Chapter 8.1 (Part 7)

The elegant melody softly enveloped the couple dancing at the center of the hall. Their graceful steps seemed like they might leave this place and head into a world of their own at any moment.  

Seeing them dance and exchange sweet words, they might have already done so.  

Erica narrowed her eyes and watched Sellakia and Tenus. In fact, everyone in the banquet hall was doing the same.  

“They look damn good together…”  

She had known since the first day they met in childhood that Sellakia’s beauty was extraordinary, but today, that beauty shone especially brightly.  

It wasn’t because of the diamond tiara on her head or the dress intricately embroidered with lace that enveloped her body in elegance and splendor.  

What made Sellakia stand out more than anything precious was her lively expression.  

She slightly furrowed her brows, blushed, raised her eyebrows, and even burst into laughter, looking radiant like a flower in full bloom.  

She seemed like a completely different person from when she was at the Viscount’s house, always timid and cautious.  

The man dancing with Sellakia was equally stunning, but…

“Sister, you’re going to bore a hole in them. You can’t take your eyes off them, can you? You know they’re pretty.”  

Erica clicked her tongue and grumbled.  

To her, Tenus looked like nothing more than a thief who had stolen Sellakia. A little, no, a lot… well, honestly, a very handsome thief.  

“Brother. Look carefully. Take a good look at how beautiful she is. Are your thoughts still the same? Haven’t they changed?”

Erica whispered to Julien, who stood beside her, as if urging him. Julien answered in his usual indifferent voice.  

“Madam is no longer…”  

“Don’t give me that ‘Madam’ nonsense. You heard what the maid said when she showed us to our room earlier. The marriage certificate hasn’t been issued yet, so technically, she’s still single.”  

Julien’s eyes, which had been facing forward indifferently, suddenly became stern.  

“I warned you not to speak such nonsense again.”  

“Hey. You stone-hearted person! How can you not be moved when she’s so beautiful? Are you even a man?”

“Erica.”  

“If you and her get married, she can become part of our family. We can choose to create a new family. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“This marriage is Sellakia’s choice. It’s not for you to interfere.”  

Erica beat her chest with her fist as if frustrated.  

“Brother, don’t you know her that well? This marriage is definitely something Viscount Lensch arranged. She must have reluctantly followed. I’m sure of it.”

It was easy to guess that Viscount Lensch, who was indifferent enough to assign a male tutor to Sellakia, would have pushed the marriage through carelessly.  

Despite that, the marriage partner was quite a catch. Even for Sellakia, who spent her childhood in loneliness, it was only fair that she had at least one stroke of luck disguised as coincidence.  

“Poor Sister…”  

Erica clasped her hands together and looked at Sellakia with pity, trying to win Julien’s sympathy.  

However, Sellakia, dazzlingly navigating the banquet hall with beauty, was not someone to be pitied by anyone.  

As expected, Julien murmured in an unfeeling voice.  

“Matters as significant as marriage would have been handled directly by Viscount Lensch. He wouldn’t have pursued anything harmful to Sellakia.”

“What nonsense.”  

Erica rubbed her ears as if she had heard something ridiculous.  

She had spent four years following Julien in and out of the Viscount’s house. Four years were enough to grasp how indifferent Viscount Lensch was to Sellakia.

It was unbelievable that Julien, who had seen and heard the same things as she had, could speak so nonchalantly.  

“Brother, have you already forgotten what happened at Viscount Lensch’s house? How much Viscount Lensch disregarded and mistreated Sellakia? Why else would he assign you as her tutor?”  

Julien started to say something but then closed his lips tightly.  

It was a habit of Julien, who was not very talkative. When he abruptly quit his tutoring job and left the Viscount’s house before Sellakia came of age, he was like this. No matter how much Erica pressed him, he never explained the reason clearly.

“What do I expect from you, Brother?”  

He looked decent, but he seemed too dull to be a suitable husband for Sellakia.  

Erica glared at Julien and then turned her eyes to the crowd. She felt like she would explode with anger if she continued to look at the beautiful couple.  

“Oh dear. There’s another frustrating person over there.”  

She saw Chester standing not far away, a friend of Sellakia whom she had occasionally seen at the Viscount’s house.  

Erica had thought that if Sellakia didn’t marry her brother, she would marry Chester. Because, unlike her brother, Chester seemed to have feelings for Sellakia.  

Even now, judging by his affectionate gaze, it seemed he hadn’t completely given up on his feelings…  

Poor thing.  

Erica silently offered her condolences to Chester and turned away again.  

“At least the maid and the guard here seem to like Sellakia.”  

The maid and the guard, who had been clinging to Sellakia, were staring at her from one corner of the banquet, not even blinking.  

The maid looked as if her jaw might drop at any moment.  

The guard kept glancing this way while watching Sellakia, but…

Well, at least they seemed different from the servants at the Viscount’s house, who subtly disregarded Sellakia.

“I could treat her better.”

Erica, who hadn’t completely given up her wish to make Sellakia part of the family, pouted.  

While Erica was looking at Roberta and Nancy as if they were competitors, she suddenly noticed a figure standing behind them.  

“…What’s that?”  

Someone was behind a pillar. Erica frowned as she observed a very suspicious figure.  

The attire looked like a maid’s uniform from the Seidon household, but it was unclear why they were glaring at the hosts like that.  

“It seems this place isn’t a complete paradise either. After all, Sellakia is safest by our side.”  

While Erica muttered to herself, Julien silently stayed by her side. Then, as Erica took a step, he parted his lips, which seemed glued shut.  

“Where are you going?”  

Erica waved her hand dismissively, not hiding her annoyed look.  

