Chapter 33: Time for Paid Services

A ballroom made of ice.

Holding a man’s hand for the first time in her life, Glacia arrived at the grand hall—only to suddenly realize an important fact.

‘At the beginning… what am I supposed to do?’

She had simply wanted to dance with him.

Expressing that desire to Si-woo and putting it into action had been easy.

But now that she had actually arrived at the ballroom, a critical thought struck her.

‘I’ve never learned how….’

If she had been taught even once, her body would remember.

Dancing wasn’t something one could just do after learning it once.

It required relentless practice, refining oneself until their movements became natural.

Only then could one claim to be a proper dancer.

And that was just for solo dancing.

A formal ballroom dance, one that required moving in sync with a partner, was an entirely different challenge—especially for someone like Glacia, who had never learned how.

Silence spread between them as they held hands.

No song, no music, no audience.

Had she been too greedy, wishing for something like this?

A wave of shame washed over her.

‘If I had known…’

She wouldn’t have wasted a wish on something as foolish as dancing.

‘Yes, that place suits you perfectly.’

An unnecessary voice echoed in her mind.

Glacia’s face turned deathly pale at those words.

Originally, Si-woo had planned to wait until she was ready to lead.
But seeing her hesitation, he had no choice.

Gently, he placed his hand on her waist.

“Ah…!?”

“My apologies. I was taught that the man is supposed to lead.”

With his right hand resting on her waist and his left hand holding her cold one, Si-woo stepped forward.

There was no need for a beautiful melody.

In ballroom dance, music was nothing more than a formality.

“Will you trust me with your body?”

At those words, Glacia placed her hand on Si-woo’s shoulder.

Her expression and body remained stiff, still unfamiliar with the act of dancing.

Si-woo adjusted to her awkwardness, moving at a leisurely pace.

The first step was their stride.

He shortened his steps to match hers, lowering his waist slightly to meet her gaze.

As they gradually moved through the steps, Glacia’s movements became increasingly natural.

A ballroom dance wasn’t meant to be a performance for others.

‘In a moment like this, the important thing isn’t how it looks to others—it’s about the man and woman enjoying it together.’

It was a lesson he had once learned during a ballroom dance he had been forced into at a high-society party.

Among the Hunters, who were clumsily attempting to mimic the nobles, he had overheard a reprimand about the true essence of the dance.

“Lady Glacia, do you know why a man and a woman dance together like this at a ballroom?”

“Isn’t it to flaunt their social connections?”

“That’s not entirely wrong, but it’s not the correct answer either.”

In social gatherings, people used dance as a tool—to display their affiliations and showcase themselves alongside a beautiful partner.

There were certainly those who treated ballroom dancing as nothing more than a means to an end.

“But the real reason is to make this moment more enjoyable.”

“…What?”

“Lady Glacia, at a ballroom, it’s difficult to dedicate your time to just one person, isn’t it?”

The purpose of such social events was to reaffirm old relationships and seek out new ones.

In such an environment, spending time exclusively with a single person was not an easy thing to do.

“But at this moment, it’s an exception.”

By choosing a partner, they were making a declaration—

‘I want to enjoy this moment with you.’

“A dance between a man and a woman is a way for them to affirm their emotions for each other. Out of the countless people here, it’s a statement that they wish to spend this time together, just the two of them.”

That was why this dance had no fixed form.

Meeting Glacia’s mismatched eyes, Si-woo raised the tempo.

Their strides grew longer.

He mixed in techniques that would be difficult for someone untrained to react to.

Whirl—!!

Yet, Glacia responded perfectly.

As if it were only natural, she countered Si-woo’s movements with techniques of her own.

Their gazes remained locked.

Even as they stepped forward.

Even as they reached out their hands.

Their eyes remained locked on each other.

No more words were needed.

They were already expressing their desires through the dance, moving in sync with each other’s rhythm.

The worry vanished from Glacia’s expression.

Her once stiff face and body melted away, carried by the heat of rising emotions.

