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While concealed under the closed canopy of the wagon, I took possession of Ciel’s body and joyfully sang a song. I could hear the two individuals seated on the driver’s seat reacting with surprise, indicating that they were likely eavesdropping.

「Heh, her voice isn’t too bad.」
「But to sing so happily in a situation like this, she must be a bit slow in the head.」
「Well, that’s fine. In the end, she’ll go stupid on the earl’s bed anyways.」
「No doubt about that. Plus, she’s a ‘Dance Princess.’」
「A Dance Princess’s performance in bed is top-notch. That rumor, huh. She’ll definitely be a favorite. How long do you think she’ll last?」
「Wanna bet?」
「If you lose, buy me the most expensive drink at the bar. I bet she’ll last for 10 days.」
「No choice, then. I bet she’ll only last 5 days. With that voice, the Earl won’t let her rest for a day.」
「Tsknow that you mention it, that’s true. What a waste. If it were me, I’d take care of her for at least 10 years.」

Just when I thought they were amazed, I accidentally overheard an extremely indecent conversation. It makes me want to kill them, especially knowing that Ciel is also listening, even though she probably doesn’t understand what they’re saying. It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that I’ll ever be able to tell her that I used to be a male.

Despite their conversation, I continue singing until the wagon abruptly comes to a halt. I cautiously peek through the gaps in the canopy and see repulsive green creatures —roughly the same height as Ciel— surrounding the caravan with shabby weapons in their hands. It’s my first time seeing a monster, and although they are not pleasant to look at for an extended period, I can’t take my eyes off of them.

The green creatures are quickly dispatched by the wagon’s escorts. As a former Japanese, the sight of their black blood spattering everywhere is quite shocking.

We were attacked by a few more monsters, causing our escorts to become fatigued and our break to commence earlier than scheduled. Despite this, we were still confined within the wagon. Through the conversations outside, I could hear them remarking on the increased number of monsters compared to usual, but it was expected.

『The monsters are gathering as expected. Do you think everything will go smoothly?』
「It would be ideal if it did, but things could become complicated if a more powerful monster doesn’t approach.」

The reason why the wagon is experiencing more attacks than usual is because of me. Just like the Song Princess of the past, I am attracting monsters with my singing voice. Specifically, I am drawing in every living organism that can hear me. However, as a result of this, the caravan most likely won’t face any issues with their food supplies.

With Ciel’s help, the range of my voice has been extended. However, since it attracts everything without discrimination, it is also a considerable risk for us. Nonetheless, as we wish to make the man believe that we have perished at the hands of the monsters, this remains our sole option. Ideally, the upcoming monster would be powerful enough to slay all the others yet not harm us.

As I continued to sing, my detection magic suddenly picked up a significant response. Despite poking my head outside the canopy to survey the situation, no one scolded me. Were they in such dire straits that they had no energy left to spare on me?

What I saw approaching us was a one-eyed giant, almost twice the size of our escorts, violently tearing down trees in its path. Its skin was bluish-green, and it sported a horn on its head and carried a tree-shaped club in its hand.

Upon witnessing its appearance, the escorts muttered, 「Why on earth is that here?」 with expressions that seemed to suggest they were witnessing the apocalypse.

In the next moment, the giant’s club crushed one of the escorts. A sickening sound of a mix between a splat and a crunch echoed, and a red puddle formed. The air was filled with the unpleasant smell of blood and organs.

The others who were resting tried to run away, but some of them were killed in the process. The remaining escorts bravely faced the giant, but their swords couldn’t pierce its tough skin. Taking even one hit would mean instant death, and the previous battles had already exhausted them. They too soon fell and became flowers of blood.

What am I supposed to do now? I unintentionally attracted a monstrosity. No wonder the Song Princess met her end by the creature she called. Ha, if I hadn’t been sidetracked by that bit of trivia, I doubt I could stay composed right now. I’m not afraid of dying. If I were to be crushed like those poor souls, I wouldn’t even have time to feel the pain. But witnessing people being crushed is not a pleasant sight. The stench of blood and flesh assaults my senses, and I feel nausea rising from my stomach. I retch and vomit everything out. For once, I’m grateful that we were given very little food.

