Raising my Fiancè with Money

Chapter 99: Dance

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“No.”

Lilia answered firmly without even thinking. The Crown Princess glanced at Siona and spoke again.

“I heard there was an argument.”

Lilia was lost in thought for a moment at the unexpected words. What does she mean by an argument? Perhaps…….

“Are you talking about what happened in the shop with her the other day?”

The Crown Princess nodded. Lilia was speechless and almost laughed. Previously, Lilia ran into Siona on the street and was taken to a childcare shop.

‘She used to treat me like a wallet.’

Lilia couldn’t forget the brazenness of asking her to pay for it after Siona chose as much as she wanted. It was clear that she must have been speaking one sidedly to her advantage.

“There was nothing to argue about.”

Lilia told the truth as it was. She ran into her on the street and was taken to a shop, and was asked to pay. And when she didn’t pay for it, Siona made a one-sided disturbance.

After hearing the story, the Crown Princess narrowed her forehead for a moment as if she was dumbfounded. The cold eyes were filled with embarrassment.

“Really?”

“It’s true. If you want, I’ll take the testimony from the store clerk.”

“……No.”

She turned her head and looked at Siona. Siona was nervously flapping the fan. It seemed that the conversation didn’t go as she wanted. The Crown Princess asked Lilia another question with her eyes fixed on her again.

“You know your brother accused my Uncle, don’t you?”

“The Marquis of Tersian stopped my brother from getting promoted first. The Marquis retaliated in this way because I asked for the breakup.”

Lilia told her the truth.

“And it’s not like brother made up a fact that doesn’t exist.”

Heinley merely revealed what the Marquis had done. The Crown Princess was silent as if she had a lot of thoughts. In fact, Lilia had no particular feelings for the Crown Princess. She hardly knew what kind of person she was because there was little to no involvement with her.

But she knew the Crown Princess was working hard for the Marquis of Tersian. The reason why the Marquis was able to maintain his public reputation even after the corruption scandal broke out was because of her efforts.

The Marquis of Tersian openly boasted of his connections to the Imperial family, which prevented Lilia from moving immediately after learning of Richard’s intentions.

Although she answered proudly, Lilia was a little nervous inside. The Crown Princess, who always sided with the Marquis of Tersian, might take this opportunity to pressure Lilia. However, the Crown Princess unexpectedly withdrew.

“Something…… There must have been a mistake.”

The Crown Princess shook her head and murmured. As she took a step back, Siona frowned as she watched the situation from a distance. She seemed frustrated that Lilia and the Crown Princess did not argue.

Eventually, Siona couldn’t resist and walked this way. But Lilia blocked Siona before she could open her mouth.

“Your brother was in a hurry to go back earlier. It looked like he got scammed?

“What?”

When Siona paused, Lilia answered deftly.

“The broker must have been a fraud.”

Siona’s face, who was absent minded for a moment, turned white. Lilia knew that Siona also invested a large sum of money in the Marquis’ business. Lilia even heard that Siona had broken her relationship with her husband over it.

“N-nonsense…….”

The fan fell from Siona’s hand. Swallowing her scream, she turned around and started running. She bumped into people and they said something to her, but she didn’t seem to hear anything. Looking at Siona leaving the banquet hall, Lilia turned her head.

“Haa….”

The Crown Princess sighed. She put her hand on her head as if she had a headache. Lilia thought she looked tired a while ago, but now the shadow was thicker under her eyes.

“There must have been some misunderstanding. I thought it was weird the more I heard about it, but I didn’t think she would lie.”

The Crown Princess stared at the direction in which Siona disappeared with cold eyes. Lilia also looked over there, and she felt a presence from the side. When she looked up, she saw Karhan standing near. Then the Crown Princess glanced at Karhan and pretended to know.

“Lord Evantheon. Come to think of it, you two…… Aren’t you going out with her?”

Karhan nodded on behalf of Lilia. The Crown Princess was about to say something, but she realized that the music was gradually decreasing and whispered,

“It’s time for the ball to start soon soon.”

The Crown Princess stared at Lilia. She gave a very faint smile.

“Let’s have a proper conversation next time.”

As if she had finished what she had to say, the Crown Princess turned around and left. Lilia, who was looking at her back, felt strange. She thought there would be a war of words, but it seemed to have been resolved well. While she was puzzled, Karhan opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry I’m late. To choose clothes that fit my physique…….”

Lilia looked at Karhan, who had changed his shirt.

“Did you change your whole outfit?”

“Yes, I changed because I smelled a lot of alcohol.”

“Good job. You look good in this outfit, too.”

Karhan smiled faintly at Lilia’s praise. It was a smile that came out when he was shy. The atmosphere of the banquet hall ripened, and the hall became crowded. And as the Crown Princess said, the music announcing the start of the ball rang out in every corner.

