## Before the Ball
I felt my face heat up at the sudden sensation of his cheek and chin being touched.
"I wasn't nervous."
"You're holding a lot of tension in your shoulders and neck."
"This happens automatically without me even knowing."
"You don't need to look at other people. All you have to do is look at me and follow where I go."
That was the problem. Kaian was so dazzling that I could hardly bear to look at him.
Until this morning, I'd been able to laugh and talk as if nothing had happened, looking into his bright red eyes.
Fully dressed from head to toe, he was clad in the aura of a ruler and even looked divine.
When I roughly nodded, Kaian withdrew his hand as if he was disappointed.
Didn't people usually feel this nervous before their debutante?
In my memory, the three years since I'd spent time at Castle de Valmonde were a period I could barely remember.
Dad and Mom disappearing, and I ended up living in a strange place.
It was difficult to eat the rich food of a castle chef using plenty of luxurious spices rather than the simple and light food of a mountain village filled with the taste of Mother's cooking.
Because I couldn't sleep at night, others thought that there was something wrong with my mind, but in reality, I often felt blank and couldn't think of anything, as if my mind was empty.
I made my debut in northern society when Irena, two years my senior, made her debutante at Castle de Valmonde on her fourteenth birthday.
This was because the Duke of Vermont wanted to show off me, whom he'd already enrolled as his daughter in the family, to the public, since he had a large army of supporters.
Until then, the Duchess, who'd been concerned about my health and hadn't forced me to do anything, stepped forward and assigned Irena's tutors to me as well.
As a result, since I hadn't moved beyond eating and sleeping, several people came to talk to me, taught me manners and dance, and forced me to move, sending me back out into the world.
So, looking back, I was grateful to the Duchess of Vermont, who'd also paid attention to me while preparing for Irena's debutante, but on the other hand, I'd lacked understanding of aristocratic society, so other than wearing a pretty new dress and dancing in front of people, I had no memories left to commemorate it.
I'd learned from books how much girls usually looked forward to their debutantes.
This was because, in the romance novels Hannah brought, the fateful first meeting often happened at the debutante ball.
Looking back, it was a shame that what could have been a good time in my life had passed by like that.
The debutante, which could have been prepared with excitement, and my wedding.
I looked at Kaian blankly.
*Did he wear a fur-trimmed cape with his uniform on our wedding day?*
It seemed like the clothes he was wearing now were more elaborate than then.
*No. What's the importance of those memories? Now is what matters.*
Regret was a feeling of emptiness.
When life was uncertain in the present, you didn't have time to think about the past and feel 'It's a shame.'
But it was true that I didn't remember much.
"Kaian."
His sinful handsomeness looked at me.
"Hey. On the wedding day. What were you wearing?"
His eyebrows rose slightly at my words.
"It felt more plain than what you're wearing today, right? It looked like you were wearing a furry cape."
"That's right. Valmonde was definitely cold. Why are you suddenly asking that?"
"I don't really remember."
I added a word to express my regret.
"It would have been so handsome."
"Does that mean I'm not now?"
"No. That can't be."
"I am heartbroken."
Kaian reached into the folds of my dress and moved to sit next to me.
"I owe you an apology."
Madame Marcel's makeup, which she'd worked on for over an hour, was in jeopardy.
When I was careful not to smudge my rouge, kissing his lips barely touching them, Kaian smiled as if he was amazed.
"Now I understand better."
At that moment, the carriage that had been climbing the slope toward the royal castle stopped.
"Your Grace, we've arrived."
It was the beginning of the ball.
---
## Entering the Royal Castle
The royal castle, which looked like a single building from afar, had walls surrounding the inner castle.
When I got off the carriage, there was a fairly large garden between the main castle and the gate, but it was decorated with short flowers, probably due to the lack of sunlight from the high castle walls.
*It's the second time something like that catches my eye.*
It had rained on the day we'd first arrived at Oberon Castle.
I couldn't look around the outside properly because I'd gotten off the carriage close to the castle entrance and gone right in, but I'd felt like I had some peace of mind that day.
As I placed my hand on Kaian's arm and slowly headed inside, the sight of the castle, which had been decorated beautifully in a few days, was incomparable to when I'd left to attend the hunting party.
*It must be really hard for those working in the palace.*
I couldn't believe the castle had been decorated to this extent in the three days I'd stayed at the Duke of Temnes' mansion.
Flowers and ribbons were placed everywhere to create a bright atmosphere, and old-looking tapestry hangings were displayed here and there on the high walls. They were embroidered with gold and silver threads, giving them a dignified yet gorgeous appearance.
