TDWO Chapter 18

Eunice’s arms were soft and comfy, which felt wonderful.

If I were a man, I’d take her with me all the time.

Fortunately, it was a ball where the tedious dance cards weren’t used.

Only men could request dances, while women had the right to decline.

Eventually, Anri spotted a suitable man in a separate room filled with food and drinks.

 

“Hey, Sis, what about that man over there?”

 

Anri lightly tapped Eunice, then pointed towards a man in the distance.

 

“The tall one with dark blonde hair and green eyes.”

 

He was impressively tall and well-built.

However, his round and cute appearance resembled Eunice’s, almost like they were siblings.

From his impression, he seemed kind and gentle, so he was a good candidate for a potential brother-in-law.

Anri observed Eunice’s expression as she stared at the man, unable to say anything.

Her shy eyes seemed curious, indicating she didn’t dislike the idea.

Quickly, Anri pulled Eunice along towards the man.

While a lady couldn’t propose a dance first, she could encourage a man to ask.

Anri lifted her dress slightly and bent her knees, prompting Eunice to follow along.

 

“Excuse me.”

“Pfft!”

 

However, the problem was, whether it was due to the sudden approach or being unaccustomed to women, the man spat out the lemonade he was drinking.

 

“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry!”

 

Anri had to close her eyes.

The droplets on her cheek couldn’t be spit.

The man hurriedly offered a napkin.

The unfamiliar man, Anri, and Eunice wiped their lips and faces.

With a graceful smile, Anri observed the man’s condition.

A bit clumsy.

No, more like inexperienced.

He was clearly nervous, alternating his gaze between Anri and Eunice, looking quite simple-minded.

Despite appearing well-dressed and refined, there was an unmistakable air of naivety about him.

Anri had a good feeling that he would be a safe and reasonably decent partner for Eunice.

 

“Oh my, you’ve offended my sister.”

 

Anri smirked.

The blonde man stared intently at Eunice upon hearing the term “sister.”

It seemed he realized that the woman next to Anri, not Anri herself, was his partner.

It was good that he had at least that much awareness.

Eunice tightened her grip on Anri’s arm, perhaps out of shyness or fear.

However, her cheeks were turning red.

She couldn’t even look at the man properly.

 

“Ah, um, as an apology, may I ask your sister for a dance?”

 

The man, swallowing nervously, looked down at Eunice with a determined expression, as if trying to steady his surprised heart.

Although he seemed a bit unstable, his offer to dance was genuine.

Moreover, his gaze lingered on Eunice’s face for more than three seconds.

That’s a green light.

Anri and Eunice looked at each other.

Eunice hesitated, but she didn’t say no.

Finally, Eunice looked down at the man’s extended hand and placed her own on top of it timidly.

 

“Oh my!”

 

Anri quickly removed her arm from Eunice’s and brightened up.

 

“We’ve just arrived and stopped by this private room first. I didn’t expect to receive a dance request so soon. I’ll wait here for you to bring her back.”

“I-I’ll do that.”

 

The man, though not very skilled, maintained a polite demeanor as he led Eunice away.

When Eunice hesitated and looked back at Anri, Anri gave her a small smile.

Only after the two disappeared did Anri scan the spread of food laid out in the spacious private room and swallow hard.

How much must Eunice have wanted to eat?

Yet she gave up the food to hold that man’s hand. It must have been a significant choice for Eunice.

They were both very hungry from the long journey.

Anri looked around at the food.

The Duke of Briston’s estate, with its abundance of rare dishes, surely felt like heaven.

She didn’t even glance at the salads or cutlets.

Anri immediately filled her plate with venison.

 

‘I love it! Roasted deer!’

 

After all, one must eat the meat of herbivorous animals to balance a diet of both vegetables and meat.

Anri was engrossed in devouring it.

The roast venison was juicy and tender, with a perfectly cooked surface. It was soft and light.

Sometimes, venison from other places could be a bit tough, but the Duke of Briston’s venison was as tender as beef and as light as chicken.

The venison was so delectable that she was unable to think of anything else, as it melted in her mouth.

Just as she was filling her stomach, she heard a voice.

 

“Aren’t you full?”

“…….”

 

The familiar, deep voice suddenly made Anri blink.

When she looked up, she saw a familiar-looking man, arms crossed, looking down at her intently.

 

“Huh?”

 

Anri let out a short sigh of surprise, and the man smirked briefly.

 

“I was wondering how much you had to dance to eat that much.”

“…….”

 

Embarrassed, Anri quietly put down her fork and dabbed at the sides of her lips with her napkin.

