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I confidently asked Celine for a striking dress, but I don't remember having any particular fondness for getting people's attention.
‘I heard that the fleece dress I wore before I collapsed had been popular for a long time.’
But that dress was made to fit me in a cute style.
I sighed softly as I smoothed the back of my hair which was tied with a pearl hairpin. Yuric’s eyes widened and turned his head.
“Why are you sighing?”
“I did my best to prepare, but I wonder if they’ll laugh at me and say I look like a child trying to imitate an adult.”
“Hm. If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about that.”
I wanted to ask what I should be worried about but just then, the servant opened the door to the banquet hall.
“Princess Anissa Lagrange and Young Master Yuric Lagrange are entering!”
The noisy banquet hall suddenly becomes quiet as if someone had poured water on it. It was so easy to draw attention that it felt a little futile.
I just really had to appear.
Countess Devonshire, who was standing at the center of the hall, ran toward me.
“Princess! I heard that you’ve finally woken up but is it all right for you to come out like this already?”
“Countess, it’s been a while.”
“I was so worried about you.”
The Countess laughed softly, saying she didn’t remember feeling so anxious even when her husband left for the battlefield.
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
“By the way, you’ve really grown up now. The young bachelors are sure going to line up to request a dance.”
“Ehy, there’s no way.”
If she saw it that way, then my desired goal has been achieved. I smiled at her words, half-closing my eyes.
“Of course, young master is also quite dashing.”
“Thank you, Countess.”
Since the Countess spoke to him first, it was polite to ask her for a dance. She glanced behind as she was escorted by Yuric.
“Peter, I want you to accompany the Princess in my stead and soothe her loneliness.”
Peter Devonshire was clearly the name of the eldest son of Count Devonshire.
‘He was standing too quietly that I thought he was an escort.’
A man with a quiet impression bowed politely to me and kissed the back of my hand.
“I greet the most lovely shadow of Lagrange.”
Even though I already nodded my head and received his greetings, he still didn’t take his eyes off of me. I withdrew my hand because I was a little embarrassed at the blatant stare.
“Ah, I apologize.”
He hastily apologized perhaps noticing my discomfort. He even blushed and scratched his cheek.
“I was mesmerized for a moment because you were so beautiful. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Although there have been many times that the emperor praised me for my beauty with flashing eyes, it was the first time a man felt shy to even meet my eyes.
His aura staggered like a drunk passerby quite unlike that of a well-trained knight.
‘At the very least, I don’t have anything to feel sorry for to Celine.’
I nodded with relief.
“I’ll take it as a compliment so you don’t have to apologize.”
At my answer, a smile graced Peter’s clean face.
Although he didn’t have a beauty that would stand out anywhere like Dietrich, he was a friendly person with a reliable look.
“It’s winter soon, so you must be sad that couldn’t make your debut.”
“It just means that I’ve made my debut in the high society. I’m not particularly disappointed.”
“Then, may I ask for your first dance?”
“For the sake of friendship with Countess Devonshire, I’d be happy to.”
I replied as if drawing a line and smiled. His eyes widened as if my words were unexpected.
“I don’t dare ask for more. It’s your fiance’s job to take, however, since you don’t have one.”
It was my first time dancing with someone I didn't know at a ball like this, but it wasn't too different from the steps I learned from Damon.
Moreover, Peter was quite a skillful dancer despite his simpleton-like impression. I moved around the hall, guided by his smooth lead.
The calm song was almost ending.
The Countess seemed to be almost finished with Yuric as well, so I glanced to the other side.
‘Count Rossiere’s family should be here as well.’
It wasn’t tiring going to and fro at the ball, so it was convenient to give a strong impression to everyone I meet.
‘But why isn’t he letting go of my hand?’
Since the music had changed, the partner had to change as well. But Peter held onto my hand seemingly unwilling to let me go.
“Sir?”
“Yes?”
“The music has changed.”
“Ah.”
Right.
Although his answer was right, his actions weren’t corrected. He moved his lips hesitantly as if he still had something to say.
“The Countess will be looking for you.”
I thought I had expressed through those words that he should go away now, but he quickly shook his head.
“Mother came with father so it’s all right. I don’t have a lady that I accompanied.”
"?"
However, I had a partner named Yuric.
