Saving The Abandoned Empress

135 “Masquerade Party”

Everyone was astonished to see The Duke of Dalton and the future empress of the empire attending the birthday banquet together.

Specially count Arlo, who never thought that Eleanora will really come, let alone duke Dalton.

But then everyone noticed the rumoured cufflinks on Alexander’s sleeves.

“So she gave them to the duke?”

“But doesn’t it seem like she is desperate to deny the rumours?”

“Does she thinks we are going to buy this?”

“With Duke Dalton’s money, it’s not impossible for her to order another pair.”

“He must have heard the rumours, so he came with her to-”

The whispering stopped as Alexander glared at them with a frown and made everyone around her quite.

.....

Under everyone’s curious gaze, Eleanora, who was wearing a white floral dress approched Lady Rosette Arlo with a smiling face.

“I wish you a very happy 16th birthday, Lady Arlo.”

“T-Thank you, Your highness. Am very happy to see you...”

‘So...So beautiful...’

Rosette blushed as Eleanora passed her a gorgeous box as her birthday gift.

“It’s my pleasure, Lady Arlo.”

Right then, the whispers started again.

The people was curious to see what Eleanora had gifted Lady Arlo in a simple yet gorgeous box.

“Umm...Can i open it for everyone to see, Your highness?”

Rosette asked in a hesitating tone as it was rude to open a gift infront of everyone.

But that was what Eleanora wanted.

‘Finally... It has come.’

“Of course you can, Lady Arlo.”

Eleanora replied with a gentle smile and some ladies flinched as their plan to humiliate her failed.

Rosette looked at the box at her hands and slowly opened it with curiosity.

“!!!!”

“This-”

Rosette was so shocked that she couldn’t speak and seeing their daughter so stunned, the count couple came to her.

But they was also as shocked as their daughter.

“How could she gift her something like that?!”

“Can’t believe the future empress is so dense...”

Alexander frowned as other’s started to whisper about Eleanora again.

Rosette’s eyes was filled up with tears as she looked at Eleanora.

“This is the best gift i have ever received, Your highness… Thank you so much… I will definitely cherish it!”

Rosette spoke as she took out a beautifully crafted locket from the box and the countess helped her to put it on.

The heart shaped medium sized locket was double parted, inside of it contained a hand drawn beautiful picture of a family of three.

A man and woman sitting on a bench, where a girl with ginger red hair sat between them.

That girl was Rosette Arlo and her deceased parents.

She already had a picture of them hanging on her bedroom, but never imagined she will get something which will help her keep the picture with her all time like this.

Everyone thought that Rosette was crying because she was sad and it would create a gossip but things turned around when Rosette thanked Eleanora.

She cried because she was too overwhelmed by such a great gift.

“Am happy that you like my gift, Lady.”

Eleanora spoke as she passed her handkerchief towards Rosette to wipe her tears.

Then she turned around to the crowd and gave them a social smile.

‘I know what you people are thinking...’

“This was personally crafted by the second master of the Spade Family, Sir Axion Spade. He is a really talented person.”

‘?!!!!’

‘We though she won’t reveal the shop name no matter what?!’

Where Rosette looked at Eleanora with even more admiration and her eyes sparkled.

‘The prophecy is wrong... Lady Dalton is not an saintess, but... An ANGEL!!!!!!’

But they was wrong as what Eleanora wanted was to show off Axion’s work and give him the honour which he couldn’t get in his past life for saving her.

Eleanora felt a little pain as she remembered the past again, where Axion smiled at her before dying.

‘Hope your fate will be different this time, Sir Axion. I wish you all the best to the journey which you missed because of me…’

And with that, finally the masquerade birthday banquet started...

Eleanora put on her mask but knew it was useless because of her hair colour.

But right then, two ladies approached her.

“My lady, are you feeling stuffy?”

“No- How...”

‘I can’t admit that am really feeling stuffy infront of the host of the banquet right?’

