The nobles’ gazes finally turned toward Diez. Facing their skillfully crafted smiles, Diez secretly swallowed dry.

At some point, Jürgen slightly bowed toward her and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Miss Schleicher. This is my first time attending a party with a lady, so I’ve shown inadequacy.”

“It’s all right.”

While his gaze briefly turned to Diez, the nobles’ eyes watching them sharply gauged the relationship between the two. For someone supposedly just having a physical relationship, Jürgen’s attitude toward Diez was respectful and refreshingly straightforward.

He wasn’t even holding Diez around the waist. He had only linked arms with Diez ceremonially, and there was no sign suggesting a s*xual relationship between them.

Wasn’t she the woman who was sold as a mistress to the Klaus ducal family? Though euphemistically called a mistress, she was essentially sold as a pr*stitute to spread her legs. Though they didn’t show it, everyone knew how serious the late Duke Klaus had been about playing with women.

But Diez standing beside Jürgen was receiving equal treatment as a miss from him. Of course, it was still too early to be certain.

Diez was surely a woman who had cried beneath his father. Perhaps this was Jürgen’s strategy to not appear as if he was playing with her in the same way.

Of course, no one truly believed that Jürgen, who had been so cold toward ladies, would desire Diez. But it was also an unchangeable fact that Diez had become a wh*re of the Klaus family.

What kind of relationship did they have? What was the Duke thinking when he brought Diez Schleicher here?

It was certain that with this appearance, the two would become the biggest topic and gossip of high society. The ladies around Jürgen were particularly sensitive, their ears perked up.

As there had been a lack of gossip to whisper about during tea time with other ladies lately, this moment was like an opportunity to gather decisive clues faster than anyone else.

“Let me formally introduce you. This is Miss Diez Schleicher, who has become my first partner.”

Diez smiled slightly at Jürgen’s introduction. Though she appeared somewhat intimidated compared to before, she didn’t look like a broken person. It was an appearance that overturned the majority’s expectation that she would have become a complete rag.

A woman who must have been panting beneath the late Duke Klaus for five years…… though her complexion had worsened slightly, she didn’t look much different from the former young lady everyone knew. This fact surprised many nobles.

‘Could it be that the information about her being sold as a mistress was all false?’

The late Duke tended not to hide his private life, but he wasn’t the type to openly boast about it either. They had only heard that Diez Schleicher had been sold to the Klaus mansion in exchange for debt forgiveness, but they certainly didn’t know the internal circumstances.

Rumors that circulate are ultimately just rumors. No one knew if Diez Schleicher had truly spread her legs beneath the late Duke.

Come to think of it, it was surprising that she could remain so intact after being exploited under that Duke Klaus for five years.

Weren’t there many women who couldn’t even last a year, let alone five years, before being replaced?

Though there were many questions, most doubts would be resolved by the end of the festival. The noble ladies who made this assumption casually greeted Diez.

“Miss Schleicher, it’s been such a long time. You must know how glad and happy I am to see you again.”

“You truly remain beautiful, unchanged.”

Diez felt the ladies glancing at her dress even as they spoke warmly to her. A dress with outdated fashion that coincided with the time she disappeared from social circles. Though still beautiful, they surely noticed it wasn’t new.

“Thank you for welcoming me, Lady Maller.”

“Oh, how delightful. You even remember my name.”

“Since you’ve brought such a beautiful lady as your partner, you’ll naturally attend the ball as well. The young misses should know this news soon.”

Jürgen merely smiled silently, not giving them a definite answer. Instead of directly satisfying the ladies’ curiosity, he turned his gaze to Diez and asked,

“What are your thoughts, Miss? About dancing together at this ball.”

Meanwhile, Diez, who hadn’t expected to be given a choice, momentarily moved her lips without sound. Should I dance with Jürgen? In the past, she would have immediately accepted while suppressing her excitement, but now they had become an awkward relationship for dancing together.

