Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Any Ties to the Campanella Family?
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"By any chance, do you have some grudge or connection with the Campanella family?"
Social balls are a vital part of noble society.
From an outsider's perspective, you might think, "Huh? Isn't that just a fancy party where they blow money and fool around?"
But in truth, it's more work than leisure.
It's about flaunting your family's prestige and networking with others.
A noble's wealth and power expand through these events, making social balls the true calling of any noble leading a house.
Managing territories or handling paperwork? You can always find people to delegate that to.
But representing the family in person? Only the house head or their eldest heir can do that.
That's why social balls come equipped with all sorts of ways for nobles to show off their superiority.
Impeccable grooming and flashy attire.
Exquisite jewelry is a given, and they follow etiquette so rigidly it borders on unnatural.
And one key tool for all that showing off is dancing.
You could say dance is the crowning glory of social etiquette at any ball.
As a result, those who teach such dances receive rare respect even among nobles.
What does that mean?
"An instructor who can teach social dance won't be available for three weeks?"
"Yes, Young Master. Their schedule is booked solid until then. We could negotiate with the family who reserved them first, but what would you like to do?"
Dance instructors aren't the type you can just hire on the spot.
I'd completely forgotten about that, having no experience learning dance myself.
Of course, I'd arrogantly assumed that with enough influence, we could snag one right away, even if they were in demand.
"Which family has the prior booking?"
"The Count Roteil family."
Count Roteil... that's a court count, right?
This is beyond my pay grade.
The Iron-Blooded Duke might manage it, but...
If I asked him to pressure a court count just to get me a dance teacher, the outcome's obvious without asking.
I shook my head, and Rita bowed politely before withdrawing.
Left alone in my dorm, I let out a deep sigh.
"The ball's next month, and three weeks from now?"
Could I learn to dance in just a week?
No matter how I thought about it, it seemed impossible.
So I went to Nicholas and asked if there was any way.
"A spell to make me dance well? Does something like that even exist?"
Nicholas gave me a genuinely baffled look at my question.
Yeah, figured as much.
So what now?
My vision went dark.
The impending ball had the academy students buzzing with excitement.
Everywhere you went, groups were chatting about it.
Just in case, I checked with Nicholas again.
"The ball? I see the academy has that kind of tradition."
As expected, Nicholas seemed utterly uninterested.
Still, sensing my own interest, he humored me.
"I've heard bits here and there. But what's this about?"
"Laura wants to go to the ball together."
"You two get along well now. You seemed awkward before—glad to hear it."
"But I don't know how to dance."
"Pardon? Why not? Don't all nobles learn?"
Typical nobles do.
But the Dominica family isn't typical.
They skip social balls altogether if they deem them unnecessary—fat chance they'd bother with dance lessons.
Of course, I couldn't say that outright, so I brushed it off vaguely.
"I've been busy."
"Hm, that tracks for you, Leonardo. So you're hunting for a spell to make you a dance pro overnight?"
"Yeah. Figured you couldn't teach me yourself."
"Fair point, but it stings hearing it like that."
After that little exchange, Nicholas chuckled and, true to form as a mage, offered a sensible solution.
"Why not ask Lady Kiara? She might know someone."
"Already tried. She turned me down."
"Why? Don't tell me she never learned either?"
"No, she did—but just enough to get by herself. She can't teach a guy."
"Ah..."
Nicholas nodded as if that made perfect sense.
But for some reason, his expression turned odd.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment before asking me,
"So Lady Kiara isn't going to the ball either?"
"Didn't ask."
"What do you think, Leonardo? You're childhood friends—you must have a good read on her."
"Even as childhood friends, I can't predict everything. No idea. Why do you ask—"
I paused mid-sentence and looked at Nicholas.
Then rephrased my question.
"You care if Kiara goes to the ball?"
"Eek...!"
Nicholas flinched like I'd hit a nerve.
I stifled a laugh inside.
'So that's it. No wonder he had so much to say despite acting disinterested.'
He had zero plans to go himself, but he cared if Kiara danced with other guys there.
I smirked teasingly.
"Why not man up and ask her to be your partner? She seems to like you well enough."
"I'm not into that kind of... lewd spectacle! Men and women pressed so close together— I mean, she actually likes me? For real?"
"Said you were fun. That's a compliment, right?"
"A mage calling someone 'fun' isn't exactly high praise..."
Muttering that, Nicholas glanced at me slyly.
"Um... do you have to dance at these balls?"
"No rule says so. Ladies just miss out if no one asks them."
"I see... Well, broadening my horizons might not be a bad idea."
"Not planning to dance? Other guys might ask Kiara, you know."
"That's... up to Lady Kiara. Not my place to interfere."
Saying that, he kept rubbing his chin, clearly conflicted.
I watched the show for a bit before snapping back to my own mess.
'Not the time to be spectating.'
Gawking at someone else's love life is fun, but my own problems loomed larger.
Laura was keen on the ball, so we'd probably dance together. I needed at least enough skill not to step on her feet.
With Kiara and Nicholas striking out, my last acquaintance ace was Robin.
Rodwell was an option too, but as a knight house kid, he didn't scream "dancer."
'Robin doesn't exactly fit the image either.'
Still, maybe he'd picked up some moves for novel research?
Clinging to that slim hope, I sought out Robin.
And his response was—
"Dance? Me?"
"Yeah."
"...They forced me into the knightics department because of my personality?"
"Oh. Right."
Yeah, that was it.
He got weirdly confident talking novels, so I'd forgotten his default timidity.
No way someone like that knew dance.
With that faint hope dashed, I seriously pondered a one-week dance crash course and met Rodwell as a last resort.
To my surprise, I finally got a positive answer.
"Dance? Of course I can."
"For real?"
"Yes. I heard it's essential for swordsmanship—moving your body in varied ways."
He learned to dance... for sword practice.
Ridiculous, but it made a weird kind of sense. Convinced, I asked if he'd teach me.
Rodwell nodded readily.
"Sure. I owe you one... Though this hardly repays it."
"Call it even. I was in a real bind."
"No, I can't treat a sword-oath so lightly."
He turned serious at my thanks.
Oh yeah, back then he swore on his sword to repay the favor or whatever.
To me, it wasn't a big deal, but if he insisted...
And so, I secured dance lessons from Rodwell for the ball.
As we sorted out the schedule, Rodwell suddenly recalled something.
"Oh, that reminds me."
"What?"
"By any chance, do you have some grudge or connection with the Campanella family?"
"Campanella?"
Wait, Campanella?
Isn't that the Crown Prince's cover family?
I froze at the sudden name-drop, and Rodwell continued.
"Yes. Someone from their house asked me about your relationship."
"My relationship with you?"
"Yes. It was at the sword training grounds, so I told them to leave if they weren't practicing. Just in case, though."
I felt like slapping my forehead at his reply.
...This headbutting dinosaur straight-up told the Crown Prince's obvious plant to beat it if he wasn't training?
No, that's not the point right now.
The Crown Prince asked Rodwell about me?
My face hardened instinctively.