Stirring Jealousy

"It seems I've interrupted the ladies' conversation."

The calm voice awakened Dalia. At his single remark, the ladies began chiming in one after another.

"Interrupt? Not at all, Your Highness. In fact, your presence has enlivened the atmosphere."

"Then, I'm glad to hear that."

Alexion's smile deepened at the ladies' response. The atmosphere quickly became amicable.

As Alexion's gaze carefully scanned the ladies' faces, it naturally settled on Dalia.

"This lady is...?"

"She is the Duchess of Sayre."

In response to Alexion's question, the Empress stepped forward.

"Margaret personally requested this of me. After the late Duke's passing, the mansion has been rather lonely, but she said the new Duchess has been a great source of support. So today, I thought I'd give the Duchess of Sayre a bit of encouragement."

With that, the Empress cast a glance at Lloyd, standing behind her.

Her gaze seemed to have already grasped the entire situation, despite her late arrival at the banquet.

Dalia, searching for the right moment to greet the Crown Prince, finally paid her respects.

Since the Empress had introduced her to the Crown Prince, remaining silent would have been against proper etiquette.

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am Dalia Sayre. Your tireless efforts for the kingdom are truly reassuring."

"Now that I think about it, this is the first time I'm meeting the Duchess of Sayre. I was in the southern provinces during the wedding and unfortunately couldn't attend."

"Someone destined to accomplish great things for the kingdom need not concern themselves with such matters. Your kind words are more than enough, so please don't worry."

As a Duchess, it would only benefit her to maintain good relations with the imperial family for a prosperous life in the empire.

Thus, Dalia utilized all her knowledge of etiquette to address the two with utmost respect.

However, Dalia found this entire situation nothing but bothersome.

The fact that she had ended up at the palace, receiving the goodwill of others, and now conversing with the Crown Prince—all of it felt so sudden and unplanned.

Though she kept up her smile and responded diligently, all she wanted was to leave this place as soon as possible.

So, she had planned to quietly step outside to relax once the Crown Prince and Empress left, but...

"The princess who was supposed to be my partner tonight couldn't attend due to illness. Would the Duchess of Sayre do me the honor of being my first dance partner?"

With this unexpected proposal from the Crown Prince, all her plans crumbled once again.

"Pardon? Me?"

Caught off guard, Dalia abandoned all manners and pointed to herself with her index finger.

At parties, especially those held at the royal palace, the first dance held great significance.

Traditionally, one would always have their first dance with the partner they arrived with.

Normally, Dalia should have had her first dance with Clayton, but since he had arrived as Lloyd's partner, the situation had become awkward.

"Ah, well, I…"

Dalia looked toward the Empress with an awkward expression, but the Empress didn't seem to have any objections either.

With the Empress's silent approval, Alexion continued.

"I'm suggesting this because it seems you're alone as well, Duchess."

"Ah…"

Everyone in the room was curious about who the Duchess of Sayre's first dance partner would be. And whoever missed the opportunity would face significant embarrassment.

It could be Lloyd or Dalia who would be embarrassed. But most likely, it would be Dalia.

"The Duke of Sayre is already having his first dance with someone else, so you needn't let it bother you."

Dalia wasn't particularly sensitive to humiliation or gossip, and the Crown Prince's words weren't wrong, but for some reason, she still didn't feel inclined to accept.

So, Dalia was about to politely decline the Crown Prince's proposal. However...

At that moment, her eyes met Clayton's, who was watching her from across the room.

He had stopped his conversation with the nobles and was intensely staring at the two of them.

Why is someone who showed no interest in me suddenly staring at me like that? And with a look that seems almost displeased?

Faced with Clayton's unexpected attention, Dalia stopped herself from declining and began to think.

Then, a hypothesis suddenly flashed through her mind.

'Wait, could this be…?'

Jealousy?

As the word struck her, Dalia let out a sigh, as if she had reached a grand realization.

'Yes, jealousy!'

Possessiveness and obsession were practically the default traits of male protagonists in romance novels.

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Dalia's violet eyes sparkled as she discovered newfound hope.

She had a feeling that this might be her chance to provoke Clayton's nerves.

Her deliberation was brief. Before the opportunity could slip away, Dalia grasped the Crown Prince's extended hand and spoke.

"If Your Highness would honor me with a dance, it would be an endless honor for my family!"

The plan had changed.

Now, the objective was to incite jealousy.

* * *

Before long, the bell signaling the beginning of the first dance rang out.

At the clear and lively chime, everyone began to pair up and gather in the center of the ballroom.

Among all the gathered couples, the most attention was, without a doubt, on the Crown Prince and Dalia.

When the two stood at the center of the stage, hands joined, even the others waiting to dance couldn't help but glance at them.

It was no surprise, as Dalia had shattered everyone's expectations by being the first to dance, rather than being left alone.

And not with the Duke of Sayre, but with the Crown Prince himself.

This was the moment a love triangle transformed into a love square.

Meanwhile, Dalia, now the center of everyone's attention, swallowed nervously.

It wasn't that she was particularly bothered by everyone's gaze. What worried her most at the moment was the dance itself.

'I agreed to dance, but…'

She suddenly realized that the only dance she knew was the cha-cha-cha from her gym class.

Why had she only remembered this critical fact after the music had started?

She regretted not having the chance—or even the thought—to learn how to dance after being transported into this world.

She didn't mind embarrassing herself, but the thought of causing trouble for the Crown Prince made her body tense up.

Sensing her unease, Alexion gently placed his hand on Dalia's waist and whispered.

"Relax. Just follow my lead."

How had he known she couldn't dance? The Crown Prince's words perfectly eased her worries.

Thankfully, his reassurance helped her relax a little.

'Alright. Let's give it a try.'

The steps would be hidden by the hem of her dress anyway. All she had to do was follow the Crown Prince's lead.

With that thought, the dance seemed simpler than she had anticipated.

Soon, a soft melody began to flow, guided by the conductor.

Initially awkward and stiff, Dalia gradually found herself enjoying the dance as the Crown Prince skillfully and naturally guided her.

As they drew close and parted, then came close again, their breaths intertwined and separated repeatedly.

The man's hand softly supporting her waist, his left hand firmly holding her right.

Everything, in harmony with the music, made her feel as though they were the only two people in the room.

Dalia gazed intently at the Crown Prince's face as he led her with practiced ease.

His chiseled features and mesmerizing blue eyes that could captivate anyone were far from what one would call a supporting character's appearance.

Even when compared to Clayton, whom she considered the most handsome man in this world, he didn't fall short.

'I get why people fall in love while dancing now.'

In classic movies, it was common to see the male and female leads fall in love while dancing.

At first, she had found those scenes unnatural or even laughable, but now that she was experiencing it herself, she could understand why they fell in love.

The other person's breath tickled her cheek, and the warmth radiating from their bodies transferred directly to one another.

When their chests brushed together, she could even feel the thudding of his heartbeat.

All of this created an invisible barrier around them, making the bustling ballroom feel as if only the two of them existed.

Amid this new and enchanting experience, Dalia found herself forgetting her original intention and fully immersing herself in the dance.

She absentmindedly turned her gaze and locked eyes with Clayton, who was watching her. But then…

'…Huh?'

His crimson eyes were filled with raw, unfiltered jealousy, without even an attempt to conceal it.

If looks could kill, it would undoubtedly be with eyes like his.

'What's this? Why does it feel like I just poked something I shouldn't have…?'

Her deeply ingrained survival instincts began blaring warnings in her subconscious.

I think I might have just screwed myself over.