'But... If I raise my voice here, I'll immediately attract attention.'
Just before kicking the man, Philia, who had regained her sense of reason, was conflicted. It was understandable because somewhere in the ballroom, the Marchioness might be watching her with her eyes wide open. To quietly escape to the balcony without being noticed by the Marchioness, it would be wise to use the best words to get the man off her.
'Okay, I'll hold back. I think he must have been like this when I was chasing Jerry... Ah, I miss Jerry.'
Philia took a deep breath and desperately tried to calm her mind. But her thoughts kept wandering to Jeffrey whenever she had the chance.
“Then shall we go?”
In the meantime, when Philia stopped talking, the man secretly grabbed her hand and tried to pull her toward the floor. As a result, Philia, who had been thinking about Jeffrey and had been losing strength in her body, stumbled violently. She instinctively frowned as she saw the man’s chest getting closer.
‘Why this direction... !’
Right then.
"Be careful."
"Uh?"
A strong arm reached out from behind and grabbed her waist, pulling her in. Thanks to that, Philia avoided almost burying her nose in the embrace of the man who had been harassing her and turned her head sharply at the familiar body scent coming from behind her.
"You...!"
Her blue eyes widened in surprise. The man who had caught her was wearing a mask that covered most of his face, and he was blond. But Philia knew instinctively that the man who had caught her was none other than Jeffrey.
“Am I dreaming?”
She muttered in disbelief. Meanwhile, the man who had been pestering Philia let out an uncomfortable voice.
“Who are you? This lady has promised to dance with me, so please step aside.”
Jeffrey sneered at those words. He ignored the man completely and looked at Philia.
“Miss, you said there were no gentlemen of note here. What about me?”
“Huh, huh?”
“Do you like my appearance? What about my height and voice?”
Jeffrey quickly asked a question. Philia, who was flustered, nodded her head vigorously, albeit belatedly.
“Uh... No, yes. It’s huge.”
“Then how about dancing with me instead of that guy?”
"Great!"
Philia quickly grabbed Jeffrey's hand, thinking that she could escape from the man. Jeffrey, with a satisfied smile on his lips, gently led Philia to the floor. The man's confused muttering could be heard behind them.
“No, what, what is this...”
But no one listened to the muttering. Philia and Jeffrey stood facing each other on the floor like everyone else. Philia put her hand on Jeffrey’s shoulder and whispered.
“What? How on earth did you get here?”
Jeffrey then put his hand on Philia's waist and groaned.
"Senior Osmond, please spar with me. I'll make a wish."
About half a day ago. Jeffrey was hanging out with Osmond, the knight of Belfort, who was staying in the escorts' quarters. Of course, he didn't want to hang out with him, who was talking about marriage with the family of Philia. Osmond was the only noble family he knew who was worthy of receiving an invitation to the masquerade ball. Osmond was preparing to attend the masquerade ball, but he looked dumbfounded at Jeffrey's sudden appearance asking him to spar.
"You want to spar and make a wish? So suddenly?"
"Yes."
"I don't want to... There's not much time left until the ball, and I don't really want to sweat..."
"Senior! Out of loyalty between seniors and juniors, I'd like to ask you to do this just this once!"
"Hey, hey, stop pulling! My pants are going down!"
Jeffrey literally grabbed Osmond by the hem of his trousers and got him to agree to it for one simple reason: to stop the other nobles from flirting with Philia at the masquerade ball!
‘...What’s the point of covering it up with a mask? It’s so obvious.’
Jeffrey looked down at Philia, who was standing opposite him.
“...?”
Philia tilted her head while wearing a mask decorated with flowers as Jeffrey stared at her. Her hair fluttering with the movement was like the sunset, and her blue eyes visible through the eye sockets of the mask were just like the sea. Philia reflected in his eyes was the sky and the sea. How could someone like that not be noticed...
Jeffrey made a guess that was somewhat unbelievable, and so he went to this ball with all his might. Originally, he had planned to watch from afar to see if anyone was pestering Philia, and if he saw anyone, he would deal with them secretly. However, Philia, unlike in the North, did not kick the rascal right away, but just sat there, so he couldn’t stand it anymore and got involved. And so in this situation.
