not to stand out too much in the corner,” Fiene said, taking the offered hand.

“As you wish,” he replied, smiling spontaneously. They danced a waltz quietly in a corner of the ballroom. After the music ended, he bowed and disappeared into the crowd.

Despite claiming to be inexperienced, the masked man seemed adept at leading, Fiene thought. She returned to the wall, received a glass of fruit water from a servant, quenched her thirst, and took a breath.

“Now, when should I leave…” Fiene was not fond of glamorous places. She felt dizzy and leaned against the wall, and her condition not only failed to improve, but her cough returned. Holding a handkerchief to her mouth, she noticed blood on it.

Fiene left the crowded venue and staggered from the terrace to the garden. Sitting on the edge of the fountain, she felt a bit better, so she decided to rest here for a while before going home.

“Ah, a masquerade. Why does my sister like such noisy events? I want to go home soon,” she said, looking at the handkerchief stained with blood with an uneasy expression.

(Is it some kind of serious illness?)

In the brightly lit ballroom, where the festivities were in full swing, with laughter and lively dance music filling the air, Fiene, sitting alone by the dimly lit fountain, felt a sense of loneliness as if she had been left behind. She became miserable.

At that moment, there was a rustling sound from behind the bushes. When Fiene turned around, two men were standing there. Their formal attire was disheveled, giving a sloppy impression.

“Hey, what are you doing alone in a place like this?” The man with a feathered mask approached familiarly.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just about to leave,” Fiene replied cautiously. Despite still feeling unwell, she forced herself to stand up.

“Hey, why don’t you play with us here?”

The other man with a white mask also spoke, his breath smelling of alcohol. Both seemed to be intoxicated.

As Fiene stepped towards the bright part of the venue, the man with the feathered mask grabbed her arm.

“Let go!”

She tried to shake him off, but he held on firmly. Fiene felt fear.

“Come on, why don’t you have some fun with us?”

The other man with the white mask also approached, his breath reeking of alcohol. Both seemed drunk.

As Fiene attempted to walk towards the well-lit part of the venue, the man with the feathered mask grabbed her arm.

“Let go!”

She tried to free herself, but he held on tightly. Fiene felt frightened.

“Come on, it’s okay to loosen up a bit. It’s a special night. After all, no one knows who anyone is with these masks on,” he insisted.

The man from earlier, the one with the silver mask, suddenly arrived from the brightly lit area.

“What’s going on here?”

“We approached her first!”

The men seemed irritated.

“It seems that not only invited guests but also ruffians have infiltrated. That’s why I dislike these frivolous masquerades.”

He spoke dismissively.

“What did you say?”

Angry, the men were about to attack the man with the silver mask.

However, right before them, the two men were blown away dramatically. They were slammed onto the ground and rolled together.

For a moment, Fiene couldn’t understand what had happened.

“Perhaps… wind magic?”

This was the first time she had witnessed such powerful magic, and Fiene was amazed.

“Miss, are you okay?”

The man with the silver mask spoke to her in a more relaxed tone than before. Perhaps this was his true nature.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll go home now.”

“That’s probably for the best. I’ll escort you to the porch. Is your family’s carriage waiting?”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

“Come on, just follow me. It’s dangerous to be alone with so many intoxicated people around.”

Saying that, he led Fiene. He seemed like a kind person.

They parted ways in front of the carriage of the Howzen family.

As the carriage began to move, Fiene felt relieved. At the same time, she realized that she had forgotten to ask for his name.

“There are both good and bad people… But I’ve had enough of masquerades.”

As the carriage rocked, Fiene muttered to herself.

From that night on, Fiene’s health deteriorated, and there were increasingly more days when she couldn’t get out of bed.