CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: THE BALL(8)

A noblewoman tried to greet him, but Min-jae smiled politely and glided past. He declined a servant’s offer of wine with a shake of his head, still moving through the crowd.

Whispers followed him – a mix of admiration, curiosity, and confusion but he didn’t stop.

Not until he reached the marble balcony, where the music softened and the chatter muffled.

The night air was a welcome relief, carrying the scent of the gardens below. Min-jae exhaled, feeling a sense of space and freedom from gazes.

"You always did hate crowds.." a smooth voice said behind him.

Min-jae turned to face Seraphine, resplendent in pale gold, her hair cascading like sunlight. Her mask was tilted and her smile was a gentle, poisonous thing. Min-jae’s expression remained neutral as he greeted her. "Seraphine."

Her smile widened, showing a hint of teeth. "You look lovely tonight. Truly. I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve... bloomed." The words were a mix of compliment and insult, a subtle jab.

Min-jae smiled back, his politeness devastating. "So have you. It’s good to see your face again." The words were laced with a different kind of poison, one that Seraphine wouldn’t appreciate.

As she leaned on the balustrade, her eyes drifted toward the ballroom. "Tell me, Kaizar, are you here to win the crown... or to keep someone from having it?" The question hung in the air, laced with intrigue and challenge.

A soft breeze tugged at Min-jae’s hair, the pearls woven through it catching what little moonlight filtered in.

He didn’t look at Seraphine when he replied, he simply watched the ballroom below, where nobles glittered and schemed like jeweled insects.

"I don’t need the crown.." he said evenly. "And I’m not interested in Aldoria’s politics. I’m here because my husband is."

The word husband was intentional.

Seraphine’s fingers paused where they rested against the stone railing. Her smile didn’t break, but the air around her tightened.

"Your husband.." she echoed, tasting the word like something sour.

"How convenient."

Min-jae finally turned to her. His eyes were cool, detached, unbearably calm. "Convenient for whom?"

"For you.." Seraphine answered without a heartbeat lost. "You always were quick to survive, Kaizar. If I didn’t know you better, I’d almost admire it." She leaned in slightly, voice lowering. "But you and I both know why you’re here. Why you’re dressed like that. Why Meical is parading you around."

She smiled darkly "To make a statement."

Min-jae laughed under his breath. Entirely amused.

"You overestimate your importance in this story."

Seraphine’s smile dropped just a fraction. Their conversation growing more and more serious.

"You stole something that was mine."

Min-jae didn’t blink. "Meical was never yours."

Seraphine moved close, like a predator closing distance.

"Oh, I don’t mean just Meical." Her voice was velvet and venom. "I mean the position. The place at his side. The one that was meant for me.."

Ah.

There it was. The entitlement.

But she wasn’t wrong, she was the novel’s female lead after all.

Min-jae’s expression didn’t change. "If that position was truly yours, it wouldn’t have been so easy for me to take. You are a woman after all, how could you lose to a man?"

Seraphine’s breath stilled.

A direct hit.

The faintest crack of fury appeared in her gaze, like a candle flame in a room filled with oil.

"You’re playing a dangerous game.." she whispered.

Min-jae tilted his head, still maddeningly calm. "So are you. But the difference is.." He stepped closer, voice soft enough to be private. "I don’t lose."

Seraphine’s lips parted, but no words formed, she was completely speechless.

Before she could answer, the doors to the balcony opened behind them.

The faint echo of the crowd hushed as footsteps approached.

Min-jae frowned, why was Radomir being so nosy, why couldn’t he sit his ass down and just find a wife??

"I’ll be on my way. Do have a pleasant evening.." she returned the mask to its original position, gave Min-jae a smile before leaving the balcony.

Min-jae sighed as he turned to face the moon, Radomir just had to choose a wife and he could leave.

He was tired of wearing dresses and playing dress up.

He wasn’t a woman.

"Excuse me. Do you mind if I joined you?"

-_-

Min-jae frowned, as he turned to face the familiar voice.

He had a calm smile on his face, did he know recognise him under the mask??

Min-jae stroked his chin, it would troublesome if he thought he was a bride candidate.

"I don’t mind your majesty. You are the king after all.."

Radomir stepped closer, the gold of his coronation cloak shimmering in the moonlight. His presence was undeniable, like gravity pulling the room’s attention toward him. His gaze locked onto Min-jae’s face, and for a moment, he forgot to breathe.

"Kaizer?.." he asked in genuine surprise at the sight of Min-jae in formal attire, pearls gleaming and hair styled like royalty.

Min-jae inclined his head slightly, a subtle gesture that wasn’t quite a bow. "Your Majesty."

Radomir’s lips curled into a wry smile, amusement and incredulity warring for dominance.

"I should have known. No other advisor would dare dress like this and still command respect."

Min-jae remained silent, his expression unreadable. Radomir’s eyes lingered, evaluating, like he was studying a map, searching for weaknesses.

Then, without thinking, he reached out to touch Min-jae’s cheek. The gesture was automatic, like it was the most natural thing to Radomir.

But Min-jae was quicker.

He slapped Radomir’s hand aside, the sound sharp in the silence.

His voice was calm, yet icy. "I’m a married man, Your Majesty. Don’t touch me. My husband wouldn’t appreciate it."

The air seemed to freeze as Radomir’s face went blank, but his eyes flashed with insult. "Meical.." he said slowly, the name dripping with disdain. "Of all the men in this kingdom.."

Min-jae met Radomir’s gaze head-on. "He’s my husband."

Radomir’s tone turned cutting. "That doesn’t mean you chose him."

Min-jae’s jaw tightened. "I chose him."

Radomir’s laughter was short, devoid of humor. Min-jae knew him well enough to catch the underlying emotion.

"You expect me to believe you married Aldoria’s most territorial governor without consulting me?"

Min-jae’s jaw clenched. "I didn’t need your permission. You’re not my father, neither are you my brother. Being the king of this kingdom doesn’t mean you can dictate who I marry..."

Radomir’s smile sharpened. "So it was a provocation, then."