RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

34. Blinded By Beauty

The royal ball was held at Freesia Palace, which boasted the largest ballroom on the imperial grounds. Lalisa and Roseanne, guided by the servant, passed a labyrinthine of splendid rooms, and already they could hear the muffled revelry of the party. Another door guard was posted at the entrance to the ballroom, and as he spotted Lalisa his eyes grew wide. The servant addressed him first.

"These are the two ladies of House Blaise."

The guard was unable to take his eyes off of Laliaa as he pulled open the door.

The doors of the ballroom, as grand as the palace gates themselves, slowly swung open to reveal the shining hall. Lalisa and Roseanne glided inside, capturing the eyes of the nobles and causing them to whisper among themselves. It was the same for both men and women. Those who did not notice Lalisa at first were taken aback when she passed them, and the buzz grew louder.

"Who is that young lady?"

"Oh, see that necklace. It's a red diamond!"

"Where was that dress made?"

Just as at the outside of the palace, Lalisa's shining appearance drew in the excitement of the onlookers. Perhaps it was only natural. Although Lalisa's dress was simple, one could not help but admire the quality of the work. From her dress to the jewelry gracing her body, everything was finely curated to highlight her beauty. While other women had splendidly attired themselves in the finest clothes for the ball, it was Lalisa and Roseanne who stood out in bold relief amongst them all.

The sisters' appearance quickly sent the ballroom fluttering with chatter. The sudden influx of attention pressed in from all sides, embarrassing Lalisa as she headed to the corner-most part of the room.

'...I dressed carefully, so what's wrong with me?'

She wondered if there was something on her face, but she trusted that Roseanne would have told her first. She had never received so much attention in her life.

Lalisa settled at the edge of the ballroom, ignoring the myriad of eyes staring at her and picked up a glass of wine on a table. It was only mildly alcoholic, so she did not have to worry too much and primly took a few sips. Suddenly, she saw Roseanne's smiling face next to her.

"Is the ball as you expected?"

Roseanne had been looking forward to the royal ball and seeing Jungkook all this time.

"Well, I don't know yet, but I love that everyone's looking at you. For some reason it makes me proud of myself!"

Roseanne beamed in enthusiasm, and Lalisa smiled at how cute her sister was. If Lalisa was a beautiful rose, Roseanne was delicate baby's breath flowers. Though the two were somewhat similar, Lalisa immediately caught the eye, while Roseanne had a more subtle grace. But roses weren't the only thing that were beautiful. Roseannee was still young, but when she matured she would surely become a very beautiful lady as well.

Lalisa looked tenderly at her sister.

"It's because of you. Thank you for making me look beautiful."

"Hehe, you might really be the Madonna of the ball."

"I'm not really expecting it."

"Tch, you don't think so?"

While the two were pleasantly absorbed in their conversation, a familiar woman approached them.

"Oh, Lady Blaise. You look so radiant that I almost didn't recognize you."

Lalisa's eyes turned to the woman approaching. It was Marissa Holland, the leading figure of southern society and the wife of the late Marquis Holland. It had been a long time since she saw her last at the tea party. Lalisa granted Marissa with a welcoming look.