I Reincarnated as the Daughter of a Runaway Sub Heroine - Chapter 85

“It feels just like the first time I saw you.”

At that moment, Jakar looked at me and spoke.

I tilted my head, wondering what he meant, and soon remembered that when I first met him, I was disguised as a boy.

“How does it look since I haven’t dressed as a boy in so long? Back then, I was always called a boy wherever I went, but now it feels a bit awkward, doesn’t it?”

“Your beauty can’t be hidden by cross-dressing, but you don’t look particularly strange. Rather, you appear to be a handsome young boy. It’s fortunate that we’re going to a masquerade ball. Otherwise, countless ladies might have fought over you, my lady.”

“What? Hahaha!”

I burst out laughing. The thought of ladies fighting over me was just too amusing!

“Ha, haha…”

However, my laughter didn’t last long. Hyperion was glaring at me, seemingly scolding me for laughing at such a thing.

So why do I have to be the one to gauge the mood between these two?

As I awkwardly stopped laughing, Jakaar flashed a lifeless smile toward Hyperion.

“By the way, I wonder if the young duke remembers seeing the princess dressed as a boy when we were kids. She was really cute.”

Just as I was about to say that Hyperion had seen it too, he spoke up first.

“Why do you think only you got to see that cute side? She even drew me a picture with her tiny hands.”

“That was for Ivette…”

Before I could correct him by pointing out the repeated use of “cute,” saying that it was a drawing for Ivette, Hyperion gently pressed my hand. I fell silent instead of continuing my sentence.

Hyperion gazed intently at Jakar.

“Was that when you first met, twelve years ago, when Ar came to the capital?”

“Yes, at that time, she personally saved me from danger.”

He suddenly thrust his arm forward.

“This arm exists thanks to the lady. It’s not common for her to save a complete stranger.”

It is indeed rare for someone to save a stranger. I found myself nodding unconsciously, and Hyperion smirked.

“Unlike me, I met her while saving Arcadia from danger. Isn’t that right, Arcadia?”

“Oh, that’s right. I was really grateful back then. Hyperion, if it weren’t for you, I would have been seriously hurt.”

Just then, Jakar, who had been watching us with narrowed eyes, suddenly handed me a stack of documents.

“I almost forgot this. It’s information about the Verger House we’re heading to.”

“Verger House?”

“It’s the name of the building where the masquerade ball is held. The owner is a man named Lockney Fenen, whose family has been a prominent local figure for generations. They say he made a fortune in business.”

I flipped through the documents Jakar had given me. It contained various pieces of information.

“Could he be involved with the republicans? Or is he just a simple venue provider?”

“He’s probably not just a simple venue provider. Long ago, his father mentioned the revival of the Triumvirate and was investigated for it.”

“The Triumvirate refers to the governing body of kings, nobles, and commoners, right? It existed before the republic?”

“Yes, it almost became a major issue, but it seems they bribed their way out of it, covering it up as a mere incident.”

“Definitely suspicious…”

I looked at Jakar and smiled brightly.

“Thanks for looking into this even though I didn’t ask.”

Jakar elegantly nodded in response.

At that moment, Hyperion took the documents from my hand.

“Can I take a quick look?”

Hyperion’s eyes moved quickly as he began reading the documents. Before long, he pointed out several errors.

“The information about Verger House is incorrect. It states that it was built for performances accessible to commoners, but it originally started as a salon culture for nobles. And what’s this year? Are you saying the building was completed in just six months? The number of employees is also strange. If this is true, it means more people work there than in the royal banquet hall.”

“It’s hurried information, so there may be minor errors!”

“Minor errors? Isn’t it crucial for us to know the actual purpose of that building and accurate information about its owner right now?”

At those words, I looked at the documents again. Just as Hyperion said, there were errors I hadn’t noticed.

I was amazed at how quickly he spotted the numerical mistakes. He had only skimmed through once.

Jakar pressed his lips together and suddenly asked me as if he had just remembered something.

“So, what do you plan to do once you get inside?”

“For now, I’ll pretend to be the son of Rene Banar and say I came to sell paintings…”

“That’s not going to work!”

“Absolutely not!”

The two of them suddenly opposed me as if they had made a pact.

“Are you out of your mind, thinking of meeting them directly?”

“Lord, you’re right. If that’s her plan, I’ll turn the carriage around right now.”

It was hard to believe they had just been at odds moments ago. Who would have thought they would be so in sync?

“Then how am I supposed to gather information?”

At my words, Hyperion pointed at Jakar with a haughty expression.

“Why worry when you have an informant? You have a habit of trying to do everything yourself, and that’s not good. Let him do the work, and you can receive the reports. That’s how it’s done.”

I began to think that perhaps the Duchess’s words were true. She had said that if the subordinates do all the work, what does Hyperion actually do?

“Anyone would think you’re my superior, my lord.”

At Jakar’s sarcastic remark, Hyperion shot him the coldest glare I had ever seen.

“Just do your job perfectly. That’s why you’re here.”

As such a tense conversation unfolded, we arrived in front of the Verger House. Just before getting off the carriage, Jakar pulled out a mask and handed it to Hyperion.

“You came unprepared, so it’s natural you wouldn’t have a mask. This is an extra one I brought just in case. It will suit you very well, young lord.”

The mask he gave was white with golden embellishments, open at the chin.

“This is called a ‘Bauta’ mask, commonly referred to as a flirtatious mask.”

“What? A flirtatious mask?”

I couldn’t help but double over with laughter. I had been suspicious that Hyperion might be a flirt, and now he had brought something like this along.

Though Hyperion was glaring at me coldly, I couldn’t contain my laughter this time. It was clear that he had lost this round of our silent battle.

Meanwhile, Jakar had put on a ghostly mask. He opened the carriage door and said,

“Alright, you two, let’s head into the Verger House.”

* * *

The area in front of the Verger House was pure chaos. Carriages, horses, and people were all tangled together in a bustling crowd.

Yet, amidst the disorder, I realized there was a certain order to it. At first glance, it seemed like someone might get trampled by a carriage or horse, but everyone was smoothly making their way inside the building.

How fascinating. I never knew a place like this existed.

As I admired my surroundings, a mixed group of men and women disembarked from a recently arrived carriage. They rushed past me all at once.

In that moment, as I hurriedly stepped back, arms reached out from both sides.

“Hold me.”

“Hold me.”

The two men who caught me began glaring at each other again. I let out a deep sigh.

“Could you both let go of my arms? Where am I being taken?”

In fact, I looked just like someone being arrested for a crime. Passersby glanced at us curiously.

“You know we shouldn’t draw attention to ourselves. So let go!”

Only then did the two of them release their grip. Before they could grab me again, I quickly headed toward the main entrance.

“Please provide your admission fee or invitation.”

At the guard’s words, I handed over the card I received from the artist. Checking the sign for the admission price, I noticed it was quite steep. It seemed that without an invitation, one had to pay to enter.

After confirming the invitation, the guard nodded toward the inside.

“Go ahead.”

Unlike me, Hyperion and Jakar, who didn’t have invitations, had to pay the entrance fee to get in.

The problem was that Hyperion, who had suddenly come here, didn’t have a single coin to his name.