Chapter 66 …
At that moment, the crowd’s reaction was beyond description.
The gazes that had been directed toward Tristan instantly poured onto me.
The expressions behind those stares were varied—interest, shock, jealousy, curiosity…
It felt as if everyone in Carmea Hall was staring at me. My fingertips grew slightly cold.
This was the kind of situation that could give someone stage fright even if they’d never had it before.
Even so, I lifted the corners of my lips and gave a gentle smile.
As if I had been expecting this. As if I had known he would come.
“It’s an honor.”
I took the hand Tristan offered.
As we moved toward the dance floor, the people who had already taken their places stepped aside to make a path.
Before I knew it, we were standing in the very center of the dance hall.
No, this is a bit much. I’d be perfectly happy just shuffling around in a corner and leaving.
…I wanted to protest like that, but it probably wouldn’t work anyway.
After all, Tristan was essentially the main character of tonight’s event.
And from the moment I took his hand, I too was fated to become part of the spotlight.
We stood in the middle of the dance floor and took our positions.
My hand on his shoulder.
His hand at my waist.
And our eyes meeting each other’s.
When I lifted my head, Tristan’s face seemed very far away.
And so did his eyes.
His height had grown so much, and his face had matured into that of an adult—both unfamiliar in a way.
But the golden eyes staring at me were exactly the same as before.
Ah, really.
How long had it been since I’d looked into those eyes?
The moment our gazes met, the first dance began.
For a moment I wondered if Tristan even knew how to dance, but that worry was unnecessary.
As soon as the orchestra played the first notes, his feet moved smoothly with mine as if they were a perfect pair.
His dancing was flawless.
“It’s been a while.”
I spoke first. Tristan replied.
“Yes, it has been a while.”
It was an extremely… curt answer.
His expression matched the tone—completely stiff. Anyone watching might think I was the one who had asked him to dance.
Was I the only one happy about our reunion after three years?
I felt a little annoyed, but I reminded myself that he had always been someone whose expression rarely changed.
Still, he asked me for the first dance. That had to mean he wanted to talk to me before anyone else.
Thinking that way made me feel a little better. I smiled brightly and offered my congratulations.
“Congratulations on becoming a duke.”
“It is all thanks to Her Imperial Highness the Princess.”
“You mean Sister Theo, right? You’re right. Without her, we could never have won this war.”
“……”
Tristan didn’t answer.
He only tightened the arm around my waist.
“Ah, of course, Tristan’s….”
I wasn’t trying to belittle his achievements.
I was just about to say that.
But at that moment, the couple dancing beside us came far too close.
We nearly collided, but Tristan moved half a beat faster and pulled me sharply toward him.
My body pressed against his chest.
A strong fragrance suddenly filled my senses.
Suddenly, I remembered something from long ago.
The time I had sneaked into the duke’s townhouse late at night and Tristan had suddenly pulled me into his arms.
Back then, he had smelled like grass.
As I unconsciously inhaled deeply while recalling the past, the scent that filled me was so rich and intoxicating it almost made me dizzy.
A deep scent—perhaps musk, perhaps roses.
But at the faint end of that fragrance was the subtle smell of grass and earth.
This scent. This man.
He was the Tristan I knew.
Yet at the same time, he was someone I didn’t know at all.
Realizing that somehow made me nervous.
Until a moment ago, I had been happy like I’d met an old friend.
Now it felt as if I were dancing with a stranger.
“Now that you’re a duke, I suppose you can obtain anything you want.”
I blurted out whatever came to mind, trying to calm my nerves.
“You said there was something you wanted. Do you think you’ll be able to get it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
I had expected him to say yes, so his answer surprised me.
Now Tristan was second only to the emperor in the empire.
His territory, Asenbach, might be harsh, but it was rich in mines—including iron—so money shouldn’t be a problem.
Just how valuable was this thing he wanted so badly, yet wasn’t even sure he could obtain?
Wait… Tristan…
Don’t tell me he’s not satisfied with being a duke and is aiming for the emperor’s throne…?!
“But I believe I’ve gotten closer.”
Tristan looked straight into my face.
For some reason, that gaze felt meaningful.
As if he were hinting at something to me.
Hopefully that hint isn’t that he plans to kill my father.
“Can you tell me what it is?”
Tristan stared at me quietly before answering.
“You’ll find out soon.”
If he’d just answered normally, I wouldn’t be having all these strange thoughts.
Next time we meet, I’ll have to interrogate him more persistently.
Thinking that, I changed the subject.
“By the way, everyone is staring at us.”
