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Even though the host's quadrille had begun, the crowd's attention wasn't on the dance floor, instead, it was fixed on one corner. Even the dancers themselves were distracted.
"Sir Averil, don't worry so much. It's not like they're alone, Sir Bright is with them too."
"……"
"Um, you are focusing on the dance, right, Sir Averil?"
Letticia, who was dancing hand-in-hand with the group of four, tightened her grip on his left hand and spoke softly.
But Alexander's gaze remained fixed on Ariette and Matthias.
At this point, Letticia thought it was amazing that his body still managed to keep moving in time with the dance steps.
She considered saying something to him, but instead turned toward Seraphina, who was stepping gracefully across from her.
However, Seraphina was also too busy sneaking glances at the pair.
Eventually, when Letticia was left dancing only with Lenard, she quickly leaned closer and whispered in a worried tone.
"Brother, do you think Ez will be okay? What if those people start picking on him again?"
"As soon as the music ends, we'll go and pull him out. We can't leave him sitting there on a bed of thorns."
Just as Lenard described, Ezkhiel looked exactly like a man sitting on pins and needles.
He had stepped slightly back, stuck between Ariette and Matthias, wearing a deeply uncomfortable expression.
Since those two were the ones drawing all the attention of the ballroom, Ezkhiel thankfully wasn't the subject of too many stares.
But still, just being stuck in that position had to feel unbearably miserable.
"What on earth was His Highness thinking? Why would he invite an un-debuted lady to dance?"
"There's no way he didn't know she hasn't debuted yet. He just used it as an excuse to talk with her. By insisting it had to be the 'first dance in public,' he made sure the Duke and her brothers couldn't interfere. He even went so far as to chase us out."
Lenard's tone was edged with restrained anger as he stamped out his steps more forcefully.
Even he, usually composed in public, was clearly struggling to endure what Matthias had done this time.
That fifteen-minute-long dance felt more like an hour. The moment it finally ended, the Duke and Achilles barely bothered with polite farewells before practically rushing toward Ariette.
Alexander, who had been escorting Seraphina, followed right behind them at a speed just shy of breaching etiquette.
"Your Highness, I fear my daughter may have been discourteous in some way. Please allow me to take her away."
The Duke stepped firmly between Matthias and Ariette, shielding her with his entire presence as he spoke.
Matthias raised his eyebrows slightly and replied.
"Discourteous? Not at all. I was enjoying our conversation so much that I lost track of time. It would have been wonderful if I could have truly asked the young lady for a dance."
"Your words honor us, but my daughter will not be attending society. That day you speak of will never come."
"If Your Highness is still looking for a dance partner, is there not the diamond of the capital herself, renowned for her impeccable manners?"
Standing beside the Duke, Alexander introduced Seraphina, the lady he had escorted, almost as if he were trying to sell her off to Matthias.
Letticia, realizing his intention, was about to step in but before she could, Matthias met Seraphina's eyes and replied in his usual curt tone.
"A lady as accomplished as Lady Eskis must already have prior engagements. I would not dare to intrude and disappoint the gentlemen she has promised. Please, do not trouble yourself on my account. Honor your appointments."
"That is not so, Your Highness. I have no partner for the next dance yet. There is no gentleman I would be neglecting."
At Seraphina's calm reply, Alexander smiled and said to Matthias.
"You hear the lady herself, Your Highness. As a gentleman, surely you would not embarrass her by refusing?"
"…Is not the next dance one meant for chaperones? I could never ask the embodiment of etiquette, Lady Eskis, to break such rules. The next partner shall be the Countess of Freke. Madam, may I have the honor?"
"Declining a young partner just for the sake of an old one like me. Your Highness truly hasn't changed."
The Countess of Freke, who had just danced with the Duke, smiled wryly but placed her hand upon Matthias's arm nonetheless.
Despite Matthias's refusal, Seraphina's composure never faltered. She gracefully walked to Lenard, who stepped forward to escort her.
"As His Highness said, it's best to finish the chaperone's dance quickly. Since you've already had your first dance with Sir Averil, the rest of the evening is yours to choose your own partners."
"I'll do that. But I don't intend to stay long tonight. I imagine I'll spend more time chatting with the ladies than dancing."
Seraphina glanced toward the group of noblewomen waiting for her on the other side of the hall, then entered the dance floor at Lenard's side.
