After the dance with Tiffany, Leila stepped up for her turn. As she and Ryner moved to the slow rhythm of the music, the second princess stared at him, sulking.

“If you don’t want to dance with me, then you should have just said so.” [Ryner]

Her dance partner bluntly told her because of her apparent displeasure.

“… Aren’t you going to say anything about my appearance?” [Leila]

“Appearance?” [Ryner]

Ryner examined her from head to toe.

“You’re… Wearing a dress.” [Ryner]

“I know that!” [Leila]

The intensity of her glare increased further.

Leila was wearing a yellow dress that revealed her shoulders. She was feeling a bit uncomfortable since she had grown more used to wearing clothes that were easy to move in while swinging a sword.

“What? That’s not the right answer? Then, is it that you don’t have a ponytail?” [Ryner]

Her blonde hair was bundled up behind her head and braided. It made her look a bit more mature than her normal hairstyle. Unlike her usual appearance, for this formal event, she was dressed up properly. Anyone who didn’t know her wouldn’t be able to guess that she was the sort of princess that would swing an Artifact around. Right now, they only saw a charming young woman.

However, she would be even more attractive if she stopped glaring at her dance partner.

“Isn’t that obvious?” [Leila]

“Don’t tell me you want me to compliment you? Like, the dress suits you. Or your hairstyle’s nice. Or you’re beautiful.” [Ryner]

“Of course not!” [Leila]

Leila turned her head to the side so that Ryner wouldn’t see her faintly flushed cheeks.

“… We didn’t get to fight much.” [Leila]

She muttered without looking at him.

“Huh? Didn’t get to fight much?” [Ryner]

He repeated while tilting his head.

“We didn’t spar often. You were always doing work at the desk.” [Leila]

“It’s called managing your damn country. If I didn’t help out, you guys wouldn’t be able to throw this party right now.” [Ryner]

“Ugh! I’m certainly grateful to you-.” [Leila]

“Then show it through words and actions. Say thank you and give me tea. You still owe me tea.” [Ryner]

“Y-you remember? Well, thank you, and I did say I’d make you some, but it, it still…” [Leila]

“… You can’t do it, can you?” [Ryner]

Ryner’s lukewarm gaze was infuriating.

“Quiet! I just have a bit of difficulty with things related to cooking. I only need a bit more time.” [Leila]

“It’s fine, kid. Don’t push yourself.” [Ryner]

To the flustered and red-faced Leila, he gave her a few words of comfort and showed an angelic smile.

“Y-you…!” [Leila]

But, seeing how fake it was, all it did was fan her anger. Her shoulders were trembling and her teeth were clenched.

“Are you ok? You seem tired. I guess it’s past your bedtime, huh kid.” [Ryner]

“I told you to stop making fun of me! I’m a princess! And you’re just an idiot! An idiot! A big stupid idiot!” [Leila]

Leila angrily and rapidly said with a red face. She really wanted to shout, but did her best to keep her voice down so that others wouldn’t hear her, making it sound like she was hissing out each word.

Somehow, while the two were bickering, they still managed to keep dancing.

“They get along well.” [Clara]

Among those watching them from afar was the royal family and the knight commander beside them.

“Don’t you think so, Tiffany?” [Clara]

Clara asked her oldest daughter who was gazing at Ryner and Leila while gently smiling.

“Yes. Leila becomes a bit childish when she’s around him. She pouts and badmouths him, but she’s always having fun.” [Tiffany]

She put her hand on her mouth and softly laughed.

“I agree. That child gets really lively when Ryner’s involved. Ah, that’s right. Although you might want to dance with him again, please refrain from doing so because of your position.” [Clara]

The queen spoke while smiling, but the next second, she acted as if she suddenly remembered something and warned Tiffany.

“I know, mother.” [Tiffany]

The first princess, to her mother’s words, lightly nodded her head in understanding.