“Haa… haa…”

Even as her breath grew ragged, Glacia didn’t slow down.

Face to face, they immersed themselves in the moment, savoring each other’s movements.

If it were you, you would move like this.

If it were you, you would respond like this.

If it were you…

If it were you…

The silent conversation repeated endlessly.

Yet, despite the improvisation, their movements took on a form of their own.

Crude yet beautiful, the dance they created was like a melody woven by a pair of lovers.

Then, in a fleeting moment, Glacia caught sight of her reflection in the ice.

She was smiling.

A radiant smile, as if she could never be happier.

But her gaze quickly returned to Si-woo’s eyes, unwilling to waste even a fraction of a second.

Just a little longer.

She wanted to enjoy this moment.

How much time had passed like this?

“Phew—!!”

Drenched in sweat, Glacia raised both arms and let herself collapse onto the floor.

She didn’t worry about hitting her head. It wasn’t just because her body wouldn’t be injured so easily.

“This marks the end, then.”

“I knew you would keep up with me.”

And once again, her partner had responded to her lead.

With a bright smile, she wrapped her arms around Si-woo’s neck.

And in response to that smile, Si-woo smiled just as brightly.

Because at that moment, her smile was simply too beautiful.

“Phew~”

Sinking into a bathtub filled with warm water, Glacia let out a heated breath.

For the first time, she had danced with a man.

That fact alone filled her heart with immense satisfaction.

However, beyond the joy, a greater shock overwhelmed her—a new emotion had taken root so deeply within her that it felt as if her heart might burst.

“…Is this love?”

Bubble, bubble…

She buried her face in the warm water that Si-woo had prepared.

A bath was a rare luxury in this place made entirely of ice and snow.

She barely had enough time to enjoy this fleeting moment.

I can’t calm down…

Glacia couldn’t control her emotions.

Love.

Not the affection one held for family or friends, but a noble emotion reserved for one special person.

Experiencing this feeling for the first time, Glacia clutched her head in frustration.

How am I supposed to express this…?

“…Come to think of it, the Hero seemed strangely familiar with this kind of situation.”

Had he already experienced moments like this with another woman?

Just imagining it made her stomach churn.

The desire to monopolize Si-woo clashed with the doubt of whether she even had the right to do so.

It was a thought she had never entertained before.

Each time the monster’s demonic energy faded, human emotions took its place.

And rather than desire, it was fear that surfaced first.

Worries about the future, concerns only humans were allowed to have, filled Glacia’s mind.

Bubble, bubble…

She sighed, her face half-submerged in the warm water.

She knew that brooding like this wouldn’t change anything.

Yet unpleasant thoughts continued to cloud her mind, leaving her restless.

I don’t deserve to be loved.

The thought resurfaced.

Shaking off the memories threatening to consume her, Glacia shut her eyes tightly.

“…It’s warm, but I still feel cold.”

The warmth of the water Si-woo had prepared seeped into her chilled body.

Each time, her body regained warmth, yet a part of her heart remained frozen.

Caught in the inexplicable mix of happiness and sorrow, Glacia slowly stood up.

“Haa… I should get out quickly.”

If she stayed alone, she would only fall deeper into troubling thoughts.

The Hero must be waiting for me, too.

With that, Glacia stepped out of the bath.

Srrrk.

“…?”

Just as Glacia was about to step out, the door suddenly slid open, as if blocking her path.

Had one of the attendants come to assist with her bath?

“What business do you have”

“…Eh?”

A familiar voice.

Through the steam-filled bathhouse, she could make out his silhouette.

Unlike the maids, who were all women, the figure standing there was broad and sturdy.

A well-defined, muscular body with no excess fat, his sculpted frame faintly etched itself into Glacia’s vision.

Only after a brief delay did she recognize the overwhelming presence radiating from that silhouette.

Her face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato.

“Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Hero?!”

“I’ve come to assist with your bath, Lady Glacia.”

Of course, she had never actually paid for such a service.

‘It’s time for your paid service.’

Dear customer, Lady Glacia.