Selena was being swayed around by the Crown Prince’s hand like a broken doll, forced to continue dancing.
The song seemed ‘too short’ when she danced with Kalcion, while this was exceptionally long.
He was kind when she first met him in the hallway, but he was not this clingy. Perhaps because he found out that Selena was Kalcion’s woman.
What was his reason to approach her, now that he found that Selena belonged to Kalcion? She was very concerned.
‘Is he suspicious?’
Selena’s appearance in the scene was quite unnatural.
Kalcion—usually uninterested in women—suddenly brought her as his guest, saying he had found her in the mountains, took her side in whatever she did, and even brought her to the Capital for her to accompany him as his partner. Less than two months after his prospective fiancée was dead.
Selena’s beauty was the only explanation for his sudden actions.
‘She possesses such beauty, even Duke Renbird lost his mind!’
This was how everyone could be convinced.
However, if you look closely, you may notice that there was a loophole in this excuse. It may have looked strange to the eyes of the Crown Prince who was aiming for Kalcion.
If he was directly involved with Irelle’s case, Selena’s sudden appearance could have been suspicious enough.
“I wonder where such a perfectly beautiful woman was born, it leaves me amazed. Why haven’t I seen you before?”
“Your Highness has heard about me, doesn’t he know anything about me?”
“I only heard your name.”
He looked like he was telling the truth. Selena was rather confused about how far she should believe and how much she should doubt.
He looked too naive to be one of the most likely suspects.
“I’m not an aristocrat. I’m a commoner, so this is my first time at a gathering.”
“Really? Though you have such perfect manners, speech, and dance skills?”
“I wish I knew how to reply to your lavish compliment.”
Selena also decided to play along. Like a commoner girl who first met the prince, ashamed yet thrilled.
“In the beginning, I was scolded by my teacher and taught not to tarnish the Duke’s name at any cost. Perhaps it was beneficial. Later, she couldn’t say anything because I became too good.”
“It mustn’t have taken that long, but it seems amazing. I think you’re a genius. Which means, I’ve met a talent from Arkline.”
The Prince chuckled.
He seemed to have no care about the means and methods to maintain power.
Even Kalcion, who was a quiet resident of the north, never kept his guards down in case of an unexpected threat.
She heard the Prince controlled people’s lives whenever he felt like it.
Looking at him now, he nowhere seemed to commit those things.
Just like how she first met him, he was kind and friendly.
‘Since it’s suspicious, should I approach him kindly……?’
Even so, was there a need to be kind while killing your temper so perfectly?
After the song ended, the Prince returned to his previous demeanor and did not forget his manner of escorting Selena to Kalcion.
“You’re a lucky man to have such a beautiful and talented lady next to you. Duke.”
“……?” Kalcion looked back at Selena with a confused expression.
“Oh my, you had Selena by your side without knowing her true value?”
“I must have shown Your Highness the true value I didn’t know I had.”
“Well, see you at the Duke’s,” the Prince kissed Selena’s hand without giving an accurate answer as if teasing her.
“I enjoyed today’s dance, thanks to you. I hope we have another chance like this.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
“Nothing more would make me happy.”
After he bowed, the Crown Prince calmly went to the other side. However, the aftermath he left created a great ripple as if a rock had been thrown into a calm lake.
Even though she danced to only one song, she felt exhausted and wanted to lie down.
“I think that’ll be enough for my debut. I hope one of these curious people will be courageous.”
If she received an invitation to a party of a suitable family, today’s goal would be a success.
She felt people’s eyes change at her, perhaps because the dance with the prince was an unusual event to view upon.
The treatment would significantly differ if she moved from being ‘the Duke’s unexpected mistress’ to ‘maybe his real lover?’
Meanwhile, she was receiving many hostile views. Especially those who were clustered on Rosalyn’s side. Rosalyn’s eyes were the most threatening.
‘I also danced with the Duke, what’s wrong with her?’
When she was thinking about whether she should start a second game, a young girl came running toward her like an angry cow.
Red alarms blared in her head.
“M-Move. Let’s leave.”
“What?”
“Grrrrh!”
She managed to avoid the girl earlier. However, the tenacity of teenagers was always intact.
Princess Jerryel was coming straight at Kalcion. Even though she was wearing a fluttering piece of gown, Selena could see a thunderstorm behind her back.