“Dancing with a gentleman more than once would mean I’m engaged to him, after all.” [Tiffany]

“Indeed. You can’t dance with Ryner a second time. Although he is the hero that saved us and this country, his official position is still that of a commoner. A princess and a commoner could never marry. Inviting him here was the limit. The nobles would get loud if I keep favoring him.” [Clara]

Clara sighed as if she was depressed, but spoke in a rather calm voice.

“… But, if he were to become a noble and attain a rather high title, that wouldn’t be impossible.” [Clara]

“Eh?” [Tiffany]

She then looked at her daughter, whose eyes had gone round, with a playful smile on her face.

“Finding you a suitable fiancé will take some time. You might go past the age for marriage. How about it? If that happens, why don’t we ask him to take you?” [Clara]

“… Mother, is that why you kept asking him…?” [Tiffany]

“About becoming a noble? I honestly want him to serve the kingdom because of his strength and skills. What better way to do that than to have him become my son-in-law?” [Clara]

The queen chuckled and turned her gaze to her husband who was standing next to her.

“Having him would definitely benefit Garroth.” [Adrian]

Adrian didn’t have any objections and happily agreed to the possibility of Ryner marrying into the royal family.

“But, if he makes my daughters cry like that bastard Sirius, I’ll mobilize the army.” [Adrian]

“You highness, please control yourself…” [Klauss]

He then added a rather scary intention with a smile on his face which caused Klauss to sigh tiredly. The knight commander imagined fighting against Ryner. He could easily picture himself losing. In fact, he did lose to him before.

“Now, now, dear, you can’t mobilize the army without my consent. Instead of thinking about doing something so impolite, we should find a way to first have Ryner accept a peerage.” [Clara]

“You’re right. I jumped to conclusions. I should consider that along with the name of my future grandchild another time.” [Adrian]

While the queen and king were discussing various ways to have Ryner become a noble, Tiffany, who regained her senses, stared at them for a short while. A small laugh leaked from her lips and she put her hand on her mouth. Then, she turned her gaze towards the man they were speaking of and who was currently dancing with Leila.

A future with him.

She couldn’t really imagine what it would be like, but she wasn’t against it. As she thought about the sort of life they could have together, she felt her face heat up and her cheeks turned red. A certain thought struck her. It was an obvious outcome, but it hit her hard and made her tightly hold her hands together.

“(Father’s grandchild… My parents’ grandchild. Then, it’d be my child… Mine and… Ryner…)” [Tiffany]

As Ryner’s face floated up in her mind, she, who had already married and divorced, felt strangely embarrassed, much like a maiden experiencing her first love. Her lips quivered and the corners curled up into a small smile.

She felt strangely embarrassed, and really happy.

“(It seems that he’s more popular in this world than when he was in mine. How odd… And irritating.)” [Evelyn]

Evelyn, slightly peeved, thought as she stared at Ryner from the corner of her eye. Around her were a number of nobles with whom she was greeting and exchanging harmless gossip. In short, she was making some connections and entertaining the curious ones that wished to approach her.

“And when I saw that masked hero fall from the sky… Oh? Miss Ivyblood.” [Nobleman]

“Yes?” [Evelyn]

“Is something the matter with your cheek?” [Nobleman]

When the mustached, middle-aged man asked her, she finally realized that she had been scratching her left cheek for a good while and promptly stopped.

“It is nothing. Simply a habit of mine that I had since young.” [Evelyn]

“I see. Do be careful to not ruin your smooth skin. By the way, isn’t that your cousin dancing with Princess Leila? How surprising. What was his name again?” [Nobleman]

“It was Ryner.” [Evelyn]

She answered his question while maintaining her smile.

“My! Now that I look at him, it truly is hard to believe that you two are blood-related.” [Noblewoman]

One woman in her forties exclaimed.

“True. While Miss Ivyblood is just like a well-groomed daughter from a noble house, that man is rather… Plebian.” [Noblewoman]

Another woman commented and hid her mouth behind her fan.

“Actually, it is hard to believe that Miss Ivyblood here has commoner blood. I would immediately believe it if someone told me that you were of noble descent. Even being a beautiful princess from a faraway country wouldn’t sound far-fetched to my ears.” [Nobleman]

A young man took this chance to throw in a compliment.

