The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

68 – Dancing at the Ball (01)

069.

Banquet.

A gathering usually held to celebrate or commemorate something.

Delicious food and a bit of alcohol serve to connect the men and women gathered there.

People gather, each with their own intentions, whether to form new relationships or find a companion.

In that sense, Sinat’s remarks are quite understandable.

If the revival of the Dranus family is not worth celebrating, then what in the world is?

The people gathered here were more than enough to grace the occasion.

And that’s not all.

The news that will spread from this moment.

No one will ignore the shocking news that the Dranus family is hosting a banquet.

From Ecclesia to the social circles.

From the social circles to the giants of the empire.

Whether purely to celebrate the Dranus affair.

Or to keep them in check, disapproving of their revival.

The impact of this event seems sufficiently enormous.

“A banquet… what kind…?”

“Literally. A banquet that will last for a week, exactly one month from now.”

Those who couldn’t contain their curiosity asked Sinat.

Sinat, returning to a lively tone, kindly answered their questions.

Judging by the faces of those asking, they are not very influential within Ecclesia.

For them, this opportunity is worth its weight in gold.

Opportunities to connect with the highest nobility are not common.

Even if they belong to the Ecclesia salon, they cannot compare to a banquet hosted by Dranus.

In fact, even for the highest nobility gathered here, this opportunity is not a loss.

No, it is absolutely beneficial.

Because the current royal family, which desires concentrated power, will not miss such an opportunity.

They will surely come, even if only to hinder Dranus.

The prince, known as a genius of the century.

The masters of several influential families, including the prince.

The name value of Blamia cannot be ignored.

Frankly speaking, it is no exaggeration to say that they all came to see Blamia.

Daphnis felt a slight chill.

He looked at Eliana and Selassia.

There is no Ecclesia who does not know that Lakatus and Hiatt support Dranus.

The power created by the gathering of the highest-ranking families of those three places is that immense.

As all the young ladies, including Daphne, swallowed their breaths.

Sinat continued with a mischievous smile.

“By the way… On the last day of the banquet, there will be a ball?”

-……

A ball.

That word caused ripples in the hearts of those gathered there.

Because a banquet and a ball are words that cannot be ignored.

Although a ball is an indispensable part of holding a banquet,

the weight changes because it is Sinat who is speaking.

What is the most important thing at a ball?

The answer to that question is easy to find.

A partner.

A partner to dance with at the ball.

It is a place suitable for showing off what kind of relationship they have.

If it is a ball hosted by the Dranus family, it is almost like a public announcement.

A public announcement that says, ‘I will marry this person.’

Of course, it may seem excessive to mention marriage just because of one ball.

But the fact that the ball is hosted by the Dranus family,

and the fact that those gathered there are surely the children of influential families, knowing the meaning of dancing together, is crucial.

Those who are to be married will proudly dance,

and the highest-ranking nobles gathered at the ball will illuminate their relationship.

At the moment when all the young ladies held their breaths.

Clatter-

A girl, whose expressionless face looked cold but was beautiful because of it, opened her mouth.

“…It seems that the talk about the ball was not agreed upon in advance.”

Eliana Lakatus.

One of the four families that support the empire.

She quietly gazed at Sinat and spoke.

“This is a surprise gift prepared for Lady Lakatus and Lady Hiatt as well.”

“A gift?”

Selacia Hiatt responded.

The woman who would soon rule the North asked.

“Kallen.”

Dranus Sinat looked straight at the two ladies and said.

“I intend to be with Kallen.”

“…”

“…”

Sinat’s blunt words.

Eliana and Selacia each twitched their eyebrows and fingers.

The sudden mention of a boy’s name.

Those who knew the name were puzzled, and those who didn’t know were even more puzzled.

The only ones who knew were Daphnis and Richeza.

And those who had only heard the name when Daphnis had shouted it before.

It means they didn’t know why he was being mentioned now.

“I know too. What the imagery you two have means.”

“…No. Only I know what that means.”

“Mine is the same. It’s not something that someone who hasn’t spent that time together can easily mention.”

The hostility shown by Eliana and Selacia.

The people of Ecclesia were overwhelmed by their spirit.

