She barely managed to get into position and followed Leon’s lead. She struggled not to get it wrong, but she ended up stepping on Leon’s foot again and again.

Each time, Dana sighed briefly and focused again on the movement of her feet. She was so focused that she was only looking at the ground throughout the dance.

Even after being stepped on, Leon skillfully moved to the beat without much complaint. As the same movement was repeated several times, Dana got used to the beat.

Her stiff gesture loosened up and became more relaxed. Only then did Dana look up at Leon.

As soon as Leon’s eyes met hers, Dana flushed and lowered her gaze again. He seemed to have been looking at her the whole time. With such longing and deep eyes.

A corner of her heart had become heavy.

What kind of heart do I have?

Now that she had regained her memories, her behavior toward him was a little different than before.

Leon still felt she needed him, but she wasn’t as blind as she used to be. Rather, her present self was secretly worried that he might interfere with her future work.

Leon was definitely obsessed with her, and it was true that Dana wanted it and wanted to enjoy it to some extent and settle for him.

Now that my memories have returned… I can’t live like that.

While dancing with him, she was more relaxed than before, but the anger and betrayal in her heart remained and she wanted revenge.

Anyway, I have to tell you the truth.

Dana glanced up at Leon. She was going to tell him the truth and get his help soon, but she needed time to organize her thoughts at the moment.

What would be your reaction if I told you?

Leon pulled her close, looking into her eyes. His behavior was natural and flowed with the dance.

As he tried to say something, he put his face close to her ears.

“What’s going on inside your skirt? Did you wear it again? You won’t be able to wear it.”

Dana listened to Leon’s voice and flushed when asked calmly.

He could sense that something had been off for a while because she was absent-minded.

“No… There’s nothing.”

“You’ve been thinking about something else the whole time. I was sad that I couldn’t finish it earlier, so I wondered if you were dragging it.”

It meant that Leon didn’t like something when he deliberately picked out vulgar and explicit words.

Dana could neither affirm nor deny his words. She was holding back her words because she thought she would make a mistake without realizing it.

Finally, their turn was over, and as soon as the music ended, they stopped.

Dana and Leon took a step back and greeted each other gracefully.

Leon also had a neat and expressionless face since he last spoke.

When they came down together after the dance, nobles flocked to talk to them one by one as if they had been waiting.

“Thank you, it was a very elegant and beautiful dance. It was like a pair of swans.”

“Ah, I’m still not used to it. Thank you for the compliment. Madam.”

Dana smiled as she faced them by Leon’s side, but the fatigue was gradually building up. It had been a really long day.

Recognizing this, Leon lightly wrapped his arm around her and politely asked for understanding.

“She seems tired, so we will rest first.”

The eyes of the women around him glinted and they nodded.

“It’s very late. We should go back to the dorm now.”

“Your Grace, Dana Deniz, then rest comfortably.”

Dana bowed silently to them and looked up at Leon. Leon pushed her and called Ahil, a guard, with a wink.

Although Ahil had entered the banquet disarmed and not as Leon’s escort, he was still doing his original work as a guard.

“Go to the dorm first. Ahil will guide you.”

“Leon, what about you?”

“I’ll be a little late. Just go.”

Dana stared at Leon with a curious look.

“I thought you wanted to be alone.”

Leon casually uttered his words and passed by her. Dana, who was a little offended, eventually walked toward the accommodation without saying anything.

Leon quietly went out to the terrace after seeing Dana disappear completely. By the wall of the terrace, a man dressed as an imperial servant stood hidden from sight. When he saw Leon, he bowed his head and spoke in a low voice.

“Your Grace, the man you talked about here is Count Rian Felice. A soldier said he didn’t go inside the banquet hall, wandered around for a long time, and when he saw the lady, he approached her.”

“It’s not a coincidence.”

“Yes, maybe. He’s disappeared somewhere now.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed and looked fiercely in the direction where Dana disappeared.

“Keep an eye on him.”

The imperial servant was the henchman of the Tertius family and was a spy planted in the Imperial Palace.

Not only Leon but also numerous aristocrats planted their families in the Imperial Palace. They wanted to know everything that was happening here.

This was because if the current was misread due to a lack of information in the political world, it’ll be like standing on thin ice; they and their families could be greatly shaken.

The servant disappeared and Leon sat on the terrace railing. It was already past midnight.

Many people had left, but there were still partygoers in the banquet hall.

Leon sat there and recalled the report Daniel had made before coming to the capital.

* * *