As she was finally allowed to take a breather, Violet schooled her features and adjusted her demeanor.
Roen said, “But if you just stay still in one place, people will continue to flock around you. It might be better to just dance another song to get out of it naturally, right?”
“You and your close friend resemble each other very much.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your schemes are obvious—that’s what I mean.”
“Haha, I won’t deny it.”
Though she flung words filled with vitriol at him, Violet did not reject Roen. As he took her thin, slender hand, which was not so different from Roen’s own hands, Violet sighed loud enough for Roen to hear.
Roen was a man who gave off the refreshing atmosphere of springtime. If Aileen was like a flower, then Roen was the beautiful and gentle bud of spring.
He was unlike Rajaden. Roen was, with his platinum blond hair, like a soft spring flower, and with his green eyes, like verdant sprouts reaching high.
No matter how many worms he might be hiding inside of him, on the outside at least, Roen looked like a very tender and affectionate man.
With the brother and sister dancing together now, it was quite different from any other. The woman looked colder than the winter, while the man looked softer than the buds of spring.
The atmosphere between these two people was evidently conflicting, and yet also harmonious.
“They’re siblings, but…”
“Ahh, maybe it’s because they’re siblings.”
“Oh my god, Lord Roen…”
A needless misunderstanding sprouted up, though Violet didn’t particularly care.
The women who had crushes on Roen gave Violet ferocious glares. Violet pretended that she didn’t notice any of them.
Why were they giving her that kind of look when she’s just dancing with her older brother?
“You’re dancing well, huh.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, you kept trying to step on Rajaden’s feet earlier, so I thought that you actually forgot how to dance.”
“You’re right, I did forget. Aren’t you just reading into things too much?”
“Read, you say. How many years do you think I’ve been watching you?”
“Many years, as far as I know. With contempt.”
“Ouch, do you really have to hit a sore spot like that? Still, should I say that it’s a relief that I wasn’t your partner for the first dance?”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm? Vee, you kinda sound ominous… Vee?”
“I’ve told you time and again not to call me that. And, well, if you’re wishing for it so much, Young Lord…”
“Huh? Wait— ack! Violet! I’m not as athletic as Rajaden!”
“You’re being pathetic. Father will cry at the sight of you.”
“You— You only call him ‘Father’ when… ACK!”
That’s a conversation between siblings, alright. Anyone who could hear would think that.
As his feet had gotten stepped on several times in return for his teasing, he looked to be on the brink of tears. The more he looked miserable, the brighter the smile on Violet’s face became.
“I’m seriously a weak man. So, won’t you go easy on me please?”
“It wouldn’t matter since no such bruises will be seen, right?”
“But it hurts.”
“Then please, be hurt a lot more. Really, how could someone like you be the next person in command just after the Duke…”
“Call me ‘Brother’, won’t you? And anyway, that’s not something you should really say. C’mon.”
“I’ve been told that I have a talent for swordsmanship, so perhaps this strength is innate.”
“Well it’s because I take after Mother.”
“I take after Mother, too, though.”
“Ugh, it hurts. It seriously hurts.”
This beanpole-like tall man had tears welling up in his eyes. Violet quit it because Roen might really shed a tear here.
Their family was a family of knights, yet Roen was the only one who wasn’t blessed with physical strength. With this in mind, Roen looked sad. He had other talents, sure, but he was still sad.
Watching Roen’s futile lamentation, Violet sighed.
After the song, Roen fixed his expression to a proper, sociable one, but his complexion was still pale.
Already guessing what he would say next, Violet smirked and beat him to the punch.
“Then, I’ll go take a rest for a while. I hope you don’t have too much fun out there.”
“Hm?”
“I’ve danced two songs in a row, and now I’m feeling dizzy.”
“Huh?”
“There are a lot of ladies who wish to share a dance with you, Young Lord. Go ahead.”
With that, Violet quickly made herself scarce. Roen could only stare at the empty space where she had just been.
Roen was in disbelief that she was dizzy after just two songs. He was much less physically fit than her, and as she left him all alone, he actually looked kind of devastated.
In the end, he got caught by all the people who wanted to approach him. He got surrounded in no time.
* * *
“Here you are.”
“…Ducal Lady.”
“You’re the one who asked me to be your partner, but then you disappeared on me just like that. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Ah. A dream?”
“Goodness. Are you drunk?”
Aldin waved a hand in the air absent-mindedly. He did have a few drinks, but not enough to intoxicate him entirely.
So this meant that Violet really was in front of him now.
“Why, here.”
“Well, a certain someone disappeared without even telling me anything, so I came to find him.”
“……”
“I’m half serious here. The other half of me is looking for a place to rest because I’m tired though.”
“…Ah.”
“If it wasn’t an invitation from a member of the Imperial Family, I would have refused.”
Violet smiled softly.
Her way of alleviating mental exhaustion was due rest.
Fortunately, there were only a few people out here on the balconies.
“What were you doing while you were here?”
“I was looking at the moon.”
“The moon? Ahh.”
As Aldin said that, Violet directed her eyes to the sky. The moon was distinctly round and bright, as luminous as a chandelier. Thanks to the absence of clouds, arrays of stars decorated the evening expanse, glimmering like intricate jewels.
“If you don’t mind, may I have this dance?”
“H-Huh?”
Oh, Aldin wished that the stupid sound that had just come out from his lips wasn’t actually from him.
