“Dance...”
“Your Excellency, Commander of the Knights?”
Dietrich, seemingly oblivious to my call, let go of my hand and passed me, heading in the same direction. His direction was clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Right to the heroine.
At the appearance of the Knight Commander, the people around them retreated, leaving only Dietrich and the heroine. The shock and surprise on the faces of those surrounding them brought a bitter smile to my face.
Soon, I witnessed Dietrich escorting the heroine. His gaze never left her.
Yeah, that's how it should be.
That's the real heroine effect.
It feels strange to see this confirmed, even though it's something I wrote.
“Oh my goodness! That’s how His Excellency the Knight Commander reacts.”
The Third Princess was the one who broke the silence, and she looked truly surprised.
It didn't seem like they were trying to be sarcastic towards me, but given the circumstances, the Marquis and his wife's expressions darkened.
Wait a minute, he wasn't my partner or anything, so please don't act like I'm being dumped.
“Tri, His Excellency the Knight Commander...”
Marquis Hailey chose his words carefully.
“...Weren’t you special?”
In a way, we are still special, but I can't reveal the whole story.
I knew Dietrich would hear my answer from this distance, so I smiled instead of answering.
The Marquis let out an exclamation, "Oh, my," that was either a sigh or an affirmation, and silence fell again. Even among our group, a gloom descended.
At the same time, I felt the stinging gaze of the unspecified number of people that I had been ignoring until now.
I see.
I'm getting a lot of attention.
I was adopted as the daughter of the Marquis of Hayley, a nobleman of considerable rank, and today is my debut.
My partner is the prime minister, and the Crown Prince and Princess are also in the party, so can I say that I am the biggest issue today?
So that's why Lily put so much effort into my appearance and manners. I should be grateful.
My stomach was churning, but I kept my composure by holding my hands tightly.
“Oh, Marquis.”
The person who broke the tension and intervened smoothly was Shish.
“Haven’t you noticed yet that His Excellency the Knight Commander has been following Lady Hayley around unilaterally?”
His voice was a little louder than usual.
As if to let the people around him hear.
Then, as if they had been waiting, people who had been listening intently began to whisper.
“It seems he has given up because he sees no possibility of Lady Hayley’s heart coming to him.”
As expected, it's Shish.
I felt like I was being dumped by Dietrich, but Dietrich became a man who had a crush on me and then backed off without any courage.
“Even so, to go looking for someone who resembles Lady Hayley...”
Shish's speech was slurred, which struck him as more odd than Dietrich's assertion that he was a man.
As expected, the mad prime minister is amazing.
In this short time, you've made Dietrich a completely incompetent human being!
“That’s true. I didn’t know the Knight Commander would act like that.”
Because his senior also interfered, Dietrich turned into a guy who clung to me in a dirty way and found a replacement when it didn't work out.
Dietrich seems to be completely captivated by the heroine.
At this distance, he would have heard Shish's complaints and quickly approached to question him.
Anyway, the situation was sorted out, and some of those gathered in the hall were focused on me, with the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister nearby, while others were focused on Dietrich, who was acting strangely, and the woman next to him.
Others were enjoying the party or going about their own business without any regard for the place.
As if to make it clear that Dietrich and I had no relationship, Shish tilted his head towards me.
To others, they must seem like a very affectionate couple. I'm sure that's what Shish intended.
“Shall we dance?”
“I’m not good at dancing.”
“Don’t worry, I’m good at dancing.”
Shish answered confidently and escorted me to the floor. One of his hands rested lightly on my lower back, while the other still held my hand.
It seemed as if the orchestra was tuning its instruments, and then a dance began to play.
The girls and women making their debuts today were clearly distinguished. Like me, they were wearing white or pastel-toned dresses.
I think I'm the one who stands out the most among them.
“That’s right, the master is the prettiest.”
Shish, who had read my thoughts like a ghost, smiled and whispered.
It would have been easy to say, "Thanks to the clothes and accessories you prepared," but I couldn't bring myself to say it. I felt like I had to acknowledge the other person's feelings.
“You dance really well.”
"Yes?"
Instead, I praised something else, and Shish easily followed my intentions.