“Because of you, Brother, I’m going to the balcony to get some air. Why?”  

However, the sky outside the balcony, which she had come to with great effort, was gloomy, as if reflecting her mood. Clouds covered the sky, leaving no trace of moonlight.  

The dark sky seemed just like her brother’s future.  

* * *

The first dance she ever performed in public was surprisingly anticlimactic. She had only exchanged a few words with Tenus, and before she knew it, the music had ended.  

Clap, clap, clap. Seeing the bright expressions of those clapping, it seemed she hadn’t made any mistakes.  

Sellakia let out a sigh of relief and stepped away from the center. Soon, people began to enjoy dancing freely. The orchestra’s music shifted to a more lively tempo.  

Sellakia smoothly maneuvered through the crowd with Tenus.  

As she caught her breath at the edge, the first person she noticed, for some reason, was Julien standing alone.  

However, before she could approach him cheerfully, he disappeared into the crowd.  

“I’m sure we made eye contact…”

She looked around the hall with regret, but the tall figure was nowhere to be seen. Erica was also missing.  

“Who are you looking for?”  

“No one, really…”  

Tenus followed her gaze around the area. Sellakia was somewhat bothered by his constant presence. She couldn’t approach Chester with him around.  

“Oh my. Baroness Damanian.”  

Coincidentally, Baroness Damanian was nearby.  

She was sipping a glass of champagne behind a pillar to avoid disturbing those dancing. Her lips moved continuously, indicating she was conversing with her husband beside her.  

Sellakia approached them with a welcoming smile.  

“Are you enjoying the banquet?”  

“Oh my. Madam. I was just telling my husband about your brilliant performance. Seeing you dance so elegantly reminded me of the moment you boldly expressed your opinions at today’s meeting. Especially when you stood up and dramatically mentioned the word ‘pirate’ in a thunderous voice, I was so moved…”  

I never stood up…  

However, she couldn’t refute it. Baroness Damanian’s speech was like a storm; once swept up, it was over.  

Sellakia gathered her wits and tugged at Tenus’s elbow, who was standing a step away. He reluctantly stood right next to her.  

Baroness Damanian’s gaze slowly shifted to Tenus.  

It was a perfect opportunity.  

“Thank you for your kind words. But Baroness Damanian, could you perhaps tell us about the social scene at the capital?”  

“Oh my. Are you curious about the capital? You should have mentioned it earlier. I have so much to say about that…”  

“Oh, no. Not to me, but to the Duke.”  

Sellakia nudged Tenus’s back this time. He took a step closer to the Damanian couple, allowing Sellakia to relatively distance herself from their attention.  

“I would love to listen too, but I must attend to a friend who has come a long way. Please relay it well to the Duke, and I’ll hear it from him. Please, in detail, down to the smallest parts. It will surely be useful one day.”  

Before they could hold her back, Sellakia quickly stepped away, tapping Tenus’s shoulder.  

“Tenus, listen well on my behalf, okay?”  

“Sellakia, you…”  

Tenus, bewildered, tried to catch her, but fortunately, Baroness Damanian swiftly intercepted his hand reaching for her.  

“Indeed. Once you formally inherit the title after receiving the marriage certificate, you’ll have many occasions to visit the capital’s social circles with your wife. I should have told you earlier, but this is perfect timing. Duke, listen well. The cornerstone of the social scene is the third Princess. She…”  

From behind, she felt the sharp gaze of reproach. Sellakia deliberately ignored it and headed towards Chester.

She needed to know why Chester had ignored her request and come here.  

“Sella.”  

“Young Master Pyregen.”  

Chester stood by a wall that wasn’t too secluded yet not crowded, quietly waiting for Sellakia. As soon as she approached, he extended his hand as if he had been waiting.  

“Would you like to dance with me too?”  

Sellakia blinked, unable to readily take the hand extended toward her.  

Roberta and Nancy weren’t far away. Besides them, many eyes were on Sellakia in this space. Among them was probably Tenus’s gaze.  

Since the canoe incident was recent, it was better to be cautious.  

“Forgive my rudeness, Young Master Pyregen. It seems my energy has been entirely spent on just one dance.”  

When she showed an apologetic smile, Chester awkwardly withdrew his hand. Sellakia added.  

“Please ask me next time. I’m sure there will be another opportunity for us.”  

“If you say so.”  

“By the way, Young Master Pyregen.”  

Apologies aside. It was time to bring up the real reason.  

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be able to come today because of the busy merchant group? Your sudden appearance was very, truly, incredibly surprising.”  

As she indirectly reproached him with a glare, Chester sheepishly scratched his cheek.  

“Well, I managed to secure a ship earlier than expected. I wanted to boast to you quickly.”  

“A ship?”  

“Yes, the ship I mentioned when we last met. Our merchant group plans to expand trade routes to foreign lands… Don’t you remember?”  

Sellakia quickly understood Chester’s intention.  

He meant he had secured the ship and false identity she had requested for going abroad.  

Sellakia’s eyes, which had been raised, suddenly lost their strength.  

“You’ve already… secured it?”  

The unexpected news left her dazed.  

Perhaps it was because she was exhausted from experiencing so much at the banquet.

She thought she would be overwhelmingly joyful if preparations for departure went smoothly. But it wasn’t quite like that.  

Then Chester took a glass of champagne from a passing servant and handed it to Sellakia.  

Sellakia accepted the glass without thinking.  

“…”  

And for a moment, her breath caught.  

A folded piece of paper was discreetly passed under the round base of the glass.  

<To be continued in Volume 3 of “Things Washed Ashore By The Waves”>