Felix frowned and turned to look at the duke.

Regardless of the hostility he harbored in his heart, Duke de Lenoir was of higher status than Felix. It was unthinkable to ignore someone of his standing who had greeted him first.

“It’s been a long time, Your Grace Duke de Lenoir. What a surprise to see you here.”

It was quite a pointed remark.

Traditionally, the first dance at a ball was between the female guest of honor and the highest-ranking male guest.

And originally, Felix was supposed to take on that role at today’s ball. Baron Roger had invited him to be his daughter’s first dance partner.

However, with the unexpected arrival of Duke de Lenoir, whom no one expected to attend, Felix suddenly found himself robbed of the leading role by the duke.

Duke de Lenoir asked with a cold smile.

“Is my presence here really that surprising?”

“Yes. I never imagined that Your Esteemed Grace would bother to come to a place like this.”

“That sounds as if I’ve come somewhere I shouldn’t have.”

“That wasn’t my intention. Though I suppose it’s not very considerate for someone of your high position to come all the way here and inconvenience your subordinates.”

Duke de Lenoir furrowed his brow at the blatant hostility. His crimson eyes glared coldly at Felix.

Felix, not backing down, glared back at Duke de Lenoir.

The atmosphere at the center of the floor instantly froze.

The surrounding guests murmured as they looked at the two men.

“What’s going on? What’s happening?”

“Isn’t that Count de Tolomiès? I guess the rumors about their bad relationship were true.”

“No matter how bad their relationship is, to do this in the center…”

“Shh, be quiet. They’ll hear us!”

Whispers could be heard from all around. Baron Roger’s daughter, standing nearby, was fidgeting helplessly, unable to do anything.

I carefully stepped forward to intervene between the two.

“Darling.”

“Stay out of this.”

Despite Felix’s warning, I continued undeterred.

“That’s not it. Shouldn’t we be escorting Miss Dahlia back to her seat soon?”

At those words, Felix turned abruptly to look at Baron Roger’s daughter. Duke de Lenoir also hesitated for a moment.

It was customary for the male to escort his female partner back to her seat after a dance, or at least to her next dance partner.

However, everyone had already changed partners by now. It was far too late to take the lady back to her seat through the crowd on the dance floor.

Duke de Lenoir hurriedly turned his gaze to Baron Roger’s daughter.

But before the duke could reach out, I swiftly moved and approached Baron Roger’s daughter first.

“It seems we’ve missed the timing to return to your seat. Since we’re in this situation, Miss Dahlia, how about having the second dance with my husband?”

Baron Roger’s young lady asked in surprise.

“Me?”

“Yes. Since you can’t dance twice in a row with the duke, that seems to be the best choice in this situation. I’ll dance the next song with the duke instead. That should work out.”

Felix and Duke de Lenoir both looked at me simultaneously. They both appeared visibly flustered.

I turned to Duke de Lenoir with a bright smile.

“I apologize for the sudden interruption, Your Grace. As a gesture of reconciliation, I’d like to request a dance with you. Would you accept? Returning to our seats now would cause even greater inconvenience to others. People are watching.”

I was confident the duke wouldn’t be able to refuse my proposal.

Traditionally, it was the man’s role to request a dance at a ball. For a woman to ask a man to dance first meant lowering her own pride.

In other words, for a man to refuse a woman’s dance request was far more discourteous than a woman refusing a man’s.

Moreover, just moments ago, Duke de Lenoir and Count de Tolomiès had displayed the unseemly behavior of openly quarreling in the middle of the dance floor.

Exchanging partners was the best way to salvage the situation.

As expected, Duke de Lenoir sighed and replied.

“Very well, let’s do that.”

Felix also shook his head resignedly, as if he had no choice. He approached Baron Roger’s daughter and extended his hand.

“Mademoiselle Dahlia. If you don’t mind, would you dance the next song with me?”

“What? Yes!”

Baron Roger’s daughter nodded hurriedly.

After the two bowed slightly to Duke de Lenoir and moved away, I naturally approached the duke’s side.

The duke took my hand with a disgruntled expression.

Just then, the orchestra began to play the first notes of the next song.

