Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Shichi-nin no Kikōshi

Chapter 26: Island of Messenger (part eight)

Klaus aimed for the center of the hall, pulled my hand and walked a little.

Due to the relationship between the dukes’ children, I felt that we were gaining extra attention.

When I became conscious of the attention, my face somehow stiffened.

“What, are you nervous?”

“Well, I am inexperienced about this. Do you also feel nervous, Klaus-sama? Or embarrassed? Your face is bright red.”

“Hm……it’s due to the lighting.”

We conversed with each other in low voices while holding hand and facing each other.

At the timing when we tried to step, suddenly the melody became weirdly romantic.

Oops, even though I am unfamiliar with the music of Ignitia.

(Hii, court musicians! Don’t make this harder for me!)

I had a bad footstep, I moved to avoid stepping on Klaus or other people’s foot.

Klaus skillfully made an ad-lib and corrected my uncertain step to a good condition.

“Klaus-sama, perhaps, you are a good dancer?”

“I’ve got plenty of practice with Ann. Hey, don’t look at your feet too much. On the contrary, it will be easier for you to fall down.”

“Eh, yes.”

Apparently, Klaus would take the lead.

I am honestly saved.

I don’t have experience in dancing, since until now I was always carried or piggybacked by brother.

“Look at me and don’t look down.”

“Ah, yes, Klaus-sama.”

“No, your face is too close like this. Don’t look at me after all. Look at some place over my shoulder. My rhythm becomes amiss.”

Klaus continued to issue instructions that made it difficult to measure his intentions.

This aspect of him didn’t change that much, huh.

“Klaus-sama, your orders are very detailed.”

“For now, place your trust in me and rely on me. I shall not disgrace you.”

As he said, Klaus is good at this.

While enjoying the music, I was able to dance a song without mistakes.

In this way, it would be safe for him to dance with other ladies.

I thought that my role would end here and bowed to leave, but Klaus grasped my arms and stopped me.

“Just a little bit longer, is it alright?”

The next song began as it was, and I was moving my body according to Klaus’ lead.

“Klaus-sama, don’t you have to dance with other people?”

“I came to see you. Why do I have to dance with other girls?”

“It will be the duty of a duke, right? You need to deepen your friendship with other people at work, right?”

“Hafan’s eldest son is on break.”

Klaus brought his lips to my ears and spoke in a low voice.

“I can’t say it out loud, but I’m investigating the case under the imperial command of the royal family. The boss of the investigation team is an excessively nasty and harsh guy. I said to that inhuman boss that it was unreasonable and to let me go through, so this is my precious free time.”

“You are following a strict person, aren’t you? Oh, is that the case of the grave robbery?”

The investigation of the grave robbery should have been conducted at the initiative of the Duke of Hafan.

I don’t think the word ‘inhuman’ suits the Hafan official.

“No, it’s different from the grave robbery.”

“Then, what are you investigating?”

“It’s not something we can say here, in the first place I was threatened by my boss to ensure that you never thrust your neck into danger……I forgot to mention, that boss, is your older brother.”

“Hiie–”

“……Even now, I want to compensate a little. So that I don’t have to redraw the map of the Duchy of Hafan.1”

As expected, Eduart-oniisama.

He didn’t even forgive a 10-years-old child……

Aah, but, it might be an opportunity to add labor as a mean of repayment.

“In such a precious free time, you do not need to bother dancing with me……”

“……You, did you read my letter?”

“Yes, I read it……but what is that letter?”

According to what I heard from Ann, it should have been a mistake.

Would corrections come in? What kind of letter was that supposed to be?

Somehow, while I was thinking in a carefree way, he said something disturbing.

“About what I wrote in that letter, I’m serious.”

“Ehh? What, you’re serious?”

“Very.”

Umm, it was ‘You are strong. I will be a man who will not lose to you.’

He was very serious about that—

As expected, was that a letter of challenge?

What did you mean, Ann-sama?

Shouldn’t it be a mistake?

I mean, was it really a challenge from the genius mage who could knock down such a monster?

School life will be in hard mode no matter how I think about it.

Hah! Wait!

I might have seemed weak in my previous life, but this me is in fact not timid.

If I max out the confident aspect of the villain specification, even if it is only appearance, there will never be a time when people will make light of me.

If I show a bit of courage and strike against him confidently, will I manage to do something?

Rather, it might be a matter of urgency to give the impression that I am a skilled person.

After worrying about it, I responded while choosing the words carefully.

“Klaus-sama. Um, honestly it was annoying.”

“Wha–”

“I am not a type like Klaus-sama. Could you please stop that brute force approach?”

“Uh……”

“What Klaus-sama is asking for is too heavy for me. But, it’s okay. Klaus-sama ought to find an opponent suitable for yourself. I will pray for Klaus-sama to have a good encounter.”

“Pray……!?”

“I’d like to be friends with Klaus-sama.”

“Friends……huh……uugh……”

“Um, are you listening?”

“……”

“Klaus-sama? Klaus-sama?”

“……”

There was no reply.

Klaus seems to be in a state of emptiness.

With movements as if sleepwalking, he seems to be dancing in a subconscious state, it is surreal……

I feel sorry for some reason, but with this Klaus wouldn’t be aiming for me as a rival or suddenly challenge me to a battle.

Sorry, Klaus.

Choose Eduart-oniisama or someone else who can be a formidable enemy while still being friends with you.

Maybe, I believe I have beaten him.

I bowed away from Klaus now that the song has switched.

Klaus remained in the center of the hall, still in the state of emptiness.

While I was worrying about what to do, girls of the same age surrounded Klaus and started competing for him.

(Sorry, Klaus, I don’t have the ability to fight with other ladies like Ann.)

It is dangerous to provoke someone who is jealous and wants to monopolize you.

I had an over capacity for rough loves in my previous life, so I don’t want to get involved anymore.

Giving a backward glance at the competition for Klaus, I sneakily escaped.

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1 Referring to the situation when Klaus consumed many wands and magic recovery potions of Eduart. To cover the deficit, it seems that Klaus had to sell a few forests of Hafan, so to avoid that, Klaus now is working for Eduart.

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