I caught his lips loosening for a split second.
The change was even more dramatic because his face had never smiled at all. It was just a single smile, no different from usual, but it tickled my heart.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I hid behind Blie and Ephero.
When Rhodnes smiled faintly, the reactions of the surrounding ladies were amazing.
A beautiful, single Crown Prince would have been enough to set their hearts on fire.
As His Majesty the Emperor welcomed him, servants waiting at the edge of the hall began to bring out champagne.
As champagne was being poured into everyone's hands, His Majesty the Emperor's previously feeble voice suddenly gained strength.
“I, Julius Ronta, now acknowledge and reflect on my past mistakes, and appoint my second Prince Rhodnes, the fruit of my love and my proud son, as the greatest star of the empire!”
For a moment a great silence filled the hall.
When the words 'recognition and reflection' came out of the Emperor's mouth, the people who had been holding their breath began to stir.
At that time.
The Ephero in front of me was the first to raise his champagne glass to the ceiling.
“Glory be to God!”
Beginning with Ephero's loud voice, those who had come to their senses began to shout along with him.
The nobles who had completely turned to Rhodnes's forces were particularly uproarious.
“Prosperity to Ronta!”
“Loyalty to the Emperor!”
The tense atmosphere of Atilchad Hall gave a round of applause to Ronta's new biggest star.
After the Emperor opened his mouth, a faint smile appeared on Rhodnes' somewhat stiff face.
The hall took on a truly festive atmosphere as the orchestras at the bottom of the staircase began to tune their instruments.
Soon, as the main character, Rhodnes, begins his first dance, everyone will run out and dance alone.
I stood there frozen for a while, my heart pounding in my chest for no reason.
Now, in front of everyone, Rhodnes, who had become the true Crown Prince, slowly came down to the first floor like a main character.
And without a single second of hesitation, he approached our group.
I realized that everyone's eyes were on us.
Interest, wariness, jealousy. All kinds of emotions came rushing out of them like waves, hitting me and Blie.
When Rhodnes, who I thought would go to Blie, came to me as if it was natural, people started to murmur.
Blie and I were dressed so differently that even people who didn't know us well could tell us apart.
“It looks like you’re in trouble without a partner.”
It was clear that it was a great interest that Rhodnes came to me instead of Blie, who was known to be her lover.
“Do you need help?”
As a mischievous smile appeared on his face, which seemed to have been carved by God, gasps were heard from those around him.
I paused for a moment and then carefully came out from behind Ephero.
“...Yes, I need it.”
And without hesitation, I reached out to Rhodnes and grabbed his hand.
Rhodnes laughed.
It was a sparkling smile worthy of the title of Great Star of the Empire.
The hands that held me tightly as if they would never let me go were hot as if they were holding fire even though I was wearing gloves.
“Adrienne.”
I don't even remember how I started dancing.
It felt like cold sweat was breaking out on the back and hands that Rhodnes had touched.
In a place where so many people's eyes are focused on you.
I am Adrienne, and he is Rhodnes.
It was my first time dancing without wearing a mask or borrowing someone else's body.
“Do you remember the first time we danced?”
I spun around without saying a word.
After spinning around, I had to take a step back and bend my knees, but Rhodnes put me back in his arms as if there was no next move. Even though the music wasn't that fast, I was out of breath.
“When you first walked in here, holding your brother’s hand, my heart stopped beating. A masquerade ball is a place where you can’t tell who’s who, but I recognized you right away.”
Naturally, I thought back to that day.
As soon as he appeared, among the rare Royal Academy masks, Noevian was holding a rose in his front pocket. That day when I had been foolishly deceived.
“I remembered belatedly what I said about wanting to share sweet champagne when I become an adult. I should have prepared the best thing in the world in advance. When I met you and showed you my eyes, I was worried and anxious about how you would react, so I only remembered it then.”
“...Roan.”
“I was looking for champagne in a hurry. I got a little drunk because I tried everything to find the sweetest one. Funny enough, getting a little drunk gave me courage. I felt like my heart was going to burst when I walked up to you, who was standing outside, blowing the wind, and handed you the champagne.”
I was the one whose heart was about to burst right now.
I remember that day clearly.
That time when I came back from the 'Little Forest' with Noevian, who showed me his face and deceived me into believing he was Roan.
