Chapter 125: SHALL WE DANCE (1)

"You want to learn how to dance?"

Sieri nodded her head. In front of her stood the most famous dance teacher in the Southern Region. She was a person Erina had specially prepared for Sieri before Lusius's arrival. As the foremost expert in Southern Region social dance, she had competed in and won various dance competitions, and was also an excellent coach who had turned numerous noble young ladies into the stars of the ball.

Sieri fiddled with her fingers and spoke.

"W-well, since My Lord is a noble... I-I thought I shouldn't make any mistakes."

In fact, Sieri found this situation itself to be very unexpected. From Sieri's perspective, it was because she never thought the day would come when she would actually dance. The dance teacher who had now come up to Sieri's room was staring at Sieri with a very interested expression. She spoke.

"The ball is only about a week away, so I can't guarantee certain success. Is this your first time at a ball, Wife?"

"...Yes."

Sieri nodded her head as if confessing something shameful. Sieri had never been interested in the affairs of nobles, like balls or social gatherings. To Sieri, it had been nothing more than someone else's business.

Nobles dancing under a brilliant chandelier, a smooth whiskey glass reflecting the lights. The sound of laughter is heard over the clinking of glasses, and in the center of the ball, people gather in a circle and extend their hands to each other. Amidst the people dancing face to face, Lusius smiles and extends his hand.

And the fact that she would be dancing with Lusius also felt unrealistic.

"Then, would you like to try dancing once?"

The dance teacher said, slightly pushing up the round glasses on her wrinkled face. Sieri felt as if she were taking a test. She got up from her chair and cautiously extended a foot forward.

"U-uh, how should I dance?"

"Please dance the one you are most confident in. I need to grasp your basic flexibility, dance lines, and sense of rhythm to know where to start. So just perform the dance you're most confident in."

After finishing her words, the dance teacher picked up the violin she had placed beside her. Then she began to play the violin, tapping her foot rhythmically on the floor. Along with the unique beat felt from the floor's vibrations, the violin's melody began to flow. Sieri cautiously began to dance, waving her hands here and there to the music.

"Hnngh... Heup..."

If Lusius saw Sieri right now, wouldn't he think it was a game of speed quiz and immediately shout "Jellyfish!" on the spot? Sieri was writhing with all her might, but her movements were less like a dance and more like avant-garde performance art or an animal impression. The only fortunate thing for Sieri was that the dance teacher had seen countless noble young ladies with two left feet, so she didn't laugh at her.

After a bout of melody ended, Sieri wiped the sweat dripping from her forehead and asked the dance teacher with a satisfied expression.

"S-so, how was it?"

".....It's not terrible. You might get the hang of it with a little practice."

The dance teacher gave her assessment of Sieri with professional tact. Sieri seemed quite satisfied with just those words, squirming and blushing in embarrassment.

"Ah, to that, that extent..."

"Then, before we proceed with a simple class, this is a social dance, so we need a male role. I plan to bring a male social dance partner starting tomorrow, but will you, Wife, be bringing your husband, that is, My Lord Lusius?"

"Ah, is a... man absolutely necessary?"

"It doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman, but I can't have you learning social dance while holding onto empty space, Wife. And dancing with my studio's choreographer could lead to unfavorable rumors publicly, so I recommend dancing with your spouse if at all possible."

"B-but, telling My Lord is a little embarrassing..."

"Is that so. Still, we would appreciate it if you could find a partner. For today, I also need to plan the class, so I will take my leave here."

"Ah, yes. I understand."

The dance teacher then packed her violin and left the mansion. Sieri sat in her chair and sighed. She wanted to keep the fact that she couldn't dance a secret. It was because she was embarrassed. If Lusius found out, he would probably tease her or play pranks on her about it, and if she danced face-to-face with Lusius, her heart might just burst.

That's why she called the dance teacher without Lusius knowing. She handled the accounting costs herself, and it was a matter that had been permitted while Erina was acting as a proxy, so there was no way for Lusius to know she had called a dance teacher. Besides, Lusius was in a situation where he was going to work at the church every day as the Archdeity Church High Priest to handle a backlog of agenda items.

"What should I do..."

So Sieri wanted to hide it from Lusius even more. If she showed off her brilliant dancing skill on the day of the ball and led Lusius, he would surely be surprised. She wanted to tease him as much as she loved him, and she loved him as much as she wanted to tease him.

But to do that, she had to find a practice partner. Sieri began to think hard. First, Cellu was impossible since she had no legs. Eve was in a position where she had yielded the ball to her, so asking her to be a dance practice helper was a bit much. Soya's legs were unwell, and asking the knights was something she shouldn't do.

The only ones possible were Aira and Elsi, but Aira had an image of being a blabbermouth. It wasn't that she didn't trust Aira at all, but she too was mischievous and there was a high possibility she would tease or play pranks on Sieri for secretly practicing her dancing.

