Chapter Three Hundred and Twelve: Wall Between Nobles and Commoners
Nearly all of those dancing in high spirits were commoners. It was probably because the music being played was the kind Karen recognized—the sort meant for common folk. The nobles kept their polite distance from the lively commoners, who danced without a trace of etiquette or propriety.
Given the very purpose of the New Year’s Festival—a gathering where nobles and commoners joined hands to protect the territory—it seemed a shame. And yet each group had clustered together with their own kind. But that was simply how things were.
Because this world, in every sense imaginable, drew a sharp line between those above and those below.
“Let’s dance too, Julius.”
“Could you give me one more song to watch? I’m almost at the point where I can follow their pattern.”
“Commoner dances are fine to muddle through. Nobody’s going to be embarrassed if you get it wrong.”
“I happen to like your proud expression too, Karen—the one you make when you feel pleased about me. That’s why I want to dance it perfectly.”
“Proud is one thing, but that sounds more like… a smug face.”
Being told that one of her less flattering expressions was his favorite left Karen with a complicated look on her face.
Julius chuckled softly.
“Even if you’d love me no matter what, I still find it adorable when you look proud because of me.”
“You’re pretty unusual too, Julius.”
Karen said it to hide her embarrassment. Julius smiled all the more warmly as he looked down at her, then began committing the commoner dances to memory. Just then, a conversation between adventurers drifted to Karen’s ears.
“Still, who would’ve thought that young master could laugh at an A-rank adventurer and get away with it?”
“He’s one bold heir. I like him.”
“Oh? So even adventurers can see it. Then Ehlertt’s in good hands.”
The adventurers who had been addressed fell quiet at once and stiffened. Even though the words themselves were positive, being approached by a noble was enough to make adventurers nervous.
Nevertheless, the adventurers who had been approached—by Alban—answered back despite their guarded expressions.
“…It’s good that Ehlertt is doing well. Makes it easier for us to brag to adventurers from other territories.”
“The only unfortunate thing is that the adventurer Young Master Sieg favors most isn’t from Ehlertt.”
“Tch. Way to hit where it hurts.”
“What I mean to say is that I would like you all to continue throwing yourselves into dungeon conquest. My own Court Viscounty has its share of territory. If there is anything you would like to see improved from an adventurer’s perspective, speak up. I, too, cannot afford to fall behind that upstart new lord fresh from the royal capital when it comes to managing a territory.”
Alban brought Karen up as a half-joking example. The adventurers who had been sulking looked up and cracked grins.
“…So we’ve both got a fire lit under us, then, have we?”
“It may be well and good to have drawn in a capable adventurer and alchemist from the royal capital, but neither nobles nor commoners enjoy hearing that Ehlertt recovered only thanks to them. For the pride of Ehlertt’s people, I’d like your cooperation.”
“Didn’t think I’d ever hear a noble say something like that to us.”
“In that case, there’s a policy I’ve been curious about for a while—”
Whatever the reason, the wall between nobles and commoners, between those above and below, was being removed all around the venue, and people were beginning to connect.
Karen was grinning to herself with quiet delight at the sight of it when Julius gently took her hand.
“Karen, the next song is starting. Will you dance with me?”
“Gladly!”
Commoner dances were a simple sequence of repeated steps—feet moving in rhythm, spinning round and round, and at the end a bow before parting ways and swapping partners. But married couples, or pairs like Karen and Julius, were perfectly free to keep the same partner throughout.
So Karen had fully intended to keep dancing with Julius—but partway through, Thor barged in and stole him away.
“Huh? Thor!?”
“Thor?!”
“Sis, you’re dancing with me next.”
Thor gave a casual wave as he said it and swept off a wide-eyed Julius, still blinking in disbelief. Julius, dancing on with a thoroughly bewildered expression, and Thor, dancing the lady’s part with perfect composure, drew roaring laughter from adventurers and nobles alike. Whether to dance with Julius or with Thor—not just adventurers but nobles too were caught up in the fun, and the number of people joining in kept growing. Mostly men.
Left behind with a dazed expression, Karen found someone bowing to her in time with the music. It was Sieg.
“Sister Karen, dance with me!”
“…Gladly!”
Karen thought for a moment, then decided that this was turning out to be fun in its own right, and nodded with a full smile.
“Oh, you’re quite good, Master Sieg.”
“Just Sieg. Drop the formal speech!”
Sieg smiled at her as they danced.
“Let’s be close like you and Thor from now on. We’re going to be a real family, after all!”
“In that case, you can call me your sister, Ms. Karen.”
“And you may call me your brother.”
Helfried and Alise had joined the dance at some point without Karen noticing and were now right behind her, delivering their additions in turn. Karen’s eyes went wide.
“Does that mean—Lady Alise and Lord Helfried as my sister-in-law and brother-in-law…!?”
“My, that has a nice ring to it.”
“Hmm. Not bad.”
“Sister Karen, what about me?”
“Is Sieg… really all right? Truly?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I want!”
Sieg said it with a smile bright as a blooming flower, then bowed to Karen and made his way to his next dance partner. The male adventurer who happened to be in Sieg’s path and ended up paired with him looked absolutely startled—ordinarily, men and women partnered together.
Nearby, the voices of young noble girls could be heard begging their parents to let them try the commoner dances, having realized that joining the circle might mean a chance to dance with Sieg. With the quiet dignity of a future heir, Sieg was somehow getting a rough-and-tumble male adventurer to dance the lady’s part without any apparent effort.
As Karen felt a warm swell of feeling at how much Sieg had grown, the next to arrive—just as promised—was Thor. She and Thor had danced together often enough in the adventurers’ quarter that they moved together without needing to think. When they finished a thoroughly enjoyable dance, Thor said:
“There’s someone over there who keeps looking this way like she wants to dance with you, Sis.”
Karen turned around, curious, and her eyes went wide.
“Lady… Ottilie?”
There, for some reason dressed in men’s clothing—the formal attire of a knight—was Ottilie, who noticed Karen’s eyes on her and broke into a bright smile.
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