Her face that received his gaze felt hotter than the fingers touched by his warm breath. Yurina bit her lip, then she touched his forehead with hers.

“My fault. I won’t do it again.”

Raynard then let go of her hand and closed his eyes again. Yurina glanced at the closed door, then leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then he raised his upper body again, and Reynard grabbed the back of her head and hurriedly bumped her lips.

Without the slightest embarrassment, his lips parted and his hot tongue slid into her mouth. The thrust of it was so strong that Yurina’s body kept pulling away. Yurina wrapped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and gave in.

In an instant, she felt her body soar into the air. Yurina was startled and couldn’t even let out a scream, only desperately clinging to Reynard’s neck. She felt the soft sofa under her back, and opening her eyes, Yurina saw that Reynard was looking down at her.

He asked, untying his tie:

“Can we continue?”

But Yurina stood up and pushed him on the shoulder.

“No. Betsy will be back soon.”

“Oh…”

Raynard wiped his lips and lifted Yurina up. She stood in front of the mirror and straightened her disheveled hair and dress.

Raynard looked at her back and snapped his fingers. The door that had been locked opened slightly with a click and twist of the doorknob.

After arranging her clothes, Yurina walked over to Reynard and touched his tie. Betsy entered with a tray of cold drinks just as Yurina was about to leave.

“Sorry for coming late. On the way, the Marchioness gave me an assignment.”

Did she really have other things to do? Yurina glanced at Reynard as she watched Betsy place the drinks on the table.

‘Did you set it up?’

But Reynard just shrugged his shoulders with an innocent expression. Yurina smiled and thanked Betsy, then narrowed her eyes at Reynard as he drank.

As with the cards, it remained a mystery whether he had resorted to magic or simply cheated and overheard the conversation between Betsy and the Marchioness.

* * *

Yurina stared at Reynard in bewilderment, who bowed and politely held out his hand to her.

“Will you give me the honor of dancing with the young lady?”

Even if that strict mentor had taught him well as a child, the truth lay in the fact that he was irritated by the very need to ceremoniously ‘invite’ her to the dance.

Yurina vividly recalled their childhood when Rey kept stepping on her foot while dancing.

Reynard’s hard work was so admirable, but in fact, every time he stepped on her foot, it hurt so much that she couldn’t control my expression. Even though he was small, he was a twelve-year-old boy and didn’t know how to control himself.

‘Now it’s even bigger.’

Yurina looked at his large feet and his overall physique. If he accidentally steps on her foot, the foot will swell, as if from a bee sting.

Yurina just stared at him all this time and didn’t even think to take his hand. So he stepped a little closer and whispered.

“I won’t step on you anymore.”

He seemed to figure out what Yurina was worried about without further ado. But just because he said it doesn’t mean it will be so. Yurina narrowed her eyes and asked in a slightly harsh voice.

“Did you dance a lot at the academy?”

She knew very well that this couldn’t be. Yurina had heard that the academy also held balls, like at the end of the school year, but Yurina was sure that Reynard would never go there.

Even if he went there with Aiden, he wouldn’t take a partner because of his nature. He definitely wouldn’t dance with a woman he wasn’t even intimate with.

It follows that the last time he danced was 7 years ago, before leaving the mansion. Yurina couldn’t even imagine what his skills would be like now considering how many mistakes he made even then.

‘Do you still remember it?’

As Yurina wished to pull away and cross her arms over her chest, Raynard quickly grabbed her wrist.

“I didn’t dance, but still I won’t crush your feet. You know I learned swordsmanship.”

Yurina, who was suddenly dragged to the center of the hall, laughed at his calm assurances.

“And how will swordsmanship help in dancing?”

He stated as he grabbed Yurina by the waist.

“This develops coordination and agility.”

His hand slid down her back and moved up.

When he looked at the empty piano and nodded in that direction, the keys began to play on their own.

A slow waltz rang through the small hall.