Chapter 17

“Where are you looking? You should focus on your partner. That’s incredibly poor manners.”  

The elegant music was nearing its end.  

Bianca, practically clinging to Eric’s arms, whispered softly into his ear.  

He had entered the banquet hall, visibly furious, and immediately extended his hand upon spotting the Princess.  

“Dance partner. If you haven’t chosen one yet, let’s dance together.”  

“Oh my, what’s this? For Duke Herrington to request a partner first? Will the sun rise in the west tomorrow?”  

“If you’re not interested, forget it. There are plenty of other ladies to choose from.”  

Her childhood friend was consistently arrogant. Yet, instead of being offended, Bianca found herself quietly intrigued.  

Eric’s behavior today was as unpleasant as always, but it piqued her curiosity in a way it hadn’t before.  

Bianca, a woman driven by interest, narrowed her eyes as she gazed at him.  

“I’ll accept. After all, this is my favorite song.”  

Taking Eric’s hand without hesitation, Bianca moved to the center of the hall, drawing admiration from all around.  

Eric, too, led the dance with surprising sincerity, matching her movements.  

However, while his steps followed the familiar rhythm of the 3/4 beat, his thoughts wandered elsewhere throughout the dance.  

His gaze flitted around aimlessly, like a lost traveler.  

It was clear he was searching for his original partner, Lady Olden.  

‘Quite amusing.’  

Surrounded by nobles who crowded her with useless chatter, Bianca had grown endlessly bored.  

The argument between Euphrasia and Devonie earlier had been a rare moment of entertainment during her otherwise dull evening.  

‘Should I tell him? Or not?’  

It was obvious Eric was unaware of the commotion that had just occurred.  

He also seemed oblivious to the rumors about Lady Olden’s birth that had been circulating throughout the Empire for some time.  

Though she didn’t know why Eric was so upset after returning from his audience with the Emperor, the idea of worsening his mood with her words seemed… highly entertaining.  

Even as Bianca whispered into his ear, Eric merely furrowed his brow slightly, refusing to even glance at her.  

‘Let’s see if I can rattle him a bit.’  

Bianca made her decision.  

Just as she was about to part her lips to speak about the “commotion,” running her tongue over her lips mischievously, the music in the hall shifted.  

The new song, a lively 2/4 rhythm, signaled the start of the cotillion—meant to close the ball.  

The cotillion was a dance of shifting partners, where couples moved closer and farther apart in a playful exchange.  

As nobles naturally dispersed to change partners, Eric pushed Bianca away without hesitation.  

He then strode past a shy, nameless young lady who had been standing nearby and walked directly toward his target, his focus unwavering.  

The young lady, who had been secretly hopeful, flushed with embarrassment at being so blatantly ignored.  

Bianca, too, wore a puzzled expression as she watched Eric abruptly leave the stage.  

“Your Highness, may I have the honor of this dance?”  

“…Certainly.”  

A middle-aged Marquis who had approached and bowed courteously drew Bianca’s attention away from Eric for the moment.  

Though she moved to the music out of habit, Bianca found it difficult to concentrate on her new partner.  

Her distracted demeanor mirrored Eric’s earlier behavior.  

Eventually, Bianca spotted Eric again.  

He was now standing face-to-face with his true partner, Euphrasia, who had returned to the banquet hall unnoticed.  

“You!”  

Eric’s growling voice carried across the room. He could feel the sharp gaze of the Princess on his back without needing to turn around.  

Additionally, the nameless young lady, now on the verge of tears, and the surrounding onlookers all had their eyes fixed on him and Euphrasia.  

Drawing unnecessary attention was unwise.  

Eric pressed his lips together tightly and extended his hand toward Euphrasia.  

Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his.  

To others, they appeared to be a harmonious pair, but the glances they exchanged were icy.  

Soon, they blended into the crowd, twirling naturally among the other dancers.  

Their bodies moved apart briefly, only to draw closer again.  

“Why were you standing alone? Couldn’t find a man to your liking? Or were you rejected by someone you fancied?”  

Eric’s sharp tongue lashed out in a mocking tone.  

After all, she had been chatting with some scrawny fool earlier, only to end up standing alone now.  

His chest, which he had tried to calm, burned hotter with each passing moment.  

As the music dictated, their bodies separated again, only to reunite closely once more.  

