Chapter 34
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 34
Parents (3)
The chandelier shone the banquet hall with a golden light, and there were many couples of people dancing to the alluring music.
Among them, I was also dancing while intertwining fingers with a woman.
"I should be the one leading, I am sorry."
Even though I confidently proposed first how about we dance too, sadly, my dancing skill wasn't very excellent.
As I had no occasion to go out to high society, there was no occasion to dance, and since I didn't practice separately either, there were quite a few forgotten moves.
Although I practiced a little before coming, compared to those dancing stylishly nearby, it was incredibly sloppy.
I proposed it because I wanted to change her mood at least, but I was worried if asking her to dance together was unnecessary.
"It's fine."
But Aniel shook her head and simultaneously gripped the intertwined fingers tighter.
It felt like blood wasn't circulating, but my gaze headed only to Aniel.
"I can't dance well either. Because I was always at the battlefield."
"Ah."
"So it's my first time dancing too."
To think a person no less than her is dancing for the first time.
I am flustered. Even before, when getting off the carriage, she said she had never received an escort.
Why on earth is it. Why is it the first time.
I couldn't understand. A plausible thought couldn't be drawn either.
But one thing was clear.
'I am glad for some reason.'
That all of her firsts are me.
Even though it might be bad memories for her and she might not be satisfied, nevertheless, I was glad.
Isn't it like giving an unforgettable memory to the object of a crush during school days.
'Of course, there is no emotion like love between us two right now though.'
Before I knew it, the corners of my mouth went up.
"Why? Saying it's the first time seems funny?"
"No. Just because I'm glad."
At Aniel's question, I shook my head and said.
There is no need to think much about things like this.
Rather than buying misunderstandings with an irrelevant answer for no reason, sometimes answering honestly is comfortable.
"What is it that you are glad about."
"I gained the honor to be the Grand Duchess's first dance partner."
Already, just becoming a partner is an honor that doesn't fit my station.
If you graduate, you will become a hero who saves the world, and you are the person who will be at the highest place.
On the other hand, if I achieve graduation safely, I will live secluded quietly in the Wiesent territory, and if I can't fulfill it, I am in a plight where I will be chased out of the family and have to wander.
The gap between you and me couldn't be narrowed no matter how one looked at it.
So I thought this was the reason I felt glad.
"You are always like that."
"Grand Duchess?"
In the midst of continuing the dance sloppily, Aniel stepped on my foot.
It wasn't a mistake. Because she stepped on it very carefully and lightly so I wouldn't be hurt as much as possible.
"I have never really done an apology well. So because I didn't know what to do, I kept thinking and thinking."
It wouldn't matter even if she just did it ordinarily, but certainly she was a serious person.
"But before apologizing, I want to ask."
Such a person who speaks containing her sincere heart as much as possible.
"Why did you block it? Even if I got hit, it wouldn't hurt anyway."
***
It was pure curiosity.
She couldn't help but think about it.
It was the first time someone stepped forward directly and helped her like Allen.
It was the reason she hated standing in high society. Although this many people existed, there was no one who willingly stepped forward for Aniel.
'A matter to be resolved within the family.'
It was a tacit rule. That family matters are handled among family people.
Regardless, the person who gave birth to her is none other than Grand Duke Kyle.
It was an era where children were treated as their parents' possessions.
People's thought was that one shouldn't step forward if they don't want to dare make an enemy of the Grand Duchy.
So she rather considered it fortunate that Allen wasn't in the spot. Because she wished he wouldn't suffer seeing the appearance of her getting hit.
'But you stepped forward to protect me.'
Because he was weak unlike herself, Kyle's striking hand must have hurt very much.
Although he only handled administration behind the scenes now, still, Kyle was also a knight.
On the other hand, the Allen Aniel saw was a man whose basics weren't even established well yet.
Although he acted as if he was fine, still, it's a striking hand hit by a knight.
The more she looked at that wound, Aniel's mind wavered.
Wonder, feeling sorry, and anxiety about whether he might try to cut off the relationship because he got completely fed up.
It was really strange.
She had lived without caring how others viewed her.
'To think I only want to show a good appearance to this man.'
In the spot swaying with golden light, Aniel looked into Allen's face.
First the cheek swollen bright red, then the bridge of the nose, then the lips, and the last thing that reached was the two eyes blue like sapphire.
She didn't even drink alcohol. In the first place, even if she drank, she didn't get drunk well. Nevertheless, for some reason, she felt a sense of intoxication going around.
"Why did you block it? Even if I got hit, it wouldn't hurt anyway."
So she asked. Because she wanted to hear his true feelings.
After spitting it out, she regretted it a little.
