DYBAR - Chapter 12 < First Dance >
Do Your Best And Regret It
"How is it, Olivia? How does it feel to receive your first vow?"
Even as he called my name affectionately. The corners of Leopold's mouth twitched. Whenever there was something he didn't like, that was a sign I saw. Whenever that happened, I always tried my best to make Leopold feel better, as if I had done something wrong.
I, who was about to go next to Leopold as was my habit, stopped. As I lightly shook the Grand Duke's hands and held them together, the stiff expression on his face softened. One of Leopold's eyebrows rose crookedly as he looked at that scene.
'I didn't like Olivia from a while ago. Even when she gets out of my hands and when she turns away from my gaze. This couldn't have happened. Of course, Olivia should have come next to me. This was the middle of the nobility. In the midst of all this, Olivia didn't take any action, as if she was daring to reject me.'
Leopold felt nauseous as if his stomach was going to turn. Leopold's eyes became increasingly sharp as his emotions surged as if on fire.
"Your Highness."
The Grand Duke, who hid me behind his back as if to protect me, spoke so kindly that the nickname "Slaughter Demon" was put to shame. He was the exact opposite of Leopold, who had a sharp and ferocious stance.
"If you don't have anything to do, just get out of the way. I was about to have my first dance with the girl to whom I gave my vows."
"Just as my fiancee received the first vows, I would like to take the first dance, Grand Duke. "
Contrary to his hard voice, Leopold looked at me with his eyes gently widened.
"...Live."
A friendly voice called my nickname. At that moment, my heart was pounding. It was the first time I had been called by my nickname since my mother. My heart was beating violently. Leopold smiled brightly. Just like when I was eleven years old, which was my brilliant salvation a long time ago. So I almost moved without realizing it.
"You always wanted to have your first dance with me."
It really would have been like that if it weren't for those words that seemed like red lines. The word 'first dance' reminded me of my debutante. Of course, it was me who stood next to Leopold, and Leopold held the hand of the Nordian Marquis' daughter, leaving me alone. Nevertheless, now, Leopold was confident. The sight of Leopold naturally extending his hand without even a single request. I quietly bit the inside of my lip at the sight of Leopold calling my nickname without asking for my permission.
Am I that easy on Leopold? Even though he came with Maria Ethel, he told me that I was his fiancee, and he pretended not to know when he must have heard from the Chamberlain about the cards and flowers that he never sent. In this way, it makes me into nothing. I felt infinitely depressed. I tried to get my mind straight. Without any time to think about what happened next, I slowly parted my lips.
"It is a victory banquet celebrating war heroes, majesty."
"...Live?"
As if he couldn't believe it, Leopold called out to me again. I held my head higher than ever. I don't know if the anger in Leopold's bright blue eyes was anger at the situation or at me, but I didn't want to care. I was so tired today.
"I will dance my first dance with His Highness the Grand Duke first."
As if the timing was right, the Grand Duke gently escorted me. One step, two steps.
Oh, by the way, I briefly turned towards Leopold as if I remembered it too late. Then yes, I spoke politely to Leopold, who looked at me arrogantly.
"Your Highness, please enjoy your first dance with Lady Ethel behind you."
Leopold's face distorted. I headed to the center of the banquet hall, holding the Grand Duke's hand. My heart was pounding like it was going to explode. I pushed the Leopold away for the first time. An unknown emotion filled my heart.
"Isn't it heavy?"
"Yes?"
"That sword."
The Grand Duke winked with a smile on his face. Only then did I realize that I was holding a sword with one hand. I thought it would be heavy because it was full of jewels, but it was lighter than I thought.
I shrugged my shoulders.
"I know, right. I thought it would be heavy."
"If you don't feel heavy, you've discovered an incredible talent, right? How is it? Joining our knights?"
I Olivia narrowed my eyes, the Grand Duke pretended not to notice and looked the other way.
"Would you like me to take over for a moment while we dance?"
I nodded and the Grand Duke grabbed his sword. The Grand Duke's knight came and took the sword. Ugh, I thought I could hear a soft silent sound at first glance. Meanwhile, the Grand Duke bowed to the Emperor.
"Thank you for your grace. May I begin my first dance with my vows to the Lady?"
"......of course. On this occasion to celebrate. Let's continue the banquet."
The Emperor barely nodded with a firm mouth. The band started playing again. A variety of elegant melodies were played and began to fill the banquet hall again. Meanwhile, the Emperor forced a smile. Holding his throbbing head came later.
