TDWO Chapter 40

 

‘Ah, Your Grace…?’

Suddenly, Edwin stepped out of the group of men and began walking toward the women.

With long legs and a wide stride, he quickly approached the ladies.

Like the sea parting, the women moved aside.

As if a different species had appeared, the noblewomen held their breath and focused on Edwin.

“Wife.”

‘Wife?’

Anri looked up. She had just begun to confront MadamRosley.

She had no intention of backing down until she apologized for her rudeness.

This was not just a matter concerning Rosley alone.

If she showed leniency to Rosley, the other ladies would likely disregard Anri as well.

That could tarnish the honor of the Duke Briston’s family.

But then, unexpectedly, Edwin approached her directly.

At Edwin’s arrival, Rosley quickly disappeared somewhere.

It was Edwin who took Anri’s hand, which had been floating in the air.

He turned his other hand behind his back and bent slightly at the waist.

By the time his crown was visible, his lips brushed against the back of Anri’s hand—very briefly and lightly.

In that moment, the ladies could not suppress their small gasps. Some playfully covered their eyes.

“…”

Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Anri was bewildered.

Edwin rubbed the back of Anri’s hand a few times with his thumb where his lips had just touched.

His grip was strong and warm. His usually cool black eyes felt as hot as the sun behind him.

“I think we should start so that the guests can enjoy the music.”

He very indirectly asked Anri to dance. However, his gaze was so deep and intense that it felt like an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Anri glanced around. Rosley and her group had already disappeared somewhere.

The ladies gathered around were watching with eager anticipation.

“Shall we, Your Grace?”

Finally agreeing, Anri gave a bright smile.

Immediately, Edwin drew Anri close, wrapping one arm around her back as if cradling something precious.

“Oh my, how sweet.”

The ladies let out small gasps of admiration, then burst into quiet laughter.

Their envious glances followed Anri’s dress, like a train.

‘I don’t think I can get married again.’

At last, Anri and Edwin stood face-to-face.

The groom in his neat black suit and the bride in her white dress were a pair so uniquely beautiful that it was impossible to determine who was more outstanding.

All the guests gazed at the newlywed couple with affection.

As the two began to dance, gasps of awe erupted.

The tall groom, with his forehead exposed, led the bride with breathtaking grace.

The bride moved gracefully like a flamingo, blending harmoniously with the music.

Edwin, having escaped the dull and lengthy conversations, felt relieved as he looked at Anri.

Once the bride and groom’s dance ended, they would each need to mingle with the guests as their partners.

Endless handshakes followed by endless dances.

“I hope such tiring events happen only once in a lifetime.”

Anri let out a small laugh at Edwin’s neat grumbling.

“Are you tired? I’m having fun.”

“That’s good to hear, Miss Anri. You might have to do it again someday.”

Edwin’s whisper was particularly low and soft, as if it were a secret.

“I’m not going to get married.”

Anri said playfully, breaking into a bright smile as she twirled around.

His gloved hand looked quite nice at a glance.

“How can I get married if I’m going to live as a man?”

When she faced him again, she whispered in his ear. With a charming smile that anyone could see.

“……”

That plan still sounded incredibly unrealistic.

Edwin felt a throbbing in his temples.

Could it be that the cross-dressing woman from earlier was pretending to be a man for a similar reason as Anri?

A ridiculous thought crossed his mind that all the women in the kingdom might end up dressing as men.

Anri gazed up at Edwin and suddenly scratched her nose a couple of times, feeling itchy.

If she had the chance to speak with Edwin before the banquet ended, there was something she wanted to ask.

It seemed that this was the right moment.

“Hmm, but it seems that, as you said, Your Grace, the royal family really didn’t come.”

Anri finished her sentence, pretending to be quite disappointed.

Would he have met Erze if she had come? Perhaps without her knowing?

If that were the case, Edwin didn’t seem like the type to hide it from her.

“Do you perhaps want to meet the royals?”

However, Edwin was puzzled that Anri had brought up the royal family twice.

“Not really, but I thought it would be interesting, so I just asked.”

Anri smiled a bit awkwardly.

Why wasn’t Edwin answering her questions directly?

“If they had come, Miss Anri or I would have greeted them, and before that, Albert would have informed us.”

“Oh, that makes sense…”

Edwin’s expression was calm.

It seemed that the princess really hadn’t come after all.

It would have been better if she hadn’t come under any status.

“Is there perhaps a type of person among the guests that fits your ideal?”

“……?”

Anri finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask and smiled innocently.

Edwin looked at her as if confused by the odd question.

“An ideal type?”

“Yes, an ideal type of partner.”

“I’ve never really thought about such things.”

As expected, Edwin frowned, finding it strange.

“There might be an ideal type that you realize only after seeing them. Someone who sparks fireworks in your eyes, ignites a fire in your heart, and makes your whole body feel hot.”

Edwin stared at Anri for a moment before responding.

