CHAPTER 105: COUPLE’S DANCE
「U-Umm……」
「My apologies. I am Edward Raul Flarekista. May you tell me your name? 」
「Li-Lilia Anderson. Eldest daughter of Marquis Anderson. How do you do」
「Lady Lilia……a very beautiful name」
Umm.
What kind of situation was this?
Edward-san was kneeling before Lilia and was gazing at her with captivated eyes. No matter how one looked at it, Lilia was the only one reflected in those eyes.
I greeted him earlier, but I was completely ignored.
「I would not really say “how do you do”. Do you not remember meeting me before? 」
「Eh!? N-No, my apologies……umm, where did we……? 」
「During Knight Captain Wilhelm’s wedding. At that time, from the moment I saw you, I was captivated」
「O-Ohh! 」
Speaking of which, they really did meet then.
It was Lilia who entered with me at that time. And Edward-san was acting as a priest to surprise me. Recalling it now, it was a kind of surprise where one could be too shocked and die.
Well, I really was surprised at that time, but Lilia seemed to be even more surprised now. And naturally so. The talked-about prince suddenly confessed his love to her; it would be strange not to be confused.
「Carol」
「Oh, Wilhelm-sama」
「Sorry. You were surprised by Edward, right? 」
Before I knew it, Wilhelm-sama was back.
It seemed I was too surprised that I neglected noticing my surroundings. Wilhelm-sama stood next to me with a wry smile as we watched Edward-san whispering his love to Lilia.
Did Wilhelm-sama know?
「I just knew about it a while ago」
「Is that so? 」
「He asked me, who was the friend who entered with Carol at the wedding. The second I told him she is with Carol right now, he took off. Apparently, he has been looking for her ever since that wedding」
「Eeeh……」
No, well, it was indeed surprising.
I never expected that Edward-san, a royalty and the next king, would be captivated by Lilia like that. Though it was a surprise wedding in the first place, I was the bride. What did it mean that he fell in love with my friend Lilia at first sight?
What would have happened to Lilia if Wilhelm-sama had not returned, and I had the wedding with Edward-san, as was arranged?
Well, there was no point in thinking about it.
「May I have the pleasure of dancing with you? 」
「E-Eeh…I-If it is just one song……」
「Well then, here. Please take my hand」
「U-Umm, I’m…I am…not quite good at dancing……」
「It is all right. Please leave it to me. I shall bring out all your charm」
「E-Eeeeh……」
Edward-san took Lilia’s hand and went straight to the center of the hall.
Wilhelm-sama and I simply saw them off. Edward-san, he was surprisingly forceful.
He brought Lilia to the center of the hall, and the music began to play. It was a waltz with a slow tempo. Though I was not very familiar with music, it was a composition famous enough for me to know the title.
Edward-san and Lilia started dancing.
Lilia’s movements were very stiff. On the other hand, Edward-san’s dancing was refined—true to his bold talk about leading.
One would unconsciously be captivated by it. Lilia was cute when she is silent, so the two painted a lovely picture together.
Aah, this would not do.
Watching them made me want to dance, too.
「Wilhelm-sama」
「What is it, Carol? 」
「How about we dance, as well? 」
「Uh……th-that」
I saw that Wilhelm-sama was puzzled by my words.
Did I say something so strange?
Since we came to the ball, I thought it was only natural to dance.
「Well, I do not dance much……」
「Oh, I am sorry! 」
It was then I realized.
Basically, it was the gentleman who would be escorting at a ball. It was also the gentleman who would ask for a dance. And the maiden who was without a man’s invitation and remains at the side was called a “wallflower”.
In other words, I should not be the one to ask. I must not forget that common practice.
Ahem, I cleared my throat.
Go on.
Please ask me.
「Go on」
「Eh……? 」
「……」
「……」
My head tilted to the side.
Huh?
Would Wilhelm-sama not ask me?
「……What do you mean? 」
「Well, I would like to be asked to dance」
「……Eh? 」
「In such cases, it is the gentleman who would ask……For me to take the initiative was improper of me」
「………………Aah, so it was like that」
Hmm, Wilhelm-sama folded his arms and lightly sighed.
What could have happened?
「Well……at this point, huh? Even His Majesty knows about my marriage」
「What happened? 」
「I do not have to hide it at this point. Well, there is only one way then……shall I imitate Edward earlier? 」
Kuku, Wilhelm-sama smiled.
And then—he knelt down before me.
「Carol」
「Y-Yes!? 」
「May I have this dance? 」
「O-Of course! 」
Wilhelm-sama held out his hand.
I took that hand and Wilhelm-sama stood up.
The waltz was in its crescendo. Lilia was still moving so stiffly, and yet it looked elegant thanks to Edward-san’s skill.
Wilhelm-sama’s hand settled on my back.
And my hand rested on Wilhelm-sama’s shoulder.
We were close enough to feel each other’s breath.
My face felt hot. It was embarrassing, but I did not dislike it.
「Carol……」
「Yes, Wilhelm-sama……」
It was a happy moment of simply calling each other’s names.
Of feeling Wilhelm-sama’s warmth, his breath, his heartbeat.
It was a waltz I was unused to. And though I learned to dance, I was not very good at it. Even so, I was happy, so much so that I wished time would stop for all eternity.
Aah, I really…
Really wished this moment would last forever—.
