Chapter 10: The Lady Wavers

 

 

 

Chapter 10: The Lady Wavers

 

BY the time the first day of the new semester, the first Monday in September, rolled around, everything had completely changed.

First of all, the duties of student council president had passed from Shinmyou, who was in his third year, to Asahina, who was in his second year. St. Delia’s Academy didn’t hold student council elections. Rather, a student was nominated by the student council president. The rules stated that the new student council would take their positions each September, so the changing of the guard was no surprise.

However, almost every student expected the new student council president to be the Prince himself, Mochizuki, or the studious Izayoi, so the announcement was accompanied by a great deal of surprise.

And more importantly—and more shocking—

“Chouko did?! Wh-Why...why would she?”

“Hey, I don’t know, but is it true?”

“Oh dear, and you seemed to be so close, I thought she would have told you herself.”

“Hey! I don’t like your tone.”

Aoyama, a girl from our class who was a part of the equestrian club, mocked us without even trying to hide it. I knew she hadn’t cared for us since the school festival, but what happened during the horseback riding competition really sealed the deal.

But that wasn’t the issue at hand. What really mattered was what she said, not the disdain with which she said it.

“Chouko...transferred?”

My voice was so shaky from the shock, I could barely get the words out right. Why would he do that? Could it have been, would it have been, because of me?

“Oh dear, you really hadn’t heard. I heard she’s going to study abroad in America. Well, she is the cream of the crop, so she’ll probably be able to make the most of her talents over there,” she sneered, sure to get everything out she wanted to say before quickly moving away, likely having sensed Aritomo’s growing rage.

“Tch, if you wanna bring us down so badly, at least give us all the details. Urara, Urara! Are you okay?!”

“Y-Yes... W-We need to find out what’s going on. From Chouko.”

Yes. I needed to know what was going on directly from Chouko so we could get the truth once and for all. No matter how my legs quivered and quaked, I tried to force myself to my feet, only to have my hips give out and fall back into my chair. Shizuku put a hand on my shoulder.

“Just wait here,” she said and ran out of the classroom.

☾☾☾

“NO good. Tsukuyomi isn’t here today.”

She had gone to Chouko’s class to try to get an answer, but in the end, nothing had come of it.

“I tried to find out where that rumor started. Apparently it was that second-year Hattori. If it smells like a lie, it must be. But...”

Even as she trailed off, I understood what Shizuku wanted to say.

While her family wasn’t as powerful as the Shimozurus or the others’ families, Hattori came from a powerful enough family that it wouldn’t have been unthinkable for her to have heard something from one of her family’s staff members.

Actually, I felt a little nervous walking and talking out loud about all this. What if someone overheard us?

It seemed highly likely that Chouko really was leaving to study abroad.

My hands were limp, and yet as an idea popped into my head, I squeezed them tight. There was someone else, wasn’t there, who would know? Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner?

“Shizuku, what about Shimozuru? It looks like he’s out. Have you heard anything from him about Chouko?”

Shizuku and Shimozuru had confessed their love for one another only a week ago. Shimozuru was one person I didn’t mind sharing my true feelings with. But most of all, I just wanted to know what was going on.

The second I mentioned him, though, Shizuku furrowed her brow and put her hands together in apology.

“I’m sorry, Urara. I actually won’t be able to get in touch with Oboro for the next two weeks.”

“Really?! Shimozuru, too?”

“Mm-hm. He won’t tell me why, either, but he swore up and down that it was one hundred percent not cheating. It was something he couldn’t get into, even with me, so I just had to let it go. If I had known he was hiding something like this, I would have made him tell me,” she lamented, scratching her head. But she wasn’t to blame.

“It’s not your fault, Shizuku. Please don’t give it another thought.”

“Well, I did break our promise and call him once.”

Shizuku had always done what she wanted, after all.

“But I got a message that either the power was off or it was out of service.”

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Thank you for thinking of me. But you can’t break your promise.”

“It’s all right. I’ll explain it to him later,” she said, sticking out her tongue. Seeing her so playful like that calmed my fears about Chouko for the moment.

☾☾☾

“URARA, um...can I?”

Haruto had come to my room and spoken to me for the first time since the kendo incident. In the past half month, he had scarcely said more than “Good morning” to me.

“What is it, Haruto? You may come in.”

His words from that day still rang in my ear. Things between us had been awkward, and we couldn’t seem to completely patch things up.

I was relieved Haruto was finally speaking to me, so it was a shock that the first thing he would ask me about was Chouko.

“How are things going, with your friend Tsukuyomi?”

“Mm... He hasn’t been coming to school.”

“Huh?”

“Apparently, he’s going to be studying abroad. Though I still don’t know if that’s true or not...”

