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Positioned upon a raised platform, the musicians performed a vibrant, lively composition, its melody echoing throughout the vast ballroom, which glowed beneath the warm golden light of the enormous crystal chandeliers hanging above the guests. The sound of conversations and the laughter of nobles filled the hall. The walls, adorned with gilded mirrors, reflected the luxurious attire of those in attendance: gentlemen dressed in formal black tailcoats, white bow ties, and white gloves; ladies wearing elaborately decorated gowns  accompanied by long gloves and elegant fans.

At the far ends of the lavish hall, near the walls, groups gathered in conversation. Young gentlemen courted the newest debutantes of society, new friendships blossomed among young ladies, families discussed their daughters' dowries, while older noblemen held their own circles, debating the latest affairs of the state concerning the official visit of the neighboring nation to our country.

And in the center of the magnificent ballroom danced the prospective couples. To stand upon the dance floor was every debutante's greatest desire at that ball. Being invited to dance meant the chance to attract the attention of more suitors, to earn the status of the most sought-after lady, and, in turn, secure the best prospects for a favorable marriage.

And you were there, dancing in the grand ballroom with the most unexpected partner of all, Senku.

You gathered the sides of your blue silk gown and bent your knees into a graceful curtsy, which he answered with a formal bow of his upper body. "I hope Lord Senku did not mistake my request for you to become my suitor as nothing more than an invitation to dance." you said in a gentle, innocent voice, wearing a sweet smile, though your eyes unmistakably gleamed with provocation.

The young man extended his left hand, which you accepted with your gloved one. His right hand came to rest precisely against your back, maintaining the exact distance required by etiquette, close enough to lead, yet never so close as to breach the respectable space between you.

You could tell quite clearly that Senku had devoted little, if any, effort to practicing ballroom dancing. It was easy to notice from the way he moved across the floor. He danced like a beginner; naturally, he knew the fundamentals, but only because his position as a Viscount demanded it. Somehow, you found it amusing. Seeing that white-haired man with green-tipped locks, once so confident, now standing in a place that was so obviously outside his domain, brought you a quiet sense of satisfaction.

Still, you could not allow yourself to indulge in that feeling. To stand on the dance floor was to draw attention, something you had taken great care to avoid during the previous Season. This time, however... there was no choice. If you wished to have the opportunity to choose your ideal husband, the one who would grant you freedom, you would have to become the subject of the nobles' attention and gossip. It was something from which there was no escape.

The corners of Senku's lips curled into a faint smile. The two of you drew closer with the rhythm of the music, your steps slow, your eyes fixed upon one another. "Ah, yes... a performance so you can attract the attention of more suitors." The young man's gaze drifted toward the nobles observing the dance floor, subtly gesturing toward them. Your own eyes followed his to the crowd, and you realized that several pairs were already fixed upon you and your unexpected partner. Taking a slow, steady breath, you tried to suppress your nervousness.

For a moment, your mind wandered to the words spilling from those nobles' lips. What cruel remarks were they directing at you? It was hardly difficult to imagine. They were speaking of the Marquis's daughter, who had gone unnoticed during the previous Season and now danced with a nobleman beneath her rank, a man whose name carried little influence.

And though none of it was untrue, the real issue lay in what it implied.

Your situation was more delicate than it appeared. Although you had only recently been introduced to society, you no longer possessed the radiance of a debutante. You were a lady of respectable rank, yet despite that, not a single gentleman had shown genuine interest in you during the previous Season. Each Season that passed without a marriage reflected poorly upon your family, especially for a Marquis as influential as your father. With every passing year, your value as a woman would gradually diminish as you grew older, eventually forcing your family to marry you off to some repulsive older man who cared little that you had already been deemed "past your prime."

Indeed, attracting the attention of suitors was essential. Being a desirable woman meant having the luxury of not being forced to marry the first man who presented himself simply for lack of better options. Yet you had already chosen whom you intended to marry, and you would ensure that he became the obvious choice in the eyes of both society and your family.

"Indeed. However, I am not merely trying to attract suitors. You see, Lord Senku, from what little I have come to know of you, I understand perfectly well that these social gatherings are not to your liking. And if you wish to speak with His Grace, the Duke of America, (Xeno) away from these events... you will need me." You spoke as Senku guided you into a wide sweeping turn. Together you spun while gliding across the ballroom, your skirt flowing like a wave with every graceful curve.

