Episode 39

Luciano is a man who only supports the woman's movements. It makes no sense that her brother, who is smaller in stature and looks mediocre compared to him, would make Ines' dance more beautiful.

He unconsciously took to heart Dante Ihar's words and repeated his not-so-clean rebuttal. As for himself, he was dressed as if he had come to a funeral, and his gloomy eyes were as if he would curse anyone who made eye contact with him, driving away the world's attention...

But looking at her now, who could easily recall her from back then? Even though he knew it in his head, it was hard to align it with what he saw. It wasn't for him, who had been thinking about her day and night, but the shock was, yes, natural. Irritability rose again.

Dressing so prettily, dancing so prettily, smiling so prettily… I didn't like it. The ominous feeling that had been building since their first dance at this celebratory banquet was confirmed when Luciano personally asked his sister to dance during the banquet.

The moment she was gently held in his arms and moved her feet lightly, the face that smiled affectionately, if fakely, the useless nagging she whispered in his ear… If she hadn't found fault with his dancing skills like that, she would have stood up in the middle of the wedding banquet hall and displayed that fact for the rest of her life.

The beautiful, straight collarbone, the plump chest beneath it, and the luscious valley unfolded before his eyes as he danced, teasing him. The fact that everyone was watching drove him crazy.

Cassel let out a low sigh. Just thinking about it made his blood rush down to his chest.

Time passed so quickly. They had yet to leave the banquet hall and go to the bridal chamber where they would spend the night together… … .

"What a free expression."

Oscar suddenly came up behind him and took the wineglass that was in front of Cassel without a second thought. It was a new glass that Cassel hadn't even touched.

This precious wine was produced in a particularly sunny year 43 years ago, in the famous vineyard of the Duke of Ballestena.

Now, there were only three bottles left, and a man like you should savor each and every sip with gratitude throughout the banquet—this was the drink that the Duke of Ballestena himself poured and sternly poured.

At Ortega's wedding, it was customary for the best wine to belong exclusively to the bride and groom, and not even the bride's parents or the groom's parents were allowed to drink the same wine.

But would such a custom even make sense to the crown prince, who considered himself the most precious of all living beings?

Cassel shamelessly stared at the empty glass he had placed down instead of the new one for a moment, then turned his gaze straight ahead again as if it was not worth talking about.

The music changed while the intruder was there, and Ines, who had expected him to come back, was talking to Enrique Osorno, who happened to see Oscar and approached her.

The grandson of the Duke of Osorno, whom the Duke of Ballestena had mentioned first.

"As expected, Ballestena's wine is the best. Even when I begged for just one bottle, he would not give it up even if I died, but now he willingly gives it to you, my son-in-law."

Even after being rejected by Ines at the age of ten, Oscar continued to court her in secret. It was a foolish desire that not only the Emperor and Empress but also everyone around them did not understand.

He was a man who only knew himself and had nothing left except his pride, but he had an appearance that was hard to tell whether it was arrogance or desire. If he was trying to make up for his first failure at such a young age, then he was truly a disgusting man… … As always, Cassel listened to Oscar's petty sarcasm with one ear and let it go out the other.

The year Cassel went to military academy, he personally visited Perez again and their relationship briefly took on a serious tone, but just as it was about to take on a serious tone, Ines did something to frustrate Oscar, and he returned, becoming engaged.

And to the dismay of the Empress, he has not married even though he is twenty-seven.

The granddaughter of the Marquis of Barca, who was engaged to him, was already twenty-two and past the age for marriage, but he endured the persecution of the imperial family and got through each day by using the sophistry that his fiancée, whom he had met when she was sixteen, still looked young to him when he was twenty-one.

And the more that happened, the more he never forgot the regret he felt towards Cassel and made sure to express it. How on earth did he get dumped by Ines back then, without being able to say a word to Ines… … .

Cassel returned his gaze to Oscar's words, giving half-hearted replies like "Yes" and "I'm sorry."

His eyes searched for her. Ines wasn't where he expected her to be, but she was so conspicuous that he could spot her right away. Cassel's eyes narrowed.

