Anyway, I had to make a decision before the song ended.
I nodded after doing a quick calculation.
“Yes. I’ll turn right, so over there.”
"Gladly."
Dmitry bowed gracefully and stepped back. The second song ended just as I returned to my place.
Laskan gently reached out his hand.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
“Oh, can I go out now?”
"Yes."
I placed my hand over the back of his extended hand.
People started moving outward little by little, making the circle a little bigger than it was before.
Vaslitskaya's dance was a dance with a slightly faster tempo, and the dance itself was complex and required a lot of space.
While the orchestra took a short intermission, the people lined up. It was the beginning of a very lively dance. Right arms were raised high and knees were bent in greeting.
I crossed my arms with Laskan three times as we had practiced, then took his hand and began to waltz gracefully.
Not even a minute later, I was panting again.
How do you all dance so well without losing your breath? I fell over several times while learning this.
My opinion was that the dances of the social circle were overly long, difficult, and unnecessarily complicated. I was barely concentrating on following along when Laskan suddenly asked me.
“Are you ready?”
"Yes?"
“If you have a hard time, lean on me.”
I realized a little later that it was a sign.
The waltz picked up speed and became more and more brisk.
I leaned back completely, leaning on his hand. I knew how heavy I would become if I let go of my strength, but I had no time to think about anything else.
Luckily, Laskan was there to support me and help me get back on my feet.
“Honestly, I guess I’m just terrible at dancing.”
“Still, I felt it a lot.”
He brought his forehead to mine as he panted and smiled softly.
When I listened to his soft, low voice, my stomach felt warm as if it was rumbling. No matter how many times I listened to it, it was a really good voice.
I smiled and replied with a sense of relief that I had successfully completed the difficult part.
“At first, I stepped on the shoes of the party, and then I fell over.”
“That’s how everyone is at first.”
"Lie."
“Why don’t you believe me?”
“I can’t believe that someone like you could make a mistake.”
“I have never once lied to Your Highness.”
“Not even once?”
“Not even once.”
Even though I was out of breath, I kept asking him questions, and he answered.
I kept looking into Laskan's eyes throughout the waltz. When I was in his gaze, I could really feel what it felt like to be completely loved by one person.
The waltz was gradually reaching its midpoint. The notes were changing quickly and briskly. It was time to change dance partners.
I felt a sense of regret because I had so much fun dancing with Laskan, but it only lasted a moment.
The moment when I release Laskan's hand in sync with the movement, bends ny knees to greet him, turns around ,and tries to grab Dmitry's hand.
“...!”
When I came to my senses, I was in Laskan's arms again.
He pulled me deep into the hollow of my waist and hugged me. Then he held my hand tightly so that I couldn't escape.
While I was just gaping in bewilderment, Thalia cleverly skipped over us and grabbed Dmitry's hand.
The chaotic formation was reorganized like flowing water and the waltz began again.
“Laskan, what the heck is this...”
Laskan seemed momentarily speechless at my question. Judging from his bewildered expression, it seemed like he had intercepted me without any intention, but rather it was an action close to instinct.
After a moment of silence, he said,
“...It was a mistake.”
“..."
“I’m still not good at dancing.”
That was the lameest excuse I've ever heard because Laskan's dance was more precise than ever.
So I could see clearly that Laskan simply did not want to share my dance with Dmitry.
I was so embarrassed and my heart was so ticklish that I could only whisper in a reassuring tone.
“Why is dancing so childish?”
“...I’ve been greedy since I was born.”
He buried his head in the crook of my neck and spoke as if he was sighing. My ear tingled.
“I guess I had to have all of Your Highness’s first dances.”
“If it was my first dance in life, we already danced together at the Duke’s residence, and if it was my first dance as a debut, I went back to His Majesty.”
“...Family is an exception.”
I couldn't help but laugh at the serious tone he spoke in. I never knew that this cold-looking man could be so cutely jealous.
Even though I was the center of everyone's excited gaze, I was finally able to relax and smile without any worries.
Perhaps after this dance, I will have to dance a third dance with Dmitry. But for now, I have decided to enjoy this moment completely. I no longer see anything else but him and me.
I leaned against his solid chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat, and danced as if entranced by something. Every movement felt overly vivid.
