The light of the chandelier behind Carson overlapped with his aura, emitting a beautiful light that seemed out of this world.
The moment their eyes met, Ines’s breath stopped. When he stood in front of her, she felt as if the entire banquet hall was filled with him. He was truly a beautiful subject.
For the moment she was looking at him, Joseph, Count Graham who was watching him, and perhaps even the Empress of the Keynes Empire who was standing behind him did not seem scary at all. The huge conspiracy that was suffocating her no longer felt so big.
“Step on my feet as much as you want.”
“Thank you.”
“But do you know how to swim?”
“Swimming?”
“I feel like you got in the same boat unintentionally. You could fall into the water...”
“No, I’m not good at...”
He reached out again and grabbed Ines’ hand. He quickly descended the stairs and led Ines round and round to the center of the banquet hall.
When she was pulled back into his arms by the recoil, he whispered softly in her ear,
“Well, that’s nothing to worry about.”
She was too busy following his lead without even thinking about what he meant.
“I’m a very good swimmer.”
Judging that Ines was ready to dance, he shouted to the band located in the corner of the banquet hall.
“Sabotero!”
As soon as he gave the order, the band leader counted with his baton and immediately began playing lively music. As she moved her body according to Carson’s guidance, the dirty afterimages that had filled her were obscured by the light one by one. People also entered the dance hall one by one in pairs.
Count Graham’s face, which had been sly like a snake and his eyes were twitching, and the dirty and messy noise of the two men and women who were bumping into each other lost their strength in front of the glittering world that Carson had created.
Ines looked up at him with new eyes. Unlike behind the curtain, Carson did not look away at all.
“But is it really okay?”
The melody reached its climax. Ines, who had not danced in a long time, began to concentrate all her nerves not to step on his feet.
“Yes?”
As the music grew louder, Ines brought her ear close to him. Then he pulled her waist tightly and asked again.
“Four years is not a short time.”
For a moment, Ines felt as if her feet were floating on clouds. Carson was lifting her body slightly off the floor. Thanks to him, she was able to put aside her worries about stepping on him for a moment.
“I didn’t quite understand what you were saying.”
“Joseph... Isn’t it love?”
“Ah...”
With an ambiguous sigh, the music that had been carrying the two of them stopped.
They took a step back one by one and greeted each other. Then their eyes met again in the air. Surprisingly, Ines was smiling brighter than ever. Carson was speechless for a moment at that sight.
“Thank you for asking.”
Only then did Ines realize that someone had been asking her that.
“Absolutely not. I don’t love him at all.”
Carson smiled faintly at the confident voice. Soon, without a moment to catch her breath, a second song with a gentle rhythm followed.
But Carson stopped the orchestra from playing, and the conductor approached him. He gave him an order and held out his hand to her.
“Come here.”
When he asked again, Ines put her hand on it without hesitation. Then the conductor began playing a new song. To her surprise, it was a hymn to the goddess of victory.
Ines opened her eyes wide and looked up at Carson. It was out of place in this banquet hall, but it was perfect music for the two of them right now.
“I think you need encouragement today, not consolation.”
Looking at his brilliant smile, Ines thought that he had allowed her victory.
In a world filled with only malice and contempt toward Ines Swenden, he alone was her salvation and light.
Carson von Raymond was another name for the God who never let her down.
Ines' father, Andrew, was returning home, completely unaware that his daughter was dancing with a new young lord.
He was deeply troubled on the carriage ride back to the mansion because of the shocking story he had heard from Carson.
Andrew had been working for Lesonia all his life. And he had been proud of his work. However, after Lesonia's master changed to Count Graham five years ago, Andrew began to feel severe doubts about his work.
Count Graham was not a man fit to be a local lord. He was a central nobleman by nature, and he had little interest in the affairs of the land.
There was a committee within Lesonia that was formed to decide important and urgent matters related to the land.
