CH 8

I looked up in surprise. Then, I met a beautiful face and eyes. They seemed somewhat wary and worried.

“…It’s better not to get involved with him too much.”

“Huh, why?”

Not knowing why I was being told that, I asked back unconsciously. This time, it was Jeremiah’s turn to widen his eyes.

“He’s a playboy. He’s always fooling around with widows and ladies from somewhere, and he’s famous for being quick to act. It’s obvious what will happen if an unmarried girl gets involved with him.”

“…Are you worried about me?”

“Of course.”

As I was held by the waist and looked down upon with a serious gaze, I once again received a great deal of damage to my heart. How many more times do I have to take this damage before this mission is over?

My face flushed, and my legs felt like they were going to give out.

What a deadly weapon, that face can kill a maiden. In many ways.

Of course, his “of course” probably implied the possibility that if the lady playing the role of his lover was seen with another man, it would not only be meaningless, but also suggest that Jeremiah had lost his lover to another man.

However, even if that were the case, I was too happy to be looked at with a serious face that I could die.

“T-thank you. I’ll be careful.”

“Please do so, now it’s about time for the music band to be ready. Let’s go.”

Until the Exiled Duke’s Daughter,...

“Yes.”

Looking around, other guests were also heading towards the dance hall downstairs.

We joined the flow and on the way, Tatiana and Lord Grimani waved their hands, so we also turned around. Soon, we arrived at the hall where the chandeliers sparkled and a gentle melody could be heard.

Even an amateur like me could tell that the glamorous sound was coming from instruments made by talented musicians and excellent craftsmen.

As I was listening to the flowing music, Jeremiah said,

“So, let’s have fun dancing.”

“Y-yes.”

I answered in a hurry, and a funny smile spread across my field of vision. There were many other pairs who had started dancing, but I couldn’t see them anymore.

He was the only one in my field of vision.

Soon, a hand was placed on my waist, and I felt my body stabilize. The steps that were slowly taken were not forceful, but gently led me, who was clumsy, with care.

It was polite, calm, and passionate.

It was just a small dance party for a small group, so there was no need to be too strict about the rules, but he was very proper.

I didn’t feel the need to lead him, and by the time I was slightly out of breath, I had completely entrusted myself to him.

It was like a dream.

Perhaps because my past life was too miserable, I felt that God thought it was pitiful and wanted to show me a little bit of a better life this time.

If that’s the case, thank you, God.

I feel like I can live on now.

I completely forgot my original purpose for coming here and enjoyed watching Jeremiah while dancing. Well, it’s okay to be a big fool once or twice in life.

As the night wore on and the crowd dwindled, Jeremiah said, “It’s time to close. Let me take you to your room.”

“Okay.”

After resting for a while, he escorted me to the entrance of my room. My head felt a little dizzy. It was like my brain had turned into cotton candy.

However, no matter how much my brain turned into cotton candy, I must not forget my manners.

“Thank you for today. I had a great time.”

“I see. Well then, see you tomorrow.”

Whispering those words, the front suddenly became strangely dark. Wondering what it was, I was startled when I felt a soft sensation on my forehead.

——Wait a minute, did I just get kissed on the forehead?

Not understanding the meaning, I stiffened up, and Jeremiah, who had a satisfied cat-like expression after finishing his meal, said.

“Good night.”

He only said that and left with a firm step. However, as for me, I couldn’t recover from the shock for a while and stood frozen in front of the door.

A kiss on the forehead.

That shouldn’t be something you do with someone who is just a convenient lover. Moreover, it’s not something you do with someone you just exchanged words with today. It’s incomprehensible. I don’t know what he’s thinking.

As I swayed and muttered to myself, Dorothea, who seemed to have danced over, looked at me curiously with a flushed face and shook my shoulders.

By the way, Dorothea and I share the same room.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Your face looks really weird. It’s like you’re half burned and half frozen in fear. Did something happen?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. I’m sorry.”

Unable to construct language well, I spoke brokenly and desperately mobilized all my energy to move my body.

Anyway, I had to rest.

Tomorrow will be much harder than today.

I have to restore my physical strength. Today, I only had to show off my relationship with Jeremiah, but from tomorrow, I have to endure the gaze of the people around me.

Jealousy, hatred, and various things will be directed at me.

In addition, there is a high possibility that my aunt will say something.

I guarantee that I won’t be able to endure it without getting enough sleep.

My joints creaked, and I entered the room like a broken robot. For now, I’ll sleep. I couldn’t even answer Dorothea’s curious “What’s wrong?” and immediately called a maid to change my clothes and lay down.

God, I’m grateful for your blessings, but please don’t overdo it, or my lifespan will be shortened.

I said to God in my bed.

However, Jeremiah’s happy smile that he showed me at the end was strongly burned into my eyes, and in the end, I couldn’t fall asleep easily.