Kays Translations

Chapter 222: Dance Lessons from Hell

Our instructor was the royal family’s dance teacher. I had assumed I would be able to practise with Princess Daniela, but apparently not. I was a little disappointed.

Brother Alex observed from a short distance and offered instructions while we danced with the teacher.

“Let’s begin by checking your posture. Take the proper position as though you were holding a partner.”

Following Brother Alex’s instructions, we adjusted our posture. Ijidol was corrected immediately.

This was going to be one hell of a dance lesson.

After the posture check, the real practice began. We took turns dancing with the instructor while Princess Daniela played the music, repeating the steps again and again. Her piano playing was professional—perhaps even better than that of the finest court musicians.

The instructor corrected our movements while Brother Alex advised us on posture. The cycle continued until it was time for the tea break we always looked forward to.

As expected, Ijidol alone could not draw all the criticism away from me. I would be dancing frequently at the evening party, so naturally my performance was examined most strictly.

“My legs are trembling like a newborn fawn’s.”

I rubbed my thighs, which were shaking from the unfamiliar movements. The other two were massaging their arms and legs as well. I wondered whether we would all be sore tomorrow.

“I should have trained harder.”

“At this point, sword practice would be ten—no, twenty—times easier.”

We sprawled across our usual table in the common room. The moment dance practice ended, we had been ushered out because Princess Daniela had another engagement. She had stayed with us until the last possible moment, for which I could only be grateful.

Princess Daniela could not supervise our etiquette training every day, so beginning tomorrow the lessons would take place at the House Heine townhouse. Of course, we had also been told that we would practise with her at the royal castle whenever her schedule allowed.

Honestly, I would rather not practise etiquette at the castle. I had been so nervous that I barely understood what I was doing. Axel and Ijidol had fared no better; by the end, both wore the vacant expressions of dead fish.

“I’m sure tomorrow will be a little easier.”

“I hope so…”

“They aren’t going to make us stay overnight for etiquette lessons, are they?”

“Oh! That’s a good idea…”

“No, it isn’t!”

They rejected the suggestion in unison. What was wrong with having a sleepover with friends? Apparently, I was the only one who liked the idea.

Were they going home now? Once I returned to the townhouse, I still had to draw the icehouse blueprints, followed by more etiquette practice. The thought was mildly depressing.

“I don’t feel like going straight home and sitting quietly. I’m still restless.”

“Axel, after all that dancing, you still have energy? You should have danced in my place.”

“Ijidol still has mana to spare, doesn’t he?”

“That’s true, but…”

Both of them seemed full of pent-up frustration. Sending them home like this might be dangerous; it would be better to let them release it somewhere safe before they exploded. But where? We could not use the training grounds.

“It’s a shame we can’t use the training grounds… Why don’t you come to our townhouse? We can practise both swordsmanship and magic in the garden.”

“There you go again. You’re trying to make us stay the night, aren’t you?”

“Well, yes. But the townhouse garden really does have a place where you can use magic.”

I felt that one more push would do it. I did not want to endure the etiquette lessons alone either.

“You have to come tomorrow anyway, so consider today a trial run.”

“Hmm… fair enough.”

“Are you sure?”

“Good. Then it’s settled.”

I decided the matter somewhat forcefully and immediately asked a servant to prepare the carriage. At the same time, I sent word to Brother Alex. He had gone elsewhere with Princess Daniela. Surely they had not slipped away for some private time. I trusted you, Brother.

When we returned to the townhouse, the steward greeted us at once.

“Welcome home, Young Master Julius.”

“I’m home.”

“Young Master…”

Axel looked ready to laugh, so I elbowed him into silence. I disliked being called that too, but the steward had refused to stop no matter how often I protested. I had long since given up.

“The courtyard is this way. Is everything ready?”

“Of course. We have prepared wooden swords and real swords, along with several magic targets for spell practice, including spares.”

“Thank you. I knew I could rely on you.”

“Thank you for accommodating us.”

I led Axel and Ijidol into the courtyard.

“Julius, why do you have spare magic targets?”

“I broke one while practising before. Since then, he’s been extremely cautious. I’ve told him I won’t make the same mistake twice, but he refuses to listen.”

“You broke a magic target…?”

Ijidol was speechless. Was it really that remarkable? I had used slightly powerful magic and the target had broken. Practice targets were designed for beginner spells, so surely that was all there was to it.

“Is it really that impressive, Ijidol?”

“Of course it is! I’ve never heard of anyone breaking a magic target. I don’t even know whether the current Royal Mage Corps commander could do it.”

“…But Julius did, didn’t he?”

“I suppose I did.”

This was bad. One of them was staring at me in fear and the other with shining eyes. More importantly, I could not let Brother Alex learn about this. I had to do something.

“The target must already have been close to breaking. I used a slightly stronger spell, and it happened to give way. That’s all.”

“Young Master Julius, that is impossible. We cannot allow anything to endanger a member of House Heine, so every piece of training equipment is thoroughly inspected after each session. There was nothing wrong with the magic target you broke.”

There was no need to emphasise it! Now the other two were looking at me even more strangely. That was not what I had wanted him to say.

“Please keep this from Brother Alex.”

I looked up at the steward as I spoke, but his apologetic expression told me everything. No.

“…I have already informed Lord Alex.”

Oh dear. No wonder Brother Alex regarded me as a problem child.

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