Chapter 46 (2/2)

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.

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.

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