Chapter: 46
Gregory placed his hand on Seraphina’s slender shoulder.
“You’re trembling like this.”
“…Gregor.”
“How could I possibly let someone as frail as you face that arrogant Laritte alone?”
Gregory smiled generously, like a gentleman considerate of his lady.
Seraphina shot Gregory a sharp glare.
But only for a moment.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Outwardly pretending to be truly grateful, she gently pushed up the corners of her lips.
Seraphina forced herself to suppress the seething anger inside.
‘Ah, he really has no tact.’
Honestly, she truly hated it.
At the Gusto Count’s party, it was indeed advantageous to be with Gregory, a child of the Gusto family.
But did she really need to drag Gregory around like a goldfish turd even at the Viscount Anzi’s party?
Rather, being alone would allow her to move around more freely…
“Sera?”
“Ah, yeah. Let’s go quickly.”
While forcibly suppressing the irritation rising to her throat.
Seraphina, escorted by Gregory, stepped out of the banquet hall.
—
The piece being played this time was a lively waltz.
It was the most popular song in the Empire recently, and the reason was…
‘T-This is too close, isn’t it?!’
This waltz included many moves where partners’ bodies pressed tightly together.
‘I must not make a mistake.’
My mouth went dry.
‘If I were to step on His Grace’s foot…’
Ugh.
Just imagining it made my head spin.
As I nervously stepped, I glanced sideways at His Grace.
Unlike me, who was cautious even with my breathing, His Grace before me looked very relaxed.
…How should I put it, I ended up dancing with the male protagonist of this world even before Seraphina did.
It was a truly peculiar feeling.
“Thank you so much for attending our party, Your Grace.”
Thus starting the conversation, I carefully asked a question.
“By any chance, did Her Grace the Duchess ask you to come to our party?”
For a moment, a deep weariness flickered across His Grace’s face.
“Well, I can’t say that’s entirely not the case.”
Oh, how much must you have been tormented?
I unconsciously flinched and stiffened my shoulders.
But that tired look soon disappeared completely.
“Well, even so.”
Beneath the chandelier light falling like dew, His Grace’s blue eyes sparkled playfully.
Slightly leaning his head toward me, His Grace whispered lowly.
“It’s not something Lady Anzi needs to concern yourself with.”
“Pardon?”
Not something I need to concern myself withāwhat exactly did that mean?
“No matter how much Eva pestered me, I wouldn’t have attended a party I didn’t want to.”
His Grace, with his usual composed expression, added casually.
“I’m saying I came because I wanted to.”
I swallowed a dry breath.
Ladies as splendid as clusters of flowers, and gentlemen holding the ladies’ hands.
Even amidst that splendid scenery, only His Grace stood out.
Swish.
Beyond the thin hem of the dress, His Grace’s long legs brushed past lightly.
Each time, my entire body tensed up strangely.
From the hand lightly placed on my waist, to the blue gaze staring straight into my eyes.
Even knowing these were routine movements during a dance.
Even knowing there was no romantic meaning at all, so there was no need to be conscious of it…
Yet I kept finding myself.
‘Becoming aware of His Grace.’
Just then, my body swayed greatly.
“Ah!”
The hem of my dress had caught on the pointed toe of my shoe.
But fortunately, I didn’t end up disgracefully rolling on the floor.
Because…
“Oh my, are you alright?”
His Grace had firmly wrapped his arm around my waist.
I straightened my posture, leaning on His Grace’s body.
It was such a skillful recovery that no one would have noticed my mistake.
“Lady Anzi?”
“…”
Having been dazed for a moment, I quickly replied.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Like throwing a pebble into a calm lake.
…My heart was in complete turmoil.
—
Seraphina and Gregory entered the Viscount Anzi’s banquet hall late.
The party was already in full swing.
Gentlemen and ladies were dancing with each other in the dance hall.
Middle-aged noblewomen and gentlemen were chatting pleasantly while enjoying light drinks and refreshments.
