143. under the chandelier (4)

“If the atmosphere was good, it seems like I called you back for no reason.”

1The princess apologized to Marion, who came back to her side, saying she was sorry. Marion, who was wearing the mask again, smiled and shook her head.

“Right now, having Her Highness by his side is helpful for both me and him.”

Michelle couldn’t help but laugh at Marion’s consistent attitude.

“Yeah, thank you for saying that.”

Count Agon’s brilliance shone even within the capital. And, Michelle enjoyed unexpected popularity as the aristocrats who were completely dazzled by Marion’s appearance did not go to Marion, but to Michelle, her master.

“Why did you put the mask back on?”

I thought I would go around proudly showing the face I had regained. Michelle asked as if it was a waste.

“I wanted to make my bare face, at least for this ball, my fiancé’s. By any chance, if Your Highness cares about this… .”

“No, no. I’m more comfortable with the fact that there are fewer nobles targeting you. Of course, I’m a little jealous of your fiancé.”

Michelle looked in the direction Marion had walked. Perhaps her fiancé, the winner of this martial arts competition, is waiting at the other end.

“Are you going to give her a chance?”

When Michelle asked, Marion smiled bitterly and nodded. Christine. A benefactor who helped her and a person who supported Maxim for a long time. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of her, but Marion had no intention of not making her a place.

“Oh, you’re a man with a lot of corridors.”

1 The princess smiled broadly and shook her head. Shall we try to be considerate of Marion and adjust our schedule? On the one hand, Michelle thought so and started responding to the nobles who came to visit her.

—

Along the road Marion walks, people diverge like a tree-lined road. Maxim sighed and looked at the scene. Other male aristocrats, even some young ladies, looked for an opportunity to talk to them somehow with their eyes shining, but Marion did not even return his eyes to those people’s gazes and aloofly moved towards the first princess.

“Would you like a drink?”

An attendant offered champagne to Maxim, who was left alone watching the dancing nobles. Maxim took a glass from the tray and closed his eyes, trying to get away from the noise for a moment.

Even though Maxim was left alone, the young ladies did not approach again. It would have been difficult for anyone to muster up the courage to do so if they had seen the smile of Marion, who had just left Maxim and returned to the princess. The area around Maxim was quiet as if a hole had been opened while people were bubbly.

“Are you alone, Maxim?”

Those were the words of Dennis, who reappeared after a few hours with a face emaciated from fatigue. No matter how much he suffered, Charlotte, who was going to be a partner with him, was also making an expression of boredom. In that moment, the feeling of holding Dennis’s hand must have gotten used to it, but the shy look disappeared.

“You seem to have suffered quite a bit, where have you been?”

“Wherever you go, come and go. I was dragged Where is the baron, where is the count? I was surprised that there were quite a few families whose names I had heard at first glance.”

Dennis picked up two glasses from a passing attendant’s tray. Then he put one glass into Charlotte’s hand and quickly emptied the other. Dennis let out a relieved breath as if he had taken a breather, and put on a more relaxed expression.

“Girls, even if our Charlotte blocks it… Dealing with the aristocrats who came forward to talk to him personally was politically quite important. You can’t not treat your opponent because it’s annoying. I was scolded for dealing with him while smiling until my face went into spasms.”

Dennis naturally took care of getting Charlotte to sit down. Although the consideration made Charlotte’s face red again, she was not as shy as before. Maxim looked at the scene and smiled happily without Denis knowing.

“You have suffered. Since all of the seniors played impressive games, wouldn’t that be the approach?”

“Then I don’t know why not a single person stuck to you.”

Dennis’ brow furrowed. It was certainly strange that Maxim’s surroundings were quiet. Originally, she would have to be busy dealing with the young ladies who would start talking to her without even having time to catch her breath. Of course, it wasn’t that he couldn’t guess the reason at all, but Dennis was mean and questioned Maxim.

“Thanks to having a good fiancé.”

Dennis contorted his face again, saying he didn’t like Maxim’s unexpected answer.

“You were the kind of person who knew how to say such things.”

“What kind of person did you know me as?”

“A cold-blooded person who only knows how to wield a sword.”

“Isn’t that the same for you, too?”

“Yeah, f*ck. Your mouth is open too. You’re good, kid.”

Dennis grunted and looked around. The gaze of the aristocrats, which seemed to have shrunk, quickly began to increase when Maxim started talking to Dennis and Charlotte again. Dennis pretended not to notice the gaze and changed the topic.

“By the way, isn’t Christine back yet? Are you not coming back because you think you are still with your fiancée?”

“Who thinks what’s not coming back?”

As Dennis was afraid to speak, Christine’s voice came from behind him. I heard that even a tiger will come if I say it. Maxim laughed at the directing, which could be said to be banal. Dennis froze, Christine glaring at him.

“Oh, you’re back, Christine.”

Dennis greeted Christine casually, but she only shrugged her shoulders with a pouting face.

“It’s not that I didn’t come back because I thought you were with Marion. Of course, I watched what happened. It’s because I’m just curious about what’s going on.”

