After the dance with Count Yannik, Yohana found a way to meet with Fabian again and relayed the new information.
The wrongful treachery might not relate to her condition or her murder, but she had a feeling that it did.
While Yohana was speaking with Fabian, she felt like she was being watched. She looked around and found someone who seemed to be Princess Elke.
That person approached Fabian while pretending to greet Yohana in an overly friendly manner.
"Greetings, Your Grace," the masked woman spoke. Her voice sounded familiar, but it was not Princess Elke.
Yohana felt goosebumps as she realized that it was Princess Eleanor, pretending to be Princess Elke to strike up a conversation with Fabian.
"I see that you have only danced with one person," Princess Eleanor began, hinting that she also wanted to be asked for a dance.
It was improper for a woman to request a dance, so Princess Eleanor had no choice but to throw a bait, hoping that Fabian would take it.
Overhearing everything, Yohana hoped that Fabian wouldn't. She couldn't step into the situation, but she also didn't want Fabian to fall into Princess Eleanor's trap.
"I'm afraid I'm rather tired now, Princess. I heard you're a good dancer, and I know that Count Charles is a great dancer too. Perhaps you should give him a chance. I noticed he has been eyeing you for a while," Fabian rejected her advance politely. He then excused himself.
Yohana was glad that Fabian knew better than to give in to Princess Eleanor's wish. She was certain that the first princess was dangerous, although she didn't know how yet.
But for someone to be able to lock her own sister up, as she did with Princess Elisa, something was definitely wrong with her.
***
After standing for a long time, Yohana felt her feet getting sore. She decided to go to the second floor, where the powder room was, to take a rest and avoid socializing with anyone. She sat on the sofa, hoping for a quiet moment.
However, Princess Eleanor unexpectedly entered the powder room and immediately approached Yohana.
"Runa, I accidentally spilled wine on my dress. Could you please switch dresses and masks with me? I promise I won't take long, and I'll return to switch back," Princess Eleanor requested.
Yohana found the request suspicious. What could be Princess Eleanor's motive? Unable to read her mind, Yohana politely replied, "Forgive me, Princess, but I doubt I can do that. I don't have a spare dress with me, and if I were to give you mine, what would I wear?"
Princess Eleanor seemed persistent, holding Yohana's hands and trying to convince her, "You already have a fiance, Runa. You don't need to worry about finding a husband anymore. Please, I might not have another chance to find one."
Feeling cornered, Yohana reluctantly agreed and switched dresses with Princess Eleanor. The princess put on a hat with a veil, completely covering her hair that seemed to be done to disguise herself.
As Princess Eleanor left the room, Yohana found herself alone once more. Suddenly, another woman burst into the room, panting. She closed the door hastily and leaned against it as if trying to prevent someone from entering.
Concerned, Yohana spoke softly, "Are you alright?" She could see that the woman didn't want to be discovered.
The woman replied, "Yes, I just ran here. Ah, I shouldn't have said that. A lady running around is not proper etiquette."
Despite her worries, Yohana found the woman adorable and trustworthy. She appreciated her innocence and openness, as Yohana preferred those who were genuine and straightforward.
The lady shyly took a seat on the sofa. "Please pardon my behavior. I was running away from my fiance."
Seeing Yohana's worried look, the lady quickly corrected herself, "Oh, that came out wrong. He is a nice gentleman, really. I am happy that a Landgrave like him would want to accept me, the daughter of a mere Baron, to be his wife."
Her positive words contrasted with her gloomy look. "If he's that great, why don't you look unhappy?"
"I feel undeserving of him. I wonder if accepting his proposal is the right thing to do. What would people say? Unlike other young ladies, I'm bad at sewing. I can't speak many languages. And I'm not good with household accounting either. What does he see in me?" Tears dropped to her clenched fists.
Yohana offered a handkerchief and said, "You'll be surprised. When someone grows up in a surrounding that sets standards of what can be accepted and what not, it is easy to overlook positive things that are yet to be included in those standards."
The lady accepted the handkerchief, removed her mask, and wiped the tears on her cheeks.
Yohana smiled and added, "Your fiance seems to have spotted your strengths already. Now it's your turn to do so."
Sniffling back her tears, the lady seemed cheered up with Yohana's sincerity. "I would like to take a walk in the garden. But I fear that my fiance will show up. At least for tonight, I'd rather be apart from him because I need time to sort out my thoughts."
"Want me to accompany you? I also feel suffocated here."
The lady looked appreciative of the offer, and Yohana, taking the lead, stepped out of the powder room first to check on the situation.
As the lady had described her fiance's attire, Yohana scanned the crowd, keeping an eye out for a man dressed accordingly.
After ensuring that it was safe, the two young ladies strolled through the garden of the mansion, enjoying the fresh night air. "Summer is approaching," Yohana commented.
"Yes, I like it when the sun stays out longer compared to the colder days," Lady Felicia replied.
As they walked and talked, Yohana learned more about her new acquaintance, Lady Felicia.
She revealed that she didn't venture out much due to her father's protective nature and that she had been somewhat spoiled by him. As a result, she hadn't had the same opportunity to learn etiquette and manners as other young ladies.
Yohana found herself feeling like she was talking to a younger sister she had never had. Lady Felicia's open and honest nature reminded her of Thea, and she couldn't help but see a bit of her former self in the young lady.
It made her wonder how different her life might have been if she had never been kidnapped and had grown up in the Reinhard household.
The thought brought a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she missed the innocence and optimism she once had.
On the other, her experiences had made her stronger and wiser. She pondered whether it was better to be naive or to be cynical as she was now.
"Lady Felicia," a man of tall stature suddenly appeared from the bushes.
"Landgrave Simon!" Lady Felicia spontaneously took a step back.
Yohana confirmed with Lady Felicia if she wanted to proceed with this conversation with the man before leaving the two of them.
She took a seat on the bench in the garden while Lady Felicia walked further with her fiance.
"I was looking for you," he said. Yohana could still hear them, but she felt it would ruin their mood if she moved positions now. She pretended she could hear nothing.
"Forgive me, My Lord, I was enjoying the fresh air for a bit." It was clear from Lady Felicia's voice that she was feeling down. Perhaps her inferiority returned with the arrival of her fiancé.
"What we were talking about earlier—"
"My Lord, please… I don't want to talk about that anymore." Lady Felicia started sobbing.