Caland looked at Ormia while listening to the voices of the nobles.

“Oh, Ormia? That person?”

Alian, standing beside him, spoke Caland’s inner thoughts.

‘Was Ormia’s face like that?’

He recalled Ormia looking down at the floor depressingly. The face that spoke of his crimes with an expressionless look.

But now it was different.

Her face was impressive, with cheeks flushed red, perhaps from makeup, and sparkling eyes gazing at the imperial delegation standing beside her. Her expression was vivid and lovely.

‘As if she’s fallen in love…’

Ormia wasn’t intimidated by people’s gazes and came down alone naturally, being escorted.

That sight captivated everyone’s attention. Her face was pure, gently smiling and responding to the person next to her, with long eyelashes fluttering.

She shone and was mysterious like the descent of a goddess.

“I didn’t know Princess Ormia was this beautiful…”

“Ah, she’s gorgeous.”

Exclamations burst out here and there.

People watched Ormia, even breathing carefully.

“That dress, is it a design popular in the Empire? Oh my, it’s so pretty.”

“Don’t you know? They say Princess Ormia drew the design herself for Madam Elaine. And all those sparkling jewels are diamonds provided by the Empire.”

“Did you see the necklace? Isn’t that the blue diamond called ‘God’s Tear’?”

“Isn’t that the necklace Duke Windsor was going to give to Princess Leticia but left after hearing the price?”

“As expected, the Empire’s spending is different. To gift such an expensive jewel to the princess without hesitation.”

“How luxurious must the imperial palace be.”

“Today’s protagonist is undoubtedly Princess Ormia.”

Leticia clutched her dress at the ladies’ voices.

“It’s okay, it’s just for today. She’s leaving anyway.”

Caland glanced at Leticia as she muttered.

People focused on Ormia until the servant announced the king’s entrance.

* * *

“I’m sorry.”

My stamina was exhausted.

I stepped on Marx’s feet ten times while dancing with him.

Marx, who initially smiled and said it was fine, sat down on a chair limping with a red face when the dance ended. Benjamin pressed his lips together and gave me a thumbs up.

I thought I might feel better after resting for a while.

Sitting on the sofa, I had to admit I had no energy left to dance again.

“It’s a shame. For the first time, I was able to dance three songs.”

I hadn’t danced with Jeffrey at an official ball either.

Marx, who had been sitting leisurely as if he had no intention of dancing with the peeking young ladies, choked while drinking wine.

“… First time dancing three songs?”

“It was the first time I danced with him before.”

I couldn’t say Liam’s name in front of them. I hadn’t revealed that I knew Liam’s identity.

Benjamin whimpered.

“Oh, what should we do? We’ve ruined the princess’s precious memory.”

“What do you mean by precious memory?”

“You’ll remember Lord Hal Rund and Lord Marx as your dance partners, princess. What a terrible thing.”

“You’re saying the memory of dancing with me is terrible?
Don’t forget the sacrifice of my feet.”

“What can I do when the princess says she’s tired?”

I thought that was enough, but Benjamin muttered while shrinking his neck.

“No, that’s not what I mean, I’m just saying…”

Just then, Marx made a ‘hmm’ sound and stared at Liam. Liam’s brow immediately furrowed.

“There’s a way. I thought of a dance that will make the princess never forget today.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“What nonsense are you trying to say? The person involved says she’s tired, what are you going to do?”

“The princess won’t be tired. Besides, she can instantly rise as the protagonist of today’s banquet.”

Marx pointed at Liam.

“No way.”

Liam seemed to understand, his brow furrowing deeper.

“You’re the most suitable partner among us three, can you do it? You showed a splendid figure holding the princess at the previous banquet and you’re officially courting her, so it has to be you. If me or Benjamin step up, it’ll only worsen the princess’s reputation. What should we do?”

“What is it? What’s the method? Tell me, please?”

Benjamin hadn’t realized what Marx’s method was.

I couldn’t think of anything either.

Liam looked at me instead of answering. He seemed somewhat embarrassed.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to. I’m having enough fun as it is.”

Liam sighed and shook his head.

“No. It’s not enough.”

Even though I said it was fine, Liam denied it. Marx nodded in agreement.

“Right, this isn’t right. The princess is leaving this country the day after tomorrow. But look at the nobles. They should at least wish the princess well on her journey, not knowing when she’ll return, but no one’s coming to greet her.”

“It’s always like this.”

It had always been this way.

It would be stranger if the nobles came to greet me at my last banquet in Glishia.

“People don’t approach me.”

At that moment, Liam set down his glass with a thud.

“Let’s do it.”

He stood up lightly, tilting his neck to the side to stretch his muscles.

“To think I’d end up doing the courtship dance.”

“Huh? The courtship dance? You mean Fortuna? We’re going to dance that?”

“Benjamin, you’ve danced it when proposing, right?”

“I’ve danced it with friends… But the courtship dance for the princess?”

