“Dance practice?”

“Yes. It’s been a very long time since I danced with a real partner, so I’m worried I might be a bother to you.”

Riena nodded as well.

“It’s the same for me. I danced a couple of times at parties a few years ago, but I definitely lack practical experience, so my body feels stiff. It would be good to practice in advance.”

Cassel immediately had a servant bring a magical device that played music. The servant turned on the music and quickly left the reception room.

“The first song was a waltz, right?”

Riena asked as she placed her hand on Cassel’s shoulder. He answered as he put his hand on her waist.

“Yes.”

“I’m not confident in the waltz, but let’s give it a try anyway.”

Cassel carefully took Riena’s remaining hand and began to step. Contrary to his worries about not being able to dance properly, he led her quite skillfully.

Rather, it was Riena who was nervous.

“Um, it’s definitely a bit awkward dancing after so long. But don’t worry, I won’t step on your feet.”

“It’s alright if you do.”

“It would hurt if I step on you with these shoes.”

Riena smiled.

“By the way, are all knights this good at dancing? Maybe it’s because your movements are so agile. Raoul was a good dancer too.”

Riena didn’t see Cassel’s expression momentarily stiffen as she was looking down at her feet. When she looked up again, he maintained his composure as if nothing had happened.

“I suppose we tend to be. But not everyone is good at it.”

“I see. It’s amazing anyway. I wish I had learned some swordsmanship when I was young. My father was a knight, but I never even held a sword once. I regret that now.”

“Your master was worried you might get hurt.”

“Still. What’s wrong with getting hurt? I should have developed the strength to protect myself.”

As the mood was about to turn gloomy, Riena quickly changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, do you remember that, Cas?”

Riena smiled as she watched Cassel move his feet naturally.

“When we danced together as children, you used to step on my feet so much.”

“…I don’t recall.”

It was clearly the answer of someone who remembered. However, Riena pretended not to notice and decided to tease him.

“You really don’t remember? There were times when you stepped on me more than five times in one song? While I never stepped on you once.”

“…”

“Once, you stepped on me so hard that my foot was bruised blue. Don’t you remember me wearing socks indoors for a while to hide that bruise?”

“I swear I never stepped on you hard enough to cause bruising.”

His claim was true. The previous statement was just something Riena made up to tease him.

“So you do remember stepping on my feet?”

“…”

Riena laughed out loud again as she watched him exercise his right to remain silent. She gently stroked Cassel’s shoulder and murmured.

“Those times were really nice. No worries at all, just pure joy.”

“I…”

Cassel said in a low voice.

“I’m sufficiently happy even now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. To the point where I’m afraid if I deserve such excessive happiness.”

“I’m truly honored that I’ve given you such joy. But excessive? Not at all. You deserve to enjoy this happiness.”

Riena completely stopped her slowly moving feet. Cassel also stopped following her.

She caressed Cassel’s cheek, which looked somewhat pained despite his words of happiness.

“Don’t be afraid of happiness.”

“…”

“In this world, there’s no one who shouldn’t be happy, nor anyone who deserves to be unhappy. So don’t feel guilty about your emotions.”

“I…”

Cassel opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I’m afraid that all this happiness might be an illusion.”

“…”

He pulled Riena’s hand that was tickling his cheek and kissed her palm. A moist sound was heard.

“I haven’t forgotten that someday, when the time comes, I must let you go. I know that I should wish for your happiness wherever you go when you leave my side.”

“…”

“But I…”

Cassel squeezed his eyes shut. His fine eyelashes trembled, and the hand holding Riena’s also shook.

“I’m already afraid of this mansion without you.”

“…”

“I’ve grown accustomed to this happiness, and I ask myself several times a day if I can endure it if you suddenly disappear.”

“Cas…”

“I thought maybe it would be better to turn away from this happiness from the beginning, wouldn’t it be less empty later?”

It was the first time she heard his inner thoughts. His intense emotions were so vivid that Riena felt choked up as well.

“It was the same when we were young. I was happy when you were there, and unhappy when you weren’t. I don’t have the confidence to endure that pain again. Perhaps I haven’t grown at all from the cowardly Cas you nicknamed me.”

“…”

“Yet I can’t dare ask you not to leave me. Because maybe you’d be happier leaving my side.”

His words, like a confession, continued. Whatever had triggered him, Cassel was spilling out emotions he had kept hidden all this time without reservation.

“I should be glad and happy just knowing that you’re alive and well like this, but my ugly greed keeps growing…”

At this moment, Riena could realize.

That the vague assumption she had been thinking about might not be just an assumption, but could actually be true.

Cassel Winckler loves Riena Dyke. He didn’t propose to her to fulfill his master’s last wish, or to keep a childish promise from his youth.

He simply came to meet her because he loved her.

If that was really true…

Riena’s lips trembled, and she barely managed to squeeze out her voice.

“Do you…”

Do you love me? Do you love me even though I haven’t done anything particularly for you, and have only been receiving?

Do I deserve to receive your love?

She had many questions she wanted to ask, but couldn’t bring herself to voice them.

Because she didn’t know how to react if a positive answer came from Cassel.

The situation was too complicated to be simply happy about the relief that she wasn’t the only one feeling affection for the other.

This time, she asked herself.

Is it alright for me to continue staying by Cas’s side like this? Am I really a suitable person for Cas?

Shouldn’t a man like Cassel Winckler meet a woman better than her insignificant self?

Not Riena Dyke who left her family, but a woman with better backing to support his future path, who was raised with more love and could give him greater love than her.

In fact, although no one had told her, and Riena didn’t show that she knew, there had been some controversy in high society after the engagement announcement about whether she really deserved to marry Cassel.

Rumors said that the Emperor had Cassel in mind as a match for his beloved First Princess.

But to choose a mere count’s daughter over such a princess? The former Count Dyke who would have supported her was dead, and the current Count Dyke was her 10-year-old half-brother.

On top of that, there were whispers about the poor finances and state of the count’s family.

Everyone was hushing it up for fear of Cassel’s anger, but there were surely some among his retainers who shared such discontent.

It meant that not everyone was friendly towards Riena.

So she couldn’t bring herself to give the same answer to Cassel, who was laying down everything and appealing to her.

But she also couldn’t say that someone else would come along to make him happy if she left. The thought of him being happy beside another woman made her heart ache.

“Cas, I…”

Riena decided to try expressing her feelings indirectly. That much should be alright, right?

“When Father passed away so suddenly and I was left alone in the world, it was really hard. When Mother proceeded with marriage talks without even asking my opinion, I looked back on my life, thinking, was I such a powerless person? But you know.”

“…”

“I’m really glad that the person who came to find me that day was you.”

Riena gently stroked his lips with the hand still held by Cassel. She could feel him taking a deep breath through her fingertips.

“So, just a little, won’t you give me a little more time to sort out my thoughts?”

“Does that mean…”

“Everything is still confusing, so I can’t readily come to a conclusion. But…”

Riena couldn’t continue. However, as if that was enough, hope dawned on Cassel’s face.

He composed himself and lightly bit the tip of Riena’s finger before releasing it.

“If that is your wish.”

He looked at Riena with a moist smile.

“I can wait here for as long as it takes.”