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Chapter 32
Tch.
To go out of his way to avoid me from this close… fine, I get it.
It just means Amelia disgusts him that much.
I knew it and understood it.
But that didn’t make it any less unpleasant.
So, pretending it was a mistake, I tried to step on Vincent’s foot a few times.
Somehow he avoided me every single time.
Seriously? You’re just going to keep dodging?
A pointless stubbornness rose up inside me.
I kept trying to step on his foot.
Soon I couldn’t even tell if we were dancing or playing whack-a-mole with our feet.
And yet, the dance still flowed on.
That baffled me.
Please, just once.
Spinning with his hand in mine, I aimed for his still foot with the sharp heel of my stiletto.
Of course, he avoided it.
In the process,, my own balance collapsed.
“Ah!”
I clenched my eyes shut, bracing for my skull to crack against the floor.
A firm arm caught me from behind.
Vincent’s warmth was right against me.
It shouldn’t have mattered.
We had been dancing all along.
But what came next was the problem.
His breath brushed past my face.
Something soft grazed the corner of my lips.
Then it pulled away.
Wait… just now…
I snapped my eyes open.
He averted his gaze and helped me back up.
Then he walked off without a word.
Only when I watched his cold retreating back did I realise I must have imagined it.
“Whew, it’s hot.”
After that dance, the night air suddenly felt suffocating.
Fanning myself with my hand, I went to the buffet table.
I grabbed a random glass.
I downed it in one go.
“Ugh.”
My throat burned harshly.
It was a very strong liquor.
I should’ve checked first.
Regretting it, I looked around for another drink.
A group of young ladies approached me.
—
Striding quickly away, Vincent suddenly stopped.
He covered his face with his hand.
“Haa…”
Thankfully, it was dark all around.
If anyone had seen him, they would have thought it strange.
His face was flushed.
He steadied his breathing and glanced around.
He wasn’t headed anywhere in particular.
He just needed distance from Amelia.
Insane.
I’ve lost my mind.
He repeated the words over and over.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
None of what had happened made any sense.
The truth was, Vincent had been watching Amelia from afar the whole time.
When Elena Royce approached, he had been watching.
When she tried to spill wine on Amelia, he had been watching.
When Amelia sidestepped at just the right moment, he had been impressed.
Quick reflexes, that’s what they said.
She seemed sharp.
When she caught the glass Charleshad had hadarlier, that hadn’t been a coincidence either.
Then he saw Zeiss approach her.
It was a familiar sight.
Zeiss often stepped in to occupy Amelia for him.
That gave Vincent a reprieve.
But today Amelia hadn’t bothered him.
Not just today.
This entire time.
Before entering the crown prince’s palace, he had braced himself for trouble.
Before coming to the party, he had braced himself for trouble.
But Amelia hadn’t approached him first at all.
Yes, that’s why.
That was why Zeiss’s outstretched hand had irritated him so much.
There was no need for it.
But in truth, the reason Vincent’s face burned had nothing to do with that.
During the dance, he had thought Amelia’s steps unusually forceful.
Then, suddenly, her feet tangled.
She nearly fell.
He caught her reflexively.
That alone would have been a simple accident.
Yes.
An accident.
But her body in his arms had felt far lighter than he expected.
Far more fragile than he expected.
Her faint scent had been sweet.
It pulled his reason apart in an instant.
It was only for the briefest moment.
But that moment had been his will.
Did she notice?
The kiss—or the brush that could hardly even be called a kiss—had been fleeting.
Maybe Amelia hadn’t felt it.
At least, that was Vincent’s hopeful delusion.
But how could she not?
Lips were far too sensitive.
“Haa…”
He ran a rough hand through his neatly combed hair.
Then he lifted his head to the night sky.
The half moon shimmered above.
The starlight shimmered above.
Calming himself, he gathered his thoughts.
His body cooled.
His flushed skin returned to its usual colour
At last he lost composure.
No.
Never.
It wasn’t that his heart was swayed.
It was only that, being too close, his desire as a man had surged up.
Just for an instant.
It had to be that.
Even if it wasn’t, he had to make it so.
Vincent exhaled deeply once more.
Should I explain myself?
No.
Better to say nothing.
Then it would be taken as an accident.
Either way, he had to go back.
Even he knew he had left too abruptly.
He turned to head back.
His sharp ears caught voices.
Without meaning to, he drifted toward the sound.
Across a thicket, two men whispered in low tones.
It was clearly an intimate conversation.
Vincent stilled his presence.
He crept closer.
Through the foliage, he saw Count Collet and Viscount Sterol.
Both were newly titled nobles.
They were not firmly tied to either the Emperor’s faction or the aristocrats.
Unaware of Vincent, they went on with their discussion.
“Count, did you also receive a message from Duke Wentworth?”
“Yes, Viscount Sterol. He asked to meet soon.”
“I received one as well. The dates seem close. What could the Duke want?”
“Hmph. Not just us. He’s reached out to Count Brills and Count Maltor too.”
Those were also upstart nobles.
They were aligned with neither side.
“Then why is he doing this? Wasn’t Duke Wentworth the type who never even treated us like true nobles?”
“That’s right. He must need something. Perhaps he wants us to side with him in the council.”
“He wouldn’t make such a request without offering something, would he?”
“There will be conditions, surely. We’ll find out soon enough.”
At that moment, the sky burst into colour
Bang.
Boom.
Fireworks flared from the banquet grounds.
One of the men glanced up, distracted.
“Shall we return? It wouldn’t do to be absent too long.”
“Agreed. We were lucky to be invited to a Royce party. We should make the most of it.”
“I ought to speak with Crown Prince Vincent as well…”
“Come on.”
Rustling grass sounded as they moved.
Vincent pressed close against the trees.
They passed by without noticing him.
Only after they had gone did he step out from the shadows.
Above, the half moon had vanished into clouds.
The dark sky bloomed with bursts of colour
Vincent turned not toward the garden.
He turned toward the Royce mansion.
There, he had a servant summon Zeiss.
Before long, Zeiss appeared with a disgruntled face.
“Just when it was getting interesting, why call me?”
“Interesting? How?”
Vincent frowned.
Zeiss smirked.
He flicked his eyes toward the garden.
“Things just sparked.”
“Sparked?”
“Some ladies just went up to Lady Wentworth. Surely that’ll cause a stir, won’t it?”
He spoke with relish.
Vincent’s face hardened.
He looked toward the garden where the banquet raged on.
Zeiss caught the look.
He asked slyly.
“Worried? That she’ll cause too big a scene?”
Worried?
Only then did Vincent realise that was exact
ly what he was.
Worried.
Though not quite in the way Zeiss imagined.
“Mhm.”
He didn’t bother to correct him.
And then, just as quickly, the worry eased.
If it had been the Amelia of before, maybe.
But the Amelia of now?
Somehow, he felt she wouldn’t cause such trouble.
“Forget that. Zeiss, take me to the Duke of Royce. He’s here, isn’t he?”