“It’s not just for proposals. We dance it for family too.”

Marx stood up as well.

“That’s true, but that’s for real celebrations…”

“It is a celebration. The princess is leaving Glishia for the Empire. Isn’t it?”

“That’s right. There’s no happier occasion than this.”

I nodded at Liam’s words. It’s something I wanted, so it’s worth celebrating.

Benjamin stood up as well, looking at the musicians.

“Then, the music…”

“We don’t need music.”

“Uh… That’s true. It’s been a while.”

“It’s my first time.”

Liam threw his gaze elsewhere. Marx chuckled.

“If we had danced Fortuna in the Empire, it would have caused an uproar. The princess should enjoy this moment, as it will never happen again.”

Liam extended his hand to me.

“Let’s go. The princess just needs to stand.”

I didn’t know what was happening, but I followed along with their enthusiastic appearance.

As I stood up holding his hand, he led me to the center of the hall. Marx and Benjamin followed behind me.

As the three men and I entered the hall, which usually had one-to-one male-female partners, people made way for us. They stepped back, curious about what was about to happen.

Fortuna, the dance of courtship.

It’s one of the traditional dances of the Empire of Ethesia, a group dance performed by a man with his friends when proposing to a woman.

I had never seen it in person, only read about it in books.

“Here we go.”

With Liam’s low voice, their expressions became serious.

Thump. The three standing in front of me simultaneously stamped one foot on the floor.

Looking only at me, they steadily tapped the floor with their shoe soles. It echoed through the hall like a drum sound, swallowing up the musicians’ music.

And then, those who had only been moving their feet began to dance in unison.

With Liam facing me as the axis, they formed a triangle and showed movements without any disarray.

The imperial black formal wear had weight. It wasn’t frivolous, but a bit heavy yet splendid, giving strength to their movements. It didn’t allow me to look at anything else.

The hall was soon overwhelmed by the sound of their shoe soles, and no other sounds could be heard.

The three who had been making the same movements stopped, and Liam approached me.

The dance of courtship.

A courtship where the male shows off his splendor to win the female’s love.

Circling around me, Liam didn’t take his eyes off me. As if only he and I existed in the world.

Liam, who had been showing off his splendor with precise hand gestures, returned to the group and danced again.

Only for me.

Just for me.

It gave me a feeling I had never experienced in three lifetimes.

Thump, as the dance ended, Liam knelt on one knee in front of me and extended his hand.

As Liam stood up, kissing the back of my hand, applause erupted from all directions.

“That’s Fortuna, right?”

“To think we’d see the courtship dance here.”

“To dance that for Princess Ormia, the princess must be happy.”

It felt like a dream.

Since meeting Liam, dreamlike things had been happening to me every day.

* * *

The king and queen, and the dukes also watched from the high seat.

Ormia blushed and smiled towards the imperial delegation.

“The relationship between the princess and the imperial delegation seems closer than I thought.”

At Duke Haiman’s words, Duke Bersi quietly added.

“We might be able to use this.”

“Use it, you say?”

“The Empire may be acting weak now, but we don’t know when their attitude might change suddenly. With her so infatuated, wouldn’t there be something Princess Ormia could do for us in the Empire? For Glishia’s sake.”

“Hmm.”

The king stroked his chin.

He was often displeased by the image of Ormia coughing up blood after taking infertility medicine.

Whenever he thought of Ormia, that sticky image naturally came to mind.

“If Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen speak to her well, wouldn’t that be enough? After all, you are her parents. The princess wouldn’t refuse her parents’ request.”

“I don’t want to. Just seeing the princess’s face makes me nauseous and gives me goosebumps.”

The queen, who had been listening quietly, coldly refused. The queen even shuddered.

“Your Majesty, it’s all for Glishia’s sake.”

“I understand Your Majesty’s feelings, but once she leaves for the Empire, you won’t have to meet her again. Would the Empire send her back after taking her away like that? It’s just this once. You only need to treat the princess kindly once.”

“Isn’t there a royal family dinner tomorrow? Please say just one warm word to her then. That alone would make Princess Ormia happy.”

“Queen.”

Under the urging of the dukes and the king, the queen finally agreed.

“… Alright. For Glishia’s sake, I’ll endure it for just tomorrow.”

Just one word would do, they said.

The queen wanted to erase even the fact that she had given birth to Ormia. That’s why she treated Leticia even better. If she couldn’t erase the memory, she could replace her daughter.

‘Yes, one word should be enough.’

No one approached Ormia at the banquet. She was with the imperial delegation, but people didn’t dare approach as it wasn’t something they usually did.

‘Tomorrow.’

Caland and the royal family also postponed it until tomorrow.

The next day, at the regular royal family dinner, the dukes were also present.

The king and queen entered the dining hall upon hearing that everyone had gathered. As they looked around the gathering and headed towards the high seat, they stopped in their tracks.

“Hmm.”

The queen let out a groan.