Can Praise Make Even Yune Dance? (1)

I made a bet with Sir Max.

If I could produce an outfit so dashing that all of high society would acknowledge it without dispute, I won. If not, he won.

The stakes were simple: my victory meant he would never interfere with whatever I wore in social circles again. His victory meant I would obediently wear whatever he told me to wear.

'If I put in a request to the merchant company... should take about three days?'

"I'll have it ready within a week, so please postpone making me wear that outfit until then."

"...That's a proposition with absolutely no downside for me. Heh heh. This should be entertaining."

"Right? Look forward to it. I'll bring something that'll genuinely shock you with how stylish it is."

"Very well. But I won't be postponing your dance practice, I'm afraid. Only your wearing of that outfit will be put on hold."

"Ah."

Sir Max made it clear that dance practice was non-negotiable anyway, and my expression stiffened slightly.

Ugh. I have to do it to keep Mother from worrying. But it still doesn't sit right with me.

"Why start with dancing, of all things? Can't we begin with something else first?"

"Because the highlight of a debutante ball, whatever anyone says, is the dance. Moreover, building your stamina through dancing first will make learning the rest much smoother. Etiquette, your gait, and so on. Everything requires stamina."

"Why on earth would those things need stamina?"

"I'll teach you later, but even when taking a sip of tea, there are numerous details to mind, like the angle and speed of your arm as you lift the cup. Without stamina, you'd collapse from exhaustion after just a few rounds of tea-drinking practice."

"Good heavens."

Hoping to buy myself some time, I asked if we couldn't start with other etiquette lessons, but the answer was far from what I wanted to hear. I only caught a glimpse of what an enormous nuisance my future lessons were going to be.

But just when Sir Max seemed poised to begin practice, he suddenly covered his mouth with both hands, his eyes flying wide in shock.

...And the sight of a middle-aged man striking such a pose made my own expression sour as a bonus.

"Oh my. Come to think of it, I didn't bring any practice attire without a codpiece attached."

'Ugh, I really can't get used to him doing that.'

"Can't we just use what I'm wearing now?"

"Even though we're both men, teaching a gentleman who is essentially in his undergarments is a touch embarrassing for me."

"These aren't undergarments?"

"To my eyes, they are no different from undergarments. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thought yesterday's attire was already quite revealing, but today you've outdone yourself."

He seemed troubled by the lack of practice clothes, so when I suggested we just go with what I had on, he arched an eyebrow as if deeply perplexed.

I glanced down at my outfit.

'Hmm... the only difference from yesterday is the sleeve length.'

"It's the same as yesterday, isn't it?"

"Absolutely not. Your armpits are completely exposed. A gentleman must not openly reveal such areas, young master."

He shook his head, disagreeing with my assessment. ...Why on earth are armpits a problem?

"Anyway, let's just proceed like this. I'm not embarrassed in the slightest."

"Hah... very well. But even though we are inside the estate, you must never wander around in such attire, understood? No matter how young you are, young master, a gentleman is still a gentleman. Such attire is only for your bedchamber. Or before the person you are to marry."

"...? Got it."

'What a fuss over a little exposed armpit.'

* * * * * *

After that, Sir Max and I began something akin to simple calisthenics.

Under normal circumstances, he would have guided my movements by touching me, but since I couldn't stand the thought of a man laying hands on me, I decided to just listen and follow along.

"Now, this time, think of pressing your thighs to the ground and spread your legs... oh my?"

-Streeetch.

"Like this?"

"Young master, have you practiced some kind of exercise before? Your body is exceptionally flexible."

"Not particularly. It's just that unlike my sisters, I've been learning magic."

"Oh ho. Remarkable. You might have a natural genius for dancing, young master. A talent capable of captivating every noble young lady of the Empire through dance alone. You could be destined for the history books of high society."

"...Heh heh."

When I split my legs to a full 180 degrees, Sir Max looked astonished. As if he'd witnessed something truly incredible, he showered me with praise, practically foaming at the mouth.

...Hmm. It kind of feels like he's deliberately doing this to motivate me. But if he's going to talk me up that much, maybe I can let myself be taken in.

"But even for you, young master, this one will be impossible. It's a pose from another country called an 'arabesque,' where you balance on one leg while...."

"Yap."

"Oh my, oh my. Truly, young master, are you a prodigy? Your comprehension is swift, your flexibility superb."

"Heh heh heh. I have my moments."

"...Though the outfit does make it a bit embarrassing to watch."

After that, Sir Max requested several more poses.

The difficulty gradually increased, but...

'Mark of a manly man. Perfectly executing whatever is asked of him.'

I pulled all of them off without much trouble. Do I really have a talent for dancing?

"Good heavens. Even this one? I've educated many debutantes over the years, but I've never met a young gentleman with talent on par with yours, young master. You must be a dance prodigy the likes of which the Empire has never seen."

"Hee hee. I am pretty amazing, aren't I!"

"Indeed. Then let's stop here for today, and we'll begin dance practice in earnest tomorrow."

"Yes! Thank you for your hard work!"

And so, the first dance lesson ended more enjoyably than I'd expected. Honestly, it felt less like learning to dance and more like testing this and that, but who cares. As long as it was fun.

* * * * * *

After Sir Max had left.

"Chloe, Chloe! Look at this! Ta-da~!"

"...!!?"

