The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 2 Part 9
Even if Rahil’s actions tonight became the subject of gossip, he was someone who might surrender to impulse.
‘My dance partner is already decided.’
The first dance would naturally be with her husband, Rahil. The second with her father, Marquis Ruol, and the third, she expected her brother Francis to request.
A fourth seemed unlikely. Even after receiving healing after the wedding, her feet still ached. High heels were both beautiful and cruel.
As Rahil finished his speech marking the night and the dance music began, Anais took the Emperor’s hand, who had invited her for the first dance.
Hoping to forget about everything for tonight.
Hoping not to dwell on it, she desperately wished to erase it from her mind forever. That way, even if her heart was wounded, it wouldn’t fester and would heal properly.
“Earlier…”
Rahil, who had wanted to ask why she cried, recoiled at the sight of Anais’s eyes. She wasn’t glaring or anything. Instead, she appeared calm, her mood seemingly settled.
That was noticeable.
She wasn’t a lively or noisy person, but she had an intense side. Even just sitting quietly, she had a way of demanding attention.
Her blue eyes, usually ablaze with just a spark, now seemed submerged in sorrow, unnerving Rahil. It felt like a heavy stone of guilt was placed on his heart.
‘Should I apologize?’
He felt like he could kneel before Anais right then.
While Rahil anxiously watched Anais, the first dance ended. The time had passed quicker than he expected, and he was taken aback seeing Anais performing the last move.
‘Was the dance always this short?! I haven’t asked anything yet!’
But Anais had already started her courtesy. Rahil also did the same and was about to speak to her when the next song began.
Marquis Ruol had already approached Anais. Unfazed by his sudden appearance, she seemed accustomed to it and took her father’s hand.
‘Did she plan to do the second dance with her father?’
Others in the ballroom were already gathering with their partners. Among them were the Calix couple, but Rahil paid them no mind and kept his eyes on Anais.
“Your Majesty.”
One of the noblewomen, a distant relative of the royal family and someone Sion had mentioned as an appropriate dance partner approached. Perhaps Sion instigated it.
Rahil had no intention of embarrassing her, understanding Sion’s intention, he graciously accepted her invitation and led her to the center.
‘I can dance the third dance with the Empress again.’
Engaging in casual conversation with his partner, Rahil glanced at Anais, who seemed to be talking with her father.
What could they be talking about?
Rahil, feeling prickles of guilt but unable to pinpoint why, felt his heart sting. He had never thought of himself as an unworthy son-in-law.
‘An unworthy son-in-law.’
That’s right. I’ve become a son-in-law to the Ruol family.
Being the Emperor, Rahil’s role as a son-in-law to a noble family was bound to be different, but it was true that marriage had brought him external relatives.
“Did you perhaps make a mistake with Her Majesty the Empress?”
Startled by the soft inquiry, Rahil seemed to snap back to reality. The noblewoman dancing with him wore a relaxed smile.
“Why do you say that…”
“You’ve been looking at Her Majesty the Empress since earlier. Even though she is busy dancing with her father, you seem concerned.”
Rahil was struck by the thought, ‘Am I that easy to read?’ followed by numerous other thoughts rushing through his mind. The lady in front of him wasn’t a close confidante but rather a distant and amiable relative.
“The Empress must have a lot on her mind. It’s common for women who marry. Please be understanding and generous, Your Majesty.”
‘What worries could she have?’ Rahil pondered this briefly, but by then, the dance was ending. He bowed and moved away, turning towards where Anais had been.
Uhh.
But he wasn’t the only one lurking. Anais’s brother, Francis, had swiftly taken her hand.
‘Her brother this time? Now that she’s the Empress, it’s clear she’ll see her family even less.’ Resigning himself to wait once more, Rahil let out a dry sigh.
Not feeling like dancing with anyone but Anais, he decided to leave the center of the ballroom and return to his place as the Emperor.
“Angelica.”
It wasn’t just Sion who thought it improper for him and Angelica to dance today. Theodore also shared this view, and they had discussed it on the carriage ride to the wedding.
Angelica felt unjustly treated. Theodore was the only man in her life, and it irked her to be suspected otherwise.
“You know the truth! To me, Rahil is like a brother!”
“I know, but expecting everyone else to think the same is unreasonable.”
“I think I should act confidently, especially at times like this! Why should I suffer because of the rumors others spread?”
She wanted to talk to Rahil. She wished to ask why he hadn’t informed her about his wedding earlier, how he met Anais Ruol, and she also wanted to congratulate him.
Before the wedding ceremony, they had a brief conversation, but all he said was that he had met Lady Ruol at her wedding.
‘At her wedding? And she agreed to marry you even after witnessing your oath to me?’
Her first thought was concern. Could Rahil be taken advantage of by having his weakness exploited?
If she raised these concerns in front of Theodore, Rahil would surely take offense to his pride. Thus, Angelica needed a private moment to talk with him, but Sion was persistently obstructing it.
This was something new for Angelica, as it never happened before her marriage to Theodore. It felt as if even Sion doubted her relationship with Rahil.
It’s not like that. I’m just worried about Rahil.
Rahil had a very limited circle of acquaintances outside of men.
He had been abused by his birth mother, Euphira, and initially disliked women. It was only after becoming close with Angelica that he overcame this prejudice.
While it would have been nice if Angelica had developed feelings for Rahil as he did for her, unfortunately, she had already been in love with someone else before meeting him.
‘Rahil deserves to be happy.’
She wanted to ensure his happiness and to check if his heart was safe. The people around Rahil wouldn’t care that much, so it was her duty.
They were childhood friends, and she felt like a sister to Rahil. It was her role to protect him.
‘So…’
I won’t back down.
Bookwormdee
Oh lord, this white lotus OGFL.