Chapter 769: Dance [3]

The situation within the hall had grown stagnant.

With every song that played, a new person would take their shot, only to be cruelly rejected by Delilah with a soft, ‘No, I’m sorry.’

It had gotten to a point where nobody cared anymore and just did it to try.

Staring at the scene, Aoife started to calm down.

“Right, there’s no way she’s going to accept my brother just like that. Of course she wouldn’t.”

Aoife eased visibly as she picked up a cup of wine, taking small sips. She had always liked alcohol. It helped her unwind.

It was also in that moment that she started to think about the situation.

‘Now that I think about it, this entire situation doesn’t make sense at all.’

The goal from the beginning had been to introduce her mysterious fiancé. Everyone present had gathered to catch a glimpse of him. Yet when the moment arrived, instead of being presented with the man himself, they were confronted with this strange game.

From how she had rejected practically everyone present, it suddenly became clear that she never had any intentions to accept anyone else but her fiancé.

In that case, what was the Duke’s goal?

Why was he playing this game?

Taking another sip of her wine, Aoife looked at Leon.

“Why don’t you—”

Her words trailed off at the sound of a sudden commotion. Blinking slowly, she caught sight of Leon’s face growing rigid before turning her head toward the source of the noise.

“….Huh?”

Her mouth hung open, wine nearly spilling out from her mouth.

She wasn’t the only one to react like this. Not far from her, Kiera and Evelyn both stopped whatever they were doing as they stared in the direction of the noise, their faces growing slack moments later.

“That’s…”

“…Pftttt!”

Kiera ended up spitting whatever food she had in her mouth. Some even got on Evelyn’s clothes, but she was in such shock that she didn’t even seem to notice.

At once, all eyes drew towards the figure walking in Delilah’s direction.

His strides were steady, his expression composed. Beneath the glow of the chandelier, his presence captured the attention of many, rivaling even Delilah’s, as his calm gaze came to rest on her.

With light clothes, contrasting Delilah’s dark dress, Julien eventually came to a stop before her.

The two stared at each other, and the venue grew quiet.

***

‘What sort of game are you playing…?’

I stared at the woman before me, noting the gentle curl of her lips as she looked my way. It was the same smile she had given everyone else who approached her, yet I could clearly sense that, when turned on me, it carried something different.

Amusement? Joy?

I could’ve probably checked by using my Emotive Magic, but I held back.

Instead, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, I started to speak.

“There’s not much that I can offer you. At least, not much that you’ve already gotten.”

Delilah was a figure who stood at the top of the world. Be it wealth, fame, or connections, she was a tier above me in everything.

There wasn’t much that I could offer her that she couldn’t offer herself.

“Being with me will most likely lead to a lot of moments of pain. I won’t be able to make you happy even if I wanted to. You’ll probably end up resenting me a lot in the future.”

The smile that lingered on Delilah’s face slowly faded as I spoke.

Her expression revealed her surprise, her eyes seeming to ask, ‘What are you doing? What are you saying? Why would you say this…?’

And yet, I still continued.

“I know myself that I am not the most likable person. I’m blunt, often disappear, and I am quite the liar.”

My flaws…

I was all too clear with them.

So was she as she began to move her hand, but I stopped her.

“You’re very likely going to be miserable if you’re going to be with me.”

The crowd around me murmured, a few even laughing as if I had chosen this moment to crack a joke and lighten the mood. But I wasn’t joking.

I was being truthful.

Being with me meant pain and suffering.

A web of lies and deceit.

I was no saint, and my past was beginning to catch up with me. No, it had already caught up to me. Being with me meant walking a difficult road, and I wanted to make that clear before it became too late.

But at the same time…

“Being with me also means that you’ll have me forever.”

I took a deep breath, feeling a certain shake in my chest as I lowered my head and extended my hand.

“Being with me means you’ll be the only person I’ll ever think about, and listen to.”

I paused, trying my best to keep my voice steady.

“Being with me means… You’ll be the only person that I’ll love.”

The moment the words left my mouth, it was as though the world had been drained of sound, every eye turning toward me. I could feel the weight of their stares, yet none bore down as heavily as Delilah’s gaze.

Her gaze alone seemed to weigh down on me like a boulder.

A massive boulder that pressed down on my back with every second that passed. But despite the pressure, I still managed to force out a few last words.