The committee, consisting of only eleven Viscounts, was selected only by those who had contributed to the land, the time they had worked, and the length of their family's existence. Andrew was one of them.
The committee had to consist of only an odd number of people. The reason for this was that decisions on important matters were made by majority vote.
Two years ago, Count Graham came to the committee with an agenda.
He wanted to unite Lesonia and Landhill. It was called unity, but it was really just a desire to have Landhill under his authority.
After becoming lord, he accumulated enormous wealth, but the conditions of the people of the land did not improve at all. He also had some idea that Count Graham was secretly using the money he had saved to support the Empress. But unity?
Landhill had its own unique characteristics. Although the land was barren due to the mountains, it was also a precious home for the people.
It was unclear exactly why he wanted to unite, but it was clear that Count Graham wanted to pass the bill for his own selfish desires.
So Andrew voted against it.
The vote was defeated. Five in favor, six against.
If he were to be transferred to Landhill in this situation, his vote would be lost and a new member would be elected. Then, could a fair person who was not influenced by Count Graham become a member?
He thought of the young lord who had been brimming with confidence. Even aside from the fact that he was a royal, Carson was not the type of person who could be the lord of a small estate based on his accomplishments so far. However, he was not in a position to dream anymore.
Andrew spent a long time in the carriage on the way home, clutching his complicated head.
The night after the banquet, Carson called Noah to his office. While waiting for the aide, Carson recalled the conversation the two men and women had had in the lounge.
“Did you call?”
Instead of answering, Carson tapped his fingers on his desk.
“The smell of money...”
“Yes?”
The Count’s daughter had clearly said so. Carson had an incredible sense of money.
“There’s something I need you to find out secretly and quickly.”
Noah tensed up at the sharp voice he rarely heard.
“Go ahead.”
“Find out the details of the Swenden family’s financial situation.”
“Yes? What do you mean? Are you really trying to find out the size of the dowry?”
Noah furrowed his brows involuntarily at the shameless order. It was not something that the person who had made him such a philistine should have said. Moreover, considering the extent of his wealth, the dowry the Viscount’s daughter would bring was no different from a single teardrop falling into the river.
“Ines Swenden is indeed quite intriguing, but I’m not romantic enough to decide to marry after one dance.”
“Then why is that...?”
He swept back his flowing black hair with his hand that was tapping the desk. His golden eyes beneath his straight forehead sparkled with curiosity and interest.
“If Swenden becomes part of Landhill, Graham will lose it. I need to know that.”
If it was about smelling money, as Count Graham had said, Carson was unrivaled.
“So search everything thoroughly. Even every candlestick in the house.”
At that moment, Ines was in the carriage going home.
“Did you have a good day?”
Susan asked, caressing the dress of the lady sitting across from her. Ines laughed pleasantly at that question.
It was a long time ago, but Ines had never stayed in a banquet hall for this long. Susan also knew that Joseph was coming to the banquet that day.
“What do you want to know?”
And since Ines had also asked Susan to get her a portrait of Carson, it would be natural for her to be curious about Ines’ day.
“No, it’s just... I wondered if you danced.”
Ines bit her lower lip for a moment when asked if she had danced. Susan leaned forward at that sight, her eyes sparkling.
“Did you dance? With a nobleman from which family?”
It had been over ten years since Ines had danced with her father at the banquet. The noble women of the Keynes Empire began learning all kinds of dances the moment they could walk and wear small shoes called santéjuse, which were modeled after women’s shoes. It meant that they could dance as easily as breathing from a very young age.
“With the Count.”
Still, Ines was unsure. There were still moments when she felt it was new that she could walk without limping.
“Yes?”
“His Highness.”
While she was walking down the long stairs with her hand on his arm, Ines mentally estimated her steps. It wasn’t much help when she didn’t know what dance to start with.
But the moment she met his eyes, all her worries disappeared.
“Really?”
“You thought I’d lie about that.”
“Ah.”
