THSMW 59

Chapter 59

“Oh my goodness!”

That wasn’t a sound I had made. I had been so frozen by the heavy thud moments ago that I had even forgotten how to breathe.

Suddenly, I felt a gaze sharp enough to sting my skin. The surrounding exclamations of admiration faded into a distant hum. Siegfried straightened his back and stepped in front of me.

Aisa approached, wearing a face full of interest.

In the novel, that man was supposed to be my fiancé. Yet, for some reason, the closer he came with each step, the stranger and more unsettling my feelings became.

Aisa could be fierce with others, but he was unusually kind and gentle with me.

A man who would crush some young lady’s wrist under his foot would immediately wrap his arm around my waist to steady me if I stumbled.

Even knowing that, I couldn’t keep the smile from my lips as Aisa extended his hand toward me. He was clearly ignoring Siegfried.

“The first dance of the party is always led by the highest-ranking person,” Aisa said.

His slit-like eyes fixed on me. With his hand already extended, I couldn’t possibly refuse. Beyond the gazes of the crowd, it was absolutely unacceptable for a citizen of the empire to go against the crown prince.

Siegfried opened his mouth to say something, but I was quicker, placing my hand over Aisa’s.

Siegfried pressed his lips together and scowled. I could understand his anger, but now was not the time to resist.

Even as a war hero, Siegfried was still a prince. Officially, Aisa had a much higher status than him.

Causing unnecessary trouble and complicating the situation was strictly off-limits. Especially today, when many nobles had daughters eager to take the crown princess’s seat.

Siegfried, who had been so composed until now, could no longer maintain his expression.

Holding Aisa’s cold hand, I stepped toward the center of the hall. I couldn’t help but glance back at Siegfried. His gaze was fixed on our joined hands.

Suddenly, a laugh broke out beside me. Aisa’s lips curled into a small smile. He was clearly intent on ruining the party for Siegfried.

As Aisa and I faced each other, the violin began to play.

Why did they have to pick a dance that forced such close contact? Was the orchestra on Aisa’s side too?

A chill ran through me when his cold hand brushed against my bare back. I had resolved never to get entangled, yet in front of the crown prince’s absolute authority, I was powerless.

What if I had hidden entirely behind Siegfried?

Only the time of mutual caution between the two of them would have increased, and the nobles might have scolded me, asking why a single dance was so difficult.

Thinking that way, grabbing Aisa’s hand quickly felt like the right decision.

Sigh. I need to finish quickly and get back to Siegfried. I placed my hand on Aisa’s back and stepped in rhythm with him. We completed one full turn, and as we came together again, the conversation began, as if it had been waiting.

“You’ve been marked by me as my future crown princess for a long time,” he said.

Of course he would say that. And to think I had just destroyed half of his estate—what kind of response was expected of me? I smiled awkwardly.

“Oh, I see. That’s news to me.”

“That’s impossible,” he said.

When I misstepped, Aisa forcefully pulled me back into rhythm. His hand on my back was damp with sweat.

The royal knight who had visited under the pretext of the magical beast’s summoning had already mentioned that there were talks of candidates for this prestigious position.

Aisa had clearly instructed him to say that, so my claim was undoubtedly false.

That must be why Aisa was handling me so roughly now. I felt the grip of his hand might leave red marks. He and his brother were absurdly strong.

But I wasn’t the only candidate for crown princess, was I? There were at least three or four others. Why not pick one of them?

Unlike the novel, I had already been hopelessly entangled with Siegfried for a long time.

“It’s truly regrettable, isn’t it?”

We spun several more times, constantly breaking our conversation mid-step. We were nearing the climax of the dance. Just a little longer, and it would be over. But that cursed crown prince kept talking.

“…What do you mean?” I asked awkwardly, relieved I hadn’t stepped on his feet. Why did cold sweat keep running down my back?

In the novel, we were engaged, but in reality, we had never crossed paths.

“Let me be direct. Do you have any intention of becoming the crown princess?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“That refusal was too quick, as if you’ve been waiting to say that,” he said.

