The Dance Party

"So, what’s the verdict, kid? Who are you going to dance with?"

Yamato threw the question at me with a teasing, mocking grin.

Gathered around me were Ayane, Laura, Tsubaki, and Senka. Kaiser was there too, for whatever that was worth.

"Give me a minute to think," I muttered.

"I wouldn’t mind if you picked Saaya, you know," Yamato added.

"Give me ten minutes."

The more time I asked for, the more the options seemed to multiply. Worse, Yamato’s voice had shifted into a dead-serious tone, making my brain lock up even further.

I knew the dancing was already well underway on the floor below, but being told to go down there and take center stage was a tall order. Actually, it was more than that. Something had been bothering me for a while now—the Soul World was restless.

I didn't have the mental capacity to focus on it, but I spared a split second to check. From what I could see, there were signs of a massive expenditure of mana near the magic circle Merli used for her outings.

Thinking about that made me realize I was in a corner. Moving carelessly—or rather, picking one person over the others—was essentially checkmate.

"Hey, what are you all talking about?" Ayane asked, stepping closer.

"Lady Ayane? ...And Tsubaki, what's the matter?" Yamato glanced behind her.

"Next time... I’ll... speak up..." Tsubaki muttered.

"Don't worry about her," Ayane said, her eyes fixed on me. "More importantly, Reima, why are you hesitating?"

"Well," Yamato chimed in, "we were just discussing who the kid is going to dance with."

"...Oh? I see."

The air instantly froze. I could feel the temperature plummeting. It was likely an unconscious reflex on her part, but frost began creeping across the floor beneath my feet. Actually, the floor was literally starting to freeze over.

As the oppressive, frigid air dominated the room, my eyes darted around, looking for any way out. I turned to Kaiser in a silent plea for help.

"Hmm, Reima! If you are in need, shall you dance with me? I have mastered every style imaginable!"

It was a very Kaiser-like thing to say, but at that moment, it felt like a genuine lifeline. Out of sheer desperation, I was about to open my mouth and accept his hand when it happened.

"—Guh! Tsubaki-san, what are you...?"

"Read the room, de gozaru."

Tsubaki’s voice was sharp and cold. She had circled behind Kaiser in a blur, and a second later, he was face-down on the floor.

I couldn't even tell what she’d done to him. I wanted to say something to my fallen friend, but given the atmosphere, it seemed like a bad move.

"Now, now, Reima-kun. You don't need to worry about me," Senka said with a smile.

The conversation was moving forward without me, and my options were narrowing. When I looked back toward Tsubaki, she and the unconscious Kaiser had already vanished.

If I had to dance with someone in this mess, it was going to be Laura or Ayane. But I couldn't just choose one. More than that, I was plagued by the feeling that I wasn't even the one in control here.

"Hmm. There is no need to choose," Laura said, stepping forward. "You can simply dance with both of us."

"Are you okay with that, Laura?" I asked.

"I haven't danced in quite a while. Besides, there’s no rule stating it has to be only one person, is there?"

"If that's the case, then I guess it's fine. I'm looking forward to it, Reima," Ayane added.

Wait, what happened to my input?

The protest died in my throat. I steeled my resolve. Refusing now would be the worst possible move, and it would be far too cruel to reject two people who had actually said they wanted to dance with me.

"...Alright. I'm in your hands, both of you."

---

"A fair bit of time has passed, hasn't it? Well then, it's time for our protagonist to take the stage!"

Following that obnoxious announcement, I found myself standing in the center of the ballroom with Laura.

Under the gaze of hundreds of people, my stomach began to churn. I looked at Laura, who remained as unfazed as ever, and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just thought this is very 'you.' It made me feel a bit better."

"I don't follow, but whatever. Shall we dance, Reima?"

"—Haha. As you wish, Princess."

"Hmph. Don't be a sap, idiot."

We performed a social dance suited for the venue. I felt the memories of the lessons drilled into me back in the other world resurfacing as I followed Laura’s lead.

In that other world—no, even in this one—Laura’s noble blood showed. She was naturally gifted. I had intended to support her, but I was completely outclassed. It was just like her, and more than anything, it felt nostalgic.

"This brings back memories. You've improved since then," I noted.

"I've had my share of opportunities. I couldn't exactly afford to be clumsy after you were the one who taught me, could I?"

We exchanged light banter. It’s hard to describe, but I felt a profound sense of security as I spent those moments with her.

"Now, it's Ayane's turn. Go on, Reima."

"Right. I'll give it my best shot."

"Don't worry. You were quite good."

That was a relief. With a lighter heart, I walked toward Ayane, who was waiting for me. As the music faded into the background of my mind, I met her eyes.

"........."

"........."

We stood there in silence for a moment. Ayane’s cheeks were puffed out ever so slightly. I scrambled for something to say, but I knew that if I tried to be too suave, she’d probably just laugh at me.

"...You're a good dancer," I finally said.

"Well, yeah."

To be honest, I was getting dangerously nervous. I was used to dancing with Laura, but I had never even considered inviting Ayane to dance, let alone imagined what it would be like. Still, leaving her standing there would only humiliate her.

"Sigh... Ayane, forget everything I do for the next few minutes."

I steeled myself and looked directly into her jewel-like crimson eyes. I dropped to one knee, looking up at her with a smile, and spoke the words just for her.

"—My Lady, may I have this dance?"

I held out my hand, trying my best to keep a straight face while I waited for her answer. Time seemed to slow down, and the sound of my own racing heartbeat was deafening. I felt incredibly self-conscious of the crowd watching us, wondering if I was being too dramatic.

Clad in her white dress, Ayane’s face flushed a deep red. I thought I heard her mutter, "Unfair," in a tiny voice before she spoke.

"Hehe... with pleasure."

Her white hand settled into mine. I wrapped my fingers around her precious hand, interlacing our fingers.

Why is this happening? As soon as we started moving, our rhythm was perfectly synchronized. It was actually fun.

"Ahaha! This is wonderful, isn't it?"

"...Yeah. Maybe."

We moved as one, focused entirely on each other. She was hesitant at first, but as she leaned into me and entrusted herself to my lead, she wore a smile that was nothing short of breathtaking.

"You know, Reima... this is the first time I've ever danced with anyone."

"You're doing great."

"Fufu, thank you. I'm really happy I get to dance with you."

She was usually so dignified, but her smile in that moment...

"You're beautiful."

"—! ...Idiot Reima."

The words slipped out before I could stop them. She looked so beautiful, so fleetingly lovely, that I couldn't help it. Her reply was typical, but the sight of her rare, embarrassed expression made me feel a strange sense of joy.

"Muu... why are you laughing?"

"Wait, am I laughing?"

"You really are unfair."

Her white hair swayed as our feet moved in time with the music. In that grand hall, we forgot about the hundreds of eyes watching us. For that moment, I just enjoyed the time I spent with her.

---

Afterword

Thank you for reading, everyone!

It’s been about six months since I started this series, and we’ve officially passed 110 episodes! There were a few gaps in the posting schedule during that time, but I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has stuck with me.

I can’t always reply to comments, but I read every single one of them. They are honestly one of the highlights of writing this novel. I want to express my deepest thanks to all of you who have read this far. I’ll keep running toward the conclusion, so please continue to follow, rate, and review the story.

I can’t share much about the physical book release yet, but things are moving forward, and I’m working hard to make sure it reaches you in the best possible quality. Please look forward to it alongside the web version.

Also, to celebrate passing 400,000 PV, I’m running a character popularity poll in the activity notes! Please stop by and leave a comment. I’ll tally the results in about a month, and depending on the turn-out, I’m planning to write some character-specific short stories.