8. Will You Be My First Partner?
It was a lavish night in the Imperial Capital.
Nobles gathered throughout the banquet hall, each lost in their own conversations.
Places this crowded... always made me a little dizzy.
After glancing around, I spotted a table tucked into a corner of the hall and stationed myself there, loosening the collar of my formal suit just a fraction.
Matrons peeked at me over their fans while nobles raised their wine glasses, curiosity flashing in their eyes.
The fact that a marginal baron from the northern frontier was attending the Crown Princess's birthday ball—much less as a guest of honor—had long since become the juiciest gossip in high society.
"The males' stares are ever so sticky tonight, Darling," Vivian whispered, hooking her arm lightly through mine as she pressed herself against my right side.
Every step Vivian took in her navy silk dress sent an agonizing sliver of smooth leg into view, and whenever her lush tails swayed, the men nearby followed with eyes glazed in a trance.
Vivian smiled serenely, as though mocking all those stares, and looped a single tail discreetly around my waist—a subtle declaration of exactly whose I was.
"The irreverent gazes upon Master are unbearable. Uuugh..."
Alice's cold voice drifted in from my left.
Her impeccably arranged green dress played beautifully against Alice's snow-white skin, making her all the more striking.
She would be perfect—if only she'd stop glaring daggers at every young lady and noblewoman in the vicinity.
The two of them outshone every other woman in the hall, but thanks to the killing intent radiating from behind Alice, no one dared approach our table.
"Alice, Vivian. Tonight is Her Highness the Crown Princess's birthday ball. So please, for the love of everything, let's not cause a scene. Understood...?"
At my admonishing tone, both nodded at the same time and wrapped their arms around mine.
"Then stay glued to my side at all times. I'll deal with any other women before they even think of wagging their tails at you."
"Darling, you simply must grant this girl a dance later ♡"
Just as Vivian's tail was discreetly sliding up my calf and Alice tightened her grip on my arm, scanning our surroundings—
Bam— Bam—
A solemn blast of trumpets rolled through the hall.
The chatter died in an instant, and the nobles at the center of the ballroom parted to either side, clearing a path toward the dais.
Up the grand central staircase appeared the most powerful figures in the Empire.
"His Imperial Majesty Calix Rodenberg, the Eternal Sun of the Empire, and Her Highness Ophelia Rodenberg, the Star of the Empire, Crown Princess, now make their entrance!"
Ophelia stood beside Emperor Calix, who was clad in a resplendent gold ceremonial robe.
Her gown, silk embroidered with golden thread, caught the light of the chandeliers and blazed brilliantly. Her pinned-up blonde hair and the jewel-studded tiara lent her face an even greater air of nobility.
She always struck me as a bit of a mischief-maker, but seeing her like this... there was no denying she had imperial blood in her veins.
Emperor Calix took his place at the center of the dais and delivered a brief, solemn address.
It was purely ceremonial—congratulating his daughter on her twentieth birthday and blessing her future as the star who would one day lead the Empire.
When the speech ended and the Emperor stepped back, it was Ophelia's turn to step forward.
It was an old tradition of the imperial family.
The Crown Princess, upon her twentieth birthday, would personally name her first partner and dance with him at her birthday ball.
Confident sons of great houses and young knights stole glances at Ophelia, swallowing dryly and deliberately squaring their shoulders to flaunt themselves.
A single glance or gesture from the Crown Princess could decide the fortunes of an entire family.
No way... she wouldn't actually pick me, right? Please, Ophelia...
Ophelia, a faint smile playing on her lips, slowly surveyed the ballroom—then her gaze came to rest on one spot, and she began to beam.
A secluded table at the very edge of the hall, far removed from the dais.
Her face glowing with delight, Ophelia began descending the staircase, her eyes locked squarely on me as she walked over at an unhurried pace.
The moment the nobles realized the Crown Princess was heading straight for the northern baron, a low murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Oh my, the Crown Princess is..."
"Surely she doesn't intend to grant her first dance to some backwater baron?"
At the same instant, a sharp aura flared up on either side of me and my shoulders went numb.
Alice's eyes clouded over in the blink of an instant, and all eight of Vivian's tails bristled straight up, fur puffed out.
"That woman... she really means to take Master..."
"Darling. Might this girl be permitted to bring down that dais right this instant?"
The two of them whispered into my ears.
"No... just hold on a little. Please..."
As I murmured my answer and lifted my head, Ophelia had already closed the distance to stand right before me, halting her steps with impeccable grace.
"Baron. Will you be my first partner?"
Ophelia extended a small hand in a white glove and looked up at me, her eyes brimming with barely concealed mischief and a sticky, cloying desire.
The murmur of the surrounding nobles grew louder and louder, and before any more eyes could settle on us, I hurriedly spoke.
"Your Highness, this is far too sudden. There are high-ranking nobles aplenty here—why would you choose someone like me, a frontier..."
Then Ophelia stepped one pace closer and whispered, so quietly that only I could hear.
