Chapter 24 – Debutante Ball (8)

The chandelier on the ballroom ceiling, elegantly adorned with rubies and aquamarines, softly illuminated the hall. The chandelier blended beautifully with the waltz music, setting the stage for the debutante ball.  

Beneath the chandelier, at the center of the ballroom, a man and a woman held hands and danced to the music.  

Although the ball had begun, neither couples with budding romantic possibilities nor other participants dared to step forward. Instead, they all watched the pair. Some applauded, some murmured words of admiration, and others cast envious glances.  

The pair, Lenoa and Kairan, paid no attention to the varied reactions around them and focused solely on their dance. They communicated through expressions and steps that occasionally met.  

The two, caught in their own world, danced the “Lover’s Waltz,” forgetting the past and ignoring the reactions of those around them.  

The first dance ended. Thanks to their focus, they performed smoothly. Still holding Kairan’s hand, Lenoa grabbed one side of her dress and curtsied to the audience. Kairan followed suit, placing his right hand over his chest.  

As applause erupted throughout the hall, Lenoa, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment, hurriedly led Kairan out of the room. The crowd parted to make way for them, and the cheers echoed in her ears, almost deafening.  

Unlike Lenoa, Kairan clearly heard someone whisper as they exited:  

“Does this mean His Grace, the Grand Duke, will become the nation’s consort from today?”  

Lenoa was too flustered to notice Kairan’s smile. Once the two left, other couples gradually took to the ballroom floor.  

Seated once more at the table she had used before the ball, Lenoa sipped on a cold cherryade to quench her thirst. The sour taste of cherries gradually brought her back to her senses, and she spoke.  

“I danced better this time than the last, didn’t I?”  

“Yes, indeed. My partner, Dancer Lenoa.” 

Kairan replied playfully.  

Lenoa burst into laughter at his teasing response.  

Despite having just danced, she was hardly out of breath. She was immensely grateful she hadn’t worn a corset. At past events, she had tightly laced herself into one, leaving her gasping for air. If she had worn one tonight, she might have fainted mid-ball. The thought of such a disastrous scenario made her laugh.  

As they shared a moment of silent laughter, a sudden realization struck Lenoa like lightning.  

She grabbed Kairan’s hand and stood up.  

“Le-Lenoa? What’s wrong?”  

“Oppa, let’s go to a private room for a moment.”  

Ignoring Kairan’s confused reaction, Lenoa pulled him along toward a nearby private room.  

It was the second time she had visited this particular room, and it wasn’t far. The room was dimly lit, just as it had been before. Lenoa pointed to the bed.  

“Sit down.”  

“What?”  

“Sit down. Hurry.”  

When Lenoa pushed him toward the bed, Kairan reluctantly sat down. Lenoa then pointed at his chest with her finger.  

“Take off your clothes.”  

Kairan’s eyes widened more than they had all evening as Lenoa nonchalantly walked toward a drawer in the corner of the room.  

‘Where was it?’  

She rummaged through the drawer and quickly found what she was looking for.  

Holding a first-aid kit, she turned back to Kairan, only to find him fidgeting with his waistcoat, his clothes still on.  

“Why haven’t you taken it off? You need to take off your top so I can check for injuries.”  

Kairan’s expression was stiff as Lenoa approached him.  

Finally, he removed his dark gray frock coat, unfastened the amethyst-studded bolo tie, and began unbuttoning his gray shirt, one button at a time.  

For the first time, Kairan’s bare torso was revealed. He had only pulled the shirt off his shoulders.  

“My back is fine. My shoulder stings a bit, though.”  

Lenoa tilted her head but quickly scanned his shoulder for injuries.  

Kairan’s exposed shoulder was thin, with prominent bones. On his left shoulder, she found a faint blue bruise. Carefully, she applied ointment to the area. Kairan remained still, entrusting himself entirely to her care.  

Once the treatment was finished, Kairan spoke as Lenoa packed the tools back into the kit.  

“You know how to administer first aid?”  

“Yes, to some extent.”  

Kairan smiled as he adjusted his clothes.  

“Now that it’s done, let’s head back—”  

Before she could finish, Kairan grabbed her. Startled, Lenoa turned to look at him.  

“Since we’ve danced and the debutante ball is almost over, let’s rest here for a bit.”  

Kairan lay back on the bed and smiled lazily. Left with no choice, Lenoa sat at the edge of the bed. She felt like someone visiting a malingering patient on their sickbed.  

Feeling awkward, she stared blankly at the blanket until Kairan’s hand touched her cheek. She flinched but soon relaxed under the soothing motion of his hand, which stroked her gently, like calming a child.  

‘Ah, the letter…’  

Suddenly, Lenoa remembered Harpe’s request mentioned in the nanny’s letter. Now seemed like the perfect time to bring it up, given Kairan’s good mood.  

But just as she was about to speak, Kairan’s voice interrupted her.  

“Lenoa.”  

“Yes?”  

“After the debutante ball… Let’s take two days off and go on a trip together.”  

“…What?”  

Kairan’s unexpected suggestion left Lenoa bewildered.  