Noevian, who was feeling a bit awkward, went to find champagne and said he would bring something to drink, and soon came back wearing his mask again.
“...That was you?”
Without saying a word, Rhodnes grabbed my waist with both hands, lifted me up, and smiled faintly.
That was the answer.
Only then did the space where we had been talking as if it were just the two of us feel real, and at the same time, I felt strange goosebumps as if I had briefly traveled back in time.
“As soon as I handed you the champagne, you greeted me with, ‘I’m glad you came back early, Ann.’ I was beside myself. I felt thrilled that you recognized me right away without any doubt. I danced, danced, and danced. It was the first time in my life that I danced so excitedly and happily.”
It wasn't a dance between Noevian and me.
Since it was a masquerade ball, I welcomed the person who appeared again wearing a mask and holding champagne without any suspicion.
“I had no idea. I couldn’t even imagine that my brother and the Grand Duke would do something like that.”
Oh, stupid Adrienne.
“My brother took you away. I was just waiting for the music to come back on and for you to dance...”
It was hard to listen any longer. He didn't continue speaking either.
After a while, Noevian and I, who had brought champagne under the mask, would have danced again.
Without even realizing that the person under the mask had changed, the thrill of throbbing first love blew away even the slightly awkward feeling.
The dance got faster.
I didn't even know how my feet were moving, but Rhodnes led me with amazing perfection.
I listened a little more intently, leaving my body completely in his hands.
“I was jealous, but I had to go straight to the battlefield. In fact, I should have gone to battle the day before. It’s not your fault, Adrienne. I kept putting it off so that I wouldn’t show you my eyes as much as possible. I thought I would send you the proposal first, and then run east with the news of victory to show you my eyes. And I wanted to be the one who could confidently tell you not to dance with anyone else but me.”
And on the battlefield, he would have heard the news of Noevian and my marriage.
We danced as if we had had a lot of conversation with each other without saying anything else.
It was familiar music.
The song we had our first dance together when we were 20, the song I danced with him as Blie, and the song we're dancing to now are the same.
The familiar music was repeated three times.
As if Lord Rhodnes had told them to do so.
Drinking alcohol.
Dancing.
Drinking again.
I danced.
It felt like the sky was spinning even when standing still when the party was so full that one or two drunken people started to leave for the golden fountain in the center of the hall.
We left the Atilchad Hall and boarded the carriage.
I was already out of breath as I sat down, playing hide-and-seek.
But as if to compensate for the sorrow of my childhood, Rhodes mercilessly pulled me to sit on his lap.
And then, without saying a word, he pulled the back of my head and explored my lips.
I was out of breath and pushed away his shoulders, but I finally gave in, suffocating from the heat he gave me.
Rhodes wasn't drunk at all, because he barely drank.
But it seemed as if my intoxication had quickly transferred to Rhodnes, and his marble face, which was immersed in me with his eyes closed, was flushed red.
Just as I was about to open my lips, the carriage had already stopped.
“If only I had been braver that day.”
“...Roan?”
I was nervous as the old story suddenly started again. Rhodnes stared at my wet lips, rubbing them with her thumb.
In contrast to his calm face, his eyes, reflecting the moonlight, were filled with undiminished heat.
“So if I could take off my mask and talk to you...”
He opened the carriage door without taking his eyes off me.
“I had something to say to you.”
I got out of the carriage and followed him as if I was possessed.
“This is...”
It was Starlight Hill.
In the letters I exchanged with Rhodnes, I always sang about wanting to see it if I went to the capital and that beautiful and sad hill that I had come to with him in the body of Blie.
Maybe it's because I'm a little drunk.
I spun around in place as if more twinkling stars were pouring down on me than the last time I was here.
Rhodnes supported me with a slightly stiff face and put his arm around my shoulder.
“There were some troublemakers last time, but on second thought, I think it would be better to show them here.”
When a low whispering voice settled on my ear like night fog.
From beyond the hill, thousands, if not tens of thousands of stars poured down on me.
“Ro...an?”
I rubbed my eyes once and stared blankly at the sight.
The stars rose slowly like the dawn sun, but the halos of light scattered in all directions, filling my eyes whether I looked to the side or behind.
It was as if the stars were falling and floating in the sky.
I slowly left Rhodnes' embrace and climbed up the low hill.
