The Art of the Glitched Waltz
In a ballroom, asking someone to dance is a strong statement. It is a way to show off the partner you brought.
Or, it serves as a silent invitation to establish a social connection—and accepting the dance is equivalent to saying yes.
Furthermore, when someone of lower status, like me, receives an invitation from someone of higher status, it is practically impossible to refuse.
...Yet, Saintess Astoria, who looked like a sheltered greenhouse flower, seemed completely oblivious to this.
Is this another quirk of a RoFan game? Well, I suppose if they strictly followed historical class systems, the genre's tropes wouldn't work.
I sighed inwardly.
In a realistic world, rather than a noble falling in love with a commoner girl and sacrificing everything for her, it would be far more natural for him to use his power to isolate her until she had no other choice.
That was how powerful the "blue blood" of nobility was. Their status and authority were absolute, and the closer one was to the imperial family or the papacy, the more extreme it became. And yet...
"Brother, do you... perhaps dislike the idea?"
This naive Saintess stood there with her hand extended, completely unaware of the tension she was causing.
There were far too many eyes on us right now.
The expressions of the noble ladies, who had been gossiping about me since I first stepped into the ballroom, shifted dramatically.
Even if the Baskervilles were the Sword of the Empire, I was merely the third son who rarely showed his face. For such an invisible man to be chosen by the Saintess was shocking.
"...Saintess, do you happen to know what it means to invite someone to dance in a place like this?"
"I have no idea! But I have always wanted to try dancing at least once!"
Good grief, she was too pure.
Which only made this more difficult.
If I were to explain the social implications of a dance invitation here, I would look like a madman who had brutally rejected the Saintess.
But if I accepted, I would become so famous that everyone in this room would know my name by the end of the night.
"How could the third son of the Baskervilles be with the Saintess...?"
"Do you think he has some leverage over her? Otherwise, there is no way Lady Astoria would invite a man like him."
"It is bizarre. The gap in their status is immense."
The whispers of the nobles surrounding Astoria and me confirmed my fears.
If both refusing and accepting led to trouble, it was better to face it head-on.
If word spread that I was close to the Saintess, it would benefit my family rather than harm it.
After all, the Saintess was the proxy of the Lord and the very symbol of the Holy Kingdom of Valentia.
"I am lacking, but I look forward to your guidance."
I nodded, my expression filled with resolve.
Although I had learned the basics of ballroom dancing to debut in society, I had never expected anyone to actually invite me.
Consequently, this would be my first time putting it into practice.
Stepping on the Saintess's foot would be a disaster, so I decided to use a little trick.
In the predecessor game, Fantasia Island, there was an emote that allowed two players to interact even if only one triggered it. Should I use that?
To be precise, this was also a bug.
It was a glitch that allowed a single-player emote to be shared by two people through rapid swapping.
If I mix in quick steps and swap the emotes...
I pulled the Saintess's hand toward me and quickly tapped my feet twice.
First, I triggered the emote that raised our arms together in a cheer, then immediately swapped back to the dancing emote to continue the movement.
To an outside observer, it would look like a seamless, choreographed dance.
"...I will lead, Saintess."
"Pardon? Whoa...!"
*Tap, tap.*
Saintess Astoria's body moved toward me as if drawn by a magnet.
Even though I was the one leading, Astoria was flustered by how flawlessly she was dancing without any awkwardness.
It must have felt bizarre to her, as her body was moving in perfect sync like a marionette without her conscious effort.
But that's none of my business.
A ballroom was like a wilderness teeming with predators.
A single minor mistake or slip of the tongue could be seized upon, dragging down a family's reputation.
This was infinitely better than making a fool of myself by dancing poorly with the Saintess.
"Brother, I thought you said you had never danced before..."
"I learned the basic etiquette from my family."
I brushed it off with a vague excuse, moving my body to the rhythm of the emote I remembered from the game.
Fantasia Island and Royal Child were made by the same developer and ran on the same engine.
Because of this, the elegant dance emotes functioned perfectly in this world.
Thanks to the dance steps I had been forced to learn at home, mimicking the emote from my memory didn't look awkward at all.
"Watch your step."
"Ah? Oh, yes..."
Pretending to lead Saintess Astoria with practiced ease, I executed a flawless waltz across the ballroom.
Perhaps worried about tripping, she kept looking up at my face and then down at her feet in a peculiar rhythm.
"Brother, is dancing usually this easy...?"
"Shh. Please focus."
It was understandable that she found her body's automatic movements strange, but it was best to keep quiet about it.
