Chapter 19 – Debutante Ball (3)  

“Lady Ariel!”  

Ariel slowly raised her head. Her face was streaked with tears.  

“Why are you crying?”  

“Y-Your Majesty… I… I don’t think I can do this anymore.”  

“Why not?”  

“Lord Albert… He’s interested in you, not me…”  

At Ariel’s tearful reply, Lenoa flinched and hesitated. She quickly glanced around the throne. Her eyes met those of Lord Albert, who stood nearby.  

Indeed, he had been among the throng of men who had rushed toward her earlier. Even though she hadn’t noticed at the time, Lord Albert had also intended to ask her for a dance.  

Lenoa felt an inexplicable pang of guilt toward Ariel. She had thought Ariel’s compliments were just flattery, but it turned out she had been oblivious to the truth.  

Sigh. Both Lord Albert and I…  

Lenoa gently placed her arm around Ariel’s shoulders. Ariel showed no sign of stopping her tears anytime soon.  

What should I do…? 

She had already declined Kairan’s request for the first dance, which had become something of a tradition. She needed to dance with him soon; otherwise, he would become the laughingstock of high society. Worse still, other young lords might start approaching her again—including Lord Albert.  

But leaving a sobbing Ariel behind to go and dance wasn’t an option either.  

Caught between Kairan and Ariel, Lenoa felt torn. Then, a brilliant idea struck her.  

“Ariel, follow me. Don’t stick too close, but don’t fall too far behind either.”  

Lenoa pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Ariel’s tears before helping her to her feet. It was the same handkerchief she had once used to dry Rosetta’s tears. Sniffling, Ariel trailed behind Lenoa.  

Their destination was where Kairan was seated. He was sitting on one of the chairs lined up along the edge of the ballroom, separated from the men who had earlier asked Lenoa for a dance. These chairs were usually reserved for women waiting for dance partners.  

Kairan, still reeling from Lenoa’s earlier rejection, sat with his arms crossed, glaring sharply at anyone who dared glance his way. His piercing gaze was enough to make anyone feel as though they were being silently threatened.  

A pair of nobles who had just found dance partners passed by, pitying Kairan without noticing Lenoa’s approach.  

Lenoa stopped in front of Kairan and raised her voice to make an announcement.  

“Ladies, if there is a gentleman you fancy…”  

In an instant, all eyes in the ballroom turned toward Lenoa and Kairan. Lenoa extended her hand, adorned with white lace gloves, toward Kairan, whose eyes widened in shock.  

“…Why not take the initiative and ask them for a dance?”  

Lenoa smiled brightly as she glanced around the room. She gave Ariel, who stood frozen in shock, a quick wink.  

Kairan soon took her hand and stood up.  

“With you, it would be my greatest honor.”  

With those words, Kairan knelt on one knee and kissed her hand, delivering a line so sweet it could have come straight out of a romance play.  

Cheers erupted from all directions. Thunderous applause filled the ballroom.  

“As expected of Her Majesty!”  

“How romantic!”  

“Of course, there’s no way she could refuse him!”  

Among those cheering were people who had previously ignored Kairan. Now, as if they had never done so, they clapped enthusiastically at the sight of the reunited pair.  

As Kairan and Lenoa walked toward the center of the ballroom, Lenoa leaned in and whispered to him.  

“Sorry for rejecting you earlier. And… you were amazing just now.”  

“…”  

Seeing Lenoa’s radiant smile, Kairan felt his heart race louder than the applause around them.  

By the time they reached the center of the ballroom, the next song was just about to begin. Appropriately, it was a gentle waltz that Lenoa had practiced numerous times. Gradually, the other nobles who had been dancing began to step aside.  

As the music started, Kairan faced Lenoa and firmly grasped both her hands, as if he would never let go. Lenoa was taken aback but chose not to dwell on it.  

Kairan placed one hand on her waist, and the two began to move in step. However, Lenoa, overwhelmed by nerves, struggled to keep up with Kairan’s movements. She found herself short of breath and had to take several deep breaths.  

“You’re not as confident now as you were when you boldly asked me to dance earlier.” 

Kairan teased with a sly grin.  

Lenoa’s face flushed red.  

He seemed to have practiced far more than she had, moving smoothly and flawlessly. In truth, Kairan had never once made a mistake while dancing.  

‘When did he ever say he didn’t enjoy banquets…?’ 

Feeling a twinge of jealousy, Lenoa followed his lead with a slightly pouty expression. It was time for them to turn.  