Saying 'Ah' is different and 'Eo' is different, what if he misunderstands and takes it as words of reprimand.
"Why were you just standing still and getting hit, Grand Duchess?"
But before she could correct it, Allen brought up words first.
Why was she just getting hit. Aniel smiled bitterly.
Well, because she intended to endure and use this situation.
But she didn't want to reveal this insidious inner thought as is.
The Allen she had seen is a quite pure person.
"What I care about is not whether the Grand Duchess hurts or doesn't hurt."
Thankfully, Allen didn't rush the answer, nor did he pressure her by waiting.
"I just hated seeing the appearance of the Grand Duchess getting hit."
He delivered his thought exactly as it was.
Just. Right, just. Just....
She wants to dig in more persistently. To tell her in detail, not words like 'just'.
If only she could, she wants to enter his head and find out everything up to what he thinks of her.
Now she felt like she knew why Lucia tried to cast domination magic on Allen. Because she wants to know everything about this man.
But Aniel only chewed on her lip and didn't ask further questions.
"G, Grand Duchess?"
"Thank you."
It's a situation where everyone is dancing.
But instead of dancing, Aniel leaned on and relied on Allen's embrace.
She thought, would there ever be an occasion to lean on someone in life, but she is leaning right now.
This was also the first time.
She was anxious, but the beating of Allen's heart made her comfortable.
"I was really glad, that you stepped forward for me."
"Ah...."
Aniel didn't know that Allen's face had actually turned red like a tomato and he was restless.
[The number above Aniel's head has become 39]
***
'Damn it, damn it, damn it!'
Albert, who barely came to his senses, kept chattering curses inwardly.
It was a really short time. During that short time, he felt tremendous terror.
To the extent of wondering if there would ever be an occasion to experience this kind of experience in his lifetime.
Lily considered that with this much, it would have been clearly warned. That at least if he has learning ability, there would be no case of him touching Allen anymore.
'To dare do this to me, me, despite being a mere Saintess!'
But Albert was an even more stupid and arrogant person than Lily thought.
Let alone cursing the Saintess who dared to do such a thing to him, he ground his teeth at the fact that his attendance time for the banquet hall had passed because of her.
"Lord Albert, are you okay!"
"Open the door quickly!"
The gatekeeper who recognized Albert at a glance asked if he was okay as soon as he checked his complexion.
But Albert raised his voice towards the gatekeeper worrying about him like a foal with unfastened reins.
Watching this Albert, the gatekeeper felt anxiety rather than unpleasantness.
'If I let him in for no reason, wouldn't he cause some trouble?'
There were contents earnestly requested by Marchioness Robiesh before coming here.
Saying that if Albert came visiting alone, don't let him in and convey that she said to return.
Right now, absolutely no person was seen by Albert's side.
So the gatekeeper tried to tell him to return as is according to the Marchioness's words.
"The Marchioness has spoken. How about you do not attend today and return at this point...."
"Who are you to speak of my mother recklessly!"
"Ah, Lord Albert!"
However, Albert, with nothing visible to his eyes, pushed the gatekeeper as is, opened the door as he pleased, and entered inside.
"T, that crazy bastard...!"
"W, what should we do!"
"Shall we go catch him immediately?"
The soldiers lined up next to the gatekeeper asked.
If it was now, they could chase and catch him.
But the gatekeeper waved his hand.
"We have done enough."
"But..."
"When a royalty says he will enter, how can we stop him? If we step up for no reason, His Majesty's crossfire will spark onto us."
The gatekeeper was passive. Actually, he found Albert's attitude repulsive from before.
He swaggered around claiming to be royalty, but in reality, he was a scoundrel who couldn't even distinguish what his own plight was.
"His Majesty is not in a good mood."
"Then that guy will be over with today too."
"It's just funny that he still doesn't know what kind of person His Majesty is."
Wherever one went in the Imperial Palace, eyes and ears existed, and those flowed intact to the Emperor.
Having already confirmed who Aniel's partner was, the Emperor's mood had become more uncomfortable than ever.
If Albert, who should return home and exercise self-restraint, enters and causes a huge accident, what on earth will happen.
"More than that, isn't the man named Allen Wiesent quite fine?"
"I thought he just looked handsome, but to think he would block the front of the Grand Duke..."
At a highly anticipated moment, the soldiers' interest headed to another figure.
A mistake could have bought Aniel's anger.
Because it was a reasonable dissatisfaction, while everyone thought they were dead, he stepped forward directly and smoothed over the situation.
Furthermore, he even opposed the Grand Duke and protected his partner.
"There was an outstanding guy in the Wiesent family."
Allen of this day wouldn't know.
About how his reputation will change by attending this banquet.
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