A genuine smile spread across Levi's face.
It was a quiet, wholesome moment shared between him and Seraphina.
It had been a long time since he'd felt a warmth like this.
Ever since becoming Lord of Ravenholt, his days had been consumed by rebuilding the territory, making difficult decisions, and carrying the weight of his people's future.
For the first time in what felt like ages... He simply enjoyed the moment.
Levi couldn't quite put his feelings into words.
Was it Love?
Or was it the quiet warmth he had long forgotten.
Perhaps it was the flutter in his chest that seemed to grow with every step he took alongside Seraphina.
whatever it was...
He found that he didnt want the moment to end.
As though bewitched, Levi found himself unable to look away.
His gaze lingered in Seraphina's eyes as he guided her effortlessly across the dance floor.
He twirled her beneath his arm before drawing her back into his embrace, their movements perfectly in sync.
Their feet glided to the rhythm of the music, while his hands remained gently intertwined with hers.
'Is this what love feels like?'
The question surfaced in Levi's mind before he could stop it.
then his gaze locks onto her.
Seraphina looks at him back, then smiles.
At that moment, he really couldn't help but fall in love.
Especially to that smile of hers.
'...What am i thinking'
'I doubt she feels the same way.'
'And yet every time she smiles at me like that, I can't help but let myself to be a bit more delusional.'
'Is this... what love feels like? Seraphina wondered.'
'...'
'Don't be ridiculous.'
'There's no way he'd ever look at me like that.'
Levi looked into her crimson eyes.
'Please don't let this dance end...'
Seraphina met his gaze.
'Please don't let this dance end...'
Levi broke the silence.
"...You should smile more."
Seraphina blinked.
"...What?"
"It suits you."
She froze.
"...O-oh."
Seraphina thinks to herself.
'ugh, Seraphina, lock in, you should be teasing him back'
Slapping her own face in her mind.
Then as if giving in to her thoughts...
She grins.
"... I see, or perhaps you just like looking at my face."
Levi eyes widen caught off guard, then smiles to himself.
"And if i said yes? What will you do about it?"
Seraphina freezes again.
her smile faltered.
'think, Seraphina. Think!!! Say something'
'anything... WHY IS MY BRAIN EMPTY'
'Ah! I got it'
she opens her mouth to speak but no words come out.
Levi chuckles lightly
'She's speechless... It seems i do got a sly tongue afterall.'
King Maverick and Duke Alaric looks to eachother.
King Maverick whispers to the Duke.
"She's panicking!"
"Dont lose now, Seraphina. Fighting! fighting!"
Duke Alaric Grits her teeth.
as if panicking alongside her daughter.
Duchess Celestine cant help but panic aswell.
Gripping Queen Aurelia's shoulder and pushing her back and forth.
"What should we do..."
Then she realizes.
"Im sorry, your Highness"
She bows.
Queen Aurelia laughs it off quietly.
"its fine, its fine."
"lets just hope Seraphina does something."
An elderly noble smiles knowingly.
A young noble who likes Seraphina groans.
A group of ladies quietly squeal.
Theodore simply sips his wine with an
amused grin.
"Interesting."
"The hunter has become the hunted."
Back to the two.
Levi makes the first move and breaks the silence once more.
"You okay?"
nudging her shoulder gently.
the nobles around quietly cheer that Levi made the first move.
the King and Duke sighed in relief.
the same goes for the Queen and Duchess.
Seraphina nods fast.
"y-yea im fine... I guess..."
'I can't let him see me like that again...'
thinking to herself like this is some competition.
'Come on Seraphina... You started this. If you keep freezing, he'll think you lost your nerves. Just do something!'
Then, before she could second-guess herself...
Seraphina made her move.
She caught Levi by the collar and gently pulled him closer.
For a heartbeat...
The world seemed to stand still.
Then...
She kissed him.
Levi's eyes widened in complete surprise.
For a brief moment, his mind went blank.
He hadn't seen it coming.
Yet instead of pulling away, he found himself melting into the kiss, as though every thought that had been racing through his mind had quietly slipped away.
Around them...
The orchestra continued to play.
The ballroom fell silent.
Maverick and Alaric stood utterly speechless.
Their jaws hung open.
Neither king nor duke had expected their carefully crafted plan to escalate this quickly.
Aurelia covered her mouth, failing to suppress a quiet laugh.
"Oh... she actually did it."
Celestine remained frozen.
"..."
"..."
"My daughter..."
She blinked once.
"...Actually kissed him."
Across the ballroom, dozens of nobles stared in stunned silence.