Haruto’s mouth gaped at my words, and his face seemed to go pale. “What is that idiot doing?” he shouted.

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Urara,” he apologized over and over to me, tears forming in his eyes. “I said if I won that day, he wasn’t allowed to come near you. So I’m sure that’s why...”

This was the first time I’d heard that was one of the conditions of Haruto winning their match.

But could that really have been why Chouko was avoiding me? I saw cracks in his mask for the first time at the dojo. I thought that, even though he lost, he was having fun.

So maybe there was another reason? This possibility seemed more and more likely.

“Hey, Sis. I’ll try calling him. Let’s get the answer straight from him.”

“Do you know Chouko’s number, Haruto?”

“Yeah. It’s still in my call history. Hang on,” he said and ran to grab his smartphone. He searched through the numbers.

“Here,” he said, holding up the screen for me to see.

There was no name or anything, but thinking that those numbers could bridge the gap between Chouko and me, I just couldn’t hold myself back.

“Haruto, I’m sorry, but may I call?”

Haruto silently handed over his phone. Chouko might not answer, but I had to try.

My fingers gently pressed the call button, and once the sounds of the dialed numbers subsided, the ringing of the line resounded in my ears.

Just the thought that I might get to talk to him brought tears to my eyes.

“Chouko...”

It rang fifteen times without an answer, but I was happy just to know he hadn’t rejected me outright.

Haruto promised to lend me his phone again the next day, enabling me to sleep that night.

Even in my dreams, I was clutching that phone, gazing out the window at the lovely half moon. For some reason, the moon began to fill as it rose, and it reminded me of those words on the cafe terrace.

“But don’t you want to be able to talk to your boyfriend?”

“I believe absence makes the heart grow fonder. Like the anticipation of awaiting the next phase of the moon.”

Why did I give such a cheeky answer to Mikazuki’s question back then?

Those were the pretty words of someone with no experience with love.

Only a short time had passed, and yet I was desperate to call again. Even if he didn’t answer, I wanted to hang on the line for longer. My chest was getting so hot, it hurt. I didn’t want to hang up. I wanted us to be connected forever. I struggled to suppress the need to scream out that I wanted to call him right now as the moon began to change phases.

“I want to see him.”

I wanted to see him so bad, I couldn’t wait for the waxing and waning of the moon. After thinking that, my consciousness melded with the dream.

☾☾☾

“YOU called again last night?”

“Yes. He hasn’t told me not to.”

After school, we met in that clubroom by the stables, as this was not a conversation I was comfortable having amid a large crowd.

About a week had passed since I had started calling Chouko.

Each night, I would borrow Haruto’s phone and call him.

He hadn’t answered even once, but even hearing the ringing of the phone was enough to make me feel closer to him.

Shimozuru had been absent the whole time, just as he had warned Shizuku he would be. And Mochizuki and the others had also been absent.

“I tried Ui-Ui and Shirazu, too, but no luck there, either. Same as Oboro.”

So everyone had their smartphones off. Which meant we had no choice but to wait another week for them.

A sigh escaped my lips.

“I just wish we could talk to someone.”

“Weren’t Aoyama and the others acting strange? Maybe I should try forcing them to spill what they know?”

“No, please don’t push them any further.”

Hattori and her friends hadn’t been shy about announcing on the first day of school that Chouko was studying abroad, but after that, they avoided us, or acted as if they were going to run whenever we came near.

“Let’s just wait. You’re patiently waiting for Shimozuru, after all. So I can, too.”

I clenched my fist, trying to reassure myself. Shizuku glanced at me and looked as if she wanted to say something.

It will be all right. Please don’t worry about me, Shizuku.

“Urara...”

“I haven’t made any tea yet. Please wait a moment, I’ll go do it now...”

“Urara! Let’s try...to call one more person!”

“Who?”

Who exactly were we going to try to call? She grabbed my hand as I reached for the teacups.

“I didn’t want to if we didn’t have to, but...I guess beggars can’t be choosers.”

As she gritted her teeth, she showed me her phone screen. On it were displayed the words “Cat Dork.”

“That dummy. He’s still been sending me those cat pics all week, so I know his phone should definitely be on!”

Before I could comment on the fact that Mochizuki hadn’t given up and she might be on her way to a love triangle route, she yanked the phone out of my hand and jabbed the screen.

Her phone had been switched to speaker, and I could hear it ringing. I watched her face as, in the middle of the third ring, the sound cut out and a loud, magnanimous voice boomed throughout the clubroom.

“Finally realized the true cuteness of Bergamot, have you, Aritomo?”

“I’ll be fine not knowing it for my whole life.”

