* * *
The coldness still dripped from him.
As if he wouldn’t bat an eye even if Ebony lost his life due to that covenant.
“More important is the matter of the people you are looking for.”
“Since they are staying in the castle, you’ll be able to meet them if you walk around.”
I should have checked where they were staying.
I was so startled by the word ‘assassin’ that I missed a lot.
“There is another method, however…”
Klen’s tone was cautious.
He had a method, but his demeanor suggested he didn’t particularly recommend it.
Whatever it was, it would be better than wandering aimlessly around the castle.
It would be a disaster if I wandered around without a plan and met no one.
“The upcoming ball. We won’t invite outsiders, but a small gathering of vassals and knights within the territory will attend.”
“A ball?”
“At that time, you should be able to examine most of the people staying in the castle.”
“Weren’t you reluctant to attend the ball?”
It was a good method, considering he didn’t recommend it.
However, the biggest reason he was cooperating with my performance must have been to avoid attending such events.
Was he really okay with it?
“…One time is fine.”
Even as he spoke, his face was filled with annoyance.
“If I collapse during the ball, I might ruin the atmosphere.”
“No. You can look for a chance to excuse yourself by saying you’re tired. My mother has been urging me to attend anyway. Let’s use this opportunity to go.”
Such words hadn’t reached me, who used the excuse of being frail to step aside, but it seemed various suggestions had been relayed to Klen.
It might have increased even more since the hunting competition.
The situation must have been even worse because there was no rule that the couple absolutely had to attend together.
‘A ball, in the end.’
I didn’t dislike such events to begin with, and the party would have a completely different atmosphere than usual, so it would be a nice change of pace.
Plus, it would be nice to personally see the Healer in a new dress.
“By the way, Adrian.”
“Yes?”
Just as my thoughts were moving in a positive direction, Klen suddenly spoke to me.
“Do you also remember the woman’s part of the dance?”
“…Yes?”
“You should remember it.”
“?!”
Wait.
Come to think of it, Klen and I are a couple, so we have to dance together at least once.
Although it may not look like much from a distance, the movements for the man and woman in ballroom dancing are quite different.
If you don’t move in time with the rhythm, an unfortunate incident of stepping on someone’s foot, or being stepped on, will occur.
If we make a mistake, we could even fall down together.
If I were to fall in the middle of a hall where everyone in the castle was gathered, I don’t think I could ever show my face again.
“…What about you dancing the woman’s part?”
“That suggestion is not bad, but this is the Valuncio territory, isn’t it?”
“Ah-ha.”
His point was that as long as I was called his wife, dancing the woman’s part was unavoidable.
That was true.
If this were Caldrich, the situation probably would have been reversed.
When you live in a place, you have to follow that place’s rules.
“Haa…”
A deep sigh escaped me.
I roughly knew the woman’s movements, even if not perfectly.
But mentally picturing it and actually dancing it were two different problems.
“There isn’t much time, but do your best.”
Klen, comfortably lying down in his spot, spoke as if it were someone else’s business.
Was it okay for him to be that nonchalant?
If I didn’t learn properly, it would be his feet that got trampled.
The problem was that the ban on leaving the room was for three days, and the ball was in a week.
I clearly couldn’t do anything for three days.
And I couldn’t fill the remaining four days entirely with practice.
It wouldn’t make sense for a person who collapses after a short spar to stoutly endure days of dance practice.
Next to me, as I wrestled with what to do, a sweet aroma spread.
“…”
I turned my head.
Klen had somehow taken out a jar of raspberries and was eating them one by one at the head of the bed.
He was overflowing with composure, even after giving me a handful of worries.
He was stretched out comfortably on the bed, eating fruit mixed with sweetness.
It felt like I was looking at a slice of the easy life he desired.
He’d probably spend the next three days like this, right?
“…!”
And then, I quickly thought of something.
A good way to practice without worrying about anyone watching.
“Klen!”
“…?”
Klen, who was chewing, just rolled his eyes to look at me.
Then, he took out a raspberry and pressed it firmly against my lips.
I instinctively accepted it and bit down.
The raspberry crunched along with the sugar granules.
It was delicious.
As the fresh, sweet flavor filled my mouth, I felt that the troublesome matter would somehow work itself out.
I swallowed the raspberry and quickly said.
“Be my dance practice partner.”
The hand that was reaching for a raspberry paused.
And his gaze was fixed straight on me.
In his mind, it seemed he was weighing whether or not to take on this annoying task and waiting for the result.
I could clearly see the scale quickly tipping back and forth.
I decided to add a heavy weight to one side.
“You are the only person I can hold hands with and dance with, day and night, aren’t you?”
“That is true.”
“…?!”
And just like that, he was persuaded.
Was it a weight that would tip the scale right away, rather than just a heavy one?
If I had known he would agree so quickly and easily, I would have brought this up first.
“Ah, but you have training with Hyung-nim, so it might be difficult during the day.”
“It’s fine. I can just finish quickly and return. If I tell them I need to care for you, he will surely send me back right away.”
As I took a step back, he became proactive instead.
Was this something to be happy about?
I offered an ambiguous smile.
“Then, shall we start today?”
He, who had been lying lazily in bed, was the first to show enthusiasm.
And for the first time today, we got out of bed.
My lower back ached from lying down for too long.
My joints also felt like they were creaking.
We stood facing each other in the middle of the room and held hands.
It was nothing special, yet a strange tension flowed between us.
No music played.
Instead of a beautiful melody, the occasional chirp of a bird from outside the window took its place.
And with the movement of Klen’s foot, the emergency lesson began.
The peaceful yet somewhat embarrassing atmosphere lasted only for a moment.
After that, we slowly moved one step at a time, carefully mastering the movements, like a teacher and a student in a lesson.
There were parts I didn’t remember clearly, but we made it to the end nonetheless.
It wasn’t as difficult as I had thought.
Encouraged by this, I became overconfident and suggested we immediately jump into the real thing.
And as I moved my foot at the original speed—
‘Thump—’
“…!”
I vehemently stepped on the top of Klen’s foot.
In the end, it was repeated several times.
* * *