Christine’s eyes glared at Dennis, but by the end of the sentence, they had reached Maxim with a resentful light. What can I say to her? Maxim just smiled at Christine. Christine pouted, but timidly, tapped Maxim’s chest with her fist. He blushed faintly, perhaps realizing that what he had just said was quite embarrassing.

“Tell me something. Just don’t make me feel embarrassed.”

“sorry. By the way, what did Her Highness the Princess call you for? Simply because of your promise to Marion?”

Christine puffed out her cheeks in displeasure and shook her head.

“Nope. Besides that, we talked about various things. Her Highness, the princess, was also curious about what kind of person the senior was. I don’t know why you ask me instead of asking Marion.”

Christine then hurriedly added, ‘Although Her Highness did not show interest in the senior in private, so I answered with sincerity!’

“A story about me?”

“It seemed like she was just asking because she was worried about Marion, and it seemed like there was another factor… Perhaps it has something to do with His Highness the First Prince? You are still officially a member of the 2nd Guards, and you are still attached to the 1st Prince as a swordsmanship teacher.”

Certainly, even though they were members of the same royal family, the relationship between the 1st prince and the 1st princess was very close compared to the 2nd prince and them. 2 Prince’s legitimacy. The birth of one prince and one princess. Maxim recalled their backstory, which he did not know well yet. It was a fact that only Maxim had a vague idea of the relationship, and even the 1st Guards, who could be said to be closest to the king, did not know.

“I see.”

Maxim lowered his head to see the champagne glasses Christine was holding in both hands. Christine’s hand held out a glass to Maxim, trying to encourage her, but when Maxim saw the empty glass already in her hand, she wandered in the air with nowhere to go. Maxim laughed and took her glass.

“Thank you, I was thirsty.”

“It’s more embarrassing, senior.”

Maxim laughed and gulped down the drink from Christine’s glass. Christine swallowed softly as she passed the drink and looked at Maxim’s neck as he moved.

“why?”

Maxim lifted his lips from the glass and looked down at Christine. Christine looked back at Dennis and Charlotte, shaking her head to hide the fact that she was staring at Maxim. Charlotte met Christine’s eyes, smiled, and pulled Dennis by the arm.

“yes? what happened… .”

Charlotte gave Dennis a glare, then glanced at Christine and Maxim. Dennis followed Charlotte’s gaze, saw them, and nodded in agreement. Then, without a word, he quietly walked away from them, following Charlotte’s pull. Maxim and Christine had to enjoy their time, and Dennis himself had to enjoy their time with Charlotte.

“Are you going to do well?”

Charlotte held Denise’s hand as if she couldn’t help but glanced away as she turned her head in the direction of Maxim and Christine. Dennis smiled bitterly when he saw Christine staring at Maxim’s face.

“Maxim is really, should I say that he has a lot of sins or a lot of blessings.”

“You are blessed. what is the sin?”

Charlotte responded with a smile.

“My fiancé is a breathtakingly beautiful woman, and Christine is the successor who follows her well and loves her. It’s like our captain, I don’t know why there are so many women around good knights.”

Charlotte’s gaze then reached Dennis. His eyes seemed to ask, ‘Could it be you, too?’ Dennis shrugged.

“I don’t know. Because I don’t have many women around.”

“It’s not something I really want to believe.”

Dennis put his hand on Charlotte’s waist. It was an expression that he would take care of himself. Charlotte enjoyed watching Dennis blurt out, baffled by her question, but chose to ignore it for now.

“Only today. You take her around like this for the rest of the prom.”

When Charlotte showed condescension, Dennis smiled bitterly and nodded.

“I’ll serve you well every day, so can’t you just move on as usual?”

Charlotte looked at Dennis, who casually said something embarrassing.

“How can you say something like that casually? It’s absolutely creepy.”

“Tell me how to get it back if your face blushed.”

Dennis giggled and pulled Charlotte away. It seemed to be an intention to kill the rest of the time by dancing. Charlotte pursed her lips dissatisfiedly, but soon changed her expression to a smile and leaned over to Dennis.

And, just as Dennis and Charlotte worried while looking at Christine and Maxim, Maxim and Christine were talking while looking at Dennis and Charlotte together.

“Are you going to do well? Senior Charlotte.”

“Aren’t the two of you already good? Look at that Dennis-senpai over there laughing. I’ve never seen that old man smile like that.”

Maxim said that, but looked at them and smiled kindly. The melody of the dance song sped up and slowed down repeatedly, and now it completely changed to something soft and slow. The aristocrats, who had been busy turning around and dancing with their dresses fluttering, attached their bodies to each other to the relaxed melody, closed their eyes and moved their bodies slowly.

Are they my enemies? The young ladies who talked to him with an expression of ignorance, and those young ladies who tried to hide their sinister intentions while holding their hands. Will it be swayed and worn out by Leon Benning’s hand, and eventually beheaded in the palace of Fibor?

“senior.”

