Young Master, Please Put Some Pants On! - Chapter 41

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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 41

For this banquet as well, he had planned to receive Rachel’s help. But of all times, this situation had to occur. With the banquet just one day away, this was an extremely troublesome matter for Kermanomon.

“There’s no choice. Go find another actress.”

“But it’s too dangerous a gamble. There aren’t many people as skilled in acting and makeup as Lady Rachel. If we try something unfamiliar and get caught, the Noble Faction will surely find fault with us.”

At Malcolm’s firm tone, Kermanomon bit his lip hard. Malcolm was certainly right. The biggest reason he had dealt with Rachel for such a long time was precisely because of the safety that came with no variables.

“You don’t absolutely need to have a partner. You can find someone to dance with at the venue too.”

“Hah…”

Of course, it was true that he didn’t necessarily need to bring a partner, but he didn’t want to show even a moment’s weakness to the other nobles.

The moment he entered the banquet hall alone, it was obvious that nobles with fire in their eyes would come rushing over with their daughters like moths to a flame. Just imagining that scene for a moment made his head throb with pain.

Especially for this banquet, the Imperial Faction nobles including Dajes had been thoroughly preparing to pressure him. Pressing his temples with his thumb and index finger, he muttered to Malcolm.

“It doesn’t have to be an actress, so just find anyone. Telling me to step foot alone into that battlefield – it’s impossible.”

At his unreasonable superior’s demand, Malcolm slowly closed his eyes. Where was he supposed to find a woman with just one day before the banquet? Moreover, she had to be trustworthy, tight-lipped enough to keep secrets, and someone who would be acknowledged by anyone as suitable for Kermanomon.

“Your Grace, perhaps…”

Then Malcolm recalled something and briefly swallowed his words. What if there existed someone deeply trustworthy, close enough to Kermanomon that she wouldn’t need to act, and who was even an outstanding beauty?

“…Lady Mellis.”

“Yes?”

At his quiet call, Mellis, who had been feeding the stag beetle in the distance, tilted her head curiously.

“Would you perhaps be able to be His Grace’s partner at tomorrow’s banquet…”

“Wait, wait a minute.”

Belatedly grasping Malcolm’s intention, Kermanomon urgently stopped him.

“What are you doing right now?”

“I’m finding a partner as Your Grace commanded.”

At his aide’s shameless attitude without batting an eye, Kermanomon let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.

“No. That woman is Mellis, isn’t she?”

“But didn’t you clearly say just now to bring anyone?”

“Huh…”

Kermanomon briefly tilted his head back to suppress his rising irritation.

“Even so, you can’t bring Mellis.”

“I don’t understand why not. Where else is there a woman as trustworthy and close to Your Grace as Lady Mellis? Since her face isn’t known to the ministers, heavy makeup isn’t necessary either. And above all, Lady Mellis is an outstanding beauty that anyone would acknowledge.”

“That level of beauty is…”

Kermanomon, who had unconsciously looked at Mellis to refute that statement, quietly trailed off. Large eyes and deep blue eyes that rippled like a lake, a well-proportioned upturned nose, and lips with a vivid color like freshly picked fruit.

Moreover, her two cheeks had a light apricot hue over her clear, snow-white skin without a single blemish, and her slightly curly cream-colored white hair added to her gentle image.

‘Well, her smile is quite nice though…’

Kermanomon’s expression unconsciously softened as he recalled Mellis’s bright smile. She wasn’t a glamorous beauty like Reiana, but Mellis was certainly a lovely person who made viewers feel warmth in their hearts.

“Why are you staring like that?”

Only then did Kermanomon realize he had been staring at Mellis for too long.

‘She’s quite a beauty. I was wondering what kind of relationship you two have.’

At the same time, recalling Persiana’s words, he startled and licked his lips with his tongue. Glancing to the side, Malcolm was looking at him with narrowed eyes.

‘Am I wrong?’

Without even hearing Malcolm’s predictable nagging, he briefly averted his gaze. He sometimes found Malcolm’s competence incredibly irritating.

‘Damn it…’

Lost in thought, Kermanomon pressed his clenched fist firmly against his mouth. Yes, just as Malcolm said, Mellis was an absurdly good match as his partner.

But it was simply embarrassing to ask Mellis to be his partner when they had just been bickering moments ago. Even though he knew this was merely a business proposal.

“Mellis.”

After a moment of contemplation, Kermanomon slowly walked toward her. Mellis, still unable to grasp the situation, blinked her large eyes and stared up at him intently.

At a distance close enough to reach with an outstretched arm, his lips twitched several times. It was a moment when his vision was filled entirely with Mellis’s presence. His voice was more cautious than ever.

“Would you allow me to dance with you?”

This should certainly be a casual matter. Despite knowing this, his ears turned red. Was it because the situation of asking Mellis to dance felt unfamiliar, or was it because he had become aware of her as a woman?

He couldn’t know the answer to that question himself.

* * *

“D-dance?”

Briefly flustered by Kermanomon’s sudden proposal, her face belatedly flushed as she understood its meaning a beat too late. So if she wasn’t misunderstanding, this was…

‘A partner request.’

Generally, at banquets, it was customary to partner with one’s spouse or lover. Sharing the first dance at a banquet was like an act of displaying affection.

‘But asking me to be his partner means…!’

When Mellis’s eyes widened in surprise, a startled Kermanomon averted his gaze. As if he too felt equally embarrassed, he covered his subtly reddened face with one hand.

“…If it makes you uncomfortable, you can refuse.”

“How can you explain it like that? Miss Mellis, allow me to explain.”

Just as Mellis, surprised by his reaction she’d never seen before, was about to open her mouth slightly, Malcolm, unable to bear it any longer, explained the situation.

“Ah, simply put, it’s a fake partnership.”

“What’s with that reaction? You look quite relieved.”

When Mellis, who understood the entire situation, let out a sigh of relief, the perceptive tiger immediately took issue with it.

“I was just startled for a moment. I thought I had unknowingly seduced the Grand Duke…”

“What kind of nonsense is that? You always manage to upset me with such foolish words.”

“The Grand Duke made me misunderstand first! And I wasn’t feeling good about it either.”

“What? What’s wrong with being my partner?”

He raised his eyebrows and retorted as if incredulous. Seeing the two about to bicker again, Malcolm, with a tired expression, stepped between them and said,

“I’m already busy and troubled enough without you two doing this. So let’s get straight to the point.”

Under the gaze of two men staring at her as if demanding an answer, Mellis fell into brief contemplation. Being Kermanomon’s partner – that was a scene she had never once considered.

In that moment, she unconsciously imagined herself dancing with him at the banquet.

But Mellis couldn’t answer hastily. Standing at a banquet as Kermanomon’s partner, of all people, would mean becoming the center of countless gazes.

It was indeed a burdensome proposal for her, who was hiding her identity.

‘What if someone recognizes me?’

Since it was a banquet hosted by the Empire’s Imperial Family, several nobles from the Tarin Kingdom would certainly attend. However, Mellis soon shook her head firmly. There was no way any noble would recognize her, having barely interacted with other nobles and not even properly completing her debutante.

Moreover, she was in beastman form, and according to Malcolm, wearing a mask or disguise would be no problem, so there seemed no need to worry unnecessarily about her identity being discovered.

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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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