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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: An Unfamiliar Feeling
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By the time he returned to the hotel, it was nearly midnight.
After a quick wash, Dietrich took a glass of whiskey and looked out the window.
Swoosh—.
The night breeze drifted in through the half-open window.
He enjoyed the pleasant sensation of the wind brushing through his damp hair.
‘So many stars tonight…’
Starlight twinkled in the pitch-black night sky.
Looking at that night sky, an image suddenly came to mind.
Lady Ansi.
Lalitt’s jet-black hair and the pearl ornament that sparkled like a star upon it.
Her rosy-pink eyes, looking up at him quietly with a smile.
“If you’ll permit me, Lady Ansi, I would like to ask for this dance.”
As he asked her to dance, Dietrich was…
‘I think I was a little nervous.’
Dietrich had never in his life shrunk back or felt anxious when dealing with someone.
And yet, he had been nervous.
That version of himself felt a little unfamiliar.
Lalitt, who had been gazing up at him, gracefully placed her hand in his.
“I would be delighted.”
And when she accepted his invitation to dance, he'd felt an uncharacteristic sense of relief.
None of it was like the usual Dietrich.
Even after that, Dietrich remained conscious of Lalitt.
Whether it was escorting her to the dance floor, or reflexively catching her when she stumbled during a step.
Lalitt was so light and soft.
It felt as if he could still vividly feel every touch in his hands…
“…”
His grip on the whiskey glass steadily tightened.
The usual Dietrich wouldn't have interfered between Lalitt and Gregory.
It was, after all, a personal matter.
And yet, he had deliberately followed Gregory, who was following Lalitt.
“If anything, it is you who missed your chance, Lord Gusto. Did you not already kick away the opportunity to be Lady Ansi’s fiancé?”
“So why do you keep trying to cling to her now?”
“…How pathetic.”
He didn't even hesitate to rebuke Gregory for Lalitt's sake.
Why had he done that?
Dietrich reflected on his actions, pondering them again.
But one thing was certain.
The very fact that Gregory was hovering around Lalitt was, quite…
‘Unpleasant.’
But that unpleasantness vanished completely the moment he saw Lalitt's innocent face.
“Then, would you like to look for the duchess with me?”
“I—I came out to find the duchess, too. I thought we might find her faster if we looked together, so…”
Such a flustered demeanor, as if it never occurred to her that he had followed her.
He found that side of Lalitt surprisingly cute.
That was probably why.
“Whenever I go on a business trip, Eva always insists I bring her back a gift. So I bought this along with hers…”
“I do hope you like it.”
The reason he had abruptly handed Lalitt the gift he'd originally intended to give her through Evanjeline.
“Thank you so much. I'll treasure it.”
Lalitt, at a loss as she accepted the gift, smiled more brightly than the moonlight that bathed the world.
And that smile was etched into his mind with strange clarity.
‘How strange.’
Dietrich let out a faint smile.
Ever since inheriting the family at a young age.
He had spent every day worrying only about how to protect his young sister and how to maintain and advance his family.
It seemed this was the first time he was thinking about someone else.
And that feeling…
Was not bad at all.
***
The next day.
Dietrich came to pick up Evanjeline early in the morning.
“Why are you here so early? Don't you sleep in, brother?”
Evanjeline pouted, grumbling as she followed her brother.
“See you in the capital, Lady Ansi.”
“Travel safely. I'll see you soon.”
Lalitt skillfully soothed the sulking Evanjeline.
Dietrich, who had been glaring at his sister as if she were pathetic, soon offered Lalitt a polite farewell.
“Thank you so much for taking good care of my sister all this time.”
“It was nothing. In fact, I had a wonderful time thanks to the duchess.”
However, the brightly smiling Lalitt wore no earrings.
For some reason, Dietrich's mood sank a little.
‘What on earth is this feeling?’
He once again felt estranged from himself for feeling such an emotion.
Of course, he knew intellectually.
Whether she wore the earrings or not.
Was entirely up to the person who received the gift.
But…
“Hey, what are you doing? I thought you were in a hurry to leave!”
Evanjeline, who had hurried ahead, snapped impatiently as she was about to board the carriage.
Dietrich followed his sister, feeling a peculiar mix of emotions.
After that.
The carriage finally departed.
“Lady Ansi, don't take too long to come! And you have to write!!”
Evanjeline stuck her head out the carriage window, waving her hand enthusiastically.
“Yes, I'll write!”
Lalitt waved back.
After the carriage had traveled for some time, the Ansi estate completely disappeared from view.
At the same time, Evanjeline whipped around to face her brother.
“Brother, this was a bit of a surprise. My prickly brother, attending a party at the Viscounty of Ansi?”
Dietrich, feeling called out, replied nonchalantly.
“I do you a favor and this is what I get.”
“No, I mean, I'm grateful, but.”
Her voice was laced with thick mischief.
“You always said you hated useless rumors and put up a wall against every woman, didn't you?”
“That's… because she's your friend.”
But even to his own ears, the answer sounded like a rather lame excuse.
Evanjeline's eyes crinkled into a sly smile.
“Oh, reeeally? I never knew my dear brother was so generous with meee?”
“…”
No matter what he said here, Evanjeline would find something to pick on.
Dietrich chose to simply keep his mouth shut.
But Evanjeline had an amazing talent for breaking her brother's silence.
“Well, since it's come to this, you should be Lady Ansi's partner at future social events, too.”
“Again?”
Dietrich asked before he knew it.
“Of course. I can't stand to see my friend being looked down on by others.”
Evanjeline shrugged and leaned back against the carriage seat.
Then she narrowed her eyes and asked.
“Why? Don't you want to?”
“…”
For once, Dietrich looked lost for words.
At his reaction, Evanjeline was inwardly a little surprised.
‘My brother is the type who absolutely never does anything he doesn't want to do.’
The world may have the prejudice that Evanjeline is stubborn and selfish, but in truth, that personality was a trait passed down in the Duchy of Claudius.
It was just that Dietrich was far more skilled in social graces than Evanjeline.
“That might be a little difficult.”
He was simply the type to refuse gently so as not to offend the other person.
But this time, Dietrich didn't draw the line by saying ‘I don't want to.’
Instead.
“…I never said I didn't want to.”
He actually retorted in a nonchalant tone.
Evanjeline asked, bewildered.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
An awkward silence followed.
“…”
“…”
Dietrich stared intently at Evanjeline.
He looked like he had something to say, but he showed no sign of opening his mouth.
Finally, Evanjeline narrowed her eyes and snapped.
“Brother, is there something on my face? Why have you been staring at me like that?”
Dietrich flinched, his shoulders tensing.
A moment later.
“…By any chance.”
Why on earth was it so hard to get this one question out?
Dietrich furrowed his brow and continued.
“Did Lady Ansi… not really like the earrings?”
At that, Evanjeline's eyes immediately flashed like a predator spotting its prey.