The nobles were already buzzing. This agitation would probably spread among the nobles in no time. To the nobles who were not invited to the banquet, and gradually to the commoners. The Grand Duke offered the knight's oath to the Prince's fiancée instead of the Princess.
Not only the Princess but also the Empress had already left. The Princess's face, her white face stained with shame, came to mind, and the Emperor looked at the Grand Duke, suppressing his fierceness. His dog, who always looked up at him with an expressionless face, was smiling next to the Prince's fiancée. The guy who acted like a tongue in his mouth dared to do that.
Without even knowing the topic. The Emperor barely raised his stern lips. Even if he provoked the imperial family like this, the white crystal mine that he wanted most was still in the Emperor's hands. It was said to be a keepsake of the previous Grand Duchess, and he was the one who went through the whole war just for that mine.
The Emperor thought of a way to trap him. He couldn't let go of that guy yet.
"..... It is time to think about the Princess's marriage."
The experienced chamberlain bowed his head as the Emperor spoke softly as if gritting his teeth.
***
In the middle of the banquet hall, I exhaled lightly. My nervousness flashed across my expressionless face.
"Why are you falling like this? Are you more nervous than when you took my oath earlier?"
"Is there anything more exciting than your first dance debut?"
"First dance?"
The Grand Duke seemed a little surprised and followed my words. I smiled slightly. I was a little embarrassed because he was the second person after Ethella to not know this fact. The Grand Duke, who was looking somewhere else for no reason, blurted out.
"..... Today is my first dance too."
"That's a big deal,"
I added seriously, not noticing the tips of his ears covered in black hair turning red.
"But don't worry too much. I've practiced a lot, so I won't step on your toes."
"Well, I don't think it would matter if my feet were stamped on the heels of those shoes."
"...Yes?"
I, who was counting the beats, raised my head and looked at the Grand Duke.
"If my feet get messed up, you will take responsibility for it."
The Grand Duke's smile deepened. While I was figuring out the truth of her joke, the song started. The Grand Duke led me while casually holding my hand. His natural movements made me forget even counting the beats and I started dancing. The Grand Duke's lead was so good that it was hard to believe that it was his first time. From time to time, he even had the luxury of making eye contact with me, as if checking my tempo.
"... You said it was your first time."
I blurted out and said,
"Oops."
I found it funny that the Grand Duke was complaining about how good I was at dancing. What did I say? I hurried to find something else to say. The Grand Duke narrowed his eyes and replied as if he was amused.
"I would have told you. I was capable of doing anything with his body."
"Yes, but.."
I easily agreed, but at the same time, I felt a little grumpy. Even so, it was my first dance, and I had no idea that, unlike me, who was in a hurry, he would expertly lead his partner.
"I didn't know you could dance this well."
"But, I'm a bit disappointed too."
"Yes?"
"I was kind of hoping I would be stamped on the heel of your shoe. I'm really good at leading, right?"
I was speechless for a moment. The Grand Duke, who spoke without the slightest change in his facial expression, even sighed softly as if he was truly regretful. It's so shameless. I unconsciously relaxed my face and smiled slightly. Is this man really Grand Duke Vikander, rumored to be a murderer? So sly and so cute.
"Ah"
I suddenly floated in the air and made a small noise in surprise. The Grand Duke lifted me up and spun me around. My eyes widened like a rabbit's again as I landed lightly. Just when I thought that the red eyes of the Grand Duke who was looking at me were getting darker, the Grand Duke, who was close to me, whispered in my ear.
"What are you thinking like that?"
The Grand Duke, who came in and then walked away again, smiled naturally, and I laughed leisurely, trying to erase the feeling that the tips of my ears were getting hot.
"I feel like I have received a very precious gift."
"You know my worth. It's rewarding from the perspective of giving a gift."
The Grand Duke lifted his chin. A proud emotion was revealed on his face without hesitation. He had a teasing face, so I pretended not to notice and changed my words.
"I was talking about Bogum 'Airaruten'."
"You lift and place people?"
"I'm in a position to be lifted up?"
With perfect timing, the Grand Duke grabbed my waist and lifted me up. I didn't know it felt this good to be floating. I never thought dancing a waltz out of breath would feel so refreshing. I gently closed my eyes, blowing my hair lazily. The Grand Duke, who had seen my every expression in his eyes, laughed along with me.
"You are good at telling jokes."
"Me?"
My eyes widened as he held my hands together.
"This is my first time hearing it."
Among the many words that describe me, there is none that says I am good at telling jokes. I wouldn't know if it was stiff and uninteresting.
