Chapter 23 – Debutante Ball (7)

Kairan’s brow furrowed visibly.

‘How dare a woman like you…?’

He glared venomously at Grania. Meeting his sharp gaze with ease, Grania smirked mockingly.

The sudden clash of hostility between the two startled Lenoa. Even the maid who had just brought the tea sensed the tension and hurriedly left after setting down the tableware. The air, briefly calmed by the maid’s presence, grew heavy again as soon as she disappeared.

Lenoa clapped her hands together and forced a smile, exclaiming, 

“Ka-Kairan, the Grand Duke, is my secretary, so unless there’s a special reason, it’s difficult to dismiss him.”

“Ah, I see.”

Grania’s eyes widened upon hearing Kairan’s name from Lenoa. She quietly set down her fan.

Realizing the connection between Kairan and Lenoa, Grania softened her stance somewhat. It would only invite trouble to openly antagonize someone with ties to the person she supported.

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke, I apologize for my rudeness.”

“Just state your business quickly.”

Grania smiled gently and inclined her head slightly, but Kairan’s tone remained cold and sharp.

Shifting her attention back to Lenoa, Grania’s demeanor brightened as she began to explain her purpose.

“Your Majesty, the Queen, as you may know, I run an accessory boutique.”

Lenoa nodded in acknowledgment.

Grania, known as the Duchess Velika, had operated the boutique alongside her late husband, Duke Velika. They had crafted necklaces, earrings, and other accessories from rare gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies, achieving great success.

After the Duke’s passing, Grania became the sole proprietor of the boutique. Though it appeared to falter briefly, it had since grown into the most renowned boutique in Celesta, far surpassing its former scale.

The accessories from Velika Boutique were so exorbitantly priced that even nobles could only afford to purchase them once or twice a month. Yet, their exceptional design and quality made the boutique a frequent topic of conversation among noblewomen.

Lenoa instinctively touched the necklace she was wearing.

“Yes, the necklace you are wearing now was a coronation gift from me, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, that’s right. Thank you.”

Grania pointed to the necklace and smiled warmly. In truth, she had sent Lenoa a collection of the boutique’s finest accessories as a gift to celebrate her ascension to the throne.

Today, Lenoa was wearing a purple amethyst necklace that Grania had gifted her. It had been chosen by the maids, who admired Velika Boutique.

“The necklace suits you perfectly, as its color matches the eyes of a Celesta’s ruler, Your Majesty.”

“…”

Kairan’s eyes widened at Grania’s heartfelt compliment. He, too, shared the same amethyst-colored eyes as Lenoa.

Grania, a staunch supporter of Lenoa, was subtly mocking Kairan’s claim to the throne. More than that, she was outright ignoring his presence.

Kairan’s amethyst eyes burned with fury as he glared at Grania. He wasn’t the only one who understood her veiled insult.

‘What should I do…?’

Lenoa, who had worn the beautiful necklace all day in gratitude for the gift, now regretted her choice. She felt guilty, as if the necklace were tightening around her neck like a noose.

Oblivious to Lenoa’s inner turmoil, Grania continued speaking, her voice dropping to a lower tone.

“By the way, a problem has recently arisen in my business.”

“What kind of problem?”

“Due to a decrease in mining output, production costs have skyrocketed. As a result, I had no choice but to raise the prices of our accessories, which has led to a noticeable decline in sales.”

For the first time, Grania’s smile turned bitter.

Lenoa recalled an incident with a maid who had been brushing her hair. The maid had complained that the sudden price hike at Velika Boutique had prevented her from purchasing a brooch she had wanted.

‘How about this brooch instead?’

Lenoa had immediately retrieved a ruby brooch from her jewelry box and gifted it to the maid, who had been overjoyed.

“Increasing the mining output would still incur high labor costs, making it unfeasible to lower prices again. However, I’ve recently heard some interesting news.”

Grania leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. Both Lenoa and Kairan perked up their ears.

“I’ve heard that minerals are abundant and inexpensive in Benecia.”

“…”

Grania’s smile had vanished entirely. Lenoa remained silent.

Benecia was Celesta’s enemy nation. Diplomatic relations had been severed for nearly a century.

From her studies of foreign history to her lessons in statecraft, Lenoa had been taught to view Benecia critically. Her parents and instructors had all emphasized the importance of maintaining the severed ties with Benecia once she became Queen.

Even Celesta’s citizens were forbidden by law from immigrating to or entering Benecia. Discussions about Benecia were avoided by nobles and commoners alike, and when the nation was mentioned, it was only in the context of criticism.

The name “Benecia” was synonymous with disgrace, tarnished by countless stains. As a young princess, Lenoa had been curious but had never dared to ask, ‘Why did Benecia become our enemy?’

