#69
****
The streets where Enkarosha’s upper class resided glowed brightly, even late into the night.
Jeha leaned back in his carriage, enjoying the fleeting streetscapes. Unlike the Fanucci mansion, which was quite close to Jeha’s estate, the Delfard mansion was a bit further away.
Stepping out of the carriage, Jeha observed the Delfard mansion. It was undeniably modest in scale.
However, its beautifully adorned garden, lit by numerous lights, left a striking impression. Jeha was then guided inside the estate.
Inside, the brilliantly lit halls resonated with music. Couples gracefully twirled in dances.
Along the edges of the ballroom, small groups of people, holding their drinks, engaged in lively conversation.
Unlike Miss Fanucci’s birthday party, no doorman announced the arrival of guests. As Jeha stepped in, all eyes turned to him.
Even the dancing couples paused to whisper amongst themselves, their gazes fixed on Jeha. Most seemed to recognize his face.
Feeling a touch awkward, Jeha took a glass from a servant’s tray and brought it to his lips.
‘Perhaps I should have brought a partner after all,’ he mused inwardly.
“Oh, isn’t it His Grace, the Marquis Belgarga?”
Just as he swallowed a few sips of his drink, a lady in a resplendent gown approached him. It was the red-haired widow, Countess Delfard.
“Countess Delfard.”
Jeha inclined his head slightly, offering her a polite greeting. Countess Delfard responded with a subtle curtsy, lifting the hem of her skirt.
Her gown plunged deeply at the neckline, revealing the swell of her pale bosom. Feeling a blush creep up, Jeha averted his gaze slightly. Observing this, the Countess’s smile deepened ever so subtly.
“I heard you returned after a long period of study in the Eastern Continent. How does Enkarosha compare to it?”
Countess Delfard unhesitatingly linked her arm through Jeha’s, asking with an air of gentle familiarity. Her action was so natural, it was almost astonishing.
Unable to brazenly shake off her arm, Jeha made a deliberate effort to appear composed.
“The Eastern Continent… is a land of very tranquil atmosphere. In contrast, the Central Continent and Enkarosha here are quite dynamic. They are truly splendid and beautiful.”
Jeha offered a measured response. Finding amusement in his words, Countess Delfard fluttered her fan, a rich smile gracing her lips.
When she smiled, her deep dimples gave her a charming and lively impression. Indeed, seeing her up close, she appeared no older than her late twenties. It almost felt inappropriate to address her as ‘Countess.’
“Truthfully, even after sending the invitation, I wasn’t sure if you would honor us with your presence. But I am delighted you’ve come. Do you enjoy dancing?”
“Actually, I don’t dance at all. In the Eastern Continent, men and women do not dance together.”
Indeed, he was telling the truth about not being able to dance. Paimon had suggested he quickly learn some basic steps, but Jeha had flatly refused.
The reason was simple: he found it bothersome.
“Oh my… Men and women don’t dance together? Then what do people do for enjoyment at parties there?”
Countess Delfard asked, her expression one of utter surprise.
Jeha paused, contemplating whether to speak from the perspective of modern times or the Joseon era. He decided the Joseon era would be more appropriate.
“Typically, separate parties are held for men and women. Men socialize among themselves, and women among themselves.”
“Oh!”
Countess Delfard’s eyes widened. She genuinely seemed astonished.
“The Eastern Continent truly is… a unique place. Having grown up there since childhood, it must be difficult for you to adapt to Enkarosha’s culture.”
“Yes, it is a bit challenging.”
As Jeha nodded readily, Countess Delfard paused, holding her fan to her lips in thought, before making a suggestion.
“Then, how about this? I shall teach you to dance. While I detest having my feet stepped on, I would gladly forgive Your Grace.”
Jeha gazed intently at Countess Delfard for a moment.
‘Normally, I would flatly refuse,’ he thought. However, Jeha had a specific purpose for making the effort to come here today.
“Then, though I will be quite clumsy, I would be grateful for your instruction.”
As Jeha nodded, Countess Delfard’s dimples deepened as she smiled warmly. She then gently took Jeha’s hands, guiding them to her waist and shoulder.
Though the details differed, the dance seemed akin to a waltz.
“Now, like this, to the rhythm of the music: one, two, three, and again, one, two, three.”
Countess Delfard led Jeha with remarkable skill. Having never before attempted such a social dance, Jeha clumsily followed her lead.
It wasn’t as difficult as he had imagined; stepping in time with the rhythm, it began to resemble a dance.