I kept trying to figure out where Dietrich and the heroine were. They weren't on the floor.
“Master, don’t worry about anything.”
The story, which began suddenly, made me stiffen, despite its affectionate tone.
Beyond the man's shoulder, the harmony of the gorgeous chandelier lights and the fluttering hem of the dress unfolded beautifully, regardless of the whispers.
“No one can find fault with you or cause you trouble.”
As the hand on my waist dropped, a slight gap opened between Shish and me. Following the flow of the song, we drew closer again.
I was able to face the other person.
“You won’t get hurt.”
Shish's smile melts into the light that makes it unclear whether this place is fantasy or reality.
“Because I’m going to make it happen.”
There was no need to ask why.
Because Shish Milan loves me.
But Shish, this is a novel, and even though there may be some fluctuations, it follows the established path.
You will soon fall in love with the heroine who is your destiny, and then your promise will become meaningless.
“So you just have to roll your eyes cutely.”
Wait, this is weird.
“Or, like these days, you like looking straight into my eyes.”
As if by magic, I looked straight into Shish's eyes. Overflowing from those red eyes was unmistakable affection for me.
A surge of pain came over me, as if someone was squeezing my heart hard.
The song ended just before my face, reflected in crimson eyes, distorted.
After Shish and I greeted each other and left the floor, I secretly sighed in relief.
“Oh, Tri.”
The Marchioness approached and began to speak at a rapid pace.
"It was absolutely perfect. I was worried that His Excellency the Knight Commander's departure would ruin your debut, so I'm so glad it ended safely. Of course, the party is far from over."
Dietrich wasn't even my partner in the first place, right?
Of course, I am a dignified lady now, so I answered with an elegant smile.
I glanced around the hall and saw that Dietrich and the heroine had already disappeared.
The senior who approached me seemed to realize this and chuckled.
“Leaving the ballroom before His Majesty the Emperor leaves, I have no words to say, even if he's punished.”
“I guess he was in a hurry.”
Obviously, Dietrich's front pants must have been swollen.
"Aha."
Clearly, I spoke without the subject, but my senior seemed to understand.
I never told my senior about other people's flaws.
But since he's read the book, even if it's only the end, I think he has a rough idea of what happened to Dietrich.
I stopped following Dietrich and looked up, meeting eyes with Shish, who was standing beside me. At the moment, it was impossible to read his thoughts.
However, I could tell that the gaze staring at me was strange.
“Will you dance with me this time, lady?”
The senior smiled playfully and extended his hand to me.
Shish tightened his grip on me, and my senior noticed this, but he continued to smile.
“Shouldn’t we make Lady Hayley the protagonist of this founding ceremony?”
Wait, you want me as the main character? Why?
Unfortunately, Shish obediently handed my hand over to his senior.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute?”
"Let's go."
As always, my brief moment was of no consequence, and I was dragged to the floor again.
As the dance music started and people started to focus on the dance, the senior spoke first.
“Is that woman from earlier the main character?”
“As expected, you noticed.”
"Because the junior isn't the heroine. It's also unusual for the Knight Commander to react like that."
I see.
Now that the heroine has appeared, I guess I'm no longer the heroine.
I'd known for a while that the male protagonists were leaving me, but it wasn't until I heard from others that I was able to sort things out.
“It was the first time I saw that woman. Was she adopted, too?”
The indescribable bitterness in my mouth was briefly brought back to my senses by my senior's question.
The fact that the heroine appeared here means that she somehow caught the eye of a nobleman and became his adopted daughter.
I almost forgot because I was so focused on the male protagonists falling head over heels for the female protagonist.
At least it's not like she was adopted yesterday and debuted today...
There was a time when it was difficult.
In the two months since I left this place, I, who had played the female lead, disappeared, so it's clear that the real female lead has taken my place.
The heroine has appeared, and the male protagonists will find happiness through her, so all I have to do is leave.
“To just ignore the fact that the real protagonist has appeared? The Knight Commander is such a shallow person.”
The sound of laughter tickles my ears.
“Let me tell you in advance that I have no interest in that side at all, so don’t even think about pushing me away.”
When I came to my senses, I saw my senior smiling brightly at me.
