Just as Évelyne did not expect to involve Victoria in the Christmas ball, Victoria also did not anticipate anyone inviting her.

Yes, of course, she had heard of such charity orchestrated by the von Rosenwalds. Honestly, who hadn't? Since it became official that such an event would take place, there had been nothing else talked about in the city. Everyone was delighted at the prospect of a Christmas ball, of being able to gather once again in such a dazzling property as that of one of the wealthiest families in the region.

Many neighbors, while not planning to attend the dinner that would be held, having to attend to their own family commitments, still looked forward to stopping by later in the evening so as not to miss the dance.

No invitation was necessary. Anyone was welcome, whether they came alone or with company. You didn't even need to pay an entrance fee to be there, regardless of whether you consumed anything or not!

Georg was right when he described to Évelyne all the advantages that the event would entail, so Victoria wasn't surprised that the creature had accepted to attend without thinking too much about the consequences that being among such a crowd could have on her fragile morale.

Although, perhaps considering her fragile at this point would be leaning towards catastrophizing: Évelyne had never been in a room that housed hundreds of people before, granted. But she had been taking long walks through the busiest streets of the city for days now, since she befriended Georg and company, and so far there had been no notable incidents, no calls from the police for any unintentionally caused disturbance.

So Victoria was at ease. She trusted that Évelyne knew what she was doing, and if she didn't, then Victoria put her faith in her having enough sense to step away before the problem escalated to the point where even she couldn't save it.

For now, the current situation between them was... strange, to put it mildly.

Évelyne had told her about Georg's invitation and had also expressed her desire to go. Then, not very subtly on her part, she asked Victoria if she intended to attend such an event, and upon her negative response, she simply nodded. Only to then proceed to recount all those wonders in which her new friend had involved her and which, if she were to attend, would be what awaited them on the von Rosenwalds' property.

"Are you trying to make me envious so that I'll come?" Victoria had finally inquired, setting aside her reading, after more than three-quarters of an hour of listening to Évelyne's monologue, who seemed to know more about aristocratic balls than she did, despite never having attended one.

"Of course not!" The creature sounded indignant for a moment. "But we agreed that I would inform you of the places I go to daily, and that's what I'm doing."

"No, that was the initial deal, actually. Because I wanted to make sure I could trust you and that in my absence, you wouldn't sneak into someone else's property to steal, commit premeditated murder, or engage in any other imaginable barbarity. Now, however, I think we've reached a zone of mutual respect and I really don't need you to account for each of your movements."

"You still ask me how my day went every time you come back from college," the tone pretended to be accusatory, although there was no real anger behind it, just confusion.

"Basic courtesy?" Victoria suggested. "I've never forced you to answer."

That was true, and the creature must have been aware of it because this realization silenced her for a few moments.

"Anyway, I've informed you regardless out of the kindness that you should already know exists in me, so that on the twenty-fifth, you don't realize then that I've disappeared without a trace."

"Considerate of you, although a simple 'I'll go to such an event' and 'don't wait for me for dinner' would have sufficed. A detailed account of all your plans for the date wasn't necessary."
No, it might not be necessary, but that didn't mean Évelyne would be content with not adding all those details. And although she didn't say it directly, when she spoke again, she seemed somewhat annoyed:

"What are you planning to do for Christmas then? Stay at the university all day?"

"No, I don't think so," Victoria noticed how Évelyne relaxed for a moment, and almost felt guilty for adding, "It's a holiday, so the campus will be closed. I'm more likely to spend Christmas locked up at home, like on my days off."

"Are you not planning to go anywhere or meet anyone?"

"Under other circumstances, I'm sure Henry would manage to drag me to some event like the von Rosenwalds', claiming that I need to get out more and not let my head get too foggy (because, according to Henry, if my head isn't already in ruin, it won't be long). But he'll be spending Easter with his family in Geneva, so he won't be here to delight me with his unavoidable presence."

"You can't be serious. Are you going to spend Christmas here, like any other random day of the year? I may not have been learning about how things work in society for long, but even I know that these dates are important!"

"Oh, but it won't be like any other day of the year," Victoria defended herself, not knowing exactly why she felt that need. "You're going to the charity event. Ergo, I'm finally going to have the apartment to myself after so long."

