Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Masked Ball - Part 2

"I think it's best if we each have a look around a bit," Miss Inida Fries suggested, eager to explore the area. Miss Pelling and Miss Amma Fashionista quickly agreed and decided to tag along with her.

Meanwhile, Miss Terie and Miss Ivana Party made up their minds to see if they could find a dance partner among the guests, while Miss Pear Formance decided that a drink would be her first priority.

"May I have this dance?" Mister Umbrus asked Miss Emerald, offering his hand with a charming smile.

"Sure," she replied, eager to join him on the dance floor.

"I told you I would find you in this crowd," he said with a grin, spinning her gracefully.

She smiled brightly, enjoying the moment. "I'm sure standing next to Sigewinne was a good help."

"Of course, but I would have found you anyway," he said, smoothly dipping her.

"You're a good dancer," she remarked.

"I'm glad there's still much I can surprise you with," he replied with a playful glint in his eye.

"Well, I guess I'll have to find something to impress you with as well," she teased.

"Your kindness will always impress me, Maria," he replied, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss.

"It's Miss Emerald right now," she corrected him with a smirk, enjoying the playful banter between them.

Miss Ivana Party and Miss Terie, unable to find suitable dance partners, decided to pair up and dance with each other. As they began to sway to the music, Miss Terie instinctively tried to take the lead, but Miss Ivana Party gently insisted, "We need to fit the personality of the person we're disguised as, so I'll be taking the lead."

Reluctantly, Miss Terie allowed her to lead, and soon enough, both women were enjoying the dance, their movements graceful and fluid.

"The venue truly is stunning," Miss Ivana Party commented, glancing around the grand ballroom.

"After a few dances, we should look around and maybe check out the buffet," she suggested, her voice carrying a note of anticipation.

Miss Terie nodded in agreement, her light blue dress sparkling under the chandelier's glow. "I think it's important that we don't stick to our group all the time. If we do, we might miss the chance to dance with some interesting strangers," she replied, fully embracing the spirit of the masquerade.

Wriothesley stood frozen, his gaze locked on the scene that had just unfolded before him. "Your Grace, please relax," Sigewinne said, shaking her head gently.

"But she just kissed that guy?!" the Duke exclaimed, turning toward Sigewinne with wide eyes. "Like some random man," he added, the disbelief evident in his voice. It didn't make sense—Maria liked Vire, so why was she kissing someone else?

"Maybe she's just having some harmless fun," Sigewinne suggested, her tone calm and reassuring. "She is single, after all, and isn't that part of the allure of a masked ball? The anonymity allows people to let loose a bit."

"Well, you have a point," Wriothesley admitted, still processing what he'd seen. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shocked," he added, grabbing a glass of champagne from a nearby server, trying to shake off the lingering surprise.

In the garden of the domain, the three women admired the picturesque surroundings. "These are some picture-perfect spots," Miss Pelling remarked as she pulled a camera from her bag.

"So that's what you had in there," Miss Amma Fashionista said, intrigued by the unexpected item.

Miss Pelling grinned. "I think we should make sure to take some pictures of the domain and of us"