Chapter 31

She had swiftly mastered everything she needed to know to fit into high society and raise her worth on the marriage market. So, with confidence, Anais opened her mouth.

“In gatherings like these, you must know how to dance if you want to endure the hours.”

She smiled brightly and led the Grand Duke onto the floor. As he drew near, about to step on her foot once more, she deftly sidestepped and spoke.

“Not that way, this way.”

He started to move in the opposite direction, but let Anais guide him back on course.

“Start with your left foot this time.”

Anais instructed, her gentle coaching never ceasing. Perhaps because so many of the steps were repeated, the Grand Duke quickly became a passable dancer. She felt quietly pleased. His footwork was now nearly flawless, and she no longer needed to keep such a close eye on him.

With a satisfied smile, she lifted her gaze.

“….!”

She hesitated, caught off guard. At some point, his gaze had settled intently on her, and when their eyes met, he broke into a dazzling smile.

Mesmerized by the sight, she inadvertently pressed down on his foot.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. Did that hurt? Are you alright?”

She stammered, embarrassment written all over her face, the Grand Duke simply smiled and replied.

“Not at all. You’re welcome to step on my feet again.”

‘I offered to teach him, and here I am trampling his feet myself.’

Anais couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes again. She dropped her gaze to their feet, checking her steps.

“Focus, I’ll focus. Let’s concentrate. We’re almost finished. This time, start with your right foot.”

The laughter had vanished from her voice.

Meanwhile, watching all this, Diego wore a look of lingering regret. His crimson eyes followed the now-vanished violet gaze. Yet, as the music drew to a close, Anais’s gaze never once returned to him.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

When the music finally came to an end, the two of them exchanged formal bows. As they left the floor, the Grand Duke leaned in slightly towards Anais.

“Thanks to you, I’ve learned so much tonight. I even got to dance with you, Anais. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this evening.”

His earnest tone made her lift the corners of her lips in a soft smile.

“I enjoyed myself immensely as well.”

Only now, with the dance behind her, did she feel her tension begin to ease. In its place, images of the dance, full of the duke’s many missteps, flitted through her mind, one after another. Looking back, the whole affair seemed rather comical.

Without meaning to, she let out a small laugh.

Pfft.

Hearing her, a delighted chuckle escaped the Grand Duke’s lips as well.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“I’d always danced by the book before. Always the proper steps, just as I was taught. But tonight was the first time I’ve danced so freely, and I quite liked it.”

“Even if it meant we were stepping on each other’s feet?”

He spoke playfully, and once again, Anais couldn’t help but let a soft laugh slip from her lips. Watching her, a natural smile formed on his lips as well. Soon, the two of them burst into laughter together, sharing a quiet moment of mirth as they looked at one another.

That was when it happened.

Clap, clap, clap.

A loud round of applause cut through the air, right between the two of them. Their laughter stopped at once, and they turned towards the source of the sound.

“To put on such a charming little play already. You really are shameless.”

A biting, sardonic voice cut in.

“Everyone here knows how the two of you ended up married.”

The voice belonged to Crown Prince Peder, with his golden hair and crimson eyes. At once, Anais and the Grand Duke erased any trace of laughter from their faces and bowed their heads.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Peder twisted his lips into a sardonic smile as he spoke.

“So the famous princess’s daughter has become a grand duchess. I hear your father, the Viscount, clung desperately to the court, boasting that his daughter had been handed over by imperial decree. His Majesty grew so weary of him that he finally paid him off just to make him go away.”

“….”

The words dripping from his lips were nothing short of an insult to her father. His eyes raked over her, openly appraising, then he sneered as he continued.

“It wasn’t enough for the Viscount to accept the offer without hesitation, he apparently made all sorts of demands as well. The story goes that he looked far too pleased for a man marrying off his own daughter, and the tale made its rounds through the palace.”

He let out a feigned laugh, mocking, almost as if imitating Diego and Anais’s laughter from earlier.

Anais, meanwhile, kept her head bowed, her expression stony. The Crown Prince’s words were naked derision. She already understood perfectly well what it meant to be a grand duchess. She’d realized it the moment she first bowed her head to the imperial family on their dais.