The whispers that had filled the hall only moments ago vanished completely.
Even the orchestra seemed quieter.
Theodore calmly swirled his wine before taking another measured sip.
A faint smile crossed his lips.
"Well played, Princess."
"...Well played."
Seraphina slowly pulled away.
A triumphant smirk found its way onto her face.
"There."
She lifted her chin just a little.
"I win."
Levi stood perfectly still.
His eyes remained fixed on hers.
"..."
"..."
Then, to Seraphina's surprise...
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Is that so?"
The confidence on Seraphina's face wavered.
"...Hm?"
Levi took a small step closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
"I don't remember agreeing that this was a competition."
For the second time that evening...
Seraphina's face turned bright red.
The triumphant smirk on Seraphina's face lasted only a second.
"..."
Reality caught up to her.
She blinked once.
Then twice.
Her crimson eyes slowly drifted away from Levi...
...toward the hundreds of nobles staring directly at them.
"..."
"..."
'...I...'
'I kissed him. ...In front of everyone.
Her confident facade shattered instantly.
A deep crimson spread across her cheeks.
'...WHY DID I DO THAT?!'
Without another word
She covered her face.
"I-I need air!"
Turning on her heel, Seraphina hurried through the crowd, nearly tripping over the hem of her gown before disappearing through the grand glass doors leading to the palace balcony.
The ballroom remained silent.
Levi watched her disappear.
"..."
He blinked.
"...Did she just..."
Theodore answered without even looking at him.
"Retreat."
A pause.
"Strategically."
Levi looked at him.
"...There's nothing strategic about that."
Theodore took another sip of wine.
"No."
"There wasn't."
Maverick leaned forward so abruptly that Aurelia had to grab his sleeve.
"What are you waiting for?! Go after her!"
Aurelia immediately pulled him back.
"Maverick!"
"I'M JUST HELPING!"
Beside them, Alaric nodded so enthusiastically his hair nearly came loose.
"Go get her, lad!"
Celestine covered his mouth with her hand before another word could escape.
"Will you let the poor boy think for himself?"
"Mmph!"
"No."
"...Mmph."
Aurelia let out an exhausted sigh.
"I married a king..."
Celestine nodded.
"And I married a duke."
The two women exchanged a knowing look.
"...We're surrounded by idiots."
Theodore calmly took another sip of his wine.
"...Remarkable."
He watched the two kings anxiously staring toward the balcony doors before letting out a quiet chuckle.
"The fathers have somehow managed to be more nervous than the couple."
He set his glass down and gave Levi a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"But..."
A faint, knowing smile crossed his face.
"...On this matter..."
"I happen to agree with them."
He nodded toward the balcony.
"Go after her."
"The worst answer you can give a lady in a moment like this..."
He paused.
"...Is no answer at all."
Levi stood in silence.
His gaze lingered on the balcony doors.
Maverick's impatience.
Alaric's encouragement.
Theodore's advice.
Even the worried expressions of Aurelia and Celestine.
Though their words differed...
They all pointed toward the same conclusion.
Levi let out a quiet breath.
"...Right."
Without another word, he turned.
His footsteps echoed softly across the ballroom as he made his way toward the grand balcony doors.
The nobles instinctively stepped aside, watching him pass.
He reached for the ornate handle.
For a brief moment...
He hesitated.
Then, pushing the thought aside, he opened the door.
The cool evening breeze greeted him.
With a quiet click, the doors closed behind him, muffling the sounds of the banquet.
Moonlight bathed the balcony in silver.
Not far away...
Seraphina stood alone, her hands resting against the stone railing.
"Seraphina."
Seraphina slowly turned around.
The crimson tint on her cheeks had yet to fade.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
A gentle evening breeze drifted across the balcony, carrying a few loose strands of her hair across her face.
Levi stepped forward.
Without a word, he reached up and gently tucked the stray strands behind Seraphina's ear.
Her breath caught ever so slightly.
"...You know," Levi began softly, "I'm not upset."
She looked up at him.
"Neither are our parents."
"...Really?"
He nodded toward the ballroom.
"In fact..."
"They're probably happier than we are."
Seraphina peeked past Levi's shoulder through the open doorway.
Inside the ballroom, the King and Duke were practically leaning over one another, hands cupped around their eyes as they shamelessly tried to get a better look.
A moment later...
Queen Aurelia and Duchess Celestine each grabbed their respective husbands by the collar and pulled them back.
Though the words couldn't be heard through the doors...
The expressions alone were enough.
Levi let out a quiet chuckle.