CHAPTER 105: COUPLE’S DANCE
「U-Umm……」
「My apologies. I am Edward Raul Flarekista. May you tell me your name? 」
「Li-Lilia Anderson. Eldest daughter of Marquis Anderson. How do you do」
「Lady Lilia……a very beautiful name」
Umm.
What kind of situation was this?
Edward-san was kneeling before Lilia and was gazing at her with captivated eyes. No matter how one looked at it, Lilia was the only one reflected in those eyes.
I greeted him earlier, but I was completely ignored.
「I would not really say “how do you do”. Do you not remember meeting me before? 」
「Eh!? N-No, my apologies……umm, where did we……? 」
「During Knight Captain Wilhelm’s wedding. At that time, from the moment I saw you, I was captivated」
「O-Ohh! 」
Speaking of which, they really did meet then.
It was Lilia who entered with me at that time. And Edward-san was acting as a priest to surprise me. Recalling it now, it was a kind of surprise where one could be too shocked and die.
Well, I really was surprised at that time, but Lilia seemed to be even more surprised now. And naturally so. The talked-about prince suddenly confessed his love to her; it would be strange not to be confused.
「Carol」
「Oh, Wilhelm-sama」
「Sorry. You were surprised by Edward, right? 」
Before I knew it, Wilhelm-sama was back.
It seemed I was too surprised that I neglected noticing my surroundings. Wilhelm-sama stood next to me with a wry smile as we watched Edward-san whispering his love to Lilia.
Did Wilhelm-sama know?
「I just knew about it a while ago」
「Is that so? 」
「He asked me, who was the friend who entered with Carol at the wedding. The second I told him she is with Carol right now, he took off. Apparently, he has been looking for her ever since that wedding」
「Eeeh……」
No, well, it was indeed surprising.
I never expected that Edward-san, a royalty and the next king, would be captivated by Lilia like that. Though it was a surprise wedding in the first place, I was the bride. What did it mean that he fell in love with my friend Lilia at first sight?
What would have happened to Lilia if Wilhelm-sama had not returned, and I had the wedding with Edward-san, as was arranged?
Well, there was no point in thinking about it.
「May I have the pleasure of dancing with you? 」
「E-Eeh…I-If it is just one song……」
「Well then, here. Please take my hand」
「U-Umm, I’m…I am…not quite good at dancing……」
「It is all right. Please leave it to me. I shall bring out all your charm」
「E-Eeeeh……」
Edward-san took Lilia’s hand and went straight to the center of the hall.
Wilhelm-sama and I simply saw them off. Edward-san, he was surprisingly forceful.
He brought Lilia to the center of the hall, and the music began to play. It was a waltz with a slow tempo. Though I was not very familiar with music, it was a composition famous enough for me to know the title.
Edward-san and Lilia started dancing.
Lilia’s movements were very stiff. On the other hand, Edward-san’s dancing was refined—true to his bold talk about leading.
One would unconsciously be captivated by it. Lilia was cute when she is silent, so the two painted a lovely picture together.
Aah, this would not do.
Watching them made me want to dance, too.
「Wilhelm-sama」
「What is it, Carol? 」
「How about we dance, as well? 」
「Uh……th-that」
I saw that Wilhelm-sama was puzzled by my words.
Did I say something so strange?
Since we came to the ball, I thought it was only natural to dance.
「Well, I do not dance much……」
「Oh, I am sorry! 」
It was then I realized.
Basically, it was the gentleman who would be escorting at a ball. It was also the gentleman who would ask for a dance. And the maiden who was without a man’s invitation and remains at the side was called a “wallflower”.
In other words, I should not be the one to ask. I must not forget that common practice.
Ahem, I cleared my throat.
Go on.
Please ask me.
「Go on」
「Eh……? 」
「……」
「……」
My head tilted to the side.
Huh?
Would Wilhelm-sama not ask me?
「……What do you mean? 」
「Well, I would like to be asked to dance」
「……Eh? 」
「In such cases, it is the gentleman who would ask……For me to take the initiative was improper of me」
「………………Aah, so it was like that」
Hmm, Wilhelm-sama folded his arms and lightly sighed.
What could have happened?
「Well……at this point, huh? Even His Majesty knows about my marriage」
「What happened? 」
「I do not have to hide it at this point. Well, there is only one way then……shall I imitate Edward earlier? 」
Kuku, Wilhelm-sama smiled.
And then—he knelt down before me.
「Carol」
「Y-Yes!? 」
「May I have this dance? 」
「O-Of course! 」
Wilhelm-sama held out his hand.
I took that hand and Wilhelm-sama stood up.
The waltz was in its crescendo. Lilia was still moving so stiffly, and yet it looked elegant thanks to Edward-san’s skill.
Wilhelm-sama’s hand settled on my back.
And my hand rested on Wilhelm-sama’s shoulder.
We were close enough to feel each other’s breath.
My face felt hot. It was embarrassing, but I did not dislike it.
「Carol……」
「Yes, Wilhelm-sama……」
It was a happy moment of simply calling each other’s names.
Of feeling Wilhelm-sama’s warmth, his breath, his heartbeat.
It was a waltz I was unused to. And though I learned to dance, I was not very good at it. Even so, I was happy, so much so that I wished time would stop for all eternity.
Aah, I really…
Really wished this moment would last forever—.