"I believe Lord Senku already knows that His Grace does not attend just any ball, but only those of political importance." You watched him from the corner of your eye, carefully studying the reactions of your dance partner.

"Naturally. Balls attended by the King and Queen, or by high-ranking nobles with close ties to the Crown." The young man answered in a serious, detached tone, his attention fixed on the ballroom throughout.

The calm expression you had maintained until then gave way to a knowing smile as you continued watching him from the corner of your eye. Lowering your voice so that only he could hear, you whispered, "What Lord Senku doesn't know... is that I am a Marchioness with access to those very events." The music reached its climax. The violins quickened their pace, and the two of you matched their rhythm with even faster turns, the blue of your gown and the black of his tailcoat blending into an elegant blur beneath the crystal chandeliers.

At those simple words, the seriousness on Senku's face gave way to a confident, amused smile, as though he had unraveled your entire scheme from that single sentence. He turned to face you, allowing you to clearly see that expression. "You want me to become your principal suitor. That way, I'll earn your family's favor, and they'll use their influence to secure me invitations to those events."

A satisfied smile spread across your face at his conclusion. "However..." he murmured, so quietly that only you could hear, "what exactly do you gain from all this?"

His sharp, unwavering gaze locked onto yours as he spun you once more across the grand ballroom, the corner of his mouth lifting into a teasing smile, as though he had somehow seen straight through you.

Before your mind could form a reply, however, the final note of the music echoed through the hall, and the orchestra fell silent. The two of you gradually slowed to a graceful stop.

He stepped back. "Do we have an agreement... Lady?"

You looked at him for a few moments, still slightly caught off guard. Soon enough, however, a gentle, restrained smile appeared on your lips. You offered him a small curtsy.

"(Y/N)."

Her eyes scanned the ballroom in search of a suitor. It was once again the marriage season, the time when young ladies who had finally reached the appropriate age were presented to society.

It was her second season. Fortunately, she had managed to go unnoticed during her first one, nothing wrong, nothing worthy of attention, simply another girl among many others. Which, for (Y/N), had been ideal. Passing through her first season unnoticed had not been due to shyness or fear; it had been exactly as she had planned.

A girl was raised her entire life to marry, build a respectable family, become the perfect wife, and concern herself with nothing beyond her household, children, and her so-called dream husband, a man who would never truly give her affection. And (Y/N) was not naïve. She knew how the world she lived in worked, and she knew it far too well for her own good.

Therefore, she was destined to marry, and at the same time, marriage was her only path to freedom.

By remaining unnoticed during her first season, she had been able to understand how things worked and simply observe, gathering as much information as she deemed useful: names, rumors, interests, methods, and countless other details.

And now, standing in a corner of the ballroom, dressed in a beautiful blue gown fitted just below the bust and adorned with embroidered flowers matching its color, with a small dance card hanging from her wrist, she scanned the potential suitors who might guarantee her a free life as a married woman.

The first man her gaze landed upon was Ryusui, heir to the Nanami Duchy, a man with insatiable desires, or more directly... a greedy man. Known for his love of ships and exploring the world, he was always surrounded by women.

Having a wealthy man with that much power would be advantageous. After all, his power could become hers if she knew how to play her cards correctly. And the fact that he loved traveling was perfect for a woman who cared little for affection and preferred being away from her husband.

The only problem was that Ryusui was greedy, especially when it came to women. It was "common knowledge" that he had already shared the beds of many women and would not stop because of a marriage. Yet that wasn't even the greatest issue.

Let him sleep with as many women as he wished.

The problem was that such experience made him less susceptible to manipulation and far more difficult to control. (Y/N) knew that in this particular area, he was far more experienced than she was, which made him dangerous. He could very easily end up making her dance in the palm of his hand instead.

Once again, her eyes swept across the ballroom and settled upon the man stealing attention from the event's true focus: the debutantes.

Xeno. A tall, older, highly reserved man surrounded by gentlemen of the upper class, seemingly discussing the latest intellectual discoveries across every field imaginable, medicine, literature, economics, and many others. He was undoubtedly an intelligent man and a difficult one to approach. He did not appear interested in the debutantes. On the contrary, he seemed to be here solely on business with the Crown. 

A Duke from another country. How tempting.

Indeed, this season was different from the others. At this very moment, these balls were a field of negotiations, not only a display of our kingdom's power, but also an opportunity to negotiate with foreign nations. She did not know Xeno's exact purpose for being here, but she could assume that his most likely objective was to establish connections while extracting information. Perhaps it would be wiser to remain insignificant in his eyes for now. Keeping her distance from him meant avoiding political dramas.

