My Fiancée Was Just Like Me After All! (Nope) (2)
My Fiancée Was Just Like Me After All! (Nope) (2)
My sudden sense of kinship with my fiancée Kir shot through the roof.
I proposed a simple operation to Kir.
"When the adults finish talking and come back, we'll say this right away: 'I'd rather die than marry this person!' Just like that."
"D-do you think we can do that...?"
"Of course. My mother said she wouldn't force the marriage if I didn't want it, and Duchess Schmut seems to dote on you too. If we're both honest, they'll understand."
The operation was precisely this: honestly tell our respective parents that we don't want to get married.
A simple yet brilliant plan that could achieve the goal of breaking off the engagement in the most peaceful and efficient way possible.
"Uh, um... but I'm not exactly against."
"Huh? I didn't catch that. You got another idea?"
"N-no! Got it!"
Kir seemed about to say something about the plan, but when I asked, she clammed up, so it couldn't have been that important.
"Then we might have to stay here a little longer. Something to kill time... Oh. That book you were reading. Mind if I take a look?"
"Ah, y-yeah...."
* * * * * *
The book she'd been reading was an instruction manual for a dance called 'ballet' that was popular overseas. Each posture was illustrated with movement diagrams.
It was written in a foreign language, but the moment I saw the pose Sir Max had taught me—the 'arabesque'—I knew exactly what this book was.
I smirked with confidence.
"You like this kind of dance?"
"Y-yeah... a girl liking such a boyish dance. Weird, right?"
"Nothing weird about it. More importantly... earlier, your posture was off. Watch me demonstrate!"
She must have been practicing ballet alone with this book all this time. But since she hadn't learned from an instructor like I had, her posture was flawed and awkward.
It was a problem that could be fixed if she learned from a teacher instead of self-studying, but finding an instructor willing to teach such a masculine dance to a girl would've been difficult for her.
Practicing alone in secret had to be her only option. Without anyone beside her to correct her posture or guide her, she was entirely on her own.
And who was I again? I was Yune: the dancing machine recognized by Sir Max, destined to capture the gaze of every young noble lady at this upcoming ball.
I decided to personally teach her dancing during our remaining time.
"Here. Watch closely. The arabesque goes like this... extending the leg straight."
"...!!"
First came the pose she'd been trying to mimic, the very first one Sir Max taught me. The 'arabesque'—an advanced move where you stand on one leg and lift the opposite one to 180 degrees.
The moment I showed her, a gasp-like moan escaped her lips.
"H-h-haah...."
"I said watch carefully. Your leg keeps dropping when you just lift it, so you have to pull it as if drawing a bow...."
Her face flushed, perhaps embarrassed to learn dance from a boy, but she still stared intently at my posture.
Seeing her so eager to learn swept me up in the joy of nurturing a junior. Was this how Sir Max felt?
"How's that? Think you've got the pose now?"
"Uh, well... could you do it just one more... n-no, never mind!"
"Hm? You want to see it one more time? Here!"
"...!!"
She was so passionate she even requested an encore. I felt like a real dance instructor, and my pride swelled accordingly.
I lifted my leg again, and this time Kir couldn't even breathe, her eyes wide.
'Heh. Watch closely. And learn well!'
"Heh-heh. Impressive, right?"
"Th-then this pose from the book next...."
"Oh, I've never seen this one before... like this, maybe?"
"W-wow...."
After that, we practiced dancing until the room's air grew thick with heat.
I'd demonstrate the book's moves myself, and she'd observe my posture up close to figure out the center of gravity and everything.
Watching from a distance where our noses could almost touch was a bit much, but for the first ally I'd met who shared my ideals, this was nothing.
She seemed like a free spirit just like me. If I built up some goodwill now, she'd probably help me out later once I became an adventurer.
Time passed like that. After running through so many poses, I was drenched in sweat.
"Whew... it's really hot. Kir, aren't you ho— Huh? Kir?"
"H-h-haaah...."
"What the. Your face is completely red."
But Kir was in worse shape than I was.
Her face was flushed as she gasped for air. Anyone watching would've thought she'd just run a marathon.
"You okay...? Should I have given you a break? You look feverish."
-Shake, shake.
Thinking she'd come down with some kind of brain fever, I tried to press my hand to her forehead, but she shook her head wildly and stepped back.
And then...
-Knock, knock.
-Young Master Yune. Lady Kirschblüte. The Duchess is on her way.
The head maid's voice called us from outside.
Kir's expression shifted abruptly. Like someone who'd just been caught doing something forbidden.
"Y-Yune. Get dressed, quick! The adults must be done talking!"
"Yeah. Just gonna wipe off my sweat."
"There's no time, so hurry up and put your clothes on!!"
Completely opposite from her timid demeanor just a moment ago, Kir shouted, her piercing, childlike voice hammering my eardrums.
And then.
-Knock, knock, knock.
-Yune~ Kir~ I'm coming in?
"H-hiik."
Duchess Schmut's voice came from outside.
Kir's face colored with panic, and then—
-Slam.
"Mmff!?"
"Stay hidden in here and get dressed. I'll smooth things over."
Without warning, she clamped her hand over my mouth and shoved me into a nearby wardrobe.
