Chapter 71
Michael and I had promised to meet several days ago, but I hadn’t found time to go to the spire. I was becoming anxious about breaking my promise to Michael.
‘He must be waiting.’
The problem wasn’t separating from Lucas and Tristan. The person consuming my remaining time was none other than Heishar.
I stared at a man I hadn’t expected to see here.
With his golden hair grown quite long and tied precariously, the man smiled refreshingly. I wondered why Heishar, whom I thought would stay at the mansion, was here at the imperial palace.
“Heishar. Haven’t we had enough lessons by now?”
“My role is to ensure the Grand Princess has a successful debut, so the practice never ends.”
“You didn’t come with us when we departed.”
“Even with the Grand Duke’s exceptional magical power, he couldn’t transport everyone at once, so we moved in groups.”
Heishar answered smoothly as he pulled out a magical device.
The memory of using that device until I was sick of it made me nauseous. Just when I thought I had finally mastered the dance, I had to see that dreadful device again!
Heishar, showing no mercy today either, turned on the music.
“Dance is something that can never be practiced enough.”
“That’s not true.”
“See? Your steps are getting tangled again. Let’s start from the beginning.”
Heishar clapped his hands to the rhythm, guiding my movements. There were others who had arrived at the imperial palace on the late-departing carriage.
Sen and the maids who would help with my preparations for the ball.
“You’re doing well. If you could just turn a little faster there! Ah, what a shame.”
“I’ve been curious about this. Thank you for letting me observe the lesson.”
“I’m going to record this entire scene with a video orb, so please keep your voices down.”
“We’re here watching you, so do your best!”
The maids watched my dancing with extraordinarily passionate eyes. It felt like the parent observation classes I had experienced before being born into this novel world.
I wish they would all leave.
There was a reason I couldn’t send them away despite feeling burdened. Heishar had declared that today, as many people as possible should watch my lesson.
“Because at the actual ball, you’ll be dancing in front of many people.”
Moreover, the opening dance at the ball was set to be performed by young noble children making their early debuts.
‘It is a necessary experience.’
To create an atmosphere similar to the actual ballroom, Lucas and Tristan, my temporary partners, were also dressed in formal attire.
It still hadn’t been decided who would be my final partner. For this practice, Lucas was playing the role of my partner.
Lucas insisted with a serious face.
“You danced three times with Tristan, so you should dance five times with me.”
“Hey Lucas, I have pride too, you know?”
“Then four times?”
“Fine.”
I accepted Lucas’s modest compromise and moved my feet. When Lucas lifted me up to the music, I noticed something strange.
‘That hair…’
For this lesson only, anyone, including the maids, was allowed to watch. Among the spectators, I spotted a child with a very small frame.
“Lucas. Sorry, but next time, could you lift me a bit higher?”
“Alright. But if you’re scared, tell me right away.”
The real fear was something else entirely.
If what I saw was correct, that child over there was…
After the hand-holding part of the dance ended, the music intensified again. When the music reached its peak, Lucas lifted me into the air.
As my view elevated, I could confirm that it was indeed the child I had seen earlier.
‘That’s definitely Michael.’
Though he seemed to have tried to disguise himself by wearing a robe, the color of his hair peeking out was unmistakably his.
‘Did he come secretly?’
It seemed Michael had discovered my identity and come looking for me. After all, the Grand Duke’s family was the only high nobility staying at the imperial palace.
Even so, wasn’t it dangerous for him to come like this?
I had no idea what would happen if Tristan and Lucas found out. Just then, Tristan was walking toward the direction where Michael was.
“Tristan!”
When I called out to him in the middle of dancing, Tristan stopped.
“Why are you calling, little one?”
“Don’t stand there, let’s all three dance together this time!”
“You know that the debutante dance for children is supposed to be performed by two people, right?”
“Rules are made to be broken, aren’t they?”
That was something Tristan often said when causing trouble. Lucas, who was dancing with me, furrowed his brow, finding it strange that I would say such a thing.
“Liat. Don’t memorize what that guy says as if it’s a wise saying.”
“But it is a good saying.”
In truth, I had no intention of dancing with all three of us. I had barely mastered dancing with two people, and changing to three would require completely reworking the choreography.
I just needed to prevent Tristan from going over there. As I was pondering other excuses, Heishar, who had been watching, interjected.
“That’s actually a good idea.”
“Huh?”
“Dancing with the three of you, I mean.”
Heishar tapped his palm with his baton as he continued.
“Since we hadn’t decided which of you two would be the Grand Princess’s partner anyway.”
“If we do it with three people, Liat might have to learn the dance all over again.”
“I understand your concern, Lucas. But that approach might actually be better.”
