"Did Madam ever go through this kind of upheaval?"
"Don't talk about it. Even if I only went to a place where people gathered, it was not a party. They were asking me what kind of government I was."
My face hardened at the word 'government'. Unable to hide my emotions in front of Janet, I hurriedly drank my glass. Janet trembled and held out another glass to me.
"Oh no, I made a mistake. But don't feel too uncomfortable. The Duchess knows that. There is a difference between His Majesty's love for your mother and his caring for me."
I suddenly took another glass and was embarrassed to see Madame Janet's sad face. It seemed like I was the one who made her sad.
"I'm sorry. That's what I mean..."
"No, ma'am. I have already cleared my mind about this part. Anyway, I caught His Majesty's eye because of my relationship with your mother. It's natural. He was just lonely."
He was just lonely. For a moment, I felt ashamed that the emperor had another woman by his side. The Emperor did not cheat, but set up a government to relieve his loneliness after the death of Edita's mother. The Emperor was also a human being, and it was natural that he would lose his reason when he was alone for a long time. I felt ashamed of how I had such a foolish grudge.
I was glad I didn't see the Emperor today. What would have happened if I had revealed this foolish feeling for a moment? To the father who raised Edita with so much love.
"Let's turn the topic around. How is your relationship with the Duke?"
Janet's change of topic has become even more ambiguous to me.
Between us? What kind of sentence can clearly express the relationship between us?
It was uncomfortable to be good and bad to be bad. He wanted Edita, and I didn't hate him either, but I don't know. I wondered if this could be simply described as love.
"Don't think too much, Ma'am. That's the problem with newlyweds. If you just eat well and sleep well in the evening, that's what makes you get along."
Janet's words with a smile hit me on the head.
"Now, are you going to sleep?"
"I shouldn't say this, but Lord Albrenovic is as great at night as he looks, isn't he? Among our older wives, the Duchess of Albrenovic is the most envied. Hohoho..."
Watching Janet laugh heartily, my eyes fell downwards and downwards, deeper into the depths.
Come to think of it, we've never done it since the first night!
How could I have forgotten this important fact? I was completely unaware of it. Since the beginning of the night, numerous incidents have occurred in a flash, and there was no time to pay attention to this issue.
But what about Brandt? Why is Brandt, who was immersed in a longing that would not decrease even if he scooped it up and scooped it out?
Is it simply because he is busy with political affairs? But in the evening, he comes home.
Of course, he may be tired from a lot of work and lose energy in the evening... It's the situation of an ordinary man, and the Brandt I saw in the early days was never a great man who would get tired of doing it. Even if I died, he was a man like a tireless stallion.
I looked up with disappointed eyes. Beyond the common room, I saw Brandt surrounded by people. He was physically superior to others, and he was particularly eye-catching.
His thick forearms and breasts that look wide and firm stand out even in the thick fabric. When pressed hard, what bounces off the strong muscles are the thighs and the legs that stand firm like trees that will never collapse. Manly hands and feet, attractive features, and smooth cheeks.
Suddenly, I felt an intense thirst. I took a sip of the small glass I was holding. My body soon warmed up, probably because of the alcohol, but my thirst got worse, probably because it was alcohol rather than water.
As I approached the table for another drink, I spotted Princess Lena approaching Brandt. I stared at it and raised the glass with my hand and drank it. Until I finished my drink, Princess Lena chattered in front of Brandt and didn't know how to leave.
'It's annoying.'
Janet grabbed my arm as I tried to move forward.
"It's time to go to the ballroom again, Duchess. I hope you don't get too drunk."
"It's okay. I just drank it because I was thirsty, I didn't get drunk."
I replied, leaning on Janet's arm without realizing it. My face seemed a little hot, but my mind was clear. It was just that Princess Lena was a little uncomfortable. I hated Princess Lena, not anyone else. Her determined face that tried to restrain me was still vivid today.
"...I'm not good at dancing. Many Young masters asked me to dance, but I couldn't believe it, so I refused all of them. I don't think there is a man in the capital who is as good at dancing as the Duke."
"That's a pity."
From afar, the voices of Princess Lena and Brandt were caught in my ears. My lists were strong.
"Duchess, calm down. Inhale."
Janet whispered something Impossible in my ear.
"It's not that, it's a ball asking you to dance with me."
"Dancing is not something a woman should ask, but a man should ask for it."
"Oh, then...?"
"Among the men who ask Your Highness, learn from a man who is good at dancing. I might recommend it to you."
Brandt's slightly rude yet firm words made my mouth rise. Princess Lena's sullen expression was complaining.
Princess Lena was also one of the many women who admired Brandt without much admiration. Those kids will definitely go later and complain about a small relationship like Countess Courtney.
"Lord Albrenovic, you are here. Her Royal Highness Princess Lena was also with you."
Janet threw an exaggerated voice between them. Princess Lena looked at Janet with a dissatisfied expression, spotted me, and closed her mouth. I greeted the Princess with a smile.
"It's been a long time, Your Highness Princess Lena."
"Lady...No, Duchess Albrenovitch. It's been a long time since I've seen you either."
Brandt looked at me with puzzled eyes. I was curious about why he looked at me like that, but he smiled at me for now. Brandt's eyes faltered.
Uh, why do you really like that?
