56 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
Grand Duke's Bride is a Warrior from Hell 56
The problem was that Alisha seemed to have misunderstood him again.
Alisha, who had grabbed Reikart's hand, was putting on a public smile and speaking louder on purpose.
It seemed she was trying to create the impression that he had asked her to dance and she was refusing shyly.
It meant that she was holding his hand because he looked sick, but she wouldn't be kind to him.
It seemed she had brought up dancing to make him feel uncomfortable because there were many eyes watching.
"I'm not good at dancing."
Alisha said with a shy smile, like a bashful girl.
The way she wrinkled the corners of her lips and looked troubled seemed genuine.
It seemed that she would help him, but Alisha's plan was probably to embarrass him, who couldn't dance.
"I am good at it."
Reikart said lightly, savoring his refreshed condition after a long time.
His head, which had been cleared of unpleasant noises, was working well.
He could have played along with Alisha's petty mischief, but he thought it wouldn't be bad to tell the truth.
"Yes...?"
Alisha's soft smile faltered for a moment.
You? Dance? Well?
It seemed like those words briefly flashed across Alisha's face.
"May I have this dance, Lady Alisha?"
Reikart said nonchalantly.
"Your Highness, you don't know how to dance..."
Alisha whispered in a low voice, barely maintaining her smiling face.
Alisha had never heard that Reikart had danced.
Grand Duke Tessen was known to have only signed the marriage vows at his wedding.
So, she naturally assumed that he was terribly untalented at dancing.
Or that he hated dancing as much as marriage.
"No. Shall we go?"
Reikart firmly denied Alisha's whisper.
He gently pulled the hand he was holding.
"Yes? Wait, Your Highness."
Alisha didn't really like dancing.
She had learned a lot before her social debut, and dancing was one of them.
Dancing was more difficult than it looked.
The dance that could be performed varied depending on the music, the arm and foot movements were different, and she had to coordinate well with her partner.
Remembering that the arm movements were the same but the foot movements changed, or that the foot movements were the same but the arm movements were the same and only the direction or height changed, was more terrible than splitting the head of a hellish beast.
Alisha's feet were already standing in front of a space covered with a red carpet.
As Reikart and Alisha approached the dance hall, those who were dancing retreated like a receding tide, clearing the center.
Just like when the Emperor danced with the Empress or an Imperial Concubine.
"What do you think I am?"
Reikart whispered, turning his face to the side as he adjusted Alisha's hand to match the dance movement.
The center of the vast dance hall was waiting for them.
Those who had occupied the dance hall before were circling the outskirts, glancing at Alisha.
The gazes from people lavishly decorated in a splendid space were burdensome in themselves.
It was like a look that said, 'Let's push us aside and see how well you do.'
"Your Highness is Grand Duke Tessen."
Alisha was having difficulty getting her mind right in the sudden situation, but she blurted out whatever came to mind.
The words she spat out at random contained the correct answer.
"That's right."
Reikart whispered with an amused face.
Royalty.
Alisha realized why the front was completely empty.
It was because the man holding her hand was royalty.
Damn it, royalty.
She also realized why Reikart was confidently saying that he was good at dancing.
Royalty had a lot to do as much as they were born noble and received respect.
Even if they didn't dance often in front of people, there was no way that royalty at the pinnacle of society couldn't dance.
"Damn it."
Alisha couldn't help but grumble quietly.
"Starting with the right."
Reikart chuckled at the choked-up words echoing next to him and whispered, pretending to be kind.
"I know."
Alisha said, spreading a wide, soft smile.
Unlike the sound of gritting her teeth, the smile on her lips was only gentle.
"That's a relief."
"It's a relief. Because if we dance, it won't be strange at all to hold hands."
Alisha tried to attach a reasonable reason to the unexpected dancing.
Thanks to that, she was able to calm down a little.
"That's not it."
Even though the music to start the dance was playing, Reikart stopped and looked at Alisha.
Alisha didn't know what to say.
"......"
Everyone in the party hall was looking at the two people standing at the starting point of the dance hall.
Alisha thought that if people's gazes had the power to destroy matter, there would be holes in her cheeks.
Reikart, who was standing right next to her more than anyone else, stared intently at Alisha.
"Are you not feeling well?"
"I'm fine."
Alisha wanted to avoid the burdensome gazes as quickly as possible.
Unlike the impatient Alisha, Reikart was only calm.
His relaxed attitude, even after pushing everyone else to the outskirts, was like royalty.
"Right."
"I know...!"
As soon as Alisha's words were finished, Reikart immediately moved on to the movements that matched the music.
The position at the starting point of the hall had moved to the center as if it had moved in an instant.
Alisha was anxious every time she let go of her hand for a moment to match the dance movements.
On the other hand, Reikart was always relaxed.
Thanks to that, Alisha was able to fully concentrate on the dance.
Whenever their hands touched and the distance became close, complex thoughts flew away and only the approaching face was clear.
Feeling the warm body temperature reaching her hand, she relied on the hand she was holding and spun around in circles in succession.
