An Unexpected Answer
At the unexpected reply, the people around them widened their eyes in surprise. Well, what were they going to do, staring at her like that? Chloe fought down the urge to rub her cheeks, which were practically spasming from all the smiling, and smiled again.
“Since His Majesty is so very concerned for me, it is only proper that you show due courtesy to His Grace the Duke of Glintland as well.”
“What do you mean by—”
“Please do give me the chance to greet the young ladies here as well.”
As she said it, Chloe winked one eye.
“It’s about time the ladies of Ibanes learned just how tender His Highness the Grand Duke truly is, despite being so famous for his fastidiousness.”
Ah, what can you do? I’ll sacrifice myself and help your love life along.
That was what she meant.
You’ve got all four limbs working perfectly, and I still have to help you with this?
Perhaps Curtis understood exactly what Chloe meant, because his expression turned savage.
Well, had Curtis Shan Berk ever been treated like an incompetent in his life? In that sense, it was inevitable.
After hearing her words, Curtis Shan Berk fell silent for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“I thought my Grand Duchess was merely lovable, but it turns out she is unusually considerate as well.”
“Did you?”
Seeing him smile put Chloe in a good mood. Not for some tender reason like, If you smile, I’m happy too.
If Brigadier General Berk is expressionless, things may or may not be ruined.
But if Brigadier General Berk is irritated, things are ruined.
And if Brigadier General Berk smiles, you are definitely screwed.
That was the saying, wasn’t it?
If she were still Curtis Shan Berk’s aide, she would have thought, I’m screwed... But right now, she was Her Highness the Grand Duchess.
What was he going to do about it? Hold lots of unfamiliar women’s hands and seethe.
For reference, the gloves Curtis wore today were new lambskin gloves.
He would definitely throw those gloves away too. Only the maids of the Berk Ducal Residence, who would have to provide him with new ones, were unexpectedly in for a bit of extra income.
Of course, the people watching them also sensed that the Grand Duke had bristled at his new Grand Duchess’s words.
Their interpretations, however, all differed.
The lowborn thing has some sense after all.
That was the king.
Where in the world did the Grand Duchess sell off her sense...
That was the thought of the others nearby who could read Curtis’s eyes.
As for Curtis Shan Berk himself...
“In that case, Duke of Glintland.”
With a gentle smile, he held out his hand to Isabelle la Glintland. His hand was clad in glossy lambskin.
“Will you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”
“Oh my.”
Isabelle la Glintland blushed shyly as well.
“The honor is mine.”
Their hands touched, and contrary to everyone’s expectations, Curtis wrapped an arm around Isabelle’s waist without a trace of aversion and led her to the center of the hall.
“Good heavens.”
“Look over there.”
It must truly have been an astonishing sight, because everyone in the banquet hall began watching the two of them.
Despite the lively music, Isabelle greeted him with grace.
A jig.
Chloe was familiar with it as well, since it was the music she had danced to with Curtis.
Oh. I should watch how someone good does it.
When she and Curtis danced, it generally consisted of Curtis smoothly leading and guiding Chloe, who was not used to it.
His advice to change to a slower rhythm, a passacaglia, had been extremely appropriate. With a jig, their feet tangled so easily that no matter how well Curtis danced, Chloe staggered once every three times.
So she thought she ought to watch how Isabelle la Glintland danced...
And then it happened.
“Huh.”
Curtis called the conductor over, said a few words, and soon the music changed.
It was a passacaglia.
The two began dancing to the grave, slow music.
Tch. Read the room, Grand Duke.
Thinking that, Chloe watched the pair as they began to dance.
Everyone was looking at them, so even if she stared openly like this, she probably would not appear particularly rude or stupid.
As expected, the two of them danced remarkably well.
Well, of course they did when two skilled people matched each other.
But both of them had a certain charm that could not be dismissed as mere skill.
There were people like that, weren’t there? People who made the same thing everyone else did look exceptionally effortless.
The Grand Duke and the Duke of Glintland.
Both of them seemed to be that kind of person.
Fluid movements without a single wasted gesture. Perfectly matched breathing. A precision one might expect to find only in the military.
The two exchanged words from time to time, and they suited each other so well that, rather than Chloe, Isabelle la Glintland looked like the Grand Duke’s destined match.
The others seemed to be thinking much the same.
“My. If he dances that well, why on earth hasn’t he done it until now...”
“Does love truly change a person...”
Hearing such things left Chloe feeling strangely unsettled.
Everyone thought Chloe had made the Grand Duke change.
