This kind of courtship is complicated - chapter 3
#003 Spilled Lemonade
"Ah, it's Lord Arzen here. Helios, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
The melodious waltz was interrupted by an unexpected noise. Helios, who had been enjoying his pipe and a glass of port wine while engaging in casual conversation, found himself greeted by a man who was smiling without much substance, pushing through the crowd.
The younger son of the Billiard family. He didn't have a particularly welcoming face.
"Disappointed it's not a lady, my lord?" Helios asked, exhaling a long puff of smoke from his pipe, watching his smoky breath disperse into the air.
The man who had taken a seat next to Helios continued, raising his wine glass, "Have you been paying any attention to the opposite sex since last summer? I thought you had no interest in women. How come every piece of gossip is about Lord Arjen?"
Helios couldn't be bothered to respond to the pointless remarks, so he turned his gaze toward the center.
The Christmas ball wasn't particularly special, just a bit louder and more extravagant. Lights adorned not only the ceiling but also various decorations throughout the venue, shining brightly.
Amidst this artificial light spectacle, the dancers moved gracefully to the waltz played by the orchestra. Except for one lady, who danced in the middle of the floor with a livelier and almost exuberant style.
Her energetic movements captivated dull gazes. The hem of her golden dress fluttered lightly.
He couldn't understand why she was so elated. Was it fun? Such a ball?
"Helios? Are you listening to me?"
"Ha."
In response to the voice calling him again, Helios let out a sigh mixed with irritation. He had hoped the Billiard family's scion would leave him alone, but unfortunately, the young Billiard seemed oblivious to social cues.
He played with the wine glass in his hand, not taking a sip, and taunted Helios with a smirk. "Ah, it seems you had your eyes on the dancing ladies."
Following Helios's gaze, the young man sneered with narrowed eyes. "So, who did you come here to pursue tonight? The night is getting late, and it's time to find a suitable companion for the evening. I'm sorry for Elly, who loves you, but tonight, I..."
Love? What a joke. The man's dirty jokes were consistently the same every time they met. It was almost impressive how unchanging he was.
"You pathetic fellow," Helios muttered, tossing his cigarette butt in the direction of an ashtray that was nearby.
The man, surprisingly, understood the words amidst a low chuckle and responded with a frozen expression. "What?"
"Are you here to target me? This isn't the right time for that. Go on, go to Elly, who loves you."
Helios gestured with a nod towards a secluded path in the garden. The couple, who had been passionately kissing since they first arrived, were still entwined. Elly, the fiancée who ardently loved the Billiard family's scion.
Only now did the man's face turn various shades of red, and he hurriedly left Helios's side, rubbing his eyes as he dashed towards the garden path.
"Love, huh."
Well, if he called that love, it was his own perception.
Helios wiped the transparent glass with his long fingers, and his lips, tinged with the red spirit like wine, formed a soft curve. It was an unmistakable smirk.
In the meantime, the music changed, and people were searching for new partners. Even the overly lively lady had disappeared into the mundane crowd.
Helios glanced down indifferently. Behind the eyeglasses of the surveillance staff, all eyes were focused on him.
Perhaps the drawing-room would be a better place than here.
In the drawing-room, card games and billiards were in full swing. Deon had probably been there for a while.
After a brief judgment, Helios stood up.
"Um, excuse me..."
It was at that moment that a strong perfume scent reached him. A young lady, her expression almost distorted as if she were about to cry, stood in front of him, blocking his way.
It was an unfamiliar face, and it was obvious. A pitiable sacrificial lamb from a respectable family, pushed here by her mother and grandmother, no doubt.
As she trembled and stuttered, the lemonade in her tightly clenched glass seemed on the verge of overflowing.
Helios slowly raised his gaze.
"Well? Do you have something to say?"
"So, um..."
Surprised by his unexpected kindness, the woman cautiously looked up at him. Her face, illuminated by the white light, was strikingly beautiful with its even nose, graceful jawline, and serene and affectionate eyes, so beautiful that one could gaze at them without restraint.
