Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: The Ball (5)
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A heart-pounding dance time.
The grand music that had been flowing through the hall changed to a gentle tune.
As if waiting for this very moment, young nobles stepped onto the stage with their partners.
They were ready to show off their polished dancing skills.
Meanwhile, we were quietly sizing each other up.
“…”
We still hadn’t decided on the order.
I had vaguely thought of Ceria as the first.
The princess also seemed to think that was the natural choice.
But Ceria, after some thought, suggested a different approach.
“Esterize, it would be best if you danced first.”
“Huh? Why?”
“The stars of this ball are the Heroes, aren’t they? It would be best to show that the Heroes have a close relationship. But if I go first, it might look a bit strange.”
I think I understood what she meant.
If Ceria went first, there was a risk she’d be seen as clinging to her fiancé who had become a Hero.
She had already been attacked once.
Would those villainous noblewomen have done that for no reason?
They must have been unbearably envious of the girl with the perfect lover.
It wasn't just the noblewomen.
Every young noble lady at the ball must have felt a pang of jealousy.
They just didn't have the standing to act on it, but their hearts were likely filled with resentment toward Ceria.
Well, it couldn’t be helped.
There was a reason for the saying about feeling a pang of jealousy when your cousin strikes it rich.
The more Ceria shone, the more envy would naturally be directed at her.
There was no way to change that, but there was no need to fan the flames either.
“It doesn't matter to me… but it could cause trouble for Jace.”
She was worried I might get caught up in nasty rumors.
I could feel her warm heart, thinking only of her lover.
The princess scratched her cheek as if embarrassed by this concession that wasn't really a concession.
“I feel kind of bad… No, more than that, it's too much pressure.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Going first is too nerve-wracking. I might make a mistake…”
“…”
For a moment, Ceria's eyes turned fierce.
*Huh? I went out of my way to let you go first, and now you're making excuses?*
*If you keep this up, you won't get anything from me in the future!*
She pressured her with that kind of intensity.
The princess, at a loss, looked like she was about to cry.
A situation where an S-class was completely helpless before an A-class.
It was amusing in its own way, but I ultimately had to step in.
I looked at Ceria and asked carefully.
“Are you sure about this?”
Ceria’s character was upright.
She was a kind girl, but that didn't mean she was a pushover.
She was the type to secure what was rightfully hers.
From her perspective, there was no reason to take a loss.
Perhaps she was aiming for something else.
As if to confirm it, she gave a peculiar smile.
Then she wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered softly.
“We can enjoy ourselves later, can't we? Just the two of us, in a place where no one's around…”
“---!!”
“Well then, I'll be looking forward to it.”
The girl's breath, so vivid…
She was tempting me with the promise of affection late at night.
“You weren't planning on just dancing and calling it a night, were you?”
“…”
Yeah, that wouldn’t be right.
At some point, the heat would surely rise.
Some couples would move quickly.
I could picture it: enjoying a night walk outside, using the excuse of needing some fresh air because it was stuffy.
Well, it would probably stop at a kiss.
But that alone would be more than enough to satisfy one's romantic sensibilities.
Ceria seemed to want something like that too.
Despite her innocent appearance, she was a surprisingly sly girl.
Which I liked even more!
Since we both wanted each other, there was nothing holding us back.
Seeing our affectionate display, the princess let out a groan.
She looked like she wanted us to stop deciding things on our own and listen to her.
Yeah, not a chance.
Why was she being so gloomy after getting all dressed up so beautifully?
She didn't seem to realize it herself, but she was truly, breathtakingly beautiful.
Her fiendish charm was so overwhelming it could sway my heart, which sought pure love.
Anyway, the order was decided.
First was Esterize, second was Ceria, third was Louise…
The Imperial Princess was, of course, last.
The Imperial Family's pride would take a bit of a hit, but it couldn't be helped.
It was about time to get on stage.
Everyone around us had been looking our way for a while now.
It was obvious they were expecting to see the Heroes' wonderful dancing skills.
Well then, I’d have to live up to their expectations.
There was no need to perform a flashy dance.
Even a decent dance would be well-packaged by my class and the princess's grace.
“Let's go.”
“W-wait. I'm not mentally prepared yet…”
I abruptly bent my right arm inward and offered it to her.
The princess hesitated for a long time before finally slipping her left arm through mine.
“Trust me. It's just a dance.”
“Okay…”
We slowly walked forward.
The couples on the stage tactfully moved aside.
Soon, we occupied the center, where the lights were focused.
There, we faced each other and took our starting positions.
As I placed a hand on the girl's slender waist, she rested her hand on my shoulder.
“Then… I’m counting on you.”
A trembling voice.
Her whole body screamed nervousness.
I could feel the princess's fluttering heartbeat right where we touched.
“…”
Somehow, I felt like I was trembling too.
Looking at her flushed face, my mind went blank.
I couldn't calm my excitement at the fact that I was dancing with my favorite character.
Hmm, how should I put this?
I definitely wasn't cheating, but it felt like I was committing a sin, which was a strange feeling!
Anyway.
I had to get a grip since everyone was watching.
As the gentle music played, our dance began.
Dancing might have its levels and masteries.
But its essence is to match your rhythm with your partner's.
The key is to step as if flowing like water.
Having free control of your lower body was crucial.
In that respect, it had a lot in common with swordsmanship.
Stamina, agility, flexibility—all the requirements were the same.
But…
Our princess…
“Ah!”
Her steps got tangled right from the start.
Her posture broke, and she was about to fall backward.
Was it because she wasn't used to high heels?
Or had it been so long since she'd danced that she'd lost her touch?
In any case, I had to get us out of this crisis.
I wrapped my arm smoothly around the princess's waist just in time.
