‘This is indeed a masquerade ball.’ The girl who was in charge of handing out the masks replied to my question, ‘But I’m afraid you would be in need of another dress if you want to participate in this event.’

At that moment, my cheeks reddened, as I tried to hide the thorn parts of the dress with my silver hair, yet such an attempt would not change much. The dress was already thorn beyond the point where it could be overlooked, and the blood stain from my back did not help improve my situation.

It wasn’t the time to laugh, but I couldn’t help it when I imagined how this was the very first time I dared show myself in front of others dressed inappropriately. 

‘Unfortunately, this outfit is all I have on me. Would I be too selfish if I asked you to close your eyes on this matter, just for a few minutes? There is someone I have to find, I can’t afford to lose him again.’

As the smile on her face wiped off, her pitiful expression made my eyes twitch. Was my response the reason she stared at me with such a longing face?

‘Poor soul, even in death, you’re still longing for the affection of those who left you.’ The woman quickly reached out for my hand, and I stood there frozen, ‘I’ll give you a nice dress, come. You need to meet the person you’re searching for looking nice.’

Before I could react, I was already dragged by the hand of this kind-hearted ghost.

‘Are you… sure you’re allowed to do this for me? I would not want you to get in trouble because of me.’ 

It wasn’t that I was worried because she left her job unattended, yet what made me feel this way was the sudden wave of kindness she showed me. I couldn’t help but wonder… where ghosts are always willing to help fellow ghosts? Or could that man inform her of my presence?

We quickly approached what looked like a back door that led inside the Palace. As her hand grasped onto the door’s handle, she turned back and nodded, reassuring me that the place was safe. When the door opened before my eyes, I quickly came to realize that this was, in fact, a storage room, and it did not lead us inside the Palace. Instead, the room, which was filled with all sorts of objects, was also a place where beautiful dresses were stored. The woman let go of my hand and approached a chair, making me a sign as she patted down the chair cushion.

‘You should not worry about me, as I could not get in trouble when all I do is an act of kindness to a fellow kind soul.’ She replied softly.

Upon hearing her response, a bright smile rose onto my face. I approached the chair and sat down.

‘You sure are a kind person, I would be sure to repay you, if I ever get a chance to. This is my promise.’

Although I looked at her over my shoulder, I still was able to see her eyes lingering with hope. This time, when she smiled back at me, I could sense she was forcing herself to smile. The response she gave me only made my worries grow.

‘Right now, in this world, there isn’t anything you could help me with. Yet, if you’re so stubborn as to repay me, then, in your next life, be sure to live it to the fullest. You’re still young, it’s a pity you had died before it was your time.’

Guilt swallowed me the very moment. As the realization hit me, I could not find a way to escape, other than to keep up with this pretense.

But it’s a lie. I am alive.

Despite being a ghost, she wasn’t able to know that I was alive, so, in her eyes, I was a young girl who tragically died. It did not help that I presented myself covered in blood. Yet, if I were to tell the truth, the one who must have met an untimely death was her. If I were to guess, purely based on her appearance, I wouldn’t say she is much older than me.

As if she was used to seeing people die tragically, she returned to her task. As she scanned through the dresses and looked back at me, I soon understood why she asked me to come here.

A big smile and a nod of her head signaled that she had made her decision. As she took a beautifully crafted long wavy dress, I couldn’t stop but admire her decision.

When it came to help me get dressed, she quietly cleaned the dried blood from my skin and bandaged my wounds.

‘After you find that man, ask him to accompany you to seek the help of a physician. It would be better to get rid of the scars from your past life, am I not right?’

Quietly, I nodded my head. Not too long after, I was finally dressed with the beautiful dress she had picked up for me. The color of the dress matched the color of my eyes, although a small part of my shoulders was uncovered, you could not see the wounds.

‘You’re so beautiful.’ She said to me, ‘I hope you’re able to find the one who you’re longing for. Never let go of his hand, okay?’

A smile rose onto my face: ‘It is because of you that I will be able to find the person I’m looking for. I am forever grateful for your act of kindness.’

At that moment, I bowed in front of her. When I stood up again, her eyes sparkled. Her small hands handed me a mask.

‘Would I be allowed to know your name?’ I asked her as I took the mask from her hand.

‘Leah.’ She replied to me. ‘What about you, dear soul?’

‘I am Celine.’