When you cut down those orcs, it looked just like you were dancing. ―Even after they had reached the center of the hall and stopped, instead of immediately starting to dance, Cheshire whispered in Sahara’s ear.
“Just bow as Chloe taught you earlier and take my hand, then I’ll…”
He gently tucked a strand of Sahara’s loose hair behind her ear and smiled affectionately.
“After that, just follow my lead.”
Sahara nodded slightly, moving her stiffened neck. The spot where his fingers had brushed against her ear tingled.
Cheshire released her hand and stepped back to face her.
As the two stood facing each other in the center of the hall, the musicians began a new melody. To the gentle, sweet music, Cheshire bowed. Sahara, following Chloe’s instructions, held the edge of her skirt and bent her knees slightly in response.
“……”
After they exchanged bows, she took his outstretched hand, and his other hand encircled her waist. Sahara tried not to show her surprise as she quietly followed his lead.
One step. Then another. Cheshire moved with a deceptive quickness despite the slow pace, and Sahara naturally matched his stride. She watched the tip of his foot and moved just a fraction before he did.
“You’re doing very well.”
“…Thank you.”
The ladies seemed stronger than Sahara had imagined. They had to move in these hard, pointed shoes with their waists bound so tightly they could barely breathe. Just as she was starting to get used to it…
“Now straighten your back and lift your head.”
Cheshire instructed, firmly supporting her waist. As he said, she tried to think of it as fighting. She had somewhat memorized the steps, but when Sahara hesitated, Cheshire urged, “Sahara.”
Sahara raised her downcast eyes to look at Cheshire.
The uncomfortable shoes, the corset, the flowing skirt, she couldn’t help but respect the ladies for all of it, but especially for this part.
Cheshire had told her to treat it like fighting, but dancing was clearly different. Holding hands and leaning on each other, they approached as much as they retreated and retreated as much as they approached. Throughout this push and pull, their hands remained clasped, and her waist remained in his embrace. Meeting his eyes, she found her concentration easily scattered. How did the ladies maintain their composure in such situations?
“……”
They were as close as when their lips had touched in the garden earlier. Even though she knew it was presumptuous, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his eyes.
“…I didn’t mean for you to stare so intently.”
“I’m sorry.”
Even as she apologized out of habit, Sahara couldn’t look away. After the dance ended, she wouldn’t have another chance to see him this closely. Cheshire clicked his tongue softly and slowly released her hand. His feet stopped, and naturally, Sahara’s movements ceased as well.
Had the dance already ended? Since everyone around them was still dancing, Sahara swallowed with a slight disappointment.
As she tried to step back, Cheshire didn’t release her waist.
“I can never tell what you’re thinking from your eyes. They’re just dark and impassive. —Though when we kissed, I thought I could understand a little.”
“……”
Impassive? She was only grateful that all her confusion and discomfort in front of him hadn’t been revealed. As Sahara tried to step back to avoid looking at him any longer, Cheshire held her more firmly and pulled her close. She was so close that her chest nearly touched his flat torso.
“Your… Highness.”
This was too close. She could see the people watching them gradually slowing their dance. Even to others, they appeared too close. As Sahara rolled her dark eyes, Cheshire lightly held her chin, fixing her gaze back on him. His purple eyes searched her face meticulously.
“…Today is definitely not the day. If I were to approach you impulsively while you’re wearing an engagement dress, all of this wouldn’t end as just a small happening or an amusing misunderstanding.”
It was a statement Sahara didn’t quite understand, but she nodded anyway. Slowly, his arm fell from her waist, and Sahara barely suppressed a sigh of relief. She worried he might hear her heart pounding.
After bowing again as Chloe had taught her and turning away, she felt as if she had escaped from a blazing fire, her senses returning to her.
Sahara looked around, eager to leave this place quickly. She had fulfilled her duties as the main guest, and she wasn’t the type of person who fit well in such parties.
Looking toward the entrance, she saw Count Colodova standing guard with a stern expression. She could certainly dash out, but she’d likely face a lecture the next time they met. Why did that man, despite his picture-perfect smile, always emanate such a prickly aura?
“My Lady, may I request a dance?”
At the sudden question, Sahara turned to face the speaker. He was a man almost as tall as Cheshire, with refined features.
“You’re so beautiful… Ah, I am Viscount Delta.”
“I can’t dance.”
“What? But you were dancing so well…”
“You must have been mistaken.”