That didn't mean Évelyne was wrong and she would do something she wouldn't do with company in the flat, but well, elaborating further would be like admitting she was right directly. And that didn't benefit her.

Victoria hoped the creature wouldn't take those words as some kind of complaint, as if she were wishing to kick her out of the flat even for a few hours (which she had, in part, been joking about), and would leave the matter at that, without further questioning about how she would spend the day. But ever since Évelyne began to gather the courage to say what she thought regardless of who was listening, any effort to avoid an uncomfortable conversation often ended up being futile.

"You're not going to stay here alone on Christmas," Évelyne pronounced firmly, making Victoria wonder where she got that confidence from.

"I won't be alone. I hope Henry behaves and, before heading to Geneva, has the kindness to leave me a bottle of Bordeaux, as he usually does at this time of year."

"Is that your plan? Get drunk while spending the day here alone?"

"I wish," Victoria laughed. "I don't usually drink enough to get to that point, and besides, the Rosenwalds' ball won't last that long. So saying that I'll spend the whole day alone would be an exaggeration; I hope you reappear at the apartment before midnight."

"You're coming with me."

If Victoria was in a good mood and joking a minute ago, now gravity returned to her face as she saw Évelyne was serious.

"According to whom?"

"Myself? I'm not going to let you stay here, and Georg mentioned that the event was open invitation, so... We can take advantage."

"Georg invited you. Like on a date," Victoria pointed out, feeling the desire to throw something at Évelyne's head to make her understand, because right now it didn't seem like her neurons had made that obvious connection. "Even though it's true that anyone can attend, and you might run into more friends at the event and end up separating, nobody would want to bring a third person to their date!"

"It's not a date," Évelyne protested, though she didn't sound very convinced, as if she really wasn't sure what it was. "And anyway, if you don't like the idea of being in our company while we're on the way, you can rent a car and meet us there."

"Absolutely not. What would I do there?"

"The same thing you would do if Henry were here? You yourself said he would have managed to convince you to go. Well, I plan to do the same."

"Nice try, but you're not Henry," Victoria pointed out, refusing to give in. "You have no alcohol to offer, no interesting gossip, and ultimately no possible way to convince me to voluntarily leave this sanctuary on the appointed day. And, in case it wasn't clear enough, the answer is no; neither the ball, nor the banquet, nor the von Rosenwalds' home itself serve as motivation for me."

"If you don't come, I'll set fire to the place," Évelyne threatened. Perhaps thinking that even that wouldn't move Victoria, she added, "With everyone inside."

"Do you know how much planning that would take?" Victoria made an effort not to laugh; the threat was ridiculous, Évelyne wouldn't dare. "Not to mention how closely watched that mansion will be. Frankly, I'd be surprised if someone managed to set a bush on fire before the whole guard descended upon them."

"T-then I'll hurt someone. Physically," Évelyne was forced to propose. "If you don't come and something bad happens, you'll have to live with it on your conscience."

"Are you trying to blackmail me?"

"No. After all, I'm not Henry; I have nothing of value to offer for an exchange. I'm just saying it would be reckless of you to leave me unsupervised during such an important event, considering it will be the first time I'll be presented to society before so many people."

The irony of that wasn't lost on Victoria. Apparently, her creation had ended up developing a certain ability — undoubtedly a bad habit learned from Henry — to instigate her to do things that went beyond what she would initially be comfortable doing.

Certainly, that ability was far from effective: Évelyne, perhaps unaware of it, was right that she was too friendly to harm others without a significant reason to do so.

But Victoria was having fun with the exchange, and she thought that, although she might still stick to her guns and not end up going to the ball, it would be interesting to go along with Évelyne, who didn't seem to know what to do with her childish anger at another refusal.

"So," Victoria began again, "if I assure you that I'll go, will you behave?"

"Of course, I would never do anything improper in front of you, knowing it could get me into trouble," and Victoria thought that would be the end of it, that Évelyne would finally leave her alone and she wouldn't have to worry about any party until it approached, but the creature continued, "Now, since you've agreed to fulfill this request of mine, I suppose you won't mind accompanying me to buy a suitable outfit for the evening."

"Pardon? You're pushing your luck."

"Well, I'm going to need a proper dress for the occasion, right? So I'll have to get one somehow."

