“Admire me?”

Lila’s voice was full of doubt. She had never imagined that anyone would feel that way about her.

“Overwhelming strength inspires awe in people.”

The Grand Duke smiled faintly. Lila was a prodigy who had reached the peak of the Sword Expert rank before turning twenty. Her accomplishments as a warrior were just as remarkable as the records he had set as a mage.

“You don’t realize how incredible you are, Lady Lila.”

Through her sparring sessions with Evan, Lila had completely won over the proud knights of the Grand Duke’s household and even impressed the discerning staff.

“The knights have been talking non-stop about Baroness Knox lately. They’re all eager to cross swords with you at least once.”

“Nowadays, whenever they gather, it seems like all they do is talk about you.”

Evan and Emma were pleased as they reported the knights’ and staff’s reactions to Grand Duke Eustace. However, the Grand Duke couldn’t fully share in their delight. Lately, his heart had been torn between wanting Lila to be acknowledged by everyone and selfishly wishing to keep her all to himself.

“Everyone’s attention is on you.”

“Hmm….”

Grand Duke Eustace suppressed the growing unease in his chest, pressing his lips together to maintain a smile. Forcing himself to sound encouraging, he turned to Lila.

“That’s why you should have confidence.”

“I’ll… try.”

Lila mumbled hesitantly, her voice betraying her lack of conviction. Even with his encouragement, she couldn’t believe she would do well. Besides, there was another concern weighing on her mind.

“But….”

After a moment of hesitation, Lila spoke up timidly, her small voice unable to hide her worry.

“If I’m attending the banquet as your partner… does that mean I have to dance?”

“Only the first dance.”

Dancing was an essential part of any banquet. Typically, the host and their partner were expected to perform the opening dance to mark the start of the event.

“Hmm….”

So, it was impossible to avoid dancing entirely. Although she had anticipated this answer, her spirits sank. The Grand Duke noticed her mood darkening and asked carefully, “Do you dislike dancing?”

“It’s not that I dislike it… I’m just not confident.”

Lila’s voice grew quieter.

“I might trip over the hem of my dress or step on your foot with my heels.”

Her tone was laced with uncertainty as she recalled the mistakes she had made while learning to dance from Huon and Emma a few days ago. The memory made her shoulders slump.

“I was always confident when it came to physical activities… but for some reason, dancing doesn’t go the way I want it to.”

Lila muttered under her breath, furrowing her brows slightly. Physical activity was her strength. When she first started learning to dance, she had never imagined it would become such a stumbling block.

But dancing turned out to be completely different from learning swordsmanship or martial arts. Moving her body to match the rhythm of music, while following specific steps, was far more challenging than she had anticipated. The unfamiliar dress and heels only made matters worse.

“With consistent practice, your skills will improve.”

“When’s the banquet?”

“It’s scheduled to be held as early as next week, or at the latest, within two weeks.”

“That soon?”

Hearing the tight timeline, Lila’s expression grew troubled. She doubted her dancing skills would improve significantly with just a week’s worth of practice.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll make sure to hold you steady so you won’t fall.”

“And what if I step on your foot? You might get hurt.”

“Hmm, then perhaps I should cast a protective spell?”

The Grand Duke replied teasingly. Seeing his playful smile, Lila pouted, her lower lip jutting out.

“There’s that beak again.”

The Grand Duke chuckled softly and gave a light pat to the back of her hand.

“I’ve already contacted the tailor. He said he’d drop everything and start working on your banquet dress this afternoon.”

“Another dress?”

“…? Of course, you need one for the banquet.”

The Grand Duke gave her a look as though questioning why she found that odd.

“We already made one for the ennoblement ceremony.”

“That was for that occasion; this is for this one.”

“There are dresses I haven’t even worn yet.”

Lila thought of the several dresses sitting untouched in her wardrobe and offered a counterargument.

“It’s not like I don’t have clothes. There’s no need to make something new—”

“There is.”

“Huh?”

“Compared to other nobles, Lady Lila has an absolutely insufficient wardrobe.”

The Grand Duke’s firm tone made Lila pause for a moment.

“That’s not true. I have plenty.”

Lila was sincere. She already had more clothes than she needed. In fact, she probably owned more outfits now than she had during her time as a princess. Compared to her years living as a shadow, it wasn’t even close.

