“Did you measure well?”
“Yup! They said they’ll make it cute!”
Millia jumped into my arms, rubbing her face against my belly like a puppy. Why is she acting so much like a little dog? While I patted Millia’s head, I noticed the girls approaching me.
“Johann, did the work go well?”
“Mostly. I just talked a bit today. I need to focus on preparing for the debutante ball for a while.”
After all, preparing for the debutante ball will naturally become preparation for fighting demons. It’s pretty much a setup where both the demons and I know each other just testing the waters, but I’ve got a solid weapon on my side.
Original knowledge.
Even if there are already many variables that make it hard to completely trust that, it seems like it mostly holds up, so the probability of Cidri being around is quite high.
If I can capture Cidri, who’s lurking among the nobles, I could dig a bit deeper into the relationship between the outsiders and the demons. Even if I can’t capture her, just killing her would throw a wrench in the plan.
There aren’t that many demons who can hide among humans after all.
Cidri is one of the weaker ones among demons and excels at concealing her energy, making her unique in this regard.
“I wanna go to the debutante ball too~”
“It probably won’t be that fun if you do.”
I patted Millia’s back gently while tolerating her whining. Like a child, she snuggled into my arms even more. Caught in this familiar scene, Karina smiled and patted Millia’s head, coaxing her.
“A debutante ball isn’t a place for fun. It’s a battlefield without weapons. You’d just get bullied there, so why not wait for the garden party that Johann is going to host?”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely.”
Seeming to understand Karina’s words, Millia lifted her face from my belly and looked at Karina. With an almost daughter-like behavior, Sif chimed in.
“No matter how you look at it, it seems more like a daughter or a younger sister than a romantic partner…”
“No way!”
“No, it’s true. Anyone would think it’s impossible for an uncle to be with her.”
“I’ll grow up to be like Karina too!”
…Do dullahans grow up?
Thinking about it, they’re not exactly undead, but calling them pure humans is a stretch, so it’s hard to predict anything. It seems like Rue’s brainwash beam doesn’t work on her anymore too.
Considering everything, she’s close to a completely new species, making her very existence an unexpected variable.
Well, if I keep living, things will gradually reveal themselves, so no need to worry too much. I glanced at Millia, now with Karina, and started walking down the corridor again.
With so many people around, standing in the corridor would just cause trouble for the staff. Just like that maid in front of me, who seemed to be hesitating.
“Sorry. I should get to work.”
“Ah…yes! Thank you! S-Sir Quartz!”
I didn’t do anything, but I somehow felt a bit gloomy as I walked down the corridor again. Naturally, Elisa and Karina held my hand, playfully tickling my palm with their fingers.
It seems they’ve taken a liking to this prank lately.
“Is today’s schedule done?”
“We’ve got dance lessons coming up. The dance instructor is visiting our mansion, so it’s time to head back.”
I never thought I’d be taking dance lessons in my life. I’ve had absolutely no connection to dancing, so I’m wondering if I’ll even be able to dance properly.
…What’s the point in worrying about it now?
I’ll find out once I try.
We quickly climbed into a carriage heading back to the mansion. Thanks to the number of people, three carriages were necessary.
————————–
“I am Marlen Joshua, the Lady Baroness. Please call me Lady Marlen.”
“I am Johann Quartz, Baron. Just call me Sir Quartz.”
“Hoho, I look forward to working with you, Sir Quartz.”
Is it just getting started now? After returning to the mansion and finishing lunch, Karina and I guided Lady Marlen to a room we had prepped for dance practice.
There was a slightly awkward moment when she almost broke her poker face upon seeing my face for the first time, but she quickly returned to a professional smile and addressed me.
“Where is your partner?”
“It’s me.”
Leaning against the wall, Karina quietly approached me and answered. Lady Marlen looked surprised at Karina, then when Karina silently placed a finger on her lips, she opened her mouth in a slightly trembling voice.
“Y-Yes…Lady Rina. Y-You two make a nice pair…”
No doubt she’s figured it out. How did she catch on? Maybe she’s seen Karina up close before. Changing hair and eye colors won’t hide the beautiful face she has.
To begin with, it’s ambiguous to say we were trying to hide it at all.