All the flavors and scents, lights, and darkness of the world seemed to bloom and fade between our feet and hands. It was slow yet fast, quiet yet passionate.
Finally, the waltz that seemed like it would last forever ended. Still looking into each other's eyes, we slowly untied our hands, our waists, and our entangled legs.
It was then that I came to my senses at the sound of people's cheers.
When I raised my head, I saw the round dome on the top of the stage, decorated with jewels and representing celestial bodies, slowly opening. A cannon fired to announce the successful opening of the New Year's Festival, filling the dark night sky.
A splendid and wonderful halo of light. The sound of champagne being poured in one go, along with cheers, echoed throughout the banquet hall.
It was now the height of the New Year's ball.
“Did you see it?”
“Seeing that Lord Ashkabad hugging Her Highness like that, forgetting even etiquette, it seems like the rumors are really true.”
“He's never once been seduced by many single ladies over the years, right?”
“Thanks to that, his taste was questioned a little.”
The ladies who were waving their fans simultaneously burst into laughter. One of them added, glancing at the woman sitting nearby.
“From our perspective, it is a joyous thing that Her Highness the Princess has returned and that the Duke is also interested in her...”
“It’s not polite to his fiancée-to-be. Poor LadyKairak.”
“If you look at it that way, Her Highness the Princess has a longer relationship...”
Veronica stood up from her seat. The ladies surrounding her fell silent as the woman who had been standing still suddenly moved.
But she just took a man's hand and proudly left the place with the man.
As if the intentional commotion that had been happening around her had never been heard in the first place, not even her picturesque smile wavered.
The debts of the noble ladies, who could not even breathe properly, became busy again as she disappeared into the crowd.
“Do you still think she is the Emperor’s heir?”
“They say they have no choice but to drag it into a competition for succession, but wouldn’t that give her some chance of winning?”
“From what I heard...”
Veronica snorted softly at the distant sound of voices. Until just a few months ago, they had been anxious to show off their friendship to her.
It was not surprising that among them, the person who had been the most vocal in criticizing her was the Lady of Count of Dover.
“Why are you just quietly listening to that kind of talk?”
Veronica looked up at the man holding her hand.
Zachary. She knew from the start that there was a kind of desperate sincerity in his dark eyes.
She just pretended not to know for a long time. She had been talking about getting engaged to his cousin since she was thirteen.
Even without that engagement, she was too valuable a woman to him. The Duke of Kairak would never give his daughter to a vassal of Ashkabad, even if he died.
She knew that fact better than anyone else. Nevertheless, the man's desperation gave her new images every time.
Veronica said with a sigh.
“Zachary, I told you I didn’t need an escort.”
“Let’s not stay here and go dance.”
“...”
“Let’s dance like crazy, with me.”
Veronica, who had been listening quietly, snickered.
“Zachary Barbarossa Zeven Ol Ashkabad. Are you someone who can dance ‘like a boss’? Unless your name has ‘Sol’ in it instead of ‘Ol’.”
Her tone was not intended to be insulting, but was calm, as if she were simply stating facts.
Zachary's face turned pale for a moment, then quickly turned bright red.
Veronica suddenly looked up and stared blankly at the two people in the middle of the banquet hall. Then she folded her fan and patted Zachary on the cheek.
“What’s the big deal? He was never my person to begin with.”
“...But you liked my cousin.”
“This kid. How old are you to still be talking?”
“If the Princess hadn’t existed, you would have gladly married him.”
“Zachary.”
Her blue eyes sank fiercely.
At her call, Zachary raised his head gloomily. Veronica looked into his own blue eyes.
The color was the same, but hers was too light and he was too dark. Just like the hair color of Laskan, whom she once loved so much.
“I gave up on the idea of marrying for love after I was ten.”
“...”
“So you too, give up.”
The voice fell colder than expected.
She saw the hand of the man standing in front of her suddenly tighten. Veronica looked away indifferently.
“If you’re going to just stand there like that, take me to the garden. It’s stuffy here.”
She said, taking a glass of champagne from the servant's tray. She could feel her father's gritting gaze.
Perhaps when she returned home tonight, the maid's cheeks would be swollen instead of hers. Veronica swallowed the sharp pain in her stomach with champagne.
“Are you okay?”
“...”
“It was your seat. That seat, my cousin, everything, everything...”
