The dance music has begun, amidst the crowd of nobles who are dancing. You can see one pair of nobles, dancing in the middle of the others.

The heir to the title of Duke—so gallant, handsome, and brave—and a princess from a foreign kingdom, small in stature, fair-skinned, with a kind heart and known as the most beautiful woman on the continent.

They dance beautifully, gracefully, and appear like a couple deeply in love. It’s enough to make you feel uneasy.

Your eyes accidentally meet, and you quickly look away, unable to bear the sadness in Pablo’s gaze.

Unable to watch the stifling scene any longer, you walk out onto the terrace, breathing in the fresh air while swirling the wine in your hand.

“I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress,” he says, bowing politely.

“There’s only the two of us here—no need to be so formal,” you reply, turning to face Pablo, the Duke’s heir and your former lover.

“Tch, I never imagined that we, who were once lovers, would now be just friends,” he says as he lights a cigarette, staring as he plays with your hair—just like he used to when hiding his sadness.