The interaction between the two of them hadn’t changed a bit, but I was in a hurry, so I cut in.

“Where’s Chouko? Mochizuki, what’s happening with Chouko?! We heard a rumor...that he was going to study abroad.”

I understood this was a breach of etiquette, but I simply could not help myself. Mochizuki did not seem at all surprised as he calmly answered my question with another question.

“Tendou? Where are you calling from?”

“We’re calling from the equestrian clubroom,” I answered. “The new one.”

“I see. That’s a safe place to talk, then.”

We heard him lightly tapping on something before he continued in a hushed tone.

“Chouko Tsukuyomi will never return to that school again. It has already been decided.”

I already had that feeling, but hearing Mochizuki declare it so plainly dashed any lingering hope I might have had.

“Is that really true?”

“There’s no point in lying now. Did you two just call me hoping I would ease your fears?”

Or were you hoping for something more, it sounded like he was implying.

I was.

“No. No, I want to see Chouko. I want to see Chouko and talk things out,” I said, letting Mochizuki know how I felt.

Wasn’t there some way to get my feelings across to Chouko? Just as I rose, ready to ask this, he responded in a cold voice. “This weekend, during the Full Moon Festival, we will have very special ceremony.”

“A ceremony?”

“Attending and participating in the ceremony and feast will be Chouko Tsukuyomi’s final duty.”

Chouko’s final duty? Then that would likely be my last chance to see him.

If there was even a possibility, then I had to try.

“Mochizuki, please. Is there any way I can get an invitation?” I pleaded, my heart overflowing with hope. I folded both hands in front of my chest, praying hard.

“Please, Mitsuru! We’re counting on you!” Shizuku pressed, trying to help me.

Hearing our entreaties, Mochizuki gave a little sigh. “It’s not going to be a pleasant experience for you two.”

“We can take it.”

“It’s going to be hard to watch. There will be a lot of nasty people. I’m being honest.”

“It doesn’t bother us. We don’t mind.”

I couldn’t sit around waiting any longer.

If I couldn’t get through to him without going to him, then I would go. I would run. No matter how far.

“All right. I’ll send a car for you the day of. Make sure you’re ready.”

Having heard my resolve, Mochizuki granted my request, his voice softened.

☾☾☾

“PLEASE wait here for a moment. They are still preparing for the banquet.”

On the day of the fifteenth, the middle-aged man in the suit whom we met before picked us up at Mochizuki’s behest and brought us to the Arrows boutique.

All our classes were in the morning, so I expected he would pick me up from my house just after noon, but to my surprise, he came straight to the school.

Still, ever since our call with Mochizuki, Shizuku and I had both been impatiently waiting for this day to come. We happily hopped into the car.

“Are you okay, Urara? Not nervous, are you?”

“Yes, I’m okay. Somehow.”

That was a lie. The truth was that my heart was thundering in my chest like a drum. Yet I tried to pretend I was fine.

The night before, I had used Haruto’s phone to try to call Chouko again. He didn’t answer, but before I hung up, I promised I’d see him the next day.

So I couldn’t allow my nerves to get the better of me when I finally got to see him.

I flashed Shizuku a smile. At that moment, the two ladies who worked at Arrows charged over to us.

“Shizuku! Urara! Good to see you! Now, we don’t have much time, so let’s give you two the works!”

“First, to the beauty room. We’re gonna give you a glow-up from top to bottom. We’ll then get you in undergarments and have your hair and makeup done.”

“Tehehe. We have plans for you both, just you wait. Now, now, don’t just stand there staring. Let’s go!”

They shouted and spirited us out of the salon. Before Shizuku and I even knew what was happening, we were lying down in the beauty room.

“Wow. These people are crazy.”

“They’re certainly something. They’re giving us makeovers from head to toe.”

I had no idea why a designer boutique would also house a beauty salon, but getting a makeover from a professional esthetician was a first for me, in both this life and my last. My skin felt so shiny and springy.

We were moved next to get our hair and makeup done, but our hairstyles were completely different from how they were done for the dance competition. Shizuku’s loose updo, interwoven with fresh flowers, was a perfect complement to her bright-orange dress.

The ladies insisted my hair would look good partially down, so my hair was given a half updo on the top and sides, with the back falling free in light curls and accented with a hair accessory that looked as if it were made with twigs.

“I’m sorry we don’t have new dresses for you.”

“And the grizzly man promised he would!” Shizuku complained.

“We so wanted to make them for you.”

They chatted away as they helped us into the dresses.

That wasn’t a problem for me. After all, we had only worn them once, and for me, the person I wanted to see me in mine still hadn’t.

“No, this dress is just fine. Thank you for wanting to make us new ones. I appreciate your help.”