Her strength, at odds with her delicate appearance, pushed me helplessly into the wardrobe.
She even shoved the clothes I'd taken off earlier into my arms, then slammed the wardrobe door shut.
And just like that, I was left standing alone inside the wardrobe.
-Click.
-Yune... Huh? Kir. Where did Yune go?
-Yune's playing hide-and-seek with me!
-Hm...?
Dazed, I heard the Duchess and Kir talking outside the wardrobe.
Listening to Kir desperately make excuses for my absence, I tilted my head.
'Why would she tell such an obvious lie...? Well, might as well play along and stay hidden for a bit. I'll wipe my sweat while I'm at it.'
* * * * * *
After a serious conversation with her old friend Erengard, Schmut's mind had grown very complicated.
The conclusion the two of them had drawn after sharing their information was serious enough that even a high-ranking noble like herself couldn't simply laugh it off.
To settle her tangled thoughts, she decided to go watch the betrothed pair enjoy their first meeting together sweetly.
An utterly foolish act in many ways. But she didn't care at all.
"Sigh... I'll go see the children for a bit. What about you, Er?"
"I'll finish reading these documents and follow. ...And go change out of that outfit. It's vulgar."
"Fine."
She left Erengard alone in the head of house's office for the moment and headed toward the reception room.
-Knock, knock.
"Yune~ Kir~ I'm coming in?"
"Y-yes!"
Normally she would've thrown the door open on purpose to help the timid Kir grow a little, but today Yune was present, so she knocked out of courtesy.
Only after Kir's reply came from inside did she open the door.
But Kir was alone in the room. Yune, who should've been with her, was nowhere to be seen.
"...Kir? Where did Yune go?"
"Y-Yune's playing hide-and-seek with me right now! He's so good at hiding I can't find him."
When asked about Yune's whereabouts, Kir waved her hands and lied, claiming they were 'playing hide-and-seek.'
Schmut's eyes narrowed slightly.
'...Anyone could tell that's a lie. What's this? Why is she suddenly lying to me?'
Kir's lie was extremely clumsy. Her hands and gaze wandered restlessly, unable to hide her anxiety, and her voice was trembling.
Because of that, Schmut easily recognized Kir's words as a lie.
But she couldn't readily think of a reason Kir would lie, so she decided to press her.
"Kirschblüte."
"...Y-yes?"
"Be honest. Where is Yune right now?"
Schmut asked with a hardened expression. When she deliberately turned stern, a ridiculous amount of pressure bore down on Kir.
Sensing her lie had been discovered, Kir bowed her head deeply.
"Well, you see...."
-Bump!
"...!!"
But before she could confess the truth, a thud came from the wardrobe.
Then the wardrobe door opened on its own.
Inside was Yune.
"Ah."
"...!?"
...In a state of undress akin to underwear, standing there awkwardly and soaked with sweat.
Their eyes widened like saucers. As if they couldn't be anything but mother and daughter, their startled faces perfectly mirrored each other.
"Yune, what are you doing in there... Kir! Don't tell me you!"
"N-no! That's not it!!"
Seeing Yune's embarrassing state, Schmut shouted, suspecting Kir had done something. Kir frantically protested.
Watching the mother and daughter panic, Yune muttered in a daze.
"Um... could I explain...."
* * * * * *
Handkerchiefs were piled up inside the wardrobe, so I'd used them to wipe off my sweat.
But while moving around, I accidentally bumped the wardrobe, the door flew open, and I'd been caught by the Duchess hiding.
For the time being, the Duchess took Kir and left the room. She'd wait until I'd straightened up my clothes, she said.
I roughly wiped off the sweat, threw on my outer clothes, and let them both back in, quickly launching into my explanation.
"So, yes. I taught her a little dancing. ...A truly, feminine-style dance!"
"...I see. So you, Yune, taught Kir a dance. And in the middle of that, you merely worked up a sweat?"
"Yes."
"Was it really necessary to do it in such a state of undress? You were practically down to your undergarments. I nearly mistook it for the two of you getting along a bit too well and doing that sort of thing."
"I find it more comfortable. And what do you mean, that sort of thing? I was just teaching her to dance."
"Siiigh...."
After hearing me out, the Duchess pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head. Then she started scolding Kir.
"When your fiancé is dressed like that, you're supposed to stop him. Why were you just watching and enjoying it? You don't have to take after your mother in this, Kir."
"I didn't mean to, he just said it was more comfortable...."
"Don't make excuses like a boy. Apologize to Yune at once."
Kir apologized to me repeatedly afterward. She said she must've lost her mind for a moment, that she was truly sorry, and so on.
Of course, it genuinely didn't bother me, so I waved it off.
"It's fine, it's fine. It was nothing, and honestly, I'm glad you learned so well, Kir."
"Uh, ugh... sorry...."
Oddly, her head dropped even lower, but still, that settled the commotion for me.
I shot Kir a subtle wink.
"Ahem. Ahem!"
-Glance, glance.
'Ready, Kir?'
"...?"
But maybe because she'd just been getting scolded, Kir didn't catch my signal.
...No choice. The manly man here would have to take the lead.
"More importantly... Your Grace?"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Our engagement. Please call it off!"
"...?"
"I'd rather die than marry her!"
""...!!!"