"Refuse, and you will clutch your chest and collapse coughing up blood right here and now. Wouldn't that put Orabeoni in a rather difficult position as well?"
Why does she have to go this far...
If I didn't take her hand in this situation, it would be the same as humiliating the Crown Princess of the Empire before the entire court.
But if I did take her hand...?
I could feel the killing intent from Alice and Vivian on either side of me steadily intensifying.
...Fine. I'll just have to smooth things over with the two of them later.
Swallowing a deep sigh, I slowly extended my hand and took Ophelia's.
"...It would be my honor, Your Highness the Crown Princess."
The moment I took her hand, a smile bloomed across Ophelia's face.
She clasped my hand tight and led me out into the very center of the ballroom.
The imperial orchestra's resplendent waltz began to fill the hall.
"Now then, Orabeoni. I look forward to dancing with you."
I carefully wrapped my arm around Ophelia's slender waist and matched my steps to hers.
Our dance flowed far more smoothly than I'd expected.
Who knew that the few steps I'd grudgingly practiced to appease Vivian and Alice would shine like this?
"You dance quite beautifully, Orabeoni. You must have had plenty of practice."
Ophelia spun in time with the music before drifting back into my arms, whispering softly.
She kept her expression flawlessly elegant, ever mindful of the eyes around us, but there was no mistaking the quiet jealousy threaded through her voice.
"That's all thanks to you leading so well, Ophelia. But did it really have to be like this? I feel like I'm dying from all the daggers stabbing into my back."
"Oh, Orabeoni, truly. I told you yesterday, didn't I? We reunited after twelve long years, and you would have me share my first dance with some repulsive man? I couldn't even bear to imagine such a horrifying thing."
As Ophelia pressed her hand lightly against my shoulder and closed the distance, her fresh lily fragrance washed over me, making my head swim all the more.
"And I must make one thing perfectly clear. I gave Father the excuse that I was going to the north to control my holy power—but you know full well that wasn't my true purpose, don't you, Orabeoni?"
"...I do."
"When we arrive at your northern domain, you must treat me the way you treat Alice and Vivian—just as before. Not as the Crown Princess, but as Ophelia, your little sister."
Ophelia's blue eyes bore into mine, searching my face for an answer.
Ha... why am I always so weak to those eyes of hers?
"...Fine. I'll... try."
When I conceded reluctantly, Ophelia smiled sweetly, satisfied.
The music hurtled toward its crescendo, the tempo quickening with every measure.
The song would end soon. I need to go placate Alice and Vivian, fast.
In that brief moment—the one where Ophelia executed a dazzling turn and settled completely into my arms for the closing pose—
she rose slightly onto her tiptoes, pressed her body flush against my chest, and brought her lips to my ear.
Chu—
To anyone watching, it must have looked as though we had simply drifted close while dancing, but her soft lips pressed firmly against the spot between my jaw and the nape of my neck before pulling away.
"Consider that a reservation, Orabeoni. The rest you'll receive when we're alone together, just the two of us."
The music ended.
Ophelia stepped back as if nothing had happened, her smile absolutely perfect, lifted the hem of her skirt in a curtsy, and offered her greeting.
"Thank you. Thanks to your skilled guidance, I was able to finish without a hitch."
"Not at all, Your Highness. The honor was entirely mine, to be your first partner."
Still flustered by the sudden skinship, I returned Ophelia's greeting—and applause erupted from all directions, while the murmuring behind us and the glares of jealousy sharpened several times over from before.
The instant Ophelia returned to the Emperor's side, escorted by her handmaidens, I fled back to our corner table.
Haah... I'm seriously dying here...
The moment I reached the table, I drained a glass of liquor I normally wouldn't touch and struggled to catch my breath.
Now I feel like I can breathe again. When was the last time I'd received this much attention...
"Whew..."
Just as I was wiping the sweat from my brow, a cold, chilling voice rang out beside my ear.
"Master."
"Darling?"
Oh no.
When I slowly turned my head, Alice's eyes staring back at me had lost every trace of light, sinking into pure black, and her hand was already clenched tight around the dagger holster hidden beneath her skirt.
Vivian's smile had vanished entirely as well. Her lips, which always held a faint smile, trembled, and the pressure of her fox tail slowly winding around my waist was strong enough to choke the breath from my lungs.
"That little gesture just now... when Ophelia rubbed her lips against Darling's nape at the very end—this girl saw every last detail of it," Vivian hissed through gritted teeth.
"Wipe it off. Now."
Alice snatched up a napkin with one hand and began scrubbing furiously at my jaw and the nape of my neck.
"A-Alice! Hold on, that hurts!"
"Hold still! Something filthy got on you! It must be erased at once—or else I'll march up onto that dais right this instant and wring that woman's neck..."
Eyes began turning toward the increasingly raucous pair, and before Alice and Vivian could kick off a full-blown rampage, I hurriedly whisked them both out onto the terrace.