“People often do say that we are not alike at all, but it is true that we are family. Please show leniency.” [Evelyn]

While laughing softly, Evelyn covered a bit for Ryner and changed the subject.

“(I remember all your faces. Keep talking about him like that and you’ll all drown in your own bathtubs.)” [Evelyn]

Keeping her gentle smile, which didn’t match her dark thoughts, from twitching was starting to get tiring, especially because of the poorly disguised hidden intentions in their eyes.

“Your hair looks so soft and shiny. Is there a secret behind it?” [Noblewoman]

“Thank you, but it is nothing special. I use the hair product from my company. It will soon be on sale and with it, anyone can have wonderful hair.” [Evelyn]

“Really? Ho wonderful~. I’ll be sure to send my servants to take a look.” [Noblewoman]

The women complimented her while seeking her secrets and judging her with their eyes.

“But, is it not hard to manage a company? If you need a hand, please do rely on me. We can talk about the specifics later after the ball.” [Nobleman]

“Thank you for your concern, but it is alright for now. I’ll be sure to remember your offer should I ever run into trouble.” [Evelyn]

“Haha, then, please call for me and I shall rush to your aid right away.” [Nobleman]

The men showered her with kindness while harboring ulterior motives.

The vampire gave a proper response to each of them so as to not cause any friction. Moreover, she made sure to not promise them anything and gave vague answers. These exchanges reminded her of her time in her former world. During parties and social events, many would approach her, seeking to make her their wife, to use her to better their position or to find a weakness they could exploit.

Envy, lust and admiration. Their heated gazes contained these various emotions.

Although it was something that she was used to dealing, it still didn’t change how annoying it was to her.

“To think that a young and gorgeous woman like you is still not married, I find it hard to swallow. If my son had you by his side, I wouldn’t have to worry about him.” [Nobleman]

The moment someone said such a thing half-seriously and half-jokingly, everyone jumped on that topic like fish after bait.

“That reminds me, Miss Ivyblood, I have no doubt that in the future, you will have piled up enough achievements to obtain a peerage. When that time comes, would you be interested in joining my house? There are several wonderful candidates that I can introduce you too.” [Noblewoman]

“What are you saying? You shouldn’t set up a marriage meeting during our conversation… Actually, I’d like to introduce you to my son. See the young man standing there? Isn’t he quite handsome?” [Noblewoman]

“Now, now. This ball is to celebrate the stability of our country. Enough of marriage talks. Miss Ivyblood, I am already married, but I or any man wouldn’t refuse to have someone as talented and sublime as you as a second wife. We might be a bit pushy, but we hold only goodwill towards you.” [Nobleman]

Those that were straightforward with their desires weren’t exactly much better either. One by one, once someone brought up the topic of marriage, they offered either their son or themselves as a husband. Some withheld from doing so while others camouflaged it much better.

“Hahaha, ladies, gentlemen. Although I understand that you’re all eager to get close to Miss Ivyblood, we really shouldn’t force this on her out of the blue. It would only greatly trouble her. Isn’t that so, Evelyn? Pardon. Miss Ivyblood. Forgive my verbal slip.” [Nobleman]

A young man with black hair stood next to Evelyn and pleasantly laughed in his sweet voice. He spoke as if he was protecting her and, while sporting a charming smile, sought her opinion about the matter of marrying as well.

“Yes. I’m terribly sorry for refusing, but I don’t plan on marrying yet.” [Evelyn]

She nodded her head, gently swirled the wine in her glass and took a sip. As she gulped it down, she closed her red eyes as if to savor the fragrance. Her long eyelashes fluttered and her soft lips were slightly moist. Many admired that simple scene and some even blushed.

“(Don’t stand so close to me. Don’t smile at me like that. Don’t shrewdly call my name like we’ve known each other for years. Same for all of you.)” [Evelyn]

On the outside, she seemed calm, but on the inside, she was about to rip someone’s head off.