Despite my fear and unease, I can’t afford to be paralyzed with inaction. The giant outside is an absolute threat, capable of killing anything in one blow. All I can do is feel its presence and try to defend myself with a barrier. Singing to lure more monsters is out of the question now. I’m not sure how resilient my barrier will be against this giant, but I can only hope it will hold.

I close my eyes and pray that the giant won’t notice us, when suddenly, a voice echoes in my head, 「Ain, protect me, okay?」 Without thinking, my body moves on its own.

Ciel takes a step forward with a fearless demeanor, now in control of the body. It appears that the only survivors are us, as the area is now eerily silent. Suddenly, the wagon behind us emits a loud noise and collapses. Although I would have been startled, Ciel remains unflinching.

It appears that the giant’s plan is to crush each wagon one by one, and if we hadn’t taken action, our wagon would have been next. But now, since Ciel has brought us outside, the giant has taken notice of us. Its single, menacing eye fixated on our presence. Given the speed I detected earlier, it’s unlikely that we can outrun it. Though, I also believe that attempting to fight it would be foolhardy. Regardless, Ciel seems to have made the decision to stand and fight.

With a determined expression on her face, Ciel expertly maneuvered her body and raised her arms in a sweeping arc. As her hands met, a bright crimson flame trailed in their wake. To a human observer, her movements would have appeared elegant and captivating, but her sole audience was the monster before her. The giant swung its club in a crude and clumsy manner, creating a thunderous explosion as it collided with the ground, leaving behind a small crater. However, Ciel’s agility was unmatched as she executed a nimble backflip to avoid the attack. With effortless grace, she swung her arm downward, and the flames twirled in the air as she launched her counterattack.

Ciel focuses her attack on the giant’s large eye, but the monster quickly blocks the flames with its free hand, though it does get slightly burned. Undaunted, Ciel creates a new flame and continuously produces more and more before unleashing them. The flames move as if they have a will of their own, encircling and fusing into an enormous blaze that engulfs the giant.

For the past few years, we had been imagining how a Dance Princess would fight. Ciel could potentially fight with a sword, using a sword dance style. However, it was unrealistic to expect to have a sword at hand during our escape. So our only option was to rely on sorcery for our attacks.

We developed a fighting style that involved incorporating sorcery into our dances. We first had to understand the concept of dancing. After researching various books and documents, we concluded that dancing is a performance that involves using one’s body and any necessary tools to fascinate and impress the audience.

Precise gesturing is a necessary component in captivating an audience through dance. In this case, a nobleman’s manners can be considered a type of dance. It’s evident that the Dance Princess job has a natural affinity for sorcery due to its presentational theatrics, which piques people’s interest. For instance, a Dance Princess can summon rain simply by “dancing”. Hence, we hypothesized that a Dance Princess can utilize sorcery without the need for chants or magic circles. Although unpracticed, Ciel was able to perform it proficiently.

As Ciel observed the burning flare, she realized that it would have been a fatal attack for an ordinary human. However, the giant easily swept away the flames with a swing of its club, leaving only visible burns on its body. It was clear that the attack wasn’t enough to defeat it. Disappointed by the outcome, Ciel quickly stepped back and shrugged.

「If that wasn’t enough to defeat it, we’re in trouble.」
『Shall we try to distract it with magic and make a run for it?』

Despite her words, Ciel appeared to be relatively calm. Perhaps it was her composure that allowed me to remain level-headed enough to propose the idea of escaping.

「That’s fine too, but Ain, I’ve noticed something.」
『What is it?』
「I’ve danced a lot so far, but I’ve never danced alone like this up until now. If possible, I’d like to dance like I always do.」

Ciel gazes at me with an eager expression. Is she suggesting that I sing? My role is that of the Song Princess, bestowing an enchantment upon all who hear my voice, friend or foe alike.