Stupefied, I looked down at my wrist which he was still holding and sighed softly.
“Sir, it hurts.”
“I apologize.”
It only then did he let me go.
I had finally understood the reason for his aura which was rising in intensity, becoming redder as time passes by to the point that it was hard to ignore.
‘But one isn’t enough.’
When you enter a ball and use yourself as bait, you should not set a small goal.
Devonshire wasn’t the only family that would scramble to give ownership of the river to Lagrange.
One shouldn’t make it look easy to reach without a competitor.
“Well then.”
I bid him farewell briefly and turned my back. The heat of the gaze at my back stung that it was hard to ignore.
All the men who asked me to dance after Peter had a similar reaction. Even the young and married ladies who were already close to me seemed surprised.
‘I feel like I’m playing the part of a debutante right now.’
I sat down on the sofa, getting a little tired of the people talking to me with gleaming eyes. I didn’t know when she had come, but Veronica approached me, grinning.
“Our little sister is so pretty. I almost couldn’t recognize you, you know?”
She flapped the hem of her pants, which Celine had promised to be stylish.
As expected, Veronica looked really great in those kinds of clothes.
“Sister, what about the thing I asked you?”
“I did it earlier. I’m sure there’s already a rumor among the ladies that you’re looking for the right fiance.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled broadly at Veronica’s triumphant reply. She gave me a glass of wine and slanted her head.
“Well, are you planning to request for the Sentz river?”
“If they think of sending me a marriage proposal, I was going to ask them to show their sincerity. So what can they do?”
I moistened my throat with the wine and cleared my throat. I danced with people whom I didn’t know until my feet hurt that I felt tired as if it was already midnight.
“Anyway, they wouldn’t think that they’d need the river right away, so they wouldn’t think that it’s a loss. They are greedy for the hope that they would one day take control of the North.”
“I don’t know about the others, but Devonshire’s eldest son seems to really have the idea of leaving their estate.”
“Huh?”
“He asked a few times. Not the Countess, but him. If you really had any intentions to get engaged.”
I remembered his serious and courteous but flushed face which he never even thought of hiding.
‘Where is he right now?’
As soon as I turned my head, our eyes met as if he was also looking at me.
“That person?”
“Yeah. Well, I think he’s a good choice.”
“Why?”
Was someone like Peter her type? I thought she liked a slightly more flashy kind of guy.
Veronica answered my question sourly.
“Because he’s not gonna be worse off than the likes of Dietrich.”
“Why are you suddenly bringing him up?”
“I don’t know. I wonder why?”
I asked a question and received a question. I shrugged my shoulders at her enigmatic words.
I lowered my eyes and greeted Peter, who was still staring at my face.
“Hm. I don’t particularly think so?”
I covered my mouth and whispered so that he wouldn’t know. He had a nice and neat impression, but he wasn’t my type.
“Why?”
“I look at the face.”
“Someone would love to hear that.”
I took my eyes off her who laughed like a child and greeted Peter who approached.
“Are you tired? Do sit and eat something.”
When I offered him the finger foods prepared on the table, he immediately sat down. He was more restless and agitated than before as he looked at me and pulled out an envelope.
“Princess, I’m going to participate in this imperial jousting as a representative of the North.”
“Aha.”
Most of the young bachelors who had not yet received their titles were knights, and judging from his height and size, he seemed to be quite outstanding.
If you're not reading this at blogspot, you're probably reading from an aggregator site. Read this translation at https://notmysisteryoufool.blogspot.com/.
‘Still, as a representative, he seemed to be able to handle words very well.’
He kissed the back of my hand again and knelt respectfully.
“I would like to offer you a rose of glory, so may you please attend?”
“If time permits, I have no reason to refuse.”
I gave an ambiguous answer and spoke softly so as not to upset him.
‘I feel like my mouth is going to cramp since I keep forcing myself to smile.’
I think it was more comfortable when I only had to good look for the ladies.
“Your smiling face is truly beautiful–”
The door to the hall suddenly burst open, cutting off Peter’s words as he bit his lips tightly as if trying to hide his embarrassment.
Crash!
I heard something break one after the other.
When I looked around in surprise, Dietrich, whom I had thought would never show his face today, stood crookedly while glaring at me.
‘But why is he holding the doorknob?’