It was too late for them to leave now. Selena hurriedly blocked Kalcion.
“No. We were leaving.”
“Who said that? I want to dance with the Duke.”
“He’s mine, he’ll do whatever I want.”
“He doesn’t belong to Selena because she’s not married to him yet. And you can exchange partners. Selena also danced with His Highness.”
“Only because the Duke allowed it. I will not.”
“Why won’t you allow it!”
The Princess was still persistent. If Selena wasn’t here, she would have pulled him away to go to the ceremony.
“My Duke is very tired.”
“What are you talking about? How can Duke Renbird be tired?”
Selena also partially agreed with this reaction but pretended to be innocent. She had to act more efficiently when dealing with the Princess than when she dealt with the Crown Prince.
“Duke, you live in Renbird because you hate associating with people for too long. You must be worn out, not your body. Right?”
I could ask him with confidence because it was true.
Kalcion nodded resolutely according to Selena’s expectations.
“Oh……,” the Princess staggered back in surprise as if she wasn’t expecting such an answer.
Selena did not miss the opportunity and buried herself into one side of Kalcion’s chest, holding his waist as support. His size was so big that Selena looked like she was hugging him.
“The Duke and I must leave now. Have a good night, Princess.”
The princess was no longer stubborn. However, with very mournful eyes, she grabbed the hem of Kalcion’s cape.
“Duke, please dance with me at the next banquet.”
The pure obsession of a young child was difficult to be rejected coldly.
‘But if he surrenders here, he’ll give her an excuse to keep being obsessed with him.’
Selena waited for Kalcion’s answer with nervous eyes.
Regardless of her concerns, however, Kalcion was a consistent person.
“We’ll decide that depending on the situation of the next banquet.”
It was way worse than a yes or a no.
***
Until the door of the carriage was closed, Kalcion did not loosen his grip on Selena’s waist. They also sat on the same side.
Selena took a breath and relaxed her body only when the carriage began to move.
“I think it’ll be okay now. You can let go, Duke.”
Kalcion removed his hand only when she tapped his hand and said.
Since they needed to go to their own space without looking tired as fast as possible, they maintained this act.
Although now, her being hugged by Kalcion or crossing arms with him had become as natural as breathing, it was also tiring to be exposed to other people for a long time.
Similarly, Kalcion lifted his chin and leaned against the backrest, relaxing his body. A short sigh left his mouth in the process.
“I have to repeat this several times in the future.”
“I don’t know. I hope we catch them as soon as possible….. Oh, but I still had quite a bit of gain,” she told him, pressing her tired eyes with both palms.
“The most surprising thing was from Fionel’s mouth.”
“When did she say that?”
“When I went to the restroom. When the Duke was speaking to Baron Zion.”
“Oh, it was then.”
Selena suddenly turned to face him. He was right next to her.
“What?” Kalcion, who had been defenseless, pulled back his chin in surprise.
“I know Fionel likes the Duke.”
“…….You talk of it so openly.”
“Did you know that she’s sincere about her feelings?”
“……”
Kalcion did not readily answer.
“You didn’t know?”
“Rather……. I’ve never given it a serious thought.”
“Why not?”
Kalcion was now starting to find out why. He had been very indifferent to his opponent who liked him. Fionel became a bit pitiful.
“You did see my reaction to her when you first met her….. didn’t you?”
“Ah…… What about the Princess?”
“What about that kid?”
He was seemingly fed up with the question.
Only then did Selena realize one taste of Kalcion. He never recognized cute and childish women as his type.
Fionel’s strategy was a failure. But it’s not that Selena was ever going to tell her.
Clicking her tongue, she sat straight again. The wagon was slowly exiting the palace.
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom “By the way, what does it matter to you that Fionel likes me?”
“So that I could confirm that she didn’t mean any harm to the Duke. Otherwise, if I had to pick up a fight with her outside, I would have.”
“What else did she say?”
“She warned me. She told me to be careful of men.”
“Men?”
Kalcion also tilted his head at the words. Selena had deduced it a long time ago, but it was still a test. Kalcion, who didn’t know a woman’s mind and how the conversation proceeded, was even more confused.
“I think she knows that Irelle’s case is related to problems with men.”
“…….!”
Only then did Kalcion’s eyes change.
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