"Is there any phrase more suspicious than 'it's nothing'?"
But rather than pressing further, I decided it was more urgent to safeguard my poor foot.
"If you step on my foot again, I might just collapse!"
"Understood!"
His response was as crisp as a soldier's, which made sense—he practically was one.
I decided to casually probe Arthur with a question.
"Earlier, were you planning to ask Lady Maria for a dance?"
"How did you know?"
Surprisingly, I do have eyes, you know.
"Who wouldn't catch on, seeing your earnest pursuit of her?"
Arthur's neck flushed a deep red. Oh, that's a bit cute.
"I see… How embarrassing."
"It's fine. Just approach her naturally during the next dance or the one after that!"
Having earned myself two solid coins of goodwill, I felt completely at ease. Now all that was left was for the male lead and the heroine to grow closer!
But Arthur sighed and spoke with a hint of worry.
"I'm not sure if Lady Maria will accept my dance invitation."
"Why would you think that?"
"I lack refinement, am not well-spoken… Compared to the polished gentlemen of the capital, I have nothing to offer."
Your face! That ridiculously handsome face of yours! Are there no mirrors in the North?!
And let's not forget your broad back, your shoulders, and your strong arms. You've got more than enough going for you, so what on earth are you talking about?!
For a brief moment, I nearly let slip some unladylike words out of sheer frustration.
How could I phrase "You're handsome, so you'll be fine" in a way befitting a lady?
…Actually, never mind.
If I said it too kindly, what if the male lead fell for me instead?
Am I being overly self-conscious? Perhaps.
But male leads in transmigration stories always seem to fall for the transmigrated character. You can never be too cautious about these things.
"You're absurdly handsome."
"…Pardon?" Arthur's eyes went wide.
I looked him squarely in the face and repeated myself.
"You're handsome. Right now, countless ladies are swooning over your untamed black hair and those enormous hands of yours that look like they could wrap around any lady's waist with ease."
Arthur's face turned bright red. Clearly, he wasn't used to such blatant compliments.
He seemed about to utter some polite response—
Sorry! I'm not done yet!
"Of course, you're not as handsome as Prince Tristan."
"Excuse me?"
"Why are you so surprised? After all, the prince possesses every physical charm you do. Perhaps it's time for you to learn to look beyond Lady Maria."
Though Arthur appeared flustered by my veering remarks, he eventually nodded slowly, seemingly agreeing with my final statement.
But here's where the truly annoying part began.
"As I said earlier, just standing there is enough to make many ladies' hearts flutter. However, high society isn't an exhibition. You dislike these events, don't you?"
"…I do. I came today because it was the queen's ball, but otherwise, I avoid them when I can."
"Exactly. If you dislike them, why attend? You'll only end up watching Lady Maria fall more and more for Prince Tristan."
Arthur bit his lower lip.
"Lady, are you provoking me on purpose?"
Correct.
If this were the original storyline, you'd already be glaring at Tristan, seething with jealousy. But there's no sign of that happening!
I lowered my voice and added, "Who started this, Your Grace? You chose me to provoke the prince after losing your chance to dance with Lady Maria."
"Ugh… That's, uh… I apologize."
"Your honesty is refreshing. But to be even more honest, the prince probably didn't even notice your provocation. He's completely enamored with Lady Maria!"
Arthur tilted his head, a doubtful expression on his face. As if asking, Is that true?
What are you doubting?
"Do you think I wouldn't understand my fiancé's feelings? That's why I'm asking you, Your Grace—please take one step further and win Lady Maria's heart."
"…I understand now."
Arthur gave a wry smile.
"Is it fair to call this a collaboration? A joint effort to reclaim our respective partners?"
"Think of it however you like. I just hope you finish this season without regrets."
Don't take it so lightly! Take it seriously! Tristan is your rival, so stir up some jealousy, will you?!
By then, the music had come to an end.
Taking a step back, Arthur glanced at the other men with their perfectly styled hair and then began pressing down on his own tousled locks as if to neaten them.
Was the provocation working a little?
Well then, hurry up and win over Lady Maria. I'll be off to enjoy some food…
"Ahh!"
The pain in my foot, trampled on multiple times by Arthur, surged as soon as I tried to take a step, nearly causing me to stumble. Arthur immediately reached out, gripping my shoulder firmly.
"Are you all right?"
"Thank you."
I couldn't bring myself to say I was fine, so I simply thanked him for catching me. Arthur hesitated before speaking.
"Your foot hurts because of me, doesn't it?"
"…Yes."
"I'll help you."
"Just to my aunt, please."
I barely managed to stop him from picking me up entirely. In the end, my aunt came rushing over and escorted me to a nearby bench, ending my dance with Arthur.
After Arthur left, my aunt gave me an odd look.
"I never thought you'd end up dancing with the duke… So, how was it?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've told you so many times to keep your options open with other gentlemen!"
"If that's what you mean, then no, absolutely not. He spent the entire dance staring at Lady Maria."