They could vaguely guess that the imagery Sinat mentioned was related to the boy named Kallen.

“Oh. I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”

Sinat apologized with a regretful expression and continued.

“I meant that even with such a beautiful scenery in front of me, I understand the feeling of only being able to look at Kallen.”

A calm voice as if it were the most natural thing.

As if reciting a truth, Eliana and Selacia quietly listened to Sinat’s words.

“You two understand what it means to understand that, right? I will dance with Kallen at the ball. Because I am the one who understands that feeling.”

The four highest noble families supporting the empire.

The two young ladies of Lakatus and Hiatt quietly understood the situation.

An image engraved in their minds.

To gaze at a boy in front of such a magnificent paradise carries a heavy meaning.

Sinat understood their hearts.

Because he could understand their hearts, he said he would dance with Kalen.

He knew that Blamia and Kalen had a special relationship.

It was natural since the relationship that started with Lakatus was on that side.

It is not strange that Sinat, who will inherit the position of head of Dranus, is close to them.

But Sinat went beyond that and declared that he would dance with her at the ball hosted by Dranus.

It was not something to be taken lightly.

Especially because the two young ladies had a relationship that Sinat understood.

Suddenly, they found themselves competing for Kalen.

The atmosphere was not just quiet, it was about to turn cold.

“Well. Kalen doesn’t know yet. May I make a suggestion?”

Eliana and Selassia turned to Sinat at those words.

Their slightly widened pupils indicated their considerable surprise.

If he was close enough to Kalen to understand their hearts and confidently say he would dance with her at the ball.

It wouldn’t be strange if they had already promised to dance together.

That was why Eliana and Selassia couldn’t say anything.

But Sinat had not made any such promise to Kalen.

“On the day of the ball. Who he will choose.”

Her unbearably joyful expression supported that fact.

“Are you saying… to leave the choice to Kalen?”

“Yes. No matter what we say without Kalen, his heart is the most important.”

“If we confirm that Kalen doesn’t know about the ball, fine.”

“Got it.”

The young ladies found the sudden proactive change in the two young ladies unfamiliar.

And at the same time, the face of a boy flashed through their minds.

The face of the boy who came to the teahouse with Sinat.

Kalen.

It was the moment when the name of a boy was clearly imprinted on everyone’s mind.

“Wa, wait a minute!!”

A girl interrupted the flow of conversation led by the three young ladies.

“…Lady Daphnis?”

“I…! I want to join that bet too!”

“What?”

Whish.

It really sounded like that.

Starting with the three young ladies, everyone’s gaze turned to Daphnis.

Hiccup.

Daphnis, who spoke up with a trembling head, felt as if she was suffocating to death.

When Sinat first brought up the story of the ball.

Daphnis also thought of Kalen’s face.

Wouldn’t it be nice if she could dance with him?

It might not be known, but it requires much more courage than asking to have dessert together.

Then, Sinat mentioned his name.

Daphnis was amazed at Sinat, who had the courage she had only imagined.

Seeing Eliana and Selassia agreeing, she also felt a sense of urgency.

…I don’t want to lose.

She also wanted to dance with Kalen.

It’s definitely not a fairy tale feeling of love at first sight.

But the thought of Kalen dancing with one of them made her feel an unbearable anger.

The momentary anger paralyzed Daphnis’s fear.

Even though she felt a shrinking feeling with her jaw trembling, Daphnis bravely shouted.

And as a result,

“Lady Daphnis?”

She had to fully endure the sharp gazes of the three young ladies, including Sinat,

and the curious gazes of the other young ladies.

Without knowing that the anger was actually a feeling called jealousy.

“I will do it too.”

“Lady Richeza…?”

“Sigh…”

And Richeza, who was watching the scene.

Seeing Daphnis trembling, she raised her hand.

Richeza was also afraid of the three young ladies.

But more than that, she was afraid of the fact that Daphnis might dance with Kalen.

Since she had decided to confirm whether Kalen was a suitable man for Daphnis.

It was only natural for her to participate in this bet.

Thus, both Daphnis and Richeza raised their hands.

Sinat was surprised by the unexpected turn of events.

Crack!

At the same time,

Selacia’s teacup shattered.