* * *

Previously, there have been not less than no spectators. Now, it was as if your complete world was watching with bated breath, desperate to see what would unfold.

Though everybody was too afraid of Antes to even communicate, their ears had been pricked up, eavesdropping on the dialog.

That they had lastly managed to create a heat environment, however they didn’t need to be the focal point once more. Luna, with a pressured smile, shortly intervened between the siblings.

“The 2 of you appear shut. I’m an solely little one, so it’s nearly enviable to me. However possibly it might be higher when you shared this completely happy reunion someplace quieter?”

“What?”

“!?”

Her phrases could possibly be interpreted as ‘Go some other place and argue’, however all of the siblings heard was ‘you two are shut’. Nevertheless, the opposite occasion was Luna. With out a lot rebuttal, Antes and Rosemary glared at one another as in the event that they needed to kill one another.

With the rumor mill already in opposition to them, did they actually need to add a narrative about hitting a youthful sibling? Luna gently tapped Antes’ arm as if urging him to settle down.

Upon this, Antes, glancing at his arm, was the primary to ease his aggressive expression. He had firsthand expertise that making a scene wouldn’t do any good.

“Since we’ve had our reunion, I’ll escort Woman Luna from right here.”

From the start, he meant to do this; he simply needed to take Luna away from that little satan.

“What are you speaking about? Woman Luna got here as my escort, so why are you saying you’ll be escorting her?”

Rosemary objected, discovering it ridiculous that an escort was being escorted. However the one who discovered it much more ridiculous was Antes.

“She’s my lover. Since when do you ask another person’s lover to escort you?”

On the sudden point out of being lovers, Rosemary widened her eyes in shock, glancing at Luna.

“Lover? Are you saying that you simply’re Woman Luna’s… boyfriend?”

Overcoming her worry, Karen requested Luna with out blinking. She then appeared to remorse it as she glanced at Antes.

In fact, Luna ought to’ve seen this coming. Now the cat was out of the bag.

Beforehand, it was Rosemary inflicting hassle, and now it was Antes. Luna couldn’t deny they had been lovers, so she nodded her head awkwardly, like a malfunctioning machine.

“Sure…”

“So the rumored lover of Woman Luna is Antes Vincent… Ah, that’s why…”

Karen, regaining her braveness, trailed off along with her voice getting softer.

It sounded as if she was saying ‘I perceive why you didn’t reveal your relationship’. Luna couldn’t conceal her drooping lips.

Given the state of affairs, Antes appeared to take an curiosity in Karen.

“Are you a buddy of the younger girl?”

Luna, not eager to make issues worse, swiftly grabbed Antes’ arm to cease him.

“Wait…!”

“I apologize for neglecting to introduce myself earlier. I used to be stunned when the younger girl all of the sudden went to the occasion. I’m Antes Vincent.”

Unexpectedly, he greeted Karen very politely, and his radiant smile was a bonus, similar to when he first met her on the manor.

Karen blinked in shock after which rubbed her eyes, as if seeing a mirage.

“Please forgive me.”

Since she didn’t say something, Antes smiled gently once more. Karen shortly grabbed the hem of her costume and greeted him in return.

“No, by no means. It’s good to satisfy you. I’m Karen Irenol, a buddy of Woman Rosemary and Woman Luna.”

Luna, attempting to intervene, simply appeared humorous now. To others, it appeared she and Antes had been affectionately arm in arm.

“Not solely a buddy of the younger girl but in addition of my sister. I’ve made a grave oversight.”

“No, it’s okay! I used to be additionally late in greeting.”

“I’m relieved to listen to you say that.”

Everybody was puzzled by Antes’ surprisingly regular response.

What’s happening?

Opposite to the rumors, he had a really good-looking face. His smile was lovely, his demeanor light, and there was an nearly dreamlike background of flowers. Moreover, as a substitute of hitting somebody, he was flaunting his affection with Luna, protecting his arm round her.

It nearly appeared like they had been seeing a totally totally different individual  with the identical title.

“You two appear to be on excellent phrases… It appears the younger lord is kind of totally different from the rumors.”

Then Karen mustered the braveness to talk. Irrespective of how she checked out him, he didn’t appear to be the person from the rumors.

“Many individuals have prejudices due to the rumors, however I admire you seeing past them. Perhaps it’s as a result of the girl is at all times thoughtful of me.”

Antes responded with a vibrant smile, emphasizing his innocence.

As a consequence of his fixed references to magnificence, folks couldn’t assist however stare upon Antes’ face. It was unimaginable to not blush seeing such magnificence, not to mention decrease one’s guard.

No, you’ll be able to’t put it like that. Solely then did Luna, who had been holding Antes’s arm, search for at him as if she was flabbergasted.

“Anyway, I used to be relieved to listen to you had been accompanied by my sister. That doesn’t imply I’ll hand over the younger girl to you simply although.”

Saying so, Antes reached out his hand to Luna.

“We missed the possibility to enter collectively, however I’d love when you joined me in your first music.”

Contemplating they had been lovers, she couldn’t refuse. Dancing was one of the simplest ways to have a non-public dialog.

Maybe that’s why Antes additionally invited her to bop.

“Woman Luna…!”

Rosemary pleaded intensely along with her eyes to not maintain his hand, however Luna, ignoring this, took his hand.

Although they merely held fingers, the watching crowd felt a romantic thrill. As the 2 moved in direction of the middle of the corridor, the music’s quantity elevated.

“Why are you right here?”

