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Chapter 4 - The Heroine
A familiar ballroom is full of life. Its decorations this time are, however, more splendid than last time and the guests attending have chosen to wear the most extravagant outfits in their closet. How could they not? It is a ball held in honour of the future ruler after all - attending with anything less than the best would be quite a dishonour towards the crown prince.Similarly to last time, Lata’s eyes are scanning the crowd in search of someone - only this time her target is the heroine Madelief. Lata sighs an exasperated sigh as she stops her search for a moment.
‘Why can I never find anyone from the book when I'm actively looking for them? Should I make another round around the ballroom while Janthe is occupied with catching up with other people?’
“Lata…”
Lata stops her pondering and turns her head towards the familiar, yet oddly tired sounding voice. She sees Janthe slowly approaching her with a pale face. She seems to be slightly shaking.
Lata wonders if something happened to Janthe as she quickly hurries over and gently supports her arm.
“What’s wrong? You look horrible. Are you feeling sick?”
Janthe presses on her temples with her free hand as she tries to groggily answer.
“I just seem to have a bit of a headache. I apologise for worrying you, Lata.”
“There’s nothing to apologise for! Your headache has never been this bad before! If it's this bad then we sho-” Lata stops in the middle of her sentence as she remembers the story and her goal. She can’t go home in this situation - at least not until the events of the first chapter have transpired - but she cannot stand seeing Janthe in this situation either. What should she do…?
Lata hesitates, but when her gaze falls on Janthe, she closes her eyes and heaves a big sight before speaking again.
“Janthe, you’re in no condition to enjoy this party, so I think we should start heading back-” Lata’s voice suddenly gets caught in her throat as she sees Janthe’s gaze. It’s a gaze she hasn’t seen on Janthe before. Vicious. The gaze can only be described as such.
Lata feels shivers run down her back. She gulps nervously before realising that this gaze isn’t directed at her, but somewhere else. Somewhere past her shoulder.
Slowly, taking her eyes from Janthe to whatever has gotten her attention, Lata turns around.
Her mind is yet again filled with words she had read in the past…
[Madelief’s cream coloured dress and pink hair fluttered as she was moving around in circles. Getting to dance with the crown prince on the day she debuts in society wasn’t something she could have ever imagined… Yet here she is: only a breath away from the future heir of the country!]
‘They truly are only a breath away as they dance! Mother would even describe it as a scandalous distance only fit to be seen at some commoners’ festival… Or something along those lines…’ Lata thought as she watched the scene before her.
Lata’s gaze wanders back to Janthe.
‘No wonder Janthe has such a vicious gaze. Even someone like her would feel jealous when the one she is smitten with is physically so close to someone else. Especially if it’s not a socially acceptable distance among nobles. In such a situation, I can somewhat see the possibility of Janthe bullying the heroine - especially if the original Lata influenced her further in such a case.’
‘Though, Janthe being this mad still feels very out of character for her… Maybe her headaches are somehow affecting her? People in constant pain can act out…’
As Lata ponders, Janthe speaks up.
“Lata, I wish to go and greet the rose haired lady.”
Lata shuddered at the cold tone and instinctively wanted to stop her before she remembered her goal of following along the original story.
“Alright, let’s go,” Lata agrees, albeit with some hesitation.
Once seeing that the dance had ended and the prince bid goodbye to Madelief, Lata and Janthe started to move towards the unsuspecting girl. The distance was closed in no time, but before announcing their presence to her, Janthe let go of Lata’s support and straightened up. With a quick snap, her fan opened up and hid the lower part of her face like a shield. Other than her paler than usual complexion, it didn't seem like Janthe had just been feeling unwell just mere seconds before this moment.
Lata genuinely stared at Janthe in amazement as she quickly grabbed a beverage from a waiter who passed by.
A calm, yet cold voice came from behind the fan as Janthe spoke up.
"Greetings, Lady Gerber."
Madelief turned towards the duo and her expressive face instantly showed regret at that decision. She involuntarily shuddered as her pink eyes met Janthe’s violet ones that showed nothing but contempt towards her. Not being able to stand the pressure coming from the lady in front of her, she lowered her eyes and voiced her question with a trembling voice.
"W-what do you want?"
Janthe clicks her tongue, making Madelief jump and hurriedly speak up again: "Wha-what? Did-did I do something wrong?"
"Is that any way to greet another noble whom you are meeting for the first time?" Janthe asks with a noticeably harsher voice.
"Uhm, that, uh…" Madelief doesn’t even manage to stammer out an answer.
Lata nervously twirls the glass in her hand as she spectates the two ladies in front of her.
‘I had completely forgotten how shy Madelief's character was at the beginning of the book. This first meeting is a lot tamer than their later encounters, but Madelief's way more nervous during this than later on.’
‘I'm starting to feel kind of sorry for her…’
"Honestly, I can not believe that someone from the Gerber family has such poor manners…” Janthe continues the very one sided conversation, “But then again, you are only a countryside noble family and I can not expect the same level of education from you as from someone who is from the capital, no?"
Madelief's face reddens and her hands nervously grab at the hem of her dress in shame. Her eyes dart around the room as she tries her best to avoid Janthe's piercing stare.