They met my polite words with smiles and thumbs-up. Their cheerfulness was starting to ease my anxiety.

Once we were done with our preparations, we looked at ourselves in full-body mirrors. The girls standing before us were unrecognizable, but undeniably ladies.

“Incredible...”

“Urara, you look so pretty!”

“You’re very lovely, too, Shizuku!”

“Don’t forget this,” the oldest-looking lady said as she produced a large velvet case.

Within that case was a charming necklace with several pearls, crowned with a large teardrop-shaped pearl at its center.

“This is yours, Shizuku. It goes well with your outfit. And, Urara, this one is yours,” she said, producing another necklace, a dainty pearl choker.

“This is far too valuable for me.”

“Not at all. The bear—er, I mean, the boss insisted that you wear it.”

She slipped behind me before I could say another word and put the necklace around my neck. When I gazed at myself in the mirror, I saw that a lovely butterfly-shaped pendant hung from the center of the choker.

“A butterfly?”

Butterflies reminded me of Chouko’s name.

“Yes. Now you’re both ready! Show off those lovely makeovers!”

Applause filled the room, and thus, we were ready.

“Give it your all!”

“We’re rooting for you!”

That’s right. They went to all this trouble to make us look our best. Now I had to see Chouko, to let him see their hard work. I knew he would love it.

We let out a final shout to psyche ourselves up before straightening up and putting our game faces on.

We had arrived at Arrows just after noon, but by the time we had received the full makeover, it was already dusk. Just as we were finishing up, the same chauffeur arrived to pick us up. To our surprise, and likely out of consideration for our rather large gowns, the car—or rather, limousine?—that came for us this time was much larger than the one that brought us.

“It will be a long ride, so you will find some drinks in there for you. Please do not hesitate to press that button if you need anything else,” the man said and stepped away from the door.

“Wait!” I called out to him. “Where exactly are we going?”

He stopped immediately but maintained his calm demeanor as he responded.

“You have been there before. The White Lily Room has been prepared for you to utilize until the banquet.”

He stepped away and closed the door quietly.

“I had a feeling that’s where we were going.”

“Seems that way. I thought it was some type of meeting place. It has all those side rooms and can likely accommodate overnight visitors as well.”

“Whoooa, the Prince’s family really is loaded.”

Agreed. Being able to claim ownership of such a massive property alone was a big deal. And thinking that Chouko’s family was said to have even more wealth than the Mochizuki family, I couldn’t even imagine what his house looked like.

It was understandable, then, that anyone else seeing a commoner like me aiming for someone so out of my league would be skeptical.

Even so, I had resolved myself. To live this life without regrets.

“Well, at least we know where we’re going and what time we can expect to get started.”

“You’re right. I suppose we may as well enjoy the ride. Let’s make this night one to remember,” I said and struck a pose.

☾☾☾

BY the time we arrived at the Mochizuki family banquet hall, the sun had long since set and the building was dimly lit. Our driver called from beyond the privacy curtain to let us know we had arrived. He then opened the door for us, and a cool breeze caressed our cheeks.

Taking a step out of the limousine, I realized this place was completely different from last time.

Bathed in the light of the chandeliers at the building’s entrance were hordes of people. Everywhere. And all of them clad in their finest evening attire.

And thanks to our driver letting us out right in front of the main entrance, we quickly garnered the curious attention of many of those guests.

“Whoa, what is this? This is crazy.”

“Shizuku, stay quiet. Place your hands in front of you. Straighten out your back and jut your chin out just a tad,” I advised, then allowed my face to ease into a graceful smile.

What an incredible sight. We truly looked like the long-secret daughters of some rich family. The curious glances being sent our way quickly shifted from mere curiosity to something else. As they did, the man from last time, Mr. Yamanashi, appeared before us and welcomed us.

“Miss Aritomo, Miss Tendou, allow me to show you to the White Lily Room. This way, please.”

“All right,” we said, but our voices were drowned out by the din around us growing even louder. I was too afraid of making a spectacle of myself to look around.

I turned quickly to the source of the loudest voices, gave a brief smile and bow, and followed Mr. Yamanashi. The person I had bowed to was likely getting even more upset, but I had decided to pretend not to see her, and I continued making my way inside.

“That was them, wasn’t it? Hattori and her groupies?”

Ah, my suspicions were confirmed. I wondered if they were worked up because they knew we had been granted the White Lily Room.

This room, however, was different from the one we had last time.

“This place is incredible too, but— ...But wasn’t the White Rose Room ritzier?”

“Yes, definitely. I think that room is for higher-ranked individuals. Based on the placement, the size, and even the furnishings,” I said, using logic from my past life.

