Chapter 27

She was jokingly putting her face in front of Kalcion’s nose, but it was the first time that she’d truly met his eyes. Facing those intense gleams that seemed to pierce a person, her body stiffened.

Bluish gray.

An interesting color, she thought. The pupil was darker, close to turquoise, and the middle part of the iris was adorned with a faded blue color mixed with streaks of gray up to the edge.

At some point, she found herself staring at them as if she was being sucked in them. After blinking her eyes and shaking a little, as if to free herself from sharp scissors, she came to her senses.

“So you’ve learned how to dance, haven’t you?”

“It is needed at various events even when I don’t get indulged into socializing.”

However, Kalcion kept his eyes fixed on Selena while he answered. Somehow, his voice was rough and low. She, again, forgot how to breathe out.

‘Why does it feel like I’m getting strangled…..?’

Her lips felt dry.

Feeling on edge, she quickly turned her gaze at the floor. It seemed her palms were sweaty. Wriggling her fingers, she adjusted her grip that felt to be slipping out.

Kalcion made the first move. In the absence of music, the bodies of the two began to move according to the beat under his lead.

She counted his steps, her body gradually relaxing with the flow.

Kalcion’s moves were not very hard for her to follow. The moves came as easily as she predicted.

His moves seemed too honest for a blunt person like him. His hands, which led her and was wrapped around her hand and waist, were more polite and tight than she expected.

He was embarrassed and genuinely apologized every time he acted rudely to her. Even though he wasn’t very associated with women, he was very careful about his attitude.

‘…..He’s complicated.’

Even though she had quite the opposing idea about men.

No, she didn’t need to. There was no reason for her to understand him. Everything in this world was meant to be meaningless to Selena, who was destined to return anytime. There was no need for her to let herself have an interest in it.

He was just the Duke of North, but for the first time, just a ‘man’ named Kalcion appeared to her. Her eyes were burning with wonder. They aimlessly wandered to his chest through his Adam’s apple.

However, she let her eyes fall again on the next step. This time, she felt herself getting excited. Her gaze naturally rose to his face.

Her lightly folded eyes met Kalcion’s indifferent gaze. Meanwhile, his eyes, which had faithfully fulfilled his ‘dance performance’, futtered.

He stopped. His head was blank and he couldn’t even remember what came next. Still, his eyes didn’t fall. A beat passed as they stared at each other.

They exhaled through their lips as the air somehow felt stuffy between them. She was the first one to break the silence.

“Is it over?”

“…….Ah.”

Only then did he realize he had stopped his steps. His expression was blank with his eyes wide open, as if he had just woken up from his dream.

“It was fun to dance without any music. The Duke was very indulged, I guess.”

“Fun…..? Was it to you?”

“Yes! Isn’t it to everyone else? I mean, how can dancing not be fun?”

Kalcion felt mentally flustered. She smiled as she said it was fun, her eyes slightly closing. Two of their voices simultaneously echoed in their head.

‘You don’t look cool. Rather, you’re like a wooden doll when you dance.’

‘Well, unexpectedly, the Duke did good. So, I’d say, it was fun.’

She didn’t know which side said the truth, but it was definitely the latter that made her heart cry.

“What in the….”

“What?”

Selena, who was still shiny and dazzling under him, smiled again, tilting her head sideways. Kalcion’s fingers, supporting her back, stiffened and his Adam’s apple bounced as he gulped audibly.

“Why are you good at everything?”

“Pardon?”

There were words he wanted to say, but he could not.

However, he was helpless. The limit of the cold Duke. He couldn’t say anything else since he had never faced anyone like this before.

“How can a beginner’s skill be so fine? Did you happen to have participated in a ball before?”

“Oh…..A-Am I a good dancer?”

She laughed at his cold tone before continuing.

“What kind of compliments are given in serious tones? I got scared.”

She drew back her hand, which had started to sweat, when she thought the dance was over. His hand fell beside him to clench into a fist.

“I told you. I’m good at everything that I can do with my body.”

“There’s a skill you need to learn to dance.”

“The principle was only to dance. So, if you know the basic steps, you can learn it quickly.”

