NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
Without realizing it, Selleana hurried to the entrance. “Everyone, what’s going on?”
The moment between the ridges formed by the heads of people, the red eyes of a man behind the mask turned towards her. Selleana felt her heart drop.
Even his eyes are cold…!
He was perfectly the embodiment of her ideal type just by looking at it now. Her heart was pounding even though she could no longer avoid a political marriage with Pavellian.
When Selleana’s cheeks were about to heat up, one of the guards approached and whispered. “This man owns a weapon.”
“Weapon?”
As she looked at the man’s face, she noticed that his well-shaped lips were moved as if he were troubled.
My ideal type is in trouble? I had to help him.
Because she has the qualifications and power to do so.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Selleana removed the sword from the man’s waist with one fluid movement. Like his uniform, the scabbard and handle were all back and had beautiful decorations on the handle.
Just looking at it, it looks like it’s for decoration or, at best, for self-defense.
Thanks to her second brother, who is a swordsman, Selleana knew what a real sword looked like.
It was the moment when Selleana held the sword and looked around.
[What are you?]
“Yes?”
A sudden sound made Selleana look up at the man. But the man’s mouth was tightly shut.
Did I hear it wrong? Is it because I drank four glasses of wine?
Selleana tilted her head and held the sword with both hands.
“It’s a very elaborately made wooden sword.”
As she waved the sword as if it was very light, the faces of the guards brightened. In case like now, Nepelsian prejudice came in handy. Since they couldn’t imagine that a noble lady would be able to lift a real sword easily, they didn’t have any doubts about what she said.
“Now that I think about it, the male protagonist in Wilshe’s new book uses a sword.”
Hong Gil-dong, who was adapted into the Nepelsian version, was a wizard, but it was none of the guard’s business.
“
Ah,
I thought he didn’t match the dress code, but it was something else…!”
“
Huh
?”
Selleana laughed in vain at the sound of the guard’s words.
Dress code? Do you think something merely like that is important?
For the first time in her two lives, she saw her ideal type living and breathing.
“Hair color.”
“Yes?”
“All of Wilshe’s main characters have black hair.”
“Yes? Then…”
“That’s right. You guys have done a great job. Michi?”
At Selleana’s chin, Michi gave gold coins to the guards. The guards get bonuses even though they don’t fully understand the rules. Everyone was amazed by Lady Elard’s generosity.
“Excuse me, Gentleman. Here you go.”
Selleana still held the sword’s sheath with one hand, as if it were very light, and held it out to the man. But it seems really light…?
Is this really a wooden sword?
As expected, the problem was that she had four glasses of wine. She had to get herself together.
[
Pfft…
]
Again? Am I really drunk?
Selleana, who was seen as a drunkard by her ideal type, put strength on her face and put on an elegant smile. “Aren’t you going to take it?”
“…
Ah.
”
Only then did the man flinch when Selleana waved his sword as if to urge him. In fact, he had been frozen since Selleana reached for his waist and took the sword. No, actually, from the moment Selleana appeared… Because the angel’s beauty couldn’t even be covered by the half-mask.
He barely managed to reply. “Thank you. I owe you a lot.”
Oh my, what a charming low-pitched voice.
Selleana’s heart beat wildly because the man’s voice matched her ideal type again.
I think I’ve heard it somewhere? No, this is the first time I’ve seen black hair and red eyes. Am I really drunk?
In the meantime, Selleana’s gaze stuck to the hand of the man who put the sword on his sword belt. His hands are big too. If he took off his gloves, it would be nice to see his knuckles sticking out nicely…
Selleana swallowed her selfish thoughts and took a step closer to the man. “Welcome. I’m Lea Kim, the host of today’s ball.”
“
Ah
, you…”
The man’s eyes behind the half-mask opened wide. There was a strangeness in his red eyes.
“Nice to meet you. I am—”
“
Shh.
” Selleana extended her finger near the man’s lips. “I’m the host, so I need to introduce myself.”
Is a masquerade ball a masquerade ball for nothing? Even if you know that person, you pretend not to know, and if you don’t know, you pretend not to know even more. Anonymity is the top priority.
Based on his cuteness and neat behavior from all over his body, it’s obvious that he’s a noble, but is this his first social ball? Is he a foreigner? But there must be a masquerade in other empires too. Well, that curiosity was something you could ask directly.
Yes, directly…
Selleana secretly moistened her dry lips with the tip of her tongue. As expected, drinking four glasses of wine was the problem. She didn’t realize that she had become much bolder than usual.
“It looks like you don’t have a partner…” Selleana reached out her hand gracefully to the man. Her confidence that she wouldn’t be rejected was evident in her every action. “If you don’t mind, I’ll give you the honor of escorting me.”