Spinning gracefully, the Saintess landed back in my arms, prompting a collective gasp from the onlookers.
"What in the world? I heard this was his first social gathering... yet he is leading Lady Astoria so effortlessly?"
"Dancing with the Saintess herself... If the Cardinal finds out, he will be furious."
"Well, at least he seems to possess basic refinement."
Despite their jealousy and envy, the surrounding nobles had no choice but to admit our dance was perfect.
Of course it was.
The emote I was using was a premium, top-tier item sold in the cash shop.
It was so popular that players jokingly called it a mandatory purchase, and it was practically a sacred rule to perform it in pairs after clearing a raid.
"Brother... you are a very good dancer."
"I suppose I have danced more times than you, Saintess."
"Did you say that just to tease me?"
Her voice carried a hint of mock disappointment.
Even though her face was completely transparent and invisible, I could easily read her mood through her tone and gestures.
Perhaps because I had frequently encountered the transparency bug during raids and explorations in the game, I was already well-accustomed to this situation.
"Splendid, Theodore Baskerville!"
Just then, a boisterous voice echoed through the hall.
From a distance, a man with hair and eyes that looked like molten gold was smiling at us.
"...Your Imperial Highness."
"Pardon? His Highness?"
I immediately released the Saintess's hand and dropped to one knee, showing proper imperial etiquette.
Crown Prince Sheint Lionheart.
He was a man of bold and cheerful character, earning him the nickname "Golden Lion," and he was the host of today's social gathering.
"Theodore, I have heard much about you from your brothers. They say you are the smartest and most skilled swordsman in your family."
"You flatter me, Your Highness."
"Nonsense! The fact that Lady Astoria invited you to dance proves you are no ordinary man!"
Ugh, had he been watching us from the start?
The way he stared at the Saintess and me with a smirk made him look like a middle-aged man who had just witnessed something juicy.
Exuding a friendly warmth rather than the heavy dignity of the imperial heir, Sheint gestured for me to stand.
In truth, this was our first meeting, but it seemed my older brothers had left a very favorable impression of me with the imperial family.
"I hope the Saintess is enjoying herself as well."
"...I am deeply honored. Perhaps by the guidance of the Lord, I have had a wonderful encounter today."
"Is that so! Haha, it seems I was being dense!"
At the Crown Prince's words, the Saintess looked toward me. I figured that "wonderful encounter" referred to me.
From Astoria's perspective, I must seem like the only person who could solve her invisible state.
Should I go back to being a shut-in once I return to the estate?
No matter how close we got, there was no way a Saintess would be allowed to slip in and out of a noble son's private residence. I could just go back to my comfortable life as a shut-in.
It was unfortunate for Astoria, but this meeting would likely be our first and last.
Or so I thought.
"Ah...! Broom, stop right there!"
Suddenly, accompanied by a high-pitched female voice, a shadow flickered as someone came running.
Had a magically animated broom defied its master and gone out of control?
The broom was hurtling straight toward the Crown Prince at a reckless speed that bordered on treason.
An event this absurd... Could it be related to Alice, the original female lead?
Sensing trouble, I immediately wrapped my arm around the Saintess's waist and pulled her close.
"Forgive my rudeness for a moment, Saintess."
"Pardon...?!"
Shielding Saintess Astoria, I drew the sword at my waist in a flash.
There was no need to use the signature swordsmanship of the Baskerville family. Just three light horizontal slashes.
With that, the rampaging magic broom was sliced to pieces and clattered to the floor.
It seemed Alice was trying to trigger her first encounter event with the Crown Prince, but from my perspective, this was the best course of action.
As a member of the Baskerville family, known as the Sword of the Empire, I can't just stand by and watch a commoner girl crash into the Crown Prince.
If I let this slide, I wouldn't be able to look my brothers in the eye.
However...
"Ah, uh... ah..."
"Hahaha! You are completely wrapping the Saintess around your finger! What a masterpiece!"
Astoria, still held in my arms, let out a dazed sound and covered her face, while the Crown Prince clapped his hands in sheer delight.
What? Did I do something wrong?
Protecting the safety of high-status individuals was only natural for me.
Crown Prince Sheint Lionheart.
Known by the moniker "Golden Lion," he had recently acquired a new hobby.
It was none other than watching and helping the budding romance between a young man and woman from the sidelines.
That was why he had invited single and unbetrothed men and women to this social gathering.
If I keep watching these two, I think something very interesting will happen.
Sheint smiled as he watched Theodore, who had not only danced beautifully with Saintess Astoria but had also rushed to protect her.
After all, watching other people's romance was always the most entertaining thing in the world.