Chapter : 16
Everyone who had been standing in long lines turned to look our way.
The women dressed up prettily suddenly snapped open their fans, leaning their heads together and whispering among themselves.
Am I being overly self-conscious?
Why does it feel like everyone’s whispering while looking at me?
Or… are they looking at Arcas?
Well, to be fair, Arcas is pretty handsome as long as he isn’t teary-eyed…
Unlike me, who was glancing around awkwardly, Arcas didn’t seem to care about people’s stares at all.
Arcas handed the invitation to the attendant standing at the entrance. After checking it, the attendant gestured toward the doorway.
The doors opened, and a booming voice rang out.
“Count Weddon and Lady Selene Weddon are entering.”
All movement inside the hall stopped.
There were quite a lot of people inside, yet not a single voice could be heard—only the music filling the hall.
…Do people normally stare this much?
As we took a few steps forward, everyone’s gazes followed us.
I have a condition where I really shouldn’t be the center of attention…
With everyone staring, it felt like my arms and legs were moving together, and I couldn’t tell if I was walking properly. Cold sweat broke out.
Ah, I want to be alone…
“Let’s greet His Majesty the Emperor first.”
Snapping back to my senses at Arcas’s words, I glanced toward the man seated on the high platform—someone who looked unmistakably like the emperor—and nodded.
I’d gotten used to walking in a dress by now, but bowing properly in front of nobles while everyone watched was a whole different story.
Bow at a forty-five-degree angle…
Spread the skirt into a fan shape…
Fan shape…? How wide is a fan shape, exactly?!
Feeling my thoughts twist into knots, I stepped before the emperor.
“Arcas Weddon greets His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Fa— no, Selene Weddon greets His Majesty the Emper— no, His Majesty.”
Damn it.
Because of that stupid fan shape, my tongue completely tied itself in knots.
I’m not going to be arrested for disrespect just because I messed that up… right?
I sneaked a glance upward at the emperor. His lips were tightly pressed together. The empress beside him hurriedly opened her fan.
‘……’
After clearing his throat several times, the emperor spoke with a solemn expression.
“The late Count Weddon was loyal to the Empire. It brings me great joy to see the current Count Weddon carry on his legacy so admirably, contributing greatly to the Empire’s prosperity. To show yourselves here at this banquet in such good health—”
…He talks a lot.
I kept smiling, but the corners of my mouth began to twitch.
How long does he plan on making us stand here while he talks?
You’re the one sitting down.
While I was grumbling internally, the emperor suddenly addressed me.
“Lady Weddon, how do you find the capital?”
“Huh? Ah… yes, yes.”
“And the Imperial Palace?”
“Huh? Ah, yes, it’s beautiful… and spacious… and very solidly built. I think it’s wonderful. Ho ho…”
“Is that so? Then would you care to come live in the palace?”
At his sudden words, I forgot all about the fan shape and let go of my skirt.
“Pardon?”
Did he just tell me to move into the palace?
When I stared at him wide-eyed, the emperor burst into laughter.
“It’s a joke—but if you wish, I could prepare a fine room for you.”
You scared me! What kind of joke is that?!
I looked over at Arcas.
Arcas was staring at the emperor’s feet, looking deep in thought.
The emperor studied my reaction for a moment before telling us to go and enjoy the party.
At last, the long, long greeting was over.
It hadn’t even been an hour since I arrived, yet I felt utterly exhausted as I left the emperor’s presence.
Arcas looked at me and spoke.
“I’m planning to greet a few people I know. Do you want to come with me, Selly?”
I shook my head. If I greeted anyone right now, it’d be a farewell.
“Then do you want to rest for a bit? I’ll finish quickly and come back.”
“Yeah.”
As Arcas disappeared into the crowd, I hurried toward the nearest chair.
Ah… just three more steps and I can sit.
Huh. Usually when I think this, I don’t get to sit…
“Lady Selene?”
Of course. Slowly, I turned my head.
Noel, looking far more radiant and handsome than the last time I saw him, was approaching me.
“As I thought—it’s you, Lady Selene. I’m pleased to see you again.”
A refreshing smile, like air-conditioning in midsummer, spread across his face.
“Ah, Crown Prince. Hello.”
“You said you’d call me Noel from the second time onward.”
Oh. Right.
As I smiled awkwardly, Noel tilted his head slightly and looked down at me warmly.
