“Your provincial sensibilities may differ, Lilia, but to become a member of the noble imperial court, one must purify both body and mind. A wanton past should be swiftly put in order.”
At my use of the word ‘wanton,’ Lilia’s complexion turned pale.
“What are you talking about? It was my elder sister who wantonly frolicked with men. Have you forgotten Sir Arin’s confession of her infidelity?”
“Ah, that ‘Arin Tosen’ who harmed his lord and went to prison? He was a knight devoid of any sincerity, so his words cannot be trusted, can they?”
When I retorted with a sneer, Lilia fell silent. I clicked my tongue at her with great relish.
“As a proxy of the goddess, how could I stand by and watch a child of the goddess stray down a wrong path? Especially when that wrong path casts a foul influence not only on the person involved but on those around them as well……”
It was then.
A prickling sensation of a gaze on my cheek made me stop mid-sentence and glance around.
Despite the flowing music, almost no one was dancing.
Instead, a larger crowd than before had formed a circle around us.
Those who had been openly watching us averted their eyes and feigned indifference when our gazes met.
Ah.
I have been in a similar situation before.
「Let go of me! I am the daughter of Duke Roam! Do you think you can treat me like this and get away with it?」
On the day I was bound by imperial knights and dragged before the tribunal, the spectators who had come to watch the trial looked at me with those very same expressions.
People who took delight in my fall, who sneered, who were curious, who saw it as an entertaining spectacle to watch.
They were the very people standing here now.
‘Their next spectacle will be Lilia.’
The combative emotion I had mustered vanished in an instant, like a campfire doused with water.
“I worry that the imperial court, which had finally quieted by the goddess’s blessing, might be tainted again by negative energy.”
I muttered indifferently and turned away. Lilia said something to me, but I could no longer hear it.
I felt nauseous and wanted only to leave this place as quickly as possible.
* * *
After muddling through the first day’s banquet, I sent word that I would not attend the second day.
For the guest of honor to be absent was an act of great discourtesy to the host of the banquet, but as someone who paid no heed to the imperial family’s sensibilities, I was not bothered in the slightest.
My absence was sudden, so the other attendees would likely hear the news at the banquet hall. However, I informed Heinri, Samuel, and Xenon in advance.
Heinri, of course, said he would attend the banquet alone. Samuel seemed reluctant to attend but appeared unable to choose freely due to the priests.
And Xenon…
“It’s so peaceful here!”
…was enjoying his freedom beside Bark’s cage like that.
“Weren’t you afraid of Bark?”
“Compared to those dreadful stares yesterday, I’d rather have a Dullahan.”
I glanced at him shivering and making a fuss, then slumped into a chair. The chair was long enough to almost lie down on, so it was quite comfortable.
“Wow, you can hear the noise all the way here.”
As Xenon said, the clamor of the banquet, however large it was, drifted faintly to us. I don’t know if Xenon could hear it, but to my ears, I could even distinguish the music.
“I really don’t see what’s so fun about that sort of thing.”
“Delicious food, pleasant music, enjoyable dancing.”
I answered with my eyes gently closed, and Xenon’s sulky retort came.
“You can enjoy food and music without a banquet, can’t you?”
“But dancing is best enjoyed in a banquet hall.”
And I dance well. Naturally, doing something you’re good at is enjoyable.
After I finished speaking, Xenon fell silent for a moment. Then, a little belatedly, he replied.
“It seems you like dancing.”
“It’s not bad for a change of pace now and then.”
The conversation lapsed again.
I peeked open an eye toward Xenon and saw him with his gaze lowered, lost in thought.
“It seems not everything here is something Lady Anelli dislikes.”
“Of course not. My whole life is here.”
Everything Lilia took from me were things I had loved.
Some were taught by my mother, but many I learned because I enjoyed them. I greatly relished the splendid life and the reigning status.
“I see.”
Xenon gave a small nod and raised his head. The direction he was looking was toward the banquet hall, though it wasn’t visible from here.
Perhaps because I was watching Xenon from a near-reclining position on the chair, his face seemed half-shadowed.
I stared at him, lost in thought as he gazed into the distance, and then abruptly spoke.
“Who knows. You might find dancing outside the banquet hall more enjoyable.”
At my offhand remark, Xenon glanced toward me. He seemed to take my words as a sort of dance invitation and awkwardly replied.
“Actually, I’m not good at dancing.”
He shrugged his shoulders and gave an awkward smile.
“Because I can’t dance… I couldn’t ask you yesterday either.”
I watched Xenon, who was avoiding my eyes with an embarrassed expression, and impulsively asked.
“Shall I teach you?”
“Huh?”
“I’m good at it.”
