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nKaizen of course did not object.

n“You two are the organizers, do as you please.”

nAstelle gave her brother a look of gratitude.

nChoosing to do the waltz was an excellent choice.

nThis is because, unlike minuet, the waltz is a dance where two people dance closely together, so the man can support the woman.

n“Do you remember when you were young and practiced dancing for fun?”

n“Of course.”

nAstelle recalled memories of her practicing a waltz and standing on her brother’s foot when she was about six or seven years old.

nFritz looked delighted that Astelle remembers that moment.

n“Let’s do it like then.”

n“I must be too heavy.”

nFritz lowered his voice and smiled.

n“It’s okay.”

nThe sweet melody of the waltz was heard.

nStill, I couldn’t get on my brother’s foot as I did when I was young.

nAstelle followed his steps, raising her heels so that the tattered heels did not touch the floor.

nShe nearly lost balance a few times, but luckily she was able to follow his steps without a hitch.

nEvery time Astelle stumbled as if to fall, Fritz grabbed her and led the steps.

nAstelle leaned on his arm and managed to keep pace.

nEven while supporting Astelle like that, Fritz didn’t seem troubled at all.

nAstelle looked up at her brother and admired him inwardly.

n‘You have great strength.’

nFritz was once the leader of the Imperial Knights.

nIt seems that it is not difficult to support Astelle’s body because he has strength-trained in swordsmanship.

nAfter a few rounds like that, the first music ended.

nFritz stepped out of the center of the ballroom, supporting Astelle.

nAstelle whispered to him without moving her lips, not losing her smile.

n“Please go to the balcony.”

nPeople looked a little curious, but no one asked where they were going.

nIt’s not unusual to take a break after dancing.

nAstelle went up to the balcony on the second floor with Fritz.

nAs she leaned against the railing of the balcony, she let out a sigh.

nAstelle expressed her gratitude to Fritz with a weary face,

n“Thank you very much.”

nFritz asked with a worried look on his face,

n“Why don’t you ask His Majesty’s permission and go to the mansion?”

n“No.”

nThere was no need for that.

nEven if I wanted to go back anyway, Kaizen wouldn’t let me go.

nNow that I’ve finished the first dance, I don’t need to do it again.

nI can spend time here.

nHannah noticed something was wrong and hurriedly followed Astelle to the balcony.

n“Lady Astelle, are you okay?”

n“I’m fine. The shoes are broken.”

nAstelle took off her shoes, leaning against the railing.

n“I definitely checked it…… She worked hard on it.”

n“It really is a useless malicious intent.”

nHannah went to the maids’ waiting room and got indoor shoes.

nThey were low-heeled shoes made of soft fabric that were closer to slippers than shoes.

nHannah also brought two glasses of champagne for both of them.

nAstelle drank some cool champagne.

nRefreshing champagne cooled down her throat.

n“Lady Astelle.”

n“Sir Lyndon?”

nLyndon opened the balcony door and stepped inside.

nHe bent down to Astelle and delivered Kaizen’s orders.

n“His Majesty is looking for you.”

n“Now?”

nDidn’t he say he wanted to meet after the ball?

nAfter exchanging glances with Fritz, Astelle opened the door of the balcony and walked out.

nThere was silence in the ballroom downstairs.

nAstelle, as soon as she entered, caught the attention of people.

n‘I don’t know how many times this has happened.’

nEvery time she enters the banquet hall, people’s eyes are focused on her.

n“Astelle.”

nShe turned around and saw Kaizen standing there.

nAstelle thought his appearance was a little different from usual.

nHis tense expression and frozen red eyes seemed unfamiliar to her.

nHe walked close to Astelle and slowly lowered his head.

nLike an ordinary noble gentleman asking a lady to dance.

nAstelle stiffened in surprise.

nThose who watched were even more surprised.

nNumerous nobles gathered widened their eyes.

nEven if Kaizen suddenly took out a bomb and threw it away, everyone seemed less surprised than this.

nAstelle stuttered, perplexed by this chaotic situation.

n“Your Majesty…… Why……”

nKaizen ignored the gazes of the people directed at him.

nHe was only looking at Astelle.

nAs if he and Astelle were alone in this place.

nHe spoke slowly with clear pronunciation,

n“Astelle, please be my wife.”

