Chapter 76 (1/2)

Chapter 76: Chapter 76

“Could you take time out for me? The music is good at the moment. ”

“… It is my honor, Your Majesty. ”

He politely asked me to dance with him and reached out. I put my hand on his with a reluctant smile. I went to the dance floor with him amid their envy and exclamations.

Unlike the slow tempo up to now, the tune this time was fast and cheerful.

I had to almost hop around to the fast tempo, but because of the beat change in the middle, I really found it hard to step to the music, although I used to dance well in the past.

When I was so nervous about missing the step, he, who was silent all along, said, “It’s surprising. I thought you were with Duke Verita’s son or Sir Lars.”

“Pardon? Sir Lars? ”

“I mean Sir Lars who was appointed as a knight this time, not Sir Lars, your father’s aide.”

“Oh, are you talking about Carsein?”

While I was talking with him, the music tempo changed once. For a moment, I stumbled on the steps, but I quickly stepped to the new beat and tried to smile.

“Oh, is his name Carsein? Anyway, I thought you were with him.”

“Sir Carsein is on duty today. Allen ……Oh, I don’t know if Duke Verita’s son is here today.”

“Oh, are you close enough to call them by their first names? Looks like you’re calling their names naturally.”

Why is he mentioning their names? Anybody can call his or her friend by their first name when they get acquainted a little bit. As I couldn’t read his intention, I couldn’t find an appropriate answer to his question.

While I was pondering over how to reply, the band began to play the highlight of the music. The dance motion of this part is regarded as very beautiful due to its delicate and gorgeous movements, but at the same time it is the climax part that’s absolutely impossible to dance if you can’t step through the dance with your partner well. So, couples or engaged couples mostly stepped to the tunes of this music.

I stepped to the tune nervously. As I had never stepped through a dance with him to this tune, I was so nervous. As I paid a lot of attention to the tempo, though, I could finish dancing the most difficult part of the highlight without missing the steps.

‘Ahhh!’

Was it because I let down my hair because I was done with the most difficult part?

My feet got twisted before I knew it. The moment I lost my balance and fell, he lifted me by my waist with his strong arms. Breathing a sigh of relief, I felt greatly relieved and expressed thanks to him, who was looking down at me blankly.

“Thank you, Majesty.”

“…I don’t know how I can understand…”

“Pardon?”

“I thought you looked like a doll because you were tough, but you were not. Then, you look like a sophisticated woman who was very good at dancing, but you missed the steps this time.”

“… ”

“Is this the charm they found in you?” He whispered, with his mouth close to my ears.

It was the same situation I was faced with at his coming-of-age dance party. At the time, I was shuddering with fear, but I didn’t feel scared, which surprised me. But I began to be conscious of people around me.

When I blushed at my missed steps, at a loss what to do, he giggled after staring at me for a while. Then he said, tightening his grip around the waist, “Don’t miss the steps again. Follow my steps.”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

Originally, he only focused on his own dance steps, but he led me properly every time the tempo of the music changed. Thanks to his consideration I finished dancing. I expressed gratitude with a sigh of relief, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

He silently nodded and called an attendant. Then, he picked up two cups from the tray and gave me one and said, “So, are you going to go back to a flock of snakes again?”

“Pardon, Your Majesty? Flock of snakes? ”

“I mean that group of women.”

“Oh, I see…”

“Looks like they are smiling, but they are always hissing, full of poison. How can I describe them in another way?”