Chapter 6: Dance Class

Feeling down and not in the mood to eat, I spent some time on the roof, then came to the lesson room on the 2nd floor. The 5th period was dance class, so everyone was dressed in the formal attire provided by the school. As the school bell rang in the mostly unfurnished room, the instructor appeared. In front of the class was a woman in her late forties. My classmates greeted her in unison, “Good day, Madame.” She nodded to our greetings and then opened her mouth.

“As previously announced, today’s class will be a practice for tomorrow’s freshman welcome party. I’m sure most of you know how to dance ballroom, so we’ll be doing self-study. I’ll be playing the songs we’ll be using for the party, so you can actually try dancing to them. “

The words “freshman welcome party” sent my classmates into a frenzy. For us new students, the welcome party is the second biggest event after the entrance ceremony, so I guess they can’t hide their excitement. Almost everyone at the party is a freshman, but it’s a unique opportunity to expand your network. It’s basically a casual event, so you can talk to the sons and daughters of other aristocrats without hesitation. The absence of nagging adults made everyone feel at ease. Well, it’s just a depressing event from my point of view, as I had the worst possible start to my school life…

“If you don’t have any dance experience or are not confident, I can give you individual lessons, so don’t hesitate to ask. The ballroom dances we’ll be performing at tomorrow’s party are relatively simple, so you should be able to pick them up quickly. “

She added, thinking of the commoners who had never danced before.

“Any questions?” Everyone shook their heads, and she reached for a record on the table.

“Then you may begin practicing.”

“Yes, Madame.”

As her classmates bowed gracefully in response, Madam set the needle on the record. Familiar music played, and the class scattered. As partners were born here and there, some students rushed to Madame and begged her to teach them. The classroom was filled with cheerful music and lively conversation. As I quietly watched the scene, I was alone and empty, a wallflower. It’s not that I’m ever asked to dance, so I’m kinda used to it, but being so blatantly avoided felt terrible. Not only do they not talk to me, but they also don’t even approach me. They treated me like I had a contagious disease.

Well, I was expecting it… I sighed unknowingly while watching my classmates take light steps in the center of the classroom. It was depressing to think that I would be treated this way for the rest of my life.

Thanks to my sister, I was used to being insulted and humiliated, but I couldn’t stand loneliness. I didn’t feel lonely because I had maids who cared for me and cheered me up at Viscount Meyers’ house. But the moment I stepped out of the carefully enclosed box, the loneliness came all at once. I didn’t know that I was so lonely. I clutched my chest tightly and looked down, lamenting my current situation. Recalling the faces of the servants, I tried desperately to drown my loneliness ──── Suddenly, an unfamiliar pair of black shoes came into view.

“──── Miss Charlotte, will you dance with me?”

The baritone voice sounded familiar to me ──── I hurriedly looked up to see the beautiful young man with black hair. He puts his right hand around my waist and holds out his left, and I see my reflection in his lapis lazuli eyes. Breathtakingly beautiful, he was without a doubt His Royal Highness Prince Grayson Lee Soleil.

What the heck is…? Why is His Highness Grayson here…? I mean, of course, he’s my classmate! But that’s beside the point…Why is he asking me to the dance…? Is this a dream?! An illusion created out of loneliness?! I couldn’t accept the fact that His Highness Grayson had asked me to dance, and all sorts of thoughts came to my mind. But as soon as I saw the stunned people around me, I understood that this was real. I can’t hide my emotions, and I stare back into his lapis lazuli eyes in confusion.

“Oh, Ummm… I’m glad you asked me, but why me? I’m sure your highness can find a more suitable dance partner… “

I choked on my words a few times, but when I softly declined His Highness Grayson’s invitation, he had a thoughtful expression on his face.

“A more suitable dance partner… I can’t think of anyone but you. The only woman in this place who can match me is ──── Miss Charlotte. “

“Wait, what…?”

I couldn’t help but raise my voice at the beautiful black-haired young man who said something outrageous with a straight face as I swallowed the words, “Did you hit your head?” What is he talking about? This person is…The way he phrased it, it could be interpreted as an insult to the people around us or as His Highness’ self-deprecation.