Witnessing this scene, Seraphina was inwardly shocked.
‘How can no one greet me?’
Receiving everyone’s attention.
Everyone showing favor to Seraphina, being at the center of everyone’s attention.
For her, it was as natural as breathing.
Especially when she was under Gregory’s protection and reigned as the queen of the southern social circle.
But now…
‘No one is looking at me.’
Seraphina gritted her teeth.
But then.
‘Wait.’
Seraphina abruptly lifted her head.
Because she had spotted a familiar back in the center of the dance hall.
Elegantly pinned-up black hair.
The abundant hem of the dress falling in smooth curves beneath a slender waist.
And a straight, unwavering posture.
‘Laritte?!’
Seraphina was astounded.
“Lady Anzi is certainly doing her job as hostess well this time.”
“Indeed. I always thought she was a gloomy lady, but now that she’s dressed up, she’s quite beautiful, isn’t she?”
“I wonder why she always dressed so drably before.”
The noblewomen gathered nearby whispered behind their fully opened fans.
“I think this is the first time I’ve seen Lady Anzi smile so brightly.”
Indeed.
There was not a trace of shadow on Laritte’s face as she smiled brightly.
‘Lies.’
Seraphina’s pupils shook violently.
This was, as if…
‘It’s as if Laritte is the protagonist of this banquet hall.’
Moreover, there was someone else who surprised Seraphina even more decisively.
“But I was truly surprised.”
One of the noblewomen pointed with her eyes at the man standing opposite Laritte.
“I never imagined that gentleman would ask Lady Anzi for a dance.”
Seraphina’s gaze turned toward the man the noblewoman had pointed at.
That man holding Laritte’s hand.
Brilliant platinum blonde hair as if woven strand by strand from platinum, and blue eyes reminiscent of the winter sea.
That appearance, closely resembling the Duchess Claudius, hailed as the most splendid rose of the social circle, yet even more refined…
‘His Grace the Duke of Claudius?!’
Seraphina’s eyes widened in an instant.
‘How can this be?!’
Seraphina had made every effort up until now to get close to the Claudius siblings.
Friendship with the Duchess of Claudius, who reigned at the center of the social circle.
Even a dance with the Duke of Claudius, whom she had always longed for.
The fact that that insignificant Laritte had so easily grasped what she could never obtain no matter how hard she tried…
…was utterly unbelievable.
‘This can’t be.’
Her emerald-like sparkling green eyes were stained with various emotions.
Among them, the most vividly prominent emotion was.
Jealousy.
‘This is all a lie. This is…!’
Her mind was in complete chaos.
Seraphina bit her lips until they bled.
‘There’s no way someone like Laritte could surpass me!’
Laritte’s place was beneath Seraphina’s feet.
It had been determined from the very beginning.
To contrast with Seraphina, so that she could shine more beautifully.
Laritte was always supposed to be near Seraphina with a gloomy face.
Not smiling so happily beneath the brilliant chandelier light!
Meanwhile, because she was too preoccupied with managing her own anger and jealousy, Seraphina failed to notice.
That Gregory’s shocked gaze was fixed solely on Laritte.
Gregory at this moment… had no attention to spare for someone like Seraphina.
“Laritte?”
Gregory murmured in a trembling voice.
Laritte had always admired Gregory, tried to make a good impression on him, and he had naturally assumed she would always be by his side.
Because that was how it had always been.
Even when he scolded her as naturally as breathing, compared her to the beautiful Seraphina and scolded her, subjected her to all kinds of humiliation.
She had always just smiled foolishly and let it slide.
So he had firmly believed that someday, everything of Laritte’s would become his…
‘Laritte, how could you do this to me?’
Gregory clenched his fist tightly.
His eyes glistened with a sense of betrayal.
Laritte had always been by his side.
Like the air he breathed, like the water he drank every day.
But at this moment.
…The Laritte before him looked distantly far away.