“By the way, your cousin has the same hair color as mine. What a coincidence.” [Nobleman]

The nobleman that was in his early twenties suddenly mentioned Ryner which caused everyone in their little group to turn their eyes towards him. The song was finished, so he and Leila were heading back to where the queen was.

“I must say, although he is a guest that her majesty personally invited, but he should do something about that messy hairstyle. Especially if he has the honor of dancing with the princess.” [Noblewoman]

A woman said and hid her lower face with her fan, but her eyes showed that she disapproved of Ryner’s presence in the ball. The others agreed with her while being careful of what words they used since his cousin was next to them.

“You are all absolutely correct. Sadly, his concerns for personal appearance are abysmally low. I shall take this chance to discreetly warn him. Please excuse me.” [Evelyn]

This time, instead of covering for him, the blonde vampire nodded her head to everything they said and took that opportunity to make a swift escape. Warding off their attempts to detain her, she gave her wine glass to a passing servant and approached Ryner and Leila at a swift pace.

“Excuse me.” [Evelyn]

She called out to the two who seemed like they were in the middle of bickering.

“Princess Leila, may I borrow my cousin for a moment?” [Evelyn]

Evelyn asked and emphasized the word “cousin”.

“… Of course. Ryner is your cousin after all.” [Leila]

Leila stared at the vampire for a moment before answering her in a calm voice.

“Thank you very much. Then, Ryner, please accompany me for a dance.” [Evelyn]

After lightly bowing to the second princess, Evelyn presented her hand to Ryner and asked for a dance. Her sleepy-looking “cousin” grasped it and led her to the dance floor while under the second princess’ intense stare.

“(So?)” [Ryner]

Once they began dancing, Ryner spoke to Evelyn telepathically.

“(What is it that needs you to call me out?)” [Ryner]

“(You know what it is.)” [Evelyn]

The vampire’s reply sounded a bit sulky, but the small smile never left her face. Different from when she was interacting with the nobles, a joyful mood floated around her.

“(Dealing with those humans was getting tiring… Besides, seeing you dance reminded me of the past. We used to dance together a lot.)” [Evelyn]

“(Well, yeah, we had to go to a bunch of parties. Those sure were tiring… And that stupid tuxedo that always strangled me…)” [Ryner]

Ryner’s voice was filled with nostalgia as he reminisced about his time as a dhampir.

“(Dancing with you truly feels calming, and wonderful. Those dances were really fun moments of my life where I could physically be close to you before everyone’s eyes. I almost felt like I was showing off. He and I are this close. Don’t approach him so carelessly.)” [Evelyn]

Evelyn, while staring at his face, told him of her thoughts in a teasing voice.

“(To tell you the truth, when you were dancing with those two princesses, I was jealous. That’s the main reason why I escaped from those nobles.)” [Evelyn]

“(… You really don’t give up, do you?)” [Ryner]

“(I can’t stop how I feel so suddenly after a thousand years. I reaffirmed it while we’re dancing. Compared to the past and now… My feelings have only grown stronger.)” [Evelyn]

The vampire’s cheeks were faintly red. She was holding his hand with the other on his shoulder. His free hand was on her lower back. Their bodies were close as they danced in a glittering ball.

“… Come with me.” [Evelyn]

Unable to bear it, she led Ryner by the hand, away from the crowd and music. They headed for the wide, semi-circular balcony where the noise of the ball was faintly heard. The breeze during the night was a bit chilly, but felt comfortable to the vampire whose body was heated up.

“Oi, Evie, don’t tell me…” [Ryner]

Facing Ryner who was staring at her dubiously, she spoke while wearing a flirty smile. Her passionate gaze was as if she wanted to devour him.

“When I think of you, my chest feels warm. When I see you, my mood becomes jubilant. And when I touch you, I feel so aroused.” [Evelyn]

Her voice as she confessed her urge was amorous. Her appearance and words were something that the nobles and commoners who met her could never imagine. They saw her as a mysterious merchant that was talented, dignified and sublime, someone that could be mistaken for a noble. For them, who respected her and were pulled in by her charm, they could never picture her uttering such words or showing such an expression, except, perhaps, the men that desired and fantasized about her.

