“Lord Claus, they might hear you...!” Jeanette pleaded. However, after a moment of thought, she quietly added, “But I think I feel the same way...” Then she chuckled, staring into Claus’s eyes all the while.
This dance was intended as a demonstration for Princess Meltia. Yet even so, Jeanette’s heart throbbed as Claus led her and treated her with his usual tenderness. Once the dance finally drew to an end, the couple turned toward their audience and bowed.
“What did you think of that, Lady Tia?” Claus inquired while smiling.
Meltia, who’d been enraptured by the dance, quickly snapped back to her senses.
“I-It was very good...” she answered with uncharacteristic honesty. Claus’s beauty must’ve dispelled her malice.
“Thank you for your kind words,” he replied.
At this point, Jeanette stepped forward.
“Your Highness! Lord Claus dances wonderfully, doesn’t he? Wouldn’t you like to try dancing with him too?”
“Me...?” The princess frowned, hesitating.
Claus held his hand out to her. For just a second, her eyes flickered with something. Perhaps she was recalling how graceful Claus had looked during the performance. Maybe she was picturing herself dancing with him too. However, instead of taking his hand, the girl took a step back.
“I... I can’t,” she said. “I don’t know the steps. And the song was so long—I don’t think I could dance until the end...”
Jeanette wasn’t surprised by that response. Even though dancing looks easy, it actually takes a lot of stamina. Knowing how to dance is considered an aspect of etiquette among the aristocracy, but Princess Meltia gets dizzy just from walking around. Dancing would be very difficult for her.
“Then we found it, didn’t we?” Jeanette prompted, gazing fixedly at the girl. “This is something that you cannot get, Your Highness.”
“Wha—?!”
Earlier, the princess had boasted that she could get anything she wanted. And yet...
“Even if you wanted to, you can’t dance with Lord Claus because you have no stamina. Doesn’t that mean this is something you cannot obtain?” Jeanette pointed out.
“That’s just sophistry!” Meltia replied angrily. “Honestly, I don’t really care that I can’t dance!” she insisted with a huff, refusing to admit defeat.
Jeanette offered an uncharacteristically mischievous smile.
“I see... So you don’t mind not knowing how warm Lord Claus’s embrace is?” With that, she swiftly entwined her arm around Claus’s. “Or the sweet scent of violets that surrounds him?” She drew her face closer to his.
For his part, Claus watched her with a broad grin.
“And you don’t mind not knowing the happiness of having Lord Claus look right into your eyes during a dance?” Jeanette leaned her face so close to Claus’s that they were almost kissing, then cast a side glance at the princess.
“Nnngh...!!!”
Just as Jeanette had expected, Meltia’s face was flushed with fury. O-Okay! We’re almost there! Just a little bit more... Come on, Jeanette! Play the part of a sexy girl to frustrate Her Highness...!
Although on the inside she was drowning in sweat, Jeanette did her best to continue the performance.
“What a shame! Being led by Lord Claus feels so dreamy and wonderful, but you’ll never know what that’s like, Your Highness... Truly, what a shame.”
“Can you not say the same thing twice?!” the princess roared, huffing through her nose. “Anyway, I can totally do it! Even if I can’t finish the dance, if I can just do it for a little bit, I’ll still experience all of what you said!”
“You mustn’t, Your Highness! What if you push yourself too far and collapse?!” the head maid interjected, hurriedly trying to stop the girl.
The other maids joined in too, grasping Meltia by the arms.
“Exactly! Don’t do it, Your Highness!”
“Y-You’re all exaggerating! Surely I can dance for a little bit!”
“No, we aren’t!” the head maid insisted. “Dancing is a lot harder than it looks! You’ll get dizzy the moment you try!”
The maids all continued yammering, causing the princess to let out a groan.
Claus smiled regretfully.
“Unfortunately, it looks like it’s impossible for you.”
“No it’s not!” Meltia protested.
But the maids weren’t giving an inch.
“Don’t do it, Your Highness!”
“Stop it! Get out of my way!”
“Lady Tia,” Claus spoke up again gently in order to pacify her. “Your maids are just worried about you. And frankly, so am I. If we’re to dance together, I’d feel safer if you had enough stamina not to collapse, at the very least.”
Meltia pursed her lips in frustration. Of course, Claus was subtly telling her that she needed to build up her stamina if she wanted to dance with him.
“Ugh...”
“How tragic. Dancing with someone you like is so much fun...” Claus said. “Anyway, Jeanette. Since we’re here, how about one more dance?”
“That sounds great! Let’s do it!”
The couple joined hands. Just as they were about to start dancing again...
“Fine! I get it already!!!”
...the princess screamed with a massive scowl, her whole body shaking.
“If you want me to exercise so badly, then I will!”
We did it!!! Overjoyed to finally hear those words, Jeanette raised her arms in celebration.
Dr. Jaquilla grinned broadly as well.
“Ohhh! A wonderful decision, Your Highness!”
“I’m so glad, Your Highness! Let’s do our best together!” Jeanette exclaimed, grasping the princess’s hands.
Meltia gave her a dubious look.
“‘Together’? Are you actually saying you’re going to do this with me?”
“Yes! It’ll be much easier if you have some company!”
“In other words, she’ll be your motivator,” Jaquilla added.
Meltia looked displeased, but at last she reluctantly nodded.
“Humph... Fine, whatever. It’ll be more efficient with you around.”
Oh...? The princess must be quite clever, to realize that right away! Jeanette thought. Then again, Claus did mention in his letters that Meltia was unexpectedly zealous about her studies and quick on the uptake. We might see some good results even faster than I imagined! Although it’d be impossible to know until the time came, a good outcome for Princess Meltia would hopefully also mean a good outcome for Jeanette.
“But if you offend me, I’ll kick you out without mercy!” Meltia declared.
“Okay! I’ll do my best not to!” Jeanette replied, clenching her fists determinedly, fired up about what was to come.