A Dance Under the Festival Lights
I tossed and turned all night. Sirien's face, smiling as she promised to grant me a wish, refused to leave my mind. For some reason, the harder I tried to shake it off, the more it cluttered my thoughts. That dazzling smile. The warm sunlight, her hand pulling me along. And the look in her eyes, as if she were waiting for an answer. With my mind in such a tangle, I had ended up running laps around the training ground late into the night. Only after exhausting myself physically was I finally able to empty my head of those useless thoughts.
Regardless of my restless night, time marched on, and the day of the festival arrived. The town, which had been buzzing with anticipation since yesterday, was now bustling with a lively, cheerful energy. Merchants who had packed their wares to the brim shouted to promote their goods, and the fragrant aroma of delicious food tempted the passersby. The streets were decorated in a way that was somewhat crude yet undeniably vibrant. Just as the Baron had boasted, it felt thoroughly alive with the warmth of humanity, and it wasn't a bad sight at all.
"Rajen, let's go over there first! I want to try that!"
Sirien made no effort to hide her excitement. It seemed I was the only one still hung up on what had happened yesterday. She surged ahead of me through the bustling crowd. There was something strangely foreign about the way she pulled me along by the arm. I had always intended to stand in front and protect her, but at times like this, simply keeping up with her was a struggle.
...I wasn't an idiot. I had realized at some point that Sirien's feelings had transcended the boundaries of childhood friendship. Yet, I couldn't help but hesitate. A girl I had grown up with since we were children. Harboring romantic feelings for someone I was meant to protect filled me with a sense of guilt. Besides, Sirien had never had the chance to meet other people. Wasn't it possible that she only looked at me because I was the only outlet for her stray emotions? If Sirien had walked a smooth, royal path as the Archduke's daughter—she would never have ended up with someone like me. If so... if I were to selfishly accept her feelings right now without a second thought, wouldn't I just be taking advantage of her misfortune? That was the one thing I could never do. I couldn't allow our journey to be tarnished by such ugliness.
"I think this is it. The bread with plum jam. It looks so pretty. It's so round."
"Shall we try one each first?"
"Yeah. Two of these, please!"
The bread Sirien had been looking forward to was actually closer to a pie. It was a small, dish-shaped pastry filled with plum jam. Though a bit rustic, it could easily be called a tart. The moment we received our plum jam tarts, we each took a bite. The sweetness was violently sweet. Chewing happily, Sirien looked at me with sparkling eyes. She pointed at her tart, then held up her open palm.
"It's delicious, so you want five more, I take it."
"Haha! Thank you!"
I handed the money to the vendor and took the paper bag. As I looked at her, wondering if I should offer her another, I noticed a crumb clinging to her cheek. She didn't seem to realize, so I figured I should wipe it off. When I reached out, her lovely face tilted in confusion, yet she stood still and waited for my touch. As I brushed the crumb away, my finger brushed against her lips. They were soft and moist. Suddenly, Sirien blushed and averted her gaze. Not daring to look her in the eye either, I quickly stepped forward. It was crowded, so it was only logical for me to lead the way and clear a path. Yes, that was the only reason.
We walked down the street in silence for a few minutes.
"Rajen. Come here for a second."
"Hmm?"
"Pfft. Try this on."
I wondered what had caught her attention, only to find a roadside vendor selling headbands with animal ears. Sirien picked out a pair of cat ears, slipped them onto my head, and burst into a fit of giggles.
"Ahahaha! What the—why does that actually look good on you?"
"Hey, stop it. This is embarrassing."
"Ah, don't take it off! I'm telling you, it suits you. Pfft. Just keep it on a little longer."
"Then you wear one too."
"Huh?"
And so, we ended up wandering the streets with me wearing cat ears and Sirien wearing fox ears. Whenever one of us tried to take theirs off, the other would vehemently protest—forcing us into a continuous, battle of wills with no clear victor.
No, actually, I was the winner. Frankly, there was absolutely no value in a grown man like me wearing animal ears. But Sirien's animal ears were a completely different story. Large, white fox ears. Their fluffy texture blended perfectly with her thick, silver hair. The tips of the ears drooped slightly, which, combined with her flushed cheeks, boasted an unparalleled, devastating cuteness. If it meant I got to keep looking at her like this, enduring a bit of embarrassment was a small price to pay.
