The reflection of herself in those red eyes looked unfamiliar. Her expression couldn’t hide the excitement beneath her shyness.

The firm, large palms clasped together, the broad and solid chest felt beneath those palms, and the comforting arms wrapped around her waist, supporting her body’s center as if to protect her.

As each part of his body began to be newly recognized, her cheeks, unable to lie, once again turned as red as ripe apples.

“When dancing together, avoiding your partner’s gaze is a sign that you don’t like them. Does the young lady not like her current partner?”

A gentle voice fell upon her lowered head.

Arabel’s large eyes lifted again to meet the beautiful ruby-colored eyes. The red eyes soothed her wavering gaze, as if caressing it, before completely capturing it.

As the clear eyes intertwined with his gaze without avoiding it, a satisfied smile spread across the Emperor’s face.

Swish, the Emperor’s long left leg took a step back, and the hand on Arabel’s back applied pressure, gently pulling her body forward.

His left hand holding Arabel’s hand led the direction, tilting her body slightly to the right, naturally changing their positions, and their bodies began to move together.

Count Theo, watching from a corner of the basement, had his eyes and mouth wide open.

He thought the Emperor would be terrible at dancing since he only knew how to use a sword and didn’t dance… It was a moment when he realized once again that the Emperor’s body was superior, optimized for both fighting and dancing.

His firm, long arms and legs made his movements elegant yet vibrant, instantly transforming the damp basement into a romantic ballroom. Each of his unexaggerated movements was restrained and full of dignity.

Count Theo unconsciously swallowed as he saw the red lips with both corners pulled up towards Arabel.

The Emperor’s face, genuinely enjoying himself, was so charming. The flawless and cold face from the training ground and office now looked so delicate and beautiful.

Theo wasn’t the only one mesmerized by Emperor Maxwell in this place. Arabel, gazing at the red eyes that wouldn’t release her gaze, felt as if her two feet were floating on fluffy clouds.

In fact, the first dance was a luxury she never imagined. Her heart pounded at the sight of the thick, stretched Adam’s apple revealed inside the open shirt collar.

“When I pull your back slightly and tilt your wrist back a bit, you’ll turn a full circle starting with your right foot.”

The baritone voice explaining step by step was as sweet as music.

To Arabel, who kept making mistakes due to nervousness,

“Social dancing is about connecting with your partner. Even if you panic and forget all the steps, just trust your partner and let your body follow his lead.”

He reassured her, skillfully untangling her intertwined legs with his left thigh, leading the direction and connecting the dance. At the Emperor’s kind words, Arabel’s stiff body relaxed, and soon she began to match the steps on her own.

“Oh ho,”

Count Theo’s eyes sparkled with interest as he watched Arabel now dancing quite well, following the Emperor’s lead.

Her dancing was still far from expert level. However, the lines of her body, which he had thought were small and skinny to the point of being unsightly, were surprisingly graceful and elegant. Her frame was so thin and delicate that it contrasted with the Emperor’s body, becoming an advantage instead.

When dancing at a fast tempo in his broad embrace, it was like iridescent droplets bouncing lightly, and at a slow tempo, it was like small white petals fluttering smoothly in the wind.

She wouldn’t embarrass herself at the banquet in three days. Especially if she danced with the Emperor, who could skillfully cover her mistakes.

Finally, when her movements flowed seamlessly without the Emperor’s signals and her steps didn’t tangle, Arabel’s eyes widened in surprise.

Realizing she had just completed a turn on her own and transitioned to a different rhythm of steps, Arabel burst into a joyful smile.

It was as dazzling as a shy flower bud blooming fully. The Emperor also smiled pleasantly, but honestly, he couldn’t be entirely happy due to the discomfort in his lower body since earlier.

The soft body snuggling into his arms, the sweet and clear scent of skin that ignited his whole body starting from his nose with every gentle movement, the slender and snow-white neckline that could be grasped with one hand and still have room to spare.

The round earlobe where down was still visible. And the half-open pink lips exhaling breaths that tickled his chest through the thin shirt.

Her entire body in his arms was an unbearable stimulation and torture for him. His mouth watered with the desire to bite into those rosy, ripe cheeks.

As the Emperor’s steps slowed, Arabel looked up at him with round eyes. Their connected gazes mixed and rippled as if becoming one in the lamplight.

The Emperor applied pressure to the hand on her back, bringing her forward, and was about to tilt his head towards her clean nape when…

“With this level of skill, I believe you would have no problem dancing with other nobles at the banquet, my lady.”

An oblivious voice chimed in from the side.

He tried to score points with the Emperor by praising both his teaching ability and the young lady’s learning ability. However, Count Theo soon realized he had been very rash and took a step back.

The infinitely gentle gaze disappeared, and cold red eyes glared at Count Theo.

“Other nobles? Is there any reason for the young lady to dance with anyone but me at the banquet?”