“Will you… dance with me?”

The silence that followed was suffocating, so heavy it made me forget how to breathe. I kept my head lowered as my heart pounded in my ears, my palms growing slick with sweat, and my chest heaving faster with each breath.

I felt the weight of the moment more than ever.

And then—

“No.”

A clear resound no echoed across the room.

It was a moment that nearly shattered my heart. Yet I lifted my head to meet her gaze. Her expression was cold, and her hand hovered just short of mine. I asked, “Is this your answer?”

“Yes.”

Delilah answered, her gaze indifferent.

I continued to stare at her for the next few seconds before smiling.

“It’s too bad for you that I don’t take no for an answer.”

Reaching forward for her hand, I pulled her towards the main area where the others were dancing. My sudden move startled many, their expressions shifting sharply, but sensing no resistance from Delilah, I tuned out everything else and pulled her closer.

“When are you going to stop messing around?”

I held onto her right arm while placing my other hand around her waist.

As the soft tune of the band played, I took a step back, Delilah following my lead as she drew closer to me.

“…When you also stop.”

“Me?”

I smiled.

“When was I messing around?”

“Before…”

“But I wasn’t messing around.”

The smile on my face faltered slightly. Sensing the change, Delilah’s expression grew tense as well.

However, I soon brought my smile back on.

“I’d like to discuss this further later. This doesn’t seem like the right place for such a conversation. But if there’s one thing I must make clear, it’s that none of what I said was a lie.”

Hearing my words, Delilah bit her lips.

I could tell she had much she wanted to say, yet she restrained herself. She matched my movements, letting her steps fall in sync with mine as we moved to the rhythm of the music.

In that moment, all the noise around us faded, leaving only the music in the air as we moved together to its rhythm. The stares. The voices.

Everything…

It was all gone.

All I could focus on was the woman before me.

*Tak*

As her heel clicked against the floor, I stepped back, adjusting my hand as she drew closer, her face now just inches from mine. For a moment, I found myself getting lost in her eyes, the world around me coming to a sudden stop.

But the moment was fleeting. Delilah pulled back, releasing one of my hands as she spun lightly, only to return to me moments later.

I had never danced before in my life.

I had learned it in the past, mostly from attending countless recent events, but I had never once had the chance to actually dance.

It was the first time, and as I carefully guided Delilah in my arms, I found myself dancing freely, without fear or stiffness.

I felt fluid.

I felt… happy.

Staring at the woman who moved in perfect sync with me, as if reading my every thought, I felt my heart racing faster and faster.

The more I looked at her, the more mesmerized I became.

*Tak*

We danced.

We shifted the lead, and we even smiled at each other.

In that moment, it was almost as if the entire world had completely faded from our minds.

The only thing that existed was the two of us.

***

Despite the music lingering in the air and the couples dancing around them, no one made a sound. All eyes were fixed on the two, struggling to take in the sight before them.

“…Isn’t that the child from the Evenus family?”

“Why is he dancing with her?”

“Is it possible that he’s the one…?”

Murmurs and whispers rippled through the room. No one could believe the sight before them. Be it Aoife, Kiera, Evelyn, or even the second Prince…

Nobody could understand the sight that greeted them.

And yet—

Despite the skepticism around, Delilah and Julien continued to dance. Basking within the lights of the hall, it was as if they were the only two that existed.

With each passing second, their movements grew more fluid, perfectly attuned to the music playing in the background. At once, all thoughts slipped away as everyone’s gaze fixed on the couple, mesmerized by their presence.

No one made a noise.

They just stared as the two sliced the air with their movements, their fluidity feeling inhuman as they basked under the lights.

Be it Delilah, or Julien…

Their very presence was enough to captivate everyone in the room, and as the music began to slow, all eyes caught the soft smiles lingering on their faces. That was the moment that they all understood.

Julien…

He had been the fiancé all along.

And soon, the music came to an end.

Even as it drew to a close, the room remained silent, the pair still locked in each other’s gaze.

Until—

Julien’s head lowered, and his lips met hers.

On that day, Julien was officially recognized as Delilah’s fiancé.

That day, the couple shared their first true kiss.

And that day…

∎| Lvl 2. [Love] EXP + 157%

Julien saw an all too familiar notification.