It has been four days since the summons were sent from Granado Castle to the Shadelan Baron's family.
It takes about two days for the message on a fast horse to reach there, and if they set out in a carriage on the same day and hurry, they should arrive tomorrow at the latest, or the day after tomorrow, when my father will come.
During this time, Sir Cyrus has been absent again. Mio, Wolfgang, and Mrs. Ryu-Ryu have been taking turns guarding the castle in his absence. When one person returns, another leaves.
All I can do is wait for them. Whenever I ask Sir Cyrus and the others, they repeat that they can't tell me the details now, but I will understand when the baron arrives.
What crime did my father commit? -- This doubt was less strong than the anxiety of what would happen to the Shadelan family... what would happen to me when the truth is revealed. ...But, because of that, or rather, because of that, I can't afford to be flustered. I must do what I should do.
I move my body to the rhythm of Mrs. Ryu-Ryu's handclaps. It's a given to step in the prescribed way, riding the rhythm and melody of the waltz. I am conscious of my fingertips and the tips of my toes, and I dance gracefully. I cherish my partner, enjoy the dance, and yet remain elegant -- I pretend to be a lady until the music ends.
"Okay, Marie, you did great! Your improvement is wonderful!"
Mrs. Ryu-Ryu clapped and praised me. I didn't even wipe the sweat off my face and bowed my head.
"I'm sorry... I don't think I made any mistakes in the waltz steps, but my posture and gaze became careless halfway through..."
"Hmm?" The lady raised a curious voice. Wolfgang, who was playing the role of my partner, also had a gentle smile on his face.
"It's not something to worry about."
"...But it wasn't perfect, was it?"
"Of course not, but Marie, you're completely inexperienced in dancing, and you've only been learning the steps for two weeks. Especially in the last few days, you've been working really hard."
"To the guests, it doesn't matter how bad I was at first. Everything will be on display on the day of the engagement ceremony."
I wiped the sweat off the back of my hand. I took a deep breath and immediately reached out my hand.
"I'll try to concentrate until the end this time. Wolfgang, let's start from the beginning again."
"Madam, you should take a little break."
Wolfgang didn't take my hand. He glanced at the sky outside the window, dyed by the sunset,
"Dancing is a full-body exercise. Aren't you tired after dancing non-stop since lunch?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, you must be tired from always accompanying me. You should rest now."
"...Not me."
"Mrs. Ryu-Ryu, can you... no, can you watch me dance alone? Please correct me if I do anything wrong."
While considering their physical condition, I made a strong request.
The engagement ceremony, which is just seventeen days away, will feature a dance performance by the bride and groom as the main attraction. I will dance with Sir Cyrus in this grand salon hall, surrounded by nobles. I absolutely cannot make a fool of myself.
I knew everyone was busy, but that's why I had to make the most of the limited time. I can't afford to take a break.
I started moving my hands and feet while humming the rhythm. Mrs. Ryu-Ryu put her hands on her hips and sighed.
"When a serious child gets serious, they become like this."
...I'm not serious.
While dancing, I bit my lip.
If I were really serious, I would have finished my household chores earlier and spent more time improving myself. It's unthinkable that I couldn't dance a waltz at the age of eighteen. I wouldn't have to ask people to accompany me in such intense practice at the last minute. Anastasia would have made her debut in society four years ago. She would have been a perfect dancer, no doubt.
--I'm sorry, Anastasia. I'm taking away your biggest moment in the spotlight.
...Such thoughts suddenly crossed my mind.
Still, I didn't let my smile fade. The textbook said that was the rule of the waltz. So I smiled.
Smiling, I flailed in the air -- my fingertips were suddenly grabbed tightly.
"Hot--?"
For a moment, I thought I had been burned. But it was human body heat, and I realized it was because my fingertips were cold.
It was Sir Cyrus who had grabbed me.
I didn't know when he had returned to the castle. He was holding my hand and had a very stern look on his face.
Mrs. Ryu-Ryu let out a sigh of relief.
"Cyrus, you're back. It's just in time, Marie, let's take a rest together--"
"It's just in time, Sir Cyrus. Can you be my partner?"
I led him.
In the actual ceremony, Sir Cyrus will be my partner. I had been hesitant at first, but he is the best person to practice with.
I leaned into him, put my hand around his waist. Although Sir Cyrus didn't seem to like social events much, he naturally knew the waltz as part of his noble education.
Wolfgang's body was much larger. I hummed the rhythm and took a large step to the side--
The next moment, my whole body was floating in the air. Sir Cyrus had suddenly picked me up without a word.
"Kyaa!? What are you--"
My dangling feet dropped a shoe. Seeing my bare, bleeding toes, Sir Cyrus shouted.
"What is this blood-soaked foot!?"
"What!?"