The goosebumps on his arms indicated that the atmosphere had suddenly changed from romantic to that of an underground interrogation room. Count Theo swallowed once and mumbled his answer.

“After… after dancing with Your Imperial Majesty, the young ladies… can dance with three nobles attending the banquet…?”

“Who made such a ridiculous rule?”

“Have… have you forgotten? It was Your Imperial Majesty’s direct order. You said it didn’t make sense to prevent the candidates from dancing with other men just because they were candidates. Especially for those not chosen as Empress, you said it would be a good opportunity to meet potential future fiancés.”

It was Emperor Maxwell who had allowed the candidates to dance with other nobles at the banquet. He had given such instructions because he felt burdened by the young ladies who would be staring at him all night long…

The Emperor’s lips, which had been pulled up, now pressed into a straight line as he began dancing with Arabel again.

“Do you remember what I just said?”

Before Arabel could answer, the Emperor answered for her.

“That when dancing, connecting with your partner is important. When you’re confused about the steps, you should trust him and follow his lead.”

“Yes.”

“Because you learned to dance from me, if you dance with another partner, all the steps you’ve learned will be in disarray.”

As the Emperor spoke with a slightly furrowed brow as if worried, Arabel’s eyes widened.

The Emperor pulled Arabel’s waist closer to his body and used his toes to rotate their bodies as he continued speaking.

“Everyone’s steps are slightly different. You’ve only just become accustomed to my steps and started dancing, so it’s too soon for you to adapt to another partner’s steps.”

He almost felt a bit sorry for Arabel, who was looking at him with startled doe eyes.

But that feeling was fleeting; as he imagined her clear face smiling while dancing hand in hand with another man, his mood soured.

Swish,

“Ah!”

As the Emperor’s long leg subtly tripped Arabel’s leg, her small body lost balance and fell into his arms.

Lightly embracing Arabel and resuming the dance, the Emperor calmly said,

“See? Just as I started dancing with someone else’s steps, your legs got tangled and you fell.”

Arabel nodded as if she finally understood, calming her startled heart.

“So at this banquet, it’s dangerous to dance with anyone but me. You might twist your ankle or fracture your wrist if you’re not careful. If anyone asks you to dance at the banquet, you must refuse. For your own safety.”

“Yes, I will absolutely not dance with anyone else. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Watching from the side, Count Theo rolled his eyes at the Emperor’s blatant lie.

It was impressive how the Emperor could make up such an implausible story so convincingly, but it was also surprising how the young lady believed it without a hint of doubt.

They were truly a fantastic pair.

After blindfolding Count Theo and sending him away, the Emperor arrived with Arabel at the vine-covered door, passing through the underground corridor.

The Emperor placed his hand on the door and slowly opened his mouth.

“From here, you must go alone.”

Arabel tensed her nostrils and nodded.

Under the lamplight she held, Arabel looked infinitely delicate and small, causing the Emperor’s jaw to clench tightly. As he left the basement to return, his empty hand reached out towards her but quickly dropped again.

Arabel raised her head and met his gaze with determined eyes.

“Don’t worry about me, Your Majesty. I’m neither as weak nor as young as you might think.”

As if reading the Emperor’s mind, Arabel reassured him instead.

“You’re probably the only person in the empire brave enough to treat a dying beast. I believe in you.”

As the Emperor forced a smile, Arabel’s face slightly reddened.

His hand on the door paused momentarily as the Emperor asked in a low voice.

“How do you think you would feel?”

As Arabel’s round eyes blinked, the Emperor continued.

“I mentioned earlier that I didn’t ask for my help because I was worried the future Empress might feel hurt. So I’m asking, if your beloved danced with another woman, would you feel hurt?”

Arabel stared blankly into his eyes for a moment, not understanding the Emperor’s words. Suddenly, she imagined the Emperor dancing with another young lady at the banquet.

Her chest felt as if it had been sharply cut, causing her eyes to tense for a moment. He said ‘beloved,’ yet the Emperor’s face came to mind.

Flustered, Arabel’s face turned red up to her ears, and she lowered her head without answering. The Emperor smiled faintly and said,

“Then, I’ll see you in three days, Lady Arabel.”

With those whispered words, he pushed open the vine-covered door.

The floor beneath Arabel’s feet began to rotate, and in an instant, she appeared in the forest outside the vines.

As she set out on the dark forest path with the lamp in hand, a yellow ginkgo leaf fell beneath her feet with a rustle.

Ginkgo leaves continued to fall along her path. Arabel looked up at the tall cherry trees for a moment before continuing her steps.

Even though she was walking alone in the darkness, she felt neither lonely nor afraid. It was almost disappointing to see the lights of the pond garden and the annex growing closer.

As she passed through the forest and approached the annex guarded by soldiers, the yellow leaves that had accompanied her stopped falling.

Arabel picked up the last fallen ginkgo leaf, carefully tucking it away, and whispered quietly.

“Good night.”