"Even just looking at someone doesn't lead to marriage—otherwise, why would people suffer so much heartache? Anyway, from what I see, your chances are looking good. Getting your foot stepped on so harshly? That's a great excuse to call him over later under the pretense of recovery!"
Is she suggesting I become some sort of insurance scammer?
I let out a small laugh.
"No, this opportunity should go to my sister. Besides, I have Prince Tristan, don't I?"
The words I had repeated to exhaustion.
Normally, this would trigger my aunt's usual tirade of "Oh, that same old nonsense—you and your virtuous façade, blah blah blah." But this time, her response surprised me.
"I didn't want to bring this up, but you should brace yourself, Dory."
"Brace myself for what?"
"I'm starting to think His Highness has genuine feelings for Lady Meyer."
"Did something happen?"
"During the entire dance earlier, he kept glaring at the young duke whenever he got the chance. Considering he's been courting Lady Meyer since the start of the season, he must've been irritated by the sudden appearance of a rival."
"…"
"To think I didn't believe he'd ever take a woman seriously. Yet the moment competition arose, it seems his feelings have ignited."
Ah, so that's why when I was dancing, Arthur kept glancing over my shoulder and muttering, 'It's him again.' Turns out Tristan started the confrontation.
"Do you understand now, Dory?"
"Yes, I understand."
It was all proceeding according to the original plotline.
* * *
During the interlude between the first and second dance, my aunt excused herself to visit the powder room.
In the distance, I spotted Tristan handing a glass of lemon water to Maria.
He's not going to ask her to dance again, is he?
At events like these, where women significantly outnumber men, it's polite for the gentlemen to dance with as many ladies as possible. Of course, whether the ladies accept is another matter. But don't just stick to Maria! Look around—you're surrounded by young ladies nervously hoping they won't leave without a single dance!
While I was busy glaring at Tristan, a shadow loomed over me.
"Excuse me, Miss Redfield."
I looked up to find Arthur towering before me.
"Young Duke?"
"Would you kindly accept this?"
Arthur handed me a glass. The sound of fizzing carbonated lemonade tickled my ears.
"Oh, thank you."
"No need to thank me. If anything, I owe you gratitude."
He nodded slightly in Tristan's direction as he spoke.
"Thanks to your advice, I've realized my shortcomings."
Ah, so watching Tristan fetch Maria's drink inspired you to emulate him?
"Well, thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"And once again, thank you for your guidance. I'll strive to be less embarrassing the next time I dance with Maria—"
Arthur froze, realizing his slip.
"Ah!"
"'Maria', is it? So, you do know her?"
"Uh… Yes, that's correct."
A faint blush spread across his usually composed face.
"We were childhood friends. But due to circumstances with our families, we lost touch until we met again here by chance."
"Ah, I see."
"Given the nature of our reunion, we intended to pretend not to know each other. But… my heart doesn't seem to listen. I can't stop glancing her way."
His chiseled features softened, showing a mix of excitement and nervousness.
So adorable!
"But Maria… she seems overwhelmed by my sudden reappearance."
No! She's thrilled to see you! Tonight, she'll dream about dancing with you and fall out of bed in her sleep!
I suppressed the urge to laugh.
This must be the joy of watching someone else's love story unfold.
"I'll cheer you on, Young Duke. Your feelings will surely be reciprocated. After all, you're the second-most handsome man here, right after Prince Tristan!"
Even if it sounded silly, I had to make my intentions clear. There could be no ambiguity here.
Arthur didn't seem offended. Instead, he smiled warmly and replied,
"I, too, wish you all the best. May your love be returned as well."
For that, I was genuinely grateful.
Arthur walked off, his steps noticeably lighter.
After indulging in something sweet, reality hit me like a bitter aftertaste.
I have no one I love.
If I have nothing to give, there's nothing to receive.
In the distance, Tristan asked a nervous young lady to dance and soon disappeared from my view.
For the rest of the evening, no one asked me to dance again.
I enjoyed the event comfortably, though. After my dance with the young duke, my aunt, in high spirits, allowed me to indulge in some snacks.
As expected, Arthur never managed to dance with Maria that night. However, judging by the way he smiled to himself and Maria's dreamy expression as they left, it was clear their hands had brushed under the table later in the evening, just as the original story went.
When we returned home, my aunt was grinning—a first since becoming my chaperone.
My parents seemed pleased to hear I had danced with the young duke.
I earned my coin.
By all accounts, it had been a good day.
The sweet taste of the waffles served at the palace lingered in my mouth, as though mocking me.
* * *
Tristan wanted to end the day with a smile.
Hadn't everything gone perfectly?
He'd danced with different ladies for each song, ensuring no one felt excluded. Despite his bruised toes from the less skilled dancers, he didn't complain. He'd even subdued a few notorious rogues targeting innocent young ladies by discreetly tossing them into the garden fountain.
Surely, his mother would praise him for this.
But after all the guests had left, the queen summoned him.
"Tristan, I need a word with you."