Our playful bickering continued all through lunch, only coming to an end when we stopped to have our portraits drawn by a street artist.
"Hehe, this is amazing. How can they draw so accurately?"
For the first time, I felt grateful to the original author of the novel. Artists drawing quick pencil portraits on the spot was a sight unheard of in this era. It was undoubtedly a setting added solely for a date scene between the female protagonist and the crown prince, but we were the ones reaping the benefits now.
We sat still and waited for about thirty minutes to an hour. Once the artists finished their work, they placed the drawings into wooden frames. Sirien, utterly delighted, handed them a generous tip before hugging the frame tightly to her chest. We decided to swap portraits. I received Sirien's picture, and she took mine. In the drawing, Sirien had a bright expression, her eyes curved into a gentle, soft smile.
"Look at this. The eyes look exactly like yours. They captured this part especially well."
"Really? People usually tell me I look too fierce."
"Who said that to you? They clearly have no taste. If anyone talks nonsense like that again, I'll scold them for you."
We stopped by the Baron's manor to drop off the portraits. After admiring the newly landscaped gardens and taking a light nap together on a bench, we headed back out to find the festival still going strong. As the sun began to set, the excitement only seemed to heat up. The scent of alcohol was already starting to drift through the air. At the center of it all was a performance that had just begun.
"Rajen, look over there where everyone is gathering. Has the show started?"
"Looks like it. Let's go watch before it gets too crowded."
The stage we had seen yesterday was indeed set up for performances. By the time we arrived, acrobats were already performing tricks on giant balls. They were either incredibly skilled or excellent actors; they teetered precariously, looking as if they might fall at any second, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Sirien, in particular, squeezed my hand tightly every time an acrobat seemed about to lose their balance. Which meant, of course, that she was holding my hand as we watched the show.
Her innocent eyes were fixed on the stage. At some point, I found myself watching Sirien rather than the performance. I watched her lips part slightly and close again, letting out soft gasps of admiration like "Oh!" and "Wow!" Her smile was as bright and pure as a child's. It was the face she used to show back at the castle, long before we fled to the cabin. She still had that side to her. For some reason, a warm sensation bloomed in my chest.
"Rajen. Is there something on my face?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. There's a bit of dust."
"Really? You kept staring. Wipe it off for me, then."
"Hold still."
I must have been staring so intently that I had completely lost track of time. I brushed away the nonexistent dust, offering a flimsy excuse. Sirien blinked, then reached into her pocket and pulled something out. It was a candy. The candy she had bought earlier while we were browsing the stalls was popped straight into my mouth. A sweet grape flavor spread across my tongue.
"That candy is really good. I thought you'd regret it if you didn't try it."
"I shee."
"Haha. You can talk after you finish it."
After the acrobats came the band. Various instruments were set up on the stage, and the music began almost immediately. Rather than the subdued melodies of high-society balls, the tunes were passionate and lively. I recognized a few of the songs; they were the kind that naturally invited listeners to dance. Perhaps the setup had been designed with this in mind from the start, as there were no chairs around the stage, leaving a wide, open plaza instead. Before long, people in the crowd began finding partners and dancing one by one.
Sirien had always loved singing and dancing. Even when we lived in the cabin, she would often sing to herself, and back at the castle, the maids used to gossip about her natural talent. The night we lit the bonfire... she had danced so happily then, too.
The bonfire...
Just as my thoughts threatened to wander again, Sirien suddenly leaned in close, peering into my face.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing, really."
"Is that so? Then are you just going to leave me standing here? A gentleman is supposed to ask for a dance, you know."
"I'll probably be clumsy. It's been too long since I learned."
"Since when did we ever care about things like that?"
Sirien giggled, brushing off my excuse. Yet, the way she quietly gazed at me felt like a gentle nudge. Ask her to dance... What was I supposed to say? Back at the cabin, we would simply hold hands whenever we felt like it and move our bodies to the rhythm of our hearts. But we weren't children anymore. Sirien had grown into someone who fully deserved to be called a lady. I didn't want to treat her carelessly. No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't think of the right words. In the end, I had to resort to a line I usually found incredibly cliché, corny, and downright cheesy.
"...May I have this dance, my lady?"
"With pleasure, my knight."