"Madame Janet, if you don't have anything to do..."
"Oh my God! Duke. Haven't you danced for the first time yet?"
Princess Lena interrupted, and Janet intervened between her and Brandt. Even Brandt nodded, unable to hide his embarrassed expression.
"I haven't done it yet."
"Oh my God! The Duke was waiting for the Duchess! In a place like this, of course, you have to take the first dance with your wife."
Janet grabbed my wrist and dragged me in front of Brandt. I opened my eyes like a surprised rabbit and looked up at him. Brandt looked down at me with one eye, now even surprised.
"Come on!"
That's also for a while. We were close to Janet's roots.
Four shoes danced on the marble as if riding gentle waves to the music.
"You..."
Brandt, who had been serious for a long time, bowed his head in my face. At that moment, my feet moved at will.
"...Ugh!"
The face of Brandt, a soldier who commanded the battlefield at the unexpected blow, was distorted with anguish.
"I, I'm sorry. I did that on purpose..."
"Ugh!"
"Come to think of it. Sir Lawrence said that the heels of Sir Lawrence's new shoes are exceptionally sharp..."
"Ugh..!"
With every word, the shoes attacked Brandt's foot accurately. He gritted his teeth and tried to take a resolute attitude, but he couldn't stop the bursting moans.
I felt like crying at my feet, which exerted amazing gravity. It wasn't that I didn't try. In fact, I also learned to dance from Malcolm again. I will leave the current condition of his feet to my imagination.
I felt anxious that I would ruin my husband's feet. I threw myself into his arms. I could feel his muscles moving, elastic with his cheeks.
"You dance with me in your arms like at a reception."
Without delay, Brandt hugged me with all his might. As if waiting, his hard forearm wrapped around my waist, and my other hand supported my arm.
It was what I asked for, but when I danced in the arms of such a strong man, it felt like I was flying in the sky. Brandt's expression when he saw me like that was not good.
"I hope we go back soon."
"Does it hurt that much?"
When asked sullenly, Brandt frowned and squinted around.
"That's not it... Don't you feel that all the men are looking at you?"
His serious face almost made me laugh out loud. This man shows a lot of unexpected things today.
To be honest, I would be lying if I didn't feel it, but I just laughed. Brandt asked,
'Are you laughing?' When I frowned, I wanted to ask if he didn't know that so many women were looking at him.
But instead, I stop trying.
Brandt clicked his tongue and began to dance with a small eye in front of him.
Oh, this is a bit strange. No way?
"Did you pout?"
Brandt's eyebrows twitched once in question at my question. He looked at me with shaky eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, pouting..."
It was amazing that he, who was mostly expressionless, showed his emotions on his face, so l even pointed my finger at his eyebrows. Brandt shook his head with the puzzled look that Janet and I had when we first approached him.
"How much did you drink?"
Oh boy... Only then did I realize that my cheeks were still hot. I wasn't very drunk, but my face was hot with alcohol, so I was very tired. So that's how you saw it earlier?
"I drank a bit. It's really a joke... Oh no."
"It's a little bit."
"Maybe three drinks in the break room?"
"Why did you drink so much?"
He gritted his teeth as if he was holding back what he had to say.
"Is this something you are so dissatisfied with?"
I felt so good, but Brandt didn't. I smiled at him to relieve my mood.
"...I'm going crazy"
Brandt's facial muscles were strangely stiff.
***
As soon as one song was over, Brandt took me out. Soon, the servants he had called approached us.
"Are you already going to go?"
Madame Janet, who had been flirting with the others, felt a sense of urgency and approached us like a shot.
"As you can see, someone gave my wife a lot of alcohol, so I should go back."
"Oh no. The Duchess is a little drunk."
"No. I wasn't very drunk."
Brandt must have thought that Janet had given me a drink. It was she who encouraged me, but in the end, it was I who raised the glass. Maybe that's why, or maybe she's shameless in the face of other people's eyes, but Janet doesn't change her smile.
"It was a lot of fun, Madame Janet. Then next time..."
"Duchess Albrenovitch!"
As I was about to say goodbye to Janet, a familiar voice called me urgently. Behind Janet's body, the Count of Serie appeared. He was a character who did not fit into the perfect finale.
"Before you go, I want to ask the Duchess to dance one last time."
"But I'm in trouble now."
"Are you rejecting me again this time?"
The Count of Serie looked at me with relentless eyes. He was a man who insisted that I didn't recognize him even at the reception. Catch the day you leave here. He was the owner of a fatal backend.
"Yes. Just do it once. The Count of Serie is very good at dancing."
In addition, Madame Janet, who had been protecting me so far, also sided with the Count of Serie this time.
'The Count of Serie was her adopted son.'
I couldn't refuse Madame Janet's adopted son, who helped me at the ball. The moment I raised my head to respond to the request, a funny thought crossed my mind.
"My wife was going home with me."
"It's okay."
Brandt, who was very uncomfortable planting, tried to stand in the way, but I shook my head. Then I pointed down with a wink. His eyes turned to my feet, and I splashed the heels of my shoes on the floor. Brandt, noticing my intentions, nodded obediently.
"After this song, you have to give my wife back, Count of Serie."
"I know, Your Excellency."
The Count of Serie took my hand and stepped forward, as if he had won. I closed my eyes to wish him well. The song began.
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