Just as they were about to spin, Lenoa accidentally stepped on the hem of her long dress, causing her to lose her balance. She let go of Kairan’s hand, and her gaze was drawn to the grand diamond chandelier hanging from the ballroom ceiling as she fell backward.  

‘Ahhh!’  

Lenoa screamed silently in her mind as she braced for impact.  

But instead of hitting the floor, she was pulled forward at the last moment. Disoriented, she found herself falling… not backward, but forward.  

‘What…?’

When she finally regained her senses, she realized she had fallen into Kairan’s arms. Meeting his gaze, Lenoa felt her entire body tense up.  

‘What do I do…?’  

In hindsight, falling backward might have been less embarrassing. Flustered, Lenoa quickly stood up, and Kairan followed suit.  

That’s when she noticed the stares. Everyone in the ballroom—whether paired or alone—was watching them with astonishment, shock, and disbelief. They had become the center of attention.  

Hurriedly grabbing the hem of her dress, Lenoa bowed her head.  

“I-I apologize! My mistake caused such a commotion. Please continue to enjoy the ball while I take a short break.”  

Grabbing Kairan’s hand, she quickly walked away.  

Though startled, Kairan followed her. It was the first time Lenoa had ever taken his hand, and his heart raced faster than his steps.  

The nobles parted to make way for them.  

Lenoa led Kairan to a private room. Compared to the ballroom or the Grand Banquet Hall, the room was much smaller. It was typically used as a cloakroom for women to change dresses or as a private meeting room for close acquaintances.  

The room, dimly lit by the soft glow of wall-mounted lamps, was often called the “secret room” due to its discreet nature. It featured a full-length mirror, curtains, a first-aid kit, a vanity, a table, and even a bed.  

After locking the door, Lenoa turned to face Kairan. Though others had seen them enter, no one would dare interrupt.  

The dimly lit room reminded her of the palace at night.  

In the quiet glow of the room, Lenoa reached out and held Kairan’s hands.  

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… I’ve made another mistake…”  

Unable to meet his gaze, she lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes.  

During her time as a princess, she had never danced with Kairan without making a mistake. Back then, her errors were dismissed as the missteps of a young princess, and the atmosphere was largely forgiving. Moreover, her father and occasionally her mother were present, which made it even easier to overlook her blunders.  

Kairan had never once blamed her for her mistakes. Instead, he would smile warmly and offer a simple suggestion.  

‘Princess, let’s practice together before the next ball.’  

Yet, despite his offer, they had never practiced together—not even once. Lenoa had always avoided him.  

Now that she was Queen, she had resolved never to make another mistake while dancing. She had even taken lessons from a female dance instructor, practicing countless times.  

But whenever Kairan became her dance partner, her confidence faltered. Though she might have danced more gracefully with other lords, she had always made fewer mistakes with them than with Kairan.  

This time, her mistake had led to an awkward situation. Though Kairan had tried to save her, the incident had drawn even more attention.  

Kairan gently clasped her hands.  

“There’s no need to apologize. I was the one who asked you to dance first.”  

“Still…”  

“It’s not easy to dance with someone you’re hesitant about.”  

Kairan gazed at her with a hint of sadness, and Lenoa felt her heart ache.  

For so long, she had avoided Kairan, influenced by her parents’ warnings. Though his persistent kindness had once been burdensome, she had never truly disliked him.  

Even yesterday, he had been someone she couldn’t meet freely. Despite their official roles as Queen and aide, their relationship had remained distant.  

Yet, she had often wondered what it would be like to call him by his name—just once.  

Now, with the opportunity to bridge the gap between them, Lenoa decided to seize the moment.  

“K-Kairan…”  

“…”  

“I’m sorry… no, I’m truly sorry. It must’ve been hard for you because I kept avoiding you.”  

Tears streaming down her face, Lenoa held his hands tightly and looked directly at him. Though her eyes were filled with tears, she could clearly see his surprised expression.  

Finally speaking the words she had kept bottled up, she continued, her voice trembling but steady.  

“I’ll try to change… little by little. I want us to get along better.”  

“…”  

“Just like you said before… we’re practically family. We’ll always be together…”  

Lenoa poured out the words she had long wanted to say to Kairan.  

Kairan had always reminded her that he could be her ‘family.’ When her parents had passed away, he had comforted her, holding her as she cried.  

‘I’ll always stay by your side, Princess Lenoa.’

He had whispered back then.  

Though she had been too overcome with grief to respond, Kairan’s gentle voice had remained etched in her memory.  

‘Why did I keep pushing him away because of my parents’ orders? I never realized how much I was hurting him.’  

Overcome with emotion, Lenoa threw herself into Kairan’s arms.