Lata started to become anxious as well, partly because of the way Madelief is acting, and partly because of what she's going to have to do soon - according to the plot anyway. Unlike Madelief though, her face and mannerisms didn't betray any of that nervousness outwardly.
At least not noticeably.
Janthe shows a dismayed expression and lets out a sigh behind her fan, making the already nervous Madelief more nervous.
“Why are you not meeting my eyes, miss Gerber? You are aware that the way you are acting is quite rude? To think someone like you got the privilege to dance with the crown prince... I feel ashamed for the nobles.”
‘This crown prince line means that it's time for me to spill the drink on Madelief's dress!’ Lata nervously clutches the glass she’s holding as she turns her attention fully towards trembling Madelief.
‘It’s easy! I just have to splash the drink on her and my part is done!’
‘Super easy!’
Lata stares at Madelief, but her hand makes no show of moving.
“...”
‘Why am I so weak hearted when this is something I need to do for my goal…’
"I-I have to go!" Suddenly, Madelief starts to move away, but in her hurry she slightly collides with Lata, making the latter spill the drink onto her after all.
Instinctively, Lata starts to apologise: "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright!" Madelief, now noticeably teary eyed and clearly not believing the genuineness of Lata's apology, interrupts her with a raised voice and then dashes out of the ballroom.
Her sudden exit did raise eyebrows from several people, as she had gotten their attention already when she danced with the crown prince, but seeing her run away from lady Janthe, who clearly looked displeased, made them focus on her even more.
Lata stared dazedly at the door behind which the heroine disappeared to.
‘I guess I did succeed in the end? Accidentally, but I still succeeded. Maybe the story really does go back on it's track whenever I mess it up?’
"Ugh!"
A sudden noise of discomfort took Lata out of her daze and she hurriedly went to Janthe's side to support her.
“We really should start heading back, Janthe.”
Janthe's hand squeezed Lata’s in affirmation: “I agree - we should go home.”
***
Once out of the ballroom, Lata calls over a nearby servant.
"Call the Fiala carriage and, please, make it quick," Lata orders the servant.
"Right away!"
The servant makes a quick bow before dashing off to find Janthe’s carriage. Lata watches the servant hurry away while still holding onto Janthe.
Lata and Janthe stand in silence for a short while until the latter decides to speak.
"I do not know why I acted that way… This is so unlike me - I somehow could not bring myself to stop antagonising Lady Gerber!"
Lata turns to look at Janthe with a guilty conscience.
‘Even if you couldn't stop yourself, I could've done that… I should’ve done that, but…’
“...”
"It's alright, Janthe. You probably were just a bit under the weather today due to your headache," Lata summons a fake smile onto her face.
"Lata, I enjoyed seeing Lady Gerber's dress be ruined! That is horrible!" Janthe instantly protests.
"Even the nicest people can have bad days, Janthe. So no worries!” Lata cringes inwardly at what she is saying to Janthe.
‘Am I really gaslighting Janthe right now? …I am, aren't I.’
‘But for the sake of following the plot and achieving my goals, I have to support any of her bad behaviour…’
Janthe looks at Lata with a sad gaze as she mutters: "...Even so, Lata, I do not wish you to think any less of me due to this incident."
"Of course I won't! What kind of friend would I be when I cut ties at the first slight?" Lata continues answering any and all of Janthe’s retorts with a pretend cheeriness.
"That-" But before Janthe can continue, she’s interrupted by the sound of an approaching carriage.
"Lady Janthe, you've called?" The coachman shouts over the sound of horse hooves as soon as he spots Janthe and Lata. Soon after, the carriage comes to a stop in front of the pair.
“Wait, what's wrong, Lady Janthe?!” The coachman quickly jumps down the carriage and hurries over to Janthe.
"I am alright - I only have a slight headache." Janthe gives the coachman a weak smile.
"Could you help me seat Janthe in the carriage?"
"Of course!" The coachman instantly goes to support Janthe on the other side. In no time Janthe is seated in the carriage and is leaning against Lata, who is seated next to her. The coachman hurries back to his seat at the front of the carriage and starts the ride towards the Fiala estate.
Both ladies sit in silence for a while, until Janthe speaks up with a drowsy voice.
"About before..."
"Before?" Lata asks, slightly nervous.
"You told me that everything is alright - but I do not believe it is alright. But I am elated that you are willing to give me a second chance. I would not want to lose you, Lata."
"You can't get rid of me so easily, Janthe."
Janthe chuckles as she hears that.
"You are a good friend, Lata. Thank you."
Those words prick her heart upon hearing them, making Lata at a loss for words for a moment. She gives a small sigh before speaking up again: "You're looking drowsy. You probably should rest - maybe take a nap until we reach the estate."
"Hmmhmm... I probably should..." Janthe closes her eyes with a smile as she rests her head against Lata's shoulder. Not soon after, she drifts off to sleep.
“...” Lata quietly stares at Janthe for a while.
‘Good friend?’
‘A good friend wouldn't act like I did today…’
‘A good friend would stop you…’
Lata stares out of the carriage window as she absentmindedly strokes Janthe's hair.
“I'm the horrible one.”