Philia nudged him with her toes to hide the embarrassment that was rising for no reason.
“I asked you how you got here, why aren’t you answering?”
But Jeffrey remained silent. Philia waited for his answer for a moment, then smiled faintly.
“Well, what does that matter? Since it’s come to this, let’s just dance.”
Philia's face was filled with excitement and joy. At that moment, Jeffrey, who saw her face, was conflicted, thinking, 'Shouldn't I just watch from afar?'
“I asked you how you got here, why aren’t you answering?”
But Jeffrey remained silent. Philia waited for his answer for a moment, then smiled faintly.
“Well, what does that matter? Since it’s come to this, let’s just dance.”
Philia's face was filled with excitement and joy. At that moment, Jeffrey, who saw her face, was conflicted, thinking, 'Shouldn't I just watch from afar?'
Philia grabbed his hand tightly and whispered.
“Don’t run away.”
“...”
“Stay with me, here.”
Jeffrey's hands flinched as if he had been hit with a punch. Then, as if the orchestra was determined to keep him, the music began. In the end, Jeffrey began to dance with Philia as if he had no choice. Although he was born a commoner, Philia had taught him how to dance when he was young. Jeffrey carefully moved his feet following Philia's voice, which was still vivid in his memory. Philia opened her eyes wide in surprise but soon smiled lovingly at the fact that he remembered their relationship. A faint smile appeared on Jeffrey's lips as he saw her smile in his eyes.
“...Philia?”
A surprised murmur escaped the lips of the Marquis of Seicrine, who had spotted them from afar. The Marquis of Seicrine's gaze naturally shifted to the person dancing with Philia. His face gradually became clouded, as if covered with dark clouds, in contrast to his daughter's.
“Don’t run away.”
“...”
“Stay with me, here.”
Jeffrey's hands flinched as if he had been hit with a punch. Then, as if the orchestra was determined to keep him, the music began. In the end, Jeffrey began to dance with Philia as if he had no choice. Although he was born a commoner, Philia had taught him how to dance when he was young. Jeffrey carefully moved his feet following Philia's voice, which was still vivid in his memory. Philia opened her eyes wide in surprise but soon smiled lovingly at the fact that he remembered their relationship. A faint smile appeared on Jeffrey's lips as he saw her smile in his eyes.
“...Philia?”
A surprised murmur escaped the lips of the Marquis of Seicrine, who had spotted them from afar. The Marquis of Seicrine's gaze naturally shifted to the person dancing with Philia. His face gradually became clouded, as if covered with dark clouds, in contrast to his daughter's.
***
A similar time.
“I’m dying, I’m dying.”
Rubia stood at the table, cleverly out of sight of the crowd, muttering softly. She sipped her wine, her brow furrowed.
‘... Is it that good?’
In fact, she didn’t really want to know, but Rubia found out that Philia had a crush on Jeffrey during their tea time in the garden last time. Even though it was hidden by the wig and mask, Rubia could clearly see that Philia’s dance partner was Jeffrey. She stared blankly at Philia, who kept laughing as if she had a hole in her lung. Is romantic love... really that happy?
“I’m dying, I’m dying.”
Rubia stood at the table, cleverly out of sight of the crowd, muttering softly. She sipped her wine, her brow furrowed.
‘... Is it that good?’
In fact, she didn’t really want to know, but Rubia found out that Philia had a crush on Jeffrey during their tea time in the garden last time. Even though it was hidden by the wig and mask, Rubia could clearly see that Philia’s dance partner was Jeffrey. She stared blankly at Philia, who kept laughing as if she had a hole in her lung. Is romantic love... really that happy?
Rubia had only thought about honing herself to be a help to her family all her life and marrying into a family that would allow her to do so to the best of her ability. That’s why Philia’s face, so happy and helpless, seemed a little, no, very strange and unfamiliar. Then, the image of Auston suddenly popped into her mind. Rubia instinctively wrinkled her face.
'Why am I thinking of that person now?'