I nodded after doing a quick calculation.
“Yes. I’ll turn right, so over there.”
"Gladly."
Dmitry bowed gracefully and stepped back. The second song ended just as I returned to my place.
Laskan gently reached out his hand.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
“Oh, can I go out now?”
"Yes."
I placed my hand over the back of his extended hand.
People started moving outward little by little, making the circle a little bigger than it was before.
Vaslitskaya's dance was a dance with a slightly faster tempo, and the dance itself was complex and required a lot of space.
While the orchestra took a short intermission, the people lined up. It was the beginning of a very lively dance. Right arms were raised high and knees were bent in greeting.
I crossed my arms with Laskan three times as we had practiced, then took his hand and began to waltz gracefully.
Not even a minute later, I was panting again.
How do you all dance so well without losing your breath? I fell over several times while learning this.
My opinion was that the dances of the social circle were overly long, difficult, and unnecessarily complicated. I was barely concentrating on following along when Laskan suddenly asked me.
“Are you ready?”
"Yes?"
“If you have a hard time, lean on me.”
I realized a little later that it was a sign.
The waltz picked up speed and became more and more brisk.
I leaned back completely, leaning on his hand. I knew how heavy I would become if I let go of my strength, but I had no time to think about anything else.
Luckily, Laskan was there to support me and help me get back on my feet.
“Honestly, I guess I’m just terrible at dancing.”
“Still, I felt it a lot.”
He brought his forehead to mine as he panted and smiled softly.
When I listened to his soft, low voice, my stomach felt warm as if it was rumbling. No matter how many times I listened to it, it was a really good voice.
I smiled and replied with a sense of relief that I had successfully completed the difficult part.
“At first, I stepped on the shoes of the party, and then I fell over.”
“That’s how everyone is at first.”
"Lie."
“Why don’t you believe me?”
“I can’t believe that someone like you could make a mistake.”
“I have never once lied to Your Highness.”
“Not even once?”
“Not even once.”
Even though I was out of breath, I kept asking him questions, and he answered.
I kept looking into Laskan's eyes throughout the waltz. When I was in his gaze, I could really feel what it felt like to be completely loved by one person.
The waltz was gradually reaching its midpoint. The notes were changing quickly and briskly. It was time to change dance partners.
I felt a sense of regret because I had so much fun dancing with Laskan, but it only lasted a moment.
The moment when I release Laskan's hand in sync with the movement, bends ny knees to greet him, turns around ,and tries to grab Dmitry's hand.
“...!”
When I came to my senses, I was in Laskan's arms again.
He pulled me deep into the hollow of my waist and hugged me. Then he held my hand tightly so that I couldn't escape.
While I was just gaping in bewilderment, Thalia cleverly skipped over us and grabbed Dmitry's hand.
The chaotic formation was reorganized like flowing water and the waltz began again.
“Laskan, what the heck is this...”
Laskan seemed momentarily speechless at my question. Judging from his bewildered expression, it seemed like he had intercepted me without any intention, but rather it was an action close to instinct.
After a moment of silence, he said,
“...It was a mistake.”
“..."
“I’m still not good at dancing.”
That was the lameest excuse I've ever heard because Laskan's dance was more precise than ever.
So I could see clearly that Laskan simply did not want to share my dance with Dmitry.
I was so embarrassed and my heart was so ticklish that I could only whisper in a reassuring tone.
“Why is dancing so childish?”
“...I’ve been greedy since I was born.”
He buried his head in the crook of my neck and spoke as if he was sighing. My ear tingled.
“I guess I had to have all of Your Highness’s first dances.”
“If it was my first dance in life, we already danced together at the Duke’s residence, and if it was my first dance as a debut, I went back to His Majesty.”
“...Family is an exception.”
I couldn't help but laugh at the serious tone he spoke in. I never knew that this cold-looking man could be so cutely jealous.
Even though I was the center of everyone's excited gaze, I was finally able to relax and smile without any worries.
Perhaps after this dance, I will have to dance a third dance with Dmitry. But for now, I have decided to enjoy this moment completely. I no longer see anything else but him and me.
I leaned against his solid chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat, and danced as if entranced by something. Every movement felt overly vivid.