Victoria was about to suggest that she could lend her one, but she stopped herself before making such a suggestion. Not because she suddenly found it inappropriate, but for a technical issue: Évelyne was taller and more corpulent than her, so there was no way her clothes would fit, no matter how new and perfect for her use they were.

So the scientist had to settle on the other protest that came to mind:

"Why don't you go alone? You already know where they sell those kinds of outfits, and it wouldn't be the first time you ventured out on an errand."

Not the first, nor the seventh, actually. Évelyne had started running small errands a couple of weeks ago, sometimes alone, sometimes in company. And she had never complained or had the slightest problem.

"I-it's not the same," the creature insisted, no longer sounding as confident as she did a few moments ago when she sprung the trap on her creator to force her to attend the ball. "When I go into those establishments, the transaction I have to make is always very brief, and I never stay more than a couple of minutes. But entering a dressmaking and tailoring shop..."

That would force her to talk to people for longer, to try on clothes, and perhaps spend much of the morning confined in whatever the business was.

Victoria sighed. She really was acting very much against her character and good judgment since she decided to take Évelyne into her apartment.

*****

The amusing part of the situation was that, a couple of days later, when both agreed to venture out into the streets of Ingolstadt to find the appropriate attire for the ball, Victoria found herself not exactly having a bad time. Quite the opposite.

It was entertaining to see the creature wandering through some of the city's central streets, stopping at every shop window and turning to her from time to time to seek her opinion.

This wasn't a new experience for Victoria, but it was true that she hadn't experienced it in over a decade, when her mother was still alive and convinced her to accompany her on such missions: Victoria didn't like shopping, much less if it involved spending long periods of time trying on clothes and pretending to be kind to strangers, but she had come to enjoy those outings with her mother, as she made them enjoyable.

Once her mother passed away, those excursions became more tedious. Perhaps because the remaining relatives Victoria had in Geneva were men, and unlike her mother, they didn't seem to have time or interest to dedicate themselves to contemplating and comparing every new fabric they found along the way.

Victoria had been relieved that from then on, those types of purchases would be quicker and more efficient, but that initial relief was not destined to last.

Now, it almost seemed like she had returned to that lost past, albeit in a different role, as it was Évelyne who was interested in making as many transactions as possible. The scientist was only there to observe and occasionally intervene if she saw the creature having any difficulty navigating.

Although, to be honest, Évelyne seemed much more adept than herself at addressing other humans: Since she began to gain confidence, she was always the one suggesting entering certain establishments, and she was also the first to approach the shopkeeper to discuss her requirements. Victoria was there as moral support and little else because, really, once inside the chosen store, she was hardly needed for anything important.

Évelyne explained to the shop assistant the reason for her visit, claiming that she planned to attend the von Rosenwalds' ball —why did she need to clarify this, by the way?— and then she asked for help in finding a discreet yet elegant dress that could be worn for the event and absolutely not be black. Évelyne was tired of wearing black.

From there, the woman began to pull out dresses from her stock and, carefully laying them on a nearby table, proceeded to explain any relevant details about their cut and construction to Évelyne, as Victoria suspected she would do with any other client she tried to sell her best merchandise to.

The creature remained focused, listening, while Victoria stood aside, listening.

She soon grew tired of wandering around the store, and now that Évelyne had decided to move to the fitting rooms, she decided to take a seat on one of the stools meant to be used by the companions of the clientele or, failing that, by the customers themselves.

"There's been more movement than usual around here, with this charity event going on," commented the shop assistant who, seeing that Évelyne had disappeared from her sight and she no longer had anyone else to talk to, seemed to have chosen Victoria as her next victim. "Throughout the week, ladies have been coming in non-stop looking for an outfit for the occasion, or even entire families with the same intention."

"I hadn't noticed," Victoria remarked, with the vague hope that uncomfortable silence would follow from there; she was already saturated with the ball and had absolutely no interest in how that business would unfold.

On the other hand, it was indeed true that Victoria hadn't noticed anything. When Évelyne and she entered the store, there was a customer at the counter, paying for her last purchase. But aside from that, no one else made an attempt to enter in the half hour they had been there.

