DYBAR - Chapter 13 < Second Chance >
Do Your Best And Regret It
"Your Majesty, did you enjoy it?"
The words, so heavy that I didn't even know when I had been thinking about them, disappeared into thin air. A small crack seemed to appear above Leopold's calm expression.
For the first time, I felt like I could see unfamiliar emotions in the eyes that always leisurely looked at me.
"No."
I closed my mouth at the quiet reply. Today's Leopold was really different from usual. He directly referred to me as her fiancee, called me by my nickname, and asked me to do his first dance. Was Leopold's sincerity contained in those things that I thought were easy for me to see?
At first, I had no choice but to accept the engagement, but Leopold may have deep down acknowledged me as his fiancée. Perhaps Leopold also opened his heart to me subconsciously.
Small hopes came together one by one. With anticipation building on top of disappointment, I slowly looked at Leopold. Leopold gently rolled his eyes at me. The bright blue eyes in his eyes looked at me accusingly.
I had a feeling that Leopold would say something different from what I expected.
"How dare you treat me like that in the presence of all the nobles? It would be a lie if I said it was fun."
A playful coldness pressed on me. I smiled bitterly without realizing it. It seemed like if I didn't bite my lip, at least a sigh would escape.
"Thanks to Maria."
Leopold calmly mentioned Maria Ethel's name and affectionately tucked my hair behind my ear. As I approached him, I smelled a faint, wet smell of burning wood.
Leopold whispered before coughing.
"I would have been really upset if Maria hadn't tried to make me feel better."
Then yes. Leopold can't do that. I forgetting about his cough, gathered my wits as I walked away. My illusion was funny. Leopold was still the same. When will my expectation that people will look back at me if I do my best come true?
The realization of reality hit me cruelly. I barely raised the corner of my mouth. When new music started playing, Leopold's hand went up to my waist. The feeling of his hands on my waist was awkward.
As I trembled slightly, Leopold my fiancé, whom I loved, whispered.
"If you're clumsy, you should at least pretend to be skilled, Princess."
Those words pierced my heart like an awl. I did my dance. For countless days, I had imagined a day like this. I dance and step together with Leopold while wearing the same colored clothes. It certainly seemed like I would meet Leopold's eyes in the middle of a fancy banquet hall, with everyone's eyes on me.
I thought that when he held my hand and danced with me, Leopold's eyes would be as kind as the spring breeze. Reality was not as sweet or warm as I thought. Even though it was clearly the same dance, Leopold's lead pushed me mercilessly.
I struggled to keep up with Leopold's pace with all my concentration. I moved my feet quickly as I feared that Leopold would step on my feet. I spun around, floated, and then landed. This dance was not fun. At one point, I felt that my ankles were cold. The waltz song has ended.
Clap clap clap.
Thunderous applause erupted.
Leopold, who was looking at me as if it was obvious, gave a small bow. My breath, which I couldn't let out because I was paying attention to my feet, rose to the tip of my chin. I belatedly took a deep breath and lowered my head towards Leopold. When I immediately raised my head, Leopold had already turned around.
I realized that where Leopold had gone was next to Lady Maria Ethel, who was wearing her pink dress.
I suddenly had this thought. Maria Ethel would be more familiar with Leopold's front view. Even if he is a man who always shows me his back.
The pain in my throbbing foot became more and more intense. I calmed my expression as if nothing had happened. I thought as if I were casting a spell on myself. It's okay, nothing's wrong. It's really okay.
I rolled up the hem of my dress and held on to the heels of my dizzyingly high shoes. I had to remain in the ballroom until the next five songs had played.
I focused on the music as I sat down at a table on the edge. I didn't want the nobles to talk to me, but I felt like I was being popular.
"Congratulations on your first dance, Princess."
It was Maria Ethel. It was my first time talking to Maria at a banquet. The noble's attention was focused on this area.
"...Thank you, Lady."
Congratulations on my first dance.
"Sure. You are the Crown Prince's fiancée. That's what I should be most interested in."
Maria sat down next to me, pretending to be friendly. Between the smell of Maria's perfume, there was a faint smell of wet burning wood. She smelled like cigars like smelled on Leopold.
I gulped slightly. Maria pulled back, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Oh, excuse me, Princess. I guess I stopped by the terrace for a while and got a little smelly."
No one knew that the terrace, draped in thick satin drapery, was a place for lovers' secret meetings. Maria smiled secretly.
"As you know, His Royal Highness always insists on this poem. Oh, but judging by the way you cough, I guess your bronchial tubes are weak or not..."
Maria trailed off.
"You don't have much time to smell cigars."
A subtle malice rose above the worried voice. A deep mockery appeared in Maria Ethel's eyes as she tilted her head, pretending to be innocent. I smiled brightly. This is why Maria Ethel came to visit me.
I quietly looked at Maria Ethel. Although she was new to me, Maria was very pretty. The gorgeous blonde hair, the lovely white face, the confident way she looks straight ahead, and the sparkling blue eyes are so pretty. Maria always felt as if she had grown up receiving nothing but love. Is that why Leopold can't let go of her?
"Princess?"
As if to break the silence, Maria called me in a friendly manner. I swallowed my words, unable to swallow them. My swallowed words broke sharply and pierced my heart painfully.
Looking into her mocking eyes, I smiled deliberately and answered.
"Yes. Usually, His Royal Highness does not smoke a cigar in front of me. I hope you like it, Lady. The bronchi seem to be strong."
