What on earth is going on?

It was a series of unexpected situations.

Alicia looked alternately at the playfully smiling Riley and the expressionless Killian.

‘He seems… a bit angry?’

Perhaps due to having pursued only Killian for a long time?

Alicia, who had somehow become able to read Killian’s expressions that others couldn’t decipher, noticed that he was very displeased with the current situation.

‘Why?’

From the moment Killian asked her to dance, Alicia’s mind was in complete disarray.

She couldn’t understand why these things kept happening.

“Are you asking me to dance, Viscount?”

“The music will start again soon. Shall we go?”

Just as she had unknowingly taken Killian’s hand earlier, Alicia was about to extend her hand as if entranced, but flinched when she felt a hand grasp her wrist.

Even though both she and the other person were wearing gloves, why did she feel heat?

Startled by the warmth of another person transmitted through the gloves, Alicia looked up.

“Killian?”

It was Killian who had grasped Alicia’s wrist.

He briefly glanced at Alicia, who was staring blankly at him as if unable to understand the current situation, then spoke to Riley who was standing with his hand extended towards her.

“I have matters to discuss with Her Highness, so it would be better for the Viscount to wait.”

“But Your Grace…”

Riley, still smiling, took a step closer to Killian and whispered in a voice too low for others to hear.

“Everyone else has already moved. You’re the last one, Your Grace.”

Killian clicked his tongue briefly at his words.

“Besides, there won’t be a better timing than this. Let’s postpone the conversation if it’s not urgent.”

“…”

After glaring at Riley for a moment, Killian released Alicia’s wrist, which he had been holding tightly until then.

The warmth that remained strangely hot on her freed wrist made Alicia’s heart beat faster.

“…The Duke doesn’t like noisy places, so he might be tired. His Majesty has left his seat as well, so it would be good for you to rest for a moment.”

It was Alicia who raised her voice so that everyone could hear.

Although her mind was still in confusion, this was an ‘opportunity’.

If not now, it would be difficult for Killian to leave the Grand Hall.

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”

Killian, seeming to have realized Alicia’s intention behind her words, stepped back obediently and bowed his head slightly.

The gazes of those gathered here were directed towards them, but Killian, acting as if he knew nothing, finished his greeting and turned around, and Alicia saw him leave the hall.

“Shall we move then?”

“…Yes.”

Alicia lightly grasped Riley’s outstretched hand and stepped into the center of the hall once again.

As she moved back and forth to the slightly faster tempo of the music compared to the previous piece, Alicia, whose thoughts had become organized enough to think calmly, opened her mouth towards Riley.

“Did you know that Duke Diaz would ask me to dance?”

“No, I didn’t. But I knew he would do something to make it easier for others to move.”

Alicia, who realized that Killian’s action of asking her to dance was carried out under his calculation, bit her lower lip slightly.

Stupid Alicia. You’re not going to misunderstand that there’s some meaning to this again, are you?

Blaming herself like that and forcefully pushing down the expectation that kept raising its head tirelessly, Alicia looked up.

“You look happy, Viscount.”

“Thanks to Duke Diaz and Your Highness, things have become easier. And besides, I’m matching steps with Your Highness like this. It’s an honor.”

The sound of noble ladies letting out small exclamations could be heard as they saw Riley’s face, which was smiling brightly enough to show his teeth while winking one eye.

“You have a talent for saying things that are pleasing to hear.”

“It’s not much of a talent. Don’t all nobles do this?”

Hearing such superficial words from a man who had never shown her such courtesy in her previous life, Alicia couldn’t help but laugh.

In her previous life, the expressions Riley showed while looking at Alicia were only contempt or pity, nothing more.

It was an expression he only showed in front of Alicia, the Empress.

‘He must have known that I wouldn’t be able to push him away.’

Riley, who inherited both the title and the position of Prime Minister after the death of Duke Anderson, knew better than anyone that Alicia desperately needed his help.

Thanks to that, a force capable of checking the power held by Killian could be maintained.

So he must have been more confident when looking at her.

As the music reached its climax, their breathing became a little faster.

Alicia, who started moving with small steps on her tiptoes, looked straight into Riley’s eyes as he followed her steps with his hand on her waist.

Now, such emotions could no longer be found in his purple eyes.

Confirming once again that she had traveled back in time, Alicia slightly bent her knees as she left his arms at the final measure of the music.

