Chapter 25
“‘Does it make sense that Lia, who’s been trained in noble etiquette since childhood, can’t dance?’”
Faced with a completely unexpected problem, Lia wondered how she should get through this situation. At that moment, Zen suddenly grabbed her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.
“Zen?”
Lia, flustered and unsure what to do, heard Zen whisper in her ear.
“Wrap your arm around my shoulder.”
Lia glanced around and, following what the other women were doing, placed her hand on Zen’s shoulder. Slowly, Zen began to move.
“If your dancing is terrible, you can just say so.”
Though his tone sounded teasing, it wasn’t wrong, and Lia blushed.
Zen held her other hand high, moving left, right, and even spinning her around. They bent their knees, rose slightly, pressed close together, and then separated again.
Before she knew it, a smile spread across Lia’s face.
“‘It’s more fun than I thought. My feet seem to move on their own.’”
Whether it was muscle memory or something learned from her upbringing, moves that she would normally have been unable to do came out smoothly.
“Ugh.”
“Sorry…”
Of course, since she wasn’t actually skilled, Lia stepped on Zen’s feet multiple times. Surprisingly, Zen neither got angry nor stopped dancing.
Finally, when they naturally paused, the music stopped, leaving a brief silence.
Clap clap—
Small applause rang out. Lia widened her eyes and looked around. A circle had formed around them, and several nobles watched with gentle smiles.
Since she was about to become the fiancée of the Crown Prince, it was natural for their attention to be drawn.
“‘So there’s none of the intrigue or power struggles I expected in high society.’”
Feeling the warm atmosphere, Lia awkwardly rolled her eyes. Sensing her gaze, Zen suddenly pulled her closer by the waist. Seeing her flustered, a few nobles chuckled softly.
At that moment:
“Your Highness Zen.”
A man strode forward and bowed deeply before Zen.
“‘Who is that?’”
Lia stared at him. The man had black hair that shimmered over his shoulders and dark gray eyes hidden behind a monocle. He looked fairly mature but undeniably handsome.
“‘And somehow… he looks similar to Zen…’”
Zen frowned and clicked his tongue lightly. Sensing the tension, Lia tried to step back, but the strong hand holding her waist wouldn’t let her. Zen nodded slightly in greeting.
“It’s been a while… Duke Corend.”
“‘What?’”
Lia’s eyes widened. It was the very Duke Corend—Zen’s uncle, the only other member of the royal family aside from Zen, and the hidden villain responsible for Zen’s death in the original story.
“‘This is…’”
Lia stared at Duke Corend. He hadn’t been fully described in the original story; after all, Zen’s death had only been a device for the love story between Siklaen and Darren.
In the original story, Zen’s death was portrayed as the tragic death of a crown prince caught in a throne struggle, and Duke Corend was depicted as a cunning villain—a hidden hand cruelly killing the prince who trusted him to become emperor. Yet, he didn’t seem villainous in reality.
“‘Now I understand why Zen didn’t suspect him.’”
The eyes visible behind the monocle were gentle. He wasn’t short, but he looked so slender and fragile that he gave off a scholarly air. He looked like someone who wouldn’t even harm an insect.
Duke Corend’s gaze shifted to Lia.
“And this is…?”
Zen introduced her with a displeased expression.
“She is the one who will become the Crown Princess… not yet, but eventually.”
The eyes of everyone in the hall briefly focused on Lia before scattering. Feeling every gaze, she smiled awkwardly.
“Lia Cavelick.”
“Ah, of the Cavelick family…! I am Widia Corend, serving in the royal palace.”
Lia squinted.
“‘He introduces himself as a palace servant rather than a duke… is he really that indifferent to royal authority? Or is he doing this to hide his interest in the throne from me?’”
Corend extended his hand. Lia stared at the smooth, unblemished, pale hand. When they clasped hands, it was unexpectedly firm.
