A slender hand extended towards Calis. A large sapphire embedded in the glove reflected a blue light.

It contrasted with the eyes observing him.

“…….,” he responded with a sharp gaze. The woman, seemingly unfazed, persistently maintained her hand in the air.

As if hesitating about the vanished kiss, she held herself confidently, as if the reluctance was a thing of the past.

Eventually, in response to her patience, Calis reciprocated. Reluctantly, he shook hands with her, and they began moving to the rhythm together.

It was a different, light movement compared to when he danced with Helena.

Usually, in a dance, the man takes the lead, leading the woman. However, strangely, it seemed that Calis was being led.

The dance continued even at the peak of the song.

“…… What’s your intention?”

But the other party didn’t even blink. Eventually, Calis initiated the conversation.

The eyes that had been closed throughout his question opened.

The brilliant blue eyes feigned innocence, portraying a lack of understanding about the other’s intentions. It was a stark contrast to the subtly rising corners of the mouth.

“You approached me on purpose, with an intention, didn’t you?”

“Well…”

“……Cloe.”

Whether she pretended not to know repeatedly irritated Calis, who muttered her name with a low voice.

“You should call me by my full name then.”

Upon hearing that, even her eyes revealed a smile.

“As always.”

A derisive tone. An arrogant manner devoid of courtesy.

Despite being favored by the Emperor, she was no more than a dismissed commoner from the Valont Royal Family.

Dealing with the Duke of Valont from the royal family was surely a rude attitude contrary to noble etiquette. But Calis was rendered powerless. He couldn’t point out her shortcomings, call her by her full name against her will, or do anything.

Just like the previous Cloe.

“Why did you show up all of a sudden? You’ve been living quietly, almost in hiding.”

The best he could do was ignore her.

She drew a sarcastic smile, knowing that Cloe would expect that from the changed topic.

A gentle turn followed, synchronized with the flow of the music. A valuable necklace settled on her neck, where it had been fixed all along during the splendid turns.

The high front hoof landed on the ground after soaring. Subsequently, Cloe also returned to her partner’s side.

“His Majesty wishes to introduce me; there’s no reason to refuse.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. His Majesty loving you is absurd. Nonsensical. You’re not concocting some strange conspiracy like when you prepared for the divorce, are you?”

“Is that so…”

Cloe murmured with a teasing voice. Despite her seemingly concurring response, her expression conveyed the opposite.

“Would His Majesty align himself with me, even if I were plotting something sinister from behind…? Do you think there’s a reason for His Majesty to follow me obediently?”

“…….”
“If you don’t favor me, there’s no need for such trouble.”

Following the rising corners of her mouth, her cheeks plumped up. The red flush accentuated on her fair skin made her appearance even more lovely.

“…So, what do you plan to do by appearing so late?”

“I have no obligation to tell you that.”

Cloe replied with a mocking tone.

“Why.”

“…….”

“Are you afraid I might ruin your well-being again?”

Then, she delivered a piercing remark.

“You…!”

In an instant, Calis’s mind flashed with past events, like a ghostly procession. The woman who had trampled on each of his achievements came to mind, and her repulsiveness surfaced.

Calis, consumed by fear, unintentionally raised his voice.

The music, forgotten amidst the absorption, had silently reached its end. The changing flow of the performance signaled the beginning of a new piece.

At that moment, the hands that were holding each other for the dance came apart. Without a chance to hold her again, she gradually moved away, disappearing into the crowd.

The lively music gradually subsided. The just-played performance seemed to be a means to segue into the next song, and soon, calm music started.

A melodious solo piano performance began. Just as the beautiful thrill prompted people to move their feet, layers of violin melodies piled up.

The highlight of the party, the slow dance, began.

And Helena appeared in front of Calis.

Compared to her previous partner, her movements were relatively dull. Calis, not adept at dancing either, repeated simple moves.

As initiation movements for the dance followed, the crowd mixed in.

Somewhere along the way, the surrounding nobles seemed more focused on something other than dancing.

Curiosity led Calis to follow their gaze. Naturally, at the end of the gaze, the two people of interest were captured.

“He met that guy.”

Kun muttered briefly.

Despite claiming otherwise, his voice was rigid. It was an emotion born out of possessiveness.

“Sorry for acting recklessly without permission. I was curious about the reaction.”