Miss Assassin is heavily addicted

Chapter 81, Section 38. Would you like to dance with me?
So-called aristocratic etiquette.

This birthday party was not just about eating, drinking, and conversation; it also included etiquette unique to the upper class.

The opening ceremony, known as a courtly ball, is the second event of the evening. It is usually initiated by the highest-ranking person present, such as a member of the royal family or the crown prince.

And now, Sir Humphrey is the host here.

He will open the curtain on this social dance.

The lady invited from the second floor to join in a dance drew everyone's attention. With flowing blue hair and her fingers lifting the hem of her voluminous skirt, she strolled down the stairs expressionlessly.

Some admired her beauty, while others raised their eyebrows in curiosity. Among them were politicians, family members, and friends with vested interests.

There is no further process.

As they reached the center of the first floor, a classic melody began to play, and their eyes met.

He Ye had no way of knowing what they were talking about, but he believed that Loris had conveyed the message, and he couldn't help but be curious about what would happen next.

I'm really curious—how heartbroken she must be to know that the reason she's loved is simply because she looks like her deceased wife?
Will Miss Mia explode?

"After this dance, I'll give you a surprise."

Unaware of the situation, Sir Humphrey quietly extended his hand, a gesture of invitation to dance. The dance they chose was a waltz, a dance they had practiced at the Sweet Honey Club and which was considered respectable.

Miss Mia stared at the hand outstretched in front of her, remaining silent for a long time without reacting.

This left everyone present somewhat puzzled.

then--

"No need, thank you for your care. I can give you the answer I gave you back then," she said after a long pause.

"..." Sir Humphrey's face showed surprise. "What's wrong with you?"

"I just learned the truth."

Miss Mia spoke softly as well, the innocent girl's face so sad. She noticed the whispers of the surrounding guests and knew that her inaction at this moment would embarrass him.

So she still gently reached out her hand.

"I won't make things difficult for you. You don't like me, you only like the shadow of me. Thank you for taking care of me all this time."

This sentence made Sir Humphrey realize something.

"Yeah……"

The prelude to the music was solemn and slow.

Finally, the curtain of the ball was drawn, but no one knew about that whispered conversation.

Everyone present believed that the former minister was announcing his previously undisclosed fiancée to the public.

Sir Humphrey bowed deeply.

Miss Mia curtsied slightly in return.

Her heart pounded like a drum, almost inaudible. When that hand gently embraced her waist, the warmth and firmness transmitted through the glove wounded her innocent heart once again.

Moving forward and backward, this is the performance of the two.

The skirt spread out and gathered like clouds, and each light step followed the rhythm, as if it had been practiced countless times.

Humphrey silently pushed with his left hand, his right hand firmly serving as the axis, while Miss Mia briefly closed her eyes, letting the world around her transform into a dazzling vortex, with only her and him remaining the unmoving center.

When the rotation ends.

Humphrey pulled her back into his arms at just the right moment, so close that he could see his own reflection in her eyes.

Thinking back to the past.

His heart was burned once again.

The knight knew it was his fault; his beloved seemed to be in his arms, just as young and gentle as he remembered. He had waited for so long.

If she had only resembled him in appearance, the old knight's heart wouldn't have been so captivated. But she was almost identical in the purity of her inner world, and he could no longer look away.

The music brought the dance to a magnificent climax.

At this moment, the orchestra played in unison, creating a magnificent and powerful atmosphere.

The twirling in the waltz caused the skirt to billow out completely, the diamond-like sparkle intertwining with the brilliance of the lights.

The whispers around her had long since ceased, replaced by an appreciative silence, which remained until the last note fell, bringing her to a steady halt.

Please allow me to fall in love with you again... Elisa...

Humphrey didn't voice what was in his heart; only a deep reluctance appeared in his eyes before he slowly let go and ended the performance.

"Feel sorry."

The relationship ended behind this curtain; the thunderous applause drowned out any further conversations they had exchanged.

And what follows is the stage for young people.

……

—Suburban villa. First floor lobby—

As the waltz came to an end.

Inside the opulent villa hall, the young people present began to speak meaningfully. It was a short intermission, and the symphony orchestra members in tuxedos were playing lighthearted tunes.

The butterflies in the flowerbed began to flutter their wings.

The hall was imbued with a social atmosphere—people here naturally divided into several groups based on age, status, and circumstances.

The older gentlemen who weren't planning to dance continued chatting, from finance to trade; the ladies discussed which prominent younger men were potential marriage partners.