She laughed like a child at the spinning movements.
She took the action of crossing her arms and arms again in time with the music and held hands.
When she exchanged glances with each other and successfully performed the action of moving lightly towards the same place in time with her breathing, she sighed in relief.
It was difficult to hide the childish sense of accomplishment that she had done well.
As Alisha moved quickly around Reikart, holding his hand, her voluminous dress fluttered cheerfully.
The jingling hair ornaments and long dangling earrings also swayed with the movement.
As the music headed towards the end, her fluttering hair calmed down.
Alisha, holding one hand, gave Reikart a greeting to signal the end of the dance.
Alisha's face, as she gently bent and straightened her waist, was much more relaxed than when she started dancing.
Reikart, who was returning the greeting in response to the lady's greeting, kissed Alisha's hand that he was holding.
"......!"
The moment his lips touched the back of her hand, Alisha's gaze was fixed on Reikart.
It was just a dance.
Even while thinking that it was originally a movement, Alisha couldn't hide her surprised expression.
It was just that her loose expression had disappeared, so to someone who didn't know her expression, it was just a expressionless face, but Reikart, who knew Alisha's expression, knew that Alisha was embarrassed now.
After the dance was over, Reikart extended his arm towards Alisha.
Alisha, even in her surprise, faithfully hooked her hand on the outstretched arm as she had learned.
Following Reikart's movements, Alisha also moved her steps.
Reikart, who had left the hall with graceful movements, headed for an empty terrace.
Standing on the lavishly decorated terrace and feeling the night breeze, Alisha felt like she was dreaming with her eyes open.
It was only after feeling the cool breeze for a long time that she was able to shake off her daze.
Then she finally realized.
That she was standing on the terrace that she had only seen in romance novels, the terrace that people entered only after exchanging subtle glances.
Also that her hand was still hooked on Reikart's arm.
Alisha's head seemed to go blank with the bewildered feeling.
What do they usually do here?
Thinking that, the moment she turned to the side, Reikart also turned to look at Alisha.
A face that was hard to take her eyes off of was quietly looking at Alisha.
Unique golden eyes, the color of which changed clearly depending on the light, were approaching Alisha.
The face that had been approaching slowly suddenly poured down.
Alisha's pupils, which had grown as if swelling in surprise, suddenly lost their target.
Unlike the pupils that had missed their target, a solid body was settled in the arms that had instinctively reached out.
"Your Highness...?"
Alisha whispered at the breath falling on her ear.
The breathing that had been filled with difficulty was quickly stabilizing, but there was no answer.
Alisha easily endured the weight pressing on her shoulder.
Because Reikart was much taller than Alisha, it looked as if he was holding Alisha in his arms when looking at the reflection in the terrace window.
"I'm sorry."
After a moment of silence, Reikart apologized in an embarrassed voice.
"Are you in pain?"
"I'm okay now."
"Shall I hold your hand?"
Alisha said calmly and steadfastly.
"Just like this for a moment."
"Okay."
Alisha said bravely at Reikart's words.
But unlike her calm voice, her heart was pounding as if it would explode.
The body temperature of the person touching her was too vivid.
Alisha belatedly remembered that Reikart's hearing was different from ordinary people.
She felt hopeless thinking that he would be hearing her heart beating so loudly.
She felt like she had to make an excuse.
It's because I'm surprised.
Should I say something stupid like that?
"Alisha."
Then Reikart, who had been leaning on Alisha, said.
Alisha wondered if she should speak first.
Something stupid like, 'I'm sorry, my heart is too loud.'
"Yes."
But all she could do was say it briefly because her heart was pounding.
"I like you."
A faint whisper like a fantasy spread to her ear.
"......"
Alisha only blinked her eyes.
Her bewildered face was buried in Reikart's shoulder, so only half of it was visible.
Alisha doubted her ears.
It was difficult to be sure what she had just heard.
A confession.
As Alisha knew, the words that had faintly brushed past her ear were a confession.
But immediately after speaking, Reikart collapsed as if slipping and leaned deeper on Alisha's shoulder.
Because of that, a heavy weight had been added to Alisha's arms, which she had reflexively reached out.
And silence.
Alisha wriggled and groped the body leaning on her.
No one was watching, but she swore that she was absolutely not moving her hands with sinister intentions.
After groping the body that was leaning on her as if relying on her more, Alisha found Reikart's hand.
The large hand that touched her fingertips was as cold as ice.
"No way..."
It felt like it would be less cold even if she put her hand in the river water in the middle of winter.
Alisha instinctively realized that Reikart was experiencing the excruciating pain he experienced during Lua.
She straightened up the body leaning on her and sat him down on the romantic sofa decorated on the terrace wall.
"Your Highness."
There was no cure or even a temporary measure for the curse placed on Reikart.
Alisha put her hand to the tip of Reikart's nose and checked his breathing.
Fortunately, it was a breath soaked in pain, but he was breathing.
She put her face to his chest and listened to his heartbeat.
Anyone who saw it would think she was a strange woman, but she didn't have the mind to worry about that.