After the confidential meeting, Emperor Franz-Joseph invited Charles to a court ball, and Charles agreed, although he was not very sociable, but Charlotte was not here, so he had to choose another dance partner.

After a few dances, everyone prepares to dance the mazurka, and Charles asks to dance with Her Royal Highness. Because of his position, this request was quickly passed.

The first time she attended such a grand court ball, she was radiant with excitement and euphoria, and she looked slim and healthy in a white gauze dress with a rose-colored ribbon tied on it.

"You are radiant, Your Highness." As soon as the two of them reached the dance floor, Charles complimented the princess in due course. "I dare say you're the sweetest person here today."

"I dare say you left out your lady, sir." The princess replied with a smile.

"Oh, dare I say she's one of the prettiest here, and she complements you." Charles immediately replied with a smile, "But she's about to become a mother after all, so when it comes to cuteness, it's you who are ahead." ”

"I'm embarrassed to say that!" The princess's face flushed slightly, evidently to his compliment.

At this moment, the music began to play, and Charles found that the orchestra was playing Chopin's Mazurka in E major, which was so fast-paced that it required constant movement between the dance partners, but Charles didn't care, he didn't care what kind of music was used.

The footsteps of the two men moved to the music.

"It's Chopin's tune! I like him a lot, he's a genius and we play his tunes a lot at home. The princess jumped. While saying.

"I didn't expect you to be so researched into music."

Charles shook his head slightly, a little teasing.

"Of course I studied music with people." The princess took his hand and spun it around, and replied with a slight dissatisfaction. "Don't you think I don't understand anything?"

Actually, you really don't understand anything, at least for now—Charles replied in his heart.

"No, of course, I wouldn't think so." Charles bowed slightly, "I just didn't expect you to have such a good impression of Chopin." ”

"Why can't I have a crush on Chopin?" The princess frowned suspiciously.

After a few moments, she came to her senses. "Yikes!"

Because of this change, her steps suddenly did not keep up with the rhythm, so that she almost stepped on Charles's feet, but Charles bent down with the help of the tune of the dance music. I grabbed her by the waist so that she didn't fall to the ground.

She understood what Charles meant—Chopin was a Pole and, like most Poles, a Polish independent, bent on rebelling against the partition of Poland by the Russian-Prussian and Austrian powers.

In 1830, after the failure of the Polish uprising, Chopin left his native Poland and moved to Paris, where he began to play, teach, and compose music for a living, where he made a name for himself as a musical genius. Become a musician who is known in Europe. And in 1837, Chopin, because of the Polish sense of honor, refused the position and title of "Principal Pianist of His Majesty the Tsar" given to him by the Russians.

Since Chopin is such a person, then in the opinion of Oop. He's a Polish thief, and it doesn't matter if people praise her, but with her identity. It is indeed not appropriate to praise and praise publicly—although the courts of these countries decorate the banquet with Chopin's dance music, but there is still such a tacit understanding.

The princess apparently discovered her mistake as well. So it seems a little embarrassed.

She moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something more to redeem herself. But in the end, I didn't want to say anything bad about Chopin, so I simply wanted to change the subject. "Oops, I'm so sorry, I almost stepped on you just now, thank you!"

"It's okay, we're always here to help." Charles immediately changed the subject, and did not dwell on it.

Although she has become the fiancée of the Austrian Emperor, she is not ready for her new position, and is still essentially a Bavarian, certainly without the political sensibilities of the Austrian Empress - but because she is not, she is so cute.

Chopin was undoubtedly a brilliant genius who appeared in an instant, shone in the world and then disappeared in an instant, like the most brilliant fireworks in the sky, brilliant and ephemeral. However, although his life ended early, his work has survived and is still admired, at least for now.

As the tune of the music became more and more intense, the rhythm of Charles and the princess's dance steps became faster and faster, although Charles usually did not like to socialize very much, and he was not interested in the ball, but after all, he had learned swordsmanship since he was a child, so his steps were flexible and powerful, and he could bring the rhythm well, so that the princess, who was still a little jerky in her steps, could play to her heart's content.

While dancing, the two of them were still chatting, and Charles made some jokes or compliments from time to time, which made the princess very happy, and even made her movements much lighter.

"Are you so attentive to everyone?" The princess looked at him with some curiosity, "Isn't it like this in France?" ”

That's pretty much what the French have now, and the Charles don't intend to defend them.

