41

“Alright.”

Dante nodded with satisfaction and, with a gesture of his chin, indicated the champagne bottle.

“Then let’s celebrate your debutante with joy.”

Dante filled my glass with champagne.

The golden liquid sparkled, emitting delicate bubbles.

Some nobles who recognized the label of the champagne bottle opened their eyes wide.

“Could it be, that liquor…?!”

“Isn’t it the 25-year-old Solomon?”

“How on earth did you get that liquor? The price is one thing, but these days, the supply is said to be running dry.”

I thought with a smile that painted a picture on my face.

‘This time, I owe a favor to Benedict.’

So far, the nobles had always tried to undermine me in any way they could.

Their attention was now entirely focused on the bottle of liquor.

I spoke with a gentle smile.

“Today, many distinguished guests have taken precious time to attend my debutante party. I am truly grateful.”

For a moment, various emotions flickered across the faces of the nobles.

I could easily read what those emotions were.

It was a sense of superiority and arrogance, at least more so than that wretched villain.

However…

As I observed their expressions for a moment, I twisted the corner of my lips.

“I wonder if the person who truly brightened my debutante is none other than… Lord Offenheir.”

My smile deepened a bit.

For a moment, the nobles’ expressions turned sharp.

The situation unfolded as the Offenhiere Marquis, who had conquered the underworld, hosted a debutante party for his lover.

Though Dante was a capricious character in many ways.

At least for now, he seemed to be treating my lover with some seriousness.

And in front of the marquis, the nobles seemed to subtly ignore me…

‘It’s the same as ignoring Dante.’

At the same time, a smile spread over Dante’s handsome face.

It was Dante’s typical rogue-like smile.

“What’s everyone doing?”

Dante, with both hands in his formal pockets, tilted his head slightly and looked at the nobles.

“She just saying. I’m the one who brightens up her debutante the most.”

“….”

“….”

A chilly silence flowed.

Towards the aristocrats with indifferent faces, Dante shrugged his shoulders and retorted.

“So, dear guests, shouldn’t you make some effort to brighten up our debutante as well?”

“….”

“….”

The nobles subtly exchanged glances.

They were filled with embarrassment, but seemed hesitant to confront Dante.

Among them,

A noble with a stout figure and a determined look stepped forward as if making up his mind.

“Oh, Marquis Offenhiere! This is impolite! We are not beneath the marquis…!”

“Impolite?”

However, Dante was ruthless even to the elder who seemed at least thirty years older than him.

“You were impolite first.”

“What?”

“We courteously invited you, opened the banquet hall as hosts, and prepared to entertain you with fine food and drink. However.”

Dante raised his eyebrows and questioned the noble.

“What were you doing while we were acting as hosts?”

“….”

“From the moment you entered the banquet hall, didn’t you mock us like a nosy busybody?”

Dante gracefully lowered his eyelids.

“Why, did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Unable to control his anger, the middle-aged noble trembled, glaring at Dante with cheeks flushed.

Nevertheless, his inability to utter a single word was…

‘Ridiculous.’

There were over a hundred nobles in this gathering, yet Dante was the only one.

No one else dared to oppose Dante anymore.

It was a bizarre scene in many ways, but strangely, it made sense.

Even if a hundred ant larvae gathered, they couldn’t approach a tiger.

“Have you got nothing more to say?”

Dante’s smile became a bit more intense.

It was a fierce smile.

“If that’s the case, then smile.”

“….”

“….”

The frozen nobles swallowed dry saliva.

Dante pressed the nobles again with a lazy voice.

“Give me some applause as well. That way, the atmosphere might liven up a bit, don’t you think? Hm?”

Since the orchestra had stopped playing long ago, even the musicians glancing around.

The venue was now so silent that the sound of a falling needle would resonate.

But right at that moment…

Clap, clap, clap…

Breaking the silence, the sound of applause echoed.

Instinctively turning towards the sound, I widened my eyes.

A man was confidently applauding.

With chestnut hair that reached his shoulders and sophisticated violet eyes.

He was a well-groomed young man.

And I already knew who that man was.

Because I had met him once before.

“…Count Luneburg?”

Dante looked at the man with a peculiar expression.

The owner of Schmaikel’s top, the head of the Luneburg family, and also serving as an information broker as a side job.

One of the three male protagonists in this world.

It was Benedict.

“Well, I can understand why Marquis Offenhiere would be so displeased.”

Benedict, with a faint smile on his lips, stared straight at us.

“Honestly, it’s true that we didn’t live up to the virtues of a guest.”

“C- Count Luneburg!”

“We…!”

The nobles raised their voices in injustice, but Benedict spoke a bit faster.

“So, Marquis, and dear guests, how about stopping at this point?”

His swallowtail-colored eyes glanced at me briefly.

“After all, it’s a rare occasion for Lady Lepherian’s debutante, and I was worried about who would become her partner.”

“Well, if the Count says so…”

“Let’s leave it at that.”

When Benedict, representing the guests, broke the ice like that, other nobles subtly followed suit.

Perhaps they were also afraid to openly confront Dante.

However, there was one person who didn’t like this dramatic reconciliation.

“Hah, look at this. It’s amusing to see him blabbering as if he stepped back thanks to Count Luneburg, irritating.”

Dante spoke in a harsh tone to the nobles.

“If that’s really the case, shouldn’t you show proper respect to our Lady?”

“Well, that’s a valid point.”

Nodding in agreement, Benedict looked around.

“Anyone attending a debutante party should sincerely congratulate the debutante, right?”

Then he smiled brightly.

“So, let’s congratulate Lady Lepherian with enthusiastic applause.”

Although his attitude seemed gentle, it emitted a strange pressure.

Indeed, outwardly wearing such a mild expression.

But Benedict, through the upper echelons of Schmaikel, was a figure who rapidly elevated the falling Luneburg Count to a central noble position.

Unable to resist this pressure, the nobles began clapping one by one.

“C-Congratulations!”

“Congratulations on your debutante!”

I stared at the bizarre scene in front of me with a subtle feeling.

The nobles forced smiles and showered me with applause.

In the dozens and hundreds of eyes staring through me, there still remained a lingering enmity that hadn’t been completely vented.

But now, it didn’t bother me at all.

The reason might be…

‘Probably thanks to Dante.’

Of course, I didn’t want to admit it willingly.

“Well then, shall we all raise our glasses?”

As soon as I spoke, servers swiftly moved around, offering glasses to other nobles.

As the guests waited to receive their glasses,

I, having lifted the champagne glass slightly in a gesture of a toast, took a sip of champagne.

The strong fizziness tingled my throat.

…It was finally the beginning of the debutante party.

* * *

The debutante party was a tradition where the lady debuting at the party danced first.

Officially, Dante was my lover.

Together, hand in hand, we proceeded to the dance floor.

In the meantime, Dante had a somewhat pensive expression, deeply in thought about something.

I became a little curious.

‘What could he be thinking so hard about?’

But well, it wasn’t something I knew.

I quickly dismissed any faint curiosity about Dante.

Thus, when Dante opened his mouth again, it was at the height of dancing to the lively rhythm.

“Darling.”

Yes, Marquis.

I instinctively put on a smile.

But Dante didn’t open his mouth easily.

He just pursed his lips, pondering over his words.

‘Hmm, it’s really rare to see Dante hesitating like this.’

I squinted my eyes.

‘What does he want to say that he’s pondering so much?’

And then, the words came.

“About the drink earlier.”