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“It’s an old dance, so the steps are simple.” Just as Adelaine said, it wasn’t difficult.

.

First, the dancers split into men and women and face each other.
The men bow to the women and extend their hands.

The women, feigning indifference, take each other’s hands instead and begin to dance. Smiling cheerfully, they step in rhythm, then lightly separate and spin on their own. As Adelaine demonstrates, her skirt flares out like a flower. Then they link arms in pairs, spin once around that joined point, and strike a pose. This sequence is repeated. Normally there are more participants, so the partners change as it goes on.

Meanwhile, the men dance among themselves. Since it represents men competing over women, it looks less like a dance and more like a martial demonstration.
When the women start dancing, the men face each other and raise their fists into a ready stance. They lightly tap the backs of their fists together, immediately separate to step, then face each other again and cross their upper arms together. Right, left. They turn, separate, and return to their stance. This, too, is repeated.

When the separate male and female parts end, the men once again bow to the women and extend their hands. This time, the women respond, and the pairs become mixed. Even so, they do not take hands or touch; they simply step together. The men offer their hands, but the women lightly evade them. The men step in pursuit; the women flee. Partners change, and it repeats.

Only in the final part do the women finally take the men’s hands and dance in unison. It closely resembles the initial women’s part, but danced as mixed pairs. At the end, they link arms, spin, strike a pose, and bow to each other. After cycling through all partners once, the dance ends.

.

“This is the basic form. Each village has its own small variations, and it may also change from generation to generation, so you’re free to adjust it in whatever way is easiest to dance.”

As Adelaine explains this in the hall reserved for small parties, to which everyone has moved, her husband Novak stands beside her in complete silence.
He shows almost no expression.

Dragged away from his work without warning, made to face the prince with no mental preparation, barely able to exchange greetings before his wife says, “You remember, don’t you, the dance from our land I taught you long ago,” and then being made to demonstrate it together with her—one can only imagine what’s going through his mind.
Adelaine is not so cruel as to force her husband into the women’s role. Novak demonstrates the men’s part alone, and then dances the mixed part with his wife. A couple whose bond was forged through dance, they still move with sharpness even in their fifties. Their performance, carrying the dignity of true masters, earns applause from everyone present.
Once the demonstration is over, Lady Adelaine gently pushes him from behind, saying, “Thank you, dear. You may return now,” and Novak leaves. …Again, one can only imagine what’s going through his mind.

I’m so sorry, sir Novak. It’s all because I suddenly suggested that we all dance together—truly, I’m sorry for dragging you into this.

Even as she apologizes profusely in her heart, Ekaterina feels relieved. With so few people, the dance will end quickly. Though she was the one who suggested it, dancing something she learned at the last minute under everyone’s gaze would take considerable mental fortitude. You could call it a trial of life.

—and just for that simple reason I dragged everyone into this ordeal! I’m so sorry! I made such an outrageous suggestion without thinking it through!

Ekaterina once again profusely apologizes in her heart, but that internal groveling doesn’t last long.
Because the other three master the dance with astonishing ease—and at a remarkably high level.

Especially the two men. With sharp memories, outstanding athletic ability, and years of sword practice together that let them read each other’s rhythm perfectly, Aleksei and Mikhail are flawless from the very first time they try the men’s part together.

They face each other and raise their fists.
At that moment, Mikhail grins—a rare, distinctly *childish* smile.
Aleksei responds by narrowing his eyes slightly, a faint smile touching the corner of his lips.
Then they step in at the same time. The backs of their fists tap together, and from there they carry the mock-combat steps through to the end with a tension that makes it look like a real fight. The crisp movements of those trained in martial arts from childhood are beautiful.

Watching them, Ekaterina desperately struggles not to collapse to her knees.

*(No—! Onii-sama is so cool—! What do I do?! The prince is cool too! He feels less “royal” and more like a boy for once, which just looks cute for the thirty-something-me!)*

Hold it together! If I collapse, my sister-obsessed brother will worry and tell me I don’t have to attend the welcoming banquet. The person who suggested all this skipping the first dance and going to bed? That would be ridiculous!

“My, my, how wonderful… both of you are perfect. At the banquet, the young ladies and noblewomen will surely watch you in rapture. Don’t you think so, young ladies?”
“Yes, truly!”

At Adelaine’s words, Ekaterina gives a short, firm reply—and nothing more. She restrains herself so she won’t spend the next hour gushing about how cool her brother is.

“And you think so too, Lady Flora?”

Prince is cool! Do you think so too? Want to talk about it?

Ekaterina asks eagerly, but,

“Yes, I think both of them are wonderful.”

Such was the curt response she received. Huh? That wasn’t quite what she expected.
Is that how it is?
Well, whatever. They’ve got some summer-vacation-like plans later; she’ll ask properly then.

The women’s part that Ekaterina dances with Flora also earns Adelaine’s approval.
Flora dances with a smile like a blooming flower, light and airy like a fairy. Drawn along by her, Ekaterina smiles and dances as well—but compared to Flora, her movements feel sluggish.

“Lady Flora is light and lively, while Lady Ekaterina’s movements are graceful. How beautiful.”

That’s how Adelaine praises them, but Ekaterina is starting to realize something.

In this life… maybe my athletic ability is kind of lacking…
Flora-chan only started dancing after entering the academy too, and unlike Onii-sama and the prince, it’s not ingrained in her—yet her physical potential is so high.

When they try the mixed part, Ekaterina alone feels slightly off-tempo. Especially when dancing with Mikhail, she hesitates over how to manage the distance—particularly in the final “acceptance” part, where they link arms and turn.

“Sorry, I think I might be a little fast,.

Mikhail says with a troubled look, brushing back his summer-sky-colored hair. Ekaterina immediately shakes her head.

“No, it is I who’s too slow.”

Or rather, sluggish….
Ah. That stings a little.

Still, if she were truly clumsy, she wouldn’t be able to match the dance at all. It’s just that the other three are absurdly high-spec and high-potential. Ekaterina herself is more than competent—she’s just losing sight of what “average” even is.

“Ekaterina, you don’t need to be so hard on yourself. You’re as graceful as a goddess.”
“Yes, Lady Ekaterina is wonderful!”

Aleksei strokes Ekaterina’s hair, and Flora earnestly backs him up—but Ekaterina can’t bring herself to nod.

Onii-sama’s opinion is through his siscon filter. And Flora-chan is always kind.
Dragging everyone into a whim and then being the one to hold them back—that’s not okay!

“If you’re concerned, a little more practice should be all it takes to match your timing,” Adelaine says.

Ekaterina nods seriously at Adelaine’s advice.
All right. I’ll do my best.

“Lord Mikhail, would you practice with me once more?”
“Of course. I was about to ask myself.”

And so, after several more rounds of practice with Mikhail, Ekaterina is finally satisfied.

Only later does she remember that she had been trying to avoid a first dance with him, or that she’d found the idea embarrassing—and she pauses.

W-well, it’s not like I’m his *first-dance partner*, and it’s not a close-embrace social dance, just a folk dance where you link arms. And it *does* feel like a proper summer memory, so… let’s call it good.

Now then—next up is a girls’ talk!