“Well, why was everyone so shocked we were getting this room, then?” Shizuku asked. “Is there something we’re missing? Like…it’s haunted?”

I think you’re overthinking it, Shizuku.

“Pff, haunted! Hahaha!” someone cracked up laughing.

“Your brainless prattling never ceases to amuse me,” a voice chided, not from beyond the door but from inside the room.

“Shut up, Saku. I like that side of her!”

“Oboro! Wait, how long have you been here?”

“Uhh... Shizuku, I’m glad I finally got to see you again. You’re as lovely as ever.”

I was taken aback by our surprise reunion, but what shocked me even more was the way Shimozuru seemed to notice only Shizuku. Still, she was lovelier than ever. He approached and took her hands in his. Smiling, he appraised her dress. The way he was acting was enough to make even me swoon.

But more importantly, how and why were Shimozuru, Shinmyou, and Mikazuki, who was practically rolling about with laugher, in here with us?

“I suspect you’re wondering how we managed to get in here,” Mikazuki teased. “Do you really want to know?”

“Yes. You couldn’t have gotten in through the door, right?”

“This room and the Royal Lotus Room are connected through a secret door. It’s complicated to unlock the door, and only close family know its secrets.”

That made sense. But why were they so surprised to see us here? I tilted my head quizzically.

“Well, this room is only for either our fiancées, or candidates to be our fiancées,” Mikazuki answered without hesitation. “Now do you get it?”

“To be honest, no one save for the staff have ever even entered this room.”

“What?! I can’t have that!”

If Chouko even thought that I was one of their fiancées, it could ruin everything.

“Is that bad?” Shinmyou asked.

“Yes, for me it is.”

“Then tell us,” Shinmyou said. “Tell us who you really are. Tell us everything. If you refuse, then I’ll announce to everyone here that you’re going to be marrying me.”

I held my breath without realizing I was doing it. What was he thinking?

“...What ar—”

“What was that?! How could you do that to her?!”

It had been ages since Shizuku interrupted me, but it was unnecessary. I could stand on my own now, so I cut her off.

“Shinmyou, I cannot do as you ask.”

“Why not? It would not be good for you to have rumors circulating about you.”

“No, it wouldn’t. But neither would me giving in to your threats anymore. If those are my choices, I’d rather leave right now than have Chouko think I betrayed him.”

He raised his eyebrows, but he wasn’t ready to relent just yet. “If you leave now, you won’t be able to see Chouko. What a pity that even after you begged Mitsuru, you’d throw it all away.”

“I know where Chouko’s room is.”

Shinmyou’s shoulders jumped in shock. I could already tell my guess was likely spot-on.

“The White Rose Room. While the accommodations in this room are fine, the White Rose Room is something different entirely. So it’s only natural that an upper-echelon family like Chouko’s, one that prizes social status, would have him in that room.”

That, and I remembered the rose garden Chouko had taken me to. There, he gave me a white rose. I couldn’t help wondering if the flower that bloomed in that special place wasn’t the signature flower of the Tsukuyomi family.

“If you insist on playing games, then I will wait in front of the White Rose Room until I am allowed to see Chouko face-to-face. How does that sound?” I turned to face Shinmyou, determination hardening my expression.

The air in the room had become icy. Shinmyou finally exhaling seemed to release all that tension.

“You really are constantly full of surprises,” he muttered. Staring straight into my eyes, he began to explain. “Tonight is the Full Moon Ceremony, where the eldest son of the Mochizuki family is to wed the eldest daughter of the Tsukuyomi family. If you don’t want to be kicked out of here, then I suggest you stay put until everything is said and done.”

I couldn’t breathe. His words were such a shock that I couldn’t seem to breathe.

My brain wasn’t processing his words properly. Somehow, finally, I managed to formulate some of my own.

“You mean Mochizuki and...Chouko?”

“Yes.”

“Saku! Don’t say anything else!” Shimozuru shouted.

However, Shinmyou met his demand with a response. “I’m sure everyone here knows the story. The marriage proposal, the marriage itself, the parting, and finally, the return to the moon. That has been the fate of the emissaries of the moon, the Tsukuyomis, for hundreds of years.”

My mouth was agape. This ritual, which sounded like the plot of “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,” the story of Princess Kaguya, had been going on for hundreds of years? I turned back to Shizuku with a confused glance. Had she known? She vigorously shook her head, so passionately that her entire body seemed to be denying it.

“A rising family like the Aritomos wouldn’t have known all of this,” Shinmyou said. “Nor would they have been invited to a hallowed ceremony like this, one steeped in centuries of tradition.”

“Hey, you don’t have to...”

