~25~ Charlotte's Sudden Discovery

After hearing those words, Lucien was stoned in his current position. He felt like he heard something that bled in his ears for a moment. He had the feeling that someone was controlling his every move. He can't even feel his leg or even his arms for that second. But that's precisely why - Charlotte took this as an opportunity to escape the young man's grasp

Because of this, she easily slipped out of the grip of the "pervert" she thought. There, after running away from the balcony and going to the performance hall, she kept her posture as if she had never run away from the balcony. As Louis had thought she would - she acted elegantly at once with such an attitude that no one could insult her like the other ladies who had grumbled about her earlier

With that being said - she was immediately walking to where she had been walking before when she suddenly bumped into someone. Then she closed her eyes once again - as if she was about to fall - just so she wouldn't be affected by the force of her fall and also not to see the eyes of the people she was pointing at here

But even for a second - she just waited and waited to feel such a warm pair of hands on her waist. In this scenario, Charlotte immediately opened her eyes only to see a pair of blue eyes staring at her intently. With her silver eyes shining like the silver rays of a moon - the blue eyes she had seen were like those of a vast ocean

For a moment – ​​she felt like she was drawn to that pair of eyes that she couldn't even be aware of her situation and where she was only until the figure spoke

"Are you alright, my lady?"

At that moment she knew that the figure was a young man. Like Louis—he had those long lashes, a pointed nose, a pair of ocean blue eyes, and crimson lips. For most ladies, he's one of those young men in high society they've been drooling over.

The tone of the voice lingers in Charlotte's ears longer - the kind of sweet and gentle that anyone could hear, that makes your heart beat faster than before. But for Charlotte - she just remained dazed - her brow furrowed but her eyes were wide as if she had seen someone - she never expected to see it and that is true in her current situation

However, after seeing the lady recreate herself, the young man did not expect to see different facial expressions from the ladies he had helped in the past when they stumbled near him or even bumped into him.

All the ladies did back then was clasp their arms around his neck as they closed the gap of their bodies and there – smiled dreamily at him. These were the ladies who would always come near him just so he could get them

But this young lady he caught was very different from the ladies he thought. In no time at all - she was already adjusting her clothes while smiling at the young man and bowing respectfully

"Apologies to this young lady as I have not sought where I am going. Now with this young gentleman, I will express my gratitude to you as I can go now."

A sweet, soft sound echoed in the young man's ears. Even if the lady was formal to him - it finally conquered his heart for a moment. For the first time, his heart felt like it had missed a beat. The lady's cream-colored hair and the silver eyes, the narrow red lips and the pointed nose - everything about her defines his ideal type of woman

That's not all, because it was the first time he experienced such a ladylike human being who never took advantage of the situation he found himself in. The moment the lady was about to leave - was the moment he would ask her name - when suddenly there was this person who put her arms on his shoulders and made him look away from the back of the Lady to turn away from the person

"What now, Kiel?"

"There you go again, Leon. You're always the conservative type when it comes to women though - you never leave them in danger."

Leon - the young man who had previously rescued Charlotte - became curious. His eyebrows started to pucker and his eyes trained on him like a hawk. Only then that Kiel – his best friend – giggled at him before he even mentioned the lady's name

"It's Lady Charlotte Carlile - I've heard rumors from ladies in high society that she's a scoundrel, a villainess. So you better be careful when handling her. She might come your way or you might even be destroyed. They say she is a monster - however, her father was the current one who rules the empire. So better watch your words - Leon"

He pulled Leon to another side to say those words like a whisper in his ears that only widened the guy's eyes

'Is she really a villainess? It doesn't seem so. She used to admit her mistakes and even thanked me while bowing respectfully. That doesn't seem like villainess' qualities, does it?'

Leon wanted to say these words to Kiel - but cannot for the time being because he is surprised about the lady.

'There seems to be a difference of opinion, and my opinion on the lady - she is beautiful and polite. That's all – but why does it feel like she got my heart pumping for the first time?'

There again, the deafening roar of his heart almost catching his ears, until - Kiel said a few words again

"Oh! And whenever you see her, you should run away and avoid her."

As if Kiel - disgusted - he even made a face that Leon shook his head and let out a sigh

'No, she's not the kind of person I'm currently imagining. She is gentle and I can see that in her eyes even earlier.'

"By the way - Leon, how was your studies in the last few days?"

Kiel asked, trying to deflect the subject, knowing that a few words to the lady would only turn his stomach. But after the question, Leon only looked at Kiel to smile at him – broadly

"It was great. I got a teaching permit from the Ministry of Labor and soon - I'll be deployed"

With a cheerful voice – Leon never failed to make Kiel smile in return. Well, the Vanderbilt family was a great help to the young nobles of the Empire - before the Duke became one, he was first employed as a professor and that was the reason for their family tradition and he was fine with that. He also loves teaching other children of high society. He admired his parents so much, that's why he wanted the same thing

"Well, good for you. For me, I'm still stuck at the junior level of the knight's team. I just hope that one day I'll be a senior too."

Said Kiel with such an aspiring tone - and yet in a voice that was tired enough. Leon just giggled - You can do it like your father, young sir - Grinwels

As if teasing Kiel – Leon kept giggling until he forgot about the lady – but his heart never stopped beating fast

***

'My goodness! How come I've been clumsy these past few days?! I should have been ladylike! Besides, these young men were more annoying than ever'

Charlotte was outside the event hall now. Trying to find a way into the bathroom, she entered a dark room - not knowing what it would bring him until a second later someone covered her mouth and let her enter the room. After that, the figure pushed Charlotte against the wall while he took his hand from her mouth

'What the hell?!'

There - she only saw the figure that had cornered her on the balcony earlier - her eyes widened at the moment when she was about to scream, when suddenly - her mouth was covered again and the person was looking at her this time those blood-red eyes - paired with an icy grin that made her spine chill for a second

"Are you calling me a pervert?!"

the young man asked - although the young man was gorgeous enough to captivate any woman, with his voice hoarse enough to seduce every woman who could be heard - Charlotte's eyebrows drew together

That was the time a different kind of reaction had occurred and that was the time he had remembered who the woman was

"You! You're the one who beat me at the market that day!"

Then, as if both realized who the other was, Charlotte's eyes doubled

At that moment - with such surprise - Lucien again broke away from the ladies' lips, but this time - it was Charlotte's time to scream

"YOU!!!! How dare you put your dirty hands up to my mouth?!"

As if she didn't know the person was at the birthday party - she pretended. However, she refrained from physical attacks as she promised Louis not to do anything that would again upset her image

"Wait, do you even know me? Damn, don't you even know that I'm celebrating my birthday here and how dare I? I'm a pervert?!"

'Wait, did he say birthday party? His own birthday?'