For a moment, Maria Ethel's face distorted. While Maria closed her mouth for a moment, as if she was searching for what to say, I spoke calmly.
"Do you want to be in government?"
Maria Ethel froze still. In this crowded place, I spoke in a voice that was neither soft nor loud.
"In our Franz Empire, polygamy is not recognized, so in the end, the only position Lady can ascend to is Countess Lowaltz."
There were two ways for a Young Lady to become a mistress. Either live as a Lady forever, or find a suitable husband, get married, and then act as an unofficial mistress under a tacit promise.
"Already 30 years have passed since Countess Lowaltz passed away. Isn't it just a good spot?"
Of course, both were dishonorable. Maria Ethel jumped up from her seat as if belatedly enraged. She seemed to have forgotten about the nobles who were listening to overhear their conversation.
"How dare you say that to me!!"
"Otherwise, why does the Lady keep showing off your closeness to His Highness the Crown Prince to me?"
Maria Ethel's lips trembled at the quiet words. Tears seemed to well up in her delicate blue eyes, and then Maria Ethel ran off somewhere.
I also stood up, watching Maria Ethel's retreating back. Before I could take a single step, a throbbing pain spread through my feet. As I walked with an expressionless face, the Ladies gathered around her.
"Princess, I think you're telling an interesting story, so please join us."
"The first and second dances were amazing."
"So, where did Lady Maria Ethel go?"
A subtle feeling disguised as a friendly voice filled my surroundings. In the midst of that obvious provocation, I responded.
"Yes."
The Ladies seemed to be even more anxious because of my ambiguous words, which they could not understand, and they attached their words to me.
How do you know the Grand Duke, why is Lady Maria Ethel so angry, and why is His Royal Highness not showing up?
Words were poured out that were only aristocratic in tone and had no hint of courtesy towards me. I smiled and slightly lowered my head.
"As you can see, there are too many things going on. Please excuse me first today."
Sharp gossip poured out behind my back, but it didn't matter. Pain spread through my feet as if they were on fire. I walked upright and looked around me. The Grand Duke was nowhere to be seen in the banquet hall.
Ironically, it was disappointing. Come to think of it, I couldn't even tell him about the jewelry pin Ethella gave me. The victory banquet lasts for several days, so I will likely meet the Grand Duke at any banquet. It seemed like I could get my jewelry pin back if I asked for it then.
Strangely enough, I was confident that it would happen.
A faint smile appeared on my lips.
***
"Ahh!!"
The Princess's gorgeous room. Princess Reina let out her scream. Her venomous eyes ground Reinagai (?) who was stepping on the crushed banquet. Edwin Lowell Vikander. Although he has the title of Grand Duke, he is barely called a murderer.
How dare he not offer her a treasured sword despite His Majesty's great benevolence? It is true that she was reluctant at first because of the rumor that he was called a killer. However, her mind changed when she saw the gorgeous appearance that came in proudly. She was the first to smile at the thought of a face like that. The Grand Duke, who had been ignoring her holding a bouquet and turning away, appeared before her eyes.
How dare the Grand Duke ignore her, the shame of Madeleine, who is not the one to whom he gave his oath. It was her first time experiencing such an insult in her life.
Dare, dare!!!
Olivia Madeleine dancing with the Grand Duke and the Prince one after another like the host of a banquet! She couldn't believe it.
Of course, that seat was Reina Franz's, hers!
"Behave like a Princess, Reina, You have more precious blood than anyone else."
Only then did Reina raise her head. She saw her mother sitting more elegantly than anyone else. Her mother, the Empress, always controlled Olivia with her finger.
Hearing her mother's words like that, Raina felt completely calm. The irritated breathing gradually quieted down, and Reina continued to think.
As a Princess, she had to curb Olivia Madeleine's wantonness. Her complicated mind became calm. Now that she thinks about it, she hears that the Madeleine family's legitimate daughter is quite supportive of her older sister, right?
She was alone in the flower field, stupid and unaware of anything.
Reina's bright blue eyes flashed for a moment. The Empress also smiled deeply at the sight of her daughter who seemed to have had a good idea.
***
The sky sank into darkness. The walls of the mansion were already visible through the carriage window.
My feet, which had been walking upright until I left the banquet hall, collapsed as soon as I got on the carriage. But I endured it well.
Suddenly, I remembered Ethella's words when she asked me to tell a story about the banquet. That the Grand Duke had sworn an oath to me, that we had our first dance, and that I had warned Lady Maria Ethel.
It was a secret that could never be told except for the first one.
I, who had been thinking quietly, let out a sigh of my own. I wished I could say I saw Jade. Even though it was a victory banquet, Jade was nowhere to be seen in the banquet hall.
Where on earth is he?
The carriage stopped and I entered the mansion. It was when I got to my feet and my accumulated pain came flooding back.
"You."
I suddenly raised my head at the familiar voice. The voice I heard coming from the front of the stairs was clear.
It was Jade.
“Jade!”
I ran toward the stairs, filled with joy. The pain in my feet and the disappointment that had been building up came to mind when I saw Jade come back healthy.
"You really waited!"
"What is your relationship with that crazy guy?"
I stopped at the terrifyingly sharp voice.
It never looked like this. In all my imagination of Jade returning, there is no image of Jade glaring at me. I looked blankly at Jade.
Comments
Post a Comment