“Still, only a handful of people present are aware that Chouko isn’t a girl. The only one in our generation besides us who knows is Kiyoharu.”

It was surprising to think people who treasured a ceremony so would allow such a reckless oversight. But still...

“Think of it like the tales of humans marrying nonhumans. Another version of a man taking a celestial bride, if you will. At least, carrying on a tradition that embodies those ideals has allowed our families to flourish.”

I understood now why Shinmyou was so obsessive about propriety and tradition. He had been told over and over again since childhood that it was his job to protect those traditions. It was very much like the customs that bound me in my past life as the daughter of a count.

However, it sounded as if all the sacrifices were being pushed on the Tsukuyomi family.

Had Chouko lived as a girl this whole time because of these traditions? Something was boiling over deep within me.

“Hey, what did you mean by ‘return to the moon’? I get that you meant marriage and divorce in name alone, but...,” Shizuku asked, impatiently tugging on Shimozuru’s sleeve. He had been silently listening, but now he turned to her, a resigned look on his face.

“Literally, she will return to her home with the Tsukuyomis. And inherit the family name. The Tsukuyomi family has always been matrilineal, because they rarely bore any sons.”

“But Tsukuyomi...is a boy, isn’t he? So what’s going to happen? Once he returns, everyone will find out he’s a boy, right?”

“Well...” Shimozuru hesitated. Shizuku was about to press him further when Shinmyou stepped in.

“That’s why he’s being sent abroad. And why we said that Chouko Tsukuyomi will never appear before us again.”

“No, I can’t take it! I don’t want Chouko to disappear forever!”

I was so loud, I had surprised even myself. Mikazuki, Shimozuru, and even Shizuku all stared at me, wide-eyed. The only one still remaining composed, Shinmyou, fixed me with a bitter smile.

“How easy it is for a commoner like yourself to say something so selfish. But there is nothing to be done about this. Unless you are secretly a princess or something? You’re nothing next to Mochizuki and Tsukuyomi.”

Of course I wasn’t anyone when compared with their families. Even so, maybe if I told them who I was and got them to accept it, they might actually listen to me.

In that case, I would tell them.

I—

“In my past life, I was the eldest daughter of Count Ortegamo of the kingdom of Lacrofine, Annerosa Ortegamo. I may not look the part, but I was once a member of the nobility and have received a full education in the ways a noblewoman should conduct herself.” I punctuated my introduction with a deep curtsy.

Just as when I had introduced my past life to Shizuku, everyone in the White Lily Room fell silent.

Even though Shizuku, too, had memories of a past life, she had fallen silent at my revelation. But certainly the others here, who had no past life experience, likely also had no idea how to respond to a declaration such as mine. This was to be expected.

As I squeezed both hands tightly, hoarse laughter broke out in the room.

“Pff! Hahaha! That explains a lot. You’re funny,” Shinmyou said, laughing in a mocking tone. “Never did I expect that your ladylike demeanor was the result of such a wild delusion. I must say I am impressed that this has all boiled down to the ramblings of an insane girl.”

“What did you say?! You’re calling Urara’s story a delusion? Don’t be stupid!”

“Who’s ‘being stupid’ here? Who would believe a story like that? Or do you also believe yourself to have a past life as well?” he fired back, his words dripping with disdain. They sent Shizuku into a frenzy.

“Yeah, that’s right! I knew Oboro long before I was born into this world!”

Shizuku...you can’t risk your place here letting it all out, too. I tried to stop her before she got too far, but Shimozuru, overcome with emotions, grabbed both of her hands.

“Shizuku, I had no idea you felt so strongly! I, too, feel like I’ve known you long before I was born.”

“What? Oboro, that’s not what I meant!”

Shimozuru was in rare form tonight, but if that meant he merely misinterpreted Shizuku’s words, then that was fine. I shot her a look, imploring her not to press any further.

I once again turned to face Shinmyou. “I respect you for not accepting the idea of reincarnation so easily. However, this is the secret source of my education as a noble that you were so interested in before. If you want to believe this is all a thin veneer masking a delusional girl, then it is your freedom to do so,” I declared, standing tall.

This was the first time in a long time that the noble behaviors I had once cast aside served me so well.

And if I was sharing the truth with them anyway, there was no reason to hold back any longer. I took a step toward Shinmyou, as if to give one final push.

Since I didn’t have a fan, I used my hand to cover my mouth and averted my gaze a tad before speaking once more. “Let it be said, though, the way you menace and intimidate young ladies is not the way a true gentleman would conduct himself,” I said.

Mikazuki, who had been silent until that moment, clapped as he stepped between myself and a very sour Shinmyou.