Now, as Queen, Lenoa upheld the severed diplomatic ties, suppressing her lingering doubts with the rationale that ‘if others say it’s bad, it must be bad.’

Grania, too, must have understood the strained relationship with Benecia. For her to bring it up suggested that her business was facing an extraordinary crisis.

‘What should I do…?’

Rejecting Grania’s request outright would likely exacerbate the boutique’s struggles. A decline in sales at such a large establishment could have far-reaching consequences.

However, granting her request was equally problematic. Allowing imports from an enemy nation after a century of severed ties would be unprecedented. If word spread that Velika Boutique’s materials were sourced from Benecia, both nobles and commoners might boycott the boutique, causing sales to plummet even further.

Grania was Lenoa’s benefactor, so rejecting her outright felt wrong. Just as Lenoa was about to defer her decision until after the debutante ball, Kairan spoke up.

“I can help.”

His voice was low but firm, startling both Lenoa and Grania into silence.

“I’ve been considering reestablishing ties with Benecia. This could be a good starting point.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. Just as serious as you are about disliking me.”

Grania flinched at his pointed remark. Meeting his piercing gaze, she quickly opened her fan to cover half her face and cleared her throat.

“It wasn’t personal. Anyway… how do you plan to proceed?”

“Submit a proposal to the palace after the debutante ball. I’ll approve limited trade.”

“Can you do that alone? What does Her Majesty think?”

“Of course, with Her Majesty’s approval.”

Both sets of eyes turned to Lenoa.

Caught off guard by Kairan’s unexpected response, Lenoa could only listen as if she were a bystander.

While she had worked with Kairan on many state matters, Benecia had always been a secondary concern. Domestic and allied affairs had taken precedence, and Kairan had never brought up Benecia before.

Sweating nervously, Lenoa stammered, 

“I can’t make any promises yet, but I’ll do my best to consider it.”

Since they were in the grand ballroom rather than the office, this seemed like a safe answer.

‘Why…?’

Lenoa glanced at Kairan. He seemed different today. Normally, he would have been furious at the mention of Benecia, their enemy nation.

“Th-Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Grace.”

Grania blushed and bowed repeatedly to both of them.

Lenoa smiled and waved it off, while Kairan remained expressionless.

Grania finally straightened up and looked at them both with a delighted smile.

“Oh, the two of you looked wonderful today. You were the stars of the debutante ball.”

Grania’s cheerful comment about the ball made Lenoa’s face flush with embarrassment.

Though it was clearly a genuine compliment, it was still difficult to hear.

“I’m not saying this just because of the trade request. I truly mean it. Even though I’ve attended many balls, I could never muster the courage to ask someone to dance first.”

“Oh…”

“But today, Your Majesty, you did just that. And when you stumbled… His Grace caught you so quickly. His care was remarkable.”

“…”

Lenoa’s heart pounded at Grania’s every word.

During the first dance, when Lenoa had stumbled backward, Kairan had pulled her close, taking the fall himself.

But there was something she hadn’t realized.

‘Was he protecting me…?’

Thanks to him, she hadn’t suffered a single injury. Even the maid who had helped her out of her corset hadn’t noticed anything.

Lenoa felt foolish for not recognizing Kairan’s thoughtfulness sooner.

When she glanced at Kairan, their eyes met. He smiled faintly, almost bitterly.

What should I say?

As Lenoa scrambled for words, the announcement for the final dance interrupted her thoughts. It was the most welcome sound she had heard all evening.

“Oh, the ball is starting again.”

The three of them rose simultaneously.

Lenoa took Kairan’s arm. Though momentarily surprised, he smiled and linked arms with her.

Lenoa whispered so both Kairan and Grania could hear, 

“Kairan-oppa, let’s dance again, as we promised.”

“Of course, Lenoa. We must finish as the stars of the ball.”

“…”

Grania covered her mouth with her fan.

She was well aware of the relationship between the Queen and the Grand Duke, just like the other nobles. In particular, she had often felt frustrated watching Kairan insist on being Lenoa’s first dance partner at every ball. 

But now, the two of them were heading to the ballroom, smiling warmly and confirming their plans to dance together, as if they were lovers.

It was far from pretense. If it had been an act, Lenoa wouldn’t have addressed Kairan so affectionately as “oppa,” nor would Kairan have called her “Lenoa” so casually.

‘The two of them have grown so close… Was I meddling unnecessarily?’

Grania regretted her earlier hostility toward Kairan, realizing how rude her actions had been in her attempt to keep him in check. Resolving to sincerely apologize after the ball, she headed toward the ballroom.

As the soft waltz echoed through the hall, Grania earnestly wished for their happiness. After all, the first song was traditionally one for lovers.