***
***
The first banquet of the second week was held at the Catalonia Villa.
The villa of the rich Marquis was splendid and grand.
The marble support pillars were delicately carved with grape vines, and each window was a stained glass piece, spreading blocks of color across the floor when sunlight poured through.
Moreover, all the walls were painted with gold and blue, making them look royal and expensive.
Mesmerized, she stared at the walls as they entered the ballroom.
Catalina said she didn’t have many close friends, so there wouldn’t be many guests, but for some reason, there were so many people that the ballroom was packed.
Victor pulled her closer to him.
“There are a lot of people, so please stay close to me, Madame.”
He playfully wrapped his arms around her waist, pretending to be a knight.
Carlz insisted that he absolutely did not want to come for some reason, so Victor decided to act as her escort knight instead.
As she looked at Victor, her ears burned red.
Even in this extravagant place, Victor was the most ecstatic. With his hair oiled back and wearing a black robe delicately embroidered with golden thread, Victor truly looked like the patriarch of the Black Lion family.
The smell of musk emanating from his body was also terribly alluring.
She managed to calm her expression while repeating the breathing technique she used when she wielded a sword.
He was truly the most dangerous knight on the continent.
“His highness the Grand Duke and her highness the Grand Duchess, I greet you.”
Catalina approached the couple.
Wearing an exotic veil and a dress embroidered with gold thread, she looked like the queen of a foreign country in the East.
She greeted them with an unfamiliar bow, sticking out her golden shoes.
“It is an honor for you to attend.”
Amarion broke away from Victor and thanked her.
“Thanks for the invitation, Catalina. There are a lot of people here.”
“Right? I was also surprised.”
Catalina grinned.
“Everyone has come to see you, your highness.”
“What?”
“They heard that the Grand Duchess, who is rumored to be the best knight in the Capital, was attending, so they flocked here like herds of sheep.”
Catalina, with elegant gestures, guided Victor and Amarion through the ballroom. As she said, most eyes were focused on them.
The nobles covered their mouths, looked at each other, and whispered.
‘What are they talking about?’
‘That I had a duel at the last banquet?’
‘Are they saying that a woman from the north has tarnished the prestige of the Grand Duke?’
The humiliating words that she had heard all week ran through her mind.
At that moment, the smell of musk intensified.
“What are you looking at? I’m not over there.”
Victor bowed his head and whispered in her ear. When she turned around in surprise, his lips formed a beautiful and alluring arc.
Blood rushed to her face immediately.
She closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
In her hometown, she went cockatrice hunting every winter.
As she walked through the expansive snowfields and thick coniferous forests, she came across a nest made of mangled pieces of wood.
Cockatrices had sensitive ears, so she had to silence her movements as much as possible.
‘Don’t get excited.’
‘Calm…’
‘Calm your beating heart…’
“Amarion?”
She opened her eyes.
Catalina was looking at her worriedly.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh, yes. I just have a lot to think about.”
She quickly stood alongside her friend and accepted the champagne glass handed to her.
Victor stood next to the pair with a gentle and elegant attitude, as if he had never whispered anything possessive in her ear.
She turned to Catalina to avoid attracting a cocatrice.
Catalina comfortably led their conversation.
“You turned down all invitations, right? Rumors about that have even reached my mansion.”
“Yes. There are not many places I want to go.”
“It’s fine to do that. Those women see the most popular socialite in society and pretend to be close friends.”
She clicked her tongue.
Her gaze, as cold as her black hair, stared at the nobles. But soon, there was a glimmer of interest in Catalina’s eyes.
“But it was refreshing to see Lady Welch humiliated. Why were you hiding that you are such an excellent swordsman?”
“Excellent? It’s not like that!”
Amarion hurriedly waved her hand.
She didn’t feel right being praised while Victor Morte was by her side.
But Catalina thought that Amarion was just being overly humble. She fluttered her long eyelashes and smiled*.
“Aren’t you being absurd? Sir Jeffrey is one of the most famous knights in the Capital!”
[*E/N: is this turning into a Yuri novel???]
Amarion got really embarrassed.
Jeffrey was roughly at the level of the commander of Amari’s knights.
Was the fame of an Imperial Knight actually determined by his skill level?