I'd sat Chloe down in front of me and was showing off the poses I'd done.

Summoning my personal butler-slash-guard-knight just to mess around like this felt a bit off, but then again, if I didn't call her, she'd have nothing to do and would just be bored. Let's call it a win-win.

"Heh heh. Think you can do a pose like this? According to Sir Max, not just anyone can pull this off."

"Young master. What in the world."

But Chloe's face as she watched me was frozen rigid.

Her eyes widened as if she were looking at something unbelievable.

Her breathing slowly grew ragged, and just as my expression began to morph into bewilderment, sensing something odd—

-Smack!

"...Hoo. Pull yourself together. Get a grip."

"?!"

Chloe suddenly slapped both her own cheeks with her hands.

"What was that for?! Your face has handprints on it. Good grief."

"It's nothing."

I quickly broke the pose and asked what was wrong, but Chloe shook her head a few times, insisting it was nothing.

...Is she really okay?

"Are you sure you're okay? Are you hurting somewhere? Should I bring a potion?"

"I'm truly fine. More importantly, young master. What on earth was that pose."

"Ah. I didn't explain, did I."

I was worried, but if she said she was fine, it wasn't my place to push.

Still, she asked what that pose just now was, so I began explaining the events of the day.

"...So, you know what? They said I might be incredibly good at dancing. Isn't that amazing?"

"That pose you just did was dancing?"

"I'm not sure? They said it's a pose popular in another country. I don't really know."

But Chloe, who had been pinching the bridge of her nose and letting out a low groan, soon spoke to me with a dead serious expression.

"Young master. Never take that pose in that attire before others again."

"Huh? Why?"

"...Places like your armpits, your navel, your thighs were all completely visible."

"And? That much is fine."

"It is absolutely not fine."

Truthfully, I couldn't understand why she was acting this way, but since Chloe even bit her lower lip while saying it, I decided to let it slide.

"Fine. I was never planning to show anyone but you and the family anyway."

"Phew. Thank you."

Only after I obediently agreed did Chloe's expression finally relax.

"Right. So, how was I? Do I look like a dance prodigy?"

"...."

"Was it that bad...?"

"You looked like the manly man you always speak of, young master."

"Really!? Hee hee."

And only after I'd finally dragged a description of myself as a 'manly man' out of Chloe did I grin in satisfaction.

Maybe I really do have a knack for dancing?

* * * * * *

Thanks to all the effusive praise, I'd been on cloud nine. But my mood plummeted into gloom again after dinner.

"You didn't have to go that far...."

My gloomy mood was thanks to my sister Mar. When I showed her the pose I'd learned today,

'Little brother. That pose looks really perverted.'

She said, driving a dagger straight into my heart.

Of course, when I immediately teared up from the shock, she apologized and said the words just slipped out, but my wounded heart didn't heal easily afterward.

I thought it was a pretty cool pose. But to my sister, it apparently looked like something a pervert would do....

Shock or not, the work still needed doing.

Slumped over with discouragement, I pulled out the direct-line crystal ball connected to the Steinadler Merchant Company, with whom I had a contract.

-Kzzzt. ...Ah. Young master Yune? You called?

"Yeah. I need you to get me one artifact. Within a week. The method for acquiring it...."

As soon as I infused it with magic power, the call connected directly to the Merchant Company Head, Nibuer. I began describing the item I wanted to her, just as I'd been doing for the past year.

Since the Company Head needed something to gain from it too, I wrapped up today's regular ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contact by passing along information on a suitable artifact.

-Just what I'd expect from young master Yune. No, of the Northern Grand Duchess. Wherever do you get this information from? I, Nibuer, am sincerely in awe.

"...Yeah. I'm always grateful too."

-Oh? You seem unusually down today. Has ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠something perhaps happened?

"...It's nothing."

But my deflated mood must have been palpable even through the crystal ball, as the Company Head's voice carried a note of concern.

After a moment's hesitation, I casually brought it up.

"Hey, so. Can I ask you something? This isn't about business; it's really just casual talk."

-Anything at all. If I, Nibuer, can be of any help to you, young master, I shall count it the honor of my lifetime.

"...There's this pose called an 'arabesque.' It's where you stand on one leg and lift the other straight up. Would it look perverted if a guy did that in front of a woman?"

-...?

A brief silence hung over the crystal ball. Then, soon after,

-Perish the thought! Ha ha. I briefly imagined it just now, and it was such a graceful, splendidly noble pose that my breath caught for a moment.

"...Right!? Calling that perverted, the person seeing it that way is the perverted one!"

-Ahem. I can't say for certain, but I, for one, thought it must be a very stylish and elegant pose.

"Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm saying."

Nibuer gave me exactly the answer I wanted to hear. My spirits instantly rocketed back up.

"Heh. Just what I'd expect from Nibuer. Clever and capable. How can one person be so impressive?"

-Hoo... You flatter me too much.

Yet even as I praised her, now feeling much better, she let out a sigh. Was it my imagination, or did that sigh feel like one of relief, like 'Phew, I survived'?

-Well then... I will requisition the artifact you've ordered and have it sent with all haste.

"Yeah. Thanks!"

-Yes. And... now that you've turned ten, young master, though it may be a bit early, I shall also send a modest gift from myself along with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it.

"Huh? Ah, yeah."

'What's this? Some kind of freebie?'