“Does seeing your ideal type really have to spark fireworks in your eyes? Maybe it’s just a feeling that can’t be explained.”

At his words, Anri’s eye smile deepened.

‘I see. He hasn’t met her yet.’

She felt a bit relieved.

She had thought of the description from the original work when Edwin fell for Erze at first sight, but there was no sign of that here.

It didn’t matter if one day Erze and Edwin fell into a passionate love, but not yet…

Just then, the music ended.

Anri, who had been immersed in Edwin’s skillful and smooth lead, felt a bit regretful.

As the song changed, the guests began to gather around the bride and groom.

The next song, the quadrille, was not a dance performed with a fixed partner.

It was a group dance where men and women alternated places, causing partners to naturally mix or change.

As the bright and cheerful music flowed, Anri and Edwin stood a bit apart.

Other guests also lined up around the bride and groom.

‘Huh?’

Then something unusual happened.

Someone quickly squeezed into the already occupied space next to the groom.

It was a gentleman with a notable mustache.

He pushed aside the man who was standing next to Edwin and took his place.

He did it with a calm and confident air.

Something felt off, but Anri soon moved her body to the music.

The first step was to greet the person standing diagonally across from her.

And that person was the man with the mustache.

“Hello.”

“Ah.”

At the moment Anri briefly bowed her head with a smile as part of the greeting, the mustached man unexpectedly offered his own greeting, making Anri utter a short, unplanned response.

By the time Anri thought to say hello back, the mustached gentleman had already moved away.

“……”

Edwin cast a narrow glance at the woman in disguise who was now intruding beside him.

He wondered what business this person had, especially since it seemed related to Anri rather than himself.

That woman—she seems somehow ominous.

“Miss Anri.”

“Yes?”

Finally reclaiming Anri, Edwin spun her around while their palms were pressed together.

Each partner had only three turns before switching.

“Come to think of it, I might have seen my ideal type.”

“What did you say?”

Anri and Edwin locked eyes over each other’s shoulders.

Edwin’s face was the only thing that was in focus, while everything else was a blur.

It was like looking out the window of a speeding carriage.

However, Anri couldn’t bring herself to ask who it was.

She was quickly separated from Edwin.

“I’m Duke Evans. I’ve come from the capital.”

“Oh. It’s nice to meet you.”

Anri placed her palm against the mustached man, or rather, Evans.

Now she had to spin around with this man three times.

With a gentle smile, Anri narrowed her eyes. Then she spoke rapidly like a machine gun.

There’s no time!

“As you may already know, I am Anri, the youngest daughter of Viscount Wentworth. I’ve now become the Duchess of Briston. It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

Erze’s eyes sparkled with a brief light at the curt response.

Yes, this is it.

This is how you greet someone on the first meeting!

The new duchess wasn’t just lovely in appearance; her demeanor was completely different from her husband’s—much softer.

Princess Erze was personally seeking out people who resonated with her.

As a princess, she understood how important it was to meet people who were aligned in thought and heart.

Status and gender didn’t matter.

If possible, she preferred to be with other women.

She wanted to engage in sincere conversations with various people in society without them knowing she was a princess.

To do that, she had to hide her identity.

The social gathering she had infiltrated recently was the ball where today’s duke and duchess were united.

There, she conversed with various nobles.

But none had satisfied her.

She had tried to approach Duke Edwin to strike up a conversation.

However, he had skillfully avoided her, dodging her like she was an obstacle.

She couldn’t even get a word in.

Instead, other men had approached her, making advances and saying things like “You’re as beautiful as a red rose” or “You’re stunning.”

It was all so bothersome.

Even when she was exuding her royal presence, she had been bothered by these men, and it was the same even when she was incognito.

Though she wasn’t keen on cross-dressing, she could no longer tolerate the advances of lecherous men.

In the end, Erze decided to disguise herself as a man for the first time today.

She had worn a dark brown wig and colored her eyes a reddish brown.

Her eyes actually turned a darker brown when she was tired.

Plus, she was wearing glasses, which made her eyes appear larger than they actually were.

But of all things, her interest was drawn to the bride.

‘It’s hard to approach her in this outfit!’

The new bride exuded a special aura that made just looking at her feel joyful.

Even though she was a woman, Erze felt her heart melt.

She was like pink cotton candy.

Erze wanted to find out more about her.

“Thank you for the congratulations!”

It was the moment Anri responded to Duke Evans’s congratulations.

She hadn’t even finished speaking, but she had to change her movements.

Wow. This is the first time I’ve felt so rushed.

“So, who is it?”

“Who?”

This time, Anri turned with her arm linked with Edwin’s.

As usual, he had a calm demeanor.

Is he pretending not to know after making me curious?

“You said you met your ideal type!”

“Ah, well, thinking about it again, it might not be the case.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmmm.”

With a nonchalant sigh, Edwin moved away from her.

Anri was flabbergasted.

The next partner she faced was Evans.