‘To feel this way about the Duke of Ashbon.’
Ariella marveled at this and offered him a faint smile.
What was even more surprising was that the Duke of Ashbon was stepping out from behind the column and striding toward her. Ignoring the gazes around him, he focused solely on her.
People gasped as they noticed Nobert and instinctively parted to make way.
None of them had expected the Duke to attend the debutante ball of the Abercorn princess, leaving them all with their mouths agape.
The men who had been vying for Ariella’s attention also hurriedly stepped back and looked up at him.
Finally, amidst everyone’s attention, he reached Ariella and slowly extended his hand.
“Lady Ariella.”
As the same black gloves he had worn at the masquerade ball came into view, Ariella let out a light laugh.
“Would you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”
I swear, I had never felt such a profound resonance from a simple dance request before.
***
The lively sounds of instruments filled the Violet Hall, enhancing the atmosphere.
The nobles of Edinburgh glided across the hall, twirling in time with the pleasant dance music.
However, their attention was entirely focused not on their dancing partners but on another pair, naturally placing Ariella and Nobert at the center of their interest.
‘Has Nobert Ashbon ever danced in front of others?’
They busily racked their memories, but the answer was ‘no.’
The iron-blooded Duke of Ashbon had never danced with anyone. He had never asked a woman to dance, nor had he ever taken a woman’s hand when she offered it.
Even when attending royal banquets, he steadfastly guarded the walls. Because of this, rumors circulated that he was homosexual.
However, today, in this place, the rumors that he liked men were dismissed.
It wasn’t merely because Nobert danced with a woman. Rather, it was because the sight of him dancing with Ariella, hand in hand, appeared so beautiful to everyone.
Unlike his usual preference for simple clothing, Nobert was dressed more splendidly than any other noble today.
Whether it was due to the black vest and outerwear embroidered with gold thread, or the golden brooch he wore, he seemed to match perfectly with Ariella, who wore a golden dress.
This was a look that Mrs. Corcos, who had made their outfits, had unilaterally intended, but to the nobles who were unaware of this scheme, it felt like destiny.
“Oh my, how well do they match!”
“It’s a combination I never imagined… but I can’t deny that it’s truly beautiful.”
The nobles exaggeratedly clicked their tongues, claiming they had never seen a couple that matched so well.
Before long, the image of the prospective crown prince couple had long been forgotten in their memories. This couple was far fresher and more intriguing in many ways.
Meanwhile, Ariella was equally astonished by Nobert’s appearance.
‘I knew he was handsome, but…’
It was a fact she couldn’t possibly be unaware of.
However, until now, the discomfort stemming from their differing social and political standings had obscured that appearance, but now that they had set aside those complicated matters, his face was truly breathtakingly beautiful.
Ariella didn’t place much value on appearances. In fact, having grown accustomed to meeting Aaron frequently, she often regarded handsome men as mere stones.
But somehow, when she looked at him, she felt she understood why people praised such pretty and handsome faces so much.
If there were a single statue that God had crafted with the utmost care, would it look like that? Ariella couldn’t find a single flaw in Nobert’s appearance that would lead her to think otherwise.
If Aaron was a slender and pretty beauty like a fox, Nobert was a man of grand stature in every way.
He was half a hand taller than Aaron, and perhaps due to his active lifestyle, his shoulders and arms were muscular, making his torso so robust that he seemed like a completely different species from the men she had seen before.
‘Oh no.’
Ariella realized she had unconsciously compared Nobert to Aaron and hurriedly lowered her gaze.
Only then did she notice the clothes he was wearing. The outfit made by Lady Corcos was dazzlingly extravagant, a style that most people would struggle to pull off.
However, Nobert wore it perfectly. After all, with that face and body, there wouldn’t be a garment he couldn’t wear well. Even in rags, he would shine on his own.
‘Enough, enough!’
Her thoughts had once again drifted towards his appearance. At this rate, wasn’t she just as bad as those lowly gossips who find joy in comparing women’s faces one by one?
Ariella reflected deeply and made an effort to change the subject.