“That last part ruined everything, but I’ll give you five points for trying.” [Ryner]

As for Ryner, who took the full brunt of this hidden side of her while he was drunk, he calmly brushed off the outrageous words she said and shrugged his shoulders. For better or worse, he was getting used to dealing with her.

“Quickly…” [Evelyn]

Ignoring the cold reception to her burning desires, Evelyn put her hands on his shoulders and closed the small gap between them.

“Before anyone notices us…” [Evelyn]

She said with heated breaths and looked up at him. Anyone who watched them from the entrance would see Ryner’s back and Evelyn’s silhouette that was hidden by him.

Slowly, she brought her blushing face close to his.

However, unlike the past few days, Evelyn didn’t touch his lips. She stopped at the last second.

“… Right now, who are you thinking about?” [Evelyn]

She asked in almost a whisper.

“… What?” [Ryner]

Her voice that broke the silence contained a certain weight behind them. Yet, one could also feel hesitance.

“Whenever we kiss, who are you thinking about? Is it… A woman?” [Evelyn]

The vampire asked while looking straight at Ryner from up close. Her expression was a mix of curiosity, resolve and uneasiness. The strange feeling that had been growing in her chest every time she kissed him was suffocating and, as if she had reached enlightenment, the answer to why suddenly came to her.

It was there, right in front of her eyes.

“… You’re not the first girl that I kissed.” [Ryner]

While thinking that a woman’s intuition was certainly incredible, Ryner put his hand on her head and forced her to look down. But, she raised her head right away and gazed into his eyes. Normally, his steel mask that was his sleepy-looking expression would hide what he was thinking, but Evelyn noticed it. It had been happening for the past few days, every time she kissed him, after all.

Without warning, the vampire kissed him and stared into his face. It was slight, barely noticeable, but it was there. His eyes wavered. Various emotions flew through them. She could see in them nostalgia, regret and even sadness.

Their kiss lasted for a second before she pulled away.

“… Was she important to you?” [Evelyn]

Evelyn calmly asked and forced herself to smile. For a moment, Ryner considered dodging the question, but-.

“… Ever heard the saying ‘head over heels for her’?” [Ryner]

He decided against it because of her trembling, weak smile.

“Of course I have. That’s how I feel about you.” [Evelyn]

The meek vampire buried her face into his chest. She couldn’t believe that it took her this long to realize it. Perhaps, if Maya was here, she would have noticed it much sooner. Still, what mattered was that she couldn’t let it continue. If she was hated, she could somehow bear it. However, only this, she couldn’t handle. No. She swore she wouldn’t ever again.

“… Those nobles are looking for me.” [Evelyn]

She wouldn’t make him sad a second time.

“I’ll be going back first.” [Evelyn]

That was why she left the balcony and headed back inside.

Ryner stared at her retreating figure in silence.

“Stopping for my sake?” [Ryner]

Once she was out of sight, he voiced his question, turned around and put his hands on the stone handrails.

“… I don’t get it.” [Ryner]

He muttered softly to no one in particular.

“… People freaking are damn hard to understand.” [Ryner]

He crossed his arms on the handrails and leaned on it.

“I don’t get it, Evie. I don’t get how you can have those feelings for me for so long… But, in the end, you’ll…” [Ryner]

His barely audible words trailed off and were lost in the wind. His eyes turned muddy as a piece of his past replayed in his mind like a movie. His sleepy expression was gone and a face devoid of any emotions replaced it. If anyone saw him, they would find him hard to approach, and think that his back looked awfully lonely.

After a while, as if to shake off his feelings, Ryner raised his head and took a deep breath. His eyes returned to normal and regained the light of sanity. He pulled out from his pocket dimension the golden globe that the god, Motyx, gave him and observed it. A single glowing white point was on the world map.

Garroth’s domestic affairs were settling down. He didn’t need to help out any more than this. The company’s store was about to open and they would be able to do business in the capital without issue.

There were still other things he needed to do.