On theatrical stages, not only did she act, but also dance and sing. She even knew a few styles of ballet, swing, salsa, tango, and other random things.

The dance of this world was only a little different from the basic steps, but the principle was similar. It was especially easier for Selena, who learned all kinds of dances.

“Is it the same for you with etiquette?”

“It’s a little more complicated than dancing…….but, that’s what aristocrats do.”

Even Mrs. Janet, who stood far away from them, was surprised.

Some people were criticized for being shallow even if they were being educated to be mature from birth. It was definitely unbelievable that someone could learn so swiftly right after copying the steps.

She wasn’t only talented in social etiquette, but also at grasping directions in every field.

***

Selena’s education ended earlier than what was expected thanks to her applying her talent in whatever she learned.

Mrs. Janet’s nagging also shrank day by day. The pace also quickened since Kalcion had begun to join the lesson. In most cases, Selena was found much more sophisticated and skillful.

She quickly and perfectly prepared herself to face this world’s social circle. All that was left was preparing their necessities for the journey.

It would take a week to 10 days to reach the Capital from Renbird by carriage. However, Kalcion predicted it might take a little more than 10 days if they were to travel on a safe route.

They did not know how long they’d spend on the journey. So, they had to pack like they were going on an immigration.

“We’ll have all your luggage prepared, so just relax, Miss.”

Juna told Selena in a kind tone. Several other maids were working diligently with the luggage bags opened all over the room.

“No, since it’s my luggage, I’ll have to look.”

Selena was always serious about packing. She always had to move to a new destination because of her job as an actor. No matter how close the place was, she always packed the luggage herself.

Her manager usually took care of the bigger luggage involved with her work, but there was always a personal luggage that she had to take on her own. That is because she knew she’d get in trouble if she needed anything else.

Selena wasn’t packing, but she sat on a chair watching the maids pack.

“Miss, can I put this in?”

She watched while the maids began to ask one by one.

Golden and silvery accessories, shoes, and piles of clothes. Most of them were items she’d never seen.

“Please pack all the clothes, shoes, and accessories.”

As she thought, she had to carry everything. After they reach the capital, they’d have to stay there for a long time before they return back to Renbird. And that day would be the day they’d find the criminal and thus, the time she’d return to her original world.

“The clothes to be changed into, the undergarments, nightgowns, and slippers to be worn in the room is to be kept in one bag.”

“Yes.”

The maid skillfully packed them.

“Oh, except for that.”

The nightgown, which had made both Selena and Kalcion fall into embarrassment, was almost mixed in with the bunch.

“Uh…..”

Selena delightfully ignored the light grumbling of Juna.

When the packing of the essentials was finished, Selena left.

As she stepped out into the hallway, Juna naturally followed her. From some point, she was always beside Selena as if it was normal.

“Doesn’t Miss Selena feel excited?”

Selena’s businesslike attitude seemed strange to her.

“Now that I’ve heard a lot from Mrs. Janet, I don’t.”

“Oh…..well, still, it’s the capital. Doesn’t it make you feel butterflies in your stomach?”

“I’m thrilled.”

With the tension and nervousness ahead in the job.

If what happened at Renbird was a trailer, what was awaited in the capital was the whole movie. Renbird was just a place for reading the script. The Capital, on the other hand, would be a place to broadcast it live before the entire nation.

In Renbird, she’d heard threats from Fionel and Rosalyn in a row and endured Mrs. Janet’s indirect attack. She couldn’t let her guard down now.

She had already faced four in Renbird. But, it wouldn’t just be verbal attacks that were waiting in the capital.

In addition, the capital was home to both Fionel and Rosalyn. They would not be calm since Selena was within the palms of Kalcion here. Instead, she’d have to face more threats as well.

‘Wow.’

She was so terribly excited that her heart was pounding.

“Haaa…..I am so anxious.”

“Don’t worry, Miss. You’re very beautiful. No one would even bother you because they’d be blinded by your beauty.”

“Is that so……?”

“I’ll relieve your tension in a moment! You might feel better if you have a piece of cake.”

In this way, Juna took care of Selena as if she was a manager. Within just a few days of seeing her, she became too fond of her.

‘Let’s see how far your hands can go.’