Chapter 88
“Have the assignments for the Ionad Escort Knight Division been finalized?”
“I’ve looked over the files, but the final roster isn’t set. My goal is to finish the selection this evening and turn in the paperwork by morning.”
“Understood. Would my assistance be useful?”
“It would be helpful, but…” Bert trailed off, feeling a strange disconnect. “You didn’t assume I requested your presence just for that, did you?”
“Is there another reason?”
Bert struggled to hide his sheer amazement at Adi’s reaction. She seemed genuinely convinced that their meeting was strictly professional. If it were merely a matter of administrative work, there would have been no point in bringing her out here.
“I am referring to the woman who will accompany His Excellency to the upcoming ball.”
“Oh. I believe you should consult someone else on that topic. Usually, Roy Gallardo handles those arrangements, but he is currently away at the estate.”
“This isn’t about finding a candidate. The decision has already been made.”
“It has?”
“Indeed, Guard. I believe that you are the one who must serve as His Excellency’s partner.”
“Me? Accompanying the Duke?”
Bert gave a firm nod.
“But didn’t he already turn down the lady Lea Lintu?” Adi asked. If he had rejected such a high-profile proposal only to bring his own bodyguard instead, the scandal would be immense. For a Duke to escort his own soldier… regardless of the reality, people were going to whisper and invent their own scandalous explanations.
“There were specific reasons to decline her offer,” Bert explained. Adi still looked deeply troubled. “Furthermore, the Count will be present at this event.”
Adi’s gaze sharpened for a fleeting second before she regained her composure. She had braced herself for an eventual encounter with Count Grimaldi, but she hadn’t anticipated their paths crossing in a ballroom.
“If you are going to show yourself, shouldn’t it be a grand revelation?”
“So, you’re suggesting that since I cannot attend as a knight, I should go as his guest.” She thought about the red gown. It would certainly create a striking contrast with the Duke’s hair. If she appeared by his side, the Count would be forced to treat her with respect; he wouldn’t dare dismiss her.
“I feel as though I am constantly in his debt.”
“His Excellency would likely be upset to hear you say that.” In truth, Yuls probably felt he was the one who owed everything to Adi. He wasn’t the type to vocalize such feelings, but having served him for years, Bert could read the Duke’s silent thoughts.
“In a perfect world, you would have debuted your growth officially at Pallesa Palace, but our departure was cut short.” Bert offered a warm smile and a reassuring tap on her shoulder. “Let’s ensure your introduction this time is unforgettable.”
Instead of relaxing, Adi’s face grew more rigid. Bert wondered if she truly detested the idea that much. Just as he was about to ask, she spoke up.
“Is there a problem?” Bert asked, his tone laced with concern.
Adi paused, looking hesitant. “I have no idea how to dance.”
“……”
After narrowing the field for the Ionad Escort Division, Bert held a series of interviews. He hadn’t been this meticulous back at Pallesa Palace, and he couldn’t quite pinpoint why he was being so demanding now that they were in Ionad.
Perhaps he had simply been sheltered before. It wasn’t that the Duke had given him special treatment, but rather that the influence of Kenneth Marks and Count Grimaldi had created a bubble of privilege around him.
“Very well, that should be sufficient,” Bert said, tapping the documents. He intended to pick two of the three men standing before him, but he wanted Adi’s input first. They had grown close, yet he remembered her previous gripes—specifically how much Roy Gallardo’s talking annoyed her.
“Adi, is there anything you wish to ask them?”
He expected a question about their combat skills or professional history.
“Do any of you know how to dance?”
The question was so far from what Bert expected that he was momentarily stunned.
“Billy, please escort Adi out,” Bert sighed.
Billy turned to Adi. He considered taking her arm to lead her away, but her posture suggested she wouldn’t appreciate being handled. Sensing the silent boundary, Adi simply followed Billy out of the room.
Inevitably, the news reached Yuls. Since the final escort team wasn’t official yet and Bert was preoccupied with the candidates, Adi remained at the Duke’s side.
“You don’t know how to dance?”
A female knight interrogating prospective guards about their ballroom skills… He couldn’t even imagine what kind of strange rumors were currently swirling through Ionad.
“You could have asked me. Why were you bothering the knights with such a pointless question?”
“I knew Your Excellency was occupied, and I didn’t want to be a nuisance.”
“I have already named you as my partner. If word got out that you were practicing with other men right before the gala, what would that say about me?”
“People who lack the skill usually find an instructor to teach them.”
“Are you asking me for a lesson?”
“Yes.”
“Then, could you assist me this evening?”
Yuls paused, wondering if there was a hidden meaning in her words. He quickly checked himself; he knew better than to overthink things with her. This was Adi Grimaldi—or rather, Adrina Dean.
“Because you are tied up with business during the day,” she added.
Of course. There was no other implication.
“I am quite coordinated, so I expect I will learn the steps quickly.” She sounded remarkably focused. “If I am to do this, I want to be perfect—not just for your sake, but for everyone watching. I refuse to be an embarrassment to you.”