She then looked up at the man and gave a bright smile.

 

“I just lost my appetite.”

 

Why is that man here?

Well, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t. He’s looking for a fake duchess, after all.

 

“That’s fortunate. I was just confused about whether you came to eat or to dance.”

“…….”

 

Anri remained seated at the table despite the man’s appearance.

If she had immediately stood up when he arrived, it would have implied that she was willing to dance with him, but she didn’t want to convey that meaning and stayed seated.

Having met someone familiar at the ball, it would have been natural to dance together once.

If they were on good terms, it would have been very natural to move around alone.

However, Anri didn’t want to give that man any indication of interest.

The man would quickly relax and let go of his guard if she showed him even the slightest favor.

Otherwise, he would continue to test her with ambiguous remarks, just as he was doing now.

Anri didn’t want to make things easy for that man.

 

‘I’m also a bit curious.’

 

Thinking about it made her emotional again.

Is being extremely handsome and incredibly wealthy all that matters?

 

‘…Another staring contest?’

 

Edwin turned to face Anri, who was smiling at him with a wry smile.

Is being extremely handsome and incredibly wealthy all that matters?

Edwin, having learned from the footman about Anri Wentworth’s arrival, was surveying the hall and the private rooms.

He and his mother had already finished introducing themselves to the guests before the ball’s opening song began.

After dancing with a few young ladies his mother had brought over, he had grown tired, declined further dances, and pretended not to hear anyone who approached him. He had retreated to the guest room.

He was having trouble concentrating on the ball.

What could be the reason? He pondered while resting on the sofa and rubbing his temples.

Then he realized.

How could the ball be interesting when his mind was already elsewhere?

He was nervous about whether she would come or not.

And then, unexpectedly,

 

“Miss Anri.”

 

Edwin approached her, leaning over the table to look down at her closely.

Then he held out one hand.

 

“…Would you dance with me?”

 

The man’s gaze was earnest and sincere.

He showed none of his usual arrogance or indifference.

However, his request to dance was both dignified and somewhat earnest, allowing Anri to feel his genuine intention.

This was the first time he made such a neat and authoritative request.

Anri engaged in a silent staring contest with the man before lightly placing her fingertips on his outstretched hand.

Just barely enough for their fingertips to touch.

With Anri’s haughty consent, the man briefly smirked coldly but immediately took her elbow and helped her up.

 

“…….”

 

They moved into the hall where the music was playing, holding each other’s hands slightly raised in the air.

Anri had completely relaxed her grip, so Edwin had to hold her hand more firmly than he usually would while escorting someone.

What is this?

It wasn’t that she had outright refused to dance, but it felt like a rejection.

There was a clear sense of reluctance from her, as if she were begrudgingly allowing him to take her hand, yet she showed no outward signs of it.

She simply appeared indifferent and aloof.

In fact, she seemed kinder and softer when criticizing him. How strange.

It was quite difficult to dance with a woman like her.

 

‘Why are people staring so much?’

 

On the way to the dance floor, Anri noticed an odd phenomenon.

Every time they passed by, people glanced at Anri and the man with a bit of surprise.

It wasn’t unusual for people to stare at her because of her uncommon pink hair and the man’s flawless, handsome appearance.

No one blatantly stared at Anri and the man; instead, everyone pretended not to notice and reacted with feigned surprise.

Eventually, Anri decided to ignore the people’s reactions.

Even though she had reluctantly allowed it, being escorted by a handsome man with good manners was still pleasant. Hehe.

It made her feel like she was being treated with respect and cherished.

However, Anri, as if not falling for the charms of a skilled man’s manners, cleared her throat quietly and slightly lifted her chin. Just enough to seem natural.

Finally, they entered the dance floor.

Though it was called a floor, it wasn’t a raised platform; it was simply an area within the large hall implicitly designated for dancing.

The hall was filled with a serene and elegant waltz played at a slow tempo.

 

“What did you arrive in?”

 

The man asked, placing his hand on Anri’s wingbone, and Anri placed his hand on his arm.

Whether Anri’s arms were short or his arms were long, her hand couldn’t reach his shoulder.

Noticing Anri’s expression, the man bent his elbow downward, closing the gap.

Only then did Anri lightly place her hand on his shoulder.

As she held his other hand, it felt less like they were dancing and more like they were embracing, which stirred something strange in her chest.

 

“Kristan.”

 

Anri responded promptly and smiled with a slight sparkle in her eyes.

Inside, she was thinking, “The kingdom’s finest stallion that you cherished so much… haha,” with a sense of both boastfulness and teasing.