At last, the guests turned their gazes away from us and began to dance with their own partners. Felix also started to take quick steps, holding hands with Baron Roger’s daughter.

The frozen atmosphere finally thawed.

I let out a sigh of relief.

At that very moment, Duke de Lenoir suddenly pulled my hand.

In an instant, I was drawn into his embrace. I felt his large, firm hand wrap around my waist.

When I came to my senses, I was already resting my forehead against his broad shoulder.

Duke de Lenoir whispered low in my ear.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me, Countess de Tolomiès.”

Just then, the tempo of the music quickened.

Duke de Lenoir pulled me out of his embrace, and as if to show off, he began to lead me in fluid dance steps.

I looked up at his face, as if entranced.

Since I hadn’t had the chance to dance with him in my previous life, this was the first time I was seeing his face up close.

His jet-black curly hair that slightly brushed his shoulders, his pale luminous face, his distinct and alluring eyes, and his ruby-like crimson eyes that shone nobly came into clear view.

Duke de Lenoir, however, wasn’t looking at me.

I unconsciously followed his gaze.

Then I saw Felix and Baron Roger’s daughter dancing not far away. The duke was glaring at them dancing with a displeased expression.

Perhaps pulling me abruptly into his arms was a petty revenge against Count de Tolomiès, who had taken away his partner.

‘He has an unexpectedly childish side.’

Hiding my smile, I spoke to the duke first.

“You dance very well. May I ask how you learned?”

“I learned from my family’s private tutor.”

It was an extremely brief answer.

Well, it was understandable. Right now, I was the wife of ‘Count de Tolomiès’, who was his enemy.

Duke de Lenoir was one of only two dukes from Lorraine in Elendril.

The king deliberately favored nobles from Lorraine to keep the domestic nobles in check, and one of the people who suffered the most from this was my husband, Felix.

His father, the previous Count de Tolomiès, had worked hard for the family all his life and as a result was granted numerous lands, but in the end, he never reached the position of duke.

On the other hand, Duke de Lenoir, despite not being royalty, was awarded the title of duke at a young age.

Felix was jealous of this and always acted arrogantly towards Duke de Lenoir.

Moreover, he and the traditional nobles of Elendril were politically opposed to the nobles from Lorraine, including Duke de Lenoir.

I didn’t give up and continued to attempt conversation.

“My husband has been very rude to Your Grace today. I would like to sincerely apologize on his behalf. I’m sorry.”

Duke de Lenoir replied in a cold tone.

“You’re not at fault, madam, so there’s no need for you to apologize.”

“No, I want to apologize. It’s actually my fault that he was rude to Your Grace.”

I continued speaking.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m originally from Araz. Both when I lived in Araz and here in Elendril, I heard many stories about Lorraine. Though I haven’t been there myself, I’ve heard it’s a very prosperous and beautiful region?”

“Yes. It’s a very beautiful, insignificant, and rustic village.”

The duke responded with a barbed remark. I didn’t fall for it and replied with a smile.

“For such a small land to produce so many works of art and cultured people, Lorraine must be an even more substantial place than my hometown.”

Duke de Lenoir raised his eyebrow slightly.

I continued speaking nonchalantly.

“Actually, I’ve told Felix a lot about Lorraine. I said I really want to go there someday. He probably thought I liked Your Grace’s homeland more than his own home and became jealous. I’m sorry. It’s because of my unnecessary words that my husband was rude to you.”

The duke scoffed lightly.

“You are truly an admirable wife, Countess. Sacrificing yourself to cover up your husband’s faults.”

The moment I heard those words, I failed to maintain my composure.

‘Sacrifice myself for my husband? Who, me?’

I lifted my head abruptly to look up at the duke.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something. I don’t care at all what you think of him.”

“Then why are you trying to sweet-talk me like this?”

“Because I wanted Your Grace to see me properly.”

At that moment, Duke de Lenoir’s gaze finally fell on me. I looked up into his red eyes and smiled crookedly.

“You’re finally looking at me now.”

The duke, who had been looking at me for a moment, soon snorted.

“Countess, I’m sorry to say, but no matter how lonely I might be, I don’t look at married women like you in that way.”

The moment I heard those words, I slapped the duke’s hand away with a sharp sound in mid-air.