Side Chapter 7

The person who disrupted the rhythm of the nobles dancing to the waltz was a young man I had never seen in society before.

He must have arrived late, as the man had just entered the ballroom, tall and slender. His well-fitted white suit suited him astonishingly well.

I squinted my eyes and studied his face.

‘Was there such a noble in the empire…?’

There was an odd, captivating aura about him. Especially his silver hair, which reminded me of the midnight moonlight, made him stand out even in this large ballroom.

But… the man was getting closer.

“Would you care to dance with me, Crown Princess Charlotte?”

“……!”

The ballroom murmured softly as he suddenly extended his hand toward me.

“Ah…”

Other than Killian asking for a dance at last year’s birthday banquet, this was the first time a man other than Lennaeus had asked me to dance.

“The melody of the waltz is so beautiful, it would be an insult to the music not to dance.”

The man in front of me still had his hand extended, his long eyes curving into a smile. I briefly considered rejecting him but found myself curious for some reason.

He was suspicious enough to make me feel uneasy at first glance.

“Alright.”

“It’s an honor.”

Once I accepted, he bowed deeply in respect, then took my hand and led me, moving to the rhythm.

“It seems you haven’t danced in a while.”

As I said that, I looked at his slender face and smiled. Despite his tall appearance, which made him seem skilled in social dancing, his dancing was not particularly impressive. In terms of technique, he was far inferior to Killian or Lennaeus.

Then, an innocent smile appeared.

“It must be because balls were rarely held where I was.”

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard your name yet. I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

I spun around easily, holding his hand. Though his waltz technique was lacking, he moved his body with remarkable ease. His slim arms and legs were flexible and agile.

“Baron Barnet. I manage a small estate in the southern region of Raul. It’s such a rural area that Your Highness probably wouldn’t know of it. I was specially invited by the Grand Duchess Adler for regional development.”

“Ah.”

Letting out a short gasp, I twirled one last time, and he lightly grasped my waist. In response, I firmly grabbed his hand with one hand and held his back tightly with the other. His white cape draped over his shoulder wrinkled under my touch.

As if I had embraced him tightly and intimately, he scrunched his prominent nose slightly and let out a low laugh.

“Well. Your Highness is quite bold. Do you like me? I wouldn’t want to incur your husband’s wrath.”

Smirking at his words, I grabbed his neck and pulled him close to me. Soon, his shimmering silver hair brushed against my lips. Baron Barnet’s neck flushed red, seemingly flustered.

Finally reaching a conclusion, I whispered coldly in his ear.

“So… where is the real Baron Barnet right now?”

I grabbed the man posing as “Baron Barnet” tightly by his back so he wouldn’t escape.

“What do you mean, the real Baron Barnet, Your Highness? I am Baron Barnet.”

His smiling voice didn’t carry a hint of confusion, as if he had already anticipated this situation. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Don’t play dumb. Why did you impersonate him to approach me?”

“Your Highness has never met Baron Barnet, yet you’re certain I am not him?”

“The Barnet family is a prominent textile business in the Raul region.”

At those words, the silver-haired man’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“The suit you’re wearing may look decent, but the fabric is terrible.”

Pretending to embrace him, I glanced at the hem of the suit I had grasped.

Though his tall figure made it seem luxurious at first glance, it was merely a cheap, rough-textured ready-made garment. It was not something a wealthy textile merchant would wear.

“Ah, I should have stripped the baron and worn his clothes instead, huh?”

A corner of the man’s mouth curved up. I stared straight into his violet eyes and tightened my grip on his hand.

“On top of that, your hands are far too rough, and your dancing skills are a mess. Hardly noble-like.”

“Tch, I thought I was a decent dancer.”

His calm voice flowed from his red lips. I looked up at him directly.

“Whether you took his clothes or practiced dancing, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.”

“…….”

“I have memorized the faces of all the nobles listed in the empire’s nobility register. Naturally, your face isn’t among them.”

