“Hey, don’t dance to this tune.”

“… That’s why I told you I didn’t like this tune.”

Who dragged me out here? I stared at him, pouting, but he smiled casually.

“Hey, they’re watching you. Control your expression, will you?”

“Oh my! You’re so annoying.”

“Uh, I’m serious. What if they spread rumors that you have a bad personality?”

When I giggled in surprise, he just looked at me with a smile.

Now, that the band played out the tune, I duly showed my manners by holding the hem of my dress. Then I came out of the dance floor, holding his hand, who bowed politely.

When I took a few steps, chatting with him, a couple stopped us. They were Crown Prince and Jiun.

“I, Casein de Lars, am honored to greet you, the Little Sun of the empire.”

“I, Aristia la Monique, am honored to greet you, Your Majesty.”

“… It’s been a long time, Sir Carsein. And you, too. ”

Then he nodded blankly as usual. He looked at me and Carsein silently. Jiun, who stepped forward with her hand on his, looked at me with a bright smile.

‘Does she want me to greet her first?’

In terms of protocol I was higher than her, but right now she was higher than me logically as she attended the ball in her capacity as the crown prince’s partner. Controlling my displeasure, I slightly bowed to her.

“Hello, Lady Jena.”

“Hello, Lady Monique. It’s my first time to see you here after meeting you at the conference hall.”

First time? Maybe she is right because I saw her for the first since my return.

Just like I did at the conference hall, I felt scared when I found her so different from the old her that I remember. Given that she said she saw me after a long time, obviously she came back from the past like me. What the hell is her real intention?

“Your dress looks good on you. It’s hard to look good in a red dress, especially if one’s young like you.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“You also look great. As you are wearing a uniform, I guess you are probably a knight? I think both of you go really well together. ”

“Thank you, Lady Jenna. I’m sorry to introduce myself belatedly. My name is Carsein de Lars, Duke Lars’s second son. I belong to the 1st Knights Division. ”

“Oh, you’re with the Duke Lars family! Come to think of it, your hair really resembles your father’s.”

Was it my mistake that I was annoyed by the way she spoke? I felt like she was using the common talking trick commonly used in social circles, namely pretending to praise the other party while looking down on them in her heart.

I felt something strange. Why is she hostile to me? In the past, she was so friendly to me.

Was she trying to keep me at bay? Was she afraid I would take away the crown prince because I was still his official fiancee?

“As you make such a good couple, I’m afraid the crown prince might misunderstand you. Oh, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m saying this because your clothes and dancing today were so beautiful like a picture.”

“Oh, I don’t think the crown prince will misunderstand us. Actually, he asked me to take good care of Lady Monique recently.”

“Oh, I see. That’s good to know.”

“Anyway, thank you for the compliment. ”

Jiun and Carsein were having a war of nerves, hiding their intention while talking. But the crown prince was only looking at me, not casting a glance at them at all.

He seemed to have something to say to me.

I slowly caught my breath and looked away from him as naturally as possible.

Then I saw a man walking to us urgently. He was the crown prince’s aide, whom I saw several times before.

“Please forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty. I’ve got an urgent report…”

“That’s fine. What is going on? ”

“We got the urgent report that the Lumo River flooded due to the downpour of rain for the past seven days. They say the damages around the river are enormous.”

“Flooding after the drought? I’ve clearly ordered them to prepare for it. Summon all the nobles with the rank of earl and above, as well as the government officials involved right now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After giving instructions coldly, he turned to us and said, “I think I have to leave first because of the bad situation. Lady Jena, I hope for your understanding. ”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. Please go ahead. ”

“I’ll see you later, Lady Monique. Sir Carsein, nice to meet you. Have a good time. ”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“It was my honor, Your Majesty.”

After greeting them one by one, he finally looked at me once more and turned.

When I watched him walking with long steps with his aide, I heard Carsein saying to Jiun sarcastically, “Oh my! It’s a pity that he left so early as you’re today’s protagonist. If I had come here alone, I would have asked to escort you, but I can’t. What should I do?”

“…That’s fine. Thanks for saying that.”

“As he left such a beauty like you alone here, I think the crown prince would feel bad, too. What can you do? As he is so busy, we have to understand him.”

“…Of course.”

“Oh, aren’t you Lady Monique?”

While watching Carsein and Jiun waging a war of nerves, someone in a white uniform approached me before I knew it. Then, a man in a navy blue uniform appeared and politely bowed to me.

“Hello, Sir Monique. I sometimes saw you dressed in a uniform, but it’s my first time seeing you in a formal dress.” ”

“Hi, Sir June, Sir Ryan!”

When the two knights appeared suddenly, Jiun, who was staring at Carsein sharply, quickly bowed out.

Watching her with a smile, Sir June said, “Oh, Sir Carsein, it looks like you had a big quarrel with her from the start.”

“Well, it’s not worth being called a quarrel. I just chatted with her a bit.”

With a significant smile, Sir Ryan looked back at me, not caring about the two chatting with each other in a good mood, and said, “Today you look really beautiful, Lady Monique. I’m sorry my colleagues didn’t come here and see your beauty.”

“I’m flattered, Sir Ryan. Thank you anyway. I know everybody is having a hard time because of the downpouring all through this week, so I feel uncomfortable because I am having a fling like this.”

“What are you talking about? If they know that you are concerned about them, they will be happy to know it. And you don’t have to worry about it as the rain stopped finally.”

“Oh, really? What a relief!”

I was worried about the flooding, so I felt so relieved that the rain stopped. Of course, it might still rain in the areas damaged by flooding. It would really have been dangerous if the capital where the emperor lived had been flooded.

“By the way, did you hear the news?”

“What are you talking about?”

“There is a rumor that the emperor is thinking of founding the 3rd Knights Division. That’s why Marquis Enesil and Marquis Mirwa’s son are staying in the capital.”

That’s the rumor circulating everywhere when I checked the knights groups these days. I said with a nod, “Yes, I heard it too. I think the 3rd Knights Division is definitely necessary. The 1st and 2nd Knights are already overcrowded.”

“Right. But I wonder how they can enlist the short-staffed full-fledged knights if they decide to create the 3rd Knights Division . By the way, Marquis Enesil might soon become the Deputy Captain of the 1st Knights. ”

“Oh, really? I saw him a couple of times before. He seemed to be very competent. I’m sorry to my father, but I hope he could come to the 1st Knights Division as soon as possible.”

“Really? I feel sad to hear that, Lady Monique. Like I said at the recent regular training session and this time, too, please don’t forget that you have to come back to the 2nd Knights Division someday. Please don’t forget it.”

“Oops! I think I put my foot in my mouth. Sorry, Sir Ryan.”

When I slightly leaned forward and apologized, Sir Ryan shook his head, saying he was fine. Suddenly, I broke into a smile. As the successor of a viscount family, he was so innocent that I doubted if he could survive in society.

After chatting with the two, I was about to turn when I felt stuffy. I thought about going out as the rain stopped. In fact, I was kind of frustrated as I got stuck at home because of the rain all week. “Sein?”

“Ugh?”