Chapter 50
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Violet's First Words - Episode 50
The doors across the hall swung open wide. Ash walked in slowly, dressed in pristine white ceremonial robes trimmed with gold. Behind him stood Prophet Gillit.
"Who is that young man?"
People murmured among themselves. Ash was the very picture of a protagonist—radiant and luminous, tall and beautiful. Some recognized Prophet Gillit. As Ash moved slowly through the crowd, his gaze met Violet's. 'The person I reserved my first dance with tonight is Ash.' Ash had made one request while planning all of this. That I dance the opening waltz with him.
"Who is that man? Isn't that emblem from Kaizeria?"
Edgar's face contorted as if he'd seen a ghost upon spotting Ash. His gaze fixed on Ash's shoulder. There, emblazoned upon it, was the insignia of the Kaizerian Theocracy. Then Prophet Gillit stepped forward and proclaimed: "His Grace the Grand Duke Ravens, envoy from the Kaizerian Theocracy!"
Commotion erupted anew.
"The Grand Duke Ravens! The sole son of the Holy Pontiff!"
Someone cried out. Violet observed them with composure. So he was the only son of the mysterious current Pontiff, whose gender remained unknown. By Imperial standards, his rank was equivalent to that of a Crown Prince. 'I knew it.' I had already suspected that Ash might hold a high position within the Grand Temple and the Kaizerian Theocracy where its headquarters resided. Upon grasping the enormity of Ash's station, I felt an inexplicable distance open between us, accompanied by a sharp, aching pain in my chest.
"Only the Royal Family has the right to dance with the Winter Queen, isn't that so?"
Ash approached slowly, speaking with amusement.
"If it's you, Ash, I'd gladly grant you the opening dance, Royal Family or not."
I whispered into Ash's ear. He smiled.
"Why?"
"Because you're the one who started all of this."
Violet and Ash clasped hands in the center of the ballroom. The murmurs of the crowd grew louder.
"She's dancing with the Grand Duke Ravens, not the Crown Prince?"
"...This is the Imperial Ball."
But Violet paid it no mind. It was a matter of personal preference that transcended mere etiquette. The thought of dancing with someone as repulsive as Edgar made her skin crawl. Besides, she had already promised Ash the first dance.
"What on earth were you discussing with the Crown Prince for so long?"
Ash asked.
"His peculiar and sinister tastes."
"How dreadful. Next time, warn me beforehand. I'll make sure he can't speak before he even opens his mouth."
Violet recognized it as a jest and smiled faintly.
"Ash, you're from Kaizeria. And... you've been hiding your true status from me."
The Pope of Kaizeria was not inherited by bloodline but rather elected through a form of selection. High priests of the rank of High Priest and above voted to elect a new Pope each generation. However, to challenge the position of Pope, one had to possess special abilities such as healing power. This meant that Ash was originally born into a noble family of the Kaizerian Theocracy. I had heard that all people from the Distinguished Noble Families there were born with special abilities.
"You weren't surprised. You must have known I was connected to the Grand Temple."
"That's exactly as far as you permitted me to know."
The two drew closer together. Though I had not danced much before, my steps aligned perfectly with Ash's. My body flowed with the music like water finding its course.
"I told you, you'd soon learn about me. I'm no criminal, so doesn't that make me worthy of your forgiveness?"
"With you, Ash, it's far more than forgiveness. We're friends who help one another."
Ash felt closer than ever before, yet somehow more distant than he had ever been.
"Ash, why are you here? What's your purpose?"
"I told you, I love ruining things."
"Preventing the Crown Prince from dancing with the Winter Queen—is that how you ruin the Ball?"
Violet was genuinely curious. That was when it happened. 'Ah....' Toro-rong— Another vision of the future.
【Ash Ravens. Crafted from only the most noble bloodlines in this world, the most beautiful and terrifying...】 Future Violet spoke with a sigh. 【A loathsome and noble monster.】 【After all, he seizes even the Imperial Throne. Perhaps the fates of both changed on the same day. Yours, Violet, and his—Ash's fate.】 It was the Veiled Girl again. She spoke toward future Violet. 【The day Carita's coffin opened? But from that day on, my life began to crumble, and Ash, that man, began to seize control of the Capital based on that very incident.】
A brief moment of vertigo. In that instant, Violet's body leaned completely against Ash. Ash steadied her form with firm resolve.
"Another dizzy spell? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine...."
Violet couldn't interpret what the future vision she'd just witnessed meant. 'This is different from the previous future vision I saw of Ash. What kind of person was Ash in that future?' And what else would happen here before the day ended? Violet recalled Edgar, who had stared at her as though entranced. Even now, that man's gaze pierced through her from behind.
"Does his stare bother you?"
Ash spoke tenderly. His perception was keen enough to notice how relentless Edgar's gaze had become.
"It's fine."
Violet replied carefully. The onlookers smiled as they watched the two exchange cautious whispers. Perhaps it resembled the intimate conversation of shy lovers experiencing their first love.
"You two are truly well-matched. Like a painting."
Violet found the crowd's attention confusing. It was as though the Ash Defendale she had originally known had vanished, replaced by this new figure—the Grand Duke Ravens. Even if Ash was renowned as the youngest Sword Master, he had rarely appeared at official gatherings. No one had ever come forward claiming to know him. Now everything made sense to Violet. With the puzzle of his identity in place, Ash seemed to harmonize with everything around him. There was a certain composure that seemed inherent from birth, a touch of arrogance—all of it aligned perfectly. The music ended completely. Edgar rushed toward them.
"Do you not understand propriety? This Ball is hosted by the Royal Family. The Winter Queen's dance with the Royal Family is an ancient tradition—how dare you disregard it."
Edgar's face flushed crimson as he trembled with rage. His display was so lacking in dignity that Violet couldn't even manage a false smile. No matter how much one might admire a woman, such behavior was decidedly strange.
"It is my first time meeting you, Crown Prince. Yet I find it peculiar. In every Ball I have witnessed across all lands and ages..." ....
"I have never seen a place where a lady's right to the first dance is stolen. Perhaps the Empire harbors some savage tradition I am unaware of."
To be frank, in terms of character, demeanor, and composure— The disparity in caliber was too great for them to be considered equally noble. If Violet perceived it so clearly, the other nobility observing this scene would notice it even more acutely. 'Ash despises the Crown Prince. Quite intensely, in fact.' Violet observed them thoughtfully. The future vision she'd witnessed suggested as much, and if Ash were to enter the struggle for power and seize the throne.... Then Ash's ambition seemed to transcend mere power-seeking. There appeared to be something deeper—a profound hatred directed toward the Imperial Family itself.
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