Meanwhile, groups of ladies sat together, waiting to be invited, exchanging silent glances and gestures with their fans, until a young man stepped forward and boldly invited one of the ladies he admired to join him.

He Ye didn't care about the atmosphere; he was still thinking about what had just happened with Miss Mia. He hadn't heard the conversation, but judging from her outward behavior, he felt sorry for her.

Having already filled his stomach, He Ye wanted to get through this time safely. He felt he should find an inconspicuous place to stay, like those lone gentlemen, and didn't necessarily have to go dancing.

Just then, a man walked up to Nytil—who was sitting opposite him, eating heartily, even more than He Ye.

However, perhaps because of his own reasons, he turned away halfway there with a bitter expression.

He Ye felt he needed to leave even more quickly.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now. Sitting here is a bit of a hindrance to your love life," He Ye said, standing up.

Nitil glanced around and clearly realized what was happening, quickly pulling He Ye down and swallowing the cake:
"No, at least let me finish eating first! I don't want to dance with those men!"

He Ye bluntly stated, "Then why not just refuse?"

Nitil shook her head: "No, I can't refuse... because it would be very impolite. A lady can only refuse a second invitation."

Well... the social etiquette of high society is really troublesome.

"I understand..." He Ye had no choice but to stay a little longer, resting his chin on his hand and looking at the chestnut-haired girl opposite him. If it weren't for the fact that she was Loris's friend, he would have already left.

His unintentional act was witnessed by a lady who was immersed in her disappointment.

Galina remained dejected, her eyes lifeless, until she saw He Ye and Nitil sitting together. Their being alone together in this setting was tantamount to sending a "do not disturb" message to the outside world.

But this is not right.

Because that man wasn't Nydia's partner, but Loris's partner.

But why are the two of them sitting together?
Is it possible...

Galina's body trembled, and she quickly realized something. For example, Lolis didn't actually have such an outstanding boyfriend. He was just Nitil's boyfriend. They had a good relationship, so her boyfriend also lied to stand up for her.

Galina thought about it more and more and felt that this was the case. Otherwise, how could she explain that the two of them were still sitting together and even having dinner together in this situation?
And Loris? ...

Galina's eyes darted around quickly, and soon found the lone girl leaning against the wall, unremarkable and clearly not planning to participate in the ballroom.

Galina suddenly beamed with joy. She hadn't lost yet; she was going to get her revenge.

Give me your hand, Algernon.

At that moment, the blond man standing next to her heard Galina's voice. He turned around and saw that his girlfriend, who had been feeling down, had cheered up again.

Even his eyes revealed a certain fighting spirit.

“Uh… here you go?” Algernon did as instructed.

Soon, he took his girlfriend's hand, and she led him to the center, indicating that she wanted to dance with him.

A little flattered.

After all, she had previously ignored him.

Algernon muttered to himself, but outwardly cooperated. He soon noticed why Galina had become so determined. Not far away, he saw the person Galina hated—a girl named Loris, whose name he would occasionally mention.

Then, not long after.

As the lighthearted melody ended, elegant dance music replaced it, and the ballroom dance began.

One two, one two.

Flower buds bloomed amidst the fluttering skirts, and the violinist followed the conductor's instructions, while the orchestra performed in an orderly manner. The young people watching couldn't help but feel a little distracted, because the air was filled with the scent of pheromones.

As one of the onlookers, Loris could feel the provocative gaze directed at her.

The man and woman held hands and suddenly swayed gently, as if the hem of her skirt was about to hit her face. The couple embracing in front of her had a relationship that Loris could not currently comprehend.

As Loris silently turned away, intending to leave, her friend Nitil suddenly approached her and greeted her happily.

"Haha, so you've been here! I've been looking for you for ages!"

“…Huh…”

Lorice's face showed embarrassment for a moment, because Nytil was definitely not here with good intentions, and she did not want to see this friend in this place.

But soon.

As Nitil was talking, she felt a little displeased when she noticed a provocative gaze directed at her.

She came here intending to subtly probe Loris about certain things, such as asking He Ye again about the same things she had just asked.

But now, she feels she should help.

No, we definitely need some help.

This way, that annoying guy will leave, and Nitil will also know some of her opinions! A win-win situation!
……

—Villa. First floor entrance—

A gentle evening breeze, cool and refreshing, caressed my cheeks.

It looks like it's going to rain in a little while.