I was clearly talking to Enrique Osorno a little bit away from the dancers.

"… If he had chosen Enrique Osorno instead, I would have acknowledged him at least to some extent."

Oscar's muttering didn't just pass by my ears like other times, but stabbed my eardrums like needles.

"Why would Ines choose someone like you?"

"… … ."

"Look, he gets along so well with the grandson of the Duke of Osorno."

Before they knew it, they were dancing to lively music in the middle of the room.

"It's a shame that he looks a bit old, but there are women who like guys with faces like that… How manly is it to be so unkempt and sunburned, unlike everyone else?"

"… … ."

"That person is you. You understand."

"I understand, so I won't even respond."

"Are you jealous?"

"no."

"What's so special about dancing? A lady who can't even dance properly at a banquet where she's the star is not attractive. Ines rarely dances with other people, so even I would be annoyed, but it's a ritualistic activity that everyone does. Do you understand how narrow-minded she is?"

I couldn't help but feel annoyed as I listened to him talking point by point like he was teaching a foolish person facts that everyone already knew.

Perhaps he had enlisted in the Navy not to avoid marriage, but to avoid this voice. The thought of having to devote his entire life to an annoying master rather than living with one woman made him feel pessimistic all over again.

"As expected, Ines is very beautiful, and you, who are not a handful, would like to keep her by your side, but if you do that, your married life will not go well."

"What does an unmarried person know?"

"There are some facts that I feel like I know even without knowing them."

I guess so. How foolish… Oscar suddenly patted his shoulder encouragingly as if he were a good cousin.

"It's okay. Enrique Osorno is making your wife happy for you right now."

A status that I can't even dare to tell Dante Ihar to go away… .

"Look, he's smiling."

"… … ."

"I've never seen you smile like that when you dance with me. Is it because of Enrique Osorno's excellent speaking skills? It's because we've practiced together before and we're in sync?"

They're like fucking cousins. Even the part where he grabs and hangs on to the same part as Dante Ihar made Cassel feel serious inflammation. If they were tied together and dumped in the Erda Trench, he would have no more wishes.

"When we had our first dance earlier, I laughed."

"Oh, yes. For the first time. Very pretentiously."

Oscar smiled happily as if he was just holding on to something, and then stealthily took the wine glass that had been left in Ines' empty seat.

Cassel snatched it away like a sword. Unlike his own, it was a glass that had already touched Ines' lips. He drank it down in one gulp.

My head started to feel dizzy for a moment as the alcohol went down my throat without me even being able to savor it. This was clearly a stress-related reaction.

"It's unusual."

"If it's mine, I don't mind, but no."

"So, what did Dante Ihar say earlier?"

"It wasn't much."

"That's not your face."

"… … ."

"His expression was just like a beggar's."

"You haven't been of much help since earlier, so can you just go now?"

"The lord does not help his subordinates, Cassel. I am just here for fun. This is the best place to see it."

"Then look at it alone."

"Don't worry, Dante. He'll probably go bald like his father."

It was the most touching thing Oscar had ever said.

"Of course, you should be a little careful too. Your uncle is in the risk group."

"Please only lift from one side."

"Look at Dante Ihar's forehead. It looks exactly like his father's."

"Is it as if Your Majesty has exactly the same forehead as my father?"

"… … You little punk."

"While listening to you, I wondered if it really is inherited if the appearance is exactly the same… ."

Cassel looked for Ines again, blurting out his words as if to say, "No, not that." And, as expected, Ines was laughing again. What's so crazy all of a sudden… As I watched, wondering, she wasn't just smiling, but seemed to be laughing out loud.

I don't like it… I noticed Enrique Osorno's sensitive eyes rolling back.

It was an unwritten rule that Ines Ballestena would not dance with anyone other than her family and fiancé. She had refused the Crown Prince's request in public several times, so the nobles who might have requested to dance with her, whether they felt something ominous about her attire or not, could not approach her and simply rolled their eyes in embarrassment.

And Enrique Osorno became the first exception.