“We’ve never really taken a proper break, have we?”  

“When I said I was visiting the nanny’s estate, you only gave me one day.”  

“Well, I was really busy back then. Anyway, we’re going, okay?”  

Kairan brushed off her complaint with ease. Lenoa pouted and glared at him.  

“But where?”  

Without hesitation, Kairan replied, 

“The royal capital’s secondary palace.”  

“Oh.”  

Lenoa nodded in understanding.  

The secondary palace, located on the outskirts of the capital, was a retreat exclusively for the royal family. Lenoa had stayed there occasionally during her princess days while accompanying her parents on official visits. Though not as grand or opulent as the main palace, it was still a luxurious retreat rivaling the estates of high-ranking nobles.  

As she thought about the secluded secondary palace, Lenoa suddenly brought up someone.  

“Do you keep in touch with your father?”  

“…Yes. I send letters occasionally. He responds, too.”  

At the mention of the Duke of Blandi, Kairan’s face darkened.  

Lenoa had never met Duke Blandi in person and had only heard a few vague remarks about him from her father.  

None of those remarks were positive. He was described as a high-ranking noble who indulged in excess, a man who had once been a close friend but now brought nothing but regret, someone whose arrogance had caused endless trouble for others.  

In the end, he had lost half his wealth, his land, and his retainers, leaving him utterly disgraced. Even Lenoa, who had studied countless noble families, had never encountered someone with such a notorious reputation.  

This tarnished legacy was the main reason why Kairan had so few supporters. Lenoa had heard enough slander about him to last a lifetime.  

But seeing was believing. Lenoa didn’t dislike Duke Blandi as much as she had expected.  

“If you’re my family, then he’s my family too.”  

While Lenoa smiled brightly, the shadow over Kairan’s face deepened. He quickly changed the subject.  

“Thanks for treating me, Lenoa.”  

“Oh… It’s nothing. You got hurt because of me, so it’s only fair.”

Kairan quickly smiled and pulled Lenoa’s hands toward him. Startled, Lenoa found herself lying next to Kairan on the bed, her heart racing in confusion.  

“Lie down too. Let’s rest for a bit.”  

“What is this…? I’m not injured, you know. You should just keep lying down.”  

Kairan ignored her protests and wrapped his arms around her waist. Like a small fish caught in a net, Lenoa flailed in panic, but Kairan’s strength was overwhelming.  

Eventually, Kairan turned her body to the side with firm yet gentle force. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and Lenoa, flustered, lowered her gaze.  

As he brushed away the strands of silver hair that touched her cheek, Kairan whispered sweetly,  

“You need to rest too. You’ve been through so much.”  

“……”  

Lenoa soon closed her eyes, trying to sleep. Kairan was right—she had been exhausted from all the preparations and dancing.  

Before long, the sound of Lenoa’s soft breathing filled the room.  

One thing Kairan had long noticed about Lenoa was her ability to fall into a deep sleep anytime, anywhere. Even his touch wouldn’t disturb her.  

Recalling their time in the carriage, Kairan pulled her closer by the waist. Her face was now so close to his that they were almost touching.  

‘My Lenoa.’  

With a wide smile, Kairan pressed his lips to her forehead. It was a light kiss, so soft it didn’t even make a sound. As soon as his lips touched her skin, he pulled back quickly.  

‘I can’t wake her.’  

After the kiss, he pulled the blanket over her. Lenoa, sleeping soundly, didn’t stir at all.  

In the private room where only Lenoa slept, the sounds of people enjoying the debutante ball could still be heard from outside the door. The wall clock showed 10 p.m., leaving about an hour until the ball ended. He planned to leave with her about 30 minutes before the end. When she had brought him to this room, he had discreetly locked the door in anticipation of such a situation.  

Kairan turned his gaze back to Lenoa, gently patting her back.  

Hosting the debutante ball and constantly watching over Lenoa, the most beautiful queen in Celesta, had left him exhausted. Yet, he couldn’t afford to sleep, as he didn’t want to take his eyes off her.  

Time flew by quickly during moments of happiness. At 10:30 p.m., Kairan gently shook Lenoa awake.  

“Mm…”  

Lenoa let out a soft groan as she slowly opened her eyes.  

Exchanging a few words, they left the private room together. As soon as they stepped out, the crowd’s attention turned toward them once more.  

‘So embarrassing.’  

Lenoa, her face flushed, kept her gaze fixed on the floor. In contrast, Kairan confidently held her hand and strode forward.  

Once seated at the grand banquet table, the two toasted with wine that a thoughtful maid had set out for them. After taking a sip, Lenoa glanced toward the ballroom without much thought.  

Soon, a familiar figure caught her eye.  

‘Ariel!’  

Ariel was dancing with her partner, none other than Lord Hereis. Though their movements were a bit awkward, the pair courageously graced the ballroom floor for the final dance of the evening.  

‘Did she ask him to dance first, like I did?’  

Imagining the future of the two, Lenoa smiled warmly, watching them with a sense of pride.

The last part of the debutante shone brightly like Lenoa’s eyes.