"Mother's probably saying..."
He straightened his posture, attempting a remarkably accurate imitation.
"'Have some dignity, Your Majesty.'"
Seraphina covered her mouth as a laugh escaped her.
"And Father is probably pretending he did nothing wrong."
Levi smiled.
"I wouldn't be surprised."
She watched as Duke Alaric desperately tried to explain himself, only to earn another scolding from Duchess Celestine.
"...That definitely sounds like them."
The two shared another laugh.
The awkwardness that had driven Seraphina onto the balcony slowly began to melt away.
After a quiet moment, her smile faded into something more hesitant.
"...Levi."
"Hm?"
She lowered her gaze.
"...I'm sorry."
He frowned slightly.
"For acting on impulse..."
Her fingers nervously toyed with the fabric of her gown.
"...And for kissing you without asking."
Levi was silent for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
"As I said..."
"I'm not mad."
"I was surprised."
A small smile returned to his face.
"But..."
He looked into her eyes.
"...Maybe I shouldn't be surprised anymore."
Seraphina blinked.
"...Why?"
Levi let out a quiet breath.
"Because every time I'm with you..."
"You somehow manage to surprise me."
"And..."
He smiled gently.
"I don't think I mind anymore."
Seraphina lowered her head.
"...Levi."
"Hm?"
She took a slow breath.
The words she'd rehearsed in her mind countless times suddenly refused to come out.
"...I..."
She clenched the fabric of her dress.
"I don't know when it started."
"...Maybe when we were children."
"Maybe when we met again."
She let out a quiet, nervous laugh.
"I really don't know."
She looked into his eyes.
"But somewhere along the way..."
"...You stopped being just my childhood friend."
Her voice trembled.
"When I heard about everything you'd accomplished in Ravenholt..."
"I was proud."
"When I heard people call you a monster..."
"I got angry."
"When you smiled at me tonight..."
She smiled faintly.
"...I was happier than I've been in a long time."
She shook her head with a self-conscious laugh.
"I kept telling myself not to get my hopes up."
"That someone like you..."
"...Would never look at me that way."
"So I buried those feelings."
"I told myself they would disappear."
Her eyes began to glisten beneath the moonlight.
"They didn't."
"They only grew stronger."
She took one final step toward him.
"So..."
"If I don't say it now..."
"I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
A nervous smile found its way onto her face.
"...Levi."
"I love you."
"Not because you're the Lord of Ravenholt."
"Not because everyone admires you."
"But because..."
"...You're you."
The teasing.
The kindness you try so hard to hide.
The way you carry everyone's burdens without ever asking for help.
The way you still make time to smile.
"I fell in love with all of it."
She laughed softly through her embarrassment.
"...There."
"I finally said it."
Levi stood there...
Silent.
Seraphina lowered her gaze.
"...I understand."
A bittersweet smile formed on her lips.
"You don't have to force yourself to-"
Before she could finish...
Levi took a step forward.
Then another.
Until only a breath separated them.
He gently cupped her cheek.
His thumb brushed softly across her flushed skin.
Their eyes met.
This time...
There was no hesitation.
Levi closed the remaining distance between them.
Their lips met once more.
Unlike the first kiss.
This one wasn't born from impulse.
It was a choice.
A quiet answer.
When they finally parted, Levi rested his forehead against hers.
"...I spent years believing there wasn't room in my life for something as sweet like this."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"Ravenholt."
"My people."
"My responsibilities."
"I convinced myself they were all I needed."
His eyes softened.
"Then you smiled at me."
"And somewhere along the way..."
"I started looking forward to seeing that smile."
"I started wondering how your day had been."
"I started hoping we'd meet again."
He smiled faintly.
"I kept asking myself..."
"'Is this what love feels like?'"
His hand gently intertwined with hers.
"I think..."
He took a slow breath.
"...I've finally found my answer."
He looked into her eyes.
"Seraphina."
"I love you too."
"Not because you're the Duke's daughter."
"Not because of tonight."
"But because..."
"You make me forget the burdens I carry."
"You remind me that I'm still just Levi."
"And that's something no one else has ever been able to do. Besides my parents of course."
He looked into her eyes, his own filled with a warmth he had only just begun to understand.
Seraphina's lips parted.
"...W-wait..."
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"...Did I hear you correctly?"
Her crimson eyes searched his, as though afraid she had imagined it.
"...You..."
"...You love me?"
Levi smiled.
The answer came without the slightest hesitation.
"I love you, Seraphina."
"...Especially you."
"...Only you."