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Hair fluttered.
Footsteps never ceased.
The sound of soles tapping against the floor shifted from slightly erratic to gradually synchronized.
And then—
In the spacious banquet hall, two danced together.
Yet only one set of footsteps remained.
Hilda and Eris' steps had merged into one.
Hilda watched the girl before her—completely absorbed in the excitement of learning something new, as if playing an amusing game, growing more and more exhilarated with each movement. For a moment, her expression seemed dazed.
But in the next instant, she composed herself, her demeanor returning to normal as she chose to continue the half-finished lesson.
"Mmm, the basic steps are just like this. As expected, when compared to swordsmanship, Eris picks it up quickly~"
"Yeah!!"
Eris, basking in the thrill of achievement, flashed a radiant smile. She wanted to continue for a few more beats, but Hilda suddenly released the hand resting on Eris' waist.
With a gentle push, she sent Eris back a step.
Yet her other hand still held Eris', preventing her from moving too far away.
The two returned to their starting positions.
Eris' crimson hair, like spilled paint, swayed before settling at her sides.
Everything stilled.
"You've grasped the basics of the dance steps. From here, it's just a matter of practice. At the end of the dance, the movement concludes like this—a final pose."
Eris opened her mouth, then suddenly remembered that this was still a lesson, and the person before her was her mother. She suppressed the urge to drag her back into another round.
Hilda studied Eris.
"Then—"
Her free hand formed a fist, resting behind her back.
The hand holding Eris' twisted slightly, turning Eris' palm to face her.
She lifted it.
Drew it closer.
And brought it to her lips.
Then, she raised her eyes to meet Eris' gaze.
"After the foxtrot's final pose, the male partner has two choices. First—a kiss on the hand to conclude the dance."
Before she could finish, a flustered "Eh?! Ehh!?" erupted from the side.
Everyone turned to look at Sylphie, who had completely covered her face, her ears nearly turning purple.
Ah… Ah… What is this…?!
H-H-H-How am I supposed to dance like this with my husband?!
Beneath her palms, Sylphie's eyes had already spiraled into dizzy swirls.
Watching her reaction, Allen blinked.
Since he had no prior knowledge of Hilda's dance lesson plans, he simply assumed Sylphie had been overwhelmed by Hilda's charm.
Admittedly, Hilda, playing the male role in the dance, moved with a swift, elegant rhythm. Paired with her sharp yet tender voice, she carried a captivating allure.
It seemed Eris' physical talent and swordsmanship instincts weren't solely inherited from the Boreas bloodline.
Eris, still riding the high of her excitement and lacking any deeper associations, showed no particular reaction. Instead, she immediately asked—
"What's the second one?!"
Hilda's gaze drifted for a moment, as if recalling distant memories.
Then, in the next instant, she released Eris' hand.
Retracting her arm, she placed a hand over her chest.
Bowed.
And lowered herself in a flawless noble's salute.
"Second—a more reserved noble's bow, maintaining a sense of distance."
Eris raised an eyebrow, her expression puzzled.
Rudeus couldn't help but speak up first.
"Madam, what's the difference between the two?"
Hilda straightened, her posture once again dignified as she glanced at her own hand.
"Both gestures serve the same purpose—to preserve mutual dignity. A ball is, after all, a social affair. During a foxtrot, with faces close and music masking conversation, a single dance provides ample time for two people to… communicate and reach a certain understanding."
"Once the dance ends, that understanding is reflected in the final gesture—"
"If it's a kiss on the hand, it signifies mutual agreement to proceed further, deepening their connection. It also serves as a signal to other nobles, declaring a sort of… claim, ensuring no further interference from potential rivals."
"If it's a bow, it means no consensus was reached during the dance. This, too, sends a signal—indicating that others are free to extend their own invitations."
As the words settled—
Sylphie's face paled.
Her hands, which had been covering her face, slowly dropped. Her expression was blank, her lips slightly parted. Instinctively, she glanced at Allen beside her—then just as quickly averted her gaze.
Allen, meanwhile, was lost in thought.
Wait, this wasn't in the original story??
In the novel, the ten-year-old birthday dance scene was glossed over from Rudeus' perspective, reduced to a passing mention. The anime had more detail—Rudeus' dance with Eris did resemble a simplified version of the foxtrot, likely adjusted to accommodate her.
His eyebrows rose.
Hold on… At my own politically arranged engagement ball when I was five, my 'brothers' definitely did the hand-kiss or bow at the end. So why wasn't this shown in the anime's home tutoring arc?
The next moment, Hilda answered his unspoken question.
"However—this ball is Eris' birthday celebration. She is the exception. No one would dare use such methods to test her within the walls of the Boreas estate. As the guest of honor, the choice is hers. She may dance with everyone, then make her decision at the end of the night."
Allen stroked his chin.
Ah, so that's how it is.
No wonder Edna hadn't taught this part—or if she had, it happened outside Rudeus' perspective. After all, she'd only asked him to help with the dance steps.
Rudeus, unaware of this nuance, had been bombarded with dance requests at the original banquet—because he hadn't kissed any of the girls' hands.
To the nobles watching, he must've seemed like a peacock in full display, shamelessly courting attention.
At that thought, Allen side-eyed Rudeus, whose face had stiffened at some realization.
Now that Rudeus knows about this custom… will he act differently? Will he actually accept a noble girl's feelings?
A noble girl…?
Eris?
Allen glanced between the two, finding absolutely zero chemistry beneath the surface. His lips twitched.
Well… this timeline's kidnapping incident got derailed. Right now, these two don't seem to have even a spark. But judging by the anime, Rudeus was way more popular than I thought—village girls in Buena happily greeted him, and at Eris' tenth birthday, noble girls kept asking him to dance.
Huh. Completely different from the original plot. Interesting. I should stick close to him during the ball—might be some good entertainment.
Meanwhile, Rudeus' eye twitched violently.
Ugh… D-Damn it…
My plan to use Allen as a foil is officially a bust. Sylphie's definitely dancing with him. Eris? If the young lady doesn't punch me, I'll count it as a win. As for the other noble girls?
They'll be waiting to swoop in the second Allen finishes with Sylphie! I need to stay far away from him! This 'foil' act is over—I can't keep it up!
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 250 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 50 power stones I will publish the next chapter.