Chapter 186
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 186
‘Still, dancing with Klaus is definitely the most comfortable.’
I’d already stepped on his feet fifteen times, but I didn’t have to feel a shred of guilt!
In fact, when I was dancing with Ferdinand and Benjamin earlier, my knees were practically rattling from the sheer effort of being careful.
‘Not that I could avoid stepping on them entirely, though.’
In contrast, perhaps because I felt so at ease with Klaus, my dancing was better (by my standards), and we probably looked much more graceful (in my opinion).
‘At least I won’t be bedridden with exhaustion thanks to this.’
“Hey,” Klaus suddenly asked. “Who are you dancing with next?”
“I don’t know. You’re the last one listed on my dance card.”
“Then dance with me again.”
“With you?”
“Yeah.”
Klaus certainly had a good memory.
“You have to dance with me. I was originally the fourth partner listed on your dance card anyway, wasn’t I?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Then it’s settled. Dance the next one with me too.”
“Hey.”
I furrowed my brows and whispered, “Did you stop halfway through learning court etiquette from Grandfather? You’re not supposed to dance with the same partner twice in a row.”
“Then stop dancing altogether.”
Klaus’s bright blue eyes flicked down toward my waist.
“If my feet are in this state, any other guy from the Spring Continent would end up a total cripple.”
“……Ahem. That wasn’t on purpose….”
As Klaus and I bickered, the song quickly came to an end.
What happened next was unexpected.
As soon as the music stopped, the Emperor abruptly left the hall as if he’d been waiting for that moment—and he took ‘three people’ with him.
Those three were, of course, the male leads.
Ferdinand. Benjamin. Klaus.
I watched the Emperor’s receding back in utter disbelief.
‘Are you the female lead? Why are you taking all the male leads with you?’
Are you insane?
That meant the only high-ranking people left here were…!
“Lady Tulia Frezier.”
Ugh.
Empress Carmi had arrived, bringing Dave along.
“Tulia, did you enjoy your dances? Everyone was staring only at you.”
What caught my attention was Sophia, who had followed them. There was a slight thorn in her voice, but I didn't care about that.
The problem was her flushed complexion.
I could sense it instinctively.
‘What’s this? She definitely looks like she’s fallen for someone.’
Surely not Dave? I ruled him out immediately.
Male leads are, by definition, possessors of absolute visuals and charm that turn all surrounding men into background noise.
So it was likely one of the male leads, but hilariously, all three of them were present at today’s victory banquet.
‘What is it? Who is she crushing on?’
Surely not Ferdinand.
‘Sip.’
That would be too shameless, so probably not.
Then Benjamin?
Or Klaus?
All three were so blindingly handsome that I couldn't even guess.
While I was racking my brain, Empress Carmi spoke with a sun-like smile plastered across her face.
“Lady Sophia Frezier is right. I, too, watched all your dances today, and every single one was beautiful. You truly are a treasure of our Empire.”
“I am unworthy of such high praise, Your Majesty.”
I crushed all three of their feet; what on earth are you talking about?
“Dave was originally your partner, wasn't he? I came down here specifically because I wanted to see him dance with you.”
‘I knew it.’
Empress Carmi asked with a smile so gentle that no one could possibly refuse.
“You won’t call me meddlesome, will you, My Lady?”
‘For that guy, it’s not meddling I want to give him, it’s a punch.’
“How could you say such a thing, Your Majesty? As a noble of the Brillant Empire, it is only right that I follow your words.”
“I really do like how clever you are, My Lady. Now, Dave. What are you doing just standing there?”
Dave approached me with an expression that made it obvious he was being forced into this.
‘Well, he’s coming right after those three male leads, so the comparison is unavoidable.’
Who would want to go head-to-head with men like that?
Looking at it this way, I felt Empress Carmi’s greed was a bit excessive today.
‘Aha…?’
Looking closer, Empress Carmi’s smile didn't feel entirely comfortable. A faint trace of urgency was buried within it.
‘It’s because of Ferdinand.’
Empress Carmi must be insanely bothered by Ferdinand. She seemed to be suffering from the fear that even her position and dignity might be neutralized.
She might even start having nightmares every night starting this evening.
Still, I didn't feel the least bit sorry for her.
Considering her karma—poisoning that young child every day and isolating him—nightmares couldn't even be considered a punishment.
“Your Majesty,” I said, pretending to be demure. “I am terribly sorry, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked me to wait for him.”
For a split second, Empress Carmi’s face stiffened slightly before she regained her smile.
But before she could even open her mouth, Sophia spoke up with a cold, prim face.
“Tulia. The Crown Prince is neither your fiancé nor your husband, so is there any reason for you to wait without dancing? Especially when it is an order from Her Majesty the Empress.”
It was an obvious attempt to put me in a difficult spot.
‘But this body belongs to Tulia.’
I don’t die easily.
I immediately blinked and put on a look of utter bewilderment.
“An order? People might misunderstand if they heard that, Sophia.”
“……Huh?”
I spoke in a chiding tone, my eyes full of distress.
“Her Majesty was simply making friendly conversation about dancing, but if you speak like that, won't Her Majesty’s kind nature be distorted and misrepresented?”