“
Ah…
”
His red eyes glanced at Selleana’s hands in the lace gloves.
“It’s an honor.” The man reached out and took Selleana’s hand.
She became crazy because of his black hair…
Michi, who was watching behind her, shook her head.
“I guess this is your first time coming to the ball like this.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve never seen a gentleman with charming red eyes like you.”
Selleana became the biggest celebrity as soon as she made her social debut two years ago. If such a person existed, there was no way she wouldn’t have known about it.
“…
Ah,
is that so?”
However, Selleana’s praise seemed to be very awkward for the man. He seemed a bit stiff, perhaps because he wasn’t used to people’s gazes.
Is he a gem who doesn’t know he’s handsome?
Well, her inherent power and popularity are meant to be used when her ideal type acts cluelessly. Selleana smiled slyly and led him to the banquet hall.
“Let me give you a quick tour.”
The place where Selleana led the man was the railing in the center of the second floor overlooking the banquet hall.
“Over there, we’ve set up some simple finger food. And do you see the servants carrying wine glasses? That’s wine from the Barodonyu region, so feel free to enjoy it. If whiskey or cocktails are more to your taste, you can head over to that bar.”
The man’s red eyes moved here and there in accordance with Selleana’s eloquent explanation.
“Is it customary to leave the middle empty?” He was asking about the low population density in the middle of the banquet hall.
“
Ah…
”
Selleana slowly raised her eyebrows behind the mask. So, this man is really attending a banquet like this for the first time.
Is there a family that is well-known in society because of their black hair and red eyes?
Selleana went through the genealogy of the Nepelsian nobles in her head and continued her explanation with her mouth. “That place was supposed to be the place to dance, but the quartet is taking a break right now. When the dance song starts later, it will be crowded again. If there is a lady you like, please enjoy one song with her.”
Selleana, who said that far, felt sick. Her pride was hurt just by imagining this man with another lady. How many people are anxious not to get the honor of dancing with her?
Selleana continued as if hiding her complex mind. “…Well, if you like someone and want to have a deeper conversation, there’s a terrace on each floor. When the curtains are drawn, it means that place is already occupied…”
“You are kind.”
Did he notice that Selleana’s amber eyes were trembling with anxiety? The man, who couldn’t take his eyes off Selleana’s lips under the half-mask, moved his mouth.
“As you guessed, this is my first time coming to a place like this.”
“You took a bold challenge, considering it was your first time. This is a masquerade ball.”
“
Ah
, that’s.” The man awkwardly scratched his chin. “If it’s the new book you mentioned earlier, are you saying it’s <I, the illegitimate child of a duke…”
“
Oh,
are you a fan of Wilshe?”
“
Umm,
well, something like that…”
“Oh my god, nice to meet you!”
She thought he was just her ideal type, but he turned out to be a virtuous mate? Selleana rejoiced and called the servant who was carrying the wine glass. She accepted two glasses of garnet-colored red wine and was excited and toasted with the man. Normally, she would have been cautious about her fifth glass, but it didn’t matter since she seemed to have been sobered by the excitement of what she just heard.
“Lea, are you okay?”
“I’m a great drinker today.”
Michi whispered anxiously, but Selleana refuted her without even looking.
This b*tch, she really likes the black hair.
“Lady, then I’m going to enjoy my hobby too.”
Since Selleana seemed to stay with that black-haired man for a while, Michi decided to taste some Barodonyu wine to her heart’s content. Selleana waved her hand without looking and then continued her conversation with the man.
“Have you read the new book already?”
“Yes… I just happened to read it.”
“It’s hard to find the first edition these days. You’re lucky!”
“You’re truly fascinating. That book, after all…
Ah… Is he trying to say that it’s too violent for women to read?
In fact, that’s what her brother used to say. The disappointment that she had become accustomed to thanks for the repeated tea parties with Pavellian crept up on her. Agnesia’s comment that all men here are the same also crossed her mind. However, the man’s next words completely differ from what Selleana expected.
“Contains somewhat disturbing ideas, so reading it would be difficult for someone with such a great background.”
“Oh my.”
Selleana’s heart pounded loudly. How long had it been since she heard such humane words? Whether this man was a noble or not, it was clear that he wouldn’t say that a woman should be quiet!
The appearance of a man who fits her ideal type, the fact that he is a fan of Wilshe, and the normal words that come out of his mouth. Eventually, Selleana put all her guard down.
“Excuse me, Sir.”
Selleana asked urgently. “As this is your first time at the banquet, take your time to look around. And if you don’t end up with a group, would you like to talk more with me?”
Wary of sounding too forward, Selleana added hastily, “As fellow fans of Wilshe.”