“Your Excellency, Commander of the Knights?”
Dietrich, seemingly oblivious to my call, let go of my hand and passed me, heading in the same direction. His direction was clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Right to the heroine.
At the appearance of the Knight Commander, the people around them retreated, leaving only Dietrich and the heroine. The shock and surprise on the faces of those surrounding them brought a bitter smile to my face.
Soon, I witnessed Dietrich escorting the heroine. His gaze never left her.
Yeah, that's how it should be.
That's the real heroine effect.
It feels strange to see this confirmed, even though it's something I wrote.
“Oh my goodness! That’s how His Excellency the Knight Commander reacts.”
The Third Princess was the one who broke the silence, and she looked truly surprised.
It didn't seem like they were trying to be sarcastic towards me, but given the circumstances, the Marquis and his wife's expressions darkened.
Wait a minute, he wasn't my partner or anything, so please don't act like I'm being dumped.
“Tri, His Excellency the Knight Commander...”
Marquis Hailey chose his words carefully.
“...Weren’t you special?”
In a way, we are still special, but I can't reveal the whole story.
I knew Dietrich would hear my answer from this distance, so I smiled instead of answering.
The Marquis let out an exclamation, "Oh, my," that was either a sigh or an affirmation, and silence fell again. Even among our group, a gloom descended.
At the same time, I felt the stinging gaze of the unspecified number of people that I had been ignoring until now.
I see.
I'm getting a lot of attention.
I was adopted as the daughter of the Marquis of Hayley, a nobleman of considerable rank, and today is my debut.
My partner is the prime minister, and the Crown Prince and Princess are also in the party, so can I say that I am the biggest issue today?
So that's why Lily put so much effort into my appearance and manners. I should be grateful.
My stomach was churning, but I kept my composure by holding my hands tightly.
“Oh, Marquis.”
The person who broke the tension and intervened smoothly was Shish.
“Haven’t you noticed yet that His Excellency the Knight Commander has been following Lady Hayley around unilaterally?”
His voice was a little louder than usual.
As if to let the people around him hear.
Then, as if they had been waiting, people who had been listening intently began to whisper.
“It seems he has given up because he sees no possibility of Lady Hayley’s heart coming to him.”
As expected, it's Shish.
I felt like I was being dumped by Dietrich, but Dietrich became a man who had a crush on me and then backed off without any courage.
“Even so, to go looking for someone who resembles Lady Hayley...”
Shish's speech was slurred, which struck him as more odd than Dietrich's assertion that he was a man.
As expected, the mad prime minister is amazing.
In this short time, you've made Dietrich a completely incompetent human being!
“That’s true. I didn’t know the Knight Commander would act like that.”
Because his senior also interfered, Dietrich turned into a guy who clung to me in a dirty way and found a replacement when it didn't work out.
Dietrich seems to be completely captivated by the heroine.
At this distance, he would have heard Shish's complaints and quickly approached to question him.
Anyway, the situation was sorted out, and some of those gathered in the hall were focused on me, with the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister nearby, while others were focused on Dietrich, who was acting strangely, and the woman next to him.
Others were enjoying the party or going about their own business without any regard for the place.
As if to make it clear that Dietrich and I had no relationship, Shish tilted his head towards me.
To others, they must seem like a very affectionate couple. I'm sure that's what Shish intended.
“Shall we dance?”
“I’m not good at dancing.”
“Don’t worry, I’m good at dancing.”
Shish answered confidently and escorted me to the floor. One of his hands rested lightly on my lower back, while the other still held my hand.
It seemed as if the orchestra was tuning its instruments, and then a dance began to play.
The girls and women making their debuts today were clearly distinguished. Like me, they were wearing white or pastel-toned dresses.
I think I'm the one who stands out the most among them.
“That’s right, the master is the prettiest.”
Shish, who had read my thoughts like a ghost, smiled and whispered.
It would have been easy to say, "Thanks to the clothes and accessories you prepared," but I couldn't bring myself to say it. I felt like I had to acknowledge the other person's feelings.
“You dance really well.”
"Yes?"
Instead, I praised something else, and Shish easily followed my intentions.
