The Evil Empress Adores Me

As I danced with Damian, I realized a decisive fact.

My face quickly turned pale.

Um, your Highness.

Yes?

Ill tell you this in advance. I might step on your foot.

Why did I just remember this now!

I leaned my head closer to Damian and whispered urgently.

Well, I havent been practicing dancing often

What will I do?

Of course, the empress gave me a frugal education.

But how many chances does a maid get to practice dancing?

Its no idle work being a maid of the Empresss palace!

Its all right.

Damian glowed as his eyes widened, followed up with a charming smile.

So what if you step on it a little?

.what?

It wont be anyone else, its you, teased Damian.

My face became flushed.

At the same moment, Damian put his hand on my waist.

All my senses increased in sensitivity as I focused on every movement Damian made.

But.

This is stupid of me.

What am I doing getting excited about Damian?

After all, its an engagement out of necessity.

This position is temporary and Ill give back this position to Sienna once Damian has firmly established himself as heir to the throne.

I silently bit my lips.

At the same time, the dance began.

I cleared my mind of all thoughts, focusing solely on dancing.

Fortunately, the first song wasnt difficult to dance to, and I didnt step on Damians foot.

..hold on.

Is something wrong?

I looked at Damian, getting a subtle feeling something was amiss.

Social dance is a form of dance with no choice but to continuously lock gazes with our partners.

But ever since the dance started, Damians gaze and my own seemingly continued to deviate from each other and drift elsewhere.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

I wasnt trying to avoid Damians gaze on my part.

This means that hes been ignoring me from the start.

Was I imagining things though?

Your Highness?

Oh, yes?!

All I did was just call him, why was he so jumpy?

Somethings suspicious.

I asked Damian in a hushed voice.

Why do you keep avoiding my eyes?

Its.

Damian however only kept mumbling on the subject, not giving me a clear answer.

I raised my eyebrows.

Is there something wrong with me?

What? Theres no such thing.

Then why do you keep looking the other way?

I followed Damians gaze tenaciously, intent on asking him again.

To be honest, theres no way it feels good to have your partner ignore you, right?

Damian then looked at me with a distressed and also frustrated face.

Its all your fault, he said.

What? Me?

When I look at your face, I cant concentrate on dancing.

My face? Why? Whats on my face?

Why me all of a sudden?

I couldnt hide my bewilderment.

No, theres nothing on your face! Maybe, its okay if you dont know.

Sighing as he quickly turned to look the other way, Damian muttered to himself.

Why did Her Majesty, the Empress, have to make her look so beautiful

Then he grumbled inwardly.

Hes really, really grumpy about everything!

I stared at Damian.

But then.

Oops.

I gulped my saliva.

As soon as I was distracted by my conversation with Damian, I stepped on his foot.

Ah, that was a mistake.

okay.

Damian however, was already under the presumption that I deliberately stepped on his foot.

I averted my gaze, wondering if those scarlet eyes are glaring at me right now.

Heyy!

My body was suddenly elevated.

I thought Damian was going to hold my waist as he did before, but he lifted me up.

No, hes out of his mind!

The hem of my dress fluttered graciously like petals in full bloom.

The moment of sailing through the air felt like an eternity.

And.

Tap.

My feet touched the floor.

Peoples voices could be heard as that moment caused spectators to gasp in disbelief.

Oh my God!

Such intimate physical contact.

Wasnt their engagement announced just today?

People were looking at us with their jaws on the floor.

In the crowd of spectators was the Duke of Rochester, standing out from them with a blazing fire in his eyes.

After a while.

One of the ladies spoke in a curious voice.

Hmm, do you think the two of them are closer than we think?

No, I dont think so.

Unexpectedly, the duke answered the ladys question.

I dont think she asked you, duke, whats going on with you?

.other than that, duke, how do you know whether I and Damian are on good terms or not? What made you say that?

The lady who had unwittingly voiced her question took a step back with a shy expression

Either way, the duke was busy staring intently at me and Damian.

Im going to punch a hole through that face of his.

Damian spoke with a sullen attitude.

Well, I agree with the sentiment and I knew he was exaggerating but.

Really, your Highness!

I stared at Damian with a bright red face.

Then, Damian looked at me with a brazen expression.

What?

I, um.

I was about to lecture Damian out of habit but I found myself speechless.

It wasnt the question of what to say to Damian but rather whether it was a problem at all, considering our circumstances.