I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration - Chapter 82

‘Hang in there, Killian. We’re almost there!’

I glanced around, lifted my chin defiantly, and linked my arm with Killian’s again.

Count Riegelhoff was frozen with his mouth agape, some people were chattering to each other with their fans over their mouths, and some of the ladies were pale.

As I realized in hindsight, Killian was just as popular as Cliff, and it seemed that the ladies who had been waiting for Killian’s ‘post-divorce’ were surprised at my intimacy with Killian.

‘So why was Leila Sinclair looking at me like that earlier?’

It was strange.

She was more surprised to see me holding onto Killian’s arm than she was to see Lizé holding onto Cliff’s.

‘Well, Count Sinclair doesn’t get along with Count Riegelhoff, maybe that’s why.’

Perhaps it was Count Sinclair who had poisoned Lizé’s embroidery thread, so it was a wonder that I, who should have been accused and disgraced, was unharmed.

‘I can quell the rumors of a feud with Killian and screw over a bunch of hateful people at the same time, so I’m killing two birds with one stone!’

How far I’ve come from my previous life, where I was always getting stabbed in the back!

Leaving the shocked and stunned behind, we followed the Duke and Duchess of Ludwig.

“Your Excellency, the Duke of Ludwig, it’s been a long time!”

“It’s been a long time, too, madam!”

We were soon surrounded by people trying to greet the Duke and Duchess.

“I noticed your dress from afar, you look so good in it, Duchess.”

“That’s what I thought too! I’m too timid to try new styles, but how did you manage to pull off such a bold style? You’re amazing.”

“I promise you, sooner or later, the Duchess’ dress will be the socialite’s go-to style.”

Luckily, the Duchess’ dress was met with favorable reviews.

Of course, she’s the Duchess, so no matter what she wears, she’s going to get compliments.

“I’m a bit of a timid myself, and this was picked out by my daughter-in-law, Edith.”

The Duchess glanced back at me and extended her arm in my direction.

I stepped toward her as Killian gently pushed my body forward.

“This is my daughter-in-law, Edith, who is married to my second son Killian. Edith, please say hello. This is Countess Ethelmann, and this is Viscountess Krause.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Edith Ludwig.”

I bent my knees slightly and bowed to the older ladies.

“Oh, oh my. Hohoho! Nice to meet you, I’m Cecil Ethelmann.”

“I’m Larissa Krause, nice to meet you.”

They looked surprised, but responded graciously to my greeting.

I had a feeling that the feud between me and Killian would be better served by the Duchess.

As it was, I continued to greet a dozen more ladies and barely made it out of the place when a dance tune echoed through the ballroom.

“Well done.”

After pulling me out of the way, Killian stood close to me, his hand on my waist.

By then, I already wanted to run away from this ball.

I thought it was supposed to be a place for young men and women to find love, but there were so many older nobles there, and it was taking forever to be introduced to each one of them!

Why do I need to know whose cousin he is and which estate he owns when I could forget his name by the time he says it?!

I confessed in a tired voice as I began to dance with Killian, “I can’t remember any of the names of the people I was introduced to earlier.”

He chuckled. “They’re the kind of people it doesn’t matter if you forget. Right now, you just need to remember the steps.”

I guess he was afraid I’d step on his feet.

But I had a lot of dance knowledge in my head. Count Riegelhoff must have taught me to dance well.

I wondered what would happen if my head and body moved separately, but fortunately, I could dance smoothly.

“Don’t worry. I’m good at dancing.”

“I’m sure you are.”

I wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic or joking with me, but I decided to take it all in stride.

Maybe it’s my ultra-positive mindset that makes Killian’s gaze on me feel a little hot.

The problem is, when I start to think about it, I get a little hot inside.

‘There’s something subtly erotic about dancing.’

The fact that men and women move while hugging each other, or with their lower bodies almost touching and only their upper bodies moving, is a pretty big deal, and they have to keep eye contact with each other.

