Side Story 12. Dancing with the Three Heroes

Ugh…

I’ve already stepped on his foot so many times.

It didn’t seem this bad when we were practicing, but I was apparently more clumsy than I thought.

I stopped counting after eight. That’s how many times I had stepped on Johann’s feet.

Why is this music so long?

Please end, just end.

I couldn’t look Johann straight in the eye out of embarrassment. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, turned my head, peeked quickly, stole a glance while spinning…

Even though his feet should be battered by now, Johann remained perfect throughout. Far from showing pain, the happy smile on his lips only deepened.

Really.

What a strange taste.

Why does he like getting stepped on?

I know my husband is a pervert now, but I didn’t know he was this kind of pervert too. Don’t enjoy pain.

“Pfft.”

At that moment, I stepped on Johann’s foot once again.

“Don’t laugh.”

I glared at him coyly, but I was leaving the aftermath to Johann.

Every time I stepped on his foot due to my tangled steps, I naturally lost the rhythm. Then Johann would quickly wrap his arm around my waist or support me under my arm, lifting my body slightly.

In other words, I was moving like a puppet, floating off the ground as he led. Though I could catch up with the rhythm again at the end, people with keen eyes probably noticed it all. The Empress floating in the air like a paper doll.

How will I ever show my face in social circles after this embarrassment? Waaah.

I couldn’t even remember what state of mind I was in while dancing.

The music felt so long, but when it ended, I felt a bit regretful too. I could see a hint of lingering regret on Johann’s face as he stood gracefully opposite me, offering a closing bow.

“Shall we dance again?”

“Don’t joke around.”

I refused without a moment’s hesitation.

If I danced again right away, I felt like my mental state would crumble.

Johann laughed lightly as if it was a joke and extended his hand to escort me. And just as I was about to take that hand…

“I didn’t know you could dance.”

Claude abruptly cut in between us. I blinked in surprise.

“I learned it in etiquette class.”

As I managed to answer, Claude nodded as if to say that worked out well.

“……?”

Why are you nodding?

What does that mean?

Unlike my uncomprehending mind, the situation flowed quickly regardless of my will. Claude snatched my hand away, and Johann glared at Claude fiercely.

Surprisingly, he didn’t ask what Claude was doing.

“When exactly are you planning to leave?”

Instead, he asked the question he always asks when they meet.

Claude shamelessly snickered.

“You’re quite dull. How many times do I have to engrave my intentions into those ears of yours?”

The growling atmosphere was no joke.

I fidgeted, not knowing what to do with my hand captured by Claude. Meanwhile, I saw Mihail’s eyes flash from far away, buried among the nobles.

Aaack.

Don’t come!

Mihail, who had been exchanging a few words with a smiling face among the surrounding people, began to make his way through the crowd towards us.

Claude must have noticed it too, as he frowned fiercely and muttered a small curse.

“D*mn. It’s so d*mn hard to get one dance.”

“……”

I’ll have to dance with him even if just out of fear.

I looked at Johann with an ambiguous smile. It was a plea for help.

However, Johann only let out a groan of “Ugh” without swatting Claude’s hand away. If Mihail joined in here, it would turn into a mess.

I knew why Johann was acting like this. I learned from Countess Adria. At a banquet, it was customary to dance the first dance with your partner. But for the second and third dances, it didn’t matter who you danced with.

Even if you didn’t want to dance, it was impolite to outright refuse. You had to make up a plausible excuse, like needing to have a conversation with someone else.

The problem was…

Did I want to refuse dancing with Claude?

I looked into his bright red eyes. Eyes that reminded me of blazing flames. Eyes that made people feel sorry.

Claude was in the midst of saying goodbye to me.

There was no reason not to help make that ending beautiful.

“Dance with me.”

Claude spoke in an urgent voice. He seemed to want to settle this before Mihail arrived.

“Okay.”

“What?”

“I said okay. Let’s dance.”

I properly took Claude’s hand, which he had been gripping roughly. I just lightly wrapped my hand around his wrist, but Claude loosened his grip, making it easier for me to move.