Mrs. Ryu-Ryu and Wolfgang hurried over. I tried to hide my foot with my dress, but Sir Cyrus wouldn't allow it.
"The shoes were made to fit your feet properly. There's no way they should be this damaged after practicing from noon to evening. ...Marie, how many hours have you been dancing?"
"...Since morning... from dawn, in my room--ah."
I didn't get to finish my sentence.
Sir Cyrus picked me up in his arms and started walking. He strode through the castle. Just outside the salon, he went up a short staircase to a small door, which led to Sir Cyrus's room.
Sir Cyrus dropped me on the bed and began treating my wounds with uncharacteristic speed.
He cleaned and disinfected the wounds, applied a gel-like medicine, and placed a pillow under my calves. Only then did he speak.
"Keep your feet out of shoes until the broken skin heals and the wounds close."
"Um... In my family, we used to wrap them in gauze and bandages..."
"That just peels the skin off again when you change the gauze, prolonging the healing process. The best thing is to keep them moisturized and at rest."
"...Yes, sir."
"Eat your meals here. Don't move until morning."
"I understand..."
I obeyed, as he had never spoken to me in such a stern tone before.
...Still, I had taken over Sir Cyrus's bed again. Before I could ask what he would do tonight, he disappeared through the door.
"I'll send a maid who can take care of you."
He left those words behind.
Sir Cyrus apparently took a short rest in the castle and then went out again.
I spent the night in his room as instructed and then returned to my own room in the mansion, wearing soft sandals. It would take two or three days before I could dance again... I moved my hands while my feet couldn't move.
--The next night. There was a knock on the door.
"Marie. How is your foot?"
It was Sir Cyrus. I stopped my work and nodded.
"Yes, the wound has closed completely."
"...That's good to hear."
He smiled wryly, and I smiled and bowed my head.
"I'm sorry, I ended up being inefficient. I won't practice for too long anymore."
"Ah, that's good. ...By the way, what are you writing now?"
He peered over my desk. I felt a bit embarrassed but handed him one of the completed items. His eyebrows furrowed.
"...A message card?"
"Yes. I thought I would distribute them to all the guests at the engagement ceremony."
"How many? There seem to be hundreds of them."
He groaned as if in shock, and I nodded brightly.
"The engagement ceremony will not only be attended by relatives and nobles, but also by commoners who can come and go freely and share in the celebration. I won't be able to thank everyone in person, so at least I wanted to give them a card..."
"All handwritten? By you!?"
Sir Cyrus let out a scream. I shuddered at his intensity but reminded myself that I had no reason to be scolded and stood up straight.
"It's just a short message. I want to thank everyone who has come as much as possible."
"That's a noble sentiment, but you shouldn't do it alone. Let's share the work."
"No, this is my job."
I rejected him. He furrowed his brow even more and looked at me with a puzzled expression. I didn't look away.
"This is my duty. Everyone in the capital knows the Earl of Granado, but I am a newcomer from Shadelan. I think I should greet everyone and say 'nice to meet you.'"
"...But it's a huge task."
I shook my head.
"It's not a big deal. ...When I think of my sister, who sacrificed her life in my place, this is nothing."
"The accident wasn't your fault."
"But I am taking the blessings that should have been for her. ...Beautiful Anastasia. I must not spare any effort to try to be as close to her as possible."
Sir Cyrus listened to my words straight and thought silently for a while. Then he spoke in a low voice.
"...If that makes you feel better, I won't stop you."
Sir Cyrus moved away from the desk.
...I'm glad he understood.
I sighed in relief and returned to my work. Since anyone can come and go, I don't know how many will show up on the day. I can write as many as possible in the time I have. If I can give just one more card to one more person--
"---Ah!"
Suddenly, an unusual sensation ran through my side, and I let out a strange scream and jumped up. I turned around in a panic to see Sir Cyrus with a straight face, wiggling his fingers. It seemed he had tickled me.
"What are you doing?"
"Write five more and then go to bed."
He said this with a straight face.
---Fifteen days until the engagement ceremony.
There was a mountain of things to do, and no matter how much I did, I couldn't settle down, and the days were dizzying...
But an event occurred that made me realize that this was just a trivial, daily life.
Early in the morning -- I opened the window and let the morning light into the room, and in the distance, I heard a horse neigh.
The carriage wheels rolled over the cobblestones and stopped at the gate of Granado Castle at the driver's command.
Mio, who had brought breakfast, sensed the visitor and left my side. I was told to eat slowly, but I swallowed it with water and immediately followed Mio.
It had been a week since the summons were sent to the Baron of Shadelan. It was a little late, but within the expected time.
I still didn't know what would be revealed by this, or what would happen to my father and me. But I had a certainty that something big was about to happen.
With my healed feet making the glass slippers ring, I ran through Granado Castle--