“The balcony across the hallway on the second floor will have a nice view, will it be open?”
“What did you come to the party for? Don’t you want to socialize?”
Hanging out with people? Really? Was he not thinking about his safety? Even if he covered his face, it wasn’t hard to recognize acquaintances. I easily found Vincenzo sitting at a table far away and sighed inwardly. I couldn’t stop thinking about whether or not people would recognize the emperor.
He looked around and muttered, “All eyes are on you.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Hmm.” The emperor’s eyes swept through me. “Red hair isn’t that common, and it’s that long too. No matter how much you cover your face with a mask, anyone can tell that it’s you.”
Of course, it was true that I had a hair color that grabbed attention no matter where I went. But who would stare at someone you ran into every day? It was the emperor himself who was drawing attention.
Compared to the boys who were still attending the academy, his broad shoulders and masculine beauty drew attention. Besides that, he had a sharp jawline and a strong physique. He would have caught anyone’s eye.
However, I didn’t want to compliment the emperor so glibly, so I just shrugged. “I’m a little more beautiful today, though.”
The emperor stared at me again and nodded, the joke falling flat. I pouted.
This was why one shouldn’t argue with politicians. They were exceptionally good at making others feel embarrassed.
I changed the subject. “But I’m glad it’s so peaceful. I think the raider or whatever has decided to quit today.”
“No, I’m sure they came.”
I almost brushed off his comment due to his nonchalant tone.
“Yes…?”
“I can’t specify who it is unless I use my powers, but I can feel that they’re here. I’m sure it’s the one who came into your room.”
“Oh…”
From the time I dragged the emperor out of the palace, I was already given a huge task to bring the emperor back safely.
I looked around and saw those standing next to me leaving their seats. There weren’t that many people in the academy who could make such a stir.
I smiled at the lady who wore a red dress in a very similar design to what I had at the court banquet last time. “Hi, Vicky.”
She looked me up and down, and even shot a look at my partner standing next to me. “Oh, a partner. Where did you get your clothes? You’ve been riding in the palace wagon and you’ve been chosen for a charitable effort for the poor, haven’t you?”
I glanced down at my clothes. It was too much to call this a charitable effort. She would have known that just one of my earrings was worth a fortune if only she had the eye for it.
“I got it as a gift.”
“I’m sure you did. A gift… This is why you shouldn’t let the vulgar mix with the aristocracy. I don’t know what they’re going to have to get out of their tails.”
I had no reaction to that, but the emperor seemed a little annoyed. But problems became bigger when the emperor opened his mouth, so I clasped his arm to silently ask him not to, hoping that Vicky would stop getting on his nerves and leave.
Alas, hope was such a fragile thing.
“Are you sure you’re graduating early?”
Vicky’s blue eyes flashed when I nodded. “You must have paid off the instructors. How can someone like you graduate early?”
“What about me?”
“Oh, you’re playing dumb, now?”
“I’m not asking because I don’t know. Didn’t you just say that I’m from a low background and that I don’t have money? But now you’re telling me I paid for my early graduation. I’m asking you to explain, because you keep saying nonsense.”
“This is…!”
“If graduating from the academy is as easy as dropping a few coins into the right pockets, then I’m sure you’ll have no problem doing the same.”
“Shut up!”
Vicky hated losing in the presence of others. Perhaps I imagined it, but it seemed as though the skin under her colorful mask turned red.
She took a deep breath, perhaps conscious of the eyes watching us. Vicky glared at me. “You’ll regret graduating in a hurry.”
“Will I?”
“I told you so, didn’t I? We’re totally different in society outside the academy. Remember when I told you you wouldn’t even dare look back at me once I marry the emperor? When the time comes, you’ll be begging to lick my feet. You’re not even going to come into the palace.”
Ah, I’d managed to rein the emperor and myself in until now. Why mention the emperor at all? I couldn’t control my exasperation.
As expected, my partner brought his face closer to Vicky’s eye level, staring.
She stared at me as if unable to believe what she was looking at, and then her mouth dropped open. It was impossible not to recognize the emperor’s scarlet eyes.
Somehow, I felt sorry for her.
“I don’t think it’s been decided yet whether or not I will marry you.”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”
Vicky’s white skin turned even paler.
The emperor shushed her with a hand. “Shh. I’m here for a reason, so don’t tell anyone.”
She nodded hastily. She mumbled something unintelligible, then rushed away.
Well, that was unfortunate. She couldn’t have wanted to be seen talking like that in front of the man she loved.
That was why I usually tried to think before I spoke.
While I was biting my tongue, I could see those who used to stick to me whenever I came to the academy.
If they stuck to me again, the emperor, who didn’t want to spend time on useless things like greetings and small talk, would reveal his identity again.
I pulled his arm quickly. “Your Majesty.”
“Hm?”
“If you don’t go to the second floor or avoid anyone, you’re going to get in trouble. Let’s take a walk, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“Ha ha, I’ve been in the imperial carriage for too long and I’ve become popular all of a sudden. I don’t want to receive dance requests all of a sudden.”
His lips curled. “You were a good dancer last time.”
That was because I followed the emperor’s guide. It was fun in its own way, but the dance in front of everyone remained a bit of a shameful memory. He was making fun of me and I glared at him, but he didn’t care about how I felt and was turning to the dance floor.
So he wanted to dance, now? I doubted that he just wanted to play hooky, except it was just an assumption that someone suspicious would appear here. It was weird that they actually showed up.
The troupe, made up of academy students, was performing songs one after another. Although it might have been more subdued compared to the magnificent orchestra performance of the Imperial Palace banquet, the string quartet, the pride of the academy, was very pleasing to listen to.
The raucous dance tunes turned into a slow waltz.
The emperor turned around, took a step away, and reached out to me. His smirk was strangely unpleasant, so I started complaining instead of accepting his hand.
“Dangerous people are here too, remember?”
“We’ll be too conspicuous if we don’t play the part. I’ve come all the way here, shouldn’t I fully support my secretary’s play?”
No, it seemed like he just wanted to have fun.
I was hesitant, but starting with the group who ignored me when I was in Class B, I could see people approaching me. I’d rather dance than converse with those prejudiced students. And so in the end, I had the extraordinary experience of going to the dance floor holding the emperor’s hand at the year-end party.
This dance floor had a very different atmosphere from the palace’s. The academy students, who were in their late teens and early 20s, were looking for partners, standing in a way I had never seen before. Their eyes as they danced with their crushes turned sweet like honey.
The emperor and I stepped back from each other, greeting each other formally as everyone else did, then came back and stood face to face. He respectfully placed his hand on my back and started dancing.
“Oh, you must have memorized the dance by now.”
“I have you to thank for that.”
I was a troublesome subordinate with a disgraceful past, and I just barely missed treading on the emperor’s toes back then. At least I don’t look as embarrassing dancing as before.
After having practiced this waltz countless times, I could now see that he really was skilled at leading. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, though, since he had probably needed to learn this as a child.
As we spun around the floor, I caught a glimpse of Vincenzo, obviously looking at me. He might have recognized the emperor.
I was a little apologetic when I had to decline him, but I knew he’d understand.
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Hmm? Did I miss the beat while my thoughts were elsewhere?
My face almost bumped against his chest. I was saved by his steady hands.
“Where do you keep looking?”
“Yes…?”
The emperor, who took a small step back, had a smile that looked annoyed and amused at the same time.