“I’d like it if you called me Noel.”
Ah… I’m weak to handsome men.
“Calling you just Noel feels a bit much, so I’ll call you Lord Noel.”
“That’s fine. Lady Selene, if it’s all right with you, may I ask you to be my dance partner later?”
Startled, I waved my hands frantically.
“No, no? I’m not very good at dancing…”
Noel looked dejected at my reply.
Like a retriever who’d been told it couldn’t go for a walk because it was raining.
“Have you already promised to dance with someone else, so there’s no turn left for me?”
“Huh? No?”
“Then would you give me a chance as well?”
“Uh…”
“Don’t worry. I’m quite good at leading.”
It’s not you that’s the problem…
A memory from a few days ago flashed through my mind.
One of my packed schedules—a crash course in dancing…
Long story short, Arcas, my dance partner, did not come out of it with his feet unscathed.
Trying to change the subject, I looked toward the chair. Honestly, I was desperate.
“Let me sit fir—”
“Oh my, Lady Selene~ Your dress is so adorable!”
“Lady Selene, it’s been a while. That dress suits you perfectly.”
Why can’t I ever be happy?!
Eloy and Viviana approached, greeting me.
After them, more people began to drift closer. Strangely enough, they all carried dessert plates.
“So this is Lady Weddon?”
“Lady Calat, please introduce her to me as well.”
There were too many people. For survival, I had to escape.
“Ah, excuse me for a moment. Please enjoy your conversation. Ho ho ho… I’ll be right back. Ho ho…”
I hadn’t learned this skill for moments like this, but the technique I used to slip out of company dinners proved incredibly useful.
“Phew…”
Once outside the party hall, I let out a long breath.
I didn’t even get a glimpse of Cirynu’s hair—what is this?
I wandered down the corridor toward somewhere deserted.
After walking for a bit, a beautifully arranged garden came into view. It looked like there might be benches there. I quickened my pace.
“Ah…?”
The closer I got, the more breathless I became. My heart began to pound strangely hard.
Am I that out of shape? I barely walked…
Tilting my head, I suddenly felt my wrist grow warm.
Looking down, I saw my bracelet glowing faintly.
What is this?
As I stopped and pressed a hand to my erratically beating heart, I noticed someone who had arrived in the garden ahead of me.
Even in his blurred outline, I knew instantly who it was.
I found him. My ultimate favorite.
I raised my hand to rub my eyes, then remembered how long my eye makeup had taken and quickly lowered it again.
What kind of luck is this…?
Hiding behind a pillar, I watched Cirynu.
I had no intention of approaching or speaking to him. He had his own private life, after all…
This distance was perfect for me.
Even from afar, his incredible height was obvious. His outfit—simple rather than flashy—suited him absurdly well.
Rather than being bulky, Cirynu had a lean, finely drawn physique. Not thin—absolutely not.
You can tell a lot about someone’s build from how a suit fits.
Seeing how tightly the trousers hugged him, I felt like giving a standing ovation.
I stared for so long without blinking that my eyes began to sting.
I blinked quickly before tears could form.
Huh?
Cirynu, who had been standing by the fountain, was gone.
What? Was it just a mirage born of my overactive imagination?
As I looked around—
“Hey.”
A low, quiet voice suddenly sounded right by my ear.
It was so close that I couldn’t even scream, only turn my head.
There he was—the man from the pictures I’d practically worn out staring at.
“……!”
Seeing him up close was on a completely different level from any illustration.
Ah, so this is why people go to museums to see real paintings.
I finally understood why people leave their homes to see art they could look at on their phones.
Cirynu, at least a head taller than me, looked down at me coldly.
So cool…
How does he have skin this flawless and fair?
Who gave birth to you so beautifully?!
His sparkling eye color kept drawing my gaze.
I should look at his nose, his lips too!
I pressed my lips tightly together to avoid staring dumbly with my mouth open, when Cirynu spoke.
“You. What are you?”
Isn’t he perfect? People have something called “face value.”
From a face like that, short, blunt words are exactly what you want.
Imagine someone who looks like they could kill with their eyes opening their mouth and saying, “I’m hungry~.”
…Actually, that’d be cute too.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Oh—was he expecting a response this whole time?
Cirynu raised an eyebrow, paused for a moment, and then opened his mouth again.
