After the young lords and ladies finished their dance, there was time to dance freely or socialize. The newly debuted ones, with flushed faces, either chatted among themselves or mingled with other nobles, attentively listening to various pieces of advice.
Just as the energy of the people reached its peak, Kayden was conversing with the First Prince and his spouse while glaring at the other end of the ballroom. At the end of his gaze was Count Tudok, who was fawning over Millard.
Looks like he decided to switch sides because of what happened last time. Kayden chuckled coldly.
Count Tudok, sensing the hostility, kept glancing nervously at Kayden while stubbornly trying to engage Millard and Viscount Sudsfield in conversation.
I told him not to stand out, but I guess I should give him credit for having the guts to crawl all the way here.
However, Kayden was worried that Count Tudok might spread bad rumors about Diana to others and that those rumors might reach Diana’s ears, so he kept an eye on her.
As Kayden’s anxiety grew, his mana began to waver anxiously, following its master’s emotions. Sensing his mana acting up, Diana hurriedly grabbed his hand.
“Kayden, are you feeling unwell?”
“…Huh?”
“You don’t seem to have a fever…”
Kayden raised an eyebrow in surprise at the sudden question. But Diana, deliberately making a fuss, kept touching his forehead, then his cheek, and holding his hand repeatedly, focusing on calming his mana. Thanks to her efforts, his maa gradually settled down after a while.
Still, it seems like it’s calming down a bit faster than before. Is he getting better?
Diana tilted her head and withdrew her hand. Or at least, she tried to.
“If you wanted to hold my hand, you could have just said so, Wife.”
Kayden intertwined their fingers and kissed the back of her hand before she could pull away. Not only did he kiss her hand, but he also lightly nibbled on her skin. It didn’t hurt, but it sent a shiver down her spine.
While Diana flinched and held her breath at the sensation, Kayden smirked and closed the distance between them. “Is there anything else you want? Like this, for example.”
Kayden’s lips lightly touched her forehead. The soft sound echoed in her ears, making her cheeks flush.
“Or maybe this?”
This time, he kissed the tip of her nose. Diana, trying to endure the ticklish feeling, unconsciously grabbed Kayden’s wrist. Meanwhile, his lips trailed down the bridge of her nose, slowly moving lower.
“Or perhaps…” Kayden’s voice grew deeper. A dangerous glint appeared in his dark eyes as his gaze shifted to Diana’s lips.
Just before their lips could touch, Diana, swept away by the sensations he was giving her, hurriedly raised her hand to stop him.
“Kayden, stop. Please stop. That’s not what I meant.” Her face was unusually flushed.
Seeing that, Kayden blinked once and then gave a mischievous smile as he lightly licked her palm. Because they were so close, the wet friction of their skin made a squelching sound that was clearly heard and felt.
Diana swallowed a small moan at the sudden, hair-raising sensation. She glared at him and scolded him. “I told you that’s not what I meant.”
“Alright, I’ll take it that way.”
“Really…” Diana laughed like a sigh as she bickered with Kayden.
People who saw them quietly giggled.
“Oh my, those two still seem like newlyweds.”
“Indeed. I heard Count Tudok saying that the third prince and his wife were about to split up, but it doesn’t seem like it, does it?”
“Look at them. How could that be the appearance of a couple on the verge of breaking up?”
“True. If they were to split, there wouldn’t be any couples left in the Empire.”
“They really are a well-matched pair.”
People looked at Kayden and Diana with either a pleased or excited gaze. Of course, not everyone reacted that way.
“…What on earth are they doing, acting so shamelessly in a place like this?”
Millard frowned deeply as he watched Kayden and Diana from across the ballroom. He was already in a bad mood because Kayden had been expanding his influence recently, which in turn threatened the position of his fiancée, Rebecca. Seeing those who had taken what should have been his looking so carefree made his blood boil.
To calm his seething anger, he drank wine like it was water. But instead, it only fueled the rage burning inside him. Unable to hold back any longer, Millard turned to Viscount Sudsfield and spoke.
“Father, are you really going to just stand by and watch? We need to use that girl and do something!” Millard hissed in a low voice.
Viscount Sudsfield, who had been watching Kayden and Diana with a pleased look, turned to Millard. He warned him with an unusually stern demeanor. “Don’t act rashly, Millard Sudsfield. If you cause trouble just to vent your emotions and end up offending the first princess, what do you think will happen?”
In fact, Viscount Sudsfield had started to think that Diana might be more suitable to achieve his ambitions than Millard after witnessing the recent scene.
Rebecca and Millard still maintained a good relationship. However, that was all. Rebecca warmly welcomed Millard whenever he visited her, but she never sought him out first. In contrast, it was obvious that Kayden and Diana were completely infatuated with each other.
So, Viscount Sudsfield, being the shrewd businessman he was, quickly calculated where to invest for his benefit. His choice was Diana.
What is so special about that illegitimate child…? Millard flinched at the sight of the viscount’s unfamiliar demeanor and hunched his shoulders but soon clenched his teeth in frustration.
Recently, Viscount Sudsfield had been unusually lenient towards Diana. Even though the legitimate child was himself.
“…I will return to the first princess. Father, you may go to that illegitimate child or return with Mother. Do as you please.”
Disheartened by Viscount Sudsfield’s attitude, Millard coldly spat out his words and walked away. He made his way through the crowd back to Rebecca’s side.
“First Princess.”
“Ah, Lord Sudsfield.” Rebecca smiled gracefully and extended her hand. “As a partner, you shouldn’t be away for too long.”
“Ah…” Millard stared blankly at her as if she were a mysterious and beautiful winter creation. “…I apologize, Your Highness. Please forgive me.”
He took her outstretched hand as if he were entranced. And he was certain. My choice is right.
A great and beautiful person, more captivating than anything else in this world. Even though father is temporarily blinded now, he will realize it soon. That the final victor would be Rebecca Dune Bluebell. And he would be by her side.
Millard kissed the back of Rebecca’s hand, filled with reverence and affection.
* * *
It’s hot…
Diana, unable to withstand Kayden’s teasing any longer, was on her way to the break room. She placed the back of her hand on her cheek and felt the burning heat. She felt a sense of injustice.
“Why is he acting like this?”
Even if it was to get used to it, Kayden had been sticking to her like someone with a plan recently.
I don’t think there’s a need to go this far…
“Or perhaps…”
Suddenly, she recalled Kayden’s expression earlier as he looked at her lips with a thirsty gaze.
Diana stopped in her tracks, startled. She stood still for a moment and unconsciously muttered. “Of course, I don’t hate it…”
No, wait. That doesn’t mean I like it… Or do I?
Now, even thinking straight was becoming difficult.
Diana shook her head to clear her thoughts and let out a deep sigh. “I guess I should go back once I calm down a bit…”
She decided to cool her cheeks and headed to a nearby empty lounge, planning to return to the ballroom. But just before the door closed.
“…Are you leaving already?”
“I’ll stay a bit longer.”
“Sorry. I can’t keep my partner waiting.”
A familiar voice faintly echoed from the other end of the hallway.
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