Dancing with an ordinary-looking person can make your heart pound, but when you do it with a handsome man like this, something might happen.

“You’re not bragging when you say you’re a good dancer,” Killian said admiringly as I leaned back and turned back to him.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done it, so I was a little nervous, but well, it’s not bad.”

I tried to sound nonchalant, but I could feel the heat rush to my face.

“Well, I guess it’s a skill you’ve honed over the years from dancing with all kinds of men.”

He smirked, wrapping his arm around my waist and stepping to the side.

“A man who gets jealous by bringing up things that are already in the past is not attractive.”

Stepping forward to him, I gently stroked Killian’s muscular bicep, and he raised one corner of his mouth in disbelief.

It was a seduction technique from Edith’s memory, and even Killian, who was unlikely to fall for it, flinched at the sudden provocation.

Then he said, in a voice so low that only I could hear it, “Stop being so lecherous.”

In the past, I would have assumed he was saying this because he loathed and disliked me, but now it was different.

I could feel the lustful gleam in his eyes.

It was both amusing and exciting, and I found myself gently touching Killian’s forearms and chest throughout the dance.

But as the dance ended and I stepped out of the ballroom, breathing lightly, I saw Count Riegelhoff walking toward me.

I quickly tugged on the end of Killian’s sleeve.

“Killian. Don’t get away from me.”

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“I- it’s just that there are so many people, and if I lose you, it’s going to be hard to find you again……”

Killian smirked and then shrugged again as I hesitantly backed away, trying to come up with some weird excuse.

“You’re not a kid, really……”

Almost at the same time, Count Riegelhoff greeted me.

“It’s been a long time, Edith.”

Only then did Killian notice Count Riegelhoff’s presence.

I was still holding the end of his sleeve.

“Yes, it is.”

I didn’t feel like exchanging pleasantries with Count Riegelhoff.

Even without delving into Edith’s past memories, he was a man unworthy of the name “father.”

He had sent Sophia to beat me into submission, cared only for her well-being, and had anticipated my disgrace at House Ludwig and taken no action.

How could I feel any affection for such a man?

But he looked at me with an expression that seemed to be dripping with affection.

Then he turned to Killian. “I’d like to speak with Edith privately for a moment, Sir Killian, if you’ll excuse me.”

I was nervous inside.

Not many sons-in-law would refuse such a request from their father-in-law, and I doubted anyone would suspect the look on Count Riegelhoff’s face.

But Killian was not one of them.

“That’s odd. What on earth are you talking about that you’re trying to leave me out of? It sounds suspicious……”

“That’s a bit of a stretch. I haven’t seen my daughter in a long time, so I’m just trying to say hello.”

“Then why would you want to leave me out of it?”

Go Killian!

I was cheering him on inwardly, but Count Riegelhoff furrowed his brow as if he didn’t like either Killian or his refusal to let him go with only me.

“How rude of you. I am your father-in-law, after all, and to dismiss my request like this……”

“By the way.”

Killian boldly cut Count Riegelhoff off and glared at him.

“How is that maid of yours?”

“W- what?”

“The maid who assaulted my wife and yet you demanded that she be sent back with all her limbs intact. I was furious and gave her a few slaps, but as you said, she was sent off nicely in the carriage you sent for her, with all her limbs intact, didn’t she?”

Count Riegelhoff’s mouth tightened at the mention of Sophia.

“I still don’t understand how you, who cared so much for your daughter, could have made such a decision.”

“T- that’s because…… she’s a maid who has worked in our house for a long time……”

“That’s a great deal of servant love, that you seem to favor her over your daughter.”

I could almost hear Count Riegelhoff grinding his teeth.

And at the same time, I realized that Killian had pretty much figured out my situation.

But Count Riegelhoff was no pushover. “Hah…… you see, my daughter has a bit of a bad reputation, and it takes a stern talking-to to get her to behave. That maid is kind of like a…… tutor.”

Ha!

Killian and I let out a short burst of laughter at the same time.

Are you kidding me?