Chapter 72
Actually, when you dance with a partner like Damian Matap, your heels need to be higher than usual.
But Damian Matap was so tall that just wearing slightly higher heels wasn’t enough.
…That’s why I couldn’t make proper eye contact just now.
‘I thought I’d be the one leading, but Damian Matap is dancing better than I expected?’
Originally, I intended to move first in the direction I wanted to lead.
So I had been paying extra attention to the rhythm…
But unexpectedly, it was Damian Matap leading me.
Thanks to that, I was able to relax the tension in my shoulders and, rather than controlling, simply let my body follow him.
‘Well, he’s a noble after all. Guess I was just trying too hard.’
Being so close, I was careful not to let my rapid breathing reach him.
But, contrary to my expectations, my breath didn’t quicken, and my heart didn’t race.
Instead, there was only the light steps of the dance and a pleasant thrill.
Before I knew it, all my tension had melted away.
And without recalling any past memories, I focused entirely on the rhythm with Damian Matap.
“Oh my, Lady Clotilde is dancing with Lord Matap! You two look so good together.”
“Did you two coordinate your outfits today? You’d never guess you’re engaged, hoho.”
I answered in my head.
‘Good, at least someone thinks I look better with Damian Matap than with that Polius guy.’
‘Of course our outfits match. Since it’s a contract engagement, it would be a problem if we looked bad together.’
I was surprised at myself for being able to quietly answer people’s comments inwardly.
‘I’m not scared. I’m not nervous.’
The pity, sneers, or ridicule that might come from being left without a partner didn’t exist for me.
The voices of people saying I looked good dancing were just background noise; soon, I didn’t care at all.
Except for Damian Matap himself, who held my waist and hand right in front of me.
‘Is dancing always this enjoyable?’
I had only ever watched Polius dance happily with other girls from the walls of the ballroom.
I never imagined a day would come when I’d dance with a man my own age instead of my father.
And Damian Matap… he said he’d never danced with a woman at a ball before, yet he dances well.
Was he just pretending?
“Lord Matap, you dance surprisingly well.”
“That’s a pleasing remark.”
I expected him to be stiff from the dance, but even when I spoke to him, he remained composed.
Normally, he would have to look down at his steps and tap out the rhythm, right?
I squinted my eyes and asked again.
“You haven’t danced at a grand ball before, but I’m guessing you’ve danced with other women quite a bit, haven’t you?”
As soon as I said it, I realized I might sound jealous of his past dance partners.
‘Whatever. I already said it—might as well push it through.’
I tried to sound casual, like I was just curious.
“No, it doesn’t seem like you just danced once or twice. You said you were nervous earlier, didn’t you?”
Good, that didn’t sound sulky, right?
I glanced up at Damian Matap with satisfaction, but the height difference made it hard to see his eyes.
‘Damn, I can’t tell what he’s thinking.’
He clearly wasn’t a beginner. Why wasn’t he just watching his own steps?
Unless he looked me in the eye as he usually does, I couldn’t read his expression by sneaking glances.
‘Come to think of it, he always matched my eye level when I spoke to him.’
Before the realization fully sank in, Damian Matap spoke first.
“I’m glad my dancing isn’t bad.”
Yes, not bad. Then why not tell me why it’s not bad?
I smiled lightly on the outside and waited for him to continue.
“….”
“….”
What’s with this silence?
“Is that all?”
“Eh?”
I tried to act nonchalant, but my mind was a mess with countless thoughts.
‘I asked if he danced with other women. Why isn’t he answering?’
I wanted to ask directly, but I bit my lip. Even I have a social position.
I’m not really Damian Matap’s fiancée.
So why am I curious about his past, asking questions?
‘Focus. Stay calm.’
Right, let’s change the topic.
Asking if that was all may have crossed the line, but… well, let’s move on.
‘If I casually bring up another topic!’
But what should I say?
While I hesitated, Damian Matap spoke in a tone different from before.
“…I practiced because I thought I might have to dance. It’s been a long time.”
Who did he practice with?
I remembered a few female mages who passed through Matap Tower.
We weren’t particularly close, but who knows.
“Using magic… to make dolls move, that is.”
I blinked in disbelief. Did he just say what I thought he said?
I imagined Damian Matap, all cold and composed, dancing alone with a giant teddy bear. It was absurd.
A man so stern played with dolls alone in the tower?
“Puhuh, wow, that’s really amazing.”
“Don’t laugh. I feared that if I couldn’t dance well, my partner would be embarrassed…”
“That’s funny, but… it’s touching that you did it for me. Not laughing at you, really. Hehe.”
I tried to hold back my laughter at Damian Matap’s earnestness, but couldn’t resist and let out a small laugh.
“Ahaha, truly impressive!”
For now, we were at least betrothed. That meant I was the one who could have the first dance with him.
‘But only for a moment, I guess.’
We were a partnership formed for convenience, a relationship built with an end in mind.
Yet right now, it felt strongly like two people meeting and pairing up.
Despite the crowd, at this moment, we were just the two of us.
Did Damian Matap feel the same way?
“I didn’t know dancing could be this enjoyable.”
Our eyes met in the close distance, reflected in his red eyes as he muttered that it felt completely different from dancing with a doll.
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have danced with anyone today.”
I had seen his face this close before…
“Thank you for dancing with me today.”
Damian Matap smiled.
The usually expressionless man, so stiff in speech, had his eyes curve pleasantly.
I stared blankly at the sight.
‘Ah, don’t smile like that with a handsome face… I’ll just stare in awe.’
Hmm, when we went to the provinces before, people glanced at him like this too.
But back then, they didn’t know he was Matap. Now they do, and I’m staring openly.
I realized how his usual stern demeanor had hidden his handsome face.
“Haah.”
“Lady, are you feeling unwell?”
I let out a sigh without realizing it. Seeing this, Damian Matap took my hand.
“It makes sense that someone who usually doesn’t dance would be tired. Shall we go to the terrace for a break?”
No, but it’s not like we danced so much that I need to leave the ballroom.
There are no side effects from any painkillers, either. I didn’t want to worry him.
“I was nervous too, since it was my first dance at a ball today.”
“Even for me… you’re saying it was your first?”
“Yes.”
The lifted mood of the ball, a partner focused entirely on me, the warm hand holding mine.
Maybe it was the atmosphere, but I spoke honestly.
“I’m glad my first dance partner is Lord Damian Matap.”
Normally, I’m not shy, but as soon as I finished speaking, my cheeks flared.
Had I expressed my feelings too openly?
‘Still… it’s not like I said something I couldn’t.’
I didn’t wait for his reply and headed straight to the terrace.
Even though I could endure it, I didn’t want to refuse the terrace.