Of course, it was far from easy. Jeha stumbled several times, stepping on Countess Delfard’s feet.
Though she might have winced in pain, the Countess merely offered a reassuring glance, a smile still gracing her face.
From the young widow emanated the same perfume scent he had detected on the letter. Though rather potent, it suited her striking red hair, making it less overwhelming.
Countess Delfard spun beneath Jeha’s arm, her body pressing close against his. Her pale neck was suddenly inches from his face.
A heady mix of her natural scent and strong perfume tickled his nostrils.
“Your fragrance is quite lovely.”
Jeha moved in time with Countess Delfard’s lead, whispering softly. The young widow’s dimples deepened further.
“Complimenting a lady’s fragrance can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. One might, for instance, interpret it as a subtle seduction.”
Countess Delfard spoke as if instructing a rather naive young man.
“Oh dear, I seem to have made a mistake.”
Jeha feigned complete ignorance.
The music concluded. The dancing pairs stepped back, bowing to their partners. Jeha loosely mimicked their actions, bowing to Countess Delfard.
The Countess then linked her arm through his once more, leading him towards the edge of the ballroom.
“For a beginner, you danced remarkably well, didn’t you?”
Countess Delfard complimented him. Jeha smoothly disengaged her arm from his, stepping to stand opposite her.
“That was entirely thanks to your excellent lead, Countess.”
As if offering a gesture of thanks, Jeha took one of the Countess’s hands and lightly kissed its back. The potent perfume stung his nose.
Detecting a faint, almost imperceptible scent mingled within, Jeha’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
“Well then, having satisfied my curiosity, I shall take my leave.”
Jeha released Countess Delfard’s hand and spoke. The Countess paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
As he turned towards the exit, he felt the gazes of the partygoers on his back. His objective achieved, Jeha left the mansion with a rather satisfied feeling.
After a brief wait at the entrance, the Belgarga carriage arrived before the main gate. Jeha paused as he was about to step inside.
A large, pale hand reached out to him, pulling him forcefully into the carriage. Instead of being startled or resisting, Jeha, tumbling forward, found himself enveloped in a familiar embrace.
The carriage door closed, and the vehicle set off.
“How did you get here?”
Jeha lifted his head from the embrace and asked. Hereis pushed back the hood of his cloak, immediately burying his nose in Jeha’s neck.
Jeha felt a deep inhale. His heart inexplicably began to pound.
“That perfume scent is quite pungent,”
Hereis stated in a calm tone. Yet, Jeha sensed a sharp barb hidden within his words.
“I learned to dance from Countess Delfard. The scent must have lingered from then.”
Jeha replied honestly.
“Nighttime dance parties in Enkarosha are essentially gatherings to seek out new lovers or mistresses.”
Hereis pulled Jeha into a painfully tight embrace, speaking in a strained voice. Then, he asked,
“Do you require another lover besides me?”
“Of course not.”
Jeha hugged Hereis back, patting his arm reassuringly, trying to soothe him from his uncharacteristic behavior. He felt Hereis exhale a shallow sigh, his face still buried in Jeha’s neck.
“I simply had something to confirm.”
“……”
Indeed, Hereis was different today. Jeha had expected his explanation to quickly assuage him, but Hereis remained restless.
‘Was he feeling anxious again?’ Jeha wondered inwardly, hurrying to elaborate on his excuse.
“I detected a faintly familiar scent on the invitation sent by Countess Delfard. Considering what she had done before… I merely had something to confirm. And I’ve confirmed it definitively.”
“You could have left such matters for me to investigate. There was no need for you, Jeha, to come back so thoroughly imbued with that woman’s scent.”
With Hereis displaying such uncharacteristic stubbornness, Jeha found himself in a slight predicament.
“Alright… alright, I understand. I promise I won’t go to such parties again.”
Only after Jeha made a firm promise did Hereis’s tight embrace loosen slightly.
Noticing Hereis’s mood had lightened, Jeha hugged him back, letting out a contented sigh. Simply holding him like this, without a word, brought him profound joy.
It felt as if he were floating weightlessly on a cloud.
How long they remained like that, Jeha couldn’t say. Just as he was about to speak,
Neigh—!
With a sudden whinny from the horses, the carriage abruptly halted. The two, still locked in an embrace, were thrown violently forward, nearly tumbling into the front seats.
“Aargh—!”
A man’s scream, presumably the coachman’s, echoed briefly.