Moonlight Ball

“I don’t need a Lupe,” Iris said. The jewelry shop owner, who had been in trouble last time, disappeared, and the hostess tried to sell the Lupe, a special fabric used by the royal family, with a seething smile, but Iris refused. She’d brought her own Lupe.

The jeweler’s face distorted when he saw the Lupe because he was almost positive that it was the type that a sorcerer would use. It was expensive and a uselessly detailed Lupe, and he became suspicious why the Queen had one.

The hostess felt frustrated and took out her most prized piece of jewelry, “Here comes number twelve.”

Elena stood next to her, looking at the documents, and replied, “It’s a jewel called the blue scales of the mermaid.” Elena had felt uncomfortable with the Queen’s respect for the commoner and decided to move on.

Although Elena was also the official representative of the Queen, she was not in the sight of the merchant now, who then replied as passionately as the Queen, “Yes, Your Highness, to tell you about this gem. Two hundred years ago, a great man sent the corpses of knights for his beloved concubine!”

The Queen cut off her words, “There’s a flaw. I mean, it’s been two hundred years, so I’m not surprised. But still, it’s a flaw. I guess the gem went to the owner who couldn’t take care of it.”

Iris called Elena while looking at the mermaid’s blue scales and noticed a fishy smell coming from it. “Elena, how much is it?”

The hostess felt embarrassed. The mermaid’s blue scales were famous and good-quality jewelry, although there were some flaws. It was a work of art, and she thought it would suit the vanity of the Queen. But it seemed to have been a long-shot choice.

When Elena told her the price, Iris was stunned and looked up. When her eyes met the hostess, she saw that her teeth were chattering in her mouth, and Iris realized she was trying to scam her.

Iris was dumbfounded, and the hostess was shocked as well. She was well aware of Rosemary’s taste. It was a famous jewel, and the Queen struggled to find jewelry that would further enhance her looks. She knew that the Queen used to be like that, but why did she suddenly become a practical woman?

“Well, well, Your Highness. I think we got it wrong. Again, if you give me some time,”

“You had two chances. I don’t think you need any more opportunities.”

“No, no, My Queen!”

As soon as the hostess tried to rush in, Wendy held up a sword and blocked her. She didn’t swing the sword but held it in place to stop the merchant from getting any closer.

“What are you doing to the Queen?” Wendy asked firmly. A cold glow glistened in Wendy’s eyes. Guards would die or kill for their masters without giving it a second thought. The merchant knew this and stepped back immediately.

“Oh, I’m fine. Wendy, stop it.” Iris was embarrassed and touched Wendy’s sword carefully. It was okay with her, and once again, Wendy lowered the sword.

“Yes, Your Grace.” But it wasn’t just Wendy. All the guards were now on edge. the Queen seemed to have changed, and that’s why she’d become more popular. It had been dangerous for Iris last time, so how could it be safe this time?

It was no secret that in the past, the Queen had hated other women. She’d complained about living here, so she’d always brought along her private guards. But after falling into the Harance River, the changed Queen seemed to entrust her safety to the women. Even when she was in danger, her beliefs didn’t change.

Women were somewhat disadvantaged compared to knights. Not only physically disadvantaged, but they also became a bit lonely. Because men were traditionally more of the professional working groups, they were the preferred contractors for various jobs. Women were inevitably excluded from literature and many other things.

But if the beloved Queen Rosemary had women as guards, it would make a statement to society. These women knights were now betting their pride on her change of attitude. And they liked the Queen, who seemed a little crazy for some reason. If protecting someone was the duty of the knights, they wanted to protect her.

That was how they felt. And this was especially true of Lily En Oswald, the commander of the Guard and the Queen’s escort. Rarely was it seen that a woman rose to the head of the Guard, but that was as far as she could go career-wise. However, it had then occurred to Wendy that with the Queen by her side, she may be able to move higher up the ranks. Recent events had rekindled ambition among the women, as opposed to giving up on their careers.

Elena knew why these women were overprotective of the Queen. But she pretended not to know. The women here wouldn’t want her to know because they knew that Elena would use it mercilessly if she could take advantage of their minds. And Elena was sure that they all felt the same way.

Elena wanted to do something great since she’d become the Queen’s official representative. She didn’t want to look after a crazy bitch. She wished to do fun and interesting things, like public bidding. And now her dream was finally coming true. Elena beamed as she looked at Iris’s back. If you think I’m going to give up on you, you’re mistaken, Your Majesty. You must remain as our Queen to the end!

Iris shivered, unsure of why she felt chilly, so she wore the Lupe again, thinking it was still spring and she might be wearing something too low-cut.

Eventually, a significant number of the merchants had had their opportunity at the public competitive bidding. Iris stood on the podium at sunset, naming each merchant and explaining why they had the right to trade. It was fair as well as a reliable explanation, but some people had complaints. It was impossible to explain in a way that everyone could understand and be satisfied with because it was a matter of great interest for them.

But she was the Queen even if she had a naive face and a sincere explanation, and all the women behind her were outstanding prosecutors, who had become women of honor. No one dared to dispute when the women behind were staring right into their souls.