“Ah, of course!”

He chuckled, as if he hadn’t considered that. I snapped at him.

“There are plenty of people in this ballroom who could subdue you with just a gesture from me. You were prepared for that when you approached, right?”

“Two at the door, four in the garden, four on that balcony, and six patrolling guards.”

He nodded nonchalantly, indicating he had assessed the entire security detail. Though I was a little taken aback by his confidence, I deliberately pressed forward, refusing to show it.

“Who are you really, and why did you ask me to dance? What did you do to the baron?”

“The baron is sleeping comfortably in his large carriage, so you needn’t worry.”

He smiled slightly and stepped quickly to the rhythm with graceful movements, then continued speaking.

“Since Your Highness was looking for me, I came to you directly.”

“What?”

I furrowed my brows at the unexpected remark. The one I’ve been searching for lately is…?

His identity suddenly dawned on me, and I raised my voice.

“No way… are you the serial thief?”

“Hmm. That’s not exactly a title I’m fond of. I prefer ‘phantom thief’ a bit more.”

At that remark, I instinctively grabbed him by the collar.

“Are you confessing to your crime right in front of me?”

“As fiery as the rumors say.”

“What?”

He chuckled softly, effortlessly prying my hand off his suit collar and, with a polite gesture, bowed and kissed the back of my hand.

“Here is some information that might interest Your Highness.”

Beneath the palm of my hand, where his lips touched, I felt the stiff texture of a small piece of paper.

When did he even slip that paper into my hand? It had happened in the blink of an eye, leaving me blinking in confusion.

Clutching the piece of paper tightly, I asked him.

“Are you truly not involved in the coachman murder case?”

“You already know, Your Highness. I’m not the culprit.”

Right. No one had ever been hurt or killed during his elusive crimes. The prime suspect in the coachman case was Bork, the employee at the ice cream shop.

And this phantom thief’s crimes left no trace of evidence—he stole objects, not lives. In a sharp voice, I pressed further.

“Don’t tell me you’re here at Grand Duke Adler’s mansion to steal something?”

I thought of the grand mansion Blaire had painstakingly redecorated. There wasn’t a single cheap ornament or sculpture in the place.

As I looked at the silver-haired man, the final note of the piano played, ending the dance, and the room fell into silence. The nobles who had been dancing dispersed throughout the ballroom.

His eyes curved softly.

“It seems the only thing I’ve stolen from this mansion today is the heart of a beautiful lady.”

“Wha… what?”

While I was left gaping at his blatant flirtation and tone, he swiftly stepped back from me.

“Then, I shall take my leave, Crown Princess.”

Before I could stop him, he blended into the crowd of nobles and disappeared quickly. Clutching my skirt, I hurried after him.

But Blaire blocked my path. It was clear she had rushed over after finishing her dance, brushing off her partner, Lord Cameron. Her pretty blue eyes sparkled excessively in the ballroom lights.

“Your Highness! My goodness, who was that gentleman who just asked you to dance?”

“Blaire, that’s…!”

I tried to catch a glimpse of his retreating figure, but he had already disappeared, his white cape fluttering behind him.

“He was on the invitation list, right? Was there ever such a gentleman in the empire’s social circles? That shimmering silver hair, a tidy face, and a charming smile!”

“…….”

Blaire clasped her hands to her chest, recalling the vanished thief—no, the phantom thief—with a dreamy expression.

“I fell in love at first sight with that gentleman, Your Highness!”

It seemed the beautiful lady’s heart that the phantom thief had stolen belonged to Blaire. Poor Lord Cameron, who had been instantly discarded by her, stood dejectedly at the other end of the hall, accepting his fate.

And yet, the man Blaire had fallen for was the serial thief. I groaned, rubbing my forehead in frustration.

“Charlotte!”

The gentle voice calling my name carried a sweet musk scent.

When I turned towards the direction of the voice, Lennaeus, dressed in the Imperial Army’s uniform, was striding confidently toward me.