“What concern is it of yours, Your Grace? Since when have you been so interested in me?”  

“What? I brought you to this ball. You’re here as my partner, or have you forgotten that?”  

Eric’s simmering anger finally boiled over at her cold response.  

But Euphrasia met his fury head-on, her expression unflinching.  

Her hands didn’t tremble, nor did her face pale.  

It wasn’t that she was pretending not to be afraid—she genuinely seemed unaffected by his outburst.  

He had declared earlier that he wouldn’t even glance at another woman, only to later embrace one with a tender demeanor.  

And she, foolishly, had believed his words at face value.  

Her mind was filled with a mix of betrayal directed at him and self-loathing directed at herself.  

There was no room for fear.  

“You’re right, Your Grace. I came here as your partner.”  

“Good to know you understand. But then, why did you let your attention wander? Do you think so little of me…?”

“Conversely, Your Grace, you also attended this ball as my partner, didn’t you?”  

Eric’s words were cut off mid-sentence, and his brow twitched in irritation.  

Yet Euphrasia seized the upper hand without hesitation.  

“I may have stepped away briefly, but it wasn’t for the reason you think. What sort of delusions are you entertaining?”  

“What? Delusions?”  

“How shameless. Who’s the one who let their attention wander? Is this one of those ‘It’s romance when I do it, but adultery when others do it’ situations?”

“What does that even mean—”  

“If you are so intelligent, Your Grace, perhaps you should read some popular novels. Oh, never mind, this is pointless.”  

Eric’s words were cut off once again.  

Though she appeared innocent and meek, Eric knew better than to trust appearances.  

From their very first meeting to the matter of Louis’s birth, Eric had never been able to shake the suspicion that every step of their encounters had been part of Euphrasia’s meticulous plan.  

Even her behavior at the Duke’s estate had been far from submissive.  

Eric vividly recalled how she had once brandished a blunt knife at him.  

“Your expression is incredibly insolent. It’s starting to irritate me.”  

“Good. I wanted you to feel the way I’ve been feeling. I’ve been upset for quite some time now.”  

Though she had never been so openly defiant before, her audacity was unmistakable now.  

Even so, it was the first time she had been so blatantly defiant.  

Once again, as they stepped back and widened the gap between them, they moved closer, narrowing the distance.  

The music was reaching its climax.  

“Lady Olden, have you lost your mind?”  

“Why? You throw careless words at me without a second thought, so why shouldn’t I do the same? I suppose it’s another case of ‘It’s romance when I do it, but adultery when others do it,’ isn’t it?”

Euphrasia was openly pushing boundaries.  

In Eric’s absence, the wounds, shock, and humiliation she had suffered from Devonie only made her feel more sorrowful and resentful.  

Of course, her argument with Devonie wasn’t directly Eric’s fault, but the fact that he hadn’t been there when she needed him, only to show up later and scold her irrationally, made her angry.  

The flood of grievances she voiced only grew larger and more overwhelming as she let them out.  

On the other hand, Eric stood there with his mouth slightly agape, stunned.  

‘It’s romance when I do it, but adultery when others do?’  

Though it was the first time he had heard such a phrase, he could roughly grasp its meaning.  

‘I can, but you can’t.’ That must be the gist of it.  

However, the example she gave didn’t quite align with their situation.  

If anything, it was more like:  

“‘Double the kindness, tenfold the grudge.’ I’m merely returning the favor in accordance with the Herrington family’s creed. You started it, so why are you acting like the victim now?”

“What did I start, and what are you repaying me for? Cutting out all the context and saying only what you want—don’t you realize how unpleasant that is?”

“Don’t you find your attitude more unpleasant? You conveniently forget your own actions and play the victim while putting on an impressive act of indignation.”

“So, what exactly did I start? I honestly have no idea why you are so angry with me, Your Grace.”  

“That’s my line. I have no idea why you’re raising your voice at me, Lady Euphrasia!”

The childish bickering continued, making it increasingly difficult for either of them to understand the other’s words.  

Unable to suppress his frustration any longer, Eric finally erupted, blurting out his true feelings.  

At the same time, Euphrasia’s patience also reached its limit.  

“I saw you meeting with a strange man in the dark grove! You looked so happy—why aren’t you still with him?”  

“And you said you wouldn’t even glance at another woman! Shouldn’t you at least keep the promises you made yourself?”