When even meeting his gaze was burdensome, a dance? With his voice still clear in her ears saying he wanted to f*ck her just as his father had done.

“I don’t want to refuse, but…… having not stood in a ballroom for so long, I’m sure I’ve forgotten the dance steps.”

“I have no intention of forcing you to do something you don’t want to.”

As if he had read her unexpressed true feelings, he merely smiled plainly and turned his gaze away again.

“Miss Schleicher is helping me. I almost revealed to everyone that I’m a man far from dancing.”

“Though you say that, do you think we don’t know that you dance better than anyone?”

“Becoming Duke Klaus’s first dance partner is a greater fortune than you might think. It seems too precious an opportunity to let pass.”

Diez hesitated, half-frozen in front of the ladies who were subtly urging her on. It was difficult to quickly discern what would be the right choice.

Should I not refuse Jürgen’s dance invitation?

Jürgen came to the rescue of Diez, who was barely thinking.

“Miss Schleicher is uncomfortable.”

“Still, it might be something you’ll regret later……”

“Let’s leave it at that. As I said, I have no intention of forcing something the miss doesn’t want.”

Only then did the ladies notice and close their mouths. It was just as Jürgen, who had cautioned them not to interfere further, was about to leave with Diez.

“Then Miss Schleicher and I will……”

“What’s this, Jürgen? You’re not going to dance this time either?”

Suddenly, the gazes of the nobles surrounding Jürgen turned over his shoulder. As they all lowered their posture at once, Jürgen quickly assessed the situation.

The one who had spoken to him was Prince Leopold, who had said he had no intention of participating in the festival. Perfectly dressed in evening attire, he smiled broadly with a glass of champagne in one hand.

“Then what’s the point of bringing a lady to the party? I’m not sure who’s being rude here.”

Their gazes met. Contrary to Leopold’s expectation, Jürgen showed no sign of being flustered. He merely displayed a respectful attitude toward royalty.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes, Duke.”

As if he had given up even telling him to address him more comfortably, Leopold responded to his greeting jokingly.

The prince’s gaze suddenly turned toward Diez. With a familiar gesture, he took Diez’s right hand and kissed the back of it while saying,

“It’s been a while, Miss Schleicher.”

“I……”

“We’re old acquaintances, aren’t we?”

Diez, who had been staring at Leopold’s face, finally remembered him. When she had gone out to sell handkerchiefs, he was the very man who had interfered in all sorts of ways and eventually escorted her back to the mansion.

To think he was a prince.

She hadn’t had the opportunity to directly face royalty before, and their faces rarely appeared in newspapers, so she hadn’t even known he was a prince.

Diez’s face instantly turned red, and she hurriedly bowed her head.

“Y-Your Highness.”

“It feels quite nostalgic to meet you again like this. I told Jürgen that I wasn’t planning to attend this event due to my schedule.”

The prince’s smile deepened as he continued speaking cheerfully.

“But to encounter Miss Schleicher again, it was worth making the time.”

To think that Diez, and recently at that, had met face to face with the prince. This was completely unexpected news for the surrounding nobles. As the questions surrounding Diez grew even larger, Leopold continued addressing them,

“Miss Schleicher has made a rare reappearance in social circles, and you’re not planning to dance with the miss even once? Our Duke Klaus.”

Diez glanced at Jürgen’s expression. The prince was someone before whom anyone would bow their head. Would Jürgen also have to take a submissive posture before the high royalty?

But contrary to Diez’s expectation, Jürgen did not readily agree with Leopold’s words. Not only that, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at Leopold seemed somewhat cold for someone showing respect to royalty.

Despite such an attitude, Leopold didn’t seem to mind. He seemed accustomed to receiving such treatment from Jürgen.

“It was something Miss Schleicher didn’t want.”

“Really? I’m curious about the reason.”

“I declined because I’m not confident in my dancing.”

Diez spoke up before Jürgen could open his mouth. Jürgen’s gaze, which had been fixed on Leopold all along, looked down at her.