Chapter : 89
Vivian unconsciously swallowed hard and gave a small nod.
Then Lahedis’s arm wrapped around her back—though he kept his fist clenched to avoid touching her too much.
Despite his manners, Vivian’s attention was completely focused on him.
At last, with the cool autumn breeze as their music, the dance began.
Lahedis moved with practiced steps, but when he glanced down at Vivian, he had to suppress a laugh.
Her honey-colored eyes, tense and nervous, and her tightly pursed lips looked utterly adorable.
“For someone so nervous, she’s actually dancing pretty well…”
No sooner had he thought that, though, than Vivian accidentally stepped on his foot.
“…….”
“Ah! Sorry!”
Instinctively, Lahedis relaxed the frown on his brow and reassured her.
“It’s fine. Just act confident and keep going, even if you make mistakes.”
It’s a gentleman’s duty to gracefully cover for a lady’s slip-ups.
It seemed like they were getting back into rhythm, but Vivian, frozen by her previous mistakes, began stepping on his feet with every move.
‘…She really does step on my feet this much.’
Ironically, the more she stepped on him, the more mistakes she made.
“…You’re not stepping on my feet just because you don’t like me, are you?” Lahedis asked.
Vivian pouted and replied, “If that were the case, I would’ve crushed them into dust already.”
Lahedis tried to avoid her feet to keep her from getting nervous, but for Vivian, who was painfully aware of her own mistakes, it was a meaningless gesture.
In the end, the dance ended in utter chaos.
Sweating from the effort, Vivian slumped down and crouched under the railing.
“Ugh… Dad’s a peerless knight, so why am I so clumsy? Did I really get picked up from under a bench or something?”
“Well… judging by your face, I don’t think so.”
“Guess I got Dad’s face genes but my athletic talent evaporated…”
“What do you mean by genes?”
“…Anyway, something like that.”
Her small figure, curled up and pouting under the railing, looked both adorable and pitiful.
Lahedis sat beside her and comforted her.
“As I said before, you don’t need to be so tense. Even if you make mistakes, just keep going confidently.”
“But what will others think if I mess up?”
“Who would dare criticize you for not dancing well? You’ve got the Roweswide Marquis’s family behind you.”
“That’s why I want to do well.”
Roweswide.
The name, once a point of pride and now a responsibility, reminded her of Dane and Egrain as they went to work this morning.
Her father, revered as a war hero, and her aunt, who had risen to the position of chancellor despite being a woman.
Standing between them, she felt so insignificant.
“Because the Marquis and the Chancellor want you to?” Lahedis asked.
Vivian shook her head.
“No… I just want to do well. I don’t want to be a disgrace to that name.”
No one was forcing her, but she didn’t want to live comfortably relying on their fame.
Even if it was just playing the role of heir, she wanted to do it well.
“But even simple things aren’t easy,” she muttered.
Maybe it was because she had just opened up to him before, or because she was in that same spot.
Her complaint slipped out unintentionally.
At that moment, a warm weight settled on her head—the same hand that had held her during the dance.
“You’ll get better soon.”
“…….”
“The Vivian I know, even if a bit slow, always gets things done once she sets her mind to it.”
Vivian stared blankly at the hand stroking her head, and then followed it up to the blue eyes looking at her.
Seeing those eyes, a memory of Rahel from her childhood came to mind:
[You’re definitely a strange kid, but it’s not because you’re weird. It’s because you’re special.]
Suddenly, she realized.
‘I really liked Rahel back then…’
Perhaps more than just a friend.
Those precious feelings from her childhood shaped who she was today.
And…
‘I’ve grown to like this person, who reminds me so much of Rahel.’
Much more than she had expected.
The emotions filling this moment felt overwhelming.
A night breeze swept past, scattering her hair.
Feeling her emotions stir with the wind, Vivian stood up.
She then slipped off her shoes, revealing her small socked feet under her dress.
Lahedis looked at her curiously.
“What are you doing—”
“I’ve rested enough.”
Before he could ask why she was taking off her shoes, Vivian answered.
“If I step on your feet with shoes on, it’ll hurt. Then I’d be distracted too.”
“…….”
“Now, I’ll do it properly.”
Vivian extended her hand toward him.
Her large eyes shone as if containing all the sparkling things in the world—the color he loved.
Lahedis chuckled softly and placed his hand over hers.
“Then let’s start with a proper greeting.”
Vivian took three steps back and gave a polite bow before approaching him again.
Softly, on her socked feet, she moved gracefully.
At last, their hands touched, and the two shadows moved together, spinning in rhythm.
Lahedis looked down at Vivian dancing barefoot—a noble lady in her own natural element.
Her laughter escaped him; she was at her most herself this way.
Their moonlit dance continued until the very end.
Under the brilliant chandelier lights,
I danced naturally, flowing like water.
My first dance partner, Sir Dane Roweswide, admired my skill.
“Your dancing is remarkable, Lady.”
Heh, of course.
I had practiced for days, sweating and crying for this very moment.
“This is just the basics for a lady, isn’t it?”
I said confidently, and I could hear my father chuckling softly nearby.
Finally, the song ended, and my first dance in society was complete.
Typically, a debutante ball is held in spring for all noble girls turning nineteen, but I had missed my nineteenth spring.
So today’s banquet had to serve as my debut.
A marquess’s daughter holding a winter ball alone,
And with the added title of being the daughter of a war hero, all eyes in the hall were inevitably on me.
‘Considering the pressure, I think I did quite well.’
Feeling proud of my efforts, I noticed the Duke and my aunt watching from afar, smiling with satisfaction.
Just as I tried to move toward them amidst the crowd, a voice called out.
“Milady.”
Turning around, I found myself surrounded by young nobles who had approached without me noticing—my father included.
One of the young nobles, whose name I didn’t remember but who was high-ranking, shyly extended his hand.
“Milady, if it pleases you, may I have the honor of a dance?”
Ugh.
The greasy words, the greasy expression, and most importantly…
‘I remember you gossiping about commoners ruining the hunt festival—I heard it all.’
That’s why I remembered his face.
‘But if I refuse now, it would hurt our family’s reputation…’
I glanced around, searching for a way out, when I suddenly felt a chill and turned to see my father’s hand near the hilt at his waist.
