TPOTLPIM Chapter 18

The night before the ball. A carriage from Hasblue visited the Serin estate.

Teros stared at Cecilia in a daze as she walked toward him wearing the sky-blue dress he had gifted her.

"I knew it would suit you well."

"You had your butler buy it, didn't you? It's not even a dress you chose yourself."

She pouted her lips slightly and muttered just loud enough to be heard or not heard. It was a small sound that wasn't quite meant to be heard, nor to be ignored.

"Were you disappointed?"

Teros, who had caught that small sound like a ghost, bent down to meet her eyes. His gaze seemed intent on reading the emotions displayed on her face. Those sharp eyes looked as if they would dig through her mind and eventually find out exactly what she was thinking.

"No! Disappointed, really! I'm the one who couldn't give you any gift. Next time, I'll choose a gift that Lord Teros needs."

Cecilia reminded herself that she had neither reason nor right to be disappointed with Teros, and brightened her expression again.

The two climbed together into the carriage parked in the garden.

The sunset outside the carriage window was painting the inside a reddish hue. Teros's profile, tinted by the sunset, reminded her of a well-carved sculpture. His straight forehead, smooth and high nose bridge, and firmly closed lips created a harmony of gleams and shadows in the sunset light that was like looking at a work of art.

Noticing Cecilia's gaze fixed on him, Teros turned his head toward her.

"Come to think of it, it's been two weeks since we've seen each other. Does my face seem strange after not seeing it for so long?"

"No! Two weeks isn't long enough to forget someone's face."

Cecilia's face reddened, feeling as if she'd been caught stealing glances.

"Cecilia doesn't seem unfamiliar to me either. I thought about you every day."

His words expressing his feelings were too close to ignore. The two were sitting side by side, but despite having more space on the inside, Teros sat close to Cecilia, their bodies touching.

When he bent his head to meet her eyes as if checking her reaction, bringing their faces closer, she startled and pushed his shoulder away.

"There's plenty of space beside you. Move over there!"

Heat was rising along her cheeks and she didn't want Teros to notice it.

Even though she had only pushed lightly, Teros moved aside as if he had received a great force, sliding over with a thud.

"My fiancée is being shy. I thought we had finally become close."

"To become closer, you should have met with me at least once during these two weeks!"

Cecilia felt a moment of 'oh no' at her true feelings that had slipped out despite herself. Teros didn't miss that small opening and smiled mischievously.

"You were disappointed, weren't you?"

When she gave no answer, taking it as affirmation, he began explaining how he had spent his time.

Listening to his low voice, Cecilia had to admit it.

She had been disappointed. The fact that he, who used to bother her every weekend, hadn't even shown his face for two weeks. Even she found it hard to explain why that had been disappointing.

Suddenly, she lowered her gaze to her shoes, which were dyed red by the sunset light. Just as the sunset painted her entire body red without her even realizing it, she felt as if she too had been colored by Teros in the same way.

When he actively sought her out, she had been busy pushing him away, but during the time he didn't come, Cecilia found her solitary weekends lonely and recalled the things that had happened with him.

She had grown accustomed to Teros's courtship. Even knowing that these feelings would disappear when the drug's effects wore off.

This realization frightened her, and Cecilia unconsciously frowned.

As the carriage raced toward the imperial palace, the sun gradually set, the sunset disappeared, and darkness fell all around.

When the carriage reached the front of the imperial palace, imperial guards approached to verify their identity before allowing the carriage to pass.

The place they arrived at was not the main imperial palace, but Alpensio Palace, known as the imperial summer palace in the outskirts of the capital.

This palace was specially opened to all nobles only during this period for the eve ball and celebration banquet. High-ranking nobles with blood relations to the imperial family were provided with lodging and meals within Alpensio Palace, while luxury accommodations for other nobles were prepared near Alpensio Palace.

The number of personnel the imperial household sent here to serve the guests flocking from all regions was enormous, and the surrounding households also did their best to prepare lodging and meals for the noble guests who visited once a year.

"Cecilia!"

Turning at the sound calling her name, she saw Asen running toward them, holding up the hem of her dark green dress embroidered with gold thread.

"Asen!"

The two young ladies joyfully clasped each other's hands.