“I’m pretty sure you have to take the L for this round, Shinmyou. Accept what she’s saying. All right, Urara, let’s say you were a noblewoman in your past life. It’s honestly more believable than, say, a commoner like you being sent to assassinate Mitsuru and the others.”

“What? I never thought she was an assassin,” Shinmyou fired back, annoyed. “That was all... Well, it doesn’t matter.”

I see. So that was how they thought of me.

I suppose it made sense. I seemed so very out of place. No wonder I was such a thorn in the side for Shinmyou, someone so fixated on protecting the Mochizukis, the Tsukuyomis, and all the traditions that came with them.

“So, what now, Saku? It’s almost time. Do we take them or not?” Mikazuki asked, glancing at the clock on the sideboard.

Shinmyou let out a little sigh. He appeared to be in deep thought.

“Let’s go,” he said and made his way to the interior of the room.

He stopped only once and, without turning back, spoke to us.

“Her Highness will require an escort. I’ll send Shirazu and Oboro back shortly, so they will accompany you both to the banquet.”

Shizuku and I exchanged glances, taken aback at his concession.

“See you later,” Shimozuru said to Shizuku, his face breaking into a full grin. He then quickly trailed after the other two.

Being called “Her Highness” when I had only been the daughter of a poor noble was quite enjoyable, if not a bit embarrassing.

Beside me, Shizuku called after them. “Hey, let me warn you all. Urara wasn’t just the daughter of a noble. She was to be married to a prince!”

What was she saying?! I wasn’t “to be married” to him! I wasn’t even a candidate! I wasn’t even in the running!

My head was pounding.

“Is that so? We’ll keep that in mind,” Shinmyou replied, bemused.

I wanted to shout back that they needn’t keep anything in mind, but the door slammed shut.

Please don’t say pointless things like that, Shizuku.

☾☾☾

“IZAYOI, are you sure you’re all right escorting me?”

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Just as Mr. Yamanashi had arrived to inform us that the banquet was beginning, Izayoi and Shimozuru arrived to escort us.

Naturally, Shimozuru offered his arm to Shizuku and, her cheeks reddening, she accepted. As she did, Izayoi offered me his hand, looking a bit flustered.

I wondered if Shinmyou had pushed him into it.

“I was simply worried that I might have put you out if there were other girls you were hoping to escort.”

“Nah, after hearing about your past, I’m more worried I’m the one holding you back.”

“Oh my, then we’re both in the same position,” I said with a giggle. He finally looked relieved. Glancing up at him, I realized there was something pale about his neck. “Is this foundation?”

“H-Huh? What, where?”

“Here, on your neck.”

He immediately began scratching at his neck. I tried to warn him about his gloves, but as I feared, the flesh-colored powder sullied his lily-white gloves.

“Aww, man.”

He always seemed so calm and composed, it was a nice surprise to see a more reckless side to him. We still hadn’t made it to the banquet hall, so Izayoi called out to Mr. Yamanashi and requested a new pair of gloves.

“Please wait a moment,” he replied and slipped off.

Izayoi turned back to me. “Tendou, I always thought you seemed surprisingly at ease with matters of high society, but...I never would have thought it was because of a past life experience.”

“I see Shinmyou and the others must have told you. Yes, that’s right. But I’m sure you don’t believe me that easily, do you?”

I knew it sounded a little combative, but Izayoi was the most intelligent of their group. I worried that he more than anyone would find it crazy.

“No, actually, I’m happy to finally have an answer to the questions I’ve had,” he said. It was a surprisingly succinct response.

Clearly he could read the surprise in my eyes, as he lowered his voice and continued. “You sang that song, after all. Back at the piano competition.”

“Y-Yes. I did.”

“I’ve been searching all over for languages that sounded like that, but I couldn’t find anything. Thinking that those words came from a country and a language none of us have ever heard of actually makes sense.”

Oh...that Lacrofinian song I somehow worked up the courage to sing. I thought I had thrown everyone off my trail, but apparently that was not the case.

I never would have thought he would have remembered a song that I sang only once like that. I was impressed by Izayoi’s recollection. And his mental flexibility.

“But why did you put so much effort into researching that?” I asked.

I expected him to say it was because he couldn’t accept that it was a language he didn’t know, but his face suddenly reddened and became flustered.

“Well...I just thought it was so lovely, I had to know,” he said, blushing as he praised my Lacrofinian language.

“Thank you very much for saying something so kind. And for believing in me,” I said, speaking from the bottom of my heart. His face grew redder still.

“Yes, thank you as well. ...I’m happy I was finally able to tell you.”

Just as his whispered words reached my ears, Mr. Yamanashi appeared with a new pair of gloves and quickly ushered us on toward the banquet hall. I still had more to ask, but Izayoi looked so at peace that I decided not to. We moved quickly toward the banquet hall.

