Dance Preparation

“One, two… one, two…”

Following the rhythm in her mind, the young lady paced her room, stretching her limbs.

This was dance practice.

The young lady’s twelfth birthday was fast approaching.

For a noble lady, this age marked a critical turning point… At twelve, they would step onto the battlefield known as the “social season,” displaying their family’s strength and forging alliances with other nobles, or perhaps gathering more followers…

But for a young girl, thoughts of romance often loomed larger.

Even with a betrothal, she might yearn to meet her beloved… even if just to talk, it would be enough to satisfy her budding heart.

…I wonder what the young lady thinks, but surely no man could surpass the Second Prince.

More importantly, for her, the upcoming ball and birthday celebration hosted by the ducal family carried immense weight. The entire realm knew of the recent blows to the family’s reputation, and many forces were eyeing the ducal resources with greed…

Thus, one major purpose of this ball was to show the world that the House of Anist had not fallen, that it still possessed the strength to intimidate other nobles.

Because of this, the young lady had to perform flawlessly at the ball.

She deeply understood the importance of her birthday ball.

So now, she was skipping knight training and even using her rest time to practice dancing.

But…

“…Wah!?”

Mid-step, the young lady tripped over her own feet and fell.

…Was that the tenth time today?

I hurriedly set aside my tasks and helped her up.

…For someone so naturally gifted in athletics, the young lady was, for some reason, utterly hopeless at dancing.

“Are you alright, young lady?”

“I’m fine… the carpet cushioned it. It doesn’t hurt.”

“…”

Even with a carpet, falling this many times would cause some injury.

I checked her hand, and as expected, it was slightly red and swollen.

“Young lady, let’s stop for today and rest a bit. I’ll prepare some tea and snacks for you.”

“But… this ball is so important. Brother has already taken on so much… It’s my turn to contribute. I can’t afford to mess up while dancing with the prince and bring shame to the House of Anist.”

“Even so, you shouldn’t overdo it. Exhausting yourself would defeat the purpose.”

With my persuasion, the young lady seemed less resistant, so I gently guided her to sit at the table.

“There’s still a month left. I’ll be with you the whole time, so there’s no need to rush. Take it slowly.”

Good, she’s finally sitting calmly.

But she’s still rubbing her thumb… After three years together, I’ve come to understand some of her subtle habits.

When she’s happy, her movements become livelier. When she’s angry, she puffs out her cheeks. And when she’s anxious, like now, she rubs her thumb.

“Please wait a moment, young lady.”

With that, I left the room.

…This time, I’ll brew her some herbal tea to calm her nerves.

She’s been exercising, so she’s probably hungry. I’ll pair it with some cookies or something filling.

For dinner, I’ll choose ingredients that are good for her health and satisfying…

Since the young lady is working so hard, I have to ensure her health is well-managed!

(Caterina’s Perspective)

“…Sigh.”

After Ailena left, I let out a deep sigh.

“Why… is it always so difficult?”

I know the reason all too well.

—I simply can’t muster the enthusiasm to dance.

I fully understand the importance of this ball.

But…

I just can’t get motivated.

[“The key to a partner dance is to think of the other person.”]

That’s what my dance instructor told me.

…It feels a bit disrespectful to the prince, but the thought of holding hands and dancing with another man leaves me completely uninspired, let alone thinking about him.

If possible, I’d much rather dance with Ailena.

…But traditionally, partner dances are between a man and a woman. A dance between two women would be unheard of.

And for a noble lady, the first dance must be with her betrothed.

…How I wish my first dance could be with Ailena.

If I could, I’d even want to take the lead and dance with her as the man.

But… in Ailena’s eyes, I’m just a child, like a little sister.

My affection is probably just playful teasing to her.

[“You’d better acknowledge your true feelings soon, or you’ll only make yourself miserable~ Heh heh heh!”]

The old woman’s cackling laughter echoed in my mind.

…If I confessed my feelings, would things change?

A small spark of hope flickered, but I quickly dismissed it.

No… Ailena and I are both girls. If I said something like that, it would surely trouble her.

She might even think I’m strange and come to dislike me…

The thought of that future sent a chill through my hands and feet, making it hard to breathe.

That’s why I’ve been so hesitant, too afraid to cross that line…

If I were a man, would I be able to express my feelings more easily?

No… If I were a man, Ailena wouldn’t even be my exclusive maid.

But at the same time, I don’t want to let go.

It probably started after meeting Lilith, when my feelings for Ailena became impossible to suppress.

Before, I could convince myself it was just admiration, but now I can’t even fool myself anymore.

I want to be with her, to feel her warmth, her breath. I can’t stand seeing her get close to others…

…And in the end, I almost made a terrible mistake, hurting someone else and hurting Ailena.

Even I can see how contradictory I am.

I’m stuck, unable to move forward, yet unwilling to give up.

“I’m such a hopeless fool…”

I laughed bitterly at myself.

At this rate, I’ll end up hating myself…

Knock, knock.

“Young lady, I’m back.”

Snapping out of my thoughts, I saw Ailena return with tea and snacks.

Her smile was full of care and affection.

…Why is she so lovable?

My emotions surged again, threatening to overflow.

…Taking a small step forward should be okay, right?

“Hey, Ailena.”

“What is it, young lady?”

I looked at the young lady and saw her gazing at me with a serious expression.

“Ailena, would you practice dancing with me? A partner dance is easier with someone to dance with.”

The young lady is really dedicated… I want to help her, but the problem is…

“Young lady, I don’t know how to dance…”

As a commoner, how would I have learned noble social dances?

To be honest, I’ve never even seen a dancer’s performance up close.

“It’s okay. You just need to follow my movements. I’ll lead you, and you don’t need to be skilled.”

“…Is that so?”

Is that really alright? But if the young lady says so…

“Then I suppose it’s fine.”

At that, the young lady narrowed her eyes and curved her lips into a smile.

“Great, it’s settled then.”