Asen glanced at Teros and hesitated slightly before lifting her dress hem to curtsy to them.

"Asen! Come here."

Hadel beckoned to Asen with one hand sweeping through his platinum hair, calling her like summoning a disobedient puppy.

Hadel put his arm around Asen's shoulder and left. Cecilia saw Hadel exchange a brief nod with Teros as he departed, as if saying 'I'll make sure our child doesn't interfere with you two.' Hadel was definitely a schemer.

After the Odik siblings left and only the two remained, Teros extended his elbow toward Cecilia.

"Shall we go to the banquet hall?"

Cecilia, also lifted by the lively atmosphere around them, linked her hand through his arm with a flushed, excited face.

The path to the southern palace where the banquet hall was located turned out to be an unexpectedly thorny path.

Walking arm-in-arm with Teros, Cecilia had to endure dozens of "Oh my!" exclamations from the surrounding young ladies.

And it wasn't just the young ladies. Young noble gentlemen were also glancing their way.

Teros, apparently annoyed by such attention, irritably tugged down his cravat that was tightly constricting his neck.

"Cecilia seems very popular. To receive so much attention."

At his clueless words, Cecilia opened her mouth in disbelief.

"You must not attend many balls if you don't know, but people aren't looking at me—they're looking at Lord Teros."

"What reason would those fellows have to look at me?"

He glared coldly at the surrounding men as if to drive away the unpleasant gazes pouring down. His eyes held the determination to remove all impertinent looks directed at Cecilia.

"Well, society has always been very interested in Lord Teros. A person who rarely comes to such occasions bringing along a partner like me makes it even more curious."

'I wonder if I should be doing this when Father isn't even here.'

Imagining what expression Count Serin would make when he returned from his business trip and heard the gossip surrounding his daughter, Cecilia shook her head.

The two who arrived at the southern palace followed the procession of people ahead to find the banquet hall.

The banquet hall sparkled brilliantly under the light from several chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling.

Then Teros smiled as if he had seen through Cecilia's heart.

"After all, the food table determines the level of any ball. Shall we go check it out?"

At his suggestion, an unguarded smile crossed Cecilia's face.

Just as the two were looking at each other and smiling,

"Miss Cecilia!"

At the sound of a male voice calling her, Cecilia turned around. Actually, even before turning around, she could tell who that voice belonged to.

It was Dmitri.

"Miss Cecilia! Over here!"

Dmitri and Rosein were sitting at a four-person table covered with white tablecloth. Dmitri was waving his hand with a beaming smile of joy.

"Cecilia, let's go. Say hello to my brother."

Teros naturally guided her toward the table where the two were sitting.

Though she wasn't inclined to, it was a situation where she couldn't awkwardly avoid them, so Cecilia's steps were as heavy as a cow being led to slaughter.

"Hello, Lord Dmitri. Rosein, fancy meeting you here."

Cecilia curtsied to the two, lifting the hem of her dress.

After seating Teros and Cecilia at the table, Dmitri called a servant to bring champagne for the two.

"Miss Cecilia, we didn't get to talk much during the engagement ceremony. I really wanted to greet you properly. Since you're Rosein's closest friend and now my brother's lover."

Dmitri spoke in a cheerful, high tone as if in good spirits, sliding his words smoothly as he raised his glass forward.

It meant for everyone to toast together, so Cecilia also raised her glass, but the atmosphere was broken when Teros stubbornly refused to toast.

"She's not my lover yet. I'm courting her and we're getting to know each other. Don't burden Cecilia with unnecessary words."

At the unexpected words, Cecilia glanced at Teros. Since he had consistently talked about being his fiancée and preparing for marriage, she naturally expected him to drive home the point that she was his lover at this occasion too. But when he actually stepped back at such a moment, she couldn't understand his intentions.

"Oh, alright. My brother does have a lot to learn and needs attention when it comes to romance. Isn't that right, Miss Cecilia?"

"No. It's not that—Lord Teros is too good for me."

At Cecilia's words, Dmitri's eyes widened before he burst into laughter.

"Miss Cecilia is very kind."

"Right, she always considers someone like me."

Dmitri lowered his voice slightly and spoke playfully.