Having by no means danced besides randomly, she requested awkwardly, and Antes, wrapping his hand round her waist, led the dance and replied:

“That’s what I needed to ask.”

“I requested first, so reply first.”

On the identical second, Luna stepped on Antes’s foot and grinned as if it was a mistake.

“As quickly as I arrived within the capital, I heard the younger girl went to a celebration with Rosemary. Why did the younger girl go to a celebration with Rosemary?”

“As a result of we’re mates.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

“Actually. Perhaps she felt pity for me as a result of I couldn’t attend the coming-of-age occasion as a consequence of lack of cash. It was a beneficiant provide, and I gladly accepted.”

So don’t wreck my treasured occasion, Luna mentioned, laughing, attempting to present a touch earlier than making one other mistake. Sighing frivolously, Antes suggested:

“Don’t hang around with Rosemary.”

“Why?”

“She approached understanding you had been courting me. I don’t know what she may do.”

“I do know. I’ve even acquired an apology.”

However the concern had already been resolved. Placing herself in the identical state of affairs, she may perceive.

If she had a brother like Antes, she would have approached the opposite occasion’s girlfriend utilizing not a mansion however even a gold mine as bait.

“You already knew?”

“Sure. I caught on some time in the past. Moreover, she’s solely been form to me, proper? Even bought her mansion for me, launched mates, and cleared misunderstandings.”

Though the intention was impure, it was undoubtedly helpful. Even now, she was being helped in numerous methods.

In that sense, it might’ve been welcome if she continued. When she answered in that context, Antes responded with slight dissatisfaction.

“…That was what I used to be speculated to do.”

“Sorry? What are you speaking about?”

“I imply clearing up the misunderstanding. Wasn’t it a difficulty we agreed to resolve whereas courting?”

Is he speaking about utilizing her and discarding her? She appears to recollect him saying one thing like that. However-

“How can I resolve misunderstandings and use advantages whenever you’re not round?”

After they began courting, he left for Vincent instantly, so how was she speculated to deal with issues?

“That’s why I got here again.”

“You’ll depart once more.”

“I gained’t.”

“What concerning the Guild?”

“I’m pondering of transferring to the capital. That’s why I got here up.”

It appeared he was attempting to say she ought to depend on him while not having to slot in with Rosemary, however stunned, Luna stepped on Antes’s foot and requested.

“Ugh.”

“What about my father?”

“…The employees are taking excellent care of the Baron. Moreover, he has a reliable secretary aiding him. You in all probability obtain reviews each week, proper?”

As Antes mentioned, Luna had been receiving letters from Tein. The letters reported that he was residing earnestly. They had been so lengthy and detailed that Luna had misplaced any want to go to.

Recalling this, Luna nodded in settlement.

“That’s true. Obtained it. I’m a bit busy proper now, however I’ll go to when I’ve time.”

Seeing this, for some cause, Antes felt uncomfortable. He had thought that if he informed her he was going to remain within the capital, she can be not less than a little bit completely happy. It was additionally because of the rising state of affairs, and he had come up as a result of he was involved about Luna’s affairs, however she appeared fully disinterested.

Unaware of Antes’s emotions, Luna introduced up a brand new matter.

“So, how about we begin preventing now? Like the strategy I discussed within the letter final time. If we present little fights at times, it’ll be pure for us to half later. There are various folks round, so it looks as if a very good alternative. What do you suppose?”

“Are you going to desert me now?”

“What are you speaking about?”

And once I mentioned abandon. Why get indignant once I actually say I’ll depart?

“I’ve no intention of breaking apart with the younger girl.”

“I urge your pardon? You mentioned ‘use and depart,’ proper?”

“We haven’t used one another but. There’s a mountain of issues to do; we will’t simply half methods now.”

Antes, with a decided look, twirled Luna round as he replied. Momentarily off-balance, she shortly leaned on Antes’s chest.

“You probably did that on function, proper?”

“No, I felt I needed to not less than flip you round since you’re not good at dancing.”

“As a result of I’ve by no means danced earlier than!”

“Me neither.”

However he danced very effectively. In fact, the opinion of an skilled in spontaneous dancing may not be very reliable. Anyway, the purpose was that he was not a novice at main somebody in dance.

That wasn’t the necessary factor. Luna was about to convey up the subject of breaking apart once more, however Antes spoke first.

“You may need had an opportunity to appropriate misunderstandings, however I haven’t. I’ve no mates. Nobody however you.”

His expression was calm and his tone was even, however the content material was pitiable. Luna doubted his sincerity for a second.

“What concerning the folks from the Antares Service provider Guild? They appeared fairly near you.”

“Probably not.”

With that phrases, a thick wall all of the sudden appeared between Antes and the staff who had blindly trusted and adopted him for years.

“You’ve a sister, Rosemary.”

“Will we appear shut?”

“…No.”

It appeared like they hated one another probably the most.

“So, I’d admire it when you didn’t say ‘let’s break up’ proper now. Your picture hasn’t absolutely improved but, proper? If we simply began courting after which struggle and break up, it’ll simply create unhealthy rumors.”

She wasn’t precisely saying to interrupt up instantly, however relatively to regularly create a rift by little fights.

However he had a degree. Even a small quarrel would give rise to unusual rumors.

Satisfied, Luna playfully turned Antes round and replied.

“Alright. Let’s have a little bit grace interval. Till you make a brand new buddy. After that, let’s struggle.”

Not like Luna, Antes, who was well-centered, brushed Luna’s matted hair and gave a peculiar smile.

“Be sure that to maintain that promise.”