Maxim woke up at the sound of Christine’s call and raised his head. Christine’s eyes looking at Maxim like that, well, it didn’t seem like it was the same as usual. Wasn’t it only the sparkling jewels shining under the dark orange chandelier lighting up the banquet hall?

Christine has always been like that. When he was idly immersed in other thoughts, he seemed to notice and care for him, but when the direction of his thoughts went negative, he called himself like this.

fresh green. Maxim used to think that the color of her eyes was always green. trees and forests and grasses. Her green eyes, which Maxim looked at, were facing Maxim in such a comfortable color. He wanted to get rid of the self-concern in his eyes someday, but it seemed impossible.

“Are you even reading my mind?”

Christine smiled as if she understood the intent of the question. Then she leaned against Maxim’s arm. Today Christine was wearing a dress that was a pale yellow color rather than her hair color. simple decoration. The frills hung only around the shoulders.

“I can barely read it. Because I’m always looking at my seniors.”

Maxim had seen her laugh now, but it wasn’t the same as usual. It wasn’t anxiety. To put it bluntly, a feeling close to impatience.

“Today, Mr. Marion, was beautiful.”

Christine looks at Maxim. In her eyes, Maxim was always in danger and anxious. He had a sense of responsibility and had a lot of affection. The core is straight, and there is a weak corner in the main subject, who is not easily broken, so he could not abandon the relationship he had once formed. Christine thought she was a bad girl who took advantage of his personality.

Christine knew that the affection he gave her was different from the affection he showed to his fiancée. And he knew that his eyes were different from those of his ex-lover, Theodora.

trust. Christine knew that Maxim’s eyes would be enough for her. However, it is not enough. I wanted to be a little more greedy. I wanted you to look at yourself in a different way than trust and friendship. I wanted to see him a little more. It wasn’t that she didn’t know about greed, and the fact that it was greed.

“It was beautiful. yes. That would have been the only thing anyone could have said.”

At Maxim’s words, involuntarily, Christine put her hand on her chest. That golden eye was looking at himself. It had its back to the fire, so it was giving off a soft light. Christine approaches Maxim.

Can you tell me I’m beautiful too?

Like the kiss at that time, can you look at me with a little surprised and a little excited eyes?

To the extent that the declaration of war at that time was overshadowed, Christine felt that her self-confidence had been lost. Hey, how can you be so bold and ask me to look back on you in front of such a beautiful and lovely lady?

A hand was raised. Christine followed her hand and, as if possessed, moved her gaze to Maxim. Maxim asked if he could read thoughts, but Christine seemed to be able to read her mind all the time.

“Shall we dance for a while?”

It was the way he said he wanted to clear his head. For now, let’s not complicate things with each other. Christine follows Maxim’s lead. He wasn’t the type to talk softly, but the way Maxim raised his hand was very careful.

As the dances of the ballroom participants slow down, the night deepens. Christine and Maxim kept their feet about half a span apart. Over that robe, she leaned her head and kissed his cheek. Christine knew at least that she couldn’t do it now.

“Looks like you still have a lot on your mind.”

I heard Maxim’s words.

“There has to be a lot.”

Christine answered. An impulse, an impulse that arises from the depths of one’s heart. Christine put her hand on Maxim’s chest. I remembered my conversation with Marion.

‘I’ll leave it to Maxim’s heart. The relationship between you and Maxim is not an area where I can meddle.’

‘… Is that acceptable?’

‘From the beginning, there was no particular intention to interfere.’

So, even now.

Christine’s hand clenched into a fist. Would it be okay to be a little greedy? Is it okay if I rely on my senior’s heart again? Even if it’s forced, is it okay if I say something like this?

“As expected, I want to be by your side.”

Christine said that while facing Maxim.

“I want to tell you again what I said then. i won’t miss it One day, I will make the day come when the eyes of my seniors reach me differently.”

I didn’t hear an answer back then. I wanted to hear it, but I couldn’t muster up the courage to listen.

“Okay, can you tell me that it’s okay to have you by my side?”

I saw a bitter smile. Christine suppressed her thumping heart. I just hoped that the waltz, which came slowly in three separate beats, would hide the sound.

“That has already been decided since you saved me.”

Maxim stroked Christine’s hair. Christine lowers her head trying to hide her trembling eyes at the touch, which is different from when she was petting her, as if she were treating her cute little sister. I didn’t want to hear the voice, and it came out trembling for nothing.

“Even if you’re by my side… Would it be okay?”

“yes. In the future, continue.”

“Even knowing that this is my greed and compulsion?”

“That’s what I always do.”

Christine didn’t know, but Maxim remembered what Marion had hinted at once.

‘I want you to look at me, but… I don’t mind if there are a few more people by Maxim’s side. Because I’m forced to stick to Maxim’s side. Because I’m shamelessly asking for your love.’

We all force ourselves. Maxim stroked the head of Christine, who was trembling like a frightened little animal in front of him. Christine said, still a little trembling.

“Senior is an idiot.”

“You are stupid too.”

They told each other curse words that were not curse words. Christine shortened the distance of half a span a little more. Christine timidly leaned her head against her head, and Maxim only gently stroked it.