A soft, delicate sigh escaped her lips. Once again, she surveyed the ballroom and...

Her eyes landed on a young man around her own age. Senku, heir to a viscountcy.

She had heard rumors about him during the previous season. Supposedly brilliant, blessed with an unbearable personality, and entirely uninterested in marriage.

Those were the complaints she had gathered from the young ladies of the last season. 

Which meant: A man who was far too straightforward for his own good and a man with an excessively high sense of confidence.

She began moving through the ballroom, blending into the crowd while keeping her gaze fixed on the young man. Surrounded by other gentlemen, he maintained a conversation whose topic she could not hear, all while wearing a confident smile.

A straightforward young man. A title lower than hers. Being direct meant fewer unnecessary games. Being young meant limited experience. His lower title granted her a financial advantage in negotiations. And the final point , the true wild card.

His lack of interest in marriage.

That could make things difficult. Or it could be precisely what guaranteed her freedom within that "marriage" if she played her cards correctly. She only needed one dance with him to confirm her theories. She simply needed an opportunity to approach him.

Attempting to speak with him in front of several gentlemen would be far too risky.

She needed to wait for a moment when she could approach him alone.

And so she waited patiently until the white-haired young man with green-tipped locks found himself alone, even if only briefly.

Momentarily abandoned by his fellow gentlemen near one of the grand ballroom's walls, Senku stood observing the dance floor with a serious and thoughtful expression. A glass rested in his right hand. His eyes seemed to be searching for someone.

"Are you looking for someone, Lord Senku?" A calm and sweet voice pulled Senku from both his thoughts and his search. His eyes shifted toward the owner of the voice. A girl his age, dressed in a blue embroidered gown. She gazed toward the dance floor with the smile of someone sweet enough to conceal confidence behind gentleness.

Senku's lips curled into a clever, playful grin. His eyes drifted to the liquid inside his glass before returning to the dance floor. "I should warn you that I have no interest whatsoever in dancing with you, nor in playing any courting games."

The young lady gracefully covered her mouth with one hand and let out a sweet laugh. The comment had elicited exactly the reaction she had expected. "I admire how direct you are. I like that. So I'll be direct as well."

With that, she turned toward him. Her hands, which had previously rested delicately before her body, now fell naturally at her sides. "You have interests, and I have interests. We can make a deal."

Senku regarded her without turning his body in her direction, his back still resting against the wall of the grand venue. His grin seemed to widen, carrying amusement, confidence, and a touch of arrogance. "Careful with your offers. I might ask for something that is too much for a lady." Senku teased her as he hooked a pinky finger into his ear. His smile and playful tone were almost offensively obvious. Yet within them lay opportunity.

The young woman's expression, which until now had remained unfailingly sweet and composed, revealed the faint trace of a smile carrying far more provocation than expected from a debutante lady. "Lord Senku is a man of many interests, I can tell. And someone with very little interest in marriage. Yet you still came to this ball." She paused briefly. "And I think I know why."

The amusement on Senku's face disappeared, replaced by something more serious. The confident smile never left his features. But now he understood. The woman standing before him was not like the other debutantes around them.

"The Duke who came here on business with the Crown." She allowed her words a moment to settle. "You were looking for him..." Senku lowered his head and let out a small chuckle. "Yeah... that's hardly a secret."

"Indeed. The mystery is how you intend to speak with him." She turned her gaze back toward the ballroom, observing him from the corner of her eye. "I can be the bridge between the two of you."

And at that moment, she had made her greatest gamble.

"And what exactly do you gain in return?" Senku pushed himself away from the wall, placing his glass on a nearby table before stepping slightly closer to her.

"I want you to be my suitor this season." The girl spoke without hesitation, a bold move, a dangerous one, say something like that to a man she had only just met.

Without a doubt, she was wagering everything on the belief that the white-haired young man would respond favorably.

"...."  For a brief moment, silence reigned. Senku's expression was one of confusion and surprise. It should have been obvious. Yet perhaps he had not expected a request that sounded so sentimental at a moment like this.

Those few seconds of silence made (Y/N) nervous, but she did not allow it to show.

Maintaining her delicate smile, she continued observing the ballroom.

The girl heard a sigh. Turning her head toward him, she watched as Senku swiftly took her right hand and wrote his name into her small dance card.