Shall We Dance One Song?
“Ethan. Have you mastered all the etiquette?”
“Eh, more or less.”
“More or less won't cut it. It has to be perfect.”
Ray straightened my tailcoat, then tapped my back sharply.
“Not that it's pleasant to hear, but you won't receive kind looks, Ethan. If you're called out on etiquette, it won't just humiliate you—it'll tarnish Her Highness's reputation too.”
“So you're saying you don't want the princess's name dragged through the mud.”
“Even now, you need to correct your form of address. Her Highness hasn't reprimanded you, so I can't overstep, but in official settings...”
“I get it. I get it.”
I'd thought she was the silent type. But Ray's tongue was sharper than mine.
Conversations with her left me exhausted.
“Shall we check your appearance?”
I looked in the full-length mirror. Is this me?
I usually kept my hair covering my forehead, so the slicked-back style felt unfamiliar. But it suited my face shape well enough.
And the tailcoat fit sleekly, refined.
Like this, huh.
I fiddled awkwardly with my bow tie.
“The setup is complete. Don't touch it.”
I got scolded immediately. A bit deflated, I folded and unfolded my white gloves.
“This good to go?”
“Before that, a quick etiquette review...”
“No need.”
I cut her off and stepped forward.
“Lead the way.”
“Understood.”
We arrived at the waiting room where Katrina waited. Inside, she sat alone—everyone else cleared out.
“You clean up nice.”
“You're the one all dolled up like a flower.”
Katrina in her long dress, sipping wine, looked like a masterpiece painting.
“Dolled up like a flower. Haven't heard that in ages.”
Katrina murmured.
“Sit for a bit.”
“Can I have a drink first?”
“Go ahead. It's my call anyway.”
Katrina chuckled and hooked her arm through mine, bringing the wineglass to my lips.
“Care for a sip?”
“Isn't that the one you were drinking?”
“Doesn't matter.”
“Then...”
I leaned in and downed the wine straight from her glass.
“Y-you actually drank it...”
“You offered.”
“...You're bold.”
Katrina muttered softly, snatching the glass back. They say taking back what you give is the worst.
How much could I have had?
“The banquet's right around the corner. Can't indulge yet.”
“Yet you were drinking alone.”
“Just wetting my lips.”
She swirled the wineglass before setting it down with a clink.
“Today's a historic day.”
“A princess bringing a commoner as her partner? Yeah, that'll go down in imperial history.”
“Sorry, but it won't make history that way. It's happened before.”
“It has?”
I blinked in surprise, then nodded in realization. This was a romance fantasy world.
One cliché: commoner heroine hooking up with the cold northern duke (soft only for her), the sly crown prince (weak for her alone). Highborns pairing with commoners was common.
No need to look far—Lechel was proof.
So I'm part of that cliché too...
Except Katrina wasn't approaching with pure affection like those leads.
“Of course, no one approved.”
“Figures.”
“Why? Curious?”
Katrina shifted, releasing the arm hook.
“Do you want me?”
She leaned in close, our breaths mingling. A little closer, and skin would touch.
“Too bad. I have zero interest in embracing a man.”
“If you aim for the throne, you might need to rethink that.”
“Once I'm emperor, I won't need to bother.”
“Why's that?”
“Because I'll make it so.”
A loaded statement. Like she planned to upend the empire...
“Shh.”
Katrina sealed my lips with a delicate finger.
“That's enough.”
She whispered sweetly in my ear, then rose slowly.
“Time to make our entrance.”
“...Right.”
I still hadn't heard why it was historic. I stood to follow.
“Etiquette all mastered?”
“You have no idea how many times I've heard that today.”
“Ah, sorry. Ray's awfully persistent.”
Her insincere apology aside, Katrina took my arm, looping hers through it.
The soft sensation against my arm.
Whoa.
Impressive. Not quite Sea's level, but no slouch.
“A man's arm is so firm...”
She wasn't the only one impressed.
“Addictive...”
“Katrina?”
“Ah! Um... we need to enter.”
Clearing her throat, she quickened her pace. I matched her stride.
We reached the hall.
“The Empire's Rose, Her Highness Princess Katrina Aurel Romanheim enters!”
The herald's booming announcement echoed. All eyes turned.
“A-a commoner...?”
“Why would Her Highness bring a commoner?”
Murmurs rose. Glancing sideways, magic department cadets who knew my face chattered nonstop.
The wave spread to nobles who didn't, all whispering.
“A real commoner?”
“Her Highness with a partner...”
“N-no way...”
Listening, it hit me—no one had gotten the prior notice? As the princess's partner, total surprise seemed off.
“Heh...”
Katrina let out a faint laugh. She planned this.
I shot her a slight glare of reproach.
Pfft!
I nearly lost it too.
Why's she like that?
Isana stared blankly, mouth agape. The sight was comical.
“Wait and see.”
Katrina whispered just for me, then headed for the podium. Suddenly adrift, I scanned the room with grim resignation.
Everyone bloomed in their own conversations. But I knew.
They were subtly fixated on me.
Feels like a lone animal in a zoo.
Snickering, I headed for Isana. Gasps and held breaths followed.
Makes sense. Excluding royals, Isana was top-tier duke's daughter.
Approaching her first was a statement. Proving I wasn't just the princess's skirt-chaser, claiming initiative.
It's bullshit, really.
Proof? Nah, just visiting a familiar face.
I approached the dazed Isana and deployed Ray's etiquette crash course.
“Lady Isana Sibtant. Might I have a word, if it's alright?”
Not much to brag about. Earth's respect for elders, slightly tweaked.
Confucian roots made it easy for me.
“Wh-what...? Uh...?”
Not for her, apparently.
“H-honorifics? To me...?”
She'd griped about casual speech before. Now formal freaked her out.
I'm not like Linea.
“Yes. I've always wanted meaningful conversation with you, my lady.”
I sat naturally.
“A commoner with that etiquette?”
“Meaningful conversation. He's the princess's partner...”
Cadets stared openly now. Whatever.
“What are you thinking, commoner...! How'd you end up partnering with Her Highness...”
“Shh. Voice too loud.”
I spread mana around us.
“Commoner...!”
Isana seemed oddly pleased at my casual shift.
“Ahem. Anyway, what happened? How'd you connect with Her Highness?”
“Got lucky.”
“Luck doesn't cover it!”
“Later for that.”
I withdrew the mana swiftly. Isana shut her mouth, but curiosity lingered.
I'll explain sometime.
“Those gathered here today...”
Katrina continued her steady speech.
“She's so cool.”
“Lady Katrina...”
Female cadets murmured in rapture.
She's popular.
More with girls. Her haughty, rigid demeanor.
Yet unyielding pride made her many's idol. Why most hostile glares were female? That.
“...Enjoy yourselves.”
She finished. Applause and cheers erupted. I joined, clapping along.
Descending, Katrina scanned, met my eyes, and twitched an eyebrow.
What?
She strode over purposefully.
“My so-called partner can't keep his eyes off others the moment I look away.”
Murmurs swelled dramatically.
Unfair. She permitted mingling during her speech.
“A very bad man.”
Katrina stopped before me. I stood.
Smack.
...???
A faint warmth spread through my glove to my hand's back.
“So, shall we dance one song?”
Katrina grinned shamelessly.