She looked into his eyes behind the monocle, which seemed to smile widely. At first, she thought it was to cover an injury he got while saving Zen, but now it seemed more like a device to soften his impression. Knowing he would kill Zen, everything felt performative.
“‘A little creepy.’”
“Let go of her hand.”
Only after hearing Zen’s cold voice did Lia realize she was still holding Corend’s hand and released it.
Corend looked at Zen and smiled kindly.
“You must care for your fiancée very much.”
“Of course.”
Zen smiled genuinely. Lia forced a small smile in return, thinking that Zen was definitely talented at lying.
Zen didn’t introduce her to others as expected but instead took her to a secluded terrace.
“‘Then why even bring me here?’”
Lia slumped into a chair. She was glad she didn’t have to greet people. She still hadn’t fully mastered noble etiquette. Even though the original Lia had been a wicked woman, she had learned proper manners as the daughter of a distinguished ducal family. Mimicking ten-plus years of training in a short time was exhausting.
She picked up one of the champagne glasses on the table. Two glasses had been set—Zen’s included—but he hadn’t touched his, leaving to take care of some business.
“‘I’ll drink both myself.’”
Whether it was because the world was special or because she had only encountered high-quality items, the alcohol here tasted exquisite.
As she gazed at the clear liquid with a hopeful smile, a man entered the terrace and approached her.
“‘Who is that?’”
“May I sit here?”
There was clearly space, so Lia nodded slightly. The man, choosing the seat next to her, had a face she had never seen before.
“‘Such a flashy presence,’” Lia thought. She quickly averted her gaze, but the man didn’t seem to care.
“How is the banquet? Did you come alone?”
“Pfft.”
Lia couldn’t help but laugh, almost spitting out her champagne. The man looked puzzled.
“No, I have companions.”
“…Had I known someone so beautiful would be here, I would have come sooner.”
The unexpected comment almost made Lia laugh again. He seemed unaware that she had already drawn attention alongside Zen.
Moreover, the soft terrace lighting made it hard to discern the color of her dress, so he hadn’t noticed she was wearing a red dress reserved for royalty.
“Seems there are rumors circulating in high society.”
“You know about me?”
“Who in the Visen Empire wouldn’t know the daughter of the Cavelick family?”
The man’s tone was exaggerated. He seemed to have only heard of Lia by rumor, not personally.
Despite Lia’s indifferent sipping, he pulled his chair closer.
“‘Such a tacky move.’”
Lia studied his face. He wasn’t unattractive, but after seeing men like Zen and Darren, he didn’t impress her. Misreading her gaze, he gave a sleazy smile and raised his champagne.
“Do you have someone?”
Recalling the servants circulating around, Lia shook her head. She could always ask for more champagne later.
“No.”
“How about this lady, then?”
Lia frowned.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“I’m asking if such a beautiful lady has a master.”
Just as he lifted the glass to his lips, a hand appeared from nowhere and snatched it.
“Wha—who…!”
Champagne spilled on his pants. The man scowled and turned around.
Then:
“I hate a punk who doesn’t even know his place.”
A chillingly low voice spoke.
“…Zen?”
Lia stared, stunned, at Zen standing before her. Backlit by the bright moon, Zen radiated an imposing presence.
He poured the champagne over the man’s head slowly.
“Pfft! Pfft! Stop this immediately—”
The man flailed as the champagne ran down his hair, rendered helpless and ridiculous.
Finally, Zen picked up the empty glass with his thumb and index finger and smashed it on the ground.
“Puhaha! Who the hell…!”
The man wiped his face. The commotion had drawn the attention of the banquet’s steward, who rushed over.
“Steward.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell the master to properly keep his pet on a leash. What a rude little punk running around.”
“What? Master? Do you know who I am?!”
The man lunged at Zen as if to grab him. Zen sidestepped lightly, and the man stumbled.
“If you want him to know who you are, let him keep the leash on.”
“What are you talking about?”
Zen’s gaze flicked to Lia and then away.
“You started this, didn’t you? Saying someone has a master is a childish act.”
“…What?”