“Well, Guard, you are in my chambers every night as it is, so there is no need to ask permission.” Yuls gave a slightly pained smile.
Every night before sleep, Adi visited his room. To an outsider, the routine might seem scandalous, but for those in the know, it was a vital part of managing the Duke’s curse.
That evening, Adi arrived earlier than her usual time. Since he had offered to be her tutor, she assumed they would need the extra hours. While practicing elsewhere might have been more traditional, she preferred the privacy, and the Duke’s bedroom was more than large enough to serve as a makeshift ballroom.
Yuls seemed to be waiting for her; he rose from his seat the moment she entered.
“You’ve arrived.”
Usually, Adi was the picture of composure, but tonight her nerves were frayed. She lingered by the entrance until Yuls spoke. “Why are you staying by the door?”
She walked toward him. Yuls stood by the sofa and extended his hand as she approached. When she took it, a soft smile touched his lips. Her hand felt incredibly small in his. It was a mystery to him how such delicate hands could wield a heavy blade with such lethargy. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before telling her to wait and stepping out for a moment.
Adi watched the door, turning her eyes away quickly when he returned carrying a small jar. He opened it, took a dollop of cream on his fingertip, and pulled her hand back into his grasp.
“Your Excellency?”
He began to massage the cream into her skin. Adi watched him, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. Sensing her gaze, Yuls let out a quiet laugh.
“Your skin is quite rough.”
“I apologize.”
“I wasn’t complaining. You are a soldier; these hands are a mark of your dedication. It’s just…” Yuls trailed off, his thumbs tracing the patterns of her palm. He noted the thick calluses on her right hand near the thumb and the slight curve in her index finger. There were small, faded scars on her left thumb.
He had heard that novices often nicked themselves while learning to draw a sword. It occurred to him that Adi hadn’t been training for very long—only since the death of Adrian.
“I was worried the skin might tear.” Her palms still had patches of softness. He wondered if things would have been different if her brother hadn’t died. Would she have spent her days among flowers and embroidery? Perhaps her life would have been easier, more peaceful. But the past was set in stone.
“It can be painful when the calluses crack, so it’s best to keep them moisturized.”
“I am accustomed to it. I don’t mind.”
Yuls looked at her. Any knight would say the same, but that wasn’t the point. He knew that even if he tried to explain his concern, she wouldn’t grasp it. It wasn’t that she was slow, but rather that she never allowed herself to imagine she was worthy of such care.
“Don’t worry about it, Guard. I will look after them for you.”
His grip tightened slightly. Suddenly, Adi felt a rush of heat in her palms, making them feel damp. She told herself it was just the natural warmth of skin against skin, but it felt far more intense than that.
“Ah… Your Excellency,” Adi whispered.
Looking up at him, she saw his expression change. An inexplicable tension filled the space between them, growing stronger as they stood face to face. Instead of looking away, Yuls stepped closer, sliding his arm firmly around her waist. Adi went rigid at the sudden contact.
“To dance, we have to stay this close.”
He pulled her flush against him, securing her hand in his.
“Place your other hand on my shoulder.”
She understood the mechanics of the dance, but the reality of the proximity was overwhelming. His breath was a warm ghost against her skin. With every shallow breath she took, her chest brushed against his. There was no room to retreat. She could feel his body heat, the hard lines of his muscles, and the steady rhythm of his heart.
“Adi?”
They were touching everywhere.
Adi gave him a soft push. She had heard stories of noble debauchery at balls, but she hadn’t realized the dances themselves were so provocative. If this was what dancing meant…
“Adrina.”
Adi looked up. She couldn’t blame him; if this was the standard for the nobility, she was the one being hypersensitive. Her face burned with a sudden, uncontrollable flush as she stepped back. Yuls let her go without resistance.
“Is something wrong?”
She couldn’t find the words. The summer heat seemed to magnify the warmth of his touch through her clothes. Despite the dim evening light, the crimson hue of her cheeks was unmistakable. Yuls felt his own throat go dry as he watched her.
“It is nothing, Your Excellency.”
She moved to cover her face, but Yuls caught her wrists and gently pulled them down. Not just her cheeks, but the very corners of her eyes were stained red. He had never understood why women used makeup to mimic this look, but seeing it on Adi, he finally saw the beauty in it.
“Adi.”
“Don’t look away.”
He placed a hand under her chin, tilting her face up. She couldn’t escape his gaze, and her obvious fluster forced a small, soft laugh from him. He considered letting her go, but a sudden, powerful impulse took hold of him.
Before he could talk himself out of it, Yuls leaned in. His lips brushed against her eyelid, the sensation of her fluttering lashes sending a spark through him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before moving to her mouth. Her lips were soft, yielding, and unexpectedly sweet. The taste only made his hunger grow.
He pulled back just enough to breathe, his eyes searching hers. Her golden lashes were shaking.
He was losing his mind.