Aisa’s expression soured, a hint of irritation showing. Luckily, the song ended. I sighed in relief.

His hand lifted off my back. Finally, I could escape his grasp. I tried to retreat toward the corner.

A pale, rough hand reached out. Looking up, Siegfried was staring down at me. So that’s why all royals had to dance before the nobles appeared. I took his hand.

“You said you wouldn’t bother with petty mind games,” Aisa sneered.

Siegfried just glared at him silently.

I hadn’t intended this, but I was suddenly trapped between two royals, taking in all the tension.

Help me. My neck felt tight from the stress. Aisa had actually attempted to kill Siegfried dozens of times, and Siegfried planned to kill him in the future.

This was not my place. I tried to step back, but Siegfried’s firm hand met my bare skin.

He must have thought I was about to fall and steadied me. When our skin brushed, he looked at me in surprise.

“Alright, enjoy it while you can,” Aisa snorted and moved away. As he disappeared through the crowd, the violin resumed. But why was it playing the same song as before? Was this the only track on the playlist?

“Your Highness, you know how to do social dances too?”

“It’s part of mandatory training. I learned it,” Siegfried said cautiously, placing his hand on my back. He seemed conscious of our contact, gripping the fabric of my dress.

I lifted his hand to indicate I was fine. The calloused palm brushed across my shoulder blade.

Perhaps the angle was slightly off. Somehow, I ended up pressed against his chest.

“Your posture seems a bit off,” Siegfried said, smiling slightly. But I couldn’t smile. As soon as I allowed it, he boldly grabbed my back—it was far too noticeable. Moreover, he smelled faintly of soap and fresh skin.

Had we ever been this close before? Ah, yes. When Killian had kidnapped Siegfried, it was like this. And a few times after that.

But this didn’t feel the same. I couldn’t help darting my eyes around nervously.

“You should hold me too,” I said.

“Oh, yes, yes.”

“Isn’t one answer enough?”

“Right, right.”

“Just do whatever feels comfortable.”

I placed my hands on Siegfried’s back. Just moments ago, I had done a similar move with Aisa, but this time my senses were alive with the contact. How could I feel his firm muscles through a shirt, vest, and jacket?

I thought Aisa was physically strong, but Siegfried was on another level. No wonder—he had spent years on the battlefield.

Why was I so seriously analyzing his body?

I looked up at Siegfried while stepping in rhythm. He softened his previously tense expression, as if he had been watching me all along.

“You seem angry,” I said.

“I’d look that way because I am,” he replied.

“Because you’re dancing with me?”

“You know it’s not that,” he said.

“I’m joking. Just to make you smile.”

Siegfried raised one corner of his mouth slightly. Better to keep a straight face.

He looked like he had many questions he wanted to ask. I nudged my foot between his legs and said,

“If you’re curious about anything, feel free to ask. I welcome it.”

“…Wait, has it always been like this?”

“This dance has changed like this since last year. I danced this way with Your Highness too.”

Ah, probably best not to comment further. Siegfried’s face stiffened completely, slightly flustered.

“I’m still immature. Jealous in such a childish way.”

Could it be that it was only jealousy? He had surely struggled to suppress his long-held anger toward Aisa too. Having seen him survive assassination threats at the Elifritz estate, I understood completely.

I ran my hand lightly across Siegfried’s back and smiled. He flinched slightly but didn’t trip over his steps like I sometimes did.

“It’s remarkable that you can acknowledge such feelings and express them,” I said encouragingly. Siegfried immediately grasped my meaning.

“I’m insanely jealous. Don’t cling to your brother like that.”

“I had no intention from the start. It’s just how things turned out.”

“I should try to prevent such situations next time.”

“…How do you plan to do that?”

Surely he wasn’t planning to stab Aisa with a dagger out of nowhere? That’s unacceptable, male lead. Even if he’s a villain, he needs a proper reason.

I worriedly watched Siegfried, and he smiled brightly, clearly happy to reveal his feelings. Honestly, when he smiled like that, I forgot what he had wanted to say. Before I knew it, I found myself smiling along with him.

I met his gaze again.