Letticia, meanwhile, had planned to speak with Matthias and excuse herself to take Ezkhiel away. But before she could, Achilles stepped forward and asked her first.
"Lady Sharon, if it pleases you, would you grant me the honor of being your partner for the second dance?"
"…Do you really wish to dance with me? It seems there are others waiting for you over there."
Letticia subtly pointed out with her eyes the nobleman who had earlier tried to introduce his daughter to Achilles. Achilles clicked his tongue quietly and replied.
"The parents may be eager, but the daughters themselves are terrified. They can't even meet my eyes properly. The young lady I danced with earlier wasn't any different. When I try to dance with them, I feel like some kind of monster devouring a sacrifice… it's unpleasant."
"…Well, if you put it that way. I suppose I should dance with at least one of the three, since it's expected."
Since they were attending the party of an acquaintance, it was only natural for Letticia to dance once with the host's son. So, with little enthusiasm, she rested her hand on Achilles's arm. Thankfully, the next dance was a traditional Ponteon style, meaning they wouldn't be dancing alone together.
The moment Letticia and Achilles stepped onto the dance floor, the murmurs among the crowd grew louder.
Their history was infamous enough that many were shocked to see them dancing side by side.
"Do you think this will make the young ladies less afraid of you, Sir Achilles?"
"I doubt it. Ever since I've appeared in society, I've rarely met a woman who wasn't afraid of me."
At his faintly self-deprecating answer, Letticia just gave a small shrug and began stepping in time with the music.
Fortunately, Achilles's dancing skills were decent, good enough to hold a casual conversation. And since Letticia deliberately avoided bringing up Ariette, the atmosphere between them stayed relatively peaceful.
But just as the music was nearing its end, when Letticia was about to bring up the parks in the capital that were good for horseback riding, Achilles's gaze suddenly froze on something.
"Father? What is he doing there…?"
Following Achilles's line of sight, Letticia nearly cursed out loud.
The Duke stood with a rigid expression, conversing with another nobleman. Alexander, playing the role of the evening's star, was dancing with some nameless young woman. Matthias and Lenard were also still on the dance floor.
And Ariette was sitting alone with Ezkhiel on the chairs by the wall, deep in conversation.
"Arie!"
"Don't even think about leaving before the music ends."
Letticia tightened her grip on Achilles's hand. Fortunately, her strength, hardened by years of riding, proved effective even against the brother who had gone mad over his younger sister; Achilles groaned and stopped just as he tried to break away from the line.
"What do you think you're doing, Lady Sharon?! Arie is sitting alone with a man right now!"
"She's with my lover. Isn't that far safer than being with any other man?"
Achilles flared up at her calm retort.
"Doesn't it bother you at all? Your lover is sitting with another woman, talking together, just the two of them!"
"What, should I tell them to sit there in silence and stare blankly at the dance floor instead? If they so much as dance, would you grab him by the collar and accuse him of having an affair?"
"D-dancing with another woman when he already has a lover?!"
Her final jab left Achilles staring at her in sheer disbelief.
If she hadn't tugged firmly at his hand and glared at him to keep moving, he might have stopped mid-step altogether.
His expression was one of pure culture shock, and it gave Letticia a pounding headache. Did she really have to spell out something this obvious for him?
"Sir Averil, the man sitting over there with Lady Ariette, Sir Bright, that's my lover, correct? And right now, I'm dancing with you, am I not?"
"Well… yes, but…"
"Of course, it isn't proper to waltz with anyone other than one's lover, so I avoid that. But polkas? Everyone dances those. Even if Sir Bright dances a polka with Lady Eskis, I wouldn't think anything of it."
"…But isn't it only right, out of respect, not to dance with other women, or have private conversations with them, when you're already in love?"
Letticia briefly gauged the position of their feet. Since she wasn't wearing high heels tonight but rather low, sturdy shoes, even if she accidentally stepped on him, it wouldn't be a disaster.
"If someone has improper intentions, of course you refuse. But if it's just a matter of courtesy, like accepting a dance or exchanging polite conversation, rejecting them only brings unnecessary criticism onto your partner. And for the record, the same goes for your little sister."
"…But our Arie is truly like an angel descended from heaven. What if, while being with her, he falls for-, Argh!"
Letticia stomped down hard on Achilles's foot. He let out a muffled cry, staring at her in shock.
Glaring at him with a low growl in her voice, Letticia snapped.
"My lover has no interest in any woman other than me!"
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