Chapter 169
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 169
“Hey. Who else are you going to dance with if not me? Ah, wait. Right. I guess I was a bit ignorant of the Spring Continent’s etiquette.”
With that, Klaus suddenly dropped to one knee. He fumbled through his clothes for a moment before pulling out a single flower.
It was a common tulip, clearly plucked from some random garden.
“Dance with me.”
“…”
As I stared at him blankly, Klaus looked down at the tulip and furrowed his brow.
“Should I have given you a jewel instead of a flower?”
Snapping out of my daze, I looked up at the ceiling.
Is this guy half-genius and half-idiot?
Back when Klaus used to transform into a dog and follow me everywhere, he had studied the etiquette of the Brillant Empire quite diligently.
I get it now. He’s a total moron.
Dropping to one knee just to ask for a dance?
Unaware of my internal critique, Klaus stared back and forth between the tulip in his hand and me with a dead-serious expression.
“Or should I give you both the flower and a jewel?”
“It’s neither, okay? And dropping to one knee isn’t something you do when asking for a dance.”
“Then when are you supposed to do it?”
“That’s for when you’re proposing!”
“Oh? Got it.”
Perhaps reading the ‘you idiot’ look in my eyes, Klaus nodded surprisingly easily.
“Anyway, dance with me. You said the first dance is the most meaningful. Obviously, you have to dance it with me.”
“I can’t do the first dance. I’m already booked.”
“What?”
Klaus sprang up like a coiled wire. He immediately took a step closer, baring his fangs menacingly.
“Why do you already have a dance partner? Who’s the bastard?”
“Because I am the granddaughter of the exalted House Frezier. There was a message from Her Majesty the Empress. You brat, I didn’t want to do it either.”
“…Damn it. This is annoying.”
No matter how reckless Klaus was, it seemed he realized there was truly nothing to be done once I brought up the Empress.
Brushing his bangs back roughly, Klaus spoke through gritted teeth.
“Then the second dance. At least give me that one.”
“No. That’s already decided too.”
“What? Then the third dance. Ha, don’t tell me you’re going to give me some bullshit about that one being decided too—”
“I’m really sorry, but that one is also…”
“Oh, for god’s sake!”
Klaus let out a frustrated shout.
“Hey!”
“What?!”
“This is why I hate your face!”
“Excuse me?”
“Huh? Couldn’t you have been born a bit uglier? Or at least walk around with dirt smeared on your face! Or better yet, couldn’t you just dress like a beggar? Well?!”
Klaus was genuinely fuming, venting his temper at the top of his lungs.
“Ugh, forget it. Why am I getting mad at your face when it’s not your fault? I’ll just gouge those bastards’ eyes out myself. Give me their names!”
“Are you crazy? Haven’t you ever heard of diplomatic incidents? You’re royalty—did you skip all your lessons just to go hunting?”
“Fine, yeah! Your dog is just a mutt and a stupid idiot! Happy now?”
Now he’s calling himself a dog.
Klaus paced between the mannequins draped in dresses.
“So, are you going to wear this dress? Huh? Hey, this one is prettier. That one too. Look, about seven of these look better than the one you picked. Why on earth did you choose that one?”
Every dress Klaus pointed out was related to him in some way.
One of them was even a radical design with a massive wolf crest embroidered in red thread across the front.
Why is that even in my bedroom?
It looked like a designer had just been experimenting. If I wore something like that, I’d certainly be the center of attention at the Victory Banquet, though for all the wrong reasons.
“Deep breaths.”
I decided I needed to soothe this angry puppy somehow.
Not that I had any intention of changing the dress I’d already chosen. I had to see Empress Carmi and Dave’s faces when they got humiliated, after all.
“I’m sticking with the dress I first picked. But, since you’re so upset… hmm.”
I thought through my jewelry boxes and said, “I’ll wear blue jewels.”
Klaus’s head snapped up instantly.
“Blue?”