“In what way?”
Heishar’s reasoning was that with three people dancing, the audience’s attention would be divided. Additionally, we could simplify some of the more difficult movements.
“If we modify the existing choreography, we can probably create a new routine quickly.”
“Can’t we just cancel it?”
My cautiously added suggestion was naturally ignored. It seemed that not having to fight over who would be my partner had swayed both of them.
After carefully reviewing Heishar’s proposal, Lucas agreed.
“…It might not be bad.”
“I agree too. Dancing with my brother feels unpleasant, but it’s okay since the little one is here.”
“Then I’ll proceed with that in mind.”
I’ve dug my own grave.
Under Heishar’s guidance, dance practice began again. Having to rework the choreography from scratch gave me a headache.
‘This will really stand out.’
The ball would already be focused on me for being the adopted Grand Princess.
Swallowing my tears, I learned the new choreography as instructed. Michael watched me from among the crowd until the end of the lesson.
***
The two who had been engaged in a battle of nerves throughout the dance collapsed on opposite ends of the sofa as soon as the lesson ended. It was natural for them to be exhausted after trying to learn new movements while fighting.
“Little one. Wake me up in 10 minutes.”
“I’m planning to sleep and wake up around the same time, too. I’m counting on you.”
“Got it.”
The two fell fast asleep as soon as they heard my answer.
After confirming they were asleep, I tiptoed outside. I was curious where Michael had gone after the lesson ended.
I poked my head out the door and looked around.
“Has he already gone back?”
I had wanted to explain why I couldn’t go to the spire when we met. Feeling disappointed, I stared blankly at the corridor.
Just as I was turning to go back into the room, an arm suddenly emerged from behind a pillar and pulled me.
As the hood he was wearing was pushed back, golden hair cascaded down.
“Shh. It’s me.”
Michael took my hand and led me into an empty room in the corridor.
Finally, face to face with him, I couldn’t speak immediately due to feeling sorry. Michael, who also seemed hesitant, fidgeted with the hem of his robe.
While I was trying to time my apology, he spoke first.
“I apologize for coming suddenly. I kept waiting, but you didn’t come, so I looked for you and…”
“You found out I’m the adopted Grand Princess.”
“Yes. And I was just going to see your face and leave.”
“Did you sneak out like when we first met?”
The imperial family and the Grand Duke’s family were in a tense relationship. The Empress, who was said to be ambitious for the throne, would never allow her son to meet the daughter of a family the Emperor was wary of.
If Michael had mentioned our meeting, it would have caused an uproar.
“Why do you look so dejected?”
I was the one who hadn’t revealed that I was the Grand Princess. Despite waiting for me all this time, Michael wasn’t angry that I hadn’t gone to see him.
Rather, his cautious glances at me made him look like a sad puppy.
“I was afraid you might not want to meet me anymore.”
I did think we wouldn’t see each other after the ball when I returned home. I stood on my tiptoes and gently stroked Michael’s hair.
His expression gradually brightened at my touch.
“We’re friends. I wouldn’t turn away over something like that. I’m sorry I couldn’t come.”
“It’s okay.”
“I wanted to go, but I had lessons and couldn’t. And my bro… my brothers dislike the imperial family a little bit.”
“I know.”
“You knew?!”
Michael told me about his experiences at official events. He had tried to befriend Lucas and Tristan a few times but failed.
“I think we got along fine when we were very young. But from a certain day, they started avoiding me.”
“Do you remember exactly when that was?”
“Probably around three years ago.”
That’s when the accident that killed the Grand Duchess happened. Having guessed the general situation, I sighed.
Michael seemed completely unaware of what the imperial family had done.
“I appreciate you coming, but it’s dangerous if those two see you. You know that, right?”
“Can’t I come secretly to see you and leave, like today?”
“We’ll see each other at the ball soon anyway.”
“That’s too far away.”
Despite our words, neither Michael nor I had a good solution. Unless Lucas and Tristan happened to fall asleep simultaneously like today.
Michael hesitated for a long time despite my telling him to leave.
“Then perhaps after the ball ends, could we go to the festival together that night?”
“There’s a festival?”
“If you say you’re resting in your room and slip out through the secret passage, there won’t be a problem.”
At the ballroom, there would be many people, and Lucas and Tristan wouldn’t always be able to stay by my side. Once I returned to the Grand Duke’s residence, we wouldn’t have a chance to meet.
I also felt a bit guilty about not keeping our promise that day.
“Alright, I’ll go.”
At my answer, a smile spread across Michael’s tense face. I pushed him toward the passage. My heightened senses told me that Lucas was beginning to wake up.
Even as he left, Michael looked back at where I was several times.
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