"So what do you mean by witty? Not once."
"Well. Everyone around you must have a sprained eye."
I burst out laughing at the serious face of the Grand Duke. It's really strange. Is it because it's my first time laughing at a banquet? Or is it because of that guy who makes me laugh no matter what he says?
Behind the smiling Grand Duke, the faces of the nobles could be seen spying on him.
One side of my chest felt cool. It was only then that I realized how great the oath he had been given was. Now my honor would be directly tied to the honor of the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke would always be mentioned at the end of my name, which was already being thrown around all over the place.
To avoid that, I distanced myself from Ethella. When I thought of harming someone who was so sweet to me, I got scared. The Grand Duke looked at me, as my smile was gone. Then I muttered.
"What?"
"... It's okay to turn over."
"Well, Your Highness. As for that oath...... Turn over......."
I hesitated for a moment while speaking. My best bet was to have another reconsideration of my attire so that the Grand Duke could break his oath. But he seemed strangely hesitant. If we turn it over again like that. Eventually, there will be no more of this friendly coincidence. It was obvious that this short relationship would end like this. It was a time when my lips wouldn't separate easily.
"To tell you a secret, I didn't plan on giving my vows to you from the beginning. I came with his own strategy."
I took a deep breath at the Grand Duke's words. I had to put on a decent face no matter what was said. A look of mischief spread across the face of the Grand Duke.
"But the moment I was about to gift only the sword, a thought occurred to me. Oh, I decided to give you the most precious thing as a gift. This sword is just a rare sword, not the most precious sword. So what should I do?"
After the Grand Duke's words, the waltz's melody became faster, as if it was coming to an end. What do you mean how you do it?
There was no time for me to wonder about the unfinished words. The music reached its climax. Holding my hands together, I spun and spun. I repeated that the red dress bloomed like a flower and I folded it. My disheveled silver hair without any pins sparkled in the chandelier light, drawing people's attention.
The waltz finally ended. I took a deep breath and bowed to the Grand Duke, holding one side of her dress and placing my hand near my chest. The Grand Duke bowed his head towards me as I stood in front of him and gently guided my hand. And then he gently placed his lips on my gloves. Although we didn't touch each other, the Grand Duke took advantage of the silence that everyone, including me, received from the unconventional greeting, whispered to me, and then left.
Among them, I, who was left alone, looked blankly at the Grand Duke's back. Then, with my eyes wide open, I looked at the Grand Duke once more. The Prince's words rang in my ears as I walked away.
"So what should I do? I, the most precious person, should be your gift."
The smile disappeared from the Grand Duke's face, which used to smile brightly like a rose blooming in spring. When the Grand Duke, who he thought had a gorgeous face, became expressionless, he had the illusion that the temperature around him was dropping.
Baron Howard Interfield, the knight who followed the Grand Duke, presented his treasured sword to the Grand Duke. The sword gave off a cold energy that seemed to freeze everything.
"Your Highness, here."
However, the Grand Duke, who was the only one who could calm this sword down, or was now one of the only people, looked at the middle of the banquet hall and muttered without paying any attention to the sword.
"Why on earth is the waltz song set in time?"
Winster Calter, a brown-haired man who came running with an urgent look on his face, spoke softly enough for only the Grand Duke to hear.
"Because I have to change partners."
"Anyway, why did you do that? I heard you will bend down one last time for the sake of the mine."
"Why should I change partners?"
"Yes? What about the mine? Your Highness!"
The Grand Duke seemed not to be able to hear what the embarrassed Winster was saying, but instead of answering, he looked towards the center of the banquet hall. The Prince walked towards me with confident steps. He noticed a uniform of the same color as me. The Grand Duke's eyes darkened at the sight of him showing off that he was my partner. He was too young to live by the sword.
Winster, startled, took a few steps away, but the Grand Duke's gaze was focused solely on one person.
"No way..."
Winster muttered and Howard nodded slightly. The easiest strategy to attack the Princess who owned the white crystal mine ended in vain. However, the Grand Duke must have planned a different strategy. To snatch victory under any circumstances. Because that's what the Grand Duke has always done.
***
The song changed again. I, who was in the middle of the banquet hall, straightened my back. It was always a banquet where everything was done near the wall, but not like today.
"It looks like you had fun."
Leopold held out his hand to me as if it were natural.
".... Yes, Your Highness."
I put my hand on his. Then I asked while looking at Leopold.
"Your Highness, did you enjoy it?"
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