Young Master, Please Put Some Pants On! - Chapter 47

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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 47

At that moment, the people who had been watching the two of them began to gradually approach and greet them.

“Grand Duke, it’s been a long time.”

“How have you been all this time?”

“But who is the person you came with…?”

When countless questions poured out, Kermanomon pulled Mellis into his embrace as if to prove his earlier words. Mellis’s eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly found herself leaning against his chest.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Mellis’s face flushed red at his voice whispering by her ear. If she hadn’t been wearing a mask, she would have shown him her reddened face completely.

Trapped under Kermanomon’s firm arm, Mellis bit her lips softly, not knowing what to do. Through the thin fabric between them, his warmth and cool scent reached her without any filter.

As he hid Mellis as if concealing something precious, people’s curiosity grew even stronger. Had the Grand Duke ever protected and cared for a lover to such an extent before? However, Kermanomon wrapped up the situation with a businesslike attitude as if he wouldn’t tolerate even that curiosity.

‘Th-this is getting a bit dangerous…’

The crisis had come earlier than she expected. And in a different sense too.

* * *

Soon, the gentle and slow sound of a waltz filled the enormous banquet hall. The people standing in the center of the hall took their partners’ hands and entrusted their bodies to the string orchestra’s performance.

“Shall we go as well?”

Kermanomon asked in a gentle tone. It wasn’t just his way of speaking that was different from usual. His careful attitude toward her, his attentive manners that looked after even the smallest details, and above all, those deep eyes that seemed filled with affection.

Even though she knew he was acting as if treating a lover right now, Mellis strangely felt embarrassed.

‘Is this how he treats his lovers so affectionately?’

Of course, the usual Kermanomon wasn’t particularly distant from being affectionate either, but the current him felt somewhat different. His tickling attitude created the illusion that she herself had become someone special.

“Alright.”

Mellis also responded to his call with a fresh smile. Although Kermanomon had said that just staying by his side was enough to fulfill the role, she too wanted to live up to his efforts.

As the two headed toward the center of the banquet hall, people’s curious gazes naturally followed them. This partner was probably just one of the Grand Duke’s lovers who changed every time as usual, but for some reason, a strange atmosphere flowed between the two of them.

“Phew…”

She let out a nervous sigh as she held Kermanomon’s hand. Since she had come this far, she didn’t want to cause him trouble even if she couldn’t help him. She was mentally reviewing the movements she had memorized all day long.

“I’ve been thinking about it. It seems like you have too much tension built up.”

“Tension?”

“Yes. Put down the pressure of having to accomplish something and just relax your body with me. I mean don’t be nervous.”

“But…”

Isn’t dancing something two people do together? When Mellis, who couldn’t quite understand those words, slightly furrowed her brow, Kermanomon tucked her fallen hair behind her ear and whispered.

“Forget the movements you memorized in your head and lean on me. I’ll take care of everything.”

Was it because of his high body temperature? Her ear where his touch had reached grew hot. Mellis, who was about to say something, soon closed her mouth and nodded slightly.

“Please take care of me.”

Instead of answering, Kermanomon naturally pulled her into his embrace.

Although tension still lingered from the pressure of not making mistakes, Mellis tried to maintain her composure.

‘Let’s not think about anything else. Right now, I’ll only look at the Grand Duke. Only the Grand Duke…’

It was a moment when she focused only on him in front of her, ignoring all the surrounding gazes and atmosphere. His movements leading her. His reliable physique that blocked her view, his refreshing scent that put her mind at ease, and his warmth transmitted through their hands.

‘Ah….’

Mellis, conscious of all this, pressed her lips tightly together. It was clearly the same movements as yesterday, but she suddenly became aware that she was dancing alone with him.

Then Kermanomon’s hand supported her back. Mellis flinched involuntarily and, not knowing what to do, simply tried to calm her pounding heart.

Why did this short dance feel so long? It was such a strange situation. She just closed her eyes tightly and waited for this situation to pass quickly.

* * *

Mellis wasn’t the only one finding this situation difficult. Kermanomon was equally tense, unlike usual. He had danced dozens of times before, and this wasn’t the first time he had been close to Mellis.

But why was his throat so dry? Mellis was faithfully following his words, relaxing her body and completely entrusting her movements to him. Her movements were much more natural than during practice, but he wasn’t entirely pleased with this.

“….”

This unfamiliar side of Mellis was strange to him as well. Where had her usual attitude of yelling at him gone, and why was she acting so unfamiliar today? She seemed to be feeling burdened by the attention, more than expected.

The moment he placed his hand on her lower back for the next movement, she flinched slightly and tightened her grip on their clasped hands. The sight of her clinging to him like a frightened young animal made the corner of Kermanomon’s mouth twitch slightly.

This is part of the act, just a deception for those annoying people who bother me. He kept repeating this fact in his mind.

“Am I very heavy? Please tell me if it’s difficult.”

After a long silence, Mellis asked in a small voice that only he could hear. She seemed concerned about leaning against his arm for such a long time.

‘Heavy?’

He was a bit dumbfounded by the completely unexpected question. Soon he bit his lips deeply to suppress the laughter that was escaping.

“Pfft.”

“Why, why are you laughing? I’m really worried about the Grand Duke.”

“That’s impossible. What do you really think of me? Even if you stepped on my feet and climbed up, it wouldn’t matter, so there’s no need to worry unnecessarily.”

“Yesterday you said something about your instep collapsing….”

Mellis pouted and grumbled for no reason. Really, what a funny woman. She was at least a head shorter than him, so what was she worrying about? He had felt it when she brought catnip and talked about cats, but she seemed to have no awareness that the man in front of her was a purebred imperial tiger.

Kermanomon, who had been surrounded all his life by those who coveted and tried to use his abilities, found Mellis’s attitude of treating him like an ordinary beastman fascinating.

“….”

Had he ever felt this comfortable since coming to the Imperial Court? For him, who had always stood at the pinnacle of power, such banquets were nothing but battlefields where he simply didn’t wield a sword.

Before he knew it, a relaxed smile spread across Kermanomon’s lips. It was just for a moment, but he thought it might be nice if this moment lasted a little longer.

* * *

Dajes Willik, holding a wine glass in one hand, gazed intently at the two people dancing in the center of the banquet hall. He had sufficiently anticipated from the beginning that Kermanomon would bring another lover.

He didn’t like that Kermanomon, the heir to the throne, casually met with various women, nor the low-quality rumors that arose from it.

Of course, he had been nagging him about it until now, but that was all. He knew that Kermanomon’s conspicuous changing of women was merely a means to show that he had no interest in the throne.

That’s why he hadn’t paid much attention even when he met a young woman of unclear status.

“….”

But this time, somehow the feeling wasn’t good. The way he protectively embraced the woman as they turned, and those occasional glances and smiles. Kermanomon’s attitude, different from usual, made his animal instincts send dangerous warnings.

The Imperial Faction Nobles, who had been observing Kermanomon’s mood, seemed to have the same thoughts as him, as they couldn’t easily approach as originally planned and were just circling around with their innocent daughters.

‘I haven’t heard any stories about him meeting a woman recently.’

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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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