When I looked at one hanging for the first time, it seemed to have been embroidered with the history of Oberon's founding. Then, in a scene from the tapestry, I saw two lions fighting behind the King with their claws raised, scratching each other.
The one with a red body with black fur patterns and the one with a white body with blue fur patterns were going at each other viciously as if they would devour one another.
*I think it symbolizes Temnes and Vermont.*
Historically, the founding families, Temnes and Vermont, were both historic and prestigious houses.
But our relationship hadn't been this bad from the beginning.
Perhaps by the time that tapestry was produced, they'd already established a reputation as enemies. Even though it wasn't the time to fight, they depicted it like that.
While I was distracted, we arrived at the venue where the ball was being held.
There was a small commotion as Kaian and I walked inside.
I tried to look elegant and confident.
*I can't embarrass Kaian.*
Although Vermont wasn't active in the capital's society, Temnes was the name that dominated the capital's social scene over the years. How impressive was it that the former Duchess of Temnes was the Queen's younger sister?
Those who wanted to join the most influential people in the kingdom were in an uproar, and I was also worried about that. This was because I couldn't immediately step forward as Madame Elise had done before.
"Do you think they get along pretty well?"
"I heard it was crazy even in the theater."
"I thought they wouldn't enter next to each other."
The mouths of the fashionable people were moving busily.
As people were gathered in one area of the spacious venue, my eyes naturally fell there, and the people standing there were none other than the Duke and Duchess of Vermont and Irena.
"Claudel!"
As Irena smiled brightly, the young male nobles who'd been surrounding Vermont to make an impression gasped in surprise.
Then, following her gaze, they turned their heads and saw the girl she'd called 'Claudel', and once again they gasped and widened their eyes.
I smiled and walked slowly, paying careful attention.
*You shouldn't walk too quickly or your leg will hurt.*
I'd gone to see a doctor as recommended by Kaian, but there was no major problem with my leg.
Still, I'd stayed at the mansion for three days, doing steaming and massaging, and resting without going out. Today, the pain was completely gone.
A minor incident was that due to the maids' gossip, Kaian had fired them all and complained to Salon Arvo.
For that reason, Madame Cronach had rushed to the capital mansion to apologize, and personally took care of my needs for half a day until Hannah and Madame Marcel arrived.
Kaian had personally steamed my leg.
When I'd asked him how he knew something like this as his hand gently rubbed the painful spot, I'd gotten goosebumps when I heard that he'd once used his hands to treat the broken or twisted bones of his subordinates on the battlefield.
Anyway, thanks to that devotion, I'd improved, but I would have to dance in front of the nobles today.
---
## The Reunion
Irena approached me with wide strides that showed her joy and embraced me in a welcoming hug.
"I missed you, Claudel."
"Me too."
It had been a month and a half since Irena had visited Rowen.
On her way back to Valmonde, I'd learned that she was staying in the capital at the King's invitation, but since she was so occupied and I was due to arrive at the beginning of the event, I hadn't been able to meet Irena yet.
This was because when the invitation to dine in the public garden had become a hot topic, the Duke of Vermont had forbidden Irena from going out in order to make her dramatic appearance more effective.
"Hello, Duke of Temnes."
Irena smiled graciously and bowed to Kaian.
"I didn't know I'd see you again."
Irena spoke casually despite his cold response.
"I'm taking good care of the roses you gave me when I left. I suddenly found myself staying in the capital."
"The roses are having a hard time. They are my wife's heart, so take care of them."
"Yes. Of course."
The nobles around her made a fuss, saying, *It's Vermont and Temnes,* but Irena didn't seem to mind.
"Duke of Temnes. To meet again like this, I suppose we are meant to be."
The Duchess of Vermont had been active in the capital's society when she was young and had married into Valmonde, so her resentment toward Temnes was less severe. Although her husband was uncomfortable, the Duchess of Vermont greeted Kaian quite warmly.
"It's lovely to see you in the royal castle, Duke of Temnes."
Kaian gave a slight nod to the Duke of Vermont and only politely greeted the Duchess.
Kaian said as his eyes met the Duke of Vermont's.
"Your face looks better than before."
"Does it look that way?"
"I'm glad the food I sent was helpful."
"Hmm."
Whenever Valmonde's drought was mentioned, the Duke of Vermont felt uncomfortable.
As Kaian said, the weather was up to the heavens, but it sounded like Kaian was blaming him as if this had happened because he'd mismanaged the estate.
And he dared to bring it up in a place like this. As expected, Temnes!
It was a moment when interest was focused on what the Duke of Vermont would do.
"Hmm. Are you very generous to Vermont's daughter? Isn't that necklace a keepsake of your mother?"
My eyes widened.
*This necklace is Madame Elise's?*
---