But.
The truth was, that man had not changed even once.
Just then, the Grand Duke, while dancing, glanced her way.
It was different from a gaze that naturally scattered while one danced.
It was an unmistakable stare.
The instant Chloe met those purple eyes, she flinched and, without realizing it, straightened her shoulders.
But the Grand Duke, once their eyes met, snorted as if to make sure she saw it and turned his head away.
“Unbelievable. Thanks to Chloe, I get to see all sorts of spectacles.”
It was then that Crown Prince Frederick, who had come to stand beside her at some point, spoke to her.
“Pardon?”
Chloe, who had been staring blankly, startled and asked back without thinking.
The crown prince naturally placed a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, smiled, and whispered.
“I mean the sight of my illustrious uncle being jealous.”
“What... an unexpected thing to say.”
She almost said, What kind of nonsense is that? But Chloe just barely managed to redirect her words.
It was the most outrageous thing she had heard today, but she could not misspeak in front of the crown prince twice.
The crown prince, however, laughed aloud and leaned even closer to whisper.
“Shall we wager? I’d bet even my villa in Bervignan that my uncle is furious right now and dancing out of sheer spite.”
“...When I come into possession of a villa fine enough to wager against Your Highness, I’ll let you know.”
But why is he so close?
As Chloe hesitated and tried to put some distance between herself and the crown prince, Frederick went a step further.
He turned her by the shoulders and led her toward the people.
Only a little later did Chloe realize that this was the crown prince’s consideration: he was taking advantage of the moment when the disaster of a Grand Duke had vacated the area to introduce Chloe to the others.
However, the introductions did not have an atmosphere as pleasant as his good intentions.
“Aunt. I heard you already greeted the Grand Duchess some time ago.”
“Mm.”
The Marquise of Flandre gave a slight nod.
As though he intended merely to watch what happened, the king sat on the sofa without a word, his gaze amused.
“You’ve had a difficult time. Because I was ill, I caused the Grand Duchess sudden trouble.”
Crown Princess Beatrice said that with a bloodless face, then closed her mouth. She looked a little uncomfortable.
Chloe had heard that Beatrice was highly conscious of the king’s moods, so she simply accepted it as such.
There were a few familiar faces too.
They just happened to be people she did not get along with, or people with whom she had nothing to say.
Agathe Montpis, for example.
When Countess Montfils saw her, she merely clicked her tongue with a soft tsk.
As for Theodora...
“As I am currently assigned to guard the Duke of Glintland, I ask Your Highness’s generous understanding for my inability to greet you properly.”
She cut it off cleanly and fixed her gaze on Curtis and Isabelle.
After naturally exchanging greetings with a few nobles standing nearby, there was nothing more to say.
“...”
“...”
How awkward.
For some reason, Chloe missed Madame Brun.
Her Madame Brun, who, as Palace Affairs Director, could not even attend the banquet on the day itself and must be terribly busy.
You never taught me what to do in times like this. Come back.
It was the kind of thing that would have made Madame Brun snort if she heard it.
Meanwhile, Curtis and Isabelle were already continuing into their second dance.
“I didn’t expect you to dance with me for two songs.”
Isabelle Glintland, whom he had now met in person, was an exceedingly beautiful and lovely woman.
The voice with which she spoke to him was dripping with honey.
In other words, the King of Glintland did seem to have done his utmost for this marriage proposal, at least in some sense.
Curtis had eyes, so he understood that much.
But beauty and satisfaction were different matters.
Curtis wanted to immediately peel off the hand resting on his arm, as well as the fingers interlaced with his own.
Every time she moved, a faint floral scent wafted from her.
It was not perfume.
The fact that Curtis Shan Berk hated perfume was famous, so it was probably her natural scent, or perhaps the lingering trace of having bathed in scented oil.
It was a faint, fresh fragrance most people would have enjoyed, but to Curtis, it was nothing but torment.
“I didn’t expect to end up dancing with you either.”
The man tossed the words out flatly.
It was obvious this woman wanted something from him, while he wanted nothing from her, so he had no reason to show her respect.
Even at the insolent remark, she smiled with her eyes.
“I’m delighted. Now I have something in common with Your Highness.”
“That differs from my assessment. I think I’m currently paying the price for having behaved like an idiot.”
“I spent many nights imagining all sorts of things, thinking you might one day become my husband. Now that I’ve met you in person, you match my imaginings wonderfully. You’re a magnificent man.”
Isabelle was tenacious and relentless.