Perhaps he had hurt his vocal cords, the sound that came out of his mouth was rough and hard, like he had just downed a bottle of whisky after smoking a whole pack of cigarettes. Just to make sure, Leticia glanced at the other award winners for comparison. They glowed and sparkled, like they had prepared their whole lives for this day. Some gentry-born folks were more well to do than some nobles these days. So, she assumed that his financial situation seemed to be poorer than them.
She could feel the eyes of all the people around them and glanced past the man over his shoulder. She caught a sight of the appalled club members.
‘Someone like him doesn’t please them.’
She smiled in satisfaction internally and stopped the waiter passing by to grab a glass of wine. She swayed the pinkish rose wine in the crystal glass.
“Congratulations on your award.”
“Thank you.” He answered in the same gruff voice without sounding pleased in the least.
“I heard you served next to my brother? I’m sure there must have been many hardships, but thanks to you, my brother returned in one piece. Therefore, I’d like to thank you as his little sister.”
“I am not to credit.”
“Is this your first time at a banquet? I don’t recall seeing you in Beurwinsel?” She quickly diverted.
“I struggled to make a living so couldn’t spare any time beyond my given tasks.”
His straightforwardness took her aback.
“How… humble.”
Even though Leticia didn’t show it, she was shocked. It had been a long time since she had experienced someone uninterested in her or someone who spoke to her without any undertones.
Les Kishir treated her as though he expected nothing from her.
He wasn’t acting this way in order to gain her interest. Even those that had been uninterested would have a change in attitude if it was her talking to them. Even in the era where some people mocked the royal family as decorations of the parliament, as the third royal princess who owned Levanstein’s First Trade Port Libertine and the real owner of the Luchen Heights Corporation, which paid the most taxes in the kingdom, she was treated differently.
As a result, there was no one who expected nothing from her. They might not have something they want from her now, but eventually they all have something thought of in the end.
“Lord Kishir.” Leticia smiled with her eyes and brought her glass of wine to her lips. She tasted the sweet, refreshing and somewhat bitter taste. “Actually, my brother has mentioned you a lot.”
Of course, this was a lie. There was no way someone who was so self-obsessed could be interested in telling stories of others.
“So I have been very curious about you.”
To be accurate, since around 5 minutes ago. She couldn’t comprehend why this person was still standing here listening to all the gossip about him when the award ceremony was already over. If he had something he wanted, then wouldn’t he be interested in her. Maybe Les Kisihir didn’t understand who she was.
Although he was skinny, the thin neckline above his collar was prominent. She imagined how he would tremble when he was lying face down while she licked down his spine. She wondered how his voice would sound then, how that dark face would reveal an expression absorbed in pleasure, and how desperately he would cling on afterwards.
As a habit she licked her lips. Then she offered her glass to Kishir. The man’s gaze turned to the swishing rosy liquid that glistened like a jewel. Then his gaze trailed up her pale hand to her seductive lips that had taken a sip from it.
Leticia smiled as she followed his gaze.
“Do you want to dance with me?”
At those words, Les Kishir’s eyes widened in surprise.
She heard the murmurs erupt around her. She enjoyed the shock and waited for an answer. She was fully prepared for any form of answer. Touched and taken aback, shocked and rooted to the spot or even suspicious of her offer. To her it was a piece of cake trying to seduce a man who was at his first social event.
Then just in time the music changed, Les Kishir had spread out his hand.
“Princess.”
His hand neither grabbed hers nor did it accept the glass she was offering. The man smiled softly as he lifted the bottom of the glass and took her hand to his mouth.
The cold and rough lips that were the personification of his voice, came into contact with her fingers wrapped around the stem of the glass. At the feeling, Leticia couldn’t help but shudder.
“I am already trying my best right now.”
The calm and courteous voice shook slightly towards the end of the sentence as though he was suppressing something. Leticia frowned as she couldn’t understand what she was saying at all, he bowed his head lightly.
“As you may already know, I am unable to act as your dance partner.” Was that something she should have known? She had no idea. “You should offer it to someone else who deserves the honor of your hand.”
His lips and his hand withdrew. The man who had kicked away the same honor like a rock in his path, placed his hand on his heart and bowed again before turning around and limping away as fast as he could.
Leticia felt her face heat up as mortification crawled through her.