322 Dance

The magical orchestra piece that was being played was a smooth, slow, gentle yet beautiful waltz.

Whilst looking around, and ensuring that no one couple was dancing the same. Asai relaxed his own body as he held onto Rosemi's hand and hip. Shifting his focus, he shifted the spectators to the back of his mind. The fellow dancers upon the floor were left to his own perception and intuition as he focused solely upon the beautiful blue gems that peered back into his.

Leaving his footwork entirely to his muscle memory, the duke felt increasingly tempted to lay kisses upon her cherry-pink lips.

"Asai~ Since when did you learn how to dance? Who taught you? Confess!" Rosemi gleefully teased her man, as she gracefully followed his lead. The maiden didn't even need to think about it, her body after years of learning and practice naturally knew how to move.

"Actually, my grandmother taught me. It was her favourite hobby and past time." Whilst he answered her question with his heart upon his sleeve. A little tint of confusion struck his mind, as no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to remember his grandmother's face.

This only confused Rosemi, as the girl had naturally done her homework upon the man. Having found zero leads and traces to his lineage. Even during their pastime conversations, Asai would always tell her, that he had zero memories of his own parents.

Seeing the growing discord within his expression, Rosemi took her chance after glancing both ways. Tiptoeing to land a kiss upon his lips that immediately snapped him out of his thoughts. An act only the royal family and Miku saw. As excessive public display of affection was particularly forbidden in an official setting such as this.

Realising her intentions, Asai could only thank her wholeheartedly.

Continuing their waltz, as they both enjoyed their rare moment together. For once, Asai had actually attended a ball, and for once, the man wasn't off fighting another fight, battle or war against some hostile force.

As much as the blonde beauty wanted to complain about his tendencies, she couldn't help herself from reminiscing. The very first time she had laid eyes upon the man. Asai Trichia majestically stood above a mountain of defeated monsters. A beautiful radiant moon that lingered just behind him, illuminating his solemn gaze as he carried Robin who was smaller back then.

"Just... Just how long have you been fighting your battles for I wonder?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well~ ♡ I want to know all there is to know about you. You know, ever since the moment I laid eyes upon you. I became hopeful, truly hopeful. I figured I would be married off to some random snot-nosed nobleman's son. Because, as much as my father loves me, I understand that he would still put the kingdom before his own desires and wants. Thankfully, Her Majesty was my friend, and she kept all the perverts off me.

So, I was hopeful, when I was finally allowed out in search of a hero. Who turned out to be the second prince of the kingdom in disguise, traveling the lands in search of strength... Well~ I truly became hopeful only after I saw you.

Goddess... I still remember how handsome you were, how picturesque it all was. The moon was so big and beautiful!"

"Did you forget how that big and beautiful moon was trying to kill us?" Asai teased her, as he spun her around in a twirl.

"Well, no need to burst my bubble Mr matter-of-fact. Anyways, that's not important. What's important is that, that was the very first time I saw you, and met you. Let me continue daydreaming and remember it the way I want okay?"

Asai nodded. Before adding a piece of his own.

"Actually... Sorry to burst your bubble again. But, that wasn't the first time you met me. We've actually met before, back when I was still an orphan."

Rosemi's big blue eyes opened wide in both shock and confusion.

"R-really? When?" Immediately trying to wrack her brains, her brows adorably scrunched together.

After having enjoyed her little head-tilts and soul-piercing-gaze. He answered her curiosity, before she figured he was simply pulling her leg.

"Do you remember a little boy who wore only rags, walked around barefooted. And he stuck his hand in one pocket too many, a pocket that belonged to your fath-"

"-AH! That was you!? I remember! I gave you one of my apples." Her eyes further widened as her mind immediately connected the dots. As someone who had tried to investigate his background. Due to Trichia orphanage being run down, poor and lacking in funding back then. There were no paper records, as paper was something afforded only to high-nobility.

Relying solely on human memory, and the amount of shady deals going on behind the scenes. The previous manager of the orphanage before Mary took over, had feigned ignorance to everything her agents had asked. 

And the other problem was that, there were dozens of orphanages scattered throughout the kingdom. Her father who had ordered the knight in sending Asai to one of them, never designated a specific one. And even after trying to find that exact knight within the ranks of 5000+ 

The knight had already fallen in battle, during the ongoing dungeon outbreaks of that time.

Seeing her growing smile, and knowing that her mind was spinning, connecting the dots and painting the image. Asai added.

"Thank you Rosemi De Lumix. Because of you, I am where I am today. And just so you know, I never forgot your features, even if you did grow up just as I did. I knew the instant I saw you within that dungeon that it was you." Peeking around, noticing everyone being within their own little bubbles. Asai leaned in close pretending to dance, as he placed a little kiss upon her lips in return.

"Thank you, for being who you are. And forever being kind. I understand that I have my flaws, but I do sincerely hope that you'll still be there by my side, even within the far future. As I will also endeavour to do the same, and be in yours."

Rosemi nodded fervently, as the waltz came to an end. The two curtsied before returning to the tables at the side. Rosemi for once, after such a shocking revelation needed a glass of wine to cool her spurring mind down. Mimi took it upon herself, acting out her role as her lady-in-waiting to tend to her.

Robin who had watched the entirety of their waltz, tried to imagine herself dancing with the man within the dance floor. However, being someone who hadn't spent a single second learning how to dance, she couldn't. Thus, she resigned herself to a glass of wine herself, whilst someone clad in a majestically gold dress, decorated with a hundred little diamond tear drops that sparkled like the night sky, approached the duke.

Her Majesty, Queen Victoria simply offered her hand before the man.

kophzi