We unintentionally ended up in a dynamic pose.
Her back arched like a bow… yeah, it was a picture like that.
Though it was just a mistake, some nobles saw it as a flashy performance and cheered.
That was a relief, but the princess was lost in self-blame.
*Ugh, what do I do? I've ruined this important performance!*
She panicked, her face on the verge of tears.
I found her expression as cute as Aruru's, but first, I had to fix the situation.
I pulled the princess's waist in sharply.
Our faces were now close enough for our breaths to mingle.
“---!!”
She let out a silent scream.
I ignored her surprise and said what I had to.
“Calm down. This isn't the time for that.”
“…”
“Now, show everyone your true heart.”
Unwavering faith.
I had always believed in Esterize.
She would never betray my expectations.
It was about time she repaid that faith.
The moment our eyes met, the girl trembled as if she'd felt a jolt.
But that was only for a moment. As if she had never shown such a pathetic side.
She revealed the gaze of the bravest girl in the world.
“Thank you, Jace. I've come to my senses now.”
It wasn't quite an awakening, but she was clearly different from before.
After that, the princess didn't make a single mistake.
Our rhythm was perfect, a fantastic harmony.
She paid no mind to the somewhat excessive skinship.
*Yes, this is how it should have been from the start!*
The process of dancing finally became fun.
I never knew that getting along with my favorite character could be this enjoyable.
She, too, maintained a bright smile, as if she was getting into the spirit of it.
A short while later, the music came to an end.
It wasn't a long time, but it was more satisfying than I'd expected.
The nobles cheered, in keeping with the decorum of the ball.
We raised our clasped hands high toward them.
“How wonderful. It was a dance filled with intense and elegant grace.”
“It's to be expected of Jace, the heir to the Crodain Family, but…”
“Who is that girl? She has a dignity that seems to surpass that of a noble lady.”
“Well, considering she was chosen as a Hero, there might be some circumstances…”
The praise continued.
It felt like we'd received a score of 9 or higher out of 10 on an artistic evaluation.
I couldn't help but puff out my chest.
The princess also looked purely happy, a smile blooming on her lips.
It seemed her self-esteem had risen quite a bit from this experience.
It looked like I would soon see her true self.
We hurried back to our seats.
Ceria was waiting, her eyes narrowed.
The princess, with an "oops" expression, quickly unlinked her arm from mine.
“Did you have a good time?”
“Huh?”
“You can be honest.”
“…”
To a simple question about how she felt.
The princess broke into a cold sweat with a troubled expression.
Hmm, wasn't this a no-win situation?
If she said yes, it would mean, ‘Your boyfriend is amazing!’
If she said no, it would mean, ‘Your boyfriend isn't as great as I thought.’
The princess had never been unreasonable, but.
In the end, this situation was like she'd borrowed someone else's lover.
It was only natural for her to feel self-conscious.
After much deliberation, the girl finally managed to eke out a word.
“How could it not have been good…?”
Her voice trailed off.
It was as if she were threatening to burst into tears if she was teased any more.
Only then did Ceria give her usual faint smile.
“Yes, what's good is good. If you're satisfied, then that's all that matters.”
She laughed it off as if it were nothing.
I wondered what she was really thinking.
If I were in her shoes, I'd probably feel a sting.
If I imagined Ceria dancing with another man…
“…”
A fire of rage shot through me.
I was confident I would go wild like a madman.
I felt like I would twist that bastard's limbs off.
Thinking about it like that…
I was newly impressed by Ceria's patience.
A girl quietly taming her aching heart.
She only made playful jokes, not showing a hint of her sorrow.
I took a moment to reflect.
There was only one way to soothe her feelings.
To cherish and love her more than I do now.
That would inevitably mean increasing the intensity of our affection…
I guess it can't be helped.
Tonight, I'll hold her so tight she won't know which way is up.
Just as I finished my thoughts, Ceria targeted the princess again.
“Esterize.”
“Yes?”
“Your face is terribly flushed. Are you alright?”
“---!!”
“I understand how you feel, but you seem a little too excited…”
“…I-I'm going to step away for a bit!”
*Aaah, I can't take it anymore!*
She fled with quick steps, as if she would die of embarrassment.
Watching the scene, the girl gave a victorious smile.
Well, if that made her feel a bit better, then I was glad…
“And how was it for you?”
Huh? Wasn't it over?
Maybe she's started to enjoy this?
Now it looked like it was my turn to be tortured.
“It was… just okay.”
“You looked incredibly happy, though?”
“---!!”
She saw right through me.
Well, how could I fool a woman's sharp intuition?
I hadn't managed to control my expression in the first place.
*I-it couldn't be helped, okay? The princess is my favorite character!*
What should I do?
One wrong move and Ceria's feelings could be seriously hurt.
If I admitted it, she'd be upset, but denying it would be too obvious…
Hmm, I needed a paradigm shift here.
A groundbreaking move: admit what needs admitting, then strike when her guard is down.
“To be honest… it was almost the best.”
“---??”
“It makes sense. Esterize is charming, after all. Strong, beautiful, and even has a good personality…”
“---!!”
The girl flinched in surprise.
It seemed the great shock had left her half dazed.
Even so, as if a sliver of faith remained, she didn't act rashly.
This was the moment to repay that faith.
I slyly took her hand and wrapped it gently in mine.
“But no matter what, it could never compare to being with you. Not just Esterize, but anyone.”
“…”
“I want to dance with you. I want to lose myself in your charm. May I?”
“Yes, gladly…”
Just seeing her shy face, it was clear her mood had improved.
It was a cringey line, but it was incredibly effective.
The most lovable woman in the world.
Now, it was time to feel everything she had to offer.