All the flavors and scents, lights, and darkness of the world seemed to bloom and fade between our feet and hands. It was slow yet fast, quiet yet passionate.
Finally, the waltz that seemed like it would last forever ended. Still looking into each other's eyes, we slowly untied our hands, our waists, and our entangled legs.
It was then that I came to my senses at the sound of people's cheers.
When I raised my head, I saw the round dome on the top of the stage, decorated with jewels and representing celestial bodies, slowly opening. A cannon fired to announce the successful opening of the New Year's Festival, filling the dark night sky.
A splendid and wonderful halo of light. The sound of champagne being poured in one go, along with cheers, echoed throughout the banquet hall.
It was now the height of the New Year's ball.
***
“Did you see it?”
“Seeing that Lord Ashkabad hugging Her Highness like that, forgetting even etiquette, it seems like the rumors are really true.”
“He's never once been seduced by many single ladies over the years, right?”
“Thanks to that, his taste was questioned a little.”
The ladies who were waving their fans simultaneously burst into laughter. One of them added, glancing at the woman sitting nearby.
“From our perspective, it is a joyous thing that Her Highness the Princess has returned and that the Duke is also interested in her...”
“It’s not polite to his fiancée-to-be. Poor LadyKairak.”
“If you look at it that way, Her Highness the Princess has a longer relationship...”
Veronica stood up from her seat. The ladies surrounding her fell silent as the woman who had been standing still suddenly moved.
But she just took a man's hand and proudly left the place with the man.
As if the intentional commotion that had been happening around her had never been heard in the first place, not even her picturesque smile wavered.
The debts of the noble ladies, who could not even breathe properly, became busy again as she disappeared into the crowd.
“Do you still think she is the Emperor’s heir?”
“They say they have no choice but to drag it into a competition for succession, but wouldn’t that give her some chance of winning?”
“From what I heard...”
Veronica snorted softly at the distant sound of voices. Until just a few months ago, they had been anxious to show off their friendship to her.
It was not surprising that among them, the person who had been the most vocal in criticizing her was the Lady of Count of Dover.
“Why are you just quietly listening to that kind of talk?”
Veronica looked up at the man holding her hand.
Zachary. She knew from the start that there was a kind of desperate sincerity in his dark eyes.
She just pretended not to know for a long time. She had been talking about getting engaged to his cousin since she was thirteen.
Even without that engagement, she was too valuable a woman to him. The Duke of Kairak would never give his daughter to a vassal of Ashkabad, even if he died.
She knew that fact better than anyone else. Nevertheless, the man's desperation gave her new images every time.
Veronica said with a sigh.
“Zachary, I told you I didn’t need an escort.”
“Let’s not stay here and go dance.”
“...”
“Let’s dance like crazy, with me.”
Veronica, who had been listening quietly, snickered.
“Zachary Barbarossa Zeven Ol Ashkabad. Are you someone who can dance ‘like a boss’? Unless your name has ‘Sol’ in it instead of ‘Ol’.”
Her tone was not intended to be insulting, but was calm, as if she were simply stating facts.
Zachary's face turned pale for a moment, then quickly turned bright red.
Veronica suddenly looked up and stared blankly at the two people in the middle of the banquet hall. Then she folded her fan and patted Zachary on the cheek.
“What’s the big deal? He was never my person to begin with.”
“...But you liked my cousin.”
“This kid. How old are you to still be talking?”
“If the Princess hadn’t existed, you would have gladly married him.”
“Zachary.”
Her blue eyes sank fiercely.
At her call, Zachary raised his head gloomily. Veronica looked into his own blue eyes.
The color was the same, but hers was too light and he was too dark. Just like the hair color of Laskan, whom she once loved so much.
“I gave up on the idea of marrying for love after I was ten.”
“...”
“So you too, give up.”
The voice fell colder than expected.
She saw the hand of the man standing in front of her suddenly tighten. Veronica looked away indifferently.
“If you’re going to just stand there like that, take me to the garden. It’s stuffy here.”
She said, taking a glass of champagne from the servant's tray. She could feel her father's gritting gaze.
Perhaps when she returned home tonight, the maid's cheeks would be swollen instead of hers. Veronica swallowed the sharp pain in her stomach with champagne.
“Are you okay?”
“...”
“It was your seat. That seat, my cousin, everything, everything...”
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