Eleanora thought as to what she should reply to Rosette, who came along with Lady Diana Richardo.

Hearing Eleanora’s words, both of them easily caught her lies and a devilish smile appeared on their face.

Both of them dragged Eleanora into a room, where Eleanora was too stunned to react.

When and how did this girls, whom she rarely talked before become so friendly with her?

From a corner, Alexander, who was wearing a white mask with blue patterns engraved on his felt a little happy when he watched Eleanora being friends with others.

His love is not enough. She still needs someone around her age to be happy.

...

“My lady, it’s okay! No one will recognise you now!”

“But...is it okay?”

“Of course it’s okay! You should enjoy yourself too without worrying much about those idiots who only loves to gossip.”

Eleanora hesitated a little as she looked at the mirror and Rosette kept on encouraging her.

“Right... If one could earn by gossiping then they would be millionaires by now.”

Diana spoke as she agreed with Rosette’s words.

“You have always looked so lonely in those banquets... I always wanted to push the emperor away who keeps sticking with you like glue- OPPS!”

“...”

Rosette covered her mouth as soon as she spoke.

‘This is why mom tells me to speak less! Damn my mouth!’

Rosette thought Eleanora would be angry but to her surprise, She heard her chuckling sound.

‘Did i really used to look that lonely and desperate to avoid the emperor?’

‘So... Beautiful!’

Diana and Rosette felt like a arrow of cuteness has been shot at their hearts because of Eleanora’s smile.

Eleanora was wearing a pink coloured wig, which covered her shiny silver hair.

Her dress was also changed into a lavender coloured dress and with her mask on, there was no way anyone could recognise her now.

.....

Although the dress was a little unfit as it wasn’t created according to her size, but Diana skillfully added some ribbons to make the waist fit and look narrower.

Even her mask was matchef with the dress and the feathers on the mask made her look seductive.

If her previous white dress made her look cute and dignified, her current dress made her look bold and seductive.

Eleanora can guess that Rosette had prepared this for her as Rosette knew how stuffy she feels in crowd.

The crowd makes her feel stuffy as they remind her of the trial grounds.

Where people crowded to watch her execution.

But Rosette and Diana’s thoughtfulness for her condition and feelings made her feel overwhelmed.

“Thank you so much guys!! Thank you...”

“Don’t cry... I don’t like cry babies...”

Diana spoke as she glared at Eleanora, who treated her normally rather then using fake honorifics like others.

Eleanora finally got what she wanted.

‘People who would treat me normally for who am i...

Care for me and love me as i am...

Thank you for giving me another chance to cherish this people’s, Goddess...’

Eleanora thanked the goddess, without knowing the storm coming ahead of her.

...

‘What am i supposed to do now?’

Eleanora stood still as she was unable to decide what to do.

Rosette and Diana was cheering her up from aside and Eleanora sighed.

They have prepared and thought so much for her, if she backs of right now...

Eleanora doesn’t want to break their hearts and decided to be a little bolder.

Among the crowd, Eleanora noticed Dion and decided to ask him for a dance as he is the only person she knows personally a little among the others.

She doesn’t want to meet some perverted young master and waste her time to get rid of them.

‘It’s better to start with a familiar person so it doesn’t become awkward later...’

With that thought, she pulled up the hem of her dress as she walked toward Dion.

‘Huh?’

Eleanora stopped as a hand suddenly touched her upper arm and slide down to grip her palm.

As the dress was sleeveless, Eleanora flinches as she felt goosebumps because of the cold touch despite the hands being covered in gloves.

‘Who is it...’

At the second thought, Eleanora become angry and turned around to face the person who just touched her.

‘Does they think am easy to touched?!’

But Eleanora was a little stunned as she found the man kneeling on one knee and kiss her hands.

She subconsciously wanted to take back her hands but the man was too strong.

Eleanora felt the man more dangerous as the man looked up at her.

His red eyes narrowed behind the black mask as he opened his mouth to speak.

“May i have the honour to dance with you... My beautiful saintess?”