“No, I meant….”
“You must watch your tongue, Sophia.”
Without giving Sophia a chance to speak, I immediately bowed my head to Carmi.
“I apologize on her behalf, Your Majesty. Sophia has been going through many unfortunate events lately, so please be generous and understand.”
“You…!”
Sophia raised her voice instinctively before freezing.
Empress Carmi, who was renowned for her warm personality, was currently wearing a chilling smile.
Sophia hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Y-Your Majesty! I truly did not mean it that way…!”
“Rise, Lady Tulia.”
“……!”
Sophia turned pale and stiffened as Carmi ignored her completely and took my hand.
Regardless, Empress Carmi spoke in a sweet voice.
“The Imperial Family and the Grand House of Frezier are so close; if you, the direct granddaughter of the Grand Duke, keep keeping your distance like this, imagine how embarrassed I would be.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”
No one paid any attention to Sophia. Especially now that the Empress had so openly snubbed her.
‘I mean, why pick a fight with me out of nowhere?’
Anyway, thanks to Sophia’s provocation…
“It would be alright to dance with Dave, wouldn't it, My Lady? This is a special victory banquet hall opened for the occasion; we can’t have the Imperial Family leave the floor empty for even a moment.”
It became difficult to refuse the dance with Dave for any reason.
‘Such is life….’
In the end, I walked to the center of the floor with Dave.
“The Second Prince and Lady Tulia Frezier—they truly make a well-matched pair.”
“Indeed. Aren't they as beautiful as a sculpture made of pure gold?”
“Her Majesty must be so pleased. Not everyone is blessed with such a wonderful son.”
As if they had received instructions from the Empress, the orchestra began to play a melody that was far more flamboyant and sweet than the previous ones.
And so, I was cursing inwardly.
‘I can see right through you.’
It was because the song required much closer physical contact with one’s partner than the previous ones.
“A good song is playing, My Lady. I am quite good at this particular dance, so you can just trust me and follow my lead.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Dave seemed to like my outer shell at least, as he showed no hesitation in pulling me close.
But.
His patience reached its limit at exactly the five-minute mark.
“Ack, damn it!”
With a harsh curse, Dave shoved me away.
The music cut off instantly, and the warm atmosphere of the special banquet hall froze over.
“My Lady, just how many times are you going to trample on my feet?! Huh?! Do you think I’m a joke too?!”
I immediately hung my head, looking startled.
“I am so sorry, Your Highness. My skills are lacking, so I made a few mistakes….”
“What kind of mistake leads to someone’s feet being trampled over fifty times in five minutes?! Do you think I’m some nobody? I am a noble of imperial blood! How dare a mere Lady like you try such a pathetic stunt?!”
“Pardon…? Fifty times…?”
It was over eighty, actually.
I bit my lip, my eyes welling up with tears.
“If you exaggerate a few mistakes like that… what will happen to my reputation…?”
As people began to whisper, Dave’s face turned a furious shade of red.
“A few times? Are you insane? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable! Can’t you even count? Huh?!”
“Y-You… calling me ‘you,’ Your Highness….”
Tulia!
Squeeze it out!
The tears!
Wring them out like juice!
“I know you are very angry because of my poor dancing skills… but if you could just consider me a little… No. It is my fault….”
The surrounding crowd began to stir.
“Does it make sense to have your feet stepped on fifty times in five minutes?”
“If that were the case, the previous partners would have been angry too, but none of them showed any sign of it.”
“To get that angry over having his feet stepped on a few times. And toward the granddaughter of the Grand Duke of Frezier, no less….”
“The Second Prince is quite petty, isn't he?”
How could those mocking voices, which even I could hear, not reach Dave’s ears?
Instead, I swallowed my sobs (or pretended to) with a terrified expression.
“Your Highness… please don’t be angry. Today is the Crown Prince’s victory banquet, and it’s a happy day for the Empire…. It was my fault….”
“Y-You…!”
Hey, it’s driving you crazy, isn't it?
My loathsome act is making you lose your mind, right?
You want to throw me on the guillotine, don’t you?
As expected, Dave finally snapped at my blatant playing of the victim.
“Is this wench serious? Do you think this is your front yard at the Grand Duchy?! How dare you spout such lies in the sacred Imperial Palace?! Huh?! Guards!”
Dave shouted in a voice thick with rage.
“Take this madwoman away immediately for the Crime of Insulting the Imperial Family…!”
At that moment—
“Dave Ewigkeit!”
A heavy voice, thick with indignation, cut Dave off.
“Imperial Father! You’ve come at the perfect time! This insane girl—!”
Slap!
In an instant, a silence even deeper than before descended upon the hall.
Emperor Alexander. He had struck Dave across the cheek. And he had done so quite mercilessly.
Dave’s cheek swelled up instantly, and blood even trickled from his mouth.
Dave had been riding high under Empress Carmi’s protection until now.
But the red blood dripping down Dave’s chin now felt like an omen.
An omen that his solid position was slowly crumbling.
It was a sight that stood in stark contrast to Ferdinand, who now had nothing left to do but soar like a bird with wings.