Diane watched the men and women moving across the dance floor in time with the 3/4 rhythm.
The man held the woman’s waist, while the woman rested a light hand on his shoulder as they glided and turned in perfect form. Occasionally, a couple pressed closely together and whispered into each other’s ears, looking strangely intimate—almost like something one shouldn’t be seeing.
Tonight’s party was not an event for young ladies just stepping into society. It was a celebration for the promotion of Navy Commander Charles Dowmer. His colleagues and fellow commanders filled the hall in navy uniforms instead of tuxedos, alongside refined ladies who matched their presence.
The guests kept disappearing even while dancing. Diane soon realized they were heading to dim balconies or private rooms prepared for visitors.
Balls in Britt were shockingly free-spirited. Lady Selden had warned her repeatedly for a reason.
Guests, remembering the tragedy of the Rockwood family, showed interest in Diane. More gentlemen approached her than she had expected.
“Miss Rockwood, please grant me the honor of a dance.”
But Diane had no choice but to refuse them all. Lady Selden’s protection was far stronger than she had imagined.
“That man is a gambler, and his background is uncertain. You don’t need to concern yourself with him.”
Lady Selden’s sense of duty as a guardian was overwhelming.
“Now, Diane. Come this way. This is Lady Talbot, a viscountess.”
As a result, Diane spent the entire evening unable to so much as brush hands with a man, instead being introduced to noble ladies famous in Britt society.
Her hope that things might go smoothly began to fade, and anxiety grew.
Lady Selden, newly returned to Britt after a long time, seemed to have much to talk about. Yet even while deeply engaged in conversation, she never lost sight of Diane.
“Diane, where are you going?”
Diane had been unable to escape Lady Selden’s protective circle for hours, lingering awkwardly at her side.
Watching for an opening, Diane slowly approached a nearby drink table. When she subtly glanced back, she immediately met Lady Selden’s eyes.
Lady Selden smiled gently, as if to reassure her she was watching. Diane returned a polite smile and turned back.
The “lady’s smile” vanished instantly.
“…Ha.”
She wasn’t even thirsty, nor did she want anything to drink.
Still, she lingered at the table, killing time.
She could feel the gazes of men around her, but after rejecting around ten gentlemen, none dared approach her.
…Was Lady Selden glaring at them? While she was considering this, a sudden bell rang.
DONG!
At the same time, someone shouted from afar.
“Captain!”
“Julian!”
Sudden exclamations and cheers erupted. Diane startled and turned toward the entrance.
Crowds quickly surged toward the entrance, and the dance floor froze as couples stopped moving.
“What’s happening?”
Guests who had not yet understood the situation tilted their heads.
The news spread rapidly through the hall.
“Captain Haber is here.”
“Julian Haber? Oh my goodness, really?”
Julian Haber.
A name she had already heard several times today.
His arrival changed the atmosphere instantly.
Ladies began refusing dance invitations as if waiting for someone. Quick-witted gentlemen stopped approaching altogether.
The dance floor became strangely empty.
The orchestra continued playing regardless.
It felt like an invasive species disrupting an entire ecosystem.
“Look at that crowd. No one can even approach the captain.”
“But I can’t even see him.”
“I wish he would come this way.”
Young ladies, especially, could not hide their excitement.
They gathered and spoke about encounters with him.
“Two years ago, I met him at the theater. It was dark, but he was very close. He even handed me his handkerchief…”
Every story praised his charm, his looks, his sweetness.
One girl added sharply,
“Of course, I can’t stand men who flirt with every woman.”
A man who “doesn’t refuse any woman”?
Diane, half-listening, began paying attention.
“Apparently, he’s a bachelor by choice.”
“A bachelor by choice?”
“Yes, someone who refuses to marry.”
“But that’s just a foreign trend from the New Continent, right? Probably a joke.”
Another girl interrupted.
“Wait, we shouldn’t take this seriously. Who here is seriously imagining a future with him? Setting aside his achievements, his birth alone makes it absurd.”
A chorus of whispers followed.
“Oh, the illegitimate son of a maid!”
“I almost forgot that…”
Then they moved on to another rumor.
“There’s talk that the captain might re-enter the Clemens family register.”
“What does that mean?”
“He’s apparently in a favorable marriage arrangement with Lady Hartnett.”
“Good heavens, the Hartnetts are related to the Queen!”
A girl suddenly widened her eyes.
“Oh! Look over there! I can finally see him. He’s coming this way!”
Diane, who had been quietly listening, instinctively turned her gaze.
A group of navy officers in deep blue uniforms stood out even from afar as they entered the hall.
Julian Haber was among them.
At that moment, a voice kindly explained:
“It’s my first time seeing him in person. Which one is Captain Haber?”
“Oh, that’s easy. The tallest and most handsome one, of course.”
As they said, it was obvious at a glance.
Among the officers, one man stood out immediately.
That must be Julian Haber.
A cruel beauty that made every other man around him look plain in comparison.
Why does he look so familiar?
Diane tilted her head slightly to see better.
Strange. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before…
She blinked once.
At that moment, the captain lifted his head.
Their eyes met.
Even at a distance, it was unmistakable.
“…Ah.”
Diane froze.
Time seemed to slow.
A small breath slipped through her slightly parted lips.
Why was that man here?
She blinked again, but his face only became clearer.
The recognition was not an illusion.
Julian’s eyes widened for a brief moment.
And Diane reflexively looked away.