Those who’d take it as an insult… mainly women, would be upset, thinking, “You’re saying I’m inferior to the Viscountess?” And those who see it as self-deprecation will be confusedly thinking, “Isn’t a prince who finds a Viscountess to be a suitable partner… too self-deprecating?” I wonder what His Highness Grayson’s intentions were when he made this statement.

As I froze, unsure of his true intentions, a large, white hand grabbed my wrist. His Highness Grayson unfroze me when he pulled on my hand, and I hurriedly put my foot forward. Thanks to that, I didn’t have the misfortune of smashing my face into His Highness’ chest.

“Eh? Ummm? Your Highness Grayson! “

“If you don’t outright refuse me, we’re gonna dance like this.”

His Highness slipped his hand into mine and held my waist with his other hand. I stared into his lapis lazuli eyes, startled by the sudden shortening of the distance between us.

“Please wait…!! Let’s talk about this…!!!”

“We can talk while we dance.”

His Highness Grayson, who had taken my opinion in stride, began to step in time with the cheerful music. When that happens, the partner, being me, has to dance too… I hurriedly moved my feet. As one would expect from a swordmaster, His Highness’ dancing was sharp and his footwork was excellent.

“Hey, His Highness Grayson and Lady Charlotte have started dancing.”

“Oh, they’re pretty good.”

“I’m sure it’s because His Royal Highness Grayson is the lead.”

“There’s no way Lady Charlotte can dance perfectly; she’s a failure.”

Our classmates, who were all expressing their opinions, focused their attention on us instead of on their own practice. Feeling uncomfortable under their watchful gaze, I kept on stepping. Hmmm… It’s true that in ballroom dancing, there are many songs where the male leads, but there’s no way a bad dancer can keep up with such a high level of dancing… One wrong step and my feet would tangle and I’d fall. I didn’t have time to be mediocre, and after a spin in His Highness Grayson’s arms, his thin lips were pressed to my ear.

“──── Why are you hiding your true abilities?”

When he asked this in a confident tone, I almost took the wrong step. I opened my tanzanite eyes wide in shock and couldn’t speak right away.

“…What makes you think so?”

“Very few people have ever been able to follow my lead perfectly. And whenever the teacher asked you a question in class, you would look at the reaction of the people around you. If they reacted as if they should understand, you would give a normal answer, and if they were confused and said they didn’t understand, you would deliberately give a wrong answer. Obviously, you’re not the rumored failure that most know you to be. “

His Highness answered my question in a matter-of-fact tone as if he could see right through me. He’s got a really good point. I mean, he’s actually right… The problematic statement he previously made, “The only woman who can match me is Miss Charlotte,” was probably based on his estimate of my abilities. I’m not proud, but I’m aware that I’m better than other people. I learned magic much faster than others, and I could understand most of history and geography by reading textbooks. It would be rude to be modest, so I’ll state the obvious: I’m probably what you’d call a genius.

“I don’t know much about you because I haven’t seen your true abilities firsthand, but I do know that you are the most talented person in this class. So, with that in mind, I’ll ask again: ────Why are you hiding your true abilities?”

I didn’t know how to answer the question that was asked again. Unable to stare straight back into his Lapis Lazuli eyes, I averted my gaze and remained silent.

“Aren’t you frustrated? Why do you play the role of an ordinary person when you’re really better than anyone here… but you’ve been the subject of disgraceful rumors, and you’ve been ridiculed so much… wouldn’t all your problems be solved if you just showed your true strength?”

His Highness Grayson, who was proceeding on the assumption that I was a genius, gave me a questioning look. I guess my actions don’t make sense to him and he can’t understand them. Only my older sister, who knows what’s going on, can understand and accept them. Well, I’m not going to tell that to His Royal Highness Grayson … I stopped just as the cheerful music died down and looked up at his face, which was both gorgeous and surreal.

“Thank you for dancing with me. It was a great experience.”

In the end, I didn’t answer His Highness Grayson’s question and just smiled at him. His Highness Grayson frowned at my attitude of not even denying it, and silently turned around. “Did I offend him?” I thought to myself as I stared at his back as he walked away. ──── Thus ended the dance class that caused an unexpected commotion.

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