“Did you hear, Agares? ‘Quartz’ is making his debut!”
“I know.”
“What’s with the boring response? Shouldn’t you show a more dramatic reaction? We’re talking about Quartz!”
Cidri pouted her lips as if unimpressed and quickly turned her head away.
“So what? He’s nothing but scraps.”
Agares removed the cigarette from his mouth and replied to her with a bored expression.
“That scrap took down Harpas, you know?”
“Yeah, he did. But that guy couldn’t even act on his own will, just played puppet until he got killed. What kind of strategist is that? He died tied to a leash, flailing around like a mere human.”
“That’s how you end up suddenly, whoosh~.”
“Focus on your own tasks. Stir up as much discord between the princes as possible. It’s essential for dismantling the humans.”
“Leave it to me~. Those human guys will be powerless in a matter of a few words~. Oh, should I try to work some magic on that Quartz scrap too~?”
“Don’t act rashly.”
“What? Are you doubting my abilities~?”
Cidri’s eyes sharpened. Ignoring her clear irritation, Agares retorted.
“Who are you showing your teeth to? Do you think you have the position to complain to me?”
At his words, Cidri turned her gaze away and attempted a faint resistance. No matter how large the gap in power between them, it didn’t mean she could suppress her annoyance.
“Isn’t it okay for comrades to be this way? I might just switch sides over there~?”
“Stop babbling nonsense and focus on your tasks. Now get out without getting in my way.”
“Tsk. Always showing off.”
Cidri huffed and slammed the door shut as she left. Agares sighed as he stared at the door for a moment before putting the cigarette back in his mouth.
‘Quartz… has he noticed our existence? If so…’
——————–
“Johann! Dance with me too! Please?”
“If you really want to.”
That evening after the final dance lesson before the debutante ball, while strolling through the garden after dinner, Millia suddenly asked me to dance. I had no reason to refuse, so I happily accepted her request.
“Hehe, I want to dance like Karina too!”
“Dance? Like what the contractor and Karina do?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to try it too!”
I knew you were curious, just like Millia. I turned to Elisa, who was watching from my side.
“Do you want to join in?”
“Huh?!”
“I’m talking about dancing.”
“…I, I want to too…”
“Then we should go in order. Karina, Renny, could you step back for a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Okay.”
I’m glad Karina has a generous personality. If she were jealous, I wouldn’t be able to act like this. I awkwardly got into position and looked at Millia, holding my hand.
“Alright, first, follow my movements…”
One, two, three, four.
Slowly, smoothly, and finally gently taking steps. Since Millia had never danced, my movements were slower than when we first started dancing lessons. Her steps, like a turtle’s, squished the grass beneath her.
I watched Millia, who was a bit awkward but was catching up, and asked her.
“Can you keep up?”
“Yeah! This is fun!”
In a way, dancing with Millia was easier. Even though she’s clumsy, with Karina, the moment she gets close, she mercilessly crushes my chest.
If I hadn’t built up my endurance over ten years on a deserted island, I would’ve been in trouble. Though I call it endurance, it’s just that I lived in a place where I was the only human and occasionally talked to corpses, which only increased my patience.
“Hehe, I want to dance at the ball too…”
“You can dance at the garden party.”
“Oh, right!”
“Millia, it’s time to pass it to Rue.”
“Can’t we dance a little longer?”
“Unfortunately, there are two people waiting behind you.”
“Got it…”
Millia reluctantly pulled away, making a disappointed face, and then Rue approached me, puffing her cheeks and striking a clumsy pose.
“Is this how it’s done?”
“Spread your legs a bit more, and your hands should be like this…”
I slowly corrected Rue’s posture. Maybe she was too excited, but her exaggerated movements meant it took longer to adjust her than I expected.
“Like this?”
“Yeah. When I move my feet, you need to match them.”
“Got it!”
Shall we get started?
One, two, three…
“It’s all wobbly!”
One, two, three…
“This is hard?!”
One, two, three…
“Ouch! I stepped on it again!”
Why does it feel like as we keep dancing, she’s targeting my feet? I paused, feeling my feet beginning to throb, and said to Rue.
“You shouldn’t step on feet while dancing.”
“Is it not allowed?”
“Exactly. Dancing isn’t about fighting.”
“I see~.”
I’ve pointed it out, so she should get better, I hope. With a small hope, I spent about five minutes stepping with Rue.
And the marks on my shoes became even clearer.
“…You’re really bad at dancing.”
“Bad at dancing? What’s that mean?”
“Nothing you need to know.”
I stuffed the fact that Rue was tremendously bad at dancing into the back of my mind and glanced at Elisa, who was waiting for her turn, fidgeting. Elisa approached me, her face full of anticipation once Rue stepped back.
“Okay, please take care of me…”
“Having watched Millia and Rue, you know what to do, right?”
“Um… a little bit…”
“Then just learn by doing.”
I interlocked hands with Elisa and formed a stance. Elisa awkwardly spread her legs and arms to follow my movements.
We quickly completed the pose. Thankfully, she didn’t seem as clumsy as Rue.
…Maybe it’s because of the pressure from her chest on my stomach that helped me maintain balance. Perhaps due to that, Elisa’s face turned a peachy hue.
She seems bold but also shy.
I whispered to the cute responding Elisa.
“Don’t tense up too much. Just trust me. Moving as I lead is enough.”
No complicated techniques are needed. After all, a ball isn’t a dance hall. All we need is to relax and enjoy the flow.
This isn’t a ballroom after all.
Elisa seemed to understand my words, loosening her body and following my movements.
One step, two steps. As Elisa awkwardly followed my steps, she seemed to have gotten used to the dance, showing a shy smile while our gazes met under the moonlight, her purple eyes sparkling.
“This feels like a dream…”
“It looks like you enjoy dancing.”
“Of course, it’s dancing with you, Johann.”
Is she saying she likes dancing with her partner? I chuckled softly at her cute answer as I stepped a bit closer. The distance between us clearly dwindled. I enjoyed the sensation of her chest pressing down on my stomach as I whispered in her ear.
“I also enjoy dancing with you.”
“Johann, you’re a tease…”
“You’re just too lovable, so it can’t be helped.”
“Wow… This is turning into a whole playboy thing. Karina! At this rate, you might end up bringing home double digits.”
How unfair—where do they interpret me as a playboy? I’m just casually dating multiple people with their consent. It’s not like I’m some smooth-talking womanizer.
“Johann would never do that…”
“Exactly! The man who wouldn’t even stand up when pressed!”
Trying to shield me, are we? I halted my steps to glare at Millia for her bombshell statement.
“…I’m not impotent. I just have strong patience.”
“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen you ‘handle’ anything personally… In the past… No, that can’t be right?”
Millia’s bombshell comment sent shockwaves, and Renny looked at me with an eye of disbelief.
“Johann… are you alright? I can use healing magic for you…”
“I assure you, that’s not the case.”
I can grow and shrink normally. It’s been a while since I’ve done so, though… As I emphasized my point with a frustrated expression, the girls nodded awkwardly but couldn’t shake off suspicion.
“Johann, just in case…”
“I get it, so stop already. Hearing it is giving me a complex…”
“Sorry.”
“Not at all.”
It could happen. To be honest, not having much desire for ten years alone is true. It’s probably due to my skills.
“Anyway, look forward to the next dance at the garden party.”
“Okay!”
Just half a day until the debutante ball.
The start of demon hunting is about to begin.
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