Certainly, here’s the translated passage following your guidelines:

She didn’t even know how she had entered the ballroom, but a waltz had just begun when Olivia entered.

Olivia, without hesitation, took the Duke’s hand and stood in the middle of the ballroom.

People’s eyes poured out, but she didn’t care.

Olivia looked at the Duke and nodded. The signal that she was ready and the Duke led the dance at the same time.

“Do you always do everything so well? You dance better than last time?”

“I’m good at memorizing things.”

Olivia deliberately spoke more cheerfully. She couldn’t believe that she had walked away from her father, no, from Duke Madelreine. Fearing her trembling hand would be caught, Olivia danced even harder.

Olivia did her best to enjoy the party. She couldn’t spoil her mood just because of the Duke within the plan the Duke had laid out.

But it seemed she couldn’t genuinely enjoy herself.

“Is it complicated?”

The Duke’s lumped question hit the mark. Olivia tried to be okay, then smiled a bit bitterly.

“……If not, it would be a lie.”

“I’m not as much as you, but me too.”

“Why, Your Highness?”

After asking, Olivia gasped. Perhaps what he means is that because I’m complicated, he’s complicated too? Between Olivia’s narrowing eyes, the Duke sighed softly.

“The Emperor has left his seat.”

“And?”

“You went without approval after making a wish. I was ready to get married today.”

The voice was sincerely regretful. Olivia inadvertently smiled faintly. A relaxed smile hung on the Duke’s lips as he checked Olivia’s face.

“I don’t want to get married tonight?”

“That’s what you say, just words. You take a joke seriously?”

“I’m very witty, that’s why.”

Olivia quoted what the Duke had said to her last time. The Duke who had stuck out his tongue laughed softly.

It was trivial conversation, but her mind had eased a little. Turning, she spotted Leopold at a distance. Leopold, who always left his seat except when dancing, seemed to rush over as soon as her dance ended.

“I wish the waltz wasn’t over.”

“I thought the same thing.”

The Duke prolonged the words, smiling.

“But then Winster said we had to change partners, so we had no choice.”

The Duke gestured to where Sir Winster Carter was. A knight who laughed hard a few days ago and ran around the garden until evening. According to Haena, he even ran to the training ground.

Olivia looked at Winster. When she first saw him in the garden of all four seasons, his outfit was ridiculous, but dressed like that, he looked completely different. There would be a chance to talk sometime, but it had been in vain so far.

Was that laceadorned knight’s outfit a preference?

Into her view of Winster, the Duke puffed his cheeks and intruded.

“Isn’t there too good a man right in front of you to look at Winster?”

“Yes?”

“For example, me.”

Simultaneously with his words, the Duke grabbed Olivia’s waist and lifted her up with the waltz. Floating in midair, her hair flew a bit, and her puffedup dress skirt spread. Olivia smiled a little.

And when the waltz ended, Olivia nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“……You’re too kind.”

“Likewise.”

The Duke whispered, smiling at Olivia.

“The Crown Prince is coming behind you, Miss. What shall we do?”

Leopold was approaching. It seemed better to return to the Duke’s side now. But before Olivia could say anything, someone came before Leopold.

“I want to talk.”

It was Jade. He had appeared from somewhere and was glaring at the Duke with a stern face.

“……I want to talk to Olivia, so please step aside, Your Highness.”

“……The vicecommander is always short on words. Did you completely ignore the greeting of ‘long time no see’?”

“I threw that away when I found out the intelligence about the Hesperiti remnants was false.”

The word ‘false’ was emphasized.

Certainly, I’ve translated the passage as per your guidelines:

“Thankfully it wasn’t true. Then, Miss. Shall we head to the mansion as planned?”

“Olivia!”

Jade’s voice got louder. But Olivia didn’t want to see Jade. The moment she faced her, the handprint that remained on her shoulder felt like it was still stinging.

“……I have nothing to say.”

“I have a lot to say. Where have you been since you disappeared for that brief moment? At the Duke’s place?”

“Keep your voice down. There are many eyes watching.”

Olivia spoke softly. Jade, who was chirping, paused for a moment, trying to say something. Her eyes looking at Olivia were complex. Despite those confusing eyes, Olivia hardened her heart.

She hadn’t changed in fourteen long years. If people were going to change just because I decided to cut them off, they would have looked back at me long ago.

Jade slowly parted her lips.

“……Enough with the defiance.”

The Duke, who was beside her, tried to step forward, but Olivia caught him and shook her head.

“Defiance?”