The orchestra’s elegant melody filled the hall. With a young lady’s soft hand in my own, I weaved my way through the men and women dancing along to the waltz. I supported her slender waist with one arm and spun her with my other. When she returned to my chest, I took in her passionate gaze and smiled in return.
Her cheeks were dyed red like a ripe fruit. “Prince Johan!” She euphorically called my name, looking up at me with glazed eyes.
For any other healthy, adult man, this scene might have had a dizzying effect, but I was honestly fed up with it.
“To think I get to share a dance with you, Your Highness... It’s like a dream.”
“It’s an honor to hear that from a beautiful woman like you,” I replied politely.
She cast her eyes down shyly.
How many times have I seen that reaction now? I sighed internally. I knew I was being rude. However, I’d been dancing without pause ever since the soiree had begun, and I’d been experiencing the same cookie-cutter conversation and reaction—I was sick and tired of it.
This is already the sixth girl. I want this unproductive period to end already. I’ve already fulfilled my obligations as royalty, so I want free time too. My older sister is dressed up so beautifully tonight, and I haven’t had the opportunity to see her up close. I can’t let my evening end like this.
When my dance partner’s gaze drifted away from me, I glanced in my sister’s direction. When I did, I saw someone approaching her. I almost clicked my tongue when I saw who it was.
Of all people, Duke Schletter?
Duke Schletter was the previous king’s younger brother’s son. Put simply, he was the current king’s cousin, but they shared virtually no similarities. If I were to be generous, their eyes were of similar shades, but that was it. They were completely different inside and out.
In comparison to the current king, who had just entered his forties but looked like he was in his early thirties, the duke, who was ten years older, appeared his age—no, looked like he was in his mid-fifties. Perhaps there had been some resemblance when they were younger, but given that the duke spoiled himself whereas the king was strict on himself and on others, the gap widened by the year.
Because the previous royal couple had not been blessed with a child for many years, there had been a period of time when the duke had been considered a potential heir to the throne, but he’d been deemed unsuitable. He was arrogant, satisfied to rest on his laurels and look down on others. He had the foolishness to surround himself with obedient yes-men and eliminate loyal subjects who would give candid advice. On top of that, growth was near impossible when he hated working hard.
What would Nevel be like now if that thing had become king? However, that good-for-nothing man is a true blue blood. Crushing him without good reason would be difficult, so the current status quo is to leave him be. But for that eyesore of a man to approach my precious sister?
“Unforgivable,” I muttered aloud by accident.
“Huh?” my partner responded.
Judging by her blank expression, it doesn’t seem she heard me clearly. Or she didn’t understand what I meant and thinks she misheard. Either way, if I put on a pleasant smile, she’ll blush without questioning a thing and avert her gaze. Once again, I’m grateful I was born with this face.
A single smile of mine cancels out my nasty personality, though it only works on women. If it’s something minor like using a bit of vulgar language or clicking my tongue, then smiling with this irreproachable princely visage of mine causes my companion to assume that they must’ve heard wrong, which is very convenient.
It was an awful internal monologue to have while I wore a nonchalant expression and continued to dance. I kept observing Duke Schletter all the while. He called over a young lady and introduced her to my sister and Leonhart.
Isn’t that Count Baalke’s second daughter? She’s the duke’s niece. I heard that her engagement to the heir of a marquis household was broken off several months ago. There are many rumors flying around about why that happened, but the truth is unclear.
Whatever the cause, finding her a new family to marry into will be difficult. If her family were willing to finance her, then marrying a viscount or baron would be possible, but parents are rarely willing to do that for a daughter whose engagement was broken off once.
In that case, her only options would be to marry an older man as his second wife or become the mistress of a high-ranking noble. And this is that rotten duke we’re talking about—he must’ve arbitrarily decided that Leonhart is pent-up now that his wife is pregnant and is trying to supply him with a young woman. His true motive is to sneak his own kin into the Prelier Duchy because it’s anticipated to flourish even more in the future. What utter nonsense.
Does he really think Leonhart would fall for a woman just because she’s young and beautiful? It’s true that he likes my sister’s appearance, but the duke has the causality mixed up. Leonhart doesn’t love her because she’s beautiful—he loves my sister, who happens to be beautiful.
Even when my sister grows old or if she suffers a large wound on her face, Leonhart will surely remain devoted. But the duke ignores his wise wife in favor of his young mistress, so I doubt he’s capable of comprehending that.
As if to prove my train of thought, Leonhart paid no attention to the young lady. He pulled my sister close when she was about to take a step back and firmly held her by the waist so she couldn’t escape.
When I saw that he was leaving the hall with my sister, I panicked. I don’t care that he rejected the young lady and the duke’s advances, but where is that man going? Don’t tell me he’s planning to go home. I haven’t even had a proper conversation with my sister yet!
I was overtaken by impatience when—perfect timing—the song ended. I gave my partner a quick bow and was about to take my leave, but she stopped me.
“Prince Johan, um... If you don’t mind, would you dance one more song with me?” she asked.
Though it was a lovely young lady imploring me to stay, my heart didn’t stir one bit. On the contrary, my irritation only grew. It was common knowledge that neither I nor my brother danced with the same partner twice. Asking us to break that rule was tantamount to saying, “Give me special treatment.”
My eyes narrowed, and the young lady’s shoulders began to tremble. When she released my hand, her eyebrows drooped sadly.
“I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I plan to go see my sister now,” I said.
“Huh? Your sister?” she repeated, confused.
“Yes. Goodbye, until the next opportunity arises.”
The rest of the young ladies who were waiting for their turns with me seemed to have overheard, because they quickly cleared the way.
Freedom at last. I let out a sigh of relief as I headed toward the door my sister and Leonhart had exited through. However, en route, I ran into my brother. I had falsely assumed that he would remain in the hall, but it seemed he was of the same mind. I could glean that based on the way his eyes widened.
“Chris...” I could feel a scowl forming.
My brother looked away for a moment in deliberation. Then, he immediately fixed me with a regal expression. “Johan, are you familiar with the seniority rule?” he asked solemnly.
I was struck speechless. Aren’t you supposed to be the type of person who despises old-fashioned ways of thinking like that?! Gentle and sincere, fair and upright. People say there’s no crown prince more fitting to be the next king than you, and you’re being selfish now of all times?
“Shouldn’t you yield to your cute younger brother during moments like this?” I asked.
“You are indeed my cute little brother, but at the same time, I also think of you as my invaluable and reliable right-hand man.”
He said it with such a straight face that I was at a loss for words. He wasn’t flattering me to remedy the situation—he truly meant every word—and that was unfair of him. Hearing that genuinely made me a little happy, but I didn’t want to surrender. After all, considering the fact that my sister was pregnant, she could go home at any moment.
I thought for a moment and then said, “Very well. Let’s decide this fairly, then.”
“How?” he asked.
I wordlessly made a fist and lightly shook it up and down. Chris blinked at me several times, then nodded.
“So be it. Come this way.” He led me to a corner of the hall away from prying eyes.
“Don’t we stand out more huddled up in a corner?” I pointed out.
“Even if we do, that’s better than others seeing us play rock-paper-scissors.”
It would be bad if people knew that two grown men were settling a dispute with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Furthermore, the participants are the first and second in line for the throne; it would make people apprehensive about this nation’s future.
I could analyze our situation objectively, as though I weren’t directly involved, but even so, stopping wasn’t an option. I discarded my shame and prepared to throw down. In order to defeat my honest and stubborn older brother, I opened my palm.