He Ye was swirling his wine glass, chatting casually with a gentleman he didn't know. The two stood on the steps talking about music, and he mentioned that the Royal Academy of Music had recently banned a batch of popular songs, which were truly excellent yet regrettable.

He Ye knew what was going on as soon as he heard it.

The two were just passing the time with a casual chat, neither of them interested in the ball—until a young girl appeared beside He Ye at some point. Seeing this, the gentleman who had been chatting with him tactfully clinked glasses and left.

"Oh no! Oh no!" Nitil exclaimed anxiously, grabbing He Ye's arm. "You have to go save Loris!"

Heye:? …

"What's wrong? What do you mean I have to go save her?"

"Because that ugly freak is causing trouble for Loris again!"

Nitil clenched her fists, her voice filled with a shared, indignant anger:
"She's mocking Lorice for not having a dance partner. Now you're in an awkward situation. You'll lose face if you don't invite her to dance!"

"Uh... wait, wait..."

"Sigh, stop talking and come with me, you'll see!"

Although he still couldn't understand what was happening, He Ye had already been forcibly dragged away by Nitil—he had no choice but to go and see what kind of big thing had happened.

Then, the scene that came into view was...

In the hall, Loris leaned against the wall, idly rubbing her light golden hair. She looked down at the floor, appearing lonely and forlorn.

In the middle is a social dance that has just ended.

During the time that Nitil came to find He Ye, the first dance had ended—now the men were bowing to show their honor in dancing with him, while the women gracefully returned the gesture by lifting their skirts.

He Ye even saw the blonde lady she had met before. She shook her head meaningfully at Loris, and then her boyfriend knelt down on one knee and kissed her hand, showing their intimacy.

He Ye: "...Wait, I think I understand now."

Nitil: "Right, this is a big problem!"

Nitil clenched her fists excitedly, practically begging He Ye to come up.

Ke Heye also had his concerns. This was a public place, and he couldn't just go up and invite her based on Nitil's one-sided story.

"No, what are you still hesitating for!"

At this moment, Nitil suddenly angrily shoved He Ye forward, saying, "Time is running out. In another minute, those people will start playing the violin again. Maybe Galina won't dance the second piece, and then we'll never have a chance to vent our anger!"

"It's just a dance, nothing more! We can't let her embarrass herself, can we? Loris can be terrifying when she's angry!"

At this point, there was absolutely no room for refusal.

Time and time again, even Nitil started pushing him from behind, making it a little difficult for He Ye to stay calm.

"Okay, I understand, I understand..."

He Ye glanced at the strange looks around him, and had no choice but to step forward as if he were going to his death, with the spirit of "I will go even if there are thousands of people against me".

While dancing shouldn't be done with this kind of momentum, this is a battle... so it's fair to say that.

The people passing by him were like background figures; young men were still inviting women to join in, and light music was playing.

The dazzling lights of the dome illuminated the blonde hair.

He Ye had already walked over, impeccably dressed and composed. Even when he stopped in front of Lolis, he did not attract any particular attention.

Only Loris looked at him as if she was at a loss.

She seemed surprised by He Ye's appearance at this moment. Just as she was about to say something to ask, He Ye bowed slightly, brought his left hand to his chest, and then extended his right hand with a normal expression.

This is the most standard invitation gift.

His gentlemanly demeanor, dignified appearance, and familiar gaze were almost enough to make him say those words.

Loris's words caught in her throat, her cheeks burning with surprise at the invitation. Was it real? Why was he doing this? Was he inviting her to dance?

And then, He Ye's words confirmed her suspicions—it was indeed so.

"May I have the honor of dancing with you?"

The gentle voice overlapped with the face of the black-haired youth before him.

As soon as the words were spoken, Loris understood what was going on! A strange tension and pounding filled her heart! It felt like a deer was ramming its antlers against her chest!

No, it's not!

Hey!
But why would he suddenly do this? As Loris was panicking and her heart was pounding, she saw Nytil waving at her, and she looked in her direction—

That happy smile seemed to say, "Haha, you're welcome!"

"Haha, you're welcome!"

She even put her hands to her mouth like a megaphone and shouted! Her eyes were sparkling; she was nothing like a lady!
In that instant, most of the people in the hall turned their heads at the sound and saw Lolis, whose ears were red and who was at a loss, as well as He Ye, who was standing in front of her, extending his hand to invite her.

Damn, so it was all her doing! No wonder she told me to stand here and wait for her to come back; that was her intention!
(End of this chapter)