“Fufu, there’s no need to hide it, Lady Marlen.”
“But, th-the Saint is…right now…”
“Please feel free to treat her normally. If we’re going to the debutante ball, everyone will find out anyway. Just keep it quiet until then.”
“I-I apologize.”
Is this the power of a saint? Even the lady who was just smiling is in a panic now.
To calm the panicking Lady Marlen, I lent Karina a hand.
“Just think of me as a regular student and teach us.”
“Y-Yes…that is correct…a student…”
Why is she alternating between looking at Karina and me? Is she trying to gauge our relationship? It was only after a few minutes that Lady Marlen finally managed to announce the start of our dance lesson with a calmer expression.
“Now, please face each other and hold hands. Lace your fingers lightly, and your feet should be shoulder-width apart…”
The dance lesson was…to put it bluntly, difficult. Using my body for combat relies on instinct and spontaneous calculations, but dancing requires graceful movements and calculated steps to create beautiful curves.
And to make things even more complicated, there were some variables to dance that were no laughing matter.
While dancing, Karina’s chest was constantly brushing against my chest area.
Well, it was more like rubbing at this point. Karina seemed to notice it too, slightly taken aback at first, but eventually started playfully teasing me more.
Help me.
“One, two, three, four…”
I listened to Lady Marlen’s voice, focusing on Karina’s eyes. Blood was pooling at my lower regions, but somehow I was still holding on. If I messed up here… well, I wouldn’t be able to face Lady Marlen.
Two torturous hours passed before the hellish dance lesson finally concluded.
“Today’s lesson ends here due to scheduling, Saint.”
“Fufu, I’m counting on you tomorrow too.”
Once Lady Marlen left, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and leaned against the wall. This was tougher than facing off against outsiders at the World Tree. I spoke to Karina, who was sitting with her knees hugged up beside me.
“Karina, I’d appreciate it if you cut out the teasing. My social life… is in danger.”
“Fufu, it’s cute to see Johann feel bashful.”
Karina looked up at me, giggling as if her prank had worked wonderfully. The view of her chest spilling sideways was a bit too stimulating.
When did Karina become so alluring? She used to seem innocent, but after becoming my partner, she’s starting to resemble Millia more and more.
The issue is that thanks to her figure, the power of that resemblance has doubled…
“I’m still a man. I can’t just ignore it when my partner directly tempts me.”
“Fufu, you’re so cute.”
“…I don’t think ‘cute’ is quite the right word.”
“But you are cute.”
Now she’s hitched onto a serious love delusion. I absently ran my fingers through Karina’s soft hair and asked her.
“Funny enough, you seem pretty used to this. Have you taken dance lessons before?”
“Yes, but it was a long time ago… I was invited to a royal banquet when I was young, even if I never debuted.”
“When you were young… I’d like to see that.”
In the games, there were hardly any glimpses of her younger self. It’s only natural to be curious to see what she looked like in person.
“When I was little, I was a bit shorter, and, um… my chest wasn’t this big. My face was rounder than now…”
Karina whispered sweetly in my ear, suggesting that I imagine it.
With the slightly humid scent drifting from her body and her sweet voice, I closed my eyes and envisioned Karina as a child, as she described.
Smaller, youthful Karina.
If now she’s a breathtaking beauty, her young self must have been at an age where she still had her cuteness intact. The fact that her youthful figure strengthened that impression further can’t be ignored.
If she’s around the same age as Millia, I could imagine her throwing a tantrum sometimes.
I’d love to see her act spoiled like Millia.
“Karina, could you act a little spoiled like Millia?”
“M-Millia-like?”
Karina asked with a reluctant expression. My suggestion seems to catch her off-guard. I continued to speak to persuade her.
“There’s no one here. A little bit wouldn’t hurt, right?”
“Well, if you insist…”
Karina quietly stood up and walked over to me. Then she gently sat on my thigh, hugged me, and buried her face in my chest.
“Is this… okay…?”
I didn’t say anything and gently brushed her hair, just like I did with Millia. Initially shy, she quickly seemed to get used to it, accepting my touch without a word.
“It feels surprisingly… comfortable.”
“I’m glad.”
We remained like that for quite a while.
Until we heard Renny’s voice from beyond the practice room door.
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