DSMBL CH 30

Chapter 30

Cassius spoke first, breaking the silence when I didn’t know what to say.
“Since I’m here, I’d like to spend some time with you today.”
He held out his hand, and I took it without hesitation, now familiar with his touch.
“Tonight, you’re the star of the banquet, Charlotte.”

Cassius led me down to the ballroom, his firm hand guiding mine. The servants carrying food stopped in their tracks, startled by the sight of us.

Cassius brought me to the center of the floor and said, “It’s been a while since I’ve danced. Would you help me practice?”

It wasn’t just me who looked different today. Cassius, usually dressed in a shirt and pants or a uniform, wore a formal evening suit tonight. His black suit, complete with a vest, gave him the aura of a model.

Almost as if in a trance, I nodded.
“Yes, I’d love to.”

I completely forgot that I didn’t know how to dance. Cassius gestured to the musicians, and they began playing. He moved across the empty floor like flowing water, and before I realized it, I was following his lead.

It was strange—I seemed to know exactly what steps to take and how to move. As if my body remembered.

I found myself smiling, captivated by his charm and the atmosphere he created. Was this the secret weapon of a male lead?

For a moment, it felt like only Cassius and I existed in this space. It was both thrilling and unsettling, but I convinced myself that just this once, it was okay.

Cassius’s sharp jawline, the faint smile on his lips—everything about him felt magical.
Come to think of it, I’ve never been in a relationship before.

***

Cassius himself wasn’t sure what drove him to act so impulsively.

Charlotte looked especially beautiful today, and he felt the urge to do something, anything, for her.
Then, he recalled her words from before:

“It’s so hard just to have one dance with you. Is that really too much to ask?”

The banquet hadn’t even officially begun. Apart from the servants, who were busy carrying food, only Cassius and Charlotte were on the ballroom floor.

“Haah.”

Charlotte’s soft breaths sounded louder than anything else to him. Her touch, her gaze, the way her dress fluttered with each movement—everything left an impression.

Was Charlotte always someone who smiled so freely? Was she always this delicate and small?

Hidden beneath the layers of her grand dress, Charlotte seemed tiny, almost fragile.

Cassius placed a hand on her slender waist, marveling at how easily he could hold her, and spun her around. The skirt of her dress fluttered like butterfly wings, momentarily disorienting him.

The confusion and stress clouding his mind seemed to vanish.

“…It’s too fast,” Charlotte said, her voice soft.
“Ah,” Cassius replied, slowing his pace.

Charlotte rested her forehead against his shoulder, her breath warm and uneven.

Her faint, sweet fragrance enveloped him, stirring something deep within. His fingertips tingled, and his breath caught.

***

“My goodness, Duchess, we’ll need to touch up your makeup!”

Chouette, who had gone with Luna to fetch new shoes, fussed over me as she seated me and began fixing my face.

Cassius, on the other hand, seemed to be talking with his assistant as if nothing had happened. I recognized him—it was Giverny, if I remembered correctly.

Giverny spent the most time with Cassius and was fiercely loyal to Lorencia. I recalled hints from the novel that he harbored unspoken feelings for her.

He looked just as described: slightly tousled brown hair, pale skin, tall stature, and cold, gray eyes. Unlike Cassius, Giverny wore his uniform.

“Did he come even though he’s busy?” Chouette asked.
“Huh?”
“Lord Cassius, I mean.”
“Oh.”

“Don’t worry, Duchess,” Luna said reassuringly. “Even if he’s busy, this is part of his duty. Showing the strength of your bond reassures the people of the North.”

“That’s right,” Chouette chimed in, gently patting my cheeks. “If Isteria falters, the North will too.”

She was right. The weight on my shoulders didn’t feel so light anymore.

“…By the way, isn’t today the day Theo’s tutor arrives?”

“Yes, Duchess.”

For some reason, the nanny had insisted on hiring a tutor for Theo, and Cassius had approved.

For some reason, the nanny had insisted on hiring a tutor for Theo, and Cassius had agreed. I had always thought a tutor would be useful since I had limits to what I could teach. But perhaps I still felt a bit possessive of Theo.

“I’m curious about the tutor.”

“They should be teaching Theo now. The head maid is supervising, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“That’s a relief.”

I’d been concerned the tutor might be harsh or forceful, like the nanny. But with the head maid there, I felt reassured.

I’d been worried Theo might be lonely all day, but having a tutor might actually be a good thing.

Though he pretended otherwise, Theo enjoyed learning to read and flipping through books. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to learn—he just hadn’t had the chance.

I’ll ask him tomorrow what he learned. I hope he’s enjoying his studies.

“Now, Duchess, please focus! Part your lips slightly,” Chouette instructed.

“Ah.”

I obediently did as she asked.

***

The head maid’s sharp gaze fell on the woman.

‘Hah. She’s here to monitor me.’

Janice hadn’t mentioned this. Janice always boasted about her important position in the Duke’s household. But when the head maid insisted on attending the lesson, Janice had said nothing and tucked her tail in.

‘Trusting Janice was a mistake.’

The woman—Lorencia—bit her lip firmly.

Lorencia, who had confidently declared she would become the Duchess, was now just a tutor.

Forcing a smile, she looked down at Theo, whose bright, sparkling eyes made her uncomfortable.

“Theo, let’s see how much you’ve learned.”

“Yes!” Theo replied enthusiastically.

Theo no longer felt ashamed of not knowing letters. Charlotte had taught him that it wasn’t his fault—he had been sick, but now he could learn.

Confidently, Theo wrote the letters he had recently learned from Charlotte over the past few weeks.

“…Is that all?”

“What?” Theo blinked, his eyes wide with confusion.

“How old are you now—?”

“Wait a moment,” the head maid interjected, cutting Lorencia off.