Chapter 55: The Ball and the Entangled Gown

That evening, the grand hall of the mansion blazed with lights, hosting a magnificent ball. Every luminary from Maplewood City graced the event with their presence.

Not a single invited guest declined; those who hadn’t received an invitation scrambled, leveraging connections with friends and relatives who had, just to gain entry.

After all, this ball was hosted by none other than Duchess Liddell, who now governed the vast territories near the empire’s southern border, and by Alice Liddell, the future Duchess who would inherit these lands.

“Madam, might I have the honor of this dance?” The Mayor of Maplewood City bowed deeply to the Duchess, extending his hand in invitation.

“Of course, I wouldn’t refuse you, my dear Mr. Mayor,” the Duchess replied with an affectionate smile, placing her hand in his.

Together, they stepped onto the dance floor, joining the throng of gracefully swaying figures.

This marked the Duchess’s third dance partner of the evening, each one a prominent figure in Maplewood City. Nearly every gentleman gathered there yearned to invite this distinguished lady to dance. She possessed noble status, immense wealth, elegant demeanor, and remarkable beauty; she was even an excellent dancer. Most crucially, she was a widow.

No gentleman wished to miss the opportunity to make her acquaintance, though they had to await their turn based on their social standing.

The Mayor and the Duchess exchanged pleasantries for a while before he noticed Alice, who had been sitting by the hall’s edge, resting.

“Your daughter has been sitting there, not even touching the refreshments. Is she quite alright?” the Mayor inquired with concern.

“Oh, that child is attending her first ball,” the Duchess chuckled. “She was so excited she couldn’t sleep well last night, and developed a migraine this afternoon.”

“That’s truly a shame. Perhaps it would be better for her to return to her room and rest?” the Mayor suggested.

“She is the hostess of the ball. How could she retire while guests are still present? Let her simply sit and chat with the guests,” the Duchess replied dismissively.

Alice, in truth, was feigning illness primarily to avoid ballroom dancing.

It wasn’t that Alice herself refused; playing the part of Duchess Liddell and engaging in a social dance with a man was hardly a significant matter for her.

The problem was her complete lack of skill in ballroom dancing. The Duchess’s month-long intensive training had barely equipped her with presentable aristocratic etiquette, but it hadn’t covered everything.

Before the ball, the Duchess had intended to test Alice’s abilities, dancing with her for half a song. However, Alice stepped on her foot three times, forcing an abrupt end to their attempt.

“I once said your table manners were a disaster, but it seems I spoke too harshly. I apologize,” the Duchess had remarked. “Compared to your atrocious dance steps, which I’ve never witnessed in my life, your former table manners were actually quite acceptable.”

Consequently, the Duchess had simply instructed Alice to pretend to be unwell and sit by the sidelines as a decorative presence.

Alice, after all, wasn’t truly there to dance tonight.

She was waiting for someone.

Before long, the figure she anticipated appeared at the entrance.

****

As Camilla Dumpty and her mother stepped through the mansion’s grand doors, Camilla once again glanced down at her skirt, checking for any wrinkles.

She had meticulously prepared for tonight’s ball, purchasing a new ball gown and dancing shoes, and acquiring some new jewelry. If only she had more time, she would have certainly had her measurements taken and commissioned a custom gown from Maplewood City’s finest boutique.

The future Duchess Liddell would only be her classmate for a month. To secure a connection with such an influential figure, Camilla knew she had to spare no effort in fostering a good relationship within that single month.

For noble girls attending a ball, the fashionability of their gown and the value of their jewelry served as a direct reflection of their family’s status. As this was a ball hosted by the Liddell family, Camilla naturally ensured her presentation was impeccable.

Upon entering, Madame Dumpty immediately sought out acquaintances among the noblewomen to converse with, while Camilla craned her neck, scanning the hall. Finally, she spotted Alice.

She saw Alice resting on a chair by the edge of the room, conversing with a handsome young man.

Camilla immediately quickened her pace toward Alice. It seemed her other academy classmates hadn’t arrived yet, and she intended to speak with Alice before them.

Halfway there, to her pleasant surprise, Alice noticed her first.

“Camilla!” Alice instantly rose, smiling as she came forward to greet her.

Camilla observed the young man who had been speaking with Alice. He remained a short distance behind Alice, nodding to her from afar.

Camilla’s first thought was that this young man must be a relative or acquaintance of Alice’s, greeting her, Alice’s friend from the academy. She returned his nod, lest she be impolite in Alice’s presence.

“Oh, you’re finally here!” Alice stepped closer and affectionately took Camilla’s hand. “It’s been so boring sitting here all by myself!”

“Sitting here all by yourself? Aren’t you going to dance?” Camilla asked, feigning surprise.

Of course, she wouldn’t utter something so foolish as, ‘Has no one invited you to dance?’ How could no one invite Alice to dance? This beautiful heir to a dukedom, the young gentlemen eager to meet her could form a queue stretching from here to the city’s outskirts, especially since she was the guest of honor tonight.

“I was so excited about the ball yesterday that I didn’t sleep well,” Alice explained with a slightly embarrassed smile. “I developed a headache this afternoon, so I can only rest on the sidelines today.”

‘Just as I thought,’ Camilla mused. ‘Even if she lucked into inheriting a title as a bastard, this girl is still a country bumpkin picked up from the common folk at heart. She gets this excited over attending a mere ball.’

Camilla couldn’t help but feel a surge of disdain for Alice.

However, she naturally wouldn’t let such thoughts show on her face. With a look of concern, she said to Alice, “Have you used smelling salts? You should really sit down and rest. It’s alright, I’ll keep you company.”

“Oh, that’s too kind of you. If someone invites you, please go dance; don’t mind me,” Alice replied, sitting down with Camilla on the chairs by the sidelines.

“Oh my, your ball gown is truly beautiful. Where did you buy it?” Camilla inquired.

This compliment was not flattery but genuine. Alice’s ball gown had a soft fabric and vibrant color, but most notably, its style was very new, something Camilla had never seen before.

“My mother commissioned it from ‘Madame Rose’ in the capital a month ago,” Alice said with a smile.

“Oh, isn’t that boutique exclusive to invited members who can place custom orders?” Camilla’s eyes widened.

“Indeed, my mother holds membership there,” Alice stated nonchalantly.

Camilla stared at the gown, her jealousy deepening. Every noble girl in Maplewood City yearned to own a custom-made gown from ‘Madame Rose,’ but that establishment was a renowned boutique favored by members of the royal family, serving only true dignitaries and not open to just anyone with money.

“Do you like it?” Alice noticed Camilla’s envy and smiled. “If you wish, I can ask my mother to place an order for you.”

“You really can?” Camilla’s eyes lit up.

To possess such a gown would bring immense prestige in future social circles!

She hadn’t expected the benefits of befriending the future Duchess to manifest so quickly.

Just as the crumbs falling from the fingers of lower noble families like Camilla’s could draw commoners in droves, a casually bestowed gift from an upper-class noble family like the Liddells was a rare and coveted treasure for Camilla and her family.

“Of course,” Alice smiled meaningfully.

Commissioning a gown back and forth would take at least a month or so. Camilla, however, would likely never have the chance to wear that dress.