"But, Miss Cecilia. When the time comes to reject this fellow, you'll have to reject him soundly. Ordinary rejection won't hurt him or make him pay attention."

Dmitri's words were puzzlingly ambiguous, seeming right yet not quite. Just thinking of Teros's usual demeanor made it hard to imagine him being hurt, but recalling moments when he had revealed his emotions without filter, it didn't seem entirely out of the question either.

The conversation among the four continued on various topics until the discussion turned to Dmitri's major renovation work on Jeminick Castle for Rosein after their marriage.

"I'm creating a personal reception room, banquet hall, and flower garden for Rosein. When you marry, Miss Cecilia should visit often too."

"How nice, Rose."

"I told him I didn't need such things, but it was no use. I'm worried the Duke will mark me as an extravagant daughter-in-law."

"Haha, Rosein. You worry too much. Who could dislike such a pretty daughter-in-law?"

Dmitri looked at Rosein affectionately and placed his hand on the back of her chair, naturally bringing the two faces closer together. The two looked at each other and smiled with expressions as if sharing some private joke.

It was the look of real lovers.

Seeing the affectionate couple, Cecilia felt a pang in one corner of her heart. Her feelings for Dmitri were like a long-standing habit for her, similar to waking up and stretching in the morning. The bitter emotion she felt now must also stem from that old habit.

Cecilia forced a smile and lifted the glass in front of her to gulp it down. Then Teros reached over and pulled her glass down.

"Don't drink too much. Your face is already red."

Just then, the minuet melody played by the orchestra resonated through the banquet hall. It was time for everyone to come out and dance.

"Shall we go out too?"

Dmitri asked, looking at Cecilia. Braeden-style minuet was a dance where multiple people changed partners with each other. While there were main partners, at certain moments women danced with each other, and there were sections where partners were briefly switched.

Dmitri was suggesting that all four of them dance together.

Before Cecilia could speak, Teros intercepted the answer defensively.

"Never mind, you and your fiancée go ahead."

"How boring. I'm trying to help you get closer to Miss Cecilia by dancing. You danced just fine at my engagement ceremony, so why are you like this?"

Watching the brothers' quarrel, Cecilia found Teros's new side fascinating.

'He's like a disobedient colt.'

Suppressing the corners of her lips that wanted to rise, she suggested to Teros that they dance together to resolve the situation. Then Teros, who had been stubbornly sitting, obediently rose from his seat.

"Ha! When I suggested it, you wouldn't listen!"

Dmitri laughed in amazement.

The four stood in the center of the banquet hall and took positions to dance.

First, Cecilia and Teros faced each other and performed the greeting that began the dance.

The two moved their steps to the beat, clasping palms together, placing hands on waists, spinning in circles, and facing each other again repeatedly. Each time Cecilia spun, her sky-blue dress spread and gathered like a blooming flower.

"You're beautiful today, Cecilia."

When Teros, holding her hand, whispered, Cecilia's cheeks blushed pale red.

What made her shy wasn't so much the verbal compliment as the look in Teros's eyes when he said it. It was the expression he occasionally showed when he cast off his icy mask. The look in his eyes when seeing something lovely, that gaze mixed with slight longing, always made her nervous.

"Thank you, Lord Teros."

Cecilia curtsied while holding Teros's fingertips and moving away.

Partners changed.

Rosein, who had been diagonally across from Cecilia, stood before her holding her dress with multiple layers of lace. Now it was time for the women to dance together.

The two women moved to the beat with mechanical yet charming steps, repeatedly touching palms and moving apart.

When their faces came close to touch palms, Rosein quickly whispered.

"Cecilia, if you don't like Lord Teros, let him go."

At the unexpected words, Cecilia's blue eyes glared at Rosein, but Rosein paid no mind and said only what she wanted to say.

"He's not your type either. Are you continuing to meet because of Dmitri and me?"

This is unbelievable! Cecilia barely suppressed the urge to shake off Rosein's clasped hand. But getting angry here would only boost Rosein's sense of victory.

Cecilia calmed her mind and composed a tranquil expression.

"Rosein, aren't you interpreting other people's actions too much from your own perspective? People don't care about you as much as you think they do."