“Where are you looking now? Look ahead, ahead!”
“Ah, yes!”
That is ridiculous! The dance, which had us bumping into each other and falling over, had ended before we knew it.
Tak tok tok, tok tok tok.
The partners looked at each other and drew a circle, but the instructor, the male part, stopped first and began a single movement. And the much-anticipated female solo part.
Lydia spun around in place, swayed gracefully from side to side, approached her partner, and then took a step back.
The killing part at this point was for the instructor to flinch while looking at Lydia suspiciously, even though the partner had to stop still in the opponent’s exclusive part.
Furthermore, the girl’s face, which draws the order of the dance in her head throughout the entire dance, became white and hardened, as if the soul was escaping.
Previously, whenever Sihon looked down while dancing, it was misinterpreted as ‘the dead face of a bride being sold.’
That class left nothing but scars.
Even the joyfully played string instrument was muffled in the practise room, and silence reigned.
Sihon, who had been silently watching the class, broke the silence and quietly inquired.
“Is this the best you can do, Instructor Fides?”
At first glance, the remark appears to question the instructor’s ability without considering the student’s ability.
In reality, it was an urgent check to see if the students’ skills could improve in the future. As if a guardian were inquiring whether an incurable disease in a terminally ill patient could be cured.
Fides, the instructor, shook his head and spoke passionately.
“I’m sorry, but Lady Arwen isn’t a good dancer.” Aside from being stiff, she has no sense of the beat and no sense of the flow of the dance itself. Not even the best teacher can help to fix it. Yes, this is a body from hell!”
Lydia’s face turned bright red as the harsh criticism continued. Rachel was aware of this and pointed it out coldly.
“A body from hell, don’t jump to conclusions. Should the instructor discourage the students? How do you know that if you work hard in the future, you will gradually get better?”
It was not something the person who had opened her mouth to sink her jaw at the prospective daughter-in-law’s disastrous dancing skills a moment ago.
Actually, I took Lydia’s side, but Rachel’s heart wasn’t always comfortable.
If Lydia’s skills don’t improve at this rate, the next person to suffer the humiliation suffered by today’s instructor will be her own son, who has to dance with her at the ball.
Knowing this, the instructor was full of spirits, but he could not let go of the patience not to grumble in front of the great noble people.
The proof was that a crooked smile hung on one side of his mouth as he bowed his head pretending to be polite.
It roughly translates as “wait and see if you can see your daughter-in-law warmly even if his feet have been trampled and his shin has been kicked.”
‘No, not this guy.’
Sihon’s purple eyes, which were blandly looking down at the instructor, faded coldly.
The instructor was taken aback by the sharp gaze at the angle only then.
Sihon smiled and placed his arm around the instructor’s shoulder. Then he moved to a corner and whispered in hushed tones.
“I don’t expect to make facial expressions or movements feel natural. But there’s one catch: you must correct the unanswered step. I’ll pay you tenfold if she doesn’t step on my feet even once at this ball. Can you do that? If you’re a competent instructor.”
“Yep!”
To the duke’s words, which were half threatening and conciliatory, the lecturer responded in a spirited voice.
Just before leaving the practice room, a flame erupted in the instructor’s eyes looking at Lydia. Passion, challenging spirit, etc… … .
For the student, there were a lot of emotions that were burdensome.
Sihon sighed as he looked down at Lydia, who was still hesitant with her red face, after the instructor had left.
“You are a child……” They say they can’t dance if they can’t dance.”
“Did you think I purposefully stepped on it?”
Lydia inquired, puzzled, when Sihon grumbled. Lydia had apologised several times before, saying that it wasn’t on purpose. But she can’t believe he mistook her for stepping on his foot, pretending to make a mistake in order to provoke him on purpose.
What have you thought of me thus far? To be honest, I was surprised and disappointed. Of course, who is willing to understand when they make mistakes not once or twice, but repeatedly?
“I wasn’t doing it on purpose when I was dancing.” Just that I’m not very good at dancing…… I know it’s difficult to believe, but I’m a lot better at the ball than I was at practice.”
“Ah, yes. To the point where you would kick a couple of times when you would kick one or ten times and step on it three times.”
Sihon smirked cynically at the embarrassing explanation.
Sihon wasn’t making a joke, but there seemed to be something piled up somewhere.
On the battlefield, a man who doesn’t blink even when hit by a sword and fights in a hand-to-hand battle blames others for making such a big deal out of it.
Lydia grumbled angrily.