"Speak."
Helios rolled his eyes. In a blink, the woman, whose face had turned pink, closed her eyes tightly and then opened them again as if she had made up her mind.
And suddenly, she approached him and stumbled on her way. The lemonade in her hand spilled clumsily towards him. It was a clearly deliberate act.
His jacket, tie, and crisp white shirt were drenched in sweet lemonade.
Such a distasteful coincidence. It was so obvious who had thought this up. Even as he watched the lemonade dripping from his body to the floor, Helios couldn't help but let out a tired laugh.
Still the same. The script hasn't changed.
"What should I do? I'm so sorry."
Meanwhile, the woman, who had been observing Helios's expression, approached him with concern. Her hair seemed to be soaked with some sort of fragrance.
"What a... surprise..."
The woman's face, which was almost trembling, was flushed. The words she struggled to form between her quivering lips didn't come out as coherent sentences.
"It's okay. You can go now. Since you're at the ball, you should enjoy the dance instead of getting your hands dirty."
Turning away from the woman, Helios erased the gentle smile that had been lingering on his lips. There was a hint of annoyance in his hands as he loosened the knot of his tie.
Noticing the situation, a butler approached and guided him to a room where he could change.
Under the staircase, in a dimly lit corridor with a few lit lamps, the soft darkness spread. The sound of his footsteps on the tiled floor was clear.
As expected, it was quite an annoying year-end ball.
***
In the mansion, the scent of tangerines and spices hung faintly in the air. The scent, tickling his nose, strangely reminded Velia of Christmas, and he didn't mind it.
Today's Christmas ball was truly special. The massive family tree outside was decorated like the largest tree ever seen, the dazzling lights were beautiful, and the sounds of people chatting were warm and affectionate.
As expected, it was a lovely and cozy year-end ball, a day that only came once a year, making tonight even more precious.
If there was just one problem, it was that fate had not yet allowed him to meet the three coincidences. And if you wanted to pinpoint another issue...
"I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
It was that he had stepped forcefully on the man's foot twice, even though the first dance had been perfect. It was just a very minor slip during the second dance due to excessive excitement.
The man's voice, as he repeatedly assured her that it was okay, was as clear and gentle as his green eyes. However, Velia couldn't help but stare at his shoes with an uneasy feeling.
Unlike the bright smile he had earlier, the man now looked at Velia with a somewhat sullen expression. His wavy chestnut hair, rosy cheeks, and eyes that sparkled even more under the light were lovely. Perhaps that's why, even when looking at his slouched shoulders, she couldn't help but smile.
"You seem quite upset, so I can't help but feel sorry."
"No, it's my fault. I tend to get too excited at year-end balls. Like a foal. Even though I said I wasn't that bad, that boy Evan Arkas, my friend, said I looked like a crazed foal today. I regret not accepting it earlier. If I had, I could have been more composed."
Her chattering made her sound more like a sparrow than a foal. The man bit his lip slightly, suppressing a laugh, and then cleared his throat.
"You're really good at self-reflection, Miss Velia de Briezen."
Less than three hours after meeting this stranger, her name flowed naturally from his lips. It was quite surprising.
Velia only realized this belatedly, her eyes widening. They had danced two songs together without even sharing their names.
"How do you know my name?"
"My mother talks about Miss Velia once a week."
"What? Why would she talk about me..."
"Considering how many people request dances with Miss Velia, wouldn't you think there's a reason?"
"Velia!"
As she was seriously contemplating why her story was being discussed, Evan's voice calling her echoed among the crowd. He was likely urging them to return to Briezen soon. It had been like that since the sky in the western horizon had turned crimson not long ago.
Was it because of Marquis Argen? Velia wondered.
"Evan! Over here!"
But either her call didn't reach him, or Evan gradually disappeared from her sight. His voice also faded away.
It was clear that if she left him alone, he would continue searching.
"I'm sorry for interrupting the conversation, but I think I should go find my friend," Velia said, apologetically breaking the flow of their conversation.