Susan made a dreamlike expression. And Ines walked the same dream path as her.
The moment their eyes met, Ines’s breath stopped. When he stood in front of her, she felt as if the entire banquet hall was filled with him. He was truly a beautiful subject.
For the moment she was looking at him, Joseph, Count Graham who was watching him, and perhaps even the Empress of the Keynes Empire who was standing behind him did not seem scary at all. The huge conspiracy that was suffocating her no longer felt so big.
“Step on my feet as much as you want.”
“Thank you.”
“But do you know how to swim?”
“Swimming?”
“I feel like you got in the same boat unintentionally. You could fall into the water...”
“No, I’m not good at...”
He reached out again and grabbed Ines’ hand. He quickly descended the stairs and led Ines round and round to the center of the banquet hall.
When she was pulled back into his arms by the recoil, he whispered softly in her ear,
“Well, that’s nothing to worry about.”
She was too busy following his lead without even thinking about what he meant.
“I’m a very good swimmer.”
Judging that Ines was ready to dance, he shouted to the band located in the corner of the banquet hall.
“Sabotero!”
As soon as he gave the order, the band leader counted with his baton and immediately began playing lively music. As she moved her body according to Carson’s guidance, the dirty afterimages that had filled her were obscured by the light one by one. People also entered the dance hall one by one in pairs.
Count Graham’s face, which had been sly like a snake and his eyes were twitching, and the dirty and messy noise of the two men and women who were bumping into each other lost their strength in front of the glittering world that Carson had created.
Ines looked up at him with new eyes. Unlike behind the curtain, Carson did not look away at all.
“But is it really okay?”
The melody reached its climax. Ines, who had not danced in a long time, began to concentrate all her nerves not to step on his feet.
“Yes?”
As the music grew louder, Ines brought her ear close to him. Then he pulled her waist tightly and asked again.
“Four years is not a short time.”
For a moment, Ines felt as if her feet were floating on clouds. Carson was lifting her body slightly off the floor. Thanks to him, she was able to put aside her worries about stepping on him for a moment.
“I didn’t quite understand what you were saying.”
“Joseph... Isn’t it love?”
“Ah...”
With an ambiguous sigh, the music that had been carrying the two of them stopped.
They took a step back one by one and greeted each other. Then their eyes met again in the air. Surprisingly, Ines was smiling brighter than ever. Carson was speechless for a moment at that sight.
“Thank you for asking.”
Only then did Ines realize that someone had been asking her that.
“Absolutely not. I don’t love him at all.”
Carson smiled faintly at the confident voice. Soon, without a moment to catch her breath, a second song with a gentle rhythm followed.
But Carson stopped the orchestra from playing, and the conductor approached him. He gave him an order and held out his hand to her.
“Come here.”
When he asked again, Ines put her hand on it without hesitation. Then the conductor began playing a new song. To her surprise, it was a hymn to the goddess of victory.
Ines opened her eyes wide and looked up at Carson. It was out of place in this banquet hall, but it was perfect music for the two of them right now.
“I think you need encouragement today, not consolation.”
Looking at his brilliant smile, Ines thought that he had allowed her victory.
In a world filled with only malice and contempt toward Ines Swenden, he alone was her salvation and light.
Carson von Raymond was another name for the God who never let her down.
***
Ines' father, Andrew, was returning home, completely unaware that his daughter was dancing with a new young lord.
He was deeply troubled on the carriage ride back to the mansion because of the shocking story he had heard from Carson.
Andrew had been working for Lesonia all his life. And he had been proud of his work. However, after Lesonia's master changed to Count Graham five years ago, Andrew began to feel severe doubts about his work.
Count Graham was not a man fit to be a local lord. He was a central nobleman by nature, and he had little interest in the affairs of the land.
There was a committee within Lesonia that was formed to decide important and urgent matters related to the land.
The committee, consisting of only eleven Viscounts, was selected only by those who had contributed to the land, the time they had worked, and the length of their family's existence. Andrew was one of them.