When she instinctively looked to Victor, she found him smiling sweetly at her.
“Who can compare to you, my Marion?”
He spoke in an authoritative tone, leaving no room for argument.
In the end, she had no choice but to drink her sweet champagne with red ears.
Perhaps the Welch Knights were weak, contrary to their reputation.
***
Catalina was a good companion. As the hostess of the huge banquet, she was bright and cheerful, and her personality matched Amarion’s well. The more she talked, the more Amarion enjoyed her company.
Catalina was sad to hear that they were going to the Morte Estate. She usually traveled around the continent, but it wouldn’t be easy for her to visit Amarion, as she lived in the south.
Catalina let out a deep sigh.
“I thought we were friends, but you are leaving so quickly…”
Amarion tilted her head and grabbed her hand.
“We can meet again later. Either I can come to the Capital, or you can come to the Morte estate…”
Or maybe she could stop by the Catalonia estate on her way back to Amari*. She swallowed those bitter words.
[*E/N: she means when Victor divorces her… but we all know that ain’t gonna happen]
Catalina was shocked.
“Can I really visit the Morte estate?”
Amarion quickly looked at Victor for approval.
Victor smiled gently.
“Morte will always welcome Catalonia.”
“It is an honor, your highness.”
Catalina smiled genuinely.
It warmed Amarion’s heart to see the two people she liked talking to her affectionately.
At the same time, unknown doubts arose.
Since they had arrived, strangely, Victor hadn’t talked to anyone else.
He was by her side the whole time, listening to their conversation.
Even if he used being her escort as an excuse, he had to know a few guests.
But her relief was too great to push him away. With Victor by her side, there were no insults or gossip.
Victor, who smiled whenever their eyes met, was truly kind and gentle.
As if she had had a similar thought, Catalina said with a grin.
“You two are really close.”
“Isn’t that natural? We’re a couple.”
Victor wrapped his arms around Amarion’s shoulders.
‘!!!’
She cringed.
It was very embarrassing to be seen with Victor in the way that lovers in the social world would be seen.
He glanced around the crowded room and smiled.
“I’m so happy that I’ve been able to be with you all day.”
Then he kissed her cheek.
“Oh my God, Victor!”
She gasped like a fish out of water.
To do this outside their mansion, in such a crowded place, it was unbelievably embarrassing. He completely disregarded etiquette.
She saw Catalina out of the corner of her eye, with a strange expression on her face.
She closed her eyes tightly to avoid the eyes of everyone.
Seriously, she could never be calm when she was with him.
***
Towards the end of their conversation with Catalina, the band came out and began to play.
Victor took her hand and gently led her to the center of the ballroom.
In spite of her lessons, she had only danced twice.
Both times were with Sir Carlz, so it felt no different than dance practice.
Victor skillfully pulled her into a hug.
His actions shook her to her core.
“Marion…”
With the chandelier lit behind him like a halo, Victor looked like a God.
She exhaled as if possessed.
“You are beautiful, Victor.”
His eyes widened a little.
‘Ah!’
It was then that she realized what she had said.
Victor grabbed her tightly as she reflexively lowered her head.
When she finally raised her reddened face, Victor was still smiling at her.
“You couldn’t be more lovely.”
She opened her mouth like a fool, and the song started.
It was a classic Imperial dance with four beats.
Victor gently led her.
As she was holding his hand and spinning around, an unfamiliar sense of satisfaction washed over her.
Even if she went back to her hometown, she thought that she could be happy with only this memory.
Suddenly, Victor spoke.
“I have no intention of ever marrying Nanael Welch.”
She looked up at him, surprised.
‘Did he read my thoughts?’
“The engagement was broken long ago. It cannot be overturned.”
“But Nanael…”
‘Acted like she was your lover.’
She managed to stop speaking before she said those words…
Following the beat, she spun around him until he caught her in his arms. Victor was smiling.
“Nanael?”
The melody of the beautiful song quickly changed.
Two steps forward, one step back, one step to the left.
He whispered in her ear while she was focusing on her footwork.
“If you knew what I’ve done to her…”
He suddenly pulled her close to him, wrapping her in his arms securely.
“You would hate me too.”
The beautiful man looked like the devil in disguise, enchanting her with his smile…