Claude looked dazed, as if his soul had left him. I took the lead.

I stepped back and curtsied slightly. Claude then bowed politely with one hand behind his back.

It was the greeting before dancing.

Mihail stopped in his tracks with a stiff face. Johann sighed with a complicated expression and turned his head away.

Just then, a waltz began.

I started dancing with Claude.

By the way, this waltz’s rhythm was the one I was weakest at…

“What’s this? You can’t dance at all.”

When I stepped on his foot for the third time, Claude finally spoke as if he couldn’t hold back anymore.

“It’s not that I can’t dance at all, you know?”

“We haven’t even made one full turn yet, and you’ve stepped on me three… no, four times.”

“I’m sorry. I might step on you about 30 times.”

“Well…”

Claude made an expression of disbelief, then muttered as if there was nothing he could do.

“I’m suffering for asking you to dance.”

“……”

This b*stard.

He’s making me want to curse after so long.

I’m trying to make our last moments beautiful, you know? Huh? I’m dancing consecutively after ruining my first dance and with my mental state in tatters, but you don’t even realize this deep meaning.

I wanted to pour out a torrent of complaints, but I was too focused on the steps to have any leeway.

When will I reach the level where I can enjoy dancing without being so conscious of it?

Hoping it wouldn’t take too long, I concentrated on the waltz’s rhythm, Claude’s movements, and the next move I needed to make.

Honestly, it was a mess.

I should apologize even if Claude cursed at me. If those shoes were taken off, wouldn’t the great hero’s feet be covered in blue bruises?

Thinking that, I glanced at Claude’s expression. Instead of making our last moments beautiful, it looked like I was decorating them with bruises…

“The waltz is too short.”

Ah…

It really was an unnecessary worry.

No matter how badly I messed up the dance, all of that was just a trivial matter. One more good memory. That alone was enough to compensate for everything and more.

This memory was a gift for me too.

My strict superior, colleague, and friend.

No matter what anyone said, Claude was an important person to me. Sincerely wishing for his happiness, I took a step back. I grasped the edges of my dress with both hands, lifting it slightly as I curtsied at the end.

Claude also gave me a gentleman’s bow.

To dominate the center of the banquet hall with a face that looked ready to slay undead. Feeling the gazes focused on us now, I newly realized Claude’s popularity.

Well, I guess.

How often would people get to see the Guardian of the North?

I didn’t know for sure, but now people would probably swarm around Claude like hyenas, trying to make connections however they could. Seeming to be aware of this fact, Claude glanced at the people gathering in small groups and stealing looks at us, then let out a shallow sigh.

“If you’re done with your business, get lost.”

It was then that a new voice cut in.

“Sir Andantino.”

So now it’s your turn, is it?

I looked at Mihail, barely holding back the laughter that threatened to burst out. He was giving Claude a look that said to hurry up and move aside. Having just finished dancing, Claude had no grounds to resist and chewed on a small curse.

But what could he do with so many eyes watching?

In the end, Claude stepped back with a disgruntled face, and Mihail lifted my hand as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Sir Andantino…”

There was a firm pressure in the hand that held mine.

He had always been fixated on my hands. I could naturally tell that Mihail was just tightly gripping my hand now, since he could no longer do as he used to.

I wonder how my voice sounded.

Mihail, who had been fixating his gaze on our joined hands, raised his head and formed a smooth smile.

“Miss Sera, you shine especially brightly even when dancing.”

“Thank you.”

I responded with a bright smile.

Somehow, a sad feeling crept in, making my heart ache. I could feel that the farewell was drawing near.

Music with the same rhythm as the first dance I had started to play. Having done it once before, I made far fewer mistakes. Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy dancing most comfortably with Mihail among the three.

It seemed I was the type to improve quickly through actual experience. When practicing under Countess Adria’s direction, my progress had been so slow.

One two, one two three.

Counting the now-familiar steps, I looked at Mihail.

A dreamlike floating sensation enveloped me.

The dazzling light from the magnificent chandelier shone upon us.

Beneath it, I enjoyed the honor of dancing with the three heroes. It was surely a memory I would never forget for a long time.