The stars floating across the sky followed me and soon flew away towards the pitch-black night sky, shining like perfect stars.
I couldn't help but stare open-mouthed at the sight of tens of thousands of meteors preparing to rain down on me.
I stared at it like an idiot for a while, and then when I saw Rhodnes following me up the hill, tears welled up in my eyes for no reason.
In this lake of brilliant stars.
Rhodnes, the most beautiful and greatest star in the empire, was so beautiful that it made my heart ache.
"...How is it?"
"What?"
I suppressed my tears that were welling up for no reason and asked.
“These fireflies.”
The man, who was like the brightest star, whispered quietly.
Ah, fireflies.
It was only then that I realized that the halo of light was the firefly he had briefly shown me before.
Thinking about Rossi, who used fireflies as torches, I also thought of Rhodnes, who used to visit Rossi often.
Did he summon all these fireflies with his magic?
“You know what, Adrienne?”
Rhodnes came closer to me.
“Those fireflies only dance and shine like that to ask one female firefly to choose them.”
I held his hand tightly, not knowing what it meant.
“I’m courting you now, you know.”
Rhodnes said with a smileless face.
“Be my Crown Princess.”
The two eyes, still filled with a warmth that had not yet cooled down, were shining earnestly.
“I will cover all the sad memories with good ones. I will take you to the most sparkling and beautiful place in the world. I will become the strong, kind, and beautiful knight you have always wanted to be since you were young and protect you for the rest of your life.”
Among the flying stars.
I looked up quietly into the eyes of the man who was like the brightest star.
The yellow and green sparkling lights of fireflies were twinkling there as if stardust had been sprinkled there.
“As the Crown Princess of Ronta, please stay by my side.”
Without hesitation, the most splendidly dressed Rhodnes I have ever seen knelt down on both knees, placed my hands together, and kissed my fingertips.
“I will rise to that position so that no one can dare to hurt you. You will also be by my side.”
Long eyelashes cast dark shadows along his lowered eyes.
His hands, trembling with longing, tickled my palms and heart without mercy.
As his hot, trembling lips parted, I answered, holding back my tears.
“No, I don’t like it.”
The change was even more dramatic because his face had never smiled at all. It was just a single smile, no different from usual, but it tickled my heart.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I hid behind Blie and Ephero.
When Rhodnes smiled faintly, the reactions of the surrounding ladies were amazing.
A beautiful, single Crown Prince would have been enough to set their hearts on fire.
As His Majesty the Emperor welcomed him, servants waiting at the edge of the hall began to bring out champagne.
As champagne was being poured into everyone's hands, His Majesty the Emperor's previously feeble voice suddenly gained strength.
“I, Julius Ronta, now acknowledge and reflect on my past mistakes, and appoint my second Prince Rhodnes, the fruit of my love and my proud son, as the greatest star of the empire!”
For a moment a great silence filled the hall.
When the words 'recognition and reflection' came out of the Emperor's mouth, the people who had been holding their breath began to stir.
At that time.
The Ephero in front of me was the first to raise his champagne glass to the ceiling.
“Glory be to God!”
Beginning with Ephero's loud voice, those who had come to their senses began to shout along with him.
The nobles who had completely turned to Rhodnes's forces were particularly uproarious.
“Prosperity to Ronta!”
“Loyalty to the Emperor!”
The tense atmosphere of Atilchad Hall gave a round of applause to Ronta's new biggest star.
After the Emperor opened his mouth, a faint smile appeared on Rhodnes' somewhat stiff face.
The hall took on a truly festive atmosphere as the orchestras at the bottom of the staircase began to tune their instruments.
Soon, as the main character, Rhodnes, begins his first dance, everyone will run out and dance alone.
I stood there frozen for a while, my heart pounding in my chest for no reason.
Now, in front of everyone, Rhodnes, who had become the true Crown Prince, slowly came down to the first floor like a main character.
And without a single second of hesitation, he approached our group.
I realized that everyone's eyes were on us.
Interest, wariness, jealousy. All kinds of emotions came rushing out of them like waves, hitting me and Blie.
When Rhodnes, who I thought would go to Blie, came to me as if it was natural, people started to murmur.
Blie and I were dressed so differently that even people who didn't know us well could tell us apart.
