Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Masked Ball - Part 3

"By the way, I totally forgot to mention," Miss Emerald said to Umbrus, "the Duke talked to me earlier. He saw the kiss, and I didn't know what to say, so I just dismissed it." She recalled the moment, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Do you want him to know?" Vire asked, his tone steady.

"I mean, we're friends with him. I would like to tell him we're dating," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Then we can tell him first thing tomorrow morning," Vire suggested. "He'll keep it to himself if we ask."

"That sounds good. I'm a bit relieved, being able to tell him," she admitted, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "What about Sigewinne?"

"She knows doctor-patient confidentiality," Vire said with a small smile. "She knows how to keep a secret as well." 

"He's over there," Maria said, spotting the Duke talking to Miss Terie. "He talked to her earlier as well."

Vire took a good look at Miss Terie, something about her seemed so familiar. "I'll be right back," he said, getting up and walking over to them. He stopped nearby, pretending to grab something to eat but using the opportunity to study her more closely.

Her height, the strong arms, and the well-trained back muscles—everything was clicking into place. Vire's eyes narrowed slightly as he continued to observe her. She wore a wig, but her face shape was unmistakably familiar. Vire decided to walk past her purposefully, slightly bumping into the Duke. He turned around, apologizing as he did, getting a good look at her face from the front. He smiled, he knew who she was. There was no mistaking it—it was Clorinde.

Vire glanced back at Maria, but she was deep in conversation with Sigewinne, so he decided to explore the rest of the event. He let his gaze drift over the other guests, wondering if there was someone interesting to talk to. As he moved, he caught the sound of two familiar hateful commentators coming from the second floor above him.

"That blue dress is so tacky," R commented, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Nothing compared to having pink hair," T added with a smirk.

"But have you seen how the women basically throw themselves at the men?" R continued, clearly unimpressed.

"Of course I have, but you can't deny that some men here are desperate to find a partner," T replied, her voice laced with amusement.

Vire couldn't help but chuckle to himself, recognizing the unmistakable commentary of the Letter Sisters. Their sharp tongues and keen observations were as biting as ever, and it seemed they were in fine form tonight.

"Putting it aside, have you seen the ridiculous dance that was started by those six ladies with weird names?" R continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Truly a ridiculous entrance," T agreed, rolling her eyes. "They clearly have a high opinion of themselves."

"Honestly, who names themselves 'Inida Fries'?" R said, laughing as if it was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard.

"I seriously can't decide which one was the worst," T scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"And don't forget about their group pictures," R added, her tone dripping with disdain. "Talk about being unable to live in the moment."

"Right," T agreed. "It's as if that one girl is glued to the camera."

"Exactly," R said, her laughter biting. "And it's so obvious she's pretending to be Lady Furina, but she pulls it off so badly."