4 Pull and Push Dance (1/2)
AFTER Tilly showed her face to her fellow nobles, she sneaked out of the Eclipse Ballroom– the royal palace where banquets hosted by the royal family are held– with the ”props” she prepared.
She didn't want to waste her time in the ballroom because she knew Kiho wouldn't be there. After all, the Black Serpent Knights operate in the dark. That means the squadron are guarding outside the palace to make sure that no assassins could break in.
The ”visible” royal guards were the ones in-charge of guarding the palace and the guests inside.
[If my hunch is right, then Kiho must be in that place.]
By that, she meant the hidden pavilion in the middle of the maze garden.
In her past life, she ran away from the palace the night that she was supposed to meet Kiho for the first time. She hid in the giant maze and ended up lost. While desperately finding a way out, she discovered a hidden pavilion. There, she cried her eyes out and bargained with herself. She made a vow that she would marry Kiho if he found her.
And he did.
After they got married, she asked her husband how he found her that night. He said that he wasn't really looking for her. Apparently, the pavilion just happened to be his favorite hiding spot. According to him, he would go there every time the emperor would force him to show his face in a banquet.
[Ah, sweet memories.]
She smiled when she reached the hidden pavilion. In her first life, she would often go there to drag Kiho back to the banquet because she didn't want to be the only married lady without a spouse. That was how she became familiar with the maze.
”My lady, this place is off-limits.”
She froze when she heard Kiho's familiar husky voice behind her. Gosh, she didn't even notice his presence until he spoke.
[He's the captain of the Black Serpent Knights indeed.]
She took a deep breath in before she turned around to face Kiho.
The breath she just took was blown away instantly.
Kiho looked absolutely gorgeous in his official military uniform. The black tunic jacket with velvet collar and cuffs fit him well. Plus, his golden one-shoulder cape made his overall outfit look extra chic!
[He's so handsome.]
Under the moonlight, Kiho's amber eyes glowed and turned into a pair of beautiful golden orbs. As soon as recognition crossed his eyes, his face instantly lit up. ”The lady with a crab mallet.”
[That sounds like a good title for a fantasy romance book.]
Tilly couldn't help but giggle at the cute nickname he just gave her. ”Good evening, Captain.”
”You're a noble?”
She just smiled as a response. It's not like she can lie to him. The invited guests for tonight's banquet are composed of higher-nobles. ”I apologize for trespassing,” she said politely to change the subject. ”I didn't know that the maze is off-limits.”
He looked like he had something to say but then, his gaze shifted to the basket that she painstakingly carried around.
[Thank you, Isabella.]
She made Isabella wait at the secret passage she discovered a while ago. When she sneaked out of the palace, she met up with her maid to get the basket from her before she ran towards the maze garden.
”If you don't mind my asking, is that a food basket?” Kiho asked before he looked up at her face. ”Did you take out some food from the palace to eat here?”
[He's still as crude as ever.]
”A gentleman should feign ignorance at times like this, you know?” she teased him. ”But to answer your question, yes. I brought some food from the banquet to eat here.”
Well, that was a lie.
The food didn't come from the banquet. She asked the head chef of House Prescott to cook a variety of seafood for her. Fortunately, there are lobsters at the banquet earlier.
”May I know why?”
”It's uncomfortable to eat seafood in the presence of other nobles,” she told him. ”You may not know this because you're a man. But the ladies of our empire were taught from childhood that eating at a banquet isn't good for their image.”
Now she wasn't lying.
She still clearly remembered the etiquette that she was taught at such an early age. According to her teachers in the past, men don't like women who eat a lot especially in the presence of other nobles.
[It sucks but in this world, women are raised to please men. Well, that still kind of applies to the modern world. It's just that the empire has harsher standards that the ladies must follow.]
”I'm not a noble but I understand you,” said Kiho in a somewhat gentle tone. She didn't know if it was just her or if his face really softened up a bit. ”I'll pretend that I didn't see you here. I'll guard the area while you enjoy your meal, my lady.”
”Wait,” she said. ”I think I'll just leave.”
”Why?”
”I don't want to be involved in a rumor with you.”