I'm a Villainess, Can I Die?-Chapter 75

Lukas was only twenty-four years old. In modern society, he would still be a university student or a recent graduate preparing for employment.

Yet at nineteen, he had already been called a genius, graduating at the top of the academy’s swordsmanship division. By twenty, he had become the vice-captain ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) of the ducal knight order, earning the emperor’s trust.

There was no doubt he was an exceptional figure.

Even someone as indifferent as me could recognize that—so how must he appear in the eyes of others?

Wouldn’t they see him as a golden goose?

Although Lukas currently held an official position within the ducal house, he was in a position where he could leave whenever he wanted.

He had originally been offered a place in the imperial palace but chose to remain with the duke’s family out of loyalty. That meant he could just as easily join another noble house if he wished.

On top of that, he was unmarried and at the prime age for marriage.

Bringing Lukas in as a son-in-law would establish ties with the duke’s family while also securing a powerful knight. Two birds, one stone.

It was only natural that people had their eyes on him.

As the three of us stepped into the brighter part of the ballroom and crossed the central hall, people subtly began trailing behind us. Some approached me to exchange greetings, but most of them sought out Lukas for the reasons mentioned.

Ugh... That must be exhausting.

I offered polite greetings and exchanged pleasantries.

But since there wasn’t much else to say beyond that, a quiet silence followed, and people gradually drifted away.

They were probably startled by my complete lack of social charm. Oh well.

Since neither side had much to say, there was no risk of bad rumors spreading.

The old Selina wouldn’t have cared about rumors at all. She really lived such a carefree life. Must’ve been nice.

Ah, some people asked if Lukas and I were lovers.

Since we arrived together as partners and even our outfit colors matched, it wasn’t surprising that they misunderstood.

I firmly shook my head at their questions.

"No, we’re not."

Adding just that one sentence.

Soon enough, everyone dispersed, leaving only Vivian still clinging to my arm. I glanced at her briefly before searching for my partner.

Lukas was a short distance away, engaged in conversation with a group of nobles.

From time to time, I caught the word "monsters" from their discussion.

Monsters?

Lukas’s eyes were sharp, and his lips were pressed into a firm line.

It was rare for him to look this serious, which only emphasized how important this conversation must have been.

Well, that was that. The real issue wasn’t a conversation I could barely hear.

Click, click. I tapped the tip of my shoe against the floor a few times.

My feet were killing me.

The heels were too high, and my ankles ached unbearably.

I had done my duty, hadn’t I? I should be allowed to retreat to the corner now.

Yes. Absolutely.

I quietly approached Lukas.

As I neared, Lukas, who had been listening intently, turned his head toward me.

"Sir Lukas, I’ll go with Lady Vivian, so you can continue your conversation."

I needed to sit down—there was no other option.

But I didn’t want to drag someone engaged in a serious discussion away with me, so this was my decision.

"But..."

He hesitated.

Lukas glanced between me and Vivian, as if weighing his options.

Vivian, thrilled at the idea of being alone with me, eagerly nodded. I added a few words to ease his unnecessary concerns.

"Most people are walking around without partners anyway. And since this is the imperial ballroom, there are plenty of guards. It’s fine."

Lukas remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"Alright. I’ll come find you when I’m done."

"Okay."

"Sorry."

There’s nothing to apologize for.

I gave a polite nod to the noble speaking with Lukas before turning away without hesitation.

Hah, finally out of the spotlight.

Like a mole avoiding the sun, I sought out a dim, secluded corner and sat down.

As soon as I settled, I reached to remove my shoes.

But my dress was so voluminous that I couldn’t even find my ankles, let alone my shoes.

Seeing me struggle, Vivian stood up and helped me locate my feet.

Thanks to her, I finally managed to slip off my shoes and massage my aching ankles.

"Thank you, Lady Vivian."

"Oh, come on, no need for thanks between friends."

Vivian responded cheerfully, then glanced at the dessert table.

She had invited me to get desserts, yet we hadn’t made it there. She looked visibly disappointed.

"Shall we go?"

Vivian had always given me her full attention, whether for business-related reasons or something else. Regardless of the motive, the fact remained that she took care of me.

So, I spoke up first.

It wasn’t much, but I wanted to return the favor.

Vivian blinked as if seeing me for the first time, then broke into a bright smile.

"Let’s go."

Unfortunately, her happiness didn’t last long.

As she popped a small macaron into her mouth, she stole glances at me.

She had come here to eat, so she had to at least take a bite—but at the same time, she was wary of the whispers around us.

The murmurs went like this:

"Orange... something... that young lady..."

The whispers weren’t particularly loud, but they were unmistakably about me.

They probably thought I couldn’t hear them... but the keywords were too distinct to ignore.

I glanced down at the orange macaron in my hand, the supposed source of my nickname.

It had only been a passing joke, yet it still followed me.