Sahara curtseyed slightly and headed toward the corner of the hall, almost as if fleeing. Besides the man who had introduced himself as Viscount Delta, about a dozen other men were lining up to ask her for a dance. While their intention to not embarrass the guest of honor was admirable, it was unnecessary.
“Just a moment, my Lady!”
An unfamiliar man tried to grab Sahara’s wrist, but she nimbly twisted her body to evade him and looked back at him.
“I apologize. Unless it’s urgent, please speak to me another time.”
The man hesitated, and Sahara quickly walked past him. Though it was merely a brisk pace for Sahara, to others, it seemed like she was practically running.
The place Sahara sought refuge was a balcony far from the center of the hall. She recalled hearing somewhere that nobles often sought balconies during parties to rest.
Opening the door revealed a spacious balcony. There was even a wide couch for sitting and resting. Sahara took off her shoes. They were at least a hand’s width in height, with heels as thin as awls. If she hadn’t trained on tightropes as a child, maintaining balance would have been difficult. Though Sahara could leap onto the edge of a sword, dancing in high heels was no easy feat.
Holding her shoes in one hand, she climbed onto the sofa and perched on the balcony railing. Unlike the other views she had seen in the imperial palace, the garden on this side was somewhat dark. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Sahara raised her fingers to trace her lips.
The memory of Cheshire’s face from moments ago made her lips tingle. When they had been close, looking into each other’s eyes, she had thought he might kiss her.
Though the sensation of their lips touching had been momentary, it had been intensely thrilling and left a lasting impression.
“It’s improper.”
Cheshire was a different kind of lord to Sahara than the Emperor. He was the legitimate heir, the one who would rule the empire. Both deserved her loyalty, but something felt different. When the Emperor patted her shoulder, her heart merely swelled with pride, but when Cheshire merely touched her fingertips, she felt strange.
When they had danced earlier, she had secretly hoped for his lips to touch hers. The spot where his fingers had brushed her ear as he tucked her hair back had burned as if touched by fire.
“It’s improper…”
Though the feeling was improper, what power did she have against it? Such a beautiful man kept appearing before her. She found herself staring at him, entranced, with each expression he made. Cheshire seemed like the most radiant person in the world. Sahara had always liked shiny things.
It wasn’t as if she planned to do anything about it, so perhaps it was okay to let these inevitable feelings be. She was confident that even if she gazed at him for a lifetime, she wouldn’t entertain thoughts more presumptuous than these.
She might suffer some heartache, but she would endure it well. As Sahara tried to calm her fluttering heart, she heard someone approaching.
Glancing up, she saw someone opening the door.
“?”
“You left so quickly, I almost missed you. May I come in?”
It was Viscount Delta, who had asked her to dance earlier. Since she couldn’t claim such a spacious balcony for herself alone, she nodded.
“You are… as bold as you are beautiful. To be honest, I’ve never interacted like this before, so I’m not sure what to do…”
Viscount Delta hesitantly entered and sat on the sofa that Sahara was standing on. Sahara left him to rest and turned back to look at the garden. Suddenly, she thought she saw someone moving in the garden. Not just in the garden, but she also sensed movement from the adjacent balcony.
“?”
What was it? It didn’t seem like someone hiding to attack. Rather, it reminded her of when Penelope would have fun with her cute soldiers. Now that she noticed, the entire atmosphere around her felt that way. From the adjacent balcony, she could hear groaning sounds. They didn’t sound like they were from pain.
“……”
Something was definitely off. As Sahara tried to rise, Viscount Delta suddenly grabbed for her bare foot. No, he tried to grab it. She pulled her foot away before his hand could touch it.
“? What are you doing?”
“Huh? No… I was just about to touch your foot.”
She had no idea what he was talking about. Why was he trying to touch her foot? It seemed that people in the capital had a tendency to be a bit too casual with physical contact. Deciding to look for another place to rest, Sahara descended from the railing and put her shoes back on.
“Did I do something wrong? Please tell me, and I’ll correct it…”
“? No, it’s nothing.”
Sahara blinked at the hand that had reached for the hem of her skirt. She couldn’t understand what she had done wrong or what needed to be fixed. While she hesitated to adjust her dress for fear of ruining the precious gown, the Viscount came right up.
Not resisting him any required a bit of patience. Sahara stepped back, yet the man persistently followed her.
Thud — the balcony door hit against his waist.
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