“Aria is still working on new dresses as well…”

Although the ennoblement ceremony was over, Aria continued to serve as Lila’s exclusive dressmaker. She mentioned that completing all the clothing Grand Duke Eustace had ordered would take at least a few more months.

Back when she knew nothing, Lila had been more at ease. But after receiving lessons from Huon and gaining some financial awareness, she began to feel concerned.

“You absolutely cannot tell him I told you this. Pretend you don’t know anything when you’re in front of His Grace.”

A few days ago, Lila had pestered Aria into revealing the price of the dress she was wearing and was utterly shocked. It turned out that the cost of just one of Aria’s creations was enough to buy a small house on the outskirts of the capital.

And yet, Grand Duke Eustace had already ordered several dozen of these valuable, expensive outfits and still insisted it wasn’t enough. He was planning to commission even more.

“You don’t have to go this far for me.”

Would she ever be able to repay everything she had received from the Grand Duke? The thought made Lila feel overwhelmed. She knew she was living in luxury far beyond her means, but she hadn’t realized just how excessive it was.

“This is just the beginning.”

The Grand Duke was unyielding. On this matter, he wasn’t willing to compromise.

“I’m merely giving you what you always deserved to have.”

“Your Grace…”

“I’m doing this because I want to, so please don’t think of it as a debt.”

“I have nothing to give you in return.”

The words she had been holding back finally spilled out. Her comfortable life, her title as Baroness Knox, and everything she currently enjoyed were all gifts from the Grand Duke. Lila had only ever received from him and had given nothing in return.

“But you’ve kept your promise.”

“What promise?”

“To stay by my side like this.”

“That’s hardly…”

“That’s enough for me.”

The Grand Duke interrupted her, his gentle smile lighting up his blue eyes as they curved warmly toward her.

“If it still bothers you, then just say thank you. That’s all I need.”

“…Alright.”

Realizing she couldn’t sway his stubbornness, Lila reluctantly gave in. She didn’t want to argue with him over something like this.

“Just this once. I don’t need any more new dresses.”

“Understood.”

The Grand Duke smiled, clearly pleased to have gotten his way. Lila looked at his radiant, blossoming smile and, on an impulse, grabbed his hand.

“Lady Lila?”

Caught off guard by the sudden contact, the Grand Duke’s eyes widened. Without a word, Lila pulled his hand closer. She gently pressed her forehead to the back of his soft hand, just as he had done for her in the past.

“Thank you.”

With a soft kiss on the back of his hand, she expressed her gratitude. The Grand Duke inhaled sharply, as though the gesture had caught him completely unprepared. Lila lifted her gaze to meet his.

“I’m always grateful to you.”

“…Ah.”

The Grand Duke quickly bit down on his lower lip. Had he not done so, he might have made an odd sound. He pulled his hand back from Lila’s grasp and turned his head away to avoid her gaze.

“Ahem. The banquet will primarily invite families who are neutral or favorable toward you and our side.”

He cleared his throat a few times and changed the subject. Lila listened to him while her eyes lingered on his golden hair, noting how the tips of his ears peeked out, flushed red like flower petals.

“Some members of the imperial faction will also attend. While I’d rather not invite them, it’s customary to send invitations to counts and above when hosting a banquet.”

The Grand Duke repeatedly clenched and unclenched the hand Lila had kissed. The sensation of her soft lips brushing against his skin still lingered vividly.

“Anyone with sense will be careful. Disrespecting you is the same as disrespecting me, your patron.”

The Grand Duke still couldn’t bring himself to meet Lila’s gaze. He hoped she couldn’t hear the erratic thudding of his heart.

“If anyone dares to act rudely toward you, I’ll make sure to put them in their place.”

“Please don’t actually do that.”

Lila looked at him with a worried expression. She had a feeling that if provoked, the Grand Duke really might “put them in their place.”

“And… never mind.”

The Grand Duke started to say something but stopped himself.

“What is it?”

Lila tilted her head in curiosity, looking at him as he hesitated.

“Um… I sent an invitation to the person who could be of the most help to you, Lady Lila, but I haven’t received a response yet. Once it’s confirmed, I’ll let you know.”

“…?”

The person who could be of the most help to her? Lila blinked in confusion, unable to think of anyone who fit that description.