"I've always been friendly and very passionate about the people I love." Charles replied in a low voice, taking her hand again.

"Love...... But this is the first time we've met, right? The princess blinked a little confusedly, and went around to the other side, "Have you heard of me before?" ”

"I've heard of you a year ago, and you're now a famous man in Europe, Your Highness." Charles first complimented the other at the right time, and then told the truth, "However, the reason why I love you is because I think of someone. ”

"Who?" The princess immediately asked, full of curiosity.

"I have a younger sister who is a few years older than you." "She was very innocent and cute when she was a child, and she listened to me very much. Yes, very innocent and cute...... What kind of child you can't help but want to care for when you see it. ”

He subconsciously repeated it, as if he was remembering something.

"I ...... I kind of get it. The princess blinked, "So how is she now?" ”

"She's never seen again." Charles replied briefly.

"Huh? I'm sorry......! The princess thought that Charles meant that her sister was dead. So he apologized repeatedly, "I shouldn't have asked ...... that"

"Nope. I'm not saying she's gone, I mean she's grown up. It's changed. Charles's face darkened, and his tone became much more severe, "She has become completely less like the child I once held in my arms, she has done so many things, and when I first heard it, I just felt that the world was spinning, and I didn't believe it at all." ”

"You mean she's not so innocent and cute anymore when she grows up," the princess's eyes widened and she became more curious. "Did something you couldn't accept?"

"Yes, that's it." Charles nodded bitterly. The hand also unconsciously strained, "Maybe you can't understand my feelings at all." Our father left us at a very early age, and I brought her up, and I watched her grow up with me little by little, and I gave her love and knowledge. Do you understand? I regarded it as my greatest honour to protect her from the contamination and abuse of the world, and I allowed her to use her talents in the most free way, and I thought that in her I had found a true and immaculate love......"

"Sir. Don't get excited! The princess twitched her hand in pain, but of course she was still curious to hear what the "big bad guy of Europe" had to say.

"I'm sorry. Your Highness, I'm a little excited. Charles smiled wryly and relaxed his hand slightly. And then continued, "I've asked myself many times. What exactly did I do wrong to incur this result, but I didn't get an answer. Even. Sometimes, I still suspect that the innocent and lovely child I once saw was actually a phantom in my heart, that she had never, never existed, but was just a dream that I had imposed on others...... Later, I had no choice but to accept the fact that she might not have been the sister I thought she was. ”

Because he had evoked the most secret thoughts in his heart, his tone became more and more painful, so that his pace slowed down.

The princess adjusted her pace to keep up with Charles' rhythm as she continued to look up at Charles, waiting for his narration. Why do you think that? Judging by your description, she must love you? ”

"Maybe so, but what's the point? She's not the same person she used to be, and I can only think of her now as an ordinary person, not as my closest person. Charles shook his head, "I, now I...... I don't even know if her innocence and cuteness at that time was real. The thought that my most precious memories would be adulterated forgeries, that my most sincere feelings had been betrayed for so long, that I sometimes felt unbearable distress. ”

"You! How can you think that? The princess was a little anxious, "Sir, you are a big man, and you have done a lot of great things, so you must understand human feelings very well, right?" People will grow up, can't they be naïve all the time? She'll someday understand that you can't just think the way you think about it. Besides, even if she has been lying to you all the time, it must be because she loves you very much, so she will always perfunctory your hobbies. ”

"Perfunctory hobbies?" Charles was a little surprised.

"Isn't that so? You like innocent and lovely angels, this is very demanding, how can anyone keep being a child, and no one will like to live like this forever, right? The princess smiled slightly, "Maybe it was one day before that your sister awakened to her own pleasures, and she came out of the good things you instilled and maintained, but she found that you didn't like her growth, so she had to go back and play the child you had always loved - isn't that a great sacrifice?" After all, it is you who have been demanding from others with requirements that are difficult for others to meet, so that others are afraid that she will also have a hard time at that time...... Ha, I'm glad I don't have a brother like you, otherwise I would have felt very embarrassed. ”

"......" Charles's face froze, but he was not angry because the princess accused him so, but because the princess's accusation seemed to him to have some truth.

In that case, the words before my sister jumped off the building, weren't they her wails and protests?

You have become such a person yourself, but you ask the people around you to be an angel. To soothe yourself with pure white and immaculate love at any time may be extreme selfishness, right?

