She had successfully put an early end to the heinous acts that had caused the most casualties in the novel and had organized a successful party to console them.

Looking back on the path she had walked with a momentary sense of pride, the first person that came to mind was standing there.

“Gongja. Everything is thanks to Gongja. I could never have done it alone. I sincerely appreciate it.”

Ermeldine briefly stopped and turned around, expressing her gratitude to Fellio.

A few steps behind Ermeldine, who followed her, Fellio also stopped and stared at Ermeldine for a while without saying anything.

His face didn’t show any expression, but Ermeldine could now understand.

It was a completely different face from the cold, expressionless one when they first met.

“Your Majesty the Empress. Would you allow me the honor of requesting a dance?”

“Now?”

“Yes. Can’t you hear the music playing right now?”

The sound of music from the central garden flowed through the spring breeze, reaching even the corners of the palace, creating a faint echo as it disappeared.

“Then, for a moment.”

Ermeldine quickly took off the brooch Henri had given her from her shoulder and replaced it with the one Fellio had given her.

Fellio continued to watch the scene in silence, his face still devoid of any expression.

“But as you know, I’m not particularly good at dancing… Earlier, I must have stepped on Prince Leopold’s feet several times. So, be prepared, Gongja!”

While dancing with Leopold and not understanding his intentions had made her mind complicated, Ermeldine was grateful to him for not showing any reaction even though she frequently stepped on his feet.

With a slightly embarrassed face, Ermeldine extended her fingers.

In response, Fellio approached, gently taking her hand.

In the almost empty corridor, the distant sound of the orchestra’s music and the faint afterglow that had now begun to mix with violet served as a background as the two held hands and moved their feet for a while.

Though their held hands and the gaze they exchanged seemed to make it impossible for them to control themselves, at least outwardly, the two danced gracefully and elegantly.

Of course, a few times, Fellio, who had his feet stepped on by Ermeldine, did twitch his eyebrows.

They couldn’t show any expression or say anything.

The two understood each other’s situation too well.
If one were to take a step here, crossing the line, one couldn’t even dance a single dry dance together, so Ermeldine suppressed all emotions inward and simply moved her feet to the music.

The faint sound of music from the garden came to an end.

The two naturally released each other.

Ermeldine and Fellio, wanting to preserve the emotions of this moment, didn’t say a word to each other until they arrived at the Empress’s palace.

Fellio bowed respectfully, offering a polite farewell, and turned away.

Ermeldine also accepted his gesture with a relaxed nod.

“Cough, cough…”

Trying to act nonchalant, Ermeldine, who had pretended to be calm, immediately rushed into her bedroom and closed the door, sitting down hesitantly.

How fortunate it was that there was no one here.

If Rune and Mago were here, they would have worried seeing Ermeldine, whose entire body turned red for various reasons.

Why such an intense reaction? Her face kept burning, her heart felt like it would explode, yet in her mind, only Fellio’s calm silver eyes peered down at her.

“Calm down! It’s just a dance! Dance! Fellio is calm, so why am I the only one going crazy alone!”

Ermeldine tried to look at the situation objectively and calm herself, but despite her composed appearance, the slight trembling at the end of Fellio’s fingertips lingered vividly.

As she spread her palms and looked down at her own hands, still trembling slightly, she had put so much effort into not shaking in front of Fellio that she even experienced spasms.

“It was warm.”

Contrary to his seemingly cold appearance, his hands felt warm enough to be noticed.

Unregrettably, the damp heat at the tips of Fellio’s fingers, who had just let go, continued to make Ermeldine’s head dizzy.

Ermeldine quietly raised her hand, covering her lips.

Closing her eyes, the heat seemed to be transmitted vividly through the trembling, as if Fellio’s steady silver eyes were watching her.

“Are you completely crazy?”

Meanwhile, after Ermeldine left, the formal Valer’s ball began in earnest, splendid, refined, and elegant.

All the attendees, even though they discreetly kept an eye on Henri from the moment Leopold appeared, were noble enough to not show any signs openly.

Henri accepted all the requests for a dance after the Valer and the first dance, which usually consisted of a few dances, were over.

Until now, he usually only danced a few dances with Valer, but today, intentionally, he accepted all requests.

When one person gathered the courage to request a dance, beautifully dressed young women, who aimed for the future Empress’s seat, followed suit.

The beautiful Emperor, who had never held hands with anyone before, held hands with the young women who had dressed up beautifully, and they fell for the handsome man in front of them, with a purpose in mind.

Though standing here made him burn inside, seeing the faces of the young girls who fell in love, Henri felt a strange heat within the Valer.

‘How dare you dance with another woman when you left me?’

Sometimes, when Henri was with Ermeldine, he felt a twinge of jealousy, but in reality, the two had almost no interaction.

Moreover, today, how was the situation?

Isn’t he accepting all the coquettishness of the women armed with makeup, clearly targeting him?

Moreover, this perfect ball was all prepared by himself.

Unlike Ermeldine, who received help from the maids, he planned and prepared everything alone.

Therefore, today should have been an occasion to congratulate himself on the pregnancy that he didn’t properly receive at the Alhans ceremony.

At least for today, he should have been the protagonist of this story that had become entangled because of Ermeldine.

All eyes were now on Henri.
The expectant gazes were intricately tangled with anticipation of whether Henri would choose someone among the young ladies he danced with today, and if he did, whom he would choose.

‘After preparing so thoroughly for today. I can’t take it anymore!’

With a bright smile on his face, Valier turned towards Leopold.

Leopold, surrounded by some noble young men, nodded cheerfully as if engaging in light conversation.

As Valier stood behind Leopold, the expressions of the young men who were chatting with him froze.

Leopold only realized that someone was behind him when Valier stood there, and the jovial atmosphere that had been permeating his face just moments ago rapidly sank.

But Leopold soon turned his head, putting on a kind smile, and politely nodded to Valier.

“Your Highness, what brings you here?”