The committee had to consist of only an odd number of people. The reason for this was that decisions on important matters were made by majority vote.
Two years ago, Count Graham came to the committee with an agenda.
He wanted to unite Lesonia and Landhill. It was called unity, but it was really just a desire to have Landhill under his authority.
After becoming lord, he accumulated enormous wealth, but the conditions of the people of the land did not improve at all. He also had some idea that Count Graham was secretly using the money he had saved to support the Empress. But unity?
Landhill had its own unique characteristics. Although the land was barren due to the mountains, it was also a precious home for the people.
It was unclear exactly why he wanted to unite, but it was clear that Count Graham wanted to pass the bill for his own selfish desires.
So Andrew voted against it.
The vote was defeated. Five in favor, six against.
If he were to be transferred to Landhill in this situation, his vote would be lost and a new member would be elected. Then, could a fair person who was not influenced by Count Graham become a member?
He thought of the young lord who had been brimming with confidence. Even aside from the fact that he was a royal, Carson was not the type of person who could be the lord of a small estate based on his accomplishments so far. However, he was not in a position to dream anymore.
Andrew spent a long time in the carriage on the way home, clutching his complicated head.
***
The night after the banquet, Carson called Noah to his office. While waiting for the aide, Carson recalled the conversation the two men and women had had in the lounge.
“Did you call?”
Instead of answering, Carson tapped his fingers on his desk.
“The smell of money...”
“Yes?”
The Count’s daughter had clearly said so. Carson had an incredible sense of money.
“There’s something I need you to find out secretly and quickly.”
Noah tensed up at the sharp voice he rarely heard.
“Go ahead.”
“Find out the details of the Swenden family’s financial situation.”
“Yes? What do you mean? Are you really trying to find out the size of the dowry?”
Noah furrowed his brows involuntarily at the shameless order. It was not something that the person who had made him such a philistine should have said. Moreover, considering the extent of his wealth, the dowry the Viscount’s daughter would bring was no different from a single teardrop falling into the river.
“Ines Swenden is indeed quite intriguing, but I’m not romantic enough to decide to marry after one dance.”
“Then why is that...?”
He swept back his flowing black hair with his hand that was tapping the desk. His golden eyes beneath his straight forehead sparkled with curiosity and interest.
“If Swenden becomes part of Landhill, Graham will lose it. I need to know that.”
If it was about smelling money, as Count Graham had said, Carson was unrivaled.
“So search everything thoroughly. Even every candlestick in the house.”
***
At that moment, Ines was in the carriage going home.
“Did you have a good day?”
Susan asked, caressing the dress of the lady sitting across from her. Ines laughed pleasantly at that question.
It was a long time ago, but Ines had never stayed in a banquet hall for this long. Susan also knew that Joseph was coming to the banquet that day.
“What do you want to know?”
And since Ines had also asked Susan to get her a portrait of Carson, it would be natural for her to be curious about Ines’ day.
“No, it’s just... I wondered if you danced.”
Ines bit her lower lip for a moment when asked if she had danced. Susan leaned forward at that sight, her eyes sparkling.
“Did you dance? With a nobleman from which family?”
It had been over ten years since Ines had danced with her father at the banquet. The noble women of the Keynes Empire began learning all kinds of dances the moment they could walk and wear small shoes called santéjuse, which were modeled after women’s shoes. It meant that they could dance as easily as breathing from a very young age.
“With the Count.”
Still, Ines was unsure. There were still moments when she felt it was new that she could walk without limping.
“Yes?”
“His Highness.”
While she was walking down the long stairs with her hand on his arm, Ines mentally estimated her steps. It wasn’t much help when she didn’t know what dance to start with.
But the moment she met his eyes, all her worries disappeared.
“Really?”
“You thought I’d lie about that.”
“Ah.”
Susan made a dreamlike expression. And Ines walked the same dream path as her.
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