“It looks like you’re in trouble without a partner.”
It was clear that it was a great interest that Rhodnes came to me instead of Blie, who was known to be her lover.
“Do you need help?”
As a mischievous smile appeared on his face, which seemed to have been carved by God, gasps were heard from those around him.
I paused for a moment and then carefully came out from behind Ephero.
“...Yes, I need it.”
And without hesitation, I reached out to Rhodnes and grabbed his hand.
Rhodnes laughed.
It was a sparkling smile worthy of the title of Great Star of the Empire.
The hands that held me tightly as if they would never let me go were hot as if they were holding fire even though I was wearing gloves.
“Adrienne.”
I don't even remember how I started dancing.
It felt like cold sweat was breaking out on the back and hands that Rhodnes had touched.
In a place where so many people's eyes are focused on you.
I am Adrienne, and he is Rhodnes.
It was my first time dancing without wearing a mask or borrowing someone else's body.
“Do you remember the first time we danced?”
I spun around without saying a word.
After spinning around, I had to take a step back and bend my knees, but Rhodnes put me back in his arms as if there was no next move. Even though the music wasn't that fast, I was out of breath.
“When you first walked in here, holding your brother’s hand, my heart stopped beating. A masquerade ball is a place where you can’t tell who’s who, but I recognized you right away.”
Naturally, I thought back to that day.
As soon as he appeared, among the rare Royal Academy masks, Noevian was holding a rose in his front pocket. That day when I had been foolishly deceived.
“I remembered belatedly what I said about wanting to share sweet champagne when I become an adult. I should have prepared the best thing in the world in advance. When I met you and showed you my eyes, I was worried and anxious about how you would react, so I only remembered it then.”
“...Roan.”
“I was looking for champagne in a hurry. I got a little drunk because I tried everything to find the sweetest one. Funny enough, getting a little drunk gave me courage. I felt like my heart was going to burst when I walked up to you, who was standing outside, blowing the wind, and handed you the champagne.”
I was the one whose heart was about to burst right now.
I remember that day clearly.
That time when I came back from the 'Little Forest' with Noevian, who showed me his face and deceived me into believing he was Roan.
Noevian, who was feeling a bit awkward, went to find champagne and said he would bring something to drink, and soon came back wearing his mask again.
“...That was you?”
Without saying a word, Rhodnes grabbed my waist with both hands, lifted me up, and smiled faintly.
That was the answer.
Only then did the space where we had been talking as if it were just the two of us feel real, and at the same time, I felt strange goosebumps as if I had briefly traveled back in time.
“As soon as I handed you the champagne, you greeted me with, ‘I’m glad you came back early, Ann.’ I was beside myself. I felt thrilled that you recognized me right away without any doubt. I danced, danced, and danced. It was the first time in my life that I danced so excitedly and happily.”
It wasn't a dance between Noevian and me.
Since it was a masquerade ball, I welcomed the person who appeared again wearing a mask and holding champagne without any suspicion.
“I had no idea. I couldn’t even imagine that my brother and the Grand Duke would do something like that.”
Oh, stupid Adrienne.
“My brother took you away. I was just waiting for the music to come back on and for you to dance...”
It was hard to listen any longer. He didn't continue speaking either.
After a while, Noevian and I, who had brought champagne under the mask, would have danced again.
Without even realizing that the person under the mask had changed, the thrill of throbbing first love blew away even the slightly awkward feeling.
The dance got faster.
I didn't even know how my feet were moving, but Rhodnes led me with amazing perfection.
I listened a little more intently, leaving my body completely in his hands.
“I was jealous, but I had to go straight to the battlefield. In fact, I should have gone to battle the day before. It’s not your fault, Adrienne. I kept putting it off so that I wouldn’t show you my eyes as much as possible. I thought I would send you the proposal first, and then run east with the news of victory to show you my eyes. And I wanted to be the one who could confidently tell you not to dance with anyone else but me.”
And on the battlefield, he would have heard the news of Noevian and my marriage.
We danced as if we had had a lot of conversation with each other without saying anything else.
It was familiar music.
The song we had our first dance together when we were 20, the song I danced with him as Blie, and the song we're dancing to now are the same.
The familiar music was repeated three times.
As if Lord Rhodnes had told them to do so.
***
Drinking alcohol.
Dancing.
