Chapter 2 – Something That Comes To Everyone (Part 8)

「Make freedom your motto tonight.」

She had momentarily forgotten that doing something she wasn’t used to could lead to trouble.

Meanwhile, the men who had approached early were steadfastly starting conversations with her.

“What is your relationship with the Duchess? You looked so close, like mother and daughter, when you entered together.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you in society. May I ask which family you belong to?”

Lorraine was torn.

She wondered if she should tell the truth and get out of this situation, or should she make an excuse and leave.

She quickly assessed the situation in the hall. The waltz still had a long way to go before it would end.

It was then that a heavy hand rested on her shoulder.

When Lorraine turned her head, she saw Edwin standing there, perfectly dressed.

“Do you have any business with my partner?”

He growled, his golden eyes flashing like a beast’s.

“Your Grace?”

Lorraine turned around, her eyes wide with surprise. The men who had been assessing the situation quickly began to disappear.

“Oh… my apologies.”

“I’ll take my leave as well.”

The speed with which the men vanished made Lorraine feel almost indignant.

“…Where have you been all this time?”

“What?”

Edwin raised an eyebrow at her unexpected question.

“Would it have killed you to arrive early?”

“Is this how you repay someone who saved you?”

He muttered, looking incredulous.

“If you saw the situation, you should have helped sooner.”

“I came as soon as I saw it.”

The waltz playing in the hall was now reaching its climax.

“Do you know how much I agonized over how to refuse them?”

Edwin responded to Lorraine’s grumbling as if her worries were amusing.

“You should have just ignored them. You do it so well with me.”

“Are those people the same as you, Your Grace?”

“What’s the difference?”

At his immediate response, Lorraine clicked her tongue and shook her head.

Just then, as the music ended, Owen and Monica crossed the hall and approached them.

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon?”

Monica gestured to the bustling hall with her eyes.

“You should be dancing. The music is starting.”

Lorraine’s gaze naturally moved to the center of the hall. As she slowly scanned the people filling the hall, her brow furrowed slightly.

The atmosphere seemed even sweeter than before.

At that moment, the musicians, who had been flipping through their sheets, seemed to find the piece they wanted and began tuning their instruments.

Lorraine intended to decline politely.

However, before she could shake her head, Monica, her face flushed with excitement, pushed them forward.

“Go on.”

Edwin, knowing better than anyone that it was impossible to win against Monica’s stubbornness, sighed deeply and firmly took Lorraine’s hand.

“Your Grace?”

“Give up. Not even Father can win against Mother’s stubbornness.”

As Edwin led Lorraine to the center of the hall, the people who had already taken their positions cautiously stepped aside.

“You do know how to dance, right?”

Edwin asked as he assumed the position. Lorraine, finding his question amusing, chuckled.

“Just don’t be surprised.”

As the violinist drew his bow, Edwin stepped back and said,

“I hope I will be.”

***

Monica watched Lorraine and Edwin glide gracefully across the hall with a satisfied expression.

At that moment, Philip cautiously approached her.

“Madam, you called for me?”

“That boy still doesn’t know, does he?”

Following Monica’s question, his gaze naturally turned to Lorraine and Edwin dancing in the hall.

“Yes, it seems so.”

“He’s in for quite a struggle.”

Monica murmured with a nonchalant expression as she swirled her wine glass.

Born between a Duke father and a candidate Empress mother, Edwin was well aware of the power that authority brings.

He had never yielded to anyone other than his parents, yet he was particularly weak when it came to Lorraine.

‘There’s something there.’

Philip was the first to realize that.

「Does Edwin like Lorraine?」

「What…? How did you know?」

Philip’s expression was comical.

Whether it’s the superior or the aide.

Suppressing a laugh, Monica continued.

「He’s been acting out of character. That’s enough. You may go.」

「…Yes.」

Philip left the reception room with a slightly dazed expression, overwhelmed by her straightforward conclusion.

Without taking her eyes off the hall, Monica asked Philip,

“…What do you think of Lorraine Wiig?”

The waltz was coming to an end again.

“Lorraine? She’s grown up well. She’s ambitious and has the ability to achieve her goals.”

“She has ability?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Listening to Philip’s explanation, Monica nodded indifferently.

Philip’s explanation honestly didn’t register with Monica.

What mattered more to her right now was how Lorraine and Edwin would finish their dance. The dance they were performing had an interesting nickname.

The Dance of Love.

It was named after a nobleman who, many years ago, had spun a lady around with one arm supporting her waist at the climax of the dance.

However, over time, it had been simplified to the man lifting and lowering the woman’s waist once.

At that moment, the atmosphere among the people changed.

Edwin had grabbed Lorraine by the waist and spun her around.

They instantly captured the attention of everyone in the ballroom.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen it done like that.”

“As expected of Duke Duncan. He could have just done it like everyone else….”

Those who were conversing noticed Monica nearby. She was softly smiling, covering her mouth with a fan.

Hohohoho.

Hohohoho.

They paid their respects, and Monica nodded lightly.

But they didn’t see it.

The way Monica’s lips stretched into a long smile behind her fan.

Unfortunately, the atmosphere between the two was slightly different.

“…Are you out of your mind?”

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Lorraine, led out of the floor by Edwin, asked abruptly. She managed her expression, nodding slightly to those who met her eyes.

But she couldn’t hide her clenched teeth.

“…You were worried about me dancing with someone else.”

“So you decided to draw attention in this way?”

She retorted, incredulous. Edwin shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly.

“Why go through unnecessary trouble when there’s an effective way?”

“That’s…!”

Just as Lorraine was about to snap back, Monica approached with a bright smile.

“You looked beautiful.”

Lorraine, unable to show her surprise in front of Monica, had a slightly subdued expression.

“…Thank you.”

She nodded, trying to calm her startled heart.

And there was another person who hid their startled heart—

“Philip. Come here for a moment.”

“Me? Now?”

—It was Edwin.

***

“Did something happen? Your expression….”

Philip, who had followed Edwin silently to the room, asked. Despite his question, Edwin only loosened his cravat without a word.

‘It seemed like nothing happened… Did something happen…?’

Philip thought there must be something he hadn’t noticed. But contrary to his expectations, Edwin’s question was a bit out of the blue.

After loosening his cravat, Edwin slumped onto the couch and sighed deeply.

“What did you say you felt when you first saw Hilde?”

“Pardon? What?”

‘Suddenly?’

Philip shifted his eyes for a moment.

Edwin usually described Philip’s romantic tales as “the epitome of pathetic.”

Philip looked at his master with a wary face.

“Why are you asking that? Did something happen?”

“Just answer.”

Prompted by Edwin, Philip hesitated for a moment before answering.

“…I felt like I’d been hit on the back of the head.”

“…….”

“But seriously, did something happen? Why are you suddenly asking about the first time I met Hilde… Your Grace, could it be…?”

As Philip replayed the situation in his mind, his gaze turned to Edwin with a look of realization.

“Have you finally realized it?”

Philip’s eyes sparkled with an almost burdensome brightness.

Edwin took a step back and replied.

“…Realized what?”

Philip smiled knowingly.

“You like Lorraine.”

“…I do?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Philip nodded firmly, as if questioning why Edwin was even asking.

Seizing the moment, he bombarded Edwin with questions.

“Do you find your eyes constantly drawn to her?”

“…….”

“Do you wish she would only look at you?”

“…….”

“Do you want to do anything to make her happy?”

“…….”

Edwin didn’t respond, but Philip smiled as if he understood everything.

“That’s what it means to like someone.”