Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 65

Hamel Youngshik’s complexion turned pale in an instant.

With trembling hands, he poured the contents of the wine glass into his mouth.

Julia immediately watched with a bewildered expression as Hamel Youngshik’s face flushed red and his eyes became hazy and unfocused.

Who would have thought it was strong enough liquor to knock out even a grown man with just one glass.

‘If I had unknowingly drunk that…’

Julia’s face turned pale at the unthinkable scenario.

“Where do these cockroach-like creatures crawl out from every year after hatching their eggs?”

Belinda clicked her tongue briefly and tapped the center of Hamel Youngshik’s forehead with the tip of her fan as he swayed back and forth, unable to maintain his balance.

Though her gesture was like crushing an insect, her voice was as beautiful as a dream.

“Sweet dreams, Youngshik. When you wake up, the worst day will be waiting for you.”

Crash!

Hamel Youngshik collapsed, noisily knocking over a nearby tea food table.

The nobles who had been pretending not to notice while glancing around began openly staring at Belinda and whispering among themselves.

Despite the gazes hidden behind fans, Belinda didn’t change her expression at all as she looked down at Hamel Youngshik before turning her head to Julia.

Though it was an appearance she didn’t think she could ever get used to, once she recovered from the initial shock, Julia finally noticed things like Belinda’s sharp gaze and viciously curved lips.

Julia froze like a frog trapped in a snake’s coils.

“Young lady.”

“…Y-y-y-yes?”

“Answer only once.”

“Yes.”

Belinda looked at Julia like a viper examining its prey, then lifted her unconsciously hunched chin with the tip of her fan.

“Hanging your head like a flower broken by a storm is why these vermin stick to you. How about spreading rumors that you’re a wallflower instead?”

People around gasped at her blatant words.

Belinda paid no mind and turned around with a sneer on her lips.

“Julia! My goodness, are you alright?”

Julia’s aunt, who had belatedly grasped the situation and rushed over, checked on her niece.

“Yes… I’m fine…”

With a half-dazed expression, Julia couldn’t take her eyes off Belinda’s retreating figure as she walked leisurely through the crowd that had parted to either side like the miracle of the Red Sea.

‘That person is Marquess’s Daughter Blanche. The unwritten rule of the social circle…’

Julia finally understood the true meaning of the unwritten rule.

The poisonous mushroom of the social circle.

A golden rose with poisonous thorns.

The epithets referring to her were all equally vicious.

However, the reason such unwritten rules spread among young ladies making their debut was never because of her malicious nature.

She had confirmed with her own eyes that it was precisely that splendor that was the reason.

Even Lady Reina, praised as this year’s pearl, would be closer to a modest wildflower compared to Belinda.

With that thought, suddenly feeling intimidated by a single dress and standing quietly in front of a corner wall seemed foolish.

Even if she wore the most beautiful dress in the world, she would still be insignificant in front of that person anyway.

“Aunt.”

“Yes?”

“Please introduce me to as many young lords as your connections allow.”

Julia straightened her back while maintaining the angle of her chin that Belinda had lifted.

“I want to at least develop an eye for people at this ball before I leave.”

* * *

‘Even causing trouble requires stamina.’

That was the realization I gained in just one hour of being at the ball.

Running around in all directions wearing high-heeled shoes while causing trouble was more physically draining than I had expected.

“Young lords haven’t changed at all.”

“Haha, what would I have to change?”

“Since you had the audacity to send me a marriage proposal, I thought your facial features might have improved, but it turns out your face just got thicker. How disappointing.”

“…”

After swatting away the young lords who stuck to me like a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes, the surroundings finally became somewhat quiet.

The tender-hearted young ladies lost their motivation and didn’t dare approach me after seeing me go to Hamel Youngshik’s fiancée and kindly explain what had happened earlier, saying ‘Hamel Youngshik is a real bastard.’

Because of that, the hunt ended earlier than expected.

I rolled my eyes to check the synchronization rate.

Synchronization Progress: 46/100

It was incomparable to when I was slowly raising it bit by bit at the manor.

Good, I’m still hungry!

‘Synchronization… I need to raise the synchronization…’

Is there any easy prey around?

I was prowling around like a lioness released into the savanna, looking for my next prey.