After roughly sorting them out, only Elsi was left. Come to think of it, she was the optimal partner for dance practice. She was a woman, tall enough to play the man's role, tight-lipped, and didn't play pranks often. As soon as Sieri reached a conclusion, she went downstairs and knocked on Elsi's room door.

When Sieri knocked on the room door, Elsi opened it. Elsi, who was mainly awake at night, usually spent her time from morning to day sleeping. She yawned and swished her tail. Sieri spoke.

"Ah, were you sleeping, Elsi?"

"Nun. Tell me what you want."

"Ah, well... it's a bit of a long story to talk about here, would you come to my room?"

"Alright."

At Sieri's summons, Elsi obediently went up to the room. Sieri's room exuded a nun-like neatness. In the middle of the room was an altar of the Archdeity Church like Lusius's, and the wardrobe was filled with only nun's habits. The bed was made of a hard material that didn't consider softness or the pleasure from sex at all, and there were no decorations.

The only thing that shone with diverse colors in her room was Sieri the person herself. Elsi frowned at the bleak room scenery and spoke.

"Nun. This room is too boring."

"It's a nun's room. More importantly, um... Elsi. I have a favor to ask."

"What is it. Say it. Nun is a good person. I will grant your favor."

Sieri couldn't hide her anxiety even as she spoke. Did Elsi even know what dancing was? Although Sieri was a very exemplary and sincere nun in the Archdeity Church, as a person of this world, she couldn't help but have prejudice against beastfolk.

This was because the common perception of beastfolk on this continent was that they were barbaric bastards who had no civilized commonalities with humans other than grilling and eating beasts. Even for Sieri, who knew Elsi wasn't such a being, she had never once seen her dance or hum a song, so she couldn't help but feel somewhat anxious about this part.

"Elsi. Have you ever danced before?"

"Dance? I have."

Sieri momentarily pictured a barbarian with strange stripes on their face, running naked around a campfire. Sieri, who had overlapped that barbarian with Elsi, shook her head again and repeated to herself. I am not a racist, to impose such an image on Elsi now is to dishonor Lusius, to smear my own face, and to insult Elsi who accepted me as a friend.

"W-well, what kind of dance have you done?"

"Even if you ask what kind of dance, it's the same as humans. We also sing and dance when we're happy. Is dancing different?"

"No. You're right, Elsi."

Sieri agreed with Elsi's words with a sullen expression, feeling guilt for having had such a discourteous thought. Elsi had no way of knowing why Sieri brought her here, only to smile, then frown, then force a smile again. Elsi tilted her head and asked.

"Why are you curious about dancing. If you want to see my dance, I will show you if you ask."

"Ah, no. I don't want to see your dance, Elsi."

"I don't like it if other people ask, but all the mansion people here are kind. I'll show you a dance."

Sieri once again took time to reflect on the wicked and base prejudice she had held. Elsi was treating her with such a pure heart, yet Sieri herself had held a mistaken prejudice about Elsi.

"W-well, the fact is, I need to practice dancing."

"Dance?"

"Yes. Humans do something called social dance at that ball, and I need to practice that dance."

"If it's dance practice, can't you just call the cleric? Everyone knows that clerics and nuns are in a copulation relationship."

Startled by Elsi's blunt statement, Sieri exclaimed, stuttering.

"N-no, that's, I mean! It's not a co-copulation relationship... it's..."

"It's?"

"...Please call us a married couple."

"Alright. But I don't know why you're not doing it with the cleric who is your married couple and asking me instead."

"That's..."

Sieri then recounted the story she had told the dance teacher, and the story of how she wanted to keep it a secret from Lusius. Elsi, who had listened to the story seriously, nodded her head and spoke.

"Alright. I will help you diligently."

"Thank you, Elsi."

It was a day a ray of light seeped into Sieri's heart.

*

"Aren't you practicing dancing, My Lord?"

Aira asked me. In my hand was the document for the dance lesson fee, which Erina had sealed and Sieri had paid for. It seemed she wanted to keep it a secret, but there are no secrets from me. I admitted that Erina was good at her job, but I couldn't trust her.

Who knows what kind of trick she might have pulled with the budget because I fucked AA. It was a coincidence that I found out Sieri's secret in the process, and I was sorry, but it couldn't be helped.

"Why practice when there's no need to dance anyway?"

"But Wife has been practicing dancing continuously these days. Then..."

In fact, what Sieri was doing right now was a rather meaningless act. The ones who dance at the ballroom are mainly unmarried men and women, and married people gather in small groups in the corners of the party hall to chat or eat, building fellowship in their own way. It was a place where you could leave without dancing even once if you wanted to.

"It's fine. Leave her be. Let's keep it a secret."

"I-is that really okay?"

But if that's the case, why don't I stop Sieri from practicing her dancing?

"It's cute, isn't it?"

Think about how happy Sieri will be teaching me how to dance.