“I didn’t know you would take those things to heart. It wasn’t once or twice, but it didn’t seem like I stepped on it too many times.”
But unexpectedly, Sihon was serious.
“Ha, you’ve been thirty-eight… … .”
“yes? I’ve only stepped on it nine times… … .”
“No, let’s not talk.”
“No, I’m sorry.”
The number of times they saw each other was nearly four times different.
Instead of arguing from their respective points of view, the two people who were frustrated by each other for various reasons retreated.
Rachel, who was watching the two men and women grumble, mediated the situation.
“If we continue like this, the day will pass us by.” Let’s get out of here as soon as possible. We have to coordinate our outfits, and we have a lot of work to do.”
* * *
Lydia hadn’t left the house in nearly two months. This is because she was unconscious and confined to the mansion for nearly a week after receiving treatment at the Duke of Blair and having dinner the day she left the Marquis.
Lydia, on the other hand, has only met the Duke of Blair’s people, as well as some medical staff and tutors.
Speculative rumours about this began to circulate in social circles.
What could have caused the aristocratic young lady of a prestigious marquess to suddenly cease attending social gatherings for nearly two months?
Perhaps it was stated that she had been ill since birth, implying that she is in critical condition and that her movements are inconvenient these days.
Given her pale complexion and the fact that she suffers from anaemia every time they see her, it is not difficult to conclude that she has not long to live.
Even if you don’t feel well, isn’t it strange that you haven’t seen your parents since you moved to another place?
Is it possible that after Duke Blair took his bride-to-be, they have forbidden her from interacting with her parents?
There is also a story that Lady Arwen was unable to leave the mansion because she became pregnant before marriage, possibly to conceal her pregnancy.
And the Duke Blair is especially busy these days because he has accelerated his wedding preparations.
However, as Lydia appeared in the capital’s central shopping district today, the vicious rumours were neatly dismissed.
The Rommel-Elijah Dress Shop was the first stop for the three of them.
The store manager and chief designers of the dressing room hurriedly bowed their heads to greet the Duke Blair, the Duchess, and the young lady of the Marquis of Amaranth as they entered.
“Your Excellency the Duke, Grand Duchess, and young lady marquis, welcome.”
“How can I assist you?” We can help you find the right outfit if you tell us what you’re looking for.”
“I’m fine; I’m just trying to get some dresses for my daughter.” “Do you have any suggestions?”
Rachel inquired, gently pulling Lydia forward. Lydia’s emerald eyes trembled at the loving reference she made to her. She wasn’t the only one who was taken aback.
‘This is an opportunity.’
When the two women appeared to be friendly, a subtle signal went back and forth between the staff in the dressing room.
They knew it well from previous experience as they welcomed various aristocratic guests. They say ‘a few suits,’ but in reality, once they have a big heart for someone close to them, this type of customer almost robs the dressing room.
Under the guise of kindness, the store manager guided the two women with sparkling eyes.
“We have classic designs as well as trendy designs. Is there a particular style or designer that the young lady prefers?”
“Um… … .”
Lydia murmured in confusion when presented with an unexpected option.
Lydia, in fact, had never chosen a dress for herself. When she needed a new outfit, she always had the marchioness of Amaranth with her.
Despite the fact that Lydia would wear it, she had to follow the opinion of the marchioness unconditionally when choosing her clothes. Even that, there were small scars on the shoulder and back, so there was a narrow range of choices.
Of course, there were some outfits that I liked while looking around the dressing room.
The marchioness, on the other hand, sneered cynically whenever Lydia showed signs of capturing something in her eyes. What kind of viewpoint do you have?
Lydia stopped paying attention to any product after that when she went to the dressing room or jewellery store.
Because I’ll never be able to decide what I want.
But now, for the first time, I have the opportunity to select something for myself.
Rachel softly smiled at Lydia’s hesitant response, as if telling her to relax. Lydia finally spoke cautiously and hesitantly.
“Well, actually, I don’t have a preference……”
For a brief moment, the chief designers let out a small sigh.
In aristocratic society, the Marchioness Maeve Amaranth’s unusual love for her daughter was well known. The marchioness would always accompany her daughter, Lady Arwen, wherever she went, and she would pick and choose everything for her daughter, including her dresses, accessories, cosmetics, and diet.
And, as if she was worried about having an affair with a man, she wrapped her daughter in a shawl and gloves and dressed her up tight.
If a girl dressed like that, she might be asked, “What kind of nun is she?”