“I have a blue sapphire necklace. A set with earrings and a bracelet.”
“Blue. Blue is good. It’ll remind people of me.”
But would people really bother to find meaning in the partner of the fourth dance, rather than the first, second, or third?
I doubt it.
I kept the thought to myself, not wanting to ruin Klaus’s mood now that he had finally calmed down.
However…
“…?”
I hadn’t expected Klaus to suddenly stride toward me.
With his arms crossed, he leaned down, peering into my eyes as if searching for something.
His face, right in front of mine, held a strange look of contemplation that made me curious.
“What is it?”
When I asked, Klaus gave a short laugh.
“You remembered my eye color well. That’s enough.”
Leaving only those words behind, he gave my dress one last satisfied look and vanished.
*
The next morning.
The servants who started the day at the grand mansion were always busy, but this morning was different. They were so frantic it was a wonder no one had collapsed from the shock.
Even the usually composed Adel was no exception.
“My goodness, Lady Tulia.”
Adel’s voice was actually trembling with bewilderment.
“I have never seen a blue diamond this large in my life…”
Adel wasn’t exaggerating.
It was a massive blue diamond necklace—the stone wasn't just the size of a baby’s fist, but more like a young child’s.
Despite its incredible volume, it was flawless.
The blue diamond, which looked like it could buy dozens of castles, was surrounded by white diamonds the size of pinky nails. Its sheer size and opulence made it look more like a neck guard than a necklace.
The sender?
Klaus Rocheva, of course.
The younger servants were making a fuss, while the older, senior servants quickly hushed them and told them to get back to work.
Still, they couldn't help but stare in awe as if looking at a legendary treasure.
[It’s yours. Please wear it to the Victory Banquet.]
To think he’d give such a treasure as a gift, not even a loan. He was incredibly generous.
Wow, this guy… he was loaded…
I neatly folded Klaus’s letter—or rather, his note—that came with the necklace and spoke to Adel.
“Adel.”
“Yes, My Lady?”
“Could you call my dance instructor as soon as possible?”
“Right now?”
“Yes, yes.”
Looking at the massive, beautiful blue diamond necklace, my heart felt rich, but my feet felt like they were on fire.
Just looking at this thing, it must weigh at least ten kilograms.
I had a feeling. A very strong feeling.
If I slipped up even a little, I was going to crush the feet of all three male leads in succession.
“Adel.”
Once the commotion had died down, I asked her another question.
“What about Sophia and Lady Aubrey?”
“They are both in the annex, but I hear they are having massive arguments every day.”
“Hmm.”
The day Ferdinand had left like that, I had immediately hired people to find out the staggering amount of tributes and gifts Aubrey had squeezed out of Ferdinand over the years.
I also confirmed that Sophia knew absolutely nothing about it.
“What shall we do, My Lady?”
“Leave them be for now. Since the Imperial Decree hasn’t arrived yet, treat Sophia with the respect due to a Crown Princess candidate.”
I added with a cold expression, “But there’s no need to be that polite to Lady Aubrey.”
Adel smiled.
“As you wish, My Lady.”
*
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Empress Carmi froze for a moment, teacup in hand, at the maid’s announcement that Ferdinand had arrived.
But her agitation was brief.
“Bring him in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A moment later, the Crown Prince entered, his face as expressionless as ever, following the maid’s guidance.
“Crown Prince.”
Empress Carmi wore a warm smile as she offered Ferdinand a seat.
“It must feel strange to be back after so long. Now that you’ve returned to the palace, you should come to the Empress’s Palace often to have tea with me.”
They were empty words.
Carmi didn’t want to run into that monster even by accident.
However, Ferdinand was no longer the insignificant boy she could abuse at will.
“I appreciate the sentiment, Your Majesty, but I must decline.”
Ferdinand scanned the room with his characteristic blood-red eyes before his lips curled into a faint smile.
“This palace originally belonged to my mother. I fear I would be overcome with sorrow every time I visit.”
“…”