"I suppose it's safe to assume that most of the neighborhood will be heading to the von Rosenwald property at some point on the twenty-fifth," the shop assistant remarked, and perhaps seeing that Victoria showed no signs of affirming or denying anything, she inquired, "Have you also come to find a dress for the occasion?"

"Because I can attend to you in the meantime," Victoria almost felt like she was going to hear next. But she stopped her before it happened.

"No, it's not necessary. I'm already well prepared for the event."

"Did you do your shopping in advance or did you already have everything prepared beforehand? In any case, it's almost better like this, so one doesn't get caught off guard by these events and then have to wait until the last minute to decide what to wear. Especially if you prefer to wear something tailored, those things take time."

"Exactly, it's better to have everything ready weeks in advance. You never know when there might be an emergency."

Of course, assuming that a ball of which nothing was known until a few hours ago could be considered an emergency. Victoria was calm because, since she didn't plan to go, she also had nothing to prepare.

"You didn't tell me you had anything prepared," Évelyne protested at that moment; apparently, she had just emerged from one of the fitting rooms wearing one of the chosen outfits, a dress in a dark green shade with puffy sleeves and a good amount of lace. It actually suited her well.

"Maybe because you've never seen me wear it? I'm reluctant to let you look in my room, let alone snoop in the closets."

"No, but I've really never seen you wear that," the creature persisted, clearly not believing that the scientist owned such clothing and restraining herself from asking the shop assistant if Victoria was lying.

"That's because it goes against my religion."

"You don't have a religion."

"Exactly. If I don't have one, or at least don't practice it, what's the point of using it?"

And Évelyne mustn't have known to what extent this was true: Victoria did have the typical Sunday outfit that every respectable citizen owned. But in recent years, she hadn't attended any celebrations that justified wearing it, so it had been centuries since the last time she tried it on.

"At least it will be like new," Victoria concluded, trying to disengage; she didn't think Évelyne and the shop assistant would harass her to get a new dress, but it was better to be cautious. "It's been well stored, so I doubt termites have eaten it."

"But if they had..."

"If they had, I'm afraid I'd have to make the sacrifice of not attending the Christmas ball. Because I'm afraid that, much as it embarrasses me to admit it, I don't have the funds for more dresses."

In truth, she wasn't embarrassed at all; otherwise, she wouldn't have mentioned it. But at the moment, it seemed like a good way out so as not to be further insisted upon. How could she have imagined, then, that Évelyne would end up being an idiot who liked to sacrifice herself?

"Why didn't you say so earlier? If there's not enough for a couple of dresses, I could perfectly do without this," upon such a statement, the shop owner seemed to want to say something, but Évelyne didn't let her even start. "It's a free-entry ball, isn't it? Then I don't think they'll kick anyone out for not wearing clothes sophisticated enough to tread the same ground as the counts."

"Perhaps not, but we would make a bad impression," Victoria said, then added, "And anyway, stop worrying. That scenario where I have nothing to wear is not going to happen, so it's better that you focus on your own, because in the end, you're the one most interested in making this work. And you really don't have many clothes to choose from at home."

Honestly, Victoria didn't either. The dress she was talking about was as good as new, yes, since she hadn't worn it more than a dozen times since she bought it. But, given that so much time had passed since the last time, it was quite possible that it didn't fit her as well as it used to.

She had lost weight somewhat when she was ill, and even then the dress didn't fit as snugly as it once did.

Regardless, Évelyne didn't seem to want to open a new debate. So she only took Victoria's word and, as best as she could, tried to forget that part of the conversation had taken place, focusing instead on her own acquisitions.

Perhaps the scientist had exasperated her, or maybe she only felt momentary pity for her, considering how easily Victoria had decided to lend her funds so that she could dress decently at the Christmas ball —truth be told, for Victoria this wasn't a problem; she wasn't swimming in money, but she could afford some indulgence from time to time. In any case, by not mentioning the issue again, she soon seemed to forget about it and enjoyed the outing again.

She tried on several dresses with similar styles but different cuts until she finally settled on a navy blue one that perfectly matched the latest trends of the time.

With the dress, and since it was already cold in the streets, she tried on a matching shawl. And Victoria couldn't miss the smile that Évelyne had when she looked at herself in the mirror.

Perhaps, she thought, the sacrifice of having left the apartment on that day had been worth it.