The sun and the moon

Elroy had reached one conclusion that day.

Mariette had avoided him on purpose!

What is wrong? What did I do to make her avoid me like that? thought Elroy sadly as he stared at Mariette's back and walked away from him.

Elroy felt like crying.

"Just what am I doing wrong?" muttered Elroy as he gazed out at the small garden on his way to Louie's study.

As Elroy recalled, the two of them had done nothing before. They just had dinner together near the library. The rest doesn't exist. Except for the ridiculous incident where Elroy cried in front of Mariette. "Is it because of that?"

As a human who admitted to having her heart frozen, it was only natural that Mariette would find Elroy's crying disturbing. Maybe Mariette thought he was childish and decided to stay away from him because she was amused by Elroy's attitude.

Or maybe because…

[If I said I would propose to her, would you let her go?]

"Ha ha." Elroy gave a stiff laugh. "No, no. That's not possible."

Because Mariette herself said that there was no agreement whatsoever between her and Anatole. And Mariette herself said that she would give Elroy a chance.

"Oh, you are here," Count Lavaud said hastily. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Yes? What's wrong, Count Lavaud?"

"You will be Princess Louisa's dance partner, right? Have you prepared your clothes?"

"About that, I'm sure my mother takes care of it. I am–errr–not very good at that kind of thing," admitted Elroy. "Is there a special attire that must be worn to be Princess Louisa's dance partner?"

"No, no," said Count Lavaud. "But I would like it more if yours didn't clash with Princess Louisa's. If you don't have suitable clothes yet, I can quickly allocate them for you."

Elroy groaned. "You're not trying to make me and Princess Louisa look good together, are you?"

Count Lavaud laughed. "No, no. Stay cool. I know your concern, Sir Elroy."

"Thank you for your understanding. Just walking around the Palace, I already got glares from other Palace Knights. I can't imagine what they would do to me if they saw me dancing with Her Highness," said Elroy in horror.

'You need not fear them, Sir Elroy. You are Princess Louisa's choice and have received permission from His Majesty the King and His Highnesses the Prince."

Elroy gave a stiff laugh.

He actually didn't mind being seen dancing with Louisa. What matters is whether he can bear to see Mariette dancing with another man? Especially with Anatole?

"Is there a problem, Sir Elroy?" asked Count Lavaud. "I don't think you have a girlfriend who was also invited to the debutante banquet later…"

"Oh, nothing," said Elroy hastily.

"Then… Are you afraid of being seen dancing with Princess Louisa by someone you like?"

Elroy opened his mouth, then closed it again. He sensed that something was off here. Anatole, then now Count Lavaud.

Why does it feel like more and more people are finding out about his feelings for Mariette? Ferdinand couldn't have announced it to everyone, could he?

"Um… Not that I want to be self-conscious or anything…" Elroy scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not being betrothed to Princess Louisa, am I?"

"Oh!" Count Lavaud snapped his fingers. "That's a good idea," he said, startling Elroy. "Ha ha ha. I was only joking, Sir Elroy."

Elroy breathed a sigh of relief. "Please don't joke like that again, Count Lavaud," he said. "Right now I… I indeed like someone. And I don't think people have the right to interfere with my feelings."

"Forgive me, Sir Elroy," said Count Lavaud earnestly. "It's just that I don't want you to get hurt."

Elroy smiled faintly. "Well, that's the consequence of liking someone–especially one that has been arranged. I can handle my own pain. Thank you for the concern."

Count Lavaud seemed hesitant to say anything. But in the end, he only replied with a sad smile.

***

Okay. This is enough. Elroy wants to know what really happened.

He means, why don't people approve of his love for Mariette?! Is Elroy really hated by the people of the Palace?!

Though I think I'm a pretty decent guy, thought Elroy as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Suddenly Ferdinand loomed behind him.

"You startled me!" shrieked Elroy.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to disturb someone admiring himself," said Ferdinand, amused. "What happened to you? Worried about how you'll look at the debutante banquet? I just spoke to Count Lavaud."

"Yeah, me too." Elroy was silent for a moment. "You think I'm handsome?"

Ferdinand gave him a disgusted look.

"No need to look at me like that!" snapped Elroy irritably.

"Compared to your older brother, he is still more handsome," said Ferdinand honestly. He smirked then. "Compared to Sir Anatole, well, he can't be compared with anyone."

Elroy beat up the laughing Ferdinand.

"Well, compared to Viscountess Tierney, you two look like the sun and moon."

"Huh? I'm the moon?"

"You're the sun, you idiot." Ferdinand hit Elroy back. "You two are different from everything. It almost seems impossible to be together. Just like the sun and the moon because they always appear separately." Ferdinand smiled broadly. "But as you have told me before, the moon shines because of the sun. To me, Viscountess Tierney looks livelier when she's beside you."

Elroy was stunned to hear that. "I can't believe you could say something like that just now."

"Damn you," whimpered Ferdinand. "Well, anyway even if there are a lot of people who say you guys are not suitable, you will get it if you fight."

"Wait… Why do you say that?"

Ferdinand let out a long breath. "I don't know why. But actually, Count Lavaud said something about you and Viscountess Tierney just now. It seems he disapproves of your relationship. Hmmm, even His Majesty the King and Sir Anatole as well."

"What?!" Elroy understood if Sir Anatole had spoken. But King Vallotton too? "When did you speak to His Majesty?"

"When you were sick back then," said Ferdinand. "I'm sorry, buddy. It seems the world doesn't approve of your feelings for Viscountess Tierney at all."

Yes. But why? Really, Elroy didn't get it.