But… perhaps it’s worth a shot.

I take a moment to inhale deeply, attempting to calm myself as much as possible. Then, as usual, I begin to sing. The only thing lacking in Ciel’s attacks at the moment is sheer force. Therefore, I choose to lift her spirits with an energizing and dynamic song. I don’t need to hurry; my current objective is to inspire Ciel to dance with fervor.

I believe that this is one of the most powerful songs in my repertoire. While Ciel may not comprehend the meaning behind the lyrics, I am confident that she will grasp the sentiment I am attempting to convey. Although I have sung numerous songs in the past, this may be the first occasion that I perform this particular piece. Ciel appears startled at first, but quickly breaks into a smile.

Ciel taps the ground twice in a rhythmic manner, producing a sound akin to da-dan. Almost immediately, flames ignite in response to her movements, coalescing and condensing into fiery spheres. This marks the beginning of our usual, enjoyable time together.

As I continue to sing, Ciel initiates her dance. With an overwhelming passion, she discards all subtlety and moves her limbs in a frenzy. Her arms and legs lash out like a whip, cutting through the air with incredible flexibility. Despite the force behind her steps, they kick up clouds of dust and sand that add to the spectacle, without detracting from the grace of her movements.

Ciel’s vivid blue eyes shimmer with unwavering determination, while her pure white hair sways with a sense of independence, as though it has a mind of its own.

The flames from earlier soar towards the colossal figure, piercing through its skin and leaving a trail of scorch marks. The giant lets out a shriek of surprise and frantically attempts to put out the flames by waving its club. However, the flames move with an otherworldly grace, avoiding any attempts at extinguishing them. It’s almost as if the giant is being played with by a group of dancing fire fairies.

Although it only lasted a few brief minutes, Ciel’s dance had a profound impact. By the time her dance came to a close, the giant lay defeated, riddled with gaping holes throughout its body. The flaming fairies that accompanied her dance dissipated, likely under the control of her ability “Dance Princess”. Ciel then delivered the final blow by piercing the giant’s heart, but there was little bleeding, possibly due to the burning flames.

As the commotion died down and silence once again enveloped the surroundings, Ciel let out a pleased and joyful giggle.

「As I thought, dancing with Ain is the best.」
『Ciel, were you aware of that?』
「If it’s about the “Song Princess”, I had a feeling it might work like that.」

Originally, the enchantments I sang would have affected both allies and enemies alike. However, my voice now only reaches Ciel. This might explain why my enchantments only affected Ciel, allowing the full potential of the “Song Princess” to be realized. It still seems rather incongruous that a ten-year-old child like Ciel was able to single-handedly defeat an enemy that had previously destroyed a noble’s escort. Perhaps it’s a testament to our remarkable compatibility with each other?

『So my song functioned as Dance Princess’ required stage setting, right?』
「I didn’t expect that as well; but it’s just proof that together with Ain, there’s nothing to fear.」
『Frankly, I do think it’s a bit too much.』
「It’s not too much, you know? After all, from the day I was born, we’ve been dancing and singing together the whole time. It’s obvious that we’re compatible.」

Ciel looks at me with a radiant smile, brimming with more energy than usual. I respond to her charming demeanor with a soft and gentle voice, acknowledging her statement with a simple “That’s true.” It’s only natural for a child her age to be so lively and full of spirit.

「I believe it was fate that brought us together, Ain. So, even after this, will you stay with me, forever and ever?」
『I’m the one who should be saying that. Please continue to take care of me.』

In truth, I felt that meeting Ciel was also fate. While I have always been her protector, she has been mine in many ways as well. That’s why I am certain that our ability to laugh and enjoy each other’s company in this moment is also a part of our destiny. I am uncertain about what the future holds for us, but for now, we take a step forward into a new day together.

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