Sicar insisted we must paint a family portrait now that we had become a family, and so, we sat side by side in the living room from morning.

Kian was positioned up front, while Sicar and I sat in the back, looking at the portrait. Sicar, studying our faces, corrected our expressions as if he was unsatisfied.

“Do not smile unnecessarily. Our portrait will be left for posterity, we cannot leave a portrait of us looking like fools. Put on the most formidable and dignified expression you can muster.”

The formidable and dignified expression Sicar spoke of didn’t look any different from a murderous expression to me, but we nonetheless attempted the expression he desired.

In short, we looked ahead with an expression that could be interpreted as ‘bring it on’.

In contrast to me, who was starting to feel a bit bored, the two of them stood calmly without a hint of movement until the portrait was finished. A patience that befits a protagonist and the stance of a villain.

Maintaining a single pose for quite a long time, after the painting was finished, we had to massage our stiff limbs, but seeing the completed painting was quite rewarding.

We were quite satisfied as the three of us, each with different hair and eye color, looked surprisingly wellmatched.

Our family portrait was framed in a massive frame decorated with gold and various jewels. Our portrait was hung next to the portrait of the grandmother on the living room wall.

It was like a family photo, the first one ever taken as far as I was concerned.

It was a bit bitter because we weren’t a real family, but a fake one, but it still had meaning. Because Kian was in this portrait.

“Good job, Kian. We have some work to do, so you can go back to your room.”

I reassured Kian, who was disappointed, that we would eat dinner together later, and winked at him. Cutely, Kian also winked back at me.

“See you later, mother.”

“See you later, son.”

Kian gave me a warm smile and went up the stairs. After bidding a regretful goodbye to Kian, we went to Sicar’s study.

I wanted to try escaping again last night because I was told we would practice dancing today, but I held back thinking about Kian. Besides, I was sure I’d be caught if I tried to escape.

Standing facetoface with Sicar was scary. His gaze was like he was saying ‘I’m going to kill you with my stare.’

Cruelly, every time I averted my gaze, Sicar would grab my chin and make me look at him.

“When dancing, you must never take your eyes off your partner.”

“How about we look at each other a bit more gently?”

“When dancing, you should not have such a gloomy expression, you should give each other an intense gaze. Don’t try to correct my gaze, correct yours.”

Sicar held my chin and slightly lowered it, and lifted the corner of my eyes.

“Like this. Do you understand?”

“This doesn’t look dignified, it’s more like a wicked witch from a fairy tale.”

“Not at all, it looks very dignified.”

“This? This is typically called a witch’s expression.”

“You wouldn’t understand because you’ve lived a timid life. From now on, make such an expression often.”

Well, from my perspective, Sicar seemed to have defined every villainous expression as dignified and elegant. That’s why he always has such a languid and emotionless face.

“Rather, you should be a witch.”

“Yes, that’s better. Be a witch.”

Since he was serious, I looked at Sicar with a witchlike expression that he confused for dignity. This was clearly a staring contest.

I couldn’t even blink, so much so that tears were coming to my eyes, and Sicar lifted the corner of his mouth as if to praise me. Each time he made such an expression, it was so scary that I immediately moved on to the next step I learned yesterday.

I placed my hand on the hand that Sicar had extended and began to dance as he did.

“Don’t be nervous. When we dance, there will only be the king and the queen. I won’t make you dance in a crowded place, so there’s no need to shake from now.”

I’m not shaking because of that, I’m shaking because of you.

In my view, as I danced with Sicar, all I could see were the sharp swords hanging everywhere.

Surely this is a study, but I see more swords than books. It felt like a silent threat, as if he would take one of those swords and slash my throat at any time.

Even so, Sicar wasn’t a bad dance teacher. He patiently taught me step by step, made me repeat the same thing over and over.

The reason Sicar had achieved so much at a young age was not only because he was a member of the strong and magicresistant Sitar tribe, but also because of his relentless effort to repeat the same thing tirelessly.

In other words, he was a master of review.

And now, because of his relentless reviews, I was on the verge of dying.

“No matter how difficult it is, if you repeat it, you have to learn it.”

Who doesn’t know that? It’s because it’s hard.

I danced the same dance over and over again until I was exhausted, trapped like wearing red shoes.

“That’s it for today.”