“Actually, I’ve asked once or twice before. He was completely defensive about you. He wouldn’t say a word about you.”

“……”

“So I thought he wouldn’t give me a chance this time either, but thanks to him giving you a choice, I can ask like this. It’s like a precious moment has come to me.”

“Why are you curious about me, Your Highness?”

“Just because. Jürgen and I are close friends, and since that guy seems to obviously like you, I’ve become curious about you too.”

Diez noticeably flinched at the mention of “like.”

“Did you know as well, Miss Schleicher? That Jürgen likes you.”

Diez didn’t answer. She only continued to avoid his gaze. Hmm. She definitely knows. If she didn’t, she couldn’t have shown such a reaction.

Then perhaps there was at least one incident that made her notice?

“I think you don’t seem very keen on Jürgen.”

“……As I said, I have nothing to tell you.”

“Is that your own judgment, or did Jürgen order you to say so?”

“Your Highness seems to be curious about too many things from me.”

“I understand. Miss Schleicher, you must be cautious. Even if your opponent is a prince.”

There was still no answer from Diez. Leopold looked down at her small head and thought: She doesn’t seem as foolish as I expected…… should I change my approach a bit?

“I’ll keep my promise not to make you too uncomfortable. I won’t ask anymore. Though I’m curious about many things, I don’t want to interrogate you.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t answer you, Your Highness.”

“Not at all. I was the one asking one-sidedly, so Miss Schleicher has no reason to apologize.”

The waltz movements became simpler as it passed its climax. Though Diez’s cautiousness was annoying, thinking of Jürgen staring at his back as he danced with her in his arms immediately improved his mood.

“But it seems a shame to stop our conversation here. Then may I tell you a few things I know about Jürgen? As compensation for your patience with my rudeness.”

Again there was no response, but Leopold decided to take her silence as affirmation.

She doesn’t seem to have the guts to flee from his side before the music ends.

“Do you know that Jürgen has particularly avoided women his age?”

“……”

“I guess you don’t. The Duke wouldn’t even try to talk with other ladies. It wasn’t just that he wasn’t interested in women—it was visibly obvious that he consciously tried to keep his distance. While everyone else was eyeing the position of mistress of the Klaus ducal family, he never once considered a marriage proposal.”

Diez knew that some ladies her age admired Jürgen as husband material. He was not only the master of a high ducal family but also possessed enormous capital, enough to hold the Empire’s military industry in one hand.

Perhaps his complete lack of interest in mingling with ladies had been a plus factor. The low possibility of him eyeing other women was no different from a huge advantage as husband material.

“So I was surprised at first. To think that day would come when Jürgen would like a woman. He was a man who wouldn’t have seemed strange if he declared he would live his entire life unmarried.”

“……Are you saying Jürgen had no interest in women?”

“To the extent that it would have suited him better to enter a monastery.”

That’s impossible. Diez thought to herself. The words Jürgen had spoken that day as she trembled hiding under the blanket were still clearly etched in her mind.

How could such words come from the mouth of a man who had lived with so little contact with women? Or had he merely pretended to have no interest in women on the surface?

“Miss Schleicher. I would like you to answer this question.”

“What are you going to ask this time……”

“How would you feel if Jürgen made you his duchess?”

Diez reflexively shook her head. She had resolved not to give him any clues, but her body had reacted without going through her thoughts.

“You hate it?”

Leopold asked with a small laugh.

“For other ladies, the position of lady of the Klaus ducal family would be like a dream. If Jürgen just said he would make them his wife, anyone would jump for joy.”

“I…… that’s nonsense. Jürgen would never decide to make me his wife.”

“My thoughts are different. It seems you think the opposite of me.”

After a moment of silence, Leopold suddenly made a proposal.

“Then how about finding out directly? It wouldn’t harm you to know in advance how Jürgen truly thinks of you.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Literally, I’m asking if you’d like to find out together what Jürgen wants to do with you.”

Diez’s face hardened, if only slightly. Leopold’s proposal didn’t seem appealing to her at all. It was as he had expected from the moment he realized she was a cautious woman.

It means she doesn’t trust me yet.

Well, that was a problem to be solved slowly over time. The time given was ten days from now. That should be enough to cook up one woman.

The music was coming to an end. It seemed unlikely that Diez would dance a second dance with him. She was probably thinking only of quickly escaping from his arms and hiding behind the Duke.

He could see her fidgeting, eager to end the dance soon. Though that was a bit irritating, fortunately, Leopold was a man born with much patience.

“Well, if you’re not willing, there’s nothing I can do. I just made a suggestion. How could I force anything on you, Miss Schleicher?”

“……I’m sorry.”

“If you ever want to talk with me again, feel free to come anytime. And be sure to tell me if Jürgen acts badly. No matter how high the Duke of Klaus may be, he’s still below royalty.”

Finally, the waltz came to an end. Diez, freed from Leopold’s arms, stepped back a few paces, curtsied to conclude, left a small greeting, and moved away in the opposite direction.

Leopold burst into laughter at her somewhat hurried footsteps. Like a small wounded animal. Ignoring the ladies who began to approach, looking for an opportunity, he moved to a place where he had his own space that no one could disturb.

He needed time to think quietly for a moment.

Diez could find Jürgen quickly. Perhaps he had moved to a spot where he would be most visible to her.

Contrary to her expectation that he would be surrounded by many people again, he was surprisingly alone. Rather than being unable to mix, it seemed that others found it difficult to approach him.

Unlike others, he held no wine glass as he asked first,

“Did you enjoy it?”

Though she felt that his words strangely implied something else, Diez dismissed it as her imagination.

“Nothing…… happened.”

“I’ll take that to mean you succeeded in not stepping on His Highness’s feet.”

Jürgen, glancing briefly at Diez, added,

“If any other men ask you to dance, refuse them.”

“Should I refuse everyone?”

“If you want to dance more, I don’t mind if you accept.”

“That’s not it, I just want to know the reason.”

“Originally, the more noble a lady is, the less she accepts dance invitations from just any man. Especially since you are to be a lady under my protection. I thought you would know that from your education as a young lady.”

Looking back at the past, all Diez could remember was her father watching her with proud eyes whenever she danced with noble young men. Come to think of it, where might her father be now? Feeling a little depressed at the certainty that he wasn’t here.

When I leave the Duke’s mansion, I should visit my parents first.

With that thought, Diez raised her head to face Jürgen. Was it because she looked at him too directly? For some reason, she had the illusion that Jürgen’s eyes were subtly shaking.

“I won’t make mistakes.”

“……”

“So you must keep your promise to let me go.”

“……Do you think I wouldn’t keep even that level of promise?”

Just as Jürgen’s expression was about to harden. The clock struck midnight, and the sound of fireworks exploding was heard. Everyone looked up at the ceiling at once. The transparent dome-shaped ceiling made of glass allowed them to capture the fireworks bursting in the sky at a glance.

It was the moment the festival truly began.

Colorful fireworks repeatedly burst, emitting brilliant light. Diez, who hadn’t seen fireworks for a very long time, unconsciously forgot everything and became absorbed in looking at the ceiling.

While everyone enjoyed the fireworks and clinked their glasses, Jürgen was the exception. Taking advantage of her gaze being directed elsewhere, he stared blankly at Diez’s profile.

The brilliant colors of the fireworks swept across his face filled with complicated emotions and then disappeared.