“That’s because Your Highness is beautiful.”
I nearly missed a step.
I actually staggered slightly, but Tristan steadied me with his arm, so it probably didn’t show.
“What are you talking about? They’re all looking at you!”
“I wouldn’t know.”
Tristan said with a frown.
“I can only see Your Highness.”
That line should have been very heart-fluttering.
But because he said it while scowling so intensely, it sounded more like a complaint.
“Well, of course your view is narrow. We’re dancing.”
I pouted slightly.
“Everyone’s going to ask what kind of relationship we have. What should I say?”
“Answer however you like.”
Tristan had probably said it carelessly.
But hearing that made my mind spark.
“Really? I can say whatever I want? About what kind of relationship we have?”
When Tristan saw the look in my eyes, his steps slowed slightly.
Whether he was surprised or thinking it over, he remained silent for a moment before answering.
“Yes.”
“Yay! No taking it back later, okay?”
“…What exactly are you planning to say?”
I smiled sweetly at him.
“You’ll find out soon.”
Just then, the music ended at the perfect moment.
I quickly let go of Tristan’s hand.
Then I stepped forward toward the crowd and gestured with my eyes to Tristan behind me.
Tristan followed after me, looking somewhat reluctant.
“That was truly a splendid dance, Princess Seventeenth, Duke Noctia.”
The moment we stepped away from the dance floor, people swarmed toward us as if they had been waiting.
“You two looked very well matched.”
“I daresay you might be the most beautiful pair here tonight.”
“Come to think of it, neither of you is engaged…”
Most of them were clearly trying to curry favor with Tristan.
Since he had asked me for the first dance, they seemed to assume he had feelings for me and kept showering us with praise as a pair.
However, those who were eyeing Tristan as a desirable groom reacted a little differently.
“Ahem… Duke Noctia. How exactly do you know the Seventeenth Princess?”
Marquis Torren cleared his throat and awkwardly inserted himself into the conversation.
This man, with his thick mustache, had four daughters of marriageable age.
“You said earlier that today was your first meeting, yet you asked her for a dance…”
“May I answer that question?”
When I spoke up, people paused and finally looked at me.
Their reaction was amusing.
Of course I could speak too, yet they had been acting as if I were just a decorative doll standing beside Tristan.
Smiling softly at the curious eyes studying me, I said,
“Although this is my first time meeting Duke Noctia face to face, I’ve heard a lot about him from my sister Theo. As you know, she had many reasons to visit the knight order during the war. Whenever she found time to visit the Opal Palace, she would always talk about the duke.”
As I paused briefly for breath, people immediately began interpreting my words however they pleased and started whispering among themselves.
“Oh! Then the Seventh Princess must have arranged for the two of you to meet!”
“That’s not what she said, you fool. She said the Seventh Princess talked about the duke whenever she had the chance.”
“Then does that mean the duke and the Seventh Princess…?”
“Ahem, well, it could also be that the Seventh Princess has feelings for him one-sidedly.”
“My sister told me.”
Just as a chaotic drama starring the three of us was about to be born, I raised my voice and drew everyone’s attention.
“That Duke Noctia is interested in my business.”
For a moment, no one spoke.
People simply rolled their eyes around, wondering if they had heard correctly.
Their expressions were so funny that I almost laughed.
Smiling brightly, I announced to everyone,
“He said that once the war ends, he would like to hear a detailed explanation of my business. I’m planning to arrange a meeting soon. If he likes my plans, he said he’d gladly cooperate.”
Right?
I looked at Tristan with that question in my eyes.
None of this had been agreed upon beforehand, but he did say I could say whatever I wanted. It wasn’t like I was forcibly robbing him of investment money.
Sure enough, Tristan nodded obediently.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Only after hearing Tristan confirm it did people finally look convinced.
Their attitude irritated me a little, but I held it in.
“A business? Your Highness the Seventeenth Princess?”
“I had no idea. What kind of business is it?”
“To be honest, the real start is only now. The preparation period has been quite long.”
Three whole years.
During the time when the war was raging, I hadn’t been sitting around doing nothing.
After borrowing initial capital from Theodora, I used knowledge from the original story to grow the money.
Once the funds had increased sufficiently, I invested them into preparing the business.
It would still take about half a year before the business could properly begin.
I needed more money.
And more partners.
So revealing this now was less like advertising a business and more like announcing a search for investors.
Since Tristan had conveniently opened the stage for me, I might as well use it well.
With a confident smile, I told everyone,
“I plan to develop the eastern region.”