We entered through the same door as we had for the dance contest, but this time it was much livelier, filled with guests. The grand chandeliers were twinkling, and dresses of various colors and designs swept about the floor.

With Izayoi as my escort, our progression through the hall earned me lots of stares. The curiosity that had greeted me back at the entrance was nothing compared with the heavy stares I encountered here, a mix of jealousy and numerous other emotions.

Occasionally, someone would call out a question to Izayoi, but he responded with “No, she’s just a friend,” and that seemed to quell any further animosity.

“Urara! Hey! Over here!”

“Shizuku, thank you so much.”

Shizuku, who had reached the banquet hall long before we had, greeted me with a drink.

“Oh man. Can you believe Oboro? Everyone we meet, he has to say, ‘She’s my girlfriend, she’s my girlfriend.’ It’s so embarrassing.”

Even as she said this, she didn’t let go of his arm. They were very clearly the picture of a happy couple.

“Well, it’s a good time to do it. If I didn’t introduce you and let people know, it might be a big deal later on.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, but he cut her off, motioning for me to come closer and dropping his voice as low as he could. “Once this is all over, we will no longer be considered Chouko’s suitors, Mitsuru included. We’ll all be free.”

“The pressure from other affluent families with daughters will be more intense,” Izayoi added.

So that was the meaning behind those envious gazes.

Wait, I hadn’t realized that all of them had been considered suitors. This was the first I’d heard of it. Was that why Chouko was considered the otome game’s villainess?

“Wait, Oboro, you were one of Tsukuyomi’s suitors as well?” Shizuku immediately let go of his arm and glared at him. He grasped her hand and pleaded with her.

“Not anymore. I backed out a long time ago. I didn’t propose to Chouko during the ceremony. I promise! Right, Shirazu?”

“...Well, no, he didn’t propose, though he was still there,” Izayoi mumbled, backing him up in a less than convincing way.

As I watched their exchange, Mikazuki joined us. “Hey! The Return to the Moon Ceremony is starting! It’s the last of the Full Moon Festival rituals.”

Just as he said that, the door at the head of the room slowly opened.

Mochizuki appeared first, accompanied by solemn music. His hair was slicked back, just as it had been during the dance contest, and seeing his body in that tailcoat was enough to leave the young ladies present in a tizzy.

It was natural that someone dubbed “the Prince” would have a saunter and an air about him that could charm every girl who laid eyes on him.

As he reached the center of the banquet hall, another door opened at the front.

As it did, we could see someone clad in a wedding dress adorned with lace. Several long veils covered the person’s upper half, so we couldn’t see their face, let alone their expression. However, that was clearly the neatly tailored lace and long train dress we had seen that day in the Arrows boutique.

“Chouko...”

One step at a time, he drew closer to Mochizuki. Those squeals and shrieks from the girls felt like a lifetime ago. The room had become silent, the air itself tranquil.

Then the two joined hands. A group of adorable children approached and pulled away the dress’s train.

“Look. The two of them will share just one dance. And then Chouko Tsukuyomi will leave this place and return to ‘the moon,’” Mikazuki whispered in my ear.

That meant I had only a short window of time before they finished and left the floor. It was my last chance to reach Chouko. After that, I wouldn’t be able to find Chouko, let alone talk to him.

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath.

All eyes were on the pair, leaving them no room for error.

And as the relaxed rhythm of the waltz began to play, they began to move, without lifting the veil covering Chouko’s face.

Their elegant steps were perfectly in sync. Everyone watching held their breath. I could hear sighing around me. The dance was entrancing, but something wasn’t right. That wasn’t Chouko’s dance.

Mochizuki himself had said Chouko had not danced even once. I had promised to dance with him, but we had never had the chance, so I had never seen it myself.

Even so, I could be certain. That was not the way Chouko danced.

The timing of the steps, the length of the pauses—I had seen that dancing before. That was definitely—

“Urara, hey, it’s gonna be over soon. Are you okay with this?”

Shizuku’s panicked words reached me just as the dance concluded with the last step.

Everyone still seemed steeped in the mesmerizing movements of their dance.

And then, the two of them silently let go of each other’s hands. The person in the white wedding dress turned their back on Mochizuki and slowly, awkwardly, made their way back to the door.

I had so many chances to call out to him as he went. Shizuku put her hands on my shoulders and called my name over and over.

But I couldn’t move.

That wasn’t Chouko.

My mind was swimming with questions. Why wasn’t Chouko here? Why was he there in his place?

Had everyone really not noticed?

The one dancing with Mochizuki was—

 

—without a doubt, Shinmyou.