Xenon, his eyes wide open, fell silent for a long moment before replying in a daze.
“……Sh… shall we?”
Hearing his answer, I promptly rose to my feet. Though it was evening, lights were lit here and there in the backyard, so it wasn’t dark.
And as for music… the melody drifting from afar would suffice.
* * *
Anelli’s claim that she danced well was true.
Even to Xenon, who knew nothing of dancing, Anelli’s movements were splendid. As he had felt yesterday, he thought he could watch her all day without getting bored.
Unfortunately, however, despite her skill, she did not prove to be an excellent teacher.
Whether she lacked talent for teaching or had no intention of teaching seriously from the start, he couldn’t tell.
“Why won’t this work?”
Hearing Anelli’s mutter, which sounded like a soliloquy, Xenon felt embarrassed on his own behalf. Remembering how Samuel had danced with her so pointedly yesterday made him even more ashamed.
‘I’m clearly moving as instructed.’
Xenon, who had been stiffly moving his limbs according to her directions, let his shoulders slump with a resigned voice.
“It seems I’m just not suited for it.”
“More like we chose the wrong dance. This tune really won’t do.”
“The tune?”
“Yes. This current tune.”
Anelli’s gaze turned toward the direction of the banquet hall.
Only then did Xenon realize she had been listening to the distant clamor of the banquet hall.
To him, it was just a jumbled mix of sounds, but it seemed Anelli had been precisely listening to the music.
“Ah, what a relief. The next tune is very simple.”
“I can’t tell at all.”
“Can’t you hear the music?”
“Isn’t it strange that I can hear it?”
He didn’t want to treat her as odd if he could help it, but this time he had no choice.
Seeing Xenon’s indignant protest, Anelli rubbed her chin in thought. Then, as if having made a decision, she shook her head.
“I’ll hum the rhythm for you, so try to follow along.”
By this point, it seemed Anelli had become stubbornly determined to see Xenon properly dance at least one tune.
Seeing her strangely fired up with fighting spirit, Xenon gave a wry smile and nodded.
However, Xenon soon found himself tensing up again.
“Eek! You startled me!”
The reason was that, unlike before, Anelli had stepped right up close to him.
Xenon reflexively tried to step back, but as Anelli took his hand and placed hers on his shoulder, he could only stop awkwardly.
“How do you expect to dance standing so far apart?”
“The posture is different from before!”
“The tune changed, so the posture is different.”
“No, wait, this is a bit…”
“Here, your hand like this. No, hold here. You have to support my waist. Do you intend to let me fall?”
Anelli took his hand and adjusted its position herself.
The waist encircled by just one arm was exceedingly slender. Standing so close, Anelli’s delicate frame felt particularly pronounced.
Xenon felt blood rush to his whole body and unconsciously swallowed hard.
And what was this scent about?
‘Did she use perfume?’
When they were camping, he didn’t recall such an intriguing smell.
‘No. We were never this close to begin with…’
Whether she knew of Xenon’s bewildered state or not, Anelli continued her explanation without hesitation.
“Imagine surrendering your body to gentle waves. Now, left foot first.”
Finishing her explanation, she hummed softly and pulled him along.
Helplessly dragged by her force, Xenon’s mind grew increasingly chaotic.
‘Her singing voice is surprisingly quite good? But were her hands always this small?’
“Three steps. Yes, the stride is good.”
‘Her waist is too slender. Is the imperial court’s fare too meager? …But no matter how I think about it, this is too close. Did she dance like this with other men?’
“Xenon, are you not concentrating?”
At Anelli’s scolding, Xenon snapped back to attention. But his concentration didn’t last even five minutes. His mind was soon filled with all sorts of random thoughts.
Trying to somehow shake off the rambling thoughts branching in his mind, Xenon, with half-resigned feelings, glanced down.
Looking down from up close, he took in at a glance Anelli’s face turned to the side, her straight neck, and her shoulders.
‘Her dress is a bit… Isn’t she cold?’
“Turn here.”
A slight pressure came from Anelli’s hand resting on Xenon’s shoulder.
Naturally, their bodies spun, tracing a large circle. The hem of her skirt fluttered roundly with the motion.
Just as naturally, yesterday’s image of Anelli rose in Xenon’s mind.
A figure so dazzling it was beyond description. Anelli, properly adorned, was more beautiful than anyone else present.
During the time Xenon was undergoing trials with Nessi, he had heard rumors of Lilia Roam, whose face and heart were said to be of unparalleled beauty.
But at yesterday’s banquet, he came to think that the rumors he had heard about Lilia might actually have been referring to Anelli.
‘As for the heart… since it’s not visible, I’ll let that pass.’