Chapter 43
‘That’s why he doesn’t dance.’
Somehow, from the moment Kaiden moved alone, the gazes of several northern nobles had been unusual.
Especially seeing Aiden’s eyes sparkling, it seemed he had known about his dancing skills for a long time.
She thought he was a man good at everything, but his dancing was truly terrible.
That actually made him seem more human.
For some reason, Reina found dancing with him enjoyable.
Reina said.
“I’ll teach you once your leg is fully healed.”
“Are you teasing me?”
“I’m serious.”
“It’s no use. Even my mother gave up with both hands and feet.”
Kaiden replied bitterly. Already in his mind, there was only the thought of wanting to end the dance quickly.
* * *
Meanwhile, the northern nobles watched the Crencia couple’s disastrous dance with dumbfounded expressions.
Some nobles who had seen Kaiden being dragged by the previous duchess to dance as a child were cheerfully taking money from the young ones.
“This is a scam.”
Ben, who had lost money in the bet, stared blankly at Kaiden’s terrible dancing skills.
How could he confidently head to the center of the hall with such skills?
It was a sight of the lord, who always showed a cool appearance, being utterly ruined.
As a subordinate, it was a very strange and shocking scene.
God was fair. He didn’t give dancing skills to the Duke of Crencia, who handled a sword as easily as a brush.
Kaiden’s horrific dancing skills were a fact known to all seasoned northern nobles.
At least his preparatory moves were excellent, so naive nobles often got tricked and bet big money.
Just like Ben.
Aiden, who won the bet with Ben, handed him champagne and said.
“I told you to bet just a little.”
“It seems cheap for an admission fee. In all my life, I never thought I’d see this.”
“Well. I thought I’d never see my brother dancing again in this lifetime. He really hates dancing terribly.”
“But now he’s dancing, even using aura himself.”
“Yeah. It must mean my brother is more sincere toward my sister-in-law than I thought.”
Aiden looked contentedly at Kaiden, who was red-faced and doing his best, and Reina, who was looking at him cutely.
If Mother had seen this, she would surely have been delighted.
“So, what’s your impression after seeing it?”
At Aiden’s sudden question, Ben twitched his facial muscles and answered.
“It’s a dancing skill to think of when sad.”
Ben was almost on the verge of crying.
The imperfect appearance of his always perfect master was a rare experience that melted away Ben’s past hardships like snow.
Ben muttered with a face full of regret.
“Honestly, it’s a shame I couldn’t record it with a video orb. But as long as the madam is here, I’ll see it again, right?”
“How about wiping those flowing tears first? Sir Ben. If my brother sees, he might hit you.”
“Ah, darn.”
Ben cleared his throat while wiping his flowing tears with a handkerchief.
He learned for the first time today that holding back laughter too much could bring tears.
“I showed you an unsightly sight.”
“Is it only my brother?”
Aiden wittily replied and rubbed his aching stomach from laughing.
“Where does that look like a contract marriage?”
“Yeah. It seems like a romance that only the two of them don’t know about.”
“Well. In my view, my brother already seems to know roughly.”
“Is that so?”
Well. It wasn’t easy to act like that without realizing.
When Ben lightly affirmed, Aiden said.
“Usually, everyone realizes it’s love only after going through a strong denial phase.”
In his view, his brother’s eyes were already those of someone in love.
The other party was no different, visible to a third party’s eyes, but well.
It seemed there was still a long way for the parties involved to recognize it.
But if one side realizes, the story changes.
If just a slight trigger is given, it wouldn’t take long to confirm their feelings.
Aiden cheerfully hummed.
“It’s going to be fun from now on.”
While contentedly watching his brother’s love begin.
* * *
After finishing the splendid dance debut.
Kaiden headed to the terrace with Reina to find some peace.
‘Sigh, I must be crazy. Why did I say I’d dance.’
Kaiden clutched his head at his own reckless behavior.
From the moment Aiden clutched his stomach laughing and Ben barely swallowed his laughter while wiping tears, Kaiden already wanted to bolt from the party hall.
It was behavior he would never do normally.
“Probably so. You’re a cool person to anyone who sees you.”
Who would have known that just those words would make him want to dance.
As a result, instead of a cool appearance, he felt bitter for showing only a pathetic one.
Kaiden, who stubbornly finished one song safely, was writhing in self-loathing.
It was a fool-like behavior he couldn’t understand himself.
Nevertheless, the reason he didn’t give up midway was because of Reina.
Reina, who danced a disastrous dance with a terrible partner, looked very happy.
It was a dance worth it just for seeing that smile.
Reina didn’t push him.
Even though it was a situation where a typical young lady would get bored and irritated, she calmly led him.
“Are you okay?”
At Reina’s smiling question, Kaiden frowned for no reason.
“Do I look okay?”
“No.”
“Then why ask when you know.”
Reina leaned against the railing with a face full of laughter.
With the moonlight at her back, she said softly.
“I thought you were good at everything.”
“It must be fun seeing my ridiculous side. Teasing must be fun?”
“I’m not teasing.”
“Stop talking about dancing.”
Kaiden fiercely crumpled his face and moistened his throat with wine.
He kept feeling bothered as if he had shown her an ugly side.
Reina, who was quietly watching this, muttered.
Was it because of the alcohol?
This mountain-like man felt so cute today.
“Just…… because you’re cute.”
“Pfft!”
At that moment, Kaiden spewed the wine he was drinking.
Kaiden’s face turned bright red as he coughed from choking.
Reina handed him a handkerchief and said.
“Are you okay?”
“Cough! Ack…….”
When Kaiden couldn’t answer quickly and kept coughing, Reina had a strange misunderstanding.
“You’re weak to alcohol, huh.”
“No, ack……. This is because of you.”
Kaiden looked at her incredulously while continuing to cough.
When she handed him a glass of water, he gulped it down.
She was truly a woman he couldn’t let his guard down around for a moment.
Kaiden looked at Reina resentfully and muttered.
“You’re doing it on purpose, right?”
“What?”
“Everything.”
Kaiden gave a nonsensical answer and let out a deep sigh.
He was annoyed at himself for acting like a fool in front of Reina since last time.
The fact that it became hard to treat her as usual was enough to complicate his feelings.
Her beauty, all dressed up today, also played a part.
Kaiden glanced at her and rubbed the back of his neck.
With the moonlight at her back, she was pretty, making him feel like he wanted to touch her constantly.
Meanwhile, Reina was lost in thought.
The thought that had been circling in her mind since earlier popped out impulsively.
“Hey, Kaiden.”
“Yeah.”
“By any chance, can aura make a blind person see too?”
At Reina’s question, Kaiden stared at her intently.
“It’s impossible in the same way as before.”
“Does that mean there’s another way?”
Reina noticeably brightened and took a step closer.
At the closer distance, Kaiden averted his gaze.
“No. It’s impossible.”
Because that method can’t be used on just anyone.
Kaiden swallowed the rest and expressed refusal, and Reina made a disappointed expression.
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By Anna 💓
