“Get up.”

“Huh?”

“I said, get up. How long do you think you can endure in the palace without being able to dance? That’s embarrassing even for Father.”

“Uh…”

I got up unconsciously, and Misha stood in front of me, taking the basic dance position.

While struggling with unfamiliar male steps, Misha held onto me and taught the basic steps.

After more than two hours of such practice, she handed me a dance manual.

“Misha?”

“Take the basic position and practice according to the steps drawn here. Memorize them all. You’re good at memorizing things.”

When I seemed confused, Misha showed irritation.

“My coming-of-age party is scheduled for next week. Since we have to study during the semester, I’m planning to hold it during the vacation. By then, you should at least awkwardly dance, Lorisya.”

I realized with a start.

“Misha, it would be embarrassing to attend the party before becoming proficient in dancing. Moreover, you know how uncomfortable the Duchess would feel if I attend. Duke Kaidel will be accompanying me, you say?”

“…What?”

“He’s willingly coming. If he comes, my coming-of-age ceremony will be a huge success. On top of that, if you take care of Duke Kaidel, I’ll have much more confidence to offer flowers to the guests. Do you know how important coming-of-age ceremonies are in the social scene?”

I felt a chill down my spine.

“Are you… using me?”

“Think of it as my coming-of-age gift. You do what you’re good at here. I’ll do what I’m good at. I’ll throw a wonderful party, and I’ll even showcase my violin performance to the guests.”

I stared at Misha’s face dumbfounded. Then Misha burst into a wide smile.

“I didn’t only invite Kalin. Just thinking about it makes me feel good!”

Misha happily left, and I slumped back into my seat.

I couldn’t distinguish whether the numbness and fatigue I felt now were due to Misha or the dance practice.

Finally, I sighed and muttered to myself.

“Mom, I think I’ve created a monster.”

“Learning dance from a book.”

I practiced steps following the drawings of footprints on paper while feeling endlessly pathetic about this situation.

As a maid to the princess, I would have to attend parties in the future, so it was right to learn to dance. However, I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Misha’s audacity still made people nauseous. She ruined my coming-of-age birthday like that, then asked me to take care of Duke Kaidel for her coming-of-age gift.

Actually, my coming-of-age birthday wasn’t a complete mess…

In the dim garden that day, the image of Duke Kaidel, who murmured while handing me a flower, came to mind, and I clenched my teeth. It was to keep from smiling.

Time passed, and when Misha’s coming-of-age day approached, I reached a point where I could somewhat manage the basic steps.

But when I imagined actually dancing with a man, it led to the conclusion that I would have to set aside money to compensate for the man I would trample and ruin.

“But there’s no choice.”
I thought I would just sit in a corner anyway, so I put on the most plain dress I could find and left the palace door.

There, a carriage provided by the palace was waiting for me.

“…!”

I opened the carriage door, only to freeze in place.

“What are you doing?”

Duke Kaidel, who was already sitting inside, grabbed my arm, pulled me to sit next to him, and closed the carriage door.

I gasped and quickly moved to the seat across from him.

“Why are you here, Your Grace?”

“Aren’t you going to attend Misha Roar’s coming-of-age ceremony? Since we have the same destination, there’s no need to rent two carriages. I heard you requested a carriage from the palace, so I waited in advance.”

“That…”

He chuckled.

“It seems we’re already recognized in your household, Miss Lorisya.”

“Sigh…”

I sighed deeply and looked out the carriage window.

Using me like this, one after another. I despised both Duke Kaidel and Misha.

‘When and how did things end up like this?’

For the first time since Misha was born, she was extending a gesture of reconciliation towards me. I still disliked Misha, but I didn’t want to reject that hand.

So, I had to attend Misha’s coming-of-age ceremony today, enduring this night with an extraordinary and unfortunate person.

But this would be the last time. Since we had to return in the same carriage anyway, I needed to sort out this situation at that time.

Then rumors would spread in the social circle from tomorrow.

Ruar’s illegitimate child committed a terrible act against Duke Kaidel. As a result, he suffered irreparable emotional wounds that would last a lifetime.

While I remained silent, he was staring at me intently. His focused and silent gaze, as if I were an unfamiliar existence, felt awkward, uncomfortable, and irritating.

Unbeknownst to me, I subtly shifted my body towards the window.

Why continue this charade when there are only two of us?

He, with a face that seemed to want to turn me towards him, said mischievously,

“Did you report to Princess Miliora?”