I won't be the villainess

Chapter 30 - winner

As she finished up her meal, Anastasia's mind ran marathons, working out how to make a strategic exit from the table. The other occupants rose from the table, and at the moment she was about to stealthily nudge Jamison, a girl with sky blue hair approached them. Anastasia and the others assumed she would be here for one of the Ainsworth natives, so imagine her surprise when the girl approached Jamison with a shy smile. She greeted everyone present, before turning to Jamison himself.

"Greetings, my name is Maybelline Saranad of House Saranad."

"Greetings, Lady Saranad. I go by Jamison d'Nora, son of Marquis d'Nora of Kou."

A sweet smile passed her lips, and Anastasia found herself drawn to the seemingly kind character before her eyes. Maybelline blushed, looking up at Jamison.

"I don't suppose you would mind sharing a dance with me, Sir d'Nora?"

'Well damn, I like this one.'

In the kingdom of Ainsworth, it was noble code that women never make the first moves. Women were to wait, their only jobs to serve their partners and wait for them to engage first. That's what the characters found so taking about 'Emily', who was 'outgoing' and 'peppy' unlike the noble females that had surrounded them since noble debut. However, this girl didn't seem to care. She was bold. By asking Jamison to dance she would probably be talked about vulgarly- but that's what seemed so interesting to Anastasia.

'Well we do need to make connections, perhaps I'll take this one for us too.'

Jamison's eyes made contact with Anastasia in a brief understanding.

'Make allies.'

"But of course, my lady."

He held a hand out, leading her off to the centre where the others danced. Anastasia turned to make eye contact with Aunt Marilyn, who happened to be watching. She gave a brief nod, turning back to her conversation with a business smile.

At that moment, Austin asked Emily to dance with him too. Anastasia watched as she smiled brightly, taking his hand as he led her to the centre floor. The others decided that everyone should go and dance since the situation was like this. Just as Anastasia was about to escape back to her Aunt Marilyn's side, she was caught off guard by a hand extended towards her. She looked up at the blonde hair and blue eyes as a soft voice spoke out to her.

"Would you mind if I offered you a dance, Duchess d'Astelo?"

Anastasia's eyes flickered over his hands before looking back up at the man before her. She didn't know if it was his intention, but by dancing with the first prince of Ainsworth, she would have two options to go through: each not her choices. She would either be ostracised for daring to dance with him by high ranking nobles or she would be given protection as someone worthy of dancing with him- and as a visitor from a foreign company and as someone of high nobility, it was almost completely certain that she would go down the second path open to her. She noticed William and Ryan's eyes watching her as if to say,

'How dare you think you can accept such an honour. Decline.'

Ha. If glares could hurt then Anastasia would feel immense pain.

'There's nothing they can do to me now.'

"Why, thank you, First Prince. I will gladly take your offer."

He led her to the other dancing figures, a hand on her waist and a hand cradling her own, as she rested her other palm on his shoulder. With that, they drifted off into a gentle dance. The song had a slow pace, and Anastasia's thoughts drifted off as she wondered about the man in front of her.