This was why people were always told to watch what they said.

I popped the orange macaron into my mouth and chewed.

The crisp shell shattered pleasantly, followed by a burst of citrusy sweetness. Then came the tartness, sharp enough to make me shiver.

Well, at least "the girl who ate an orange" was better than being called "that rude noblewoman" or something worse.

At least oranges tasted good.

While I remained indifferent to the hushed gossip, Vivian clearly wasn’t.

She kept sneaking glances at me, stuffing innocent macarons into her mouth as if they were a distraction.

"Shall we take them over there?"

I gestured toward the empty seats in our secluded corner.

Vivian, her mouth stuffed with cookies, immediately nodded.

She was about one bite away from choking at this rate.

We gathered a plate of macarons and cookies before retreating back to our quiet spot.

Vivian finally seemed to appreciate the sanctuary a hidden corner provided.

"Haa."

It took her a long moment to chew and swallow the food in her mouth.

When I handed her a glass of apple juice, she eagerly accepted it with a quick “thank you” before downing it in one go.

"The dancing will start soon."

"Dancing?"

I asked, and Vivian nodded before tilting her head in slight confusion.

"At the young master’s engagement party, people danced too—oh, right, you left early that day because you weren’t feeling well."

I simply nodded.

In this world, I was supposedly suffering from amnesia.

When I first woke up, I had pulled the classic Where am I? Who am I? routine.

So it wasn’t strange for me to be unfamiliar with basic party customs.

Looking back, pretending I had forgotten everything had been the best choice.

My family never forced etiquette or socializing on me.

They didn’t want me to do anything against my will, and I had no intention of engaging in such things.

Once again, I felt fortunate to have them as my family.

"The music is getting faster. When a party reaches its peak—about an hour to an hour and a half in—it’s usually time for the dance."

Listening to Vivian, I noticed how the guests were gradually shifting from the center toward the edges.

"I don’t have to dance, do I?"

"Of course not."

Good.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Watching others dance was far more appealing than sitting here doing nothing.

As the music momentarily paused, couples began stepping onto the ballroom floor.

I blankly watched them.

"Lady Selina, is there no one you want to dance with?"

Vivian asked cautiously.

I popped another macaron into my mouth and chewed.

Someone I wanted to dance with...?

I had never danced before, so I had never considered it.

Still, if I absolutely had to... who would I dance with?

As I lazily tapped my toe to the melody, I scanned the room.

Neither Aiden nor Lukas was dancing.

They were likely still engaged in conversations.

"Shall I dance with you, Lady Vivian?"

"Oh my, Lady Selina!"

Vivian laughed, turning her gaze to the twirling figures on the dance floor.

We watched in silence for a while.

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Beneath the dazzling lights, the young men and women dancing looked picturesque, like figurines inside a glass music box.

Utterly beautiful.

As I lost myself watching the dancers, the music gradually softened.

The first song was coming to an end.

The dancing pairs bowed to each other, exchanging gentle smiles before stepping back into the crowd.

Some couples, however, remained on the floor, likely waiting for the next song.

Impressive stamina.

It might have looked like nothing more than twirling in place, but to someone like me—who got exhausted after three steps—it seemed like an intense workout.

I glanced around, curious to see who would step forward for the next dance.

Then, someone called my name.

"Selina."

Lukas stood in front of me, smiling.

One hand extended toward me, his body slightly bowed.

With the light behind him, it almost looked like a halo framed his figure.

Was there anyone who suited such a glow better?

"Sir Lukas?"

"Would you grant me this dance?"

I hadn’t expected the invitation.

Just moments ago, he had been having a serious discussion. When had he made his way over here?

I stared at him, puzzled.

Lukas subtly moved his outstretched hand, flexing his fingers slightly as if urging me to take it.

But no matter how many times he did that, I couldn’t bring myself to accept.

"I don’t know how to dance."

Lukas knew that.

So what was he thinking?

"That’s fine. Since we came as partners, let’s share a dance as well."

Wait—asking someone who doesn’t know how to dance to dance... but saying it’s fine if they can’t?

Before I could argue, I noticed something.

People were watching.

Lukas had walked across the ballroom, drawing eyes in his wake. Now, those same eyes were on me.

If I refused here, both Lukas and I would look strange.

This man had a habit of backing me into situations where I couldn’t refuse.

And I had a feeling it wasn’t just my imagination.

With a quiet sigh, I placed my hand in his.

The moment I did, Lukas grinned and pulled me to my feet.

His strength was overwhelming.

Rather than standing up, it felt like I had been swept off my seat.

Now standing, I glanced at Vivian.

I had told her we would stay together. I had also said I wouldn’t dance. Yet here I was.

Feeling a bit guilty, I hesitated.

But Vivian simply waved her hands dismissively, signaling that she didn’t mind.

The more I got to know her, the more I realized—Vivian really was a good person.