Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 171
◈ 171. [Side Story] Partner
It almost developed into a romantic atmosphere, but.
Of course, something like that didn't happen often in my life..
In less than 10 minutes after starting dance practice, I stepped on Serenade's toe four times..
“right… … Ugh…….”
At first it was a serenade where she smiled and said it was okay, but when her foot got stepped on about four times, she ended up squatting down with tears in her eyes..
I'm sorry. Does it hurt a lot??
“Are you doing this on purpose, sir?……?”
Serenade looked up at me with red eyes..
“You're not harassing the girl because you don't like her.……?”
“Not really. I don't have that kind of bad taste..”
You ask me to teach you how to dance, but then you harass me by repeatedly stepping on my feet? It's creative, but it's too complicated bullying..
I looked down at Serenade's red instep and let out a small sigh..
“I'm really sorry. I guess I'm out of shape.”
Moving in sync with someone was much more difficult than I thought..
Anyway, I didn't expect you to step on your fiancé's feet so carefully..
“It reminds me of my engagement day. It was already 10 years ago.”
Serenade muttered as she stood up with my help..
“Looking back, you weren't really good at dancing even back then..”
“Did I step on your foot back then too??”
“Did you just step on your foot? You tripped on my skirt and we both fell side by side..”
Serenade covered her mouth and laughed..
“It was painful and embarrassing, but it was still… … It was the happiest moment in my life.”
Serenade mumbled distantly, shook her feet a few times, and nodded energetically..
“Well, the pain is gone! This time, I will teach you well from the beginning.!”
The serenade came half a step closer to me..
“Now, again. From your hands.”
My left hand and Serenade's right hand are held together.
She took my right hand with her left hand and guided me to place it under her left armpit..
“Please post it here. Yes, like this.”
And Serenade's left hand rested on my shoulder..
This is the basic posture of the waltz, a representative social dance..
Their bodies are so close that their breath can almost touch them. If you listen just a little, you might be able to hear each other's hearts..
“……Tsk.”
Serenade made eye contact with me, urgently lowered her eyes, and took a deep breath..
“Now let's take the steps. Until you get used to it, I will lead the way..”
I moved my feet carefully as the serenade led. Be careful not to step on Serenade's feet..
“Come on, relax your body. Relax and take your time. Left foot forward. Right foot to the side. Collect, good. Right foot back, left foot to the side, together. you are doing well…….”
So time goes by.
“One, two, three. great. One, two, three. That's it.”
Perhaps because the tension was relieved and my body warmed up, I was able to practice dancing without stepping on Serenade's feet anymore..
Serenade also seemed to have relaxed and smiled with a more relaxed face..
“You'll learn it quickly, my friend.!”
“…….”
“If you practice a little more, you will have no problems at official events..”
I quietly looked at her natural smile, seeing her for the first time..
Serenade was unable to maintain eye contact for long and quickly lowered her eyes again. cheeks are red.
While staring at her, I slowly spoke out..
“serenade.”
“Yes, sir..”
“Your family will soon be extinct..”
The mild air froze.
Serenade's shoulders stiffened at my sudden words. The steps came to a screeching halt..
Serenade, who was looking at me with a stiff face, stuttered..
“……yes? what is that…….”
“Literally, serenade. Your family will soon be extinct..”
I glanced toward the window. You will be able to see us dancing in this auditorium from outside the building..
“Keep dancing. Because there will be eyes watching us.”
I started leading the waltz as I had learned. Serenade looked confused and followed my movements..
“Learning to dance was just an excuse. I came here to tell you this..”
Because this was the original purpose, a skilled person like me was able to ask the opposite sex to teach us how to dance. Well, I guess I have to learn how to dance too..
Into the serenade's ear I told the story of what I had heard..
It is said that the emperor had long ago decided to throw away his winter silver top..
When the road maintenance project is completed, the engagement between me and Serenade will be broken, and the imperial family will swallow up the Winter Silver upper deck. And now the time has come.
I asked Serenade, whose complexion was pale..
“Didn't you feel the omen??”
“Well, for the past few years you have treated me coldly... … He thought he might break off the engagement, but.”
Serenade shook her shaking head slightly..
“I never dreamed that they were planning to trample on our family itself.…….”
The imperial family plans to swallow up the entire top of Winter Silver..
In the process, there is no way he could just leave his owner, the Wintersilver family, alone. Extinction is as obvious as fire..
“So serenade. I came here. To protect your family and your clan.”
In the game, the Winter Silver merchant does not do any trading with Crossroads..
This is probably because after the Winter Silver upper class was swallowed up by the imperial family, it was mobilized for other work within the empire..
There will be no more entanglements with frontiers of change..
‘Do you think we should leave it that way?.’
We must keep the Wintersilver family alive and make them a strong supporter of Crossroads..
If you can do that, it will be of great help to your future strategy..
Above all, I decided to live as Ash.
Then, of course, saving this young lady, who is Ash's first love and fiancée, is something that must be done..
“In a few days, I plan to meet Abama and my brothers and have a meeting..”
Guardian Council.
You will be able to meet the emperor and princes on the spot and understand their true intentions..
And if we understand the true intention, we will be able to clearly devise measures to save Winter Silver..
