#68. Northern Social Circle (2)
The small space between them disappeared, and their bodies touched closely.
“……!”
Sasha’s face was pressed against Pavel’s firm chest. Startled, she looked up.
“Pavel?”
When she whispered his name quickly, Pavel smiled, narrowing his eyes.
“Let’s dance again.”
“Hm?”
Did Pavel really like dancing?
“Instead of dancing with another lady—”
“Oh, and it happens to be your favorite song.”
Still holding her tightly, Pavel began moving to the new melody.
Flustered, Sasha followed his steps, adjusting quickly. She didn’t step on his foot once.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.
Even after the second song ended, Pavel didn’t let her go.
“Pavel, what’s wrong? Did you want to dance that badly?”
“Yes.”
“Then you should dance with someone else. You know it’s not proper to dance more than twice with the same partner.”
“…I don’t want to.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to dance with anyone else.”
Pavel firmly refused and only let her go after dancing three times in a row.
Usually, even close couples only danced together twice. Their behavior ignored custom and drew attention.
Sasha glanced sideways at Pavel, then turned her gaze to the people approaching.
Normally, the social circle was divided by age and gender, but today those divisions seemed gone. Men and women of all ages gathered, looking at her with curiosity.
But no one spoke first—etiquette dictated that someone of higher status should start the conversation.
“Madam Troyban.”
Sasha spotted a familiar face.
They exchanged polite greetings.
“Would you allow me the honor of introducing you to some acquaintances?”
“I would be grateful.”
Madam Troyban introduced northern nobles one by one. Sasha greeted each with a smile and began chatting. The topics were light and casual.
People were curious about her dress, jewelry, shoes, and even perfume.
“I don’t like strong scents, so I usually prefer floral fragrances. I match my bath oil and perfume.”
“Oh, I see.”
Her faint floral scent attracted attention, standing out in a trend of strong perfumes.
Sasha thought back to a thousand years ago, when people didn’t bathe with water for fear of illness. She had worked hard in her past life to change that belief—thankfully, bath facilities were now common.
But not everything had improved. Superstitions had returned as magical studies declined.
“Some say putting leeches on your head makes hair grow faster.”
“…That doesn’t sound trustworthy.”
“Leeches won’t grow hair. They might only spread disease.”
Sasha corrected the misinformation, quoting old medical texts for credibility.
“Have you read many medical books?”
“It’s a hobby.”
She eased the mood by admitting she also liked popular romance novels, mentioning one she had enjoyed. A young noblewoman’s eyes lit up in excitement, and conversation flowed easily.
While talking, Sasha glanced at Pavel, surrounded by people. She had worried about him, but—
He was handling the situation with ease, as if he’d done this all his life.
The crowd around Sasha kept growing. At first, it was because of her position and her warm interaction with Pavel, but soon people were drawn in by her own charm.
Only one group felt differently—the young ladies who had fallen for Pavel’s looks and presence. They looked at Sasha with jealousy, though she noticed it right away.
‘This could get annoying.’
Her thought became reality.
The moment Pavel appeared, the noble young ladies couldn’t look away.
“Is that handsome man really the so-called devilish heir?”
“No one told me he looked that good!”
At first, they admired his appearance. Then, they noticed how he treated his wife—always attentive, never looking away.
But the more they praised him, the more they resented Sasha for being at his side.
Some whispered rumors about her humble count-family origins and debts. The talk grew sharper.
“Without doing anything, she got the heir. And look at her, acting so proud!”
“Shouldn’t we teach her the northern way?”
They decided to act.
The first move—
“Ah!”
One lady “accidentally” spilled a dark drink as Sasha passed.
“Sorry~” she said insincerely, hiding a smirk, expecting Sasha’s appearance to be ruined.
But—
“Don’t worry.”
Sasha looked perfectly fine.
She had dodged the flying drink with quick reflexes and caught the falling glass before it hit the floor.