I. Is that such a person?

Maybe it is.

"Sir?" Because he stopped suddenly, the princess could not help but ask him.

"Oh. Sorry, I just got distracted. Charles smiled apologetically, and continued to take the princess's hand and dance.

It seems that this princess is indeed quite smart. She is not as ignorant as she thought before, on the contrary, her brain is very wise, but she just doesn't understand the world.

After all, what's the need to understand? That's fine.

It's a pity...... It's a pity that I followed the wrong husband.

"I kind of get it. You have a feeling of regret because of your sister's upbringing, and then you may have seen a shadow of my former self - that's why you are so attentive to me! "At that moment, the princess said, 'I found out!' looked at Charles, "Isn't that right?" ”

"Yes, that's it......" Charles nodded.

"Then don't think I'm going to feel honored, on the contrary, I'm afraid, if one day I'm no longer innocent and cute because I've grown up, I'm afraid you won't take me in your eyes again!" The princess smiled, "You're right. ”

After thinking about it for a moment. Charles found the question he could not answer.

Suddenly there was a blur in front of her, and the tall black-haired princess slowly changed in the shadows, turning into the blonde, blue-eyed, fair-skinned petite child, and she gathered around her. Singing and dancing, laughing very happily.

"I'm ...... How I miss that time. He said subconsciously.

"You must have had a good time with her back then." The princess immediately asserted, "I can feel your nostalgia. ”

"yes. yes, you said ...... That's right. ”

That's when it happened. The dance music came to the climax, following the dance steps. The princess would then take his hand and circle around him, and just as the princess was about to do so, Charles suddenly reached out and put his arm around her waist, then lifted her up in the air, and spun around in a circle, just as they had when they played games together.

However, he would definitely have gotten a different result than he did back then.

When she was put down, the princess's face turned slightly red, and then she looked up and looked at Charles with great dissatisfaction.

"You...... What are you doing? She asked loudly.

Charles's sudden and overly intimate movements, as well as the princess's loud scolding, soon caused the others to stop dancing and look at the pair in shock, the scene became subtle and awkward, as if some kind of storm was brewing. Only the band has not yet reacted and continues to sing dance music, which adds a bit of embarrassment to the scene.

"Nothing, Your Highness," Charles shrugged his shoulders in a dashing manner, "I'm just demonstrating to you—that's how my sister and I played when we were kids. Since you asked me curiously, I think I should demonstrate to you in a practical way based on the principle of honesty......"

However, his heart was by no means as calm as it seemed, and in fact he found himself in the center of all attention, even Emperor Franz-Joseph had already looked at him with dissatisfaction.

Oh my God, I may have left a big joke for the European diplomatic community, and in less than ten days all of Europe will know that I have floated around with the future queen of Austria! Especially, she was still a child.

Charles, who had already woken up, secretly regretted the stupid thing he had done on impulse. However, on such a terrible occasion, a person must not be stupid, and even if he is stupid, he must not show cowardice, but must pretend to be elegant.

Therefore, he did not show any embarrassment or apology, and held on to his composure, looking at the princess with an extremely kind smile, as if he really did not take his faux pas seriously.

He knew that he had been seen by these conservative Austrians as "another shameless Frenchman who thought he was romantic and did not know how to deceit", but he didn't really care, because he knew that the Austrians could use him, and this little episode would not change that.

Then he extended his hand to the princess again, "Your Highness, please continue to dance this piece with me, for Austria's sake." ”

The princess's face was cloudy, but in the end, she regained her hand.

With her patience, the dance music finally ended.

"God will all appreciate your forbearance." At this moment, Charles leaned into her ear and spoke softly. "Just a few minutes ago, you had a most sincere friend, and I thank you on behalf of my sister."

"But I'm not glad about it, sir, you were so rude!" The princess was still full of anger.

"I only be polite to people I don't like." Charles shook his head and didn't take her accusation to heart, "Your Highness, you have infected me with your wisdom and cuteness, not your title and status. So don't worry, as long as you still have these, you will have me as a friend. Although it may not seem necessary now, one day you will discover the importance of this friendship - I can command a nation, though not as I please. If you have any problems in the future that you can't solve, just come to me! ”

Then, without caring how the princess replied, or paying attention to the gaze of others, he took the princess's hand and kissed it gently, then turned and left the dance floor.

"What a monster." Looking at his back as he left, the princess thought to herself. (To be continued.) )