Then another man greeted me, stopping me cunningly when I was about to leave.

“Congratulations on your coming-of-age, Lady Monique!”

“… Thank you, Sir Holten.”

“Wow! You look like a handsome couple! It ‘s very nice to see you standing side by side.”

“… Pardon?” I was so embarrassed to hear that.

‘Who is this guy trying to match me with?’

I tried to refute him, but I couldn’t because members of the noble faction kept coming and speaking to me.

Looking at these people coming to congratulate me, I swallowed a sigh. What motivated them to do this?

At that moment, I heard an unexpected sound at the entrance.

“His Majesty Rublis Kamaludin Shana Castina, the Sun of the Empire, has arrived!”

What?

When I looked back, hardly believing my ears, I saw everyone looking at each other’s face in surprise.

‘Oh my God! Then, what I heard is all true! Is he here?’

My head was a mess at the moment. I stood blankly, at a loss about what to do, and I hurriedly came to my senses and moved towards the entrance.

I saw a young man with blue hair entering the hall with the guests lined up on both sides in shock and silence.

Looking around, he fixed his eyes on me in no time. His navy blue eyes were not as cold as I saw them last time, but warm enough to sway my heart.

“I, Aristia la Monique, am honored to see you, the Sun of the Empire!”

When I approached carefully and greeted him, the emperor nodded lightly.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. By the way, how come you came?”

“Well, I thought I went hunting a long time ago, so I felt like I wanted to hunt this time, as the hunting ground was open.”

He had a point. Typically, there was a large entourage following the emperor when he decided to go hunting. As it happened, there were lots of nobles here at the guest house to attend my coming-of-age ceremony. Besides, even major players of rival political factions also attended here with a different purpose perhaps because of the rumors about my withdrawal of the breakoff of engagement with him like Sir Freia said.

But I felt uncomfortable somehow. It was only a few days ago that he sent me a gift, saying he would not be able to see me on my coming-of-age day! Besides, he let me use the guest house for reasons that he could not allow major nobles including my father to vacate the capital for long. Then, why did he say that? If he came as far as here, didn’t he already vacate the capital?

‘What is the real reason he came here?’

I was now so confused, but I said calmly, trying to shake off idle thought.

“You must be exhausted after such a long journey, Your Majesty. I’ll tell them to prepare your accommodations quickly.”

“Thank you. Congratulations on your coming-of-age. ”

“Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”

“It looks like the ceremony has just started. Did you already dance to celebrate your coming-of-age?”

“Not yet…”

“I see.” He nodded lightly and moved into the banquet hall.

I called the chief attendant and told him to arrange accommodations for him and his attendants, and checked the condition of the banquet hall. At that moment, the band signaled to the participants that the dancing time was around the corner.

When I looked around with a sigh, I saw the young man with blue hair standing in the distance. Next to him was my father, Duke Verita, and Marquis Enesil.

I walked toward him with a heavy heart. Because he came all the way down here, he would become my partner anyway.

Originally, the coming-of-age dance meant that the star of the day showed him or herself to the world for the first time. Therefore, the meaning given to his or her partner was also significant. Therefore, I could choose my dancing partner on my own, whoever he was, and the one selected by me had to accept my request unconditionally on principle.

That was possible among the nobles, but it was different now. Who would dare to ask any other man to dance than the emperor when he is here? Otherwise, the emperor would lose his face.

So, I had no other choice but to ask him to dance.

Although I pulled myself together, repeatedly thinking to myself I couldn’t help it, I felt that my fingertips became cold as I approached him step by step to ask him to dance.

Little by little my heartbeat quickened.

I wanted to hear the participants whispering here and there, then their eyes began to turn towards me all at once. I passed by Duke Verita and Marquis Enesil smiling faintly and my father looking at me anxiously and stopped before the young man with blue hair.

Placing my hand on my chest that seemed to burst, I opened my mouth carefully.

“Your Majesty.”

“… ”

“… May I dare ask you to dance for the first time on the occasion of my coming of age?”

“It’s my honor.”

My eyes opened wide at that. What did he just say? My honor?

People began to whisper here and there at his unexpected reply, which was far from customary.

My head was spinning like a top, but I held his hand casually with a smile.

When I stepped on the dance floor, controlling my nausea, he whispered, “How have you been?”

“… I’m doing well, Your Majesty. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Is it because I am dancing with him for the first time in about a year? Or is it because of the question that has been running through my head for the past few days?

I felt it was very awkward to see him face to face. Even though I danced with him numerous times, I found it very hard to do so today.

I stretched my arm stiffly, but I couldn’t feel anything on my cold fingertips. Pulling my hand in the air, he said, stepping on the first beat, “Are you nervous because it’s your coming-of-age dance? It isn’t like you.”

“… Sorry, Your Majesty. ”

I answered hesitantly, then moved back. However, my distance with him kept narrowing because he tightly wrapped his arms around my waist.

“By the way, I see lots of faces I didn’t want to see here. Did you invite them?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh, I see. I think you sent out the invitation.”

Why is he asking obvious questions? The moment I looked up at him curiously, my eyes met his. When I saw his smiling face and navy blue eyes, my head was messed up again.

I hurriedly lowered my eyes. I could feel he was looking down at me, but my eyes were fixed on his collar, but never above it. I didn’t have the courage to see his face again.

“Come to think of it, I danced with you at my coming-of-age ceremony three years ago.”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

“Back then… ”

“Pardon?”

“…Oh, it’s nothing. ”

What was he trying to say? While I tilted my head, I let go of his hand, timed with the climax of the music. Two turns to the right, then two turns to the left again.

When I was going round amid the participants’ attention, I suddenly remembered the last time I danced with him. It’s the last day of the National Founding Day festival when I, without knowing I was poisoned, passed out while trying to stick it out to the last minute.

Suddenly, I caught a chill.

“… It’s fine.”

“Your Majesty?”

“I’ll make sure that won’t happen again,” he said, pulling me close to him when I was trembling

Did he already notice what I was thinking?

My trembling gradually faded away thanks to his low voice and warm touch.

My rough breathing also began to go back to normal.

‘Why is he so kind to me now?”

When I tried to express gratitude as I felt much better, I suddenly trembled again because I was suspicious about his sudden change of attitude. Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? He had been indifferent and cold just a while ago after I told him I would like to break off my engagement with him.

If so, did he send me the Orgel on purpose?

Once again my mind was so complicated. I wanted to ask why he sent me the music box, but the question was at the tip of my tongue. In the end, I couldn’t ask, and the music stopped.