“Everyone is looking at us.”

As she straightened her bent knees while taking Riley’s outstretched hand, Alicia whispered softly, looking at the nobles who were staring at them without even noticing who had disappeared from the Grand Hall.

Riley, lightly holding Alicia’s hand and escorting her to her seat with slow steps, also answered in a low voice.

“Most of them are probably looking at Your Highness.”

“I suppose so.”

Not only did she dance with Killian, but she also matched her breath with Riley.

What kind of rumors would pour out from places she couldn’t hear?

It was clear that it would be nothing good for her to hear.

“That’s not it.”

“Pardon?”

“They’re looking because Your Highness is beautiful.”

As if he had noticed what Alicia was thinking, Riley shook his head slightly and said.

By then, Alicia had arrived at her seat and could hear Riley’s soft whisper as he let go of her hand and bowed deeply.

“It’s true. Everyone is too distracted watching Your Highness, the most beautiful person here right now.”

Is he trying to comfort her?

And of all people, Riley?

It felt awkward to receive comfort from a man who had always looked at her with displeasure in her previous life.

“May I stay by Your Highness’s side for a moment?”

“…You want people to keep looking this way, I see.”

“The presence of those who have left their seats is so great that we can’t help it. In exchange, I’ll tell you quite an interesting story, so please allow me.”

Alicia glanced at the empty Emperor’s seat for a moment and nodded.

Aren’t Adrian and Sienna also trying to prevent the nobles surrounding them from noticing the absence of the Emperor and the three dukes and the viscount who have left their seats?

“I’m curious about what interesting story the Viscount knows.”

“You won’t regret it.”

Riley bowed his head with an exaggerated gesture.

Meanwhile, Killian, who had left the hall, was moving to a deep place in the Imperial Palace, guided by the head butler.

Riley’s words that he was the last seemed to be true, as the steps of the head butler walking ahead were quite quick.

−Knock knock

“Duke Diaz has arrived.”

The head butler, who announced Killian’s arrival with a small knock, silently opened the door, and those waiting for him inside greeted him with their eyes.

“I heard you danced with Her Highness Alicia? What were you thinking?”

Duchess Fraser, who was sitting with a whole fruit platter from who knows where, asked after swallowing the fruit she had been chewing in her mouth.

Killian, passing by her as if she wasn’t worth responding to, approached the table placed in the center of the room and bowed his head towards the Emperor seated at the head.

“I apologize for being late.”

“I should rather thank you, Duke Diaz, for allowing us to slip out without any commotion.”

Although he said so, the Emperor seemed to be bothered by the fact that Killian had danced with Alicia, carefully examining Killian’s expression.

Although he skillfully hid his emotions, the Emperor’s ability wasn’t limited to simply reading the thoughts of those standing before him, which was why Killian always felt uncomfortable standing before the Emperor.

Of course, if it was the Emperor, he would have noticed Killian’s discomfort as well.

‘But he wouldn’t know everything.’

Killian clenched and unclenched the hand where someone’s warmth remained as he sat down in the seat prepared for him.

“Let’s quickly sort out other matters first.”

In response to the Emperor’s words, Duchess Fraser, responsible for the southern region, was the first to speak.

After handing over the empty fruit platter to a servant standing nearby, she placed a document in the center of the table with a serious look, as if she had never engaged in light conversation.

“This is a letter sent from the Kingdom of Tirione. They wanted me to check the contents first and then deliver it to Your Majesty.”

“What are the contents?”

“They will send a formal letter later, but they want to send one of the kingdom’s princes as a congratulatory envoy for the upcoming birthday of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The Kingdom of Tirione, with its unfrozen sea, was not a vassal state of Eregron, but as a neighboring country adjacent to the southern border, it was one of the countries that showed great interest in the empire’s political situation.

Until now, they had been favorable to the empire, but if internal strife were to occur within Eregron, they could turn into a hostile relationship at any time, taking advantage of the opportunity.

“Sending a prince as a congratulatory envoy… What do you think their intentions are, Duchess?”

After pondering for a moment, she slowly opened her mouth to the Emperor’s question.

“The current king of the Kingdom of Tirione is one who desires friendship with the empire. And the easiest way to establish friendship between countries is marriage.”

Glancing at Killian for some reason as she thought about her next words, Duchess Fraser continued.

“It seems they want Her Highness Alicia to be matched with their prince.”