n***

nIn an instant, the world seemed to stop.

n‘What did I just hear?’

nEverything around me became blurred.

nThe flow of time and the scenery of the banquet hall disappeared in an instant.

nOnly Kaizen remained in front of her.

nKaizen stood proudly in the center of the banquet hall and looked at Astelle.

nStanding in the emperor’s formal attire, the majesty of a strong and relentless monarch stands out.

nWhile everyone fell silent in confusion, Astelle broke the silence first.

n“Your Majesty, what does that mean?”

nI can’t judge what kind of situation this is.

nAstelle asked in a trembling voice.

nKaizen answered without hesitation at all,

n“I’m proposing to you.”

nThere was silence in the banquet hall.

nNormally, there would be murmurs or even exclamations.

nIt was such a shocking thing that the Emperor proposed to the former empress he divorced six years ago.

nEveryone was so shocked that they couldn’t even breathe.

nAstelle was also shocked and looked at Kaizen.

nA ten-year-old Kaizen appeared in her dusty memories.

nThe young crown prince handed over a necklace with blue jewels and proposed to her.

n‘Astelle, marry me.’

nShe still vividly remembers the young prince who smiled with his youthful face.

nAlthough it was an engagement made by the grown-ups’ calculations, Astelle felt blissful at that moment.

nTen years have passed now, and Kaizen was saying the same thing as back then.

n“Marry me, Astelle.”

nWhy are you saying this?

nAstelle felt doubts in the midst of the confusion.

nKaizen was noticing that Theor was Astelle’s son.

nNevertheless, he proposed to her. She didn’t understand.

n‘Why are you doing this?’

nAstelle was too confused to answer.

nThe first to respond to Kaizen’s words was the Marchioness of Croychen.

nThe Marchioness, who had been standing in the corner, suddenly ran forward.

n“Your Majesty!”

nThe eyes in the banquet hall were focused on the shout.

n“Your Majesty! Princess Astelle is raising an illegitimate child that she disguised as her nephew!”

n“Mother!”

nFlorin ran and stopped the Marchioness.

nUnlike the Marchioness, Florin seems to have judged that saying this would not help in the current situation.

nIf you do something that defames the person the emperor proposes to, it is an insult to the emperor.

nHowever, the marchioness lost her mind the moment she saw the emperor proposing to Astelle.

nShe slapped her daughter’s hand away and pointed at Astelle.

nShe said, “You gave birth to an illegitimate child without a father, and you shamelessly appeared in the imperial palace and disguised your illegitimate child as your nephew……!”

nThe shock spread like a wave at the sudden revelation of the marchioness.

nThe former empress gave birth to an illegitimate child……

nThe nobles, who thought that there would be no greater shock than the Emperor’s proposal to the deposed Empress, were dumbfounded at the Marchioness’ words.

nOf course, the person who received the most shock was the Duke of Reston.

nThe duke asked in disbelief, “What, what did you just say?”

nFritz was also puzzled by her father’s reaction.

n“Astelle, is that true?”

nAstelle did not answer her father’s questions.

nShe might be caught off guard by her quick-witted father if she says something useless.

nNow, there was no reason to explain the past to her father in detail.

nThe frustrated duke shouted at his daughter,

n“Astelle!”

nIn the midst of confusion, Kaizen opened his mouth,

n“Lyndon.”

nAt Kaizen’s cold voice, the banquet hall, which had been buzzing, became quiet as if cold water had been poured on it.

nKaizen turned to look at Lyndon standing by the door and gave the order,

n“Bring out the Marchioness. How dare she insult the princess in the Imperial Palace.”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

n“Your Majesty!”

nThe Marchioness shouted desperately.

n“I am not lying! There is a witness! Just ask her!”

nA witness.

nWith that one word, Astelle understood what had happened to her.

nI see.

nI wondered how she found out, and she seems to have found a maid who registered as Theor’s biological mother.

nShe is the only one who can be a witness in this matter.

nThere was also a midwife who helped give birth, but she did not know the exact identity of Astelle.

nThe only person who could be a definite witness was the maid.

n‘You put a lot of effort into it.’

nShe would have been difficult to find.

nThe marchioness had a grudge against Astelle for her eldest daughter Marianne and for her work at Dentsu Castle, so she did everything she could to disgrace Astelle.

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