It was a gesture men usually made when asking a woman to dance, and in his typical manner, Shuri’s action seemed rather clumsy. I decided it was time to demonstrate the results of my rigorous training with Mrs. Kayten.
I took his hand and headed to the center of the ballroom, where many were already dancing to the music.
Despite drawing attention due to Shuri’s large stature, I felt surprisingly calm. Perhaps it was the fruit of my extensive practice, as I managed to dance without any mistakes.
Surprisingly, Shuri, who was more awkward and rough in his dancing, didn’t step on my feet and kept up with the steps. After dancing with me, he danced with Illeyna but had to leave for work-related matters.
“How was it? Did Shuri step on your feet?”
“No, it was fine.”
“That’s good. Shuri isn’t exactly graceful on the dance floor. He’s quite stiff, almost like he’s sword-fighting… But he really did practice hard for today, worried about stepping on your feet. I’m glad I persuaded him to dance with you. You both looked like such a caring sibling duo.”
“Both you and Earl Mackein… I mean, your brother seemed to match well. Though it looked like you were putting in a lot of effort to lead.”
It still felt awkward calling Earl Mackein ‘brother,’ but Illeyna didn’t seem to mind my hesitation.
“Was it that obvious? Well, in our relationship, I tend to take the lead.”
She winked confidently and laughed. Her remark was not just a joke; indeed, she and Shuri complemented each other well on the dance floor.
“Did you feel alright, though? No dizziness or anything? Too much stress can do that.”
“I was nervous, but not to that extent. I didn’t make any mistakes, right?”
I asked, just to be sure. She nodded in affirmation.
“I’m glad you didn’t grab anyone by the collar. I was so anxious watching you.”
I laughed at her joke. She complimented me again.
“You did really well. I used the joke to ease the tension, but being watched by so many people, especially in front of the Emperor, I was worried you might faint standing.”
“Faint standing? Me?”
“Did you forget? Oh, you probably don’t remember. You fainted at your debutante ball.”
“I fainted at my debutante ball?”
“You didn’t even step into the ballroom. You turned pale in the carriage and collapsed the moment you got out.”
“Was there some illness?”
Illeyna shook her head.
“People thought you might have a serious illness, so we brought well-known healers, but they said you were just more physically fragile than most and didn’t have any particular illness. It was just extreme nervousness.”
“Just from nervousness?”
“Well, Clare has always been a bit shy and delicate. She didn’t like crowded places… It’s good to see you’ve become braver now.”
I was left speechless, contemplating this new information about Clare. Despite her delicate appearance, I had imagined her as brave and bold, given her actions to save Prince Daniel. It turned out Clare was much more sensitive than I thought.
“With such a personality, how could she possibly have saved Prince Daniel?”
At my muttering, Illeyna replied with a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Actually, because of that, there were rumors suggesting that Miss might have had a secret crush on Prince Daniel.”
I nodded involuntarily at her words. If Clare had harbored feelings for Prince Daniel, it made sense. It’s like a fairy tale, but love can indeed drive people to perform unexpected actions or exhibit superhuman strength.
“So Clare… I mean, I liked Prince Daniel.”
Illeyna waved her hands dismissively.
“Ah, I don’t think so. If you had, I would have noticed because you’re not good at hiding your feelings.”
“Then why…”
“Maybe she just impulsively jumped in to help someone in danger without thinking? Probably the only thought in Clare’s mind at that time was that she had to help.”
“I was said to be extremely timid, right? If I was so nervous that just standing in a crowded place could make me faint, could I really have jumped in just for that reason?”
“According to Shuri, you’ve been like that since you were young. Even talking to people made your face turn red, but sometimes, you’d do something completely out of character and rush in.”
As she spoke, Illeyna shared anecdotes she had heard from Earl Mackein.
Stories like climbing a tree to return a fallen baby bird to its nest or jumping in front of a carriage to save a cat about to be crushed.
It was hard to tell if Clare was timid or daring.
“Clare wasn’t a timid person. She was braver than anyone, though quite shy. Anyway, the new title of Earl Hydeleange suits Clare well.”
“Thank you.”
“Shall we go over there? People are waiting. I’ll introduce you.”
I was apprehensive. Although I had diligently learned the ways and manners of nobility, meeting people was a different matter.
“Do people know I lost my memory?”
“No, we kept that a secret. But don’t worry too much. Clare was always shy, so she didn’t know many people well.”
Given that Clare couldn’t even properly complete her debutante ball, it seemed her influence in social circles was minimal. It was fortunate for me.
“Besides, you’re not just an earl’s lady now, but an earl in your own right. People will approach Clare more cautiously. I’ll introduce you naturally. Today is like your real debut.”
She led me to a group of noblewomen, all of whom welcomed us warmly.
It seemed they were more excited to see Illeyna.
‘Illeyna is quite famous in social circles.’
I remembered hearing from the maids of the noble houses and from Simmons that Illeyna was nicknamed the ‘Queen of Society.’ Her marriage to Earl Mackein, who had risen from a baron’s family to prominence under the emperor’s favor, had surprised many.
Especially because the marriage was largely due to Illeyna’s active pursuit, a fact that was well-known and had even caused the Duke of Ferbe, her father, a great deal of stress.
In the end, her father couldn’t overcome Illeyna’s persistence and consented to their marriage, but there were many twists and turns before their union was finalized.
I heard that Illeyna fell in love with Shuri at first sight the moment she saw him. This story of her falling in love first raised questions among many, including myself.
Moreover, when Illeyna first met Shuri, his appearance was far from ideal for a suitor. Fresh from the battlefield, his nose was blackened, and his large, muscular frame barely fit into the formal attire, which seemed ready to burst at the seams.
He was truly an out-of-place figure in the ballroom, looking more like he should be brandishing a blood-dripping sword, commanding a battlefield. Yet, Illeyna was smitten with him at first sight.
She pursued him aggressively, but Shuri initially rejected her for a long time. After persistent courtship, she finally won him over, and their marriage became a widely discussed topic in the capital for quite some time.
Many speculated that their marriage wouldn’t last long, but they have been living well together to this day.
Shuri, who had received the emperor’s favor, thrived even more with the active support of the powerful Ferbe ducal family, eventually rising to the rank of an earl.
Before and after her marriage, Illeyna reigned as the queen of the social circles, attracting a lot of attention. That seemed to be the case even now.
Illeyna took me to the noble ladies and introduced me with a smile. The noblewomen and young ladies treated me with respect, not because of my new title as an earl but seemingly due to my association with Illeyna.
“Congratulations. Instead of Miss Mackein, we must now address you as Earl Hydeleange,” they said.
I expressed my gratitude for their congratulations with a polite response.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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