Last time, after misunderstanding the relationship between Rubia and her cousin, Auston had been avoiding her openly. It seemed like Auston had been trying to avoid her secretly, but there weren't many wizards like that. Because of the humans who tried to build a connection with him like Rubia's cousin, he would often get caught while running away and be noticed by her. That was exactly what Rubia was dissatisfied with. If you're going to run away, why not get noticed? It made her feel bad when she said, "I'm avoiding you" so openly.
‘...When will I touch it as I please?’
Rubia twisted her lips in displeasure. The memory of Auston hugging her waist and kissing her hand came back to her mind like a spark that seemed to have died down and tormented her. Surprisingly, Ruboa had never hugged her waist so tightly or had her hand kissed so deeply except when dancing. But that person was desperate to avoid her at all costs. It was the time when Rubia was sipping wine to shake off her low mood.
“I really... Starting next year, I should just lie down and say I’m sick or at least not come to the capital...”
A familiar voice suddenly came closer, and a man who was clearly Auston appeared in front of her, fiddling with his mask in an irritated manner. Rubia blinked in confusion. Auston, who had belatedly discovered Rubia, also stopped walking as if he had recognized her.
"OMG."
“...”
Yeah, that's exactly what's annoying. When Auston was so openly freaked out, a sinew popped out on Rubia's forehead.
“Hey, Mr. Dosler..."
Just as Rubia was about to put down her glass and point out that part to Auston, Auston suddenly turned around and ran through the crowd.
"Ha..."
Rubea let out an absurd laugh as she watched the gray back of his head receding. But that was only for a moment. She soon began to chase after Auston with her eyes sharply raised. It was an action that came out of half-hearted frustration.
“Aren’t you standing there?”
Rubia doggedly chased after Auston, who was running around like a fish. Eventually, they reached a balcony on one side. Rubia flung open the balcony door as if she were the tagger in a game of hide-and-seek.
“You can’t run away anymore...”
Luvea, who had been speaking confidently, stopped. She looked at the empty balcony and furrowed her brows. Oh, it was this little wizard.
‘... Is this why you don’t want to see my face?’
Rubia dropped her hand that was holding the door, feeling a renewed sense of emptiness and resentment. As she walked inside the balcony, she looked around and raised her voice as if to be heard.
“I know what you’re seeing right now.”
“...”
“If you don’t come out, you’ll fall down here.”
Rubia looked at the garden below the railing and muttered threats. But even with the threats, there was still no sign of Auston.
'What am I doing?'
Finally, Rubia gave up on holding onto Auston and let out a deep sigh. She shook her head self-deprecatingly and started walking back to the ballroom. At that moment, her ankles, which had been overworked in search of Auston, began to ache greatly.
“...!”
Rubea's body tilted towards the outside of the railing, and at that moment she closed her eyes reflexively.
“What are you doing now!”
She thought she heard a very angry voice, and then someone picked her up as she fell into the air.
Rubia belatedly let out a gasp, the breath she had been holding. As soon as she recovered from the shock of the fall, her eyes sparkled. Auston looked at her in his arms, his face distorted with anger.
“If I wasn’t really there, how could you be so reckless! No matter how angry a person is...!”
It was a different feeling from the exchange we had had so far, full of laughter and ridicule.
‘...Are you worried?’
Unable to adapt to the gap, Rubia blinked as if her thoughts had stopped. In the meantime, the two of their bodies came closer to the ground. Auston held Rubia in his arms and stepped lightly into the garden before releasing the spell.
“If I continue like this, I won’t be able to live my life. I won’t be able to live.”
Auston sighed deeply and put Rubia down. Rubia stood up straight and stared blankly at Auston.
‘...Are you worried?’
Unable to adapt to the gap, Rubia blinked as if her thoughts had stopped. In the meantime, the two of their bodies came closer to the ground. Auston held Rubia in his arms and stepped lightly into the garden before releasing the spell.
“If I continue like this, I won’t be able to live my life. I won’t be able to live.”
Auston sighed deeply and put Rubia down. Rubia stood up straight and stared blankly at Auston.
Thump, thump.
Whether it was the shock of almost falling from the balcony or something else, the sound of her heart beating loudly rang in her ears. Rubia opened her mouth on impulse.
“Why... did you help me?”
“Why... did you help me?”
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