I kept trying to figure out where Dietrich and the heroine were. They weren't on the floor.
“Master, don’t worry about anything.”
The story, which began suddenly, made me stiffen, despite its affectionate tone.
Beyond the man's shoulder, the harmony of the gorgeous chandelier lights and the fluttering hem of the dress unfolded beautifully, regardless of the whispers.
“No one can find fault with you or cause you trouble.”
As the hand on my waist dropped, a slight gap opened between Shish and me. Following the flow of the song, we drew closer again.
I was able to face the other person.
“You won’t get hurt.”
Shish's smile melts into the light that makes it unclear whether this place is fantasy or reality.
“Because I’m going to make it happen.”
There was no need to ask why.
Because Shish Milan loves me.
But Shish, this is a novel, and even though there may be some fluctuations, it follows the established path.
You will soon fall in love with the heroine who is your destiny, and then your promise will become meaningless.
“So you just have to roll your eyes cutely.”
Wait, this is weird.
“Or, like these days, you like looking straight into my eyes.”
As if by magic, I looked straight into Shish's eyes. Overflowing from those red eyes was unmistakable affection for me.
A surge of pain came over me, as if someone was squeezing my heart hard.
The song ended just before my face, reflected in crimson eyes, distorted.
After Shish and I greeted each other and left the floor, I secretly sighed in relief.
“Oh, Tri.”
The Marchioness approached and began to speak at a rapid pace.
"It was absolutely perfect. I was worried that His Excellency the Knight Commander's departure would ruin your debut, so I'm so glad it ended safely. Of course, the party is far from over."
Dietrich wasn't even my partner in the first place, right?
Of course, I am a dignified lady now, so I answered with an elegant smile.
I glanced around the hall and saw that Dietrich and the heroine had already disappeared.
The senior who approached me seemed to realize this and chuckled.
“Leaving the ballroom before His Majesty the Emperor leaves, I have no words to say, even if he's punished.”
“I guess he was in a hurry.”
Obviously, Dietrich's front pants must have been swollen.
"Aha."
Clearly, I spoke without the subject, but my senior seemed to understand.
I never told my senior about other people's flaws.
But since he's read the book, even if it's only the end, I think he has a rough idea of what happened to Dietrich.
I stopped following Dietrich and looked up, meeting eyes with Shish, who was standing beside me. At the moment, it was impossible to read his thoughts.
However, I could tell that the gaze staring at me was strange.
“Will you dance with me this time, lady?”
The senior smiled playfully and extended his hand to me.
Shish tightened his grip on me, and my senior noticed this, but he continued to smile.
“Shouldn’t we make Lady Hayley the protagonist of this founding ceremony?”
Wait, you want me as the main character? Why?
Unfortunately, Shish obediently handed my hand over to his senior.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute?”
"Let's go."
As always, my brief moment was of no consequence, and I was dragged to the floor again.
As the dance music started and people started to focus on the dance, the senior spoke first.
“Is that woman from earlier the main character?”
“As expected, you noticed.”
"Because the junior isn't the heroine. It's also unusual for the Knight Commander to react like that."
I see.
Now that the heroine has appeared, I guess I'm no longer the heroine.
I'd known for a while that the male protagonists were leaving me, but it wasn't until I heard from others that I was able to sort things out.
“It was the first time I saw that woman. Was she adopted, too?”
The indescribable bitterness in my mouth was briefly brought back to my senses by my senior's question.
The fact that the heroine appeared here means that she somehow caught the eye of a nobleman and became his adopted daughter.
I almost forgot because I was so focused on the male protagonists falling head over heels for the female protagonist.
At least it's not like she was adopted yesterday and debuted today...
There was a time when it was difficult.
In the two months since I left this place, I, who had played the female lead, disappeared, so it's clear that the real female lead has taken my place.
The heroine has appeared, and the male protagonists will find happiness through her, so all I have to do is leave.
“To just ignore the fact that the real protagonist has appeared? The Knight Commander is such a shallow person.”
The sound of laughter tickles my ears.
“Let me tell you in advance that I have no interest in that side at all, so don’t even think about pushing me away.”
When I came to my senses, I saw my senior smiling brightly at me.
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