Chapter 4. That Man

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‘I hope I’m not late.’

By the time I arrived at the palace, it was already close to 11 PM. I rushed into the ballroom, or more precisely, the Great Hall of Ivona Palace where the ball was being held.

‘Wow…’

The Ivona Palace, renowned for its opulence, was more splendid than any place I had ever seen. From the entrance to the corridors, I couldn’t help but marvel, but there was no time to leisurely admire the beautiful palace. Swallowing my regret, I quickened my pace, hoping my hair and dress hadn’t become disheveled in my hurry.

“Oh, hello.”

“What is your name?”

As I awkwardly greeted the doorman at the entrance of the hall, he asked indifferently. I presented the invitation I had brought, and the doorman nodded without expression and opened the door for me.

“Have a good time.”

With an awkward smile, I stepped into the ballroom. Because I arrived so late, there was no grand announcement of my name. Perhaps it was for the best. I hadn’t come here to attract attention.

Thus, without any introduction, I entered the ballroom like a shadow and quickly claimed a corner. Glancing around, I spotted my stepmother, Melissa, and Helene gathered in the distance.

All three of them didn’t look pleased… it seemed they hadn’t found a suitable groom. Or perhaps the number of dance requests for Helene and Melissa was lower than expected.

‘Maybe it’s because they dressed too extravagantly…’

Hiding in the shadows next to a pillar, I sipped the champagne handed to me by a server.

The ball, which I attended for the first time, was not much different from what I had imagined. Brightly lit crystal chandeliers, an orchestra playing string instruments and piano. Noble men and women dancing elegantly to the flowing dance music…

It was so stereotypically formal that it didn’t stir much excitement in me.

‘It’s more boring than I thought…’

Maybe it was because I didn’t have a friend to chatter with by my side. Or perhaps it was because I hadn’t had the opportunity to dance with a handsome gentleman.

The gentlemen only glanced at me curiously, standing alone without a chaperone, but none approached. I found this rather fortunate. I wasn’t confident that I could dance gracefully in a social dance.

After all, I had practiced dancing alone until now. When I was younger, I had a friend who practiced dancing with me…

“…?”

It was then that the ballroom became unusually quiet.

In the mysterious silence, I slowly turned my head to look around the hall. Almost everyone had stopped moving and was staring in one direction.

I too, puzzled, turned my gaze in that direction. The person who had captured everyone’s attention, almost like a king, was…

“His Highness, Grand Duke Enoch Bayern!”

The number one eligible bachelor of the Freuden Kingdom, the dream lover of all ladies, the idol of the masses, the war hero, and many other titles—

Enoch Bayern, that very man.

He was a man who exuded arrogance in every aspect. His chin held high, his gaze looking down, his expression indifferent, seemingly uninterested in anything.

His steps were light as if he were on an outing, yet there was an innate elegance in his movements.

His jet-black hair was neatly combed back, giving a sense of austerity, but his fierce golden eyes exuded wildness.

That peculiar contrast made him even more attractive, and his tall, well-built figure, which couldn’t be hidden by his neat formal attire, instantly caught the eye.

At this moment, I wasn’t the only one captivated by his impressive exterior. However, the man who was the center of everyone’s attention only slowly scanned the ballroom with a disinterested look, as if he was tired of all the attention, admiration, and longing.

“…!”

For a moment, it seemed as if our eyes met, but I quickly lowered my head, so I couldn’t be sure if it really happened.

I set my champagne glass down on any table and took a deep breath. I felt my exhaled breath trembling. It wasn’t just my breath that was unsettled. My heart was also pounding uncontrollably.

Why am I like this? Have I fallen in love at first sight with someone I just met today?

The thought made me laugh bitterly. What a cliché introduction to a cheap romance novel this was. It must simply be a mishap caused by Enoch Bayern’s overwhelming charm. It had to be. Otherwise…

‘…I would just be miserable.’

I slowly lifted my head. I didn’t dare to look at Enoch Bayern again, so I cautiously observed the people around me.

And then I realized. Other women also had faces that looked as if they were enchanted by him, just like me.

…Without a mirror nearby, I couldn’t see my own appearance, but I could easily guess that I looked no different from those women.

Blushing cheeks, slightly embarrassed yet dazed expressions.

At the end of those gazes was undoubtedly Enoch Bayern. It was obvious without needing to confirm.

As time passed, my heart gradually calmed down, and I lowered my gaze as much as possible, not wanting to fall into that abnormal state again, and moved towards the exit.

Despite a sudden urge to see Enoch Bayern one more time, I kept my composure and controlled myself, heading for the exit. Not too fast, not too slow, naturally…

“Oh, excuse me.”

But perhaps because I was too tense,

I ended up bumping into a gentleman in a spot close to the center of the hall, where people’s attention was easily drawn.

Blushing with embarrassment, I quickly lowered my head. Such a mistake was unladylike and likely to draw people’s ridicule. I bit my lower lip and hastily offered an apologetic voice.

“I’m sorry, Mister—”

“Anderson, my dear forget-me-not flower lady.”

“Mister Anderson, I’m truly sorry.”

Forget-me-not flower… Was he referring to me? It must have been because of the color of the dress I wore today. I was inwardly taken aback but tried not to show it as I attempted to pass by the gentleman. That is, until he suddenly grabbed me.

“…!”

The man’s hand, clad in a white glove, gripped my wrist tightly, causing me to blink rapidly in surprise and my lips to tremble. Grabbing a lady’s wrist like this was a significant breach of etiquette, especially between strangers.

“Le-let go. Why are you…?”

“What is your name, my lady? I don’t think I’ve seen you on the dance floor even once today. Are you planning to leave without dancing?”

The man behaving like a common thug at a noble’s ball left me utterly perplexed. He seemed at least twenty years older than me, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he had a daughter my age.

Surely, he doesn’t intend to ask me to dance.

“How about a dance with me? If you’ve come to such an event, you should make some memories.”

“……”

I was speechless, staring blankly at the man who, despite looking decent, was hitting on a woman much younger than himself.

“You’ve dressed so beautifully; isn’t it a shame to leave without dancing?”

When I didn’t respond, the man tried to drag me away forcefully. As his strong grip pulled me, a chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively shook off his hand fiercely.

The recoil made me stagger backward. The unseemly commotion in such a refined setting drew the attention of the nobles, and whispers began to fill my ears.

I felt my face heat up with shame, tears welling up in my eyes. I regretted coming here. Just as my trembling legs were about to give out and I was about to collapse on the spot,

“……!”

someone silently approached from behind and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I almost struggled reflexively, but then I heard a calm voice.

“Shh, calm down.”

“……!”

I gasped for breath, feeling like I might hyperventilate. My shoulders were held by him, and my legs and arms were trembling.

For some reason, the surroundings fell deathly silent. Blinking, tears welled up on my eyelashes. Anderson, standing in front of me, was staring wide-eyed not at me, but at someone behind me.

I slowly turned my body, shifting my gaze upward to see the face of the person who was still holding me.

“……”

My lips parted, and my eyes widened. I stood frozen, staring blankly at the man who had shown me kindness.

…Why is he here?

“Have you calmed down now?”

That man, Enoch Bayern, asked in an exceedingly ordinary tone, his golden eyes lazily blinking.