“Marquess’s Daughter Blanche, the dance music will start soon. Surely you didn’t attend without a partner?”

Oh my, I don’t know who you are, but you’re in trouble now.

Just as I was about to bite the neck of my opponent with the familiar cold sneer on my lips.

“It seems too cruel to my partner who is showing her face at a ball after a long time, Lady.”

Someone gently admonished the woman in front of me before I could.

I could feel with all my senses that everyone’s attention at the ball was focused over my shoulder at that quiet remark.

If voices had fragrance, it would have dominated the ballroom, settling heavily and solemnly like mist over water.

What was meant to come had come.

Caught in that premonition, I turned around.

My premonition was not wrong.

“I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Starting with me lightly bending my knee in greeting, everyone paid their respects to the Crown Prince like falling dominoes.

I kept my eyes downcast, steadying my breathing and hiding my tension.

The image of the Crown Prince from my nightmares came flooding back like an incoming tide, but I desperately recalled the reason I had come here.

“Raise your head.”

Taking the Crown Prince’s outstretched hand and straightening my upper body, I took in the sight of the person who might behead me in the future.

“I’m not too late, am I?”

“Not at all. The dance music is about to start, so your timing is perfect.”

Despite my calm voice, my gaze never left the Crown Prince for even a moment.

Though I had seen his face countless times in 【Hirome】’s illustrations, unlike with Leo, I felt the unfamiliarity of meeting someone for the very first time.

Perhaps it’s because no artist can fully capture the unique atmosphere a person possesses.

Hair the color of honey blonde, as if made from melted pure gold.

Grass-green eyes like dark-colored sprouts that would become the foundation of a rich, aged forest in the distant future.

Most notably, there was the natural elegance that emanated from a single gesture or step.

Simple elegance could be found in Belinda and certainly in Lord Penandel as well.

However, the Crown Prince’s possessed something more – a charm that naturally drew people in by birth.

‘I thought elegance started with fine clothes.’

Looking at the Crown Prince, I realized that thought was wrong.

Even if the Crown Prince wore the most shabby clothes in the world, anyone would recognize that his origins were extraordinary.

“Then Lady Blanche, won’t you give me the opportunity to share the first dance?”

“It would be my honor.”

As if enchanted by the Crown Prince’s gentle atmosphere, I forgot even my fear and took his hand.

Stepping into the center of the stage under the gorgeous and massive chandelier that seemed to have stars plucked from the night sky, I steadied my breath once more.

Soon, an elegant dance melody began to resonate throughout the ballroom.

* * *

On the festival day, I realized that thanks to Belinda’s memories, I had no great difficulty dancing in sync with Lord Penandel. However, unlike that time, this was a ballroom where people’s gazes were focused, and my partner was the Crown Prince.

I was secretly worried about what would happen if I made a mistake.

But as soon as I took my first step to the music, I instinctively felt it.

The fact that Belinda’s body was extremely accustomed to matching the Crown Prince’s rhythm.

My first dance was with Lord Penandel, but Belinda’s first dance must have been with the Crown Prince.

I was so certain of this that Belinda’s body was accepting the Crown Prince’s lead as if it were her own.

It was a very strange sensation.

The dance with Lord Penandel was just polite and more polite, like the only footprint carved in the middle of a desert that stretched like a vast ocean.

All I had to do was follow the footprints he had left and discover an oasis.

However, the dance with the Crown Prince felt not like following someone’s footprints, but like standing side by side and running a three-legged race.

“I was worried since it’s been so long since we’ve danced together. It was my needless concern.”

The Crown Prince whispered softly as he spun my body around.

Each time I relied on his hand to rotate my body, the ballroom’s splendid decorations sparkled like fragments of shooting stars.

I had plenty of leisure to answer him, but I deliberately didn’t open my mouth.

There was a gap between his memories and mine.

What I knew about him was different between what I saw in Belinda’s first memory fragment and what I saw through the ending of 【Hirome】.

Eventually, the dance melody that flowed as naturally as water came to an end.

As I lightly shrugged my shoulders to catch my breath, the Crown Prince asked me with what seemed like concern.

“My lady, wouldn’t you like to go out and get some fresh air for a moment?”

Perhaps this was why the Crown Prince had sent me an invitation.

Feeling such a premonition, I nodded my head.

“Let’s do that.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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