Drinking again.
I danced.
It felt like the sky was spinning even when standing still when the party was so full that one or two drunken people started to leave for the golden fountain in the center of the hall.
We left the Atilchad Hall and boarded the carriage.
I was already out of breath as I sat down, playing hide-and-seek.
But as if to compensate for the sorrow of my childhood, Rhodes mercilessly pulled me to sit on his lap.
And then, without saying a word, he pulled the back of my head and explored my lips.
I was out of breath and pushed away his shoulders, but I finally gave in, suffocating from the heat he gave me.
Rhodes wasn't drunk at all, because he barely drank.
But it seemed as if my intoxication had quickly transferred to Rhodnes, and his marble face, which was immersed in me with his eyes closed, was flushed red.
Just as I was about to open my lips, the carriage had already stopped.
“If only I had been braver that day.”
“...Roan?”
I was nervous as the old story suddenly started again. Rhodnes stared at my wet lips, rubbing them with her thumb.
In contrast to his calm face, his eyes, reflecting the moonlight, were filled with undiminished heat.
“So if I could take off my mask and talk to you...”
He opened the carriage door without taking his eyes off me.
“I had something to say to you.”
I got out of the carriage and followed him as if I was possessed.
“This is...”
It was Starlight Hill.
In the letters I exchanged with Rhodnes, I always sang about wanting to see it if I went to the capital and that beautiful and sad hill that I had come to with him in the body of Blie.
Maybe it's because I'm a little drunk.
I spun around in place as if more twinkling stars were pouring down on me than the last time I was here.
Rhodnes supported me with a slightly stiff face and put his arm around my shoulder.
“There were some troublemakers last time, but on second thought, I think it would be better to show them here.”
When a low whispering voice settled on my ear like night fog.
From beyond the hill, thousands, if not tens of thousands of stars poured down on me.
“Ro...an?”
I rubbed my eyes once and stared blankly at the sight.
The stars rose slowly like the dawn sun, but the halos of light scattered in all directions, filling my eyes whether I looked to the side or behind.
It was as if the stars were falling and floating in the sky.
I slowly left Rhodnes' embrace and climbed up the low hill.
The stars floating across the sky followed me and soon flew away towards the pitch-black night sky, shining like perfect stars.
I couldn't help but stare open-mouthed at the sight of tens of thousands of meteors preparing to rain down on me.
I stared at it like an idiot for a while, and then when I saw Rhodnes following me up the hill, tears welled up in my eyes for no reason.
In this lake of brilliant stars.
Rhodnes, the most beautiful and greatest star in the empire, was so beautiful that it made my heart ache.
"...How is it?"
"What?"
I suppressed my tears that were welling up for no reason and asked.
“These fireflies.”
The man, who was like the brightest star, whispered quietly.
Ah, fireflies.
It was only then that I realized that the halo of light was the firefly he had briefly shown me before.
Thinking about Rossi, who used fireflies as torches, I also thought of Rhodnes, who used to visit Rossi often.
Did he summon all these fireflies with his magic?
“You know what, Adrienne?”
Rhodnes came closer to me.
“Those fireflies only dance and shine like that to ask one female firefly to choose them.”
I held his hand tightly, not knowing what it meant.
“I’m courting you now, you know.”
Rhodnes said with a smileless face.
“Be my Crown Princess.”
The two eyes, still filled with a warmth that had not yet cooled down, were shining earnestly.
“I will cover all the sad memories with good ones. I will take you to the most sparkling and beautiful place in the world. I will become the strong, kind, and beautiful knight you have always wanted to be since you were young and protect you for the rest of your life.”
Among the flying stars.
I looked up quietly into the eyes of the man who was like the brightest star.
The yellow and green sparkling lights of fireflies were twinkling there as if stardust had been sprinkled there.
“As the Crown Princess of Ronta, please stay by my side.”
Without hesitation, the most splendidly dressed Rhodnes I have ever seen knelt down on both knees, placed my hands together, and kissed my fingertips.
“I will rise to that position so that no one can dare to hurt you. You will also be by my side.”
Long eyelashes cast dark shadows along his lowered eyes.
His hands, trembling with longing, tickled my palms and heart without mercy.
As his hot, trembling lips parted, I answered, holding back my tears.
“No, I don’t like it.”
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