“Before that, we must prepare among ourselves..”
I looked into Serenade's quivering silver eyes.
“Tell me, serenade.”
“yes?”
“What products does your business handle??”
How can we save this small merchant family like Pungjeon Light?.
After much thought, this was the conclusion I came to:.
“Among those products… … Is there ‘information’??”
Serenade's eyes widened. I continued.
“Information is a luxury item that is more expensive and more lethal than any other product..”
“Sorry, sorry. However, our merchant only deals with physical products.…….”
“Then, let’s create a new item at this time..”
I slowly let go of Serenade's hand and pulled away from her..
“From now on, I will come to learn how to dance from you every day until the day of the party..”
“…….”
“During this week, you will reorganize the entire top so that you can buy and sell 'information' as a commodity..”
The words are grandiose, but they are nothing special..
All you need is to be able to transmit information quickly and safely..
And it won't be that difficult for Winter Silver, which has a nationwide distribution network and has been involved in national road projects..
After the dance is over, the two people must bow to each other. Serenade and I bowed to each other..
“It was a great time. Husband.”
“I had fun too, Serenade.”
This is the end of today’s dance class..
It was okay when we were close to each other, but when we separated and there was distance between us, I felt embarrassed..
I sheepishly scratched the back of my head and prepared to leave..
“Well, that's it for today. I'll go there soon.”
“……Husband.”
A serenade was stammered out on my back as I turned around..
“To be honest... … I thought you hated me and our boss..”
“…….”
“We're glad you did this for us, but is there a reason you've changed your mind??”
“Do you need a reason?”
I smiled and looked back at her..
“We promised to get married.”
“girl…….”
Serenade lowered her eyes and took a deep breath..
“Don't you hate a girl who comes from a lowly merchant family??”
“I've never been like that. never.”
For Crossroads, he was always someone they wanted to do business with..
From Ash's perspective... … Well, you say it was your first love..
I've lived a life far from that bittersweet word, so I'm not sure what it feels like..
There is no reason to hate it.
I just want to be a good partner. Both from a business perspective and a social dance perspective..
“I'll come again tomorrow.”
Serenade is biting her lip and looking at me with complicated eyes. I pointed to her feet..
“Apply ointment to the top of your feet.”
***
After that, I visited Serenade every day and learned ballroom dancing and party manners..
Although I felt watching eyes everywhere, Fernandez didn't really stop me after that..
I decided not to worry too much and act as I please..
So three days later. morning.
After dancing for several days in a row, I was eating at the restaurant of the villa with my poor physical strength, and somehow I felt that the atmosphere of the villa was more lively than usual..
The expressions of excitement on the faces of the servants coming and going were clear..
“What's going on today? There are still a few days left until the victory festival.?”
When I asked Alberto, who served my meal, he smiled kindly and answered..
“The news arrived early in the morning. It is said that His Royal Highness Prince Lark will improve today..”
“……!”
1Prince Lark has returned from the Western Front..
“A triumphal parade is being prepared at the west gate of the imperial capital. It is only natural that citizens are happy..”
Alberto poured tea into my cup and glanced outside..
“How will you go to meet your brother??”
“of course!”
Of course, this body is from the country of etiquette in the East! I have to go meet my brother who came back from a long way. I want to see your face too.
So, I went out in a carriage with Alberto towards the west gate of the imperial capital..
The triumphal parade must have already begun as I saw cheers ringing out in succession along Seobu-dong, where access was restricted..
The boulevard was already crowded with people, so Alberto stopped my carriage a short distance away from the road..
Soldiers lined up along the main street repeated the song one by one as the triumphal parade approached..
“He is the emperor's eldest son and commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, and is the successor to His Highness Larc 'Avalanche' Everblack.!”
Wow-!
Citizens flocking to the left and right of the street cheered and scattered flowers. It feels like fans greeting idols returning to Korea at the airport..
Amid the pouring flower bouquets, cheers and applause - 1st Prince Larque was riding a horse and riding a horse..
I think he was around early 30s..
He was dressed in dull metal armor with a practical design, but the white cape fluttering behind his back was flashy..
The pitch-black hair that was combed cleanly back had a dark blue aura..
The deeply sunken eyes beneath the thick eyebrows were also dark blue in color..
That man is the military commander of the entire empire and the commander of the Western Front. And the undefeated knight.
“Lark…….”
Wow……!
Even amid the blessings and applause of the citizens, Larque remained expressionless..
Even though it was a triumphal parade, it would have been nice to smile at least once, but I just rode the horse with a dull gaze forward..
“Brother, did something bad happen to you? Why is your expression like that?.”
Alberto laughed bitterly at my question..
“You've been like that your whole life, haven't you? Because he rarely changes his facial expression..”
Ah, is that kind of personality? Actually, I feel like my face has been like that marble statue since I was born..
It was then. Lark, who was improving, suddenly raised his head, looked to his left and right, and then glanced this way. hmm?
His dark blue eyes clearly met mine. uh……?
Taat!
Just like that, Larque rode his horse and jumped over the citizens crowding the main street..
Citizens screamed all at once, but paying no attention, he began to approach my carriage..
I swallowed dry saliva without realizing it..
What, what? What?
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