Chapter 51: 51

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Astelle politely bowed and begged for forgiveness.

“It’s been too long since I have been to a ball, so I’m not good at dancing. I dare not obey His Majesty’s orders, because I think dancing at this rate would be rude. Please forgive me.”

Astelle was very polite from her expression to her tone of voice, but it was a clear rejection.

The banquet hall became so quiet it felt like cold water was poured on it.

No one was able to speak out loud, but it was a shocking situation.

It is shocking to hear that the emperor, who had prevented people from even approaching him, asked the former empress who he had divorced out of nowhere to dance, and the former empress even coldly refused the emperor’s request.

In fact, Astelle was surprised as well.

Why are you doing this all of a sudden?

She came to the ball to ask permission in front of people but she had no intention of even dancing with Kaizen.

‘……I really hate situations like these.’

However, Kaizen, the causative, stared straight at Astelle and said:

“I don’t care about skills.”

“Again, I may make a mistake. Please understand.”

“Do you dare refuse my hand?”

Astelle gracefully bent her knees and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

It was a firm refusal.

In fact, Astelle was a little worried.

She was supposed to ask for permission to send Theor back home first, but things have gone awry.

‘What if Kaizen gets mad and leaves?’

Fortunately, Kaizen did not leave his spot.

He did not give up and reached out to Astelle again.

“Even if I ask you so earnestly?”

“……”

Astelle was a little startled to see the serious emotion in his red eyes.

She thought he would get mad and walk away.

Kaizen made it feel like he would not give up all night unless Astelle accepted it.

She began to hear gossips around her.

Astelle bit her lip in embarrassment.

When the emperor spoke like that in front of so many people, she couldn’t just keep refusing him forever.

More than anything else, she needed to get permission.

‘……I can’t help it.’

“I may step on Your Majesty’s feet.”

“It doesn’t matter if you step on me.”

‘I really want to step on you.’

Astelle slowly placed her hand on Kaizen’s extended hand.

“Thank you.”

Kaizen’s sarcasm was heard.

Astelle took his hand without saying a word and went out into the middle of the ballroom.

A sweet melody slowly leaked out in the light silence.

It was waltz music.

‘In the end……’

Astelle didn’t like the music.

Unlike other dances, the waltz brings two people too close together.

The first dance started while many people watched.

As soon as the music started, Kaizen’s hand led Astelle strongly.

Astelle also stepped calmly and leisurely.

Each movement evoked an elegant yet restrained dignity.

“You’re really good at dancing,” Kaizen whispered in a low voice as if admiringly.

Astelle did not answer.

From a very young age, Astelle practiced dancing every day under the guidance of dance teachers.

To look elegant and beautiful in every movement.

There was only one reason for practicing so hard.

‘It was because of this man.’

She could feel the warmth of his clasped hands.

It was a familiar warmth that had been forgotten for a long time.

‘Can this man guess how hard I tried just to hear those words?’

Throughout the dance, Kaizen didn’t take his eyes off Astelle.

But Astelle did not look at him.

The onlookers watched her and exclaimed in admiration.

“That Lady, she really dances with dignity.”

“After all, the person who was the empress is different……”

A murmur was briefly heard.

The music ended with the last step.

Astelle bowed deeply to Kaizen and turned around.

And she left without looking back.

*

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Astelle headed towards the balcony to cool off for a moment.

As she approached the balcony, the mood of the nobles around her changed slightly.

“Hello, Lady.”

The nobles, who had not spoken a word to her until now, approached her.

“I saw you dancing, you are very talented.”

“Aren’t you going to participate in other dances?”

They were talking nonsense and gossiping when the Emperor was trying to please Astelle and begging for a dance.

“Thank you, but I’m dizzy, so I’m going to take a break.”

Astelle leisurely ignored their greeting and turned around.

In the ballroom, it was time for the next dance again.

A sweet melody resounded sweetly in the banquet hall.

In the wide center of the hall, a pair of chandeliers were spinning dazzlingly as people danced in pairs.

Kaizen was holding the glass that the servant had brought.

People were also gathered around him.

‘Now is my chance.’

Astelle couldn’t waste any more time.

It would be difficult for her if Kaizen goes somewhere else after this.

Astelle walked across the banquet hall toward Kaizen.

The nobles that were gathered next to the emperor stood aside in amazement.

Kaizen, who had been drinking, belatedly turned to Astelle.

“Your Majesty.”

“Astelle? What’s going on?”

She bowed deeply before Kaizen in front of everyone.

And she began to beg.

“I beg Your Majesty, the Lord of the Empire, to have mercy on me.”

Now everyone in the banquet hall was looking at this side.

There was a look of embarrassment on Kaizen’s handsome face.

It surprised him.

As soon as the dance was over, Astelle turned around coldly then suddenly came to him with a request.

“What’s going on?”

Originally, Astelle was going to ask at the end of the ball.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Kaizen asked for a dance, and everyone’s attention was focused.

‘If I stay here any longer, something strange may happen.’

So Astelle just decided to get Kaizen’s permission and go back right away.

Astelle slowly knelt in front of Kaizen and brought out the words she had prepared.

“Your Majesty, my maternal grandfather, Marquis Carlenberg is exhausted from traveling long distances.”

All the eyes of the people around were focused on this side.

Astelle continued with tears in her eyes.

“He is very ill and is bedridden. It hurts my heart to think that it is all because of me.”

With a pathetic expression on her face, she lowered her gaze and wept.

A tear ran down her cheek.

The former empress, who was expelled, is crying in front of the emperor because her old maternal grandfather is not feeling well.

It was a scene that looked pitiful enough.

The nobles who were watching began to add one word after the other.

“Is the Marquis very ill?”

“Oh my, he must be very old……”

Although the Marquis did not live in the capital city, most of the nobles were people who had heard of his name.

Some even offered to send him medicine or something.

Kaizen, who had been looking with complicated eyes, approached Astelle.

He grabbed Astelle’s shoulders with both of his hands and comforted her kindly.

“Don’t blame yourself. Why would it be your fault?”

It was much friendlier than Astelle had expected.

The problem is, it was way too sweet.

When the two got too close, there was a strange atmosphere again.

Astelle pulled her body back slightly to get away from Kaizen, she didn’t miss the chance and spoke quickly.

“Fortunately, thanks to Your Majesty’s care, my grandfather has recovered a lot. I beg of you, Your Majesty. Can’t you send my grandfather and my little nephew back to the mansion first?”

Surprised by what the former empress was trying to say, the people watching lost interest when they saw that she was making an insignificant request.

It was an understandable request.

Everyone thought the emperor would surely allow it.

The reason why Astelle came along with the emperor was already known to the people living here.

Although they do not know the details, it is known that it is related to the will of the Empress Dowager.

It is okay to send back the elderly and the child who does not need to be taken along.

In fact, from the emperor’s point of view, it was better not to take the two of them.

If he takes them, they will only get in the way.

Everyone thought so and assumed that the Emperor would grant Astelle’s request.

So did Astelle.

So when Kaizen answered firmly, everyone couldn’t help but be surprised.

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