The men partnered with their women and immediately came out to the center hall. After the secret battle for a place, they started dancing to the music.

The people who were talking also paused and watched them. Everyone must have sharpened their knives(dance), so their skills were pretty good. That’s because now is the moment when ladies and gentlemen can shine the most.

“Lilia.”

At Karhan’s call, Lilia turned her head and looked up at him. The black, dense eyelashes trembled. Karhan’s neck moved as if he had made a big decision. He said, as he reached out his hand, his palm up as if to invite hers to join it,

“Please give me the first song of the dance.”

Lilia looked at the hand that stretched out at me for a moment. His fingertips trembled a little as if he was nervous. Lilia held his hand instead of answering.

The two headed for a place that seemed moderately quiet. The center was not only a place that attracted attention, but it was a place where it was easy to be compared against others. Lilia was a good dancer, but the problem was Karhan. After a bloody practice, he managed to avoid being a laughing stock, but he still made frequent mistakes.

‘I was nervous during the last practice, too.’

She memorized all the movements and understood the beat, but when she danced to the music, it didn’t fit well. It might be because the height difference was quite large.

Lilia thought she should lead him slowly. When she put her hand in his, she could feel the tension in his palms

“It’s okay to get it wrong.”

Karhan nodded softly to Lilia’s whisper. The force drained from the stiff shoulders. To the light waltz, the two moved forward. The two clasped hands stretched out smoothly.

Lilia moved along with Karhan, and he followed her better than expected. Instead, because of their height difference, Karhan was forced to lean slightly towards Lilia.

The beat got a little faster, and Karhan turned his arm around holding Lilia’s hand. Twirling around like a little whirlwind, Lilia’s dress curled in like a finely folded parasol.

‘I was worried whether he would follow along.’

Lilia was surprised inside. She thought he would be clumsy like in practice, but his movements were as natural as flowing water. She felt like she was dancing with someone else.

Once again, as she turned to the other side, the hem of her dress spread out like a hollyhock flower. The flower petals embroidered with vibrant colors at the bottom danced along with Lilia. Countless gazes poured in from all directions. It was a place far from the center of the ballroom, but from some time on, the attention was drawn to them sharply.

Moving in time with Karhan, Lilia turned her head and looked around. People slowly caught her eye as if she were riding a very slow carriage.

When Lilia looked elsewhere for a moment, strength entered in Karhan’s hand. It was like he was whispering to focus. As soon as the rhythm passed to Karhan, Lilia came to her senses.

The music rushed toward its climax. It was quick and tricky, and that was where Karhan was always wrong. She wore shoes today, so she thought it would hurt if she stepped on him, so Lilia was nervous inside. But unexpectedly, Karhan used the moves perfectly smoothly.

Startled, Lilia raised her head. Two eyes met in the air. Their gazes narrowed down to the point of taking their breaths’ away, and then it got farther away……. The distance continued to change, but the gaze did not break. Like a tightly engaged chain, when one side moved away, it was always pulled back.

Even the music she heard faded, and she felt disconnected with the world. Even the eyes of the people around her were no longer visible. It was the moment when a world with only them two was created.

Karhan held Lilia by the waist. As the hard palms wrapped around her waist, Liliaa pulled back reflexively, as if on fire. At that moment, Karhan supported Lilia’s waist and pulled her forward.

The body, which seemed to fall back, tilted to Karhan’s chest at once.Lilia, who was still in his arms, paused. The sound of the heart came through the hard chest. Faster and louder than a light waltz. It sounded like a wild knock on the door.

She felt like she paused for a while. Karhan lowered his head further and whispered in Lilia’s ear.

“We still have other songs left.”

Karhan grabbed Lilia by the wrist and led her to put it on his shoulder. And he began to move slowly. It was slower than the original dance, but strangely, the beat was just right.

Karhan was thoroughly tailored to Lilia. It made Lilia stand out while moving more.

The graceful dance line continued as if embroidered. She could feel the heightened emotion from the hand she touched. Karhan pulled Lilia gently. Their bodies were tightly attached as if hugging, and at the same time the music stopped.

“…….”

Lilia let out a breath that she had held back. The deafening applause poured out. Lilia and Karhan looked at each other silently. Well done, well done…… There was no such words that would come out so she didn’t say it. As if she had been burned, she still had heat on her fingertips.

In an effort to erase the lingering touch, Lilia rubbed her hands on the hem of her dress. Then, when she realized that didn’t do it, she tried to leave